Corporate recruiting season is upon us.
Many seniors are participating in the process in the hopes of landing a job in finance or consulting in New York or another major city. There's nothing wrong with that, but there is a world of employment opportunities that lie beyond those commonly considered. I believe many seniors do not consider these jobs because they are less obvious. I call these overlooked areas and jobs "The Other America." These jobs are given little thought by many seniors, but for some they may make for a more enjoyable life or work experience. It is important to consider all job options, not simply those that are close at hand. I designate the alternative, standard set of jobs as "Moneyed America."
What characteristics typify Moneyed America? Though Manhattan is the archetype of this lifestyle, its traits are certainly present in Boston, Los Angeles and other large cities. As its name implies, the jobs in Moneyed America provide better compensation than their smaller-town counterparts. People there work six days a week, party at trendy clubs on Saturday nights, then sleep away Sundays before doing it all over again.
It's a place where people are well-paid and, as a result, think nothing of dropping 8 dollars on a single beer. One major benefit to the larger salaries of Moneyed America is that though you might not see your child as often as you'd like, education can still be a priority as there are many fine private schools in these cities that provide excellent opportunities. People drive beautiful cars, though their choices are depressingly uniform: the BMW 3 Series and the Mercedes S- Class serve to differentiate the associates and analysts from the partners, and their respective purchases seem to be almost a rite of passage with each promotion. Additionally, their clothes are more stylish and their grooming more expensive than their counterparts in the Other America.
Intellectually, I find Moneyed America much more stimulating than the Other America. People are much better educated. It is a place where all professionals read the Times or The Wall Street Journal and they tend to be more conscious about world events. The downside to these credentials is the arrogance that often accompanies them. There is a common perception in Moneyed America, occasionally articulated, that if someone has chosen to live elsewhere, it is because they were not good enough to make it in the city. While there may be a grain of truth in that sentiment, it is far from wholly true. Furthermore, net worth is sometimes confused with value as a person, as when people derive their sense of self-worth from the size of their last bonus. This, too, makes me uneasy.
What, then, makes the Other America different from Moneyed America? Clearly the compensation is less attractive. But the lifestyle is probably healthier. Sixty-hour weeks are less frequent, and citizens find the time and the energy to attend religious services on weekends. People in the Other America see their kids grow up; they need not hire professional nannies. They're not trendy, but they have more friends around town than folks in Moneyed America do (even if they're not the "right" friends).
People in the Other America drink beer too, but they believe that if they are going to spend 8 dollars on a beer, it had better come with five more free ones. Car choices in the Other America are a bit more egalitarian. The Ford F-150 pickup truck and Explorer SUV seem to typify these parts of America, though other makes are also common.
People in the Other America may not be, on average, as well-educated as their counterparts in Moneyed America. But they can still be very intelligent. There is a refreshing absence of arrogance here that is quite different from Moneyed America. In small-town America, people wouldn't dare suggest that a pilot is a better person than a teacher, simply because the former is paid a higher salary. Instead, because people know their neighbors, they make judgments based upon character, rather than superficial criteria.
Neither lifestyle is universally superior. I have experienced both Americas, and each way of life has its own set of benefits and drawbacks. Only a personal evaluation of the relative importance of these qualities can lead to a determination about which one is preferable. Is Portland, Ore., a better place to live than Manhattan? There is no universal answer to that question.
Still, I have always found it ironic that many Dartmouth students, after appreciating the wilderness of New Hampshire for four years, migrate in large numbers down I-91 to New York and other big cities. It is certainly attractive, glitzy and fashionable. But are these people choosing Moneyed America because they think it is better for them or because many of their peers are doing it too? I don't know.
There are two Americas. Unfortunately, many Dartmouth students act as though there is only one, simply because it is more convenient, and everyone else seems to be seeking that lifestyle. In searching for employment, there are far more opportunities than those that are close at hand or commonly pursued. I urge you to consider both Americas before deciding which path to follow.
