Occupations Miscellaneous occupations Dead-end work is usually regarded as
unskilled and the phrase usually applies to those working as
shelf stackers,
cleaners,
call center agents,
clerks, or in other
menial jobs where the pay is low, and the working hours are long. Furthermore, positions not regarded as menial may nonetheless qualify as dead-end jobs and forms of
underemployment. A specialized employee working in a small firm in an underdeveloped local market, for example, might have few opportunities for advancement within the company while simultaneously facing a dearth of opportunities outside it. Most dead-end jobs offer few or no
transferable skills and may hinder workers from pursuing careers elsewhere. Dead-end jobs, such as an
internal auditing position within a firm, according to CFO.com, should be considered and accepted only if an individual has a pre-calculated
exit strategy so that one is not stuck permanently in a position with no opportunities.
Law librarians and individuals who join firms that are enlisted into
estate or
trust work consist of low paying occupations which translate to dead-end jobs with no opportunities for growth. Few
fast-food franchise employees receive any
work benefits, and their
wages are so low that they are unable to make enough income to supply themselves with life's necessities, especially if they are
employed part-time. Part-time employees often need to work two to three jobs to make ends meet or require government assistance, such as
food stamps, to live. Most of these fast-food positions are considered dead-end jobs because of the traits listed above, the lack of opportunities within the fast-food realm, and the inability to
organize to improve their working conditions. Presently, any positive change in wages and benefits for low-paid fast-food employees that makes the occupation more appealing could signal a shift toward mass layoffs in favor of kiosks and robots. As Andrew Puzder, former CEO of
Carl's Jr. and
Hardee's, stated: "Robots and kiosks are always polite, they always
upsell, they never take a
vacation, they never show up late, there's never a slip-and-fall, or an age, sex, or race
discrimination case." Dead-end jobs are not limited to menial labor,
retail, or fast food roles. Professional positions in
call centers, loss-mitigation
underwriting, administrative roles, and
clerical work may also offer little to no potential for advancement.
Medical field occupations A survey was conducted in
Scotland to gather feedback on education and professional issues. The results revealed that only 1 of 25 Registered Mental Nurses (RMNs) would recommend that others pursue this profession. Over half of the survey participants reported that they have reached the highest level of their careers. Additionally, 'reprofiling exercises' and
skill mix activities conducted in this profession have led to a decrease in the number of registered nurses in the industry. 66% of respondents also reported that their organizations offer no opportunities for growth, despite their interest in advancing their careers. One out of six participants exclaimed that the position of a Registered Mental Nurse is a dead-end job due to the reasons above and the lack of clear direction in their career path. Because of these setbacks, nurses who have reached their highest capacity show more signs of despondency about their career paths than their counterparts employed at lower levels. A job residing within the realm of
medical inspection is also considered a dead-end job. There is no progression in status, responsibilities, or salary in this field of work. School Medical Officers (SMOs) have experienced dissatisfaction with the lack of progression, as described above, and with the redundancy of work-related activities. The responsibility for medical inspection of schoolchildren mainly entails routine inspection of a large population of children and presents few, if any, features of greater medical interest. The starting salary of these workers is low and inadequate, and they are not supplemented with any substantial raises to compensate for their low starting salaries.
Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs), also known as long-term care workers, are
frontline workers who assist individuals with
disabilities with instrumental activities, such as using the phone, and daily activities, such as bathing or eating. It is a challenge to
recruit them and
retain them as employees. According to the American Health Care Association, in 2002, the turnover rate for this occupation in
nursing homes was 71% per year. In 2004, CNAs earned a median hourly wage of only $10.04, which was slightly higher than other occupations, such as grocery cashiers ($7.90) and fast-food cooks ($7.07). They also receive very few fringe benefits. Approximately 16% of CNAs do not have
health insurance provided by their firms. Inadequate
training provided to CNAs, along with low levels of education, can also affect job tenure, limiting opportunities to grow and learn new material. For the reasons above, the CNA position is also considered a dead-end occupation.
Temporary employment/short-term contracts In Europe,
temporary employment is widely used and is at the heart of political and economic debates. These temporary contracts and job positions increase
labor market flexibility and allow employers to dodge strict government regulations on hiring and firing, as well as avoid regulations on fringe and pay benefits. Previous research confirmed that a wage penalty existed with the utilization of
fixed-term contracts. This wage penalty was applied to young workers entering an occupation with low
human capital investments and lasted for the first few years of employment, but could lead to a payoff if the worker is viewed as highly
productive in their occupation when pursuing a permanent contract. This is known as the
learning effect and can be quite large. This form of contract can be a considered a dead-end job if the worker is unable to meet the demands necessary by the employer or company. A study was conducted in the United Kingdom and Germany on temporary employment under fixed-term contracts. The study indicated that for fixed-term contracts, some jobs consisting of a fixed-term contract can lead to permanent employment with good benefits and exist as a stepping stone, while others lead employees within a series of different fixed-term contracts and positions with little room for improvement, which, in essence, is another form of a dead-end job. In countries such as
Italy,
Spain, and
France, there is a dramatic increase in temporary positions and short-term contracts due to the employer-side benefit of being able to
lay off temporary employees without restrictions or incurring statutory redundancy payments. As a result, the number of temporary workers in the workforce doubled between 1985 and 1997. Temporary jobs do come at a cost. There is concern about the lack of career advancement opportunities for temporary workers and the quality of these positions. Case study findings confirm that employer enthusiasm in the workplace has decreased due to the use of temporary jobs with dead-end characteristics, resulting in low motivation and retention among such employees within a firm. A study was conducted by Alison L. Booth, Marco Francesconi and Jeff Frank which concluded that individuals participating in
seasonal,
casual or
fixed-term employment report that they have not received the work-related training necessary for the occupation and experience lower levels of job satisfaction in comparison to permanent ones. The study concluded that there is evidence that temporary jobs can be a stepping stone to a permanent job within a firm. The median time in a temporary position before such a switch ranges from 18 months to 3.5 years and depends on the individual's gender and the type of contract (fixed-term or seasonal). Seasonal/casual positions offer very little chance of obtaining a permanent position and are often categorized as dead-end positions. Fixed-term contracts have a higher likelihood of transitioning to a permanent one; however, males experience a permanent earnings loss during the transition compared with males who started in a permanent position from the beginning. However, females within a fixed-term position fully catch up to the wages of their permanent position counterparts. ==History==