A boomer's career advice sparks outrage among young people

A boomer's ten career commandments: work for free and keep quiet

A 62-year-old user has revived the mythical ten-point guide to succeeding at work: arrive earlier, leave later, put in unpaid overtime and show absolute submission to the boss. The advice, which has been circulating for years, has once again provoked the same rejection as the first time. But it has also brought out the other side: the civil service route as an alternative.

The manual of the good workplace slave

The original ten commandments are strikingly blunt. "Unload a whole truck in front of the boss," "do overtime for free," "arrive an hour early and sweep the floor," "let him know you're not a slacker." The recipe promises future promotions in exchange for present sacrifice. The man who signed it is 62 and sells it as the formula that worked for him. The awkward question: does it work today?

The young people's answer: civil service exams or nothing

The thread has generated mostly sarcastic responses. The most celebrated one, and the one that best reflects the mood of a generation, is the one proposing the alternative: "Take Spain's civil service exam (oposiciones) and coast along until you're 67." Against the pamphlet of limitless effort, the security of a public sector job stands up as the logical answer in a labour market where merit is not always rewarded. The veteran's advice clashes with the reality of precarious contracts and salaries that don't even cover inflation.

Irony and dark humour as a safety valve

The debate has been laced with dark humour, with grotesque proposals like "offering your ass to the boss." But beyond the farce, what lies beneath is a ferocious critique of the current work model. The boomer's ten commandments are seen as a relic of another era, when a stable job and a house were the reward for perseverance. Today, young people respond with cynicism because they know that unpaid overtime guarantees nothing.

A cycle that repeats itself

The thread has been called "legendary" and "déjà vu." It is not the first time it has appeared, nor will it be the last. The tension between the culture of unconditional effort and the search for public sector stability is a generational constant. While some defend sacrifice as an investment, others see it as exploitation. The gap does not close, but at least it is acknowledged.

The sarracena seems clear: if grandpa's advice is to work for free to get promoted, Generation Z prefers not to play that game. We'll see who was right when they turn 62.