Got a college degree and a job, but still feel cheated?

[RustyShackleford]

You guys need to hit up your universities Career Center. Even after you graduate most schools let alumni use their services for free. I often find that most students don't take advantage of this resources and then pay for it in the long run

 

[torotrigger]

just wait out the economy...and be grateful you got a job!

a decent one, not awesome by your own standards, but you got money? health? time to blog here? life is good...

man, i got a great job and all the "consumer goods" i think i need, but there's always something missing...that aint gonna change until you figure out what really makes you happy - or you have more to live for.

 

[nomoplayinga]

Originally Posted by swizzc

It's funny to be on the other side of the coin in this discussion.

I guess I'm one of the "lucky" kids who graduated college and had a job locked up going into my senior year that will be paying me close to 100k this year, and over the 100k mark for the next two.

Let me tell you, 100k means NOTHING. Here are a few reasons why:
1. I don't even own a car. Even if I did own a car, I wouldn't have anywhere to drive it from Mon-Sat because I work roughly 12-15 hrs a day. So i guess I could "stunt" on my way too and from work, but I'd rather take the bus for free with my expired student ID from college.
2. I am paying off 60k in student loans that I currently have. My family didn't qualify for financial aid because both of my parents make a decent amount of money, but I did not want to stick them with a 120k+ college tuition bill. I consider this the LEAST I could do for them after all the sacrifices they made to help me throughout my life, so that is where a good amount of my paycheck goes every two weeks. Not exactly "ballin".
3. You want to make > 100k? Get ready to bust your +$*. When i say "work 12-15 hrs a day" I'm not talking about just physically being at work. I'm talking about actually using your mind to find solutions to tough problems, taking responsibility for your work, being stressed out over deadlines constantly, being ON CALL at any hour of the night to be able to complete an assignment. You know why companies give you a blackberry/iphone when you start? It's not so you can browse NT on the job or hit up your buddies to party on a Thursday night. It's so you have no excuse for EVER missing a work related call/email. I've had more than a few times when I've been out to dinner with friends/my girlfriend on a Friday/Sat night where my manager has called me and said "Get your +$* to the office right now and don't plan on going anywhere for the next 24 hours". Do you want to live like that?

Sure, making 90, 100, 110k is nice right out of college, but there are MANY sacrafices you have to make (i.e. not have a life whatsoever) when you are at that level. The reasoning? Well there would be someone else who would KILL to be in your shoes, so shut up, stop complaining, and work your +$* off.

I am not happy when I receive my paychecks. I'm not happy when I'm at work (which is a lot of my waking hours). I've come to find happiness in good discussions with old friends, books, my girlfriend, working out, and throwing back a few beers every now and then because these are simple things that I have SOME control over that I can actually enjoy. The rest of my life is pretty much out of my hands at this point. And you know whats funny? You don't have to be making 100k to enjoy ANY of those activities I just listed.

Just wanted to give you guys something to think about from the other side of the coin in this discussion..

wow sounds like your working two full time jobs, you deserve a raise

 

[dirtylicious]

cheated?

 

[daytona 5000]

graduate from college, rack up $30k in student loans in the process, work a 9-5 with about 2 weeks of vacation a year until your 60, then retire.

 

[importking]

13 bucks an hour , college education ? eeek, pull out now.

 

[kix4kix]

If you are going to college for a job than you have nobody to blame for yourself.

Colleges make no guarantees, and neither does life. I am lucky enough to be graduating in a month debt free. I have the option of going to grad school, but quite honestly....Pass (atleast for now)

Take Law school for example- when you think about it the business plan of these institutions is genius. Hey lets charge exorbitant amounts of money for something the country is over populated with (lawyers)

At the end of the day success hinges on quite alot more aspects than just going to school. I personally have NO issue working a few retail gigs (out of school) until the economy picks up. (worst case scenario). Success and Happiness are quite subjective, there are millions of people who would kill to make 13$ an hour. At the end of the day- opprotunity opens itself so many times, and when it knocks I'll be there proudly with my degree, even if it only means I went through bs for 4 years.

 

[ksteezy]

its about which path of education you decide to go through, you can get a master's in English and unless you know someone you would have wasted your time, you can go to school for 4 years for the sake of having a bachelors under your belt and still end up empty handed, simply because you chose the wrong career, do you research before you choose something, dont just do it to shut your parents up or to say you have a BA or MA or PhD....nowadys believe it or not, that holds little weight compared to someone that might have gone down the road of nursing, respiratory, radiology, etc....these are carrers which you can take up at a community college, spend no more than 2 years getting it done if you do it right and start making 70k + right off the bat with plenty of job offers wether you know someone or not, i know thats how it is in NY at least...to top it off if you got your education from a CC you wont owe anything back, instead if you were part of a low income family like I was, financial aide pretty much pays for your education anddddd you get to pick up a check of leftover money after every semester...lol

my college experience @ a Community College >>>>> anyones experience dorming @ a university that didnt find a job afterwards.

