Your next job is probably going to be Bullsh*t. 👀
But don’t worry, according to David Graeber my whole career has largely been filled with B.S. jobs too. 🤣
In his book, Bullshit Jobs: A Theory, David Graeber breaks down a slew of industries and jobs that he considers pointless.
Using real career stories from his Twitter followers, he breaks down the daily responsibilities of many popular jobs. He then uses these stories as case studies to hone in on the B.S. nature of each example. No industry or job is safe. 👀
The Official “B.S. Jobs” List
David made a point to call out the following roles/industries in his book:
Read the book here
- Marketing
- Internal Comms/ Internal Marketing teams (i.e. people employed to write, edit, or produce internal marketing content for a company)
- Public Relations
- Legal Assistants
- Corporate Lawyers
- Financial Services
- Bankers
- Consulting Agencies
- Data Scientist
- A lot of government jobs
- Education Administrators
- TV Development roles & Hollywood as a whole
- Certain HR roles (i.e. Employee Engagement)
- Art Curators
- NGOs
- White-collar healthcare workers
- Certain types of video editors (i.e. the ones who make superficial edits to people’s bodies)
- Any job that requires mind mapping and presentation building 💀
- Any job that deals with enforcing rules and regulations (especially if it includes lots of paperwork)
- Grant Writing
- Front Desk Assistants (like the ones in college dorms or office buildings)
- Apartment Doormen
- Dog Walkers
- Delivery Drivers
What Type of B.S. Job Do You Have?
Raise your hand if you’ve been personally victimized by David Graeber 😭
Did your job make the list above?
Yea, so have a few of mine… 😭
Welcome to the B.S. Jobs Club. 😭
After telling you your job was B.S., David went ahead and shared what type of B.S. you were doing. According to David all B.S. jobs aren’t created or worked equally. There are 5 different categories of B.S. jobs and some are more B.S. than others.
The Types of B.S. Jobs (in no particular order)
- Flunkies: Support staff who ensure smooth operations and enhance the image of their superiors, such as receptionists, administrative assistants, door attendants, and store greeters.
- Goons: Individuals tasked with advancing their employer’s agenda, whether through advocacy, legal defense, sales, or public relations, often involving persuasion or protection from those who try to harm or deceive their employers.
- Duct Tapers: Problem-solvers who provide temporary solutions to ongoing issues, like programmers patching faulty code or airline desk staff easing passenger frustrations over lost luggage.
- Box Tickers: Professionals who generate the appearance of productivity without necessarily advancing substantive goals, such as survey administrators, internal comms newsletter writers, and compliance officers.
- Taskmasters: Managers who oversee operations and allocate work, sometimes creating additional tasks that may not contribute significantly to productivity, particularly prevalent in middle management and leadership roles.
I’ll just say… I’ve worked 30+ jobs in my career so far, and the B.S. job categories that I’ve worked the most are flunky, box ticker, and taskmaster.
What about you? 👀
But I have some good news. You can identify the type of BS job you have, and plan your exit if you feel like your time and energy is being wasted. After all, we only get 80,000 working hours in our lifetime. 👀
How Do You Escape a Bull Sh*t Job
After all of my experiences, I 100% agree with David that some jobs shouldn’t exist. David highlights that most B.S. jobs:
- Increase and promote inefficiencies in businesses.
- Waste taxpayer’s money (depending on the industry).
- Waste the employees’ time and effort, especially if something could be automated or the work that the employee has done is never used!
Despite the topic and ruthlessness of the book, I like it, and I think all professionals should read it.
This book will especially help professionals who are seeking career clarity, are currently job searching, or are in the process of transitioning careers. Because so many of David’s Twitter followers divulged the inner workings of their jobs and industries, you also get an honest look at what a specific job might entail.
So are you adding it to your Book Club list or Libby Bookshelf? Let me know in the comments.
Before you go…
Reclaiming time, career design, and life design are topics that I care so deeply about, and I teach my Breakroom Buddha readers how to navigate their own lives. I believe we were all put here in this time & space to do something. And it’s not to check boxes or make someone else look good!
How To Find Your “Work” Purpose?
“WHY AM I HERE?”
I held countless career clarity and coaching sessions, and this question continuously arises. If you want to pursue meaningful work that maximizes your impact and minimizes wasted effort, explore the resources below:
Career Clarity Wakeup Call:
Career Clarity Wakeup Call: A guided career clarity activity that cuts through the fluff and helps you hone in and identify your “Career Calling.” Bonus: You’ll learn how to use AI to shape the next steps in your career. 🙂
Abundance Mindset Guide:
Abundance Mindset Guide: A newsletter featuring unique open roles, hiring manager/recruiter contacts, career & life design tips, and mindset shifts. This newsletter could be the catalyst/help you escape that B.S. job!
80,000 hours Job Board:
80,000 hours Job Board: Handpicked jobs to help you tackle the world’s most pressing problems with your career. This job board has some amazing Under the Radar opportunities.
The United Nation’s Global Issues List:
The United Nation’s Global Issues List: A list of issues that transcend national boundaries and cannot be resolved by any one country acting alone. Maybe your next business idea or the company you work for is working to tackle these issues.
