How to get a good job?

wee_student_saver

I'm 23 and for the last 5 years I've been doing fairly crappy jobs. Watching programmes like the Apprentice depress me because most of the candidates seem fairly idiotic most of the time. I know some of this is due to editing but it's not totally made up.

How do people get up the ladder to better jobs and better pay? Everywhere I've worked I've got brilliantly positive reviews but I've never seen an opportunity that would get me ahead. If something does come up that sounds slightly interesting you need years of experience and usually a degree. I don't know if I'm just choosing bad companies to work with or if I should start bullsh***ing my way to the top. For instance, I've worked at Capita like Mr Mc Queen, he earned £75K, I earned £15K. I don't see how I could have got up to that position in the next 7 years.

Can anyone tell me how it actually works? Like do people get lucky? Do they lie? Do they go and get a degree and that somehow makes it easier?

Thanks

therealdessie

There are many aspects to finding the right - or good - job. Certainly a good education is key in demonstrating an ability to get into a role in the first place, and many people rightly or wrongly equate a professional qualification with a right to a decent wage - most often because higher education requires on-site work experience for a number of years.

If you look at the people who got pretty far in The Apprentice, they were salespeople. They could talk crap like there's no tomorrow and they could think on their feet - they earned good money because they were commission based and they worked very hard. The industries they were in were hard to get ahead in, but they succeeded through working long hours, being cutthroat when required and having tenacity.

You're 23 now, which means you really need to be deciding on a firm career path, and you're quickly losing time to do that. Once you have decided, think about the best recognised qualification you can get in that field, and how quickly you can achieve it - then work towards roles which will support you in those areas.

I got my first job two weeks after leaving college, and I was paid a pittance. Twelve years later I'm earning more than six times what I started on then, and I got there from hard work and a determination to do better. I'm going through my professional qualifications now, far later than I should be, because I'm hitting a plateau where I can't get much further without them - take my advice and start giving that serious consideration while you still can!

Conor_3

If you're in sales, you simply sell your backside off. I got to sales supervisor position within 6 months of starting a job at the age of 18 because I could sell sand to the Arabs at the time and broke my sales target every single day.

As therealdessie said though, at 23 you're running out of time and at 25, its too late. Flitting around from job to job doesn't help you if its not in one field.

[Deleted User]

Too late at 25? Really? I jumped from a job at a university to one with an IT consultancy and over 3 years (starting aged 25) I jumped 3 levels, from 'Analyst' -> Snr analyst -> Consultant

You aren't dead at 25.. but i wish i'd jumped a little earlier

Cloudane

It's never too late for anything!

Anyway - the way most people seem to do it is either by knowing someone in a decent job already and getting them to "put a word in", and/or by thinking they're fantastic (even if they're not). If you think you're brilliant, you ooze confidence, and as confidence is attractive you get the desired job.

Indeed look at the people on The Apprentice etc. Also look at all the idiots you used to know in school who never paid attention, came out with Ds, Es and Us, and are now earning 3x as much as those who knuckled down and studied hard and got straight As (then spent a couple of years struggling to get *any* job). They clearly didn't get there through intelligence, which just leaves the gift of the gab. Either you have it or you haven't really.

As for me, I don't. Nor do I believe in lying and exaggerating my way to the top. Honest guys finish last though *shrugs* your choice. I went for middle ground, and am on 18K currently... could be better, but for a 26 year old in my area it's not bad.

DKLS

I have doubled by salary in just less than 5 years, and have a target to double again in the next 5.

Build and expand your skill set, take risks, prove yourself to be invaluable and if your only offered 5% or less payrise at review time its time to get out and move on.

Make contacts, lots of them, and dont burn any bridges, you never know who you may come across again.

Mark7799

Did anyone else think 'StudentPhil' before reading the thread?:p

lucy_w86

wee_student_saver wrote: »

I'm 23 and for the last 5 years I've been doing fairly crappy jobs. Watching programmes like the Apprentice depress me because most of the candidates seem fairly idiotic most of the time. I know some of this is due to editing but it's not totally made up.

How do people get up the ladder to better jobs and better pay? Everywhere I've worked I've got brilliantly positive reviews but I've never seen an opportunity that would get me ahead. If something does come up that sounds slightly interesting you need years of experience and usually a degree. I don't know if I'm just choosing bad companies to work with or if I should start bullsh***ing my way to the top. For instance, I've worked at Capita like Mr Mc Queen, he earned £75K, I earned £15K. I don't see how I could have got up to that position in the next 7 years.

Can anyone tell me how it actually works? Like do people get lucky? Do they lie? Do they go and get a degree and that somehow makes it easier?

Thanks

I completely disagree with the view that at 23 you are running out of time. I dropped out of uni, have been temping for 3 years and am 22. I am no idea what I want from life career wise and I doubt I will find out anytime soon. I want to find something where I can progress and earn good money but a lot of things do not appeal to me. Areas I may consider never want to take a risk on hiring me.

Conor_3

lucy_w86 wrote: »

I completely disagree with the view that at 23 you are running out of time. I dropped out of uni, have been temping for 3 years and am 22.

That's your own personal opinion. The real world is different and actually you're doing a good job of confirming that. Three years in a lot of jobs would see you being promoted at least once.

TeaBoy_2

jesus im 26 and unemployed, got at interview for 41k job on monday, should i not bother and give up??

25 is not passed it! i've just achieved other things in my youth other than doing the same crap i'll be doing for next 40 years!!

lucy_w86

Conor wrote: »

That's your own personal opinion. The real world is different and actually you're doing a good job of confirming that. Three years in a lot of jobs would see you being promoted at least once.

Actually I have temped for 3 years and had 2 jobs!

I have liked the fact I am not tied into a company, I can earn my money whilst I try to figure things out. 3 years on and I still dont have a clue about what I want but by temping, at least I am still earning and learning important skills.