"Some students say, 'Well, if I take a job well beneath my educational capabilities then I'm doomed forever. No, I think the hiring market will be much more understanding of why you had to take a job that was not a particularly good job, she said."
Spot on. It's all about achievement. I took jobs digging ditches, felling timber, and operating heavy machinery. During job interviews, prospective employers in 3-piece suits were visibly impressed with a "can do" attitude. No job too big, too small, or too dirty. You want it done? I can make it happen.
Check out my #25. Stories like yours make me feel great about what we both managed to accomplish. When I was a youngster interviewing, having worked “garbage” jobs gave me the utmost confidence while interviewing, and it has helped me in the 16 years since those days because I have worked at the ground level, not because I wanted to, but because I needed to in order to keep a roof over my head.
I worry about my young girls, because I'm not sure that I'll be able to say no to them if they need the help. While my parents were hard workers, they didn't have extra money to give me, if I had asked. I would have never asked, though, but that's another difference between now and then.