OP hit me up if you need a change of life and live in the NYC area....ill point you in the right direction.

 

[3900stabler]

It's all about supply and demand. I know plenty of people that graduated with degrees in criminal justice that are working at walmart. Pick degrees that are worth a damn and you should be good. Stop going to college and picking degrees just to say you graduated or to appease your family. Rackin up 30-40k in student loan debt to get a degree you don't care about just so the people in your church will pat you on the back is not worth it.

 

[kanyewestjayz4life]

Originally Posted by CJ003

just keep grinding....

i finished Dec 2008 with a bachelors from UCLA (decent school i guess)....although my degree was in sociology. the only job i could find was at the job that got me thru school SEARS....but making less money from when i had the job in high school. I was depressed and felt like my education meant nothing. I found out that I was wrong, i got a decent paying job after turning in a +%%% load of resumes and got into law school. You mentioned that you didnt get into grad school. if you want to go b/c you want to and think it may help your career find a job that will pay the bills and work 10x harder on your test you need to take to get into your grad school.

Some of the best advice i ever got when i was working at sears w/ a bachelors degree was 'never be ashamed of an honests days work'...... just make sure you are working toward something better than that security job.

The last sentence. Im on my grind right now, working towards something big. I feel if you have a plan and truly put your heart into it, it would hard to fail.

 

[reigndrop]

Originally Posted by nomoplayinga

Originally Posted by swizzc

wow sounds like your working two full time jobs, you deserve a raise

He's an Investment Banker.  There's a reason why we get paid so much.

 

[smoove12]

I'm in the exact same boat as you OP. I know we are capable of better. Keep striving for it.

 

[passmethesoysauce]

I graduated with a Kinesiology degree back in '09 and now I'm a fitness center manager making 35K/year. I'm 23 and I am desparate to leave my current job. It is so depressing everyday hearing complaints from gym members. I dread going to work everyday. I am on craigslist everyday trying to apply for different jobs in the healthcare field. I have the intentions of going back to school for nursing but I am afraid I won't get into any schools because my GPA is not competitive enough and now I'm scrambling to find out what I should do if I'm not cut out for nursing school. At this point of my life I really want to make 60K/year. I would be satisfied with that for now. Anyone else out there who graduated with a Kinesiology degree and is wondering what to do and graduate school is not an option due to low GPA? I'm about to look into other fields. I feel ike the 4 years of schooling is a waste. I think money would make me happy. I'm sick of seeing my friends who drive bimmers and lexus and having a career at the age of 24 and I'm stuck at a dead end job.

 

[RustyShackleford]

Originally Posted by PassMeTheSoySauce

I graduated with a Kinesiology degree back in '09 and now I'm a fitness center manager making 35K/year. I'm 23 and I am desparate to leave my current job. It is so depressing everyday hearing complaints from gym members. I dread going to work everyday. I am on craigslist everyday trying to apply for different jobs in the healthcare field. I have the intentions of going back to school for nursing but I am afraid I won't get into any schools because my GPA is not competitive enough and now I'm scrambling to find out what I should do if I'm not cut out for nursing school. At this point of my life I really want to make 60K/year. I would be satisfied with that for now. Anyone else out there who graduated with a Kinesiology degree and is wondering what to do and graduate school is not an option due to low GPA? I'm about to look into other fields. I feel ike the 4 years of schooling is a waste. I think money would make me happy. I'm sick of seeing my friends who drive bimmers and lexus and having a career at the age of 24 and I'm stuck at a dead end job.

Did you not think of all those things while you were earning that Kinesiology degree and getting below average grades. I not mean to be harsh but you spent 4 years of college coasting by and you did not think you would have to pay for it eventually? Dude you should really scratch it up as a lost and start fresh, go back to school and earn a second degree in Accounting.

