MC PLESS

No, it's not the newest rapper on Def Jam records. It's not a late-night DJ on Energy 92.7. It's the rules of working. MC PLESS is an acronym for the six elements that are absolutely essential to any job.

With today being Wednesday, annoyingly referred to as "hump day" in the work place, I thought I'd make an entry especially for you 9-to-5'ers (or 8-to-6, for an unfortunate few of you). It's a tough job market out there, and sadly most of us hate our jobs. But you've gotta set limits for how horrible your job is. So your job should have at least one of the following six factors, and ideally two or three. If your job satisfies none of the six MC PLESS factors, please stand up in your cube right now, vomit all over your desk, steal some pens, and walk out the door forever.

Money: This one's pretty self-explanatory, and it's at the beginning for a reason. The primary reason why most of us work is to get $krilla. But just because a job pays you something, doesn't mean that the job satisfies the Money requirement. The money a job gives you needs to be balanced with how many of the other six elements the job satisfies. If money is the only thing of value that a job provides you, then that money should be worth more to you than the time you spend at that job.

Cause: Working for a cause that you believe in is great. It's rewarding, fulfulling, and it gives you good karma. Unfortunately, money often prevents us from working for a cause we believe in, because you can't live on a volunteer's salary. But we all support a variety of things. Your cause doesn't have to be fixing the environment or ending drunken-baby-syndrome. I have a friend who loves movies, and thinks Netflix is an excellent service. If he worked for Netflix, he would be supporting a cause that he believes in.

People: The people that you work with can make or break your job. Even if you don't get paid enough, and even if you're not working for a cause, spending 40 hours a week with people you really enjoy being around can make it worth it. Being a ditch-digger could be fun if you get to do it with your friends.

Learning: Often times you need a job simply because it's teaching you something you want to learn. Clerkships, liscence training, employer-paid education assistance, etc. A shitty job that teaches you a skill or gets you certified is still worthwhile.

Environment: This includes location, commute, comfort, amenities, perks, etc. Google has a fantastic work environment - infinite free food and drinks, massages, nap rooms, comfy chairs, etc. My first job out of college had a terrible environment - reverse-osmosis water and bulk Tylenol was the only thing they provided for us. It's important that you enjoy something about the environment where you work.

Stepping Stone: Sometimes you just gotta suck it up and work at a job as a means to an end. If you wanna be a Senior Whatever, you have to be a Junior Whatever first. If you wanna work on Wall St., you have to gain experience at a smaller firm (like J.T. Marlin) first. If a job is nothing but a means to an end, it's not necessarily a bad thing. But you must set a deadline for yourself for when that end has been accomplished.


There you have it. MC PLESS, the rules of working. So the next time you're looking for a new job, or considering quitting your current job, run a little MC PLESS test, and try to maximize each of the six factors. Happy hump day!