Early on, Ehrenreich had a conversation with Lewis Lapham about whether she was ready to write a book about workers in today's society. In order to conduct proper research, she decided to do some old-fashioned journalism and try to fit into the working class herself. In order to get a real-life experience, she decided to go to Key West, Florida, and she plans how much money she needs to earn and spend to survive. She finds an apartment for $500 a month, then immediately applies for various jobs, but she soon learns about the process of applying for a low-wage job. She was hired at a small restaurant, which she calls Jerry's, and upon meeting her, she reveals that she seems underqualified, as the job seems difficult and physically