I have two degrees, can’t find interesting work and am running out of ideas
I’m 40 and having trouble finding work. My CV is mostly contract online editorial work, peppered with much in between to make ends meet.
It’s taken me more than 10 years to take a break and do a master’s at LSE. This was a long-held ambition – I had started a part-time master’s seven years before but could not afford to complete the second year.
I had, somewhat naively it now seems, thought that a master’s degree would help me just a little bit to get work in a research, policy or international development role. However, my chosen field – China – is somewhat niche. Over the past 10 months, I have broadened my search to include online editorial roles – even though I would prefer to get away from that – and part-time work. Result: rejections and not a single interview.
I’ve got two degrees, one first-class and one prize-winning; I speak three languages – English, French and Chinese; I have worked abroad and think I’m a reasonably decent bloke with a brain that works when pushed. My money is very low, I’m edging towards desperation, I’m out of ideas and need inspiration.
Jeremy says
On the face of it, this does seem strange. There’s never been more interest in China and you do seem more than usually qualified. I find it hard to understand why you’ve never even got to interview stage.
One possible explanation, however, does occur to me: when looking for jobs, it’s an understandable human instinct to cast your net wide. But trawling isn’t always the best analogy for job hunting. Rather than broadening your approach, sometimes it’s better to narrow it; to think not in terms of fishing so much as sharpshooting.
I believe you should try to employ your job-hunting time much more selectively. Rather than pursuing every vacancy that crops up, I suggest you use your considerable knowledge of your chosen field to identify no more than six places where you’d love to work – whether or not they have jobs open.
Use every means at your disposal to research those places – taking a week on each one if necessary. Then write a quite specific proposal – a proposal, not a job application – tailor-made for each of them showing how you could bring your experience of working abroad, your qualifications and your languages to help them achieve some defined objective. However good your research, you may not hit the bull’s-eye every time; but your chances of being invited to an interview should be infinitely greater.
Readers say
• International development is extremely competitive. You are unlikely to walk into the role you want, so you will need to build up a network. Start with translation jobs, and try companies or agencies that are allied to the field. swedishyorkie
• Make sure your online portfolio reflects your skills. What happens if a recruiter puts your name into Google? Do they find a link to your blog, information on talks that you’ve given, your Twitter feed? ollybenson
• You could combine your editorial skills with your international knowledge and apply for roles at trend/research agencies such as Future Foundation. ID2004504
I’ve been on the minimum wage for more than two years – what should I do?
I have been working in office admin for a wholesale and manufacturing company for two-and-a-half years on the minimum wage. I am a hard-working person and I think I’m doing a great job.
Nearly two years ago the company was sold to a bigger company. Not many changes have happened since. I’ve been trying to talk to my line manager about a wage increase since December 2013. He has promised to do something about it, but nothing has happened.
About eight weeks ago I emailed HR to ask for a pay rise because two new members joined, doing a lot less work and receiving the same money as me.
My line manager called me to his office to talk about my email to HR, and he didn’t look happy. He said that if I got a rise, everyone in the office would be unhappy. He said the company is under review and he can’t promise anything. What can I do?
Jeremy says
There’s been considerable comment in the press recently about job and pay statistics. Although it’s true that numbers in employment seem to be back to pre-2008 levels – which is encouraging – what’s not so healthy is the proportion of people now working at minimum-wage levels or on zero-hours contracts. In other words, more people are in work but many find themselves being paid less for doing it.
In theory, as the economy continues to improve and job vacancies continue to multiply, people will feel more confident when negotiating pay rises – not just because they’ll have a more reasonable chance of finding work elsewhere but also because their existing employers will know that, too.
In practice, however, I suspect the spectre of recession and underemployment is taking longer to overcome than the recession itself. So, quite understandably, many people are more hesitant than they need be about pressing their case for more money. And we certainly shouldn’t expect employers to choose to increase their overheads voluntarily when their competitors are not.
In your case, there’s clearly a company-wide policy, imposed by management and embraced by HR, to hold the line on rises as close to a freeze as possible. And they’ll hold that line until they start to lose people and are forced to replace them more expensively. Until that happens, they’ll continue to be extremely reluctant to make any exceptions.
So the time has definitely come for you to make a determined effort to look around; and I urge you to raise your sights. Things aren’t quite as bleak out there as your company might like you to believe. You’re a hard-working, competent person with plenty of experience – and on the lowest possible wage scale.
Decide now to make a move within the next six months – and make it a serious project, pursued methodically. For your own self-esteem, if nothing else, you need to get an alternative valuation of your worth; and it’s almost certain to be higher than that accorded to you by your current employer.
Readers say
• Ask your line/other manager if they would be willing to give you a reference – this will shake them up and let them know you are serious about leaving. Lenovo
• If you’re on minimum wage, then find out how to improve your skills as it does suggest that your job is not particularly important; so it’s best you improve your skills and look to move elsewhere, where your new-found skills are valued more. Paidenoughalready
• In most large corporations pay rises and remuneration are not in the hands of the line manager. He or she can recommend an employee and give them an “exceed expectation” performance rating, but they are still bound by the rules of maximum compensation for the role and maximum yearly percentage pay rises. MEPLondon
Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy’s and readers’ help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or reply personally.