 

[ksteezy]

Originally Posted by RustyShackleford

Originally Posted by PassMeTheSoySauce

I graduated with a Kinesiology degree back in '09 and now I'm a fitness center manager making 35K/year. I'm 23 and I am desparate to leave my current job. It is so depressing everyday hearing complaints from gym members. I dread going to work everyday. I am on craigslist everyday trying to apply for different jobs in the healthcare field. I have the intentions of going back to school for nursing but I am afraid I won't get into any schools because my GPA is not competitive enough and now I'm scrambling to find out what I should do if I'm not cut out for nursing school. At this point of my life I really want to make 60K/year. I would be satisfied with that for now. Anyone else out there who graduated with a Kinesiology degree and is wondering what to do and graduate school is not an option due to low GPA? I'm about to look into other fields. I feel ike the 4 years of schooling is a waste. I think money would make me happy. I'm sick of seeing my friends who drive bimmers and lexus and having a career at the age of 24 and I'm stuck at a dead end job.

Did you not think of all those things while you were earning that Kinesiology degree and getting below average grades. I not mean to be harsh but you spent 4 years of college coasting by and you did not think you would have to pay for it eventually? Dude you should really scratch it up as a lost and start fresh, go back to school and earn a second degree in Accounting.

DONOT LISTEN TO THIS MAN....
accounting unless its from a known school = a degree in flipping burgers at Mikey D's

 

[passmethesoysauce]

Originally Posted by ksteezy

Originally Posted by RustyShackleford

Originally Posted by PassMeTheSoySauce

I graduated with a Kinesiology degree back in '09 and now I'm a fitness center manager making 35K/year. I'm 23 and I am desparate to leave my current job. It is so depressing everyday hearing complaints from gym members. I dread going to work everyday. I am on craigslist everyday trying to apply for different jobs in the healthcare field. I have the intentions of going back to school for nursing but I am afraid I won't get into any schools because my GPA is not competitive enough and now I'm scrambling to find out what I should do if I'm not cut out for nursing school. At this point of my life I really want to make 60K/year. I would be satisfied with that for now. Anyone else out there who graduated with a Kinesiology degree and is wondering what to do and graduate school is not an option due to low GPA? I'm about to look into other fields. I feel ike the 4 years of schooling is a waste. I think money would make me happy. I'm sick of seeing my friends who drive bimmers and lexus and having a career at the age of 24 and I'm stuck at a dead end job.

Did you not think of all those things while you were earning that Kinesiology degree and getting below average grades. I not mean to be harsh but you spent 4 years of college coasting by and you did not think you would have to pay for it eventually? Dude you should really scratch it up as a lost and start fresh, go back to school and earn a second degree in Accounting.

DONOT LISTEN TO THIS MAN....
accounting unless its from a known school = a degree in flipping burgers at Mikey D's

You are right. I won't listen to that man. He is both negative and wrong. My friend graduated with an Accounting degree and it took him a year to find an accounting job and he is only making 30K/year. He's my age.

 

[memphissfinest]

I'M ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE BUT THE ECONOMY HAS EFFECTED ME AS WELL.

A BIG PART OF MAKING GOOD MONEY AFTER GRADUATION IS TO DO RESEARCH AND PICK A MAJOR WHERE THERE IS A BALANCE BETWEEN MARKET STABILITY, GOOD PAY AND SOMETHING YOU WOULD ENJOY DOING.

I ELECTED TO DO ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING JUST BECAUSE I LIKE ELECTRONICS AND THE ENGINEER MARKET HAS ALWAYS BEEN REASONABLY STABLE. I KNEW THE ENGINEER DEGREE HAS GOOD VALUE EVEN RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE WITH JUST A B.S. IF I WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL FOR MY MASTERS I CAN, WHICH I WILL IN ABOUT A YEAR.

AFTER GRADUATING IN '08 FROM THE UNIV. OF MEMPHIS, I HAD A JOB RIGHT OUT OF COLLEGE PAYING 55K IN OHIO AND TOOK IT EVEN THOUGH I WANTED TO GET MY MASTERS. THE ECONOMY GOT WORSE AND I WAS LAID OFF A YEAR LATER IN '09. I MOVED BACK HOME WITH MY PARENTS (KILLED MY DATING SCENE, LOL) AND I SPENT 10 MONTHS LOOKING FOR A JOB AND FINALLY FOUND ONE EARLY 2010 PAYING 60K BACK IN OHIO (FUNNY HOW THAT WORKED OUT).

THE THING IS, KEEP YOUR OPTIONS OPEN. LIKE SOMEONE STATED EARLIER IN THE THREAD YOU MIGHT WANT TO EXPLORE GOING BACK TO SCHOOL AND THIS TIME DONT BS YOUR STUDIES AND PICK SOMETHING MORE WORTHWHILE.

