Corporate America

Since moving to the US, I encountered one of the biggest differences in comparison to Europe in the working world. The cliche term 'rat race' fully applies to the corporate engine. 

When I went to university in Los Angeles, I kept hearing 'you will be overworked and underpaid for the first two years.' I always dismissed this remark. Boy, were they right! Sure, there are jobs that give you the big bucks right away (my lawyer friends do pretty well for themselves) but for Joe and Jane Average like me, it's quite difficult to survive. I currently work in the internet business and most of my co-workers came straight out of college. They work 9 hours a day and get paid next to nothing. That's why most of them still need to live with roommates. Having roommates is something that I only associate with going to college back in Europe. There is no one I know back home who has a roommate. Even my boss - who just left the company - had a roommate and she was in her 30s!! For me, that was unheard of before. And it's really a matter of surviving - not that they want to live with someone else. 

Besides the pay, there is also the low amount of vacation days. I'm used to 6 weeks vacation. Here, 2 weeks are standard. Some people get 3 weeks but some also have to deal with just one. And, these vacation days have to be accrued. This means that you have to work a certain amount of hours first which you will receive vacation days for. Generally you get one vacation day for each month you work. In addition, you get 3 personal days. These are generally used for when you have appointments that take more than an hour or also to take a long weekend here and there. They also have to be accrued. 

The biggest difference to Europe, however, is the sick-days. I have 3 paid sick days a year. If you are a European, I'm sure you are wondering now about what happens if I'm sick longer than 3 days. Well, I don't get paid for those days. And since healthcare is not for free in America, this can turn quite into a downward spiral over time... I have co-workers who come in with fever, who are contagious or in lots of pain. And they are too afraid to go home or stay home because of the stigma that comes with it - lazy, faker, not a team player, etc. Unfortunately, health is no a priority in corporate America. I don't think I've ever seen anyone out sick for more than a day at a time. What makes it even worse is that the people who come in sick get everyone else sick as well. 

I honestly don't understand these policies at all. I know America is all about making $$ but how can you be productive when you can't go on vacation to recharge your batteries? Or when you are sick? I read a while ago that a study showed that European and American productiveness is exactly the same. But Europeans are definitely healthier and enjoy a more secure standard of living. 

Things to consider if you are thinking about moving to the U.S....