Dad Said It Best
“The only job worth doing is a job well done.”
I’ve lost count of how many times my Dad said that to me as a kid while raking leaves, sweeping the sidewalk, doing my homework, taking my first job delivering newspapers in junior high… then later, as I navigated my way through the adult world of career choices, glass ceilings, big breaks and dead ends.
Whatever job is put before you — whether menial and seemingly insignificant, or lofty and far-reaching — your job is to do that task to the best of your ability. This is the bottom line, even when the temptation is to “take this job and shove it.”
Why? Because, ultimately, what stands the test of time is the evidence of either a job well done or a trail of sloppy missteps, mistakes, and burned bridges. If you demonstrate that you’re dependable, on time and agreeable, that speaks much louder than your list of accomplishments, awards, certifications and degrees.
People above and below you want the assurance you can be trusted. And when that promotion comes up, so will your name… at the best of times. At the worst of times, you retain your sense of self-respect, dignity and assurance you’ve done everything in your power to do the right thing, so you can sleep at night. Then you can go for that next opportunity, confident you’re the right person for the job because you know you can do it well.
This is particularly important in today’s economy, where the US workforce is aging. That’s partly because of low birth rates but it’s also because people are continuing to work, even as they get older. If 70 is the new 50, we shouldn’t be surprised to find more 70-year-olds working, according to Deloitte Insights. It’s already happening, and this trend is expected to gain more traction in the coming years.
Through 2024, older populations are increasing overall, including in the labor force—a 55.4 percent projected an increase in the 65–74-year-old age group and an 85.5 percent increase among those 75 and older. This coincides with a 13.1 percent decline in the youngest group’s population (Gen Z), which will be reflected in the labor force.
To put things in perspective, the 25–54-year-old group will still make up the majority of the workforce in the next five years but the proportion of these workers will decline, as will the proportion of 16–24-year-olds. The only age group projected to gain share in the labor market through 2024 is the 55-and-over age group.
Since a single career and an early retirement are relics from the past, it gives even more weight to Dad’s advice. Doing a good job wherever you are at this point will help build bridges to your next opportunity. It’s the only job worth doing. Dad said it best.
Estelle Rodis-Brown is the author of Boomer’s Dad Said it Best blog. She is a freelance writer and photographer from Portage County who also serves as digital/assistant editor of Boomer magazine. Straddling both journalism and public relations communications, she writes for local newspapers and several regional clients, creating articles, press releases, newsletters, web content and social media posts.