YOU CAN ALSO LOOK INTO BECOME AN ENTREPENEUR. MY PARENTS OWN A CHAIN OF STORES IN MEMPHIS AND I ADMIRE THEM FOR NOT EVEN HAVING DEGREES AND RISING TO WHERE THEY ARE NOW. THAT IS WHY I'M WORKING MY JOB NOW, I'M NOT GONNA BE SOMEONE'S LAP DOG FOREVER! I'M WORKING AND SAVING AS MUCH MONEY AS I HUMANLY CAN SO THAT I CAN GO THE ROUTE OF MY PARENTS AND OPEN MY OWN BUSINESS IN THE NEAR FUTURE. IN MY EYES THAT IS THE ONLY REAL WAY TO OBTAIN WEALTH IN THIS COUNTRY.

 

[Rootin4EverybodyBlack]

Originally Posted by nomoplayinga

Originally Posted by swizzc

It's funny to be on the other side of the coin in this discussion.

I guess I'm one of the "lucky" kids who graduated college and had a job locked up going into my senior year that will be paying me close to 100k this year, and over the 100k mark for the next two.

Let me tell you, 100k means NOTHING. Here are a few reasons why:
1. I don't even own a car. Even if I did own a car, I wouldn't have anywhere to drive it from Mon-Sat because I work roughly 12-15 hrs a day. So i guess I could "stunt" on my way too and from work, but I'd rather take the bus for free with my expired student ID from college.
2. I am paying off 60k in student loans that I currently have. My family didn't qualify for financial aid because both of my parents make a decent amount of money, but I did not want to stick them with a 120k+ college tuition bill. I consider this the LEAST I could do for them after all the sacrifices they made to help me throughout my life, so that is where a good amount of my paycheck goes every two weeks. Not exactly "ballin".
3. You want to make > 100k? Get ready to bust your +$*. When i say "work 12-15 hrs a day" I'm not talking about just physically being at work. I'm talking about actually using your mind to find solutions to tough problems, taking responsibility for your work, being stressed out over deadlines constantly, being ON CALL at any hour of the night to be able to complete an assignment. You know why companies give you a blackberry/iphone when you start? It's not so you can browse NT on the job or hit up your buddies to party on a Thursday night. It's so you have no excuse for EVER missing a work related call/email. I've had more than a few times when I've been out to dinner with friends/my girlfriend on a Friday/Sat night where my manager has called me and said "Get your +$* to the office right now and don't plan on going anywhere for the next 24 hours". Do you want to live like that?

Sure, making 90, 100, 110k is nice right out of college, but there are MANY sacrafices you have to make (i.e. not have a life whatsoever) when you are at that level. The reasoning? Well there would be someone else who would KILL to be in your shoes, so shut up, stop complaining, and work your +$* off.

I am not happy when I receive my paychecks. I'm not happy when I'm at work (which is a lot of my waking hours). I've come to find happiness in good discussions with old friends, books, my girlfriend, working out, and throwing back a few beers every now and then because these are simple things that I have SOME control over that I can actually enjoy. The rest of my life is pretty much out of my hands at this point. And you know whats funny? You don't have to be making 100k to enjoy ANY of those activities I just listed.

Just wanted to give you guys something to think about from the other side of the coin in this discussion..

wow sounds like your working two full time jobs, you deserve a raise

bruh, that work schedule sucks. i much rather have a normal 9-5 and make like 40 or 50. That amount of stress is gonna lead you to a early grave

 

[yomegaaa]

where do you all live? only making $30k as an accountant?!?!?! 
i make $32k as a paralegal and i only have a high school diploma to my name. i don't have any connections, i didn't have any hookups, no help whatsoever. all i did was impress the firm with in the cover letter/resume and followed it up with a strong interview. granted i'm 22 now and know that i could be doing MUCH better at my age and at my position if i had a legal background from school other than my on the job training. what employers look for is motivation and determination to go along with that education, a degree just gets your foot in the door. no one is promised anything just from a degree.

anyway, i'm back in school full time and working full time busting my @#$ off to make a better living. i love my job now, but i know that i'm limiting myself if i just decide to stay and accept $32k my whole life. plus the field i want to get into, finance, requires a degree just to get in the door at most well known firms. i know im getting in the game late compared to other ppl my age that will be graduating next month, but better late than never.

 

[reigndrop]

Originally Posted by yomegaaa

where do you all live? only making $30k as an accountant?!?!?! 
i make $32k as a paralegal and i only have a high school diploma to my name. i don't have any connections, i didn't have any hookups, no help whatsoever. all i did was impress the firm with in the cover letter/resume and followed it up with a strong interview. granted i'm 22 now and know that i could be doing MUCH better at my age and at my position if i had a legal background from school other than my on the job training. what employers look for is motivation and determination to go along with that education, a degree just gets your foot in the door. no one is promised anything just from a degree.

anyway, i'm back in school full time and working full time busting my @#$ off to make a better living. i love my job now, but i know that i'm limiting myself if i just decide to stay and accept $32k my whole life. plus the field i want to get into, finance, requires a degree just to get in the door at most well known firms. i know im getting in the game late compared to other ppl my age that will be graduating next month, but better late than never.

