Up Your Confidence

londoner01

I'm grateful to MSErs for having shared lots of money-making tips: I've tried mystery shopping, competitions, cashbacks... but none of them worked for me long-term. Mainly they don't because my aim is saving for a deposit, and these things don't make massive amounts of difference. I have realised that the simplest, most straight-forward strategy for upping my income would be having a better-paid job.

I'm actually lucky with my current job as it's well paid for the sector and for the fact that it's basically entry-level, and has lots of other benefits in terms of having lovely colleagues, flexibility etc. What I need is actually a jump up not only salary-wise but career-wise, but I'm finding that extremely hard. I find it hard to play myself up when applying for jobs, and I find it hard to find the motivation to keep applying for positions that may or may not be beyond my reach.

Anyone else in this situation and would like to share mutual support?

Zelazny

I recently did this.

I started working in pensions as a trainee in 2006. I stayed with the same company for 5 and a half years and progressed through the ranks, - the problem was that they had strict rules about how much your pay could increase each year, so even though I got promoted my pay didn't increase to match. In the end, I was doing a level 4 job and being paid less than some level 2 people. I never regretted working there - I learned an awful lot, and met a lot of lovely people, but the fact was that I had a family and needed more money.

I started looking for another job, and in May of this year I started work for another company - it's actually fairly different work, but related, and it pays a lot better.

So all I can say is Go For It! Good luck, and don't be afraid to tell your current employer if you get interviews and the like - they may make some sort of counter offer to try and keep you (they did in my case - I decided to move anyhow, but it was a tough decision).

londoner01

Thanks Zelazny! (Are you named after the sci-fi author?)

Your encouragement is precious. It's interesting to see that you think telling your current employer is a good strategy - because I'm almost certain mine doesn't have any extra to offer for retention, I was thinking of only telling my line manager in confidence.

Today I looked at one of the applications I'm intending to submit. It's so disappointing that nowadays a lot of employers almost just want you to tick boxes next to the requirements, and seem to prefer this to a cover letter etc. I find it so impersonal!

jaycube

These money making tips have such great ideas but very hard to follow.

Tiglath

I personally wouldn't tell anyone at the company until it's a done deal. Even if they come back with a counter-offer when you resign and you accept it and stay, they'll have you down as a disloyal employee. I'd move onwards and upwards.

feefeefalloo_2

I know exactly how you feel.

Last year I left a job I'd been in for 8 years, where I felt I had gone as far I could go career wise. My new job was great and a step up - until I got made redundant. The company has given me 16 hours a week in different role (which I took as it was better than nothing) and the pay is only marginally less p/h than before which is good considering it's a fairly menial job.

However, I've lost about 20-25 hours a week and obviously that's a massive drop in income. I'm finding it very difficult to find a similar role to my previous one - I'm either over qualified for basic positions or don't have quite enough experience for the next step up. I've tried applying for jobs outside my current area but keep getting rejected for lack of experience. It does get quite disheartening!

I guess the best thing is just to keep trying but I know how hard it can be to big yourself up when you keep getting rejected. I'm lucky that everyone I work with knows I'm looking so they do keep offering advice and let me know if they hear of any jobs locally.

londoner01

Oh wow feefeefalloo, what a story!

I guess that's what's holding me back a bit, the fear that if I get "marked a disloyal employee" like Tiglath says, then I'll be the first one they let go at my current job, and meanwhile I won't have found any new ones because I'm underqualified for the ones I'm applying for.

On the other hand, I think it's good to get myself out there, get used to "marketing myself" so that when the perfectly fitting opportunity comes along I can take it. Also my reasoning is that a lot of companies may see me as not entirely qualified but with good potential, and hire me as opposed to someone else because I'm cheaper.
Plus, I read in recruiting blogs that it's a mistake to only apply for jobs with 100% of requirements as normally the *hiring* average is 75% to 80%, but I don't think that holds in the current climate!!!

ABERDEEN_2

Tiglath wrote: »

I personally wouldn't tell anyone at the company until it's a done deal. Even if they come back with a counter-offer when you resign and you accept it and stay, they'll have you down as a disloyal employee. I'd move onwards and upwards.

I handed my notice in back in February and was made an offer of an extra 8 grand to stay, Thats not something that I could turn down.

Although I doubt they'd make an offer again if I was to get another job offer in the future

londoner01

ABERDEEN wrote: »

I handed my notice in back in February and was made an offer of an extra 8 grand to stay, Thats not something that I could turn down.

Although I doubt they'd make an offer again if I was to get another job offer in the future

Ha! I wouldn't turn that down either!

Unfortunately there's no chance of that happening with my employer!

I have not made any steps forward in my applications, looking forward to the weekend to catch up on those.