I made almost 17k working for Lehman Bros. during the summer of my junior year and I only worked for 10 weeks.

Glad to see you're trying.  Good luck with that.  You better graduate near the top of your class if youre not from a core school.

 

[yungchris504]

Originally Posted by YouMadYouBad

College is a scam if you didn't know OP.

Who you know > what you know

I wouldn't say college is a scam. It just depends on what you get your degree in. True, who you know helps you a whole lot but so does having knowledge. You can't expect to be making 100k with just a bachelors degree in English.

OP what was your degree in?

 

[yomegaaa]

Originally Posted by reigndrop

Originally Posted by yomegaaa

where do you all live? only making $30k as an accountant?!?!?! 
i make $32k as a paralegal and i only have a high school diploma to my name. i don't have any connections, i didn't have any hookups, no help whatsoever. all i did was impress the firm with in the cover letter/resume and followed it up with a strong interview. granted i'm 22 now and know that i could be doing MUCH better at my age and at my position if i had a legal background from school other than my on the job training. what employers look for is motivation and determination to go along with that education, a degree just gets your foot in the door. no one is promised anything just from a degree.

anyway, i'm back in school full time and working full time busting my @#$ off to make a better living. i love my job now, but i know that i'm limiting myself if i just decide to stay and accept $32k my whole life. plus the field i want to get into, finance, requires a degree just to get in the door at most well known firms. i know im getting in the game late compared to other ppl my age that will be graduating next month, but better late than never.

I made almost 17k working for Lehman Bros. during the summer of my junior year and I only worked for 10 weeks.

Glad to see you're trying.  Good luck with that.  You better graduate near the top of your class if youre not from a core school.

I'm going with the Longhorns

 

[kicksnbeats]

My worst fear is being 40+ years old without a stable career/nice resume and decent $$$ saved up.  At that age, your life options and manuverability are pretty slim.  Can't join the military, lost touch with a lot of your old friends who are all grown up/busy, hard to go back to school because most people have kids/family at that age, and even if you switch up careers, you're going to face age discrimination because employers would rather hire someone younger with decent experience over an older person who's a health risk.

Make smart moves and enjoy things while you're still young.  To quote Morgan Freeman from Shawshank Redemption.

"I look back on the way I was then: a young, stupid kid who committed that terrible crime. I want to talk to him. I want to try and talk some sense to him, tell him the way things are. But I can't. That kid's long gone and this old man is all that's left"

 

[throwedindagame]

Originally Posted by reigndrop

Originally Posted by yomegaaa

where do you all live? only making $30k as an accountant?!?!?! 
i make $32k as a paralegal and i only have a high school diploma to my name. i don't have any connections, i didn't have any hookups, no help whatsoever. all i did was impress the firm with in the cover letter/resume and followed it up with a strong interview. granted i'm 22 now and know that i could be doing MUCH better at my age and at my position if i had a legal background from school other than my on the job training. what employers look for is motivation and determination to go along with that education, a degree just gets your foot in the door. no one is promised anything just from a degree.

anyway, i'm back in school full time and working full time busting my @#$ off to make a better living. i love my job now, but i know that i'm limiting myself if i just decide to stay and accept $32k my whole life. plus the field i want to get into, finance, requires a degree just to get in the door at most well known firms. i know im getting in the game late compared to other ppl my age that will be graduating next month, but better late than never.

I made almost 17k working for Lehman Bros. during the summer of my junior year and I only worked for 10 weeks.

Glad to see you're trying.  Good luck with that.  You better graduate near the top of your class if youre not from a core school.

Yeah and now with all these overtime banks, SAs are pulling 20-30k  in 10 weeks

.

I cant even imagine what summer associates at overtime banks are getting. Dudes probably make more in that summer than they did at their last job (if they were career changers)

 

[carlos tevez]

It looks like we have a lot of short term thinkers in here.

A degree is supposed to increase possibilities for you, not limit them.

Great, you know someone making $100k without a degree. How many people in this world are that fortunate? At the end of the day, degree-holding individuals make more money on average than those without degrees.

No, a degree does not guarantee you anything...but remember that there are no guarantees either if you dont get a degree.