How long have you been employed-What degree do you have(if any)

SmilingLurker

Degree and masters in computer science. Been working full time for in the area since (16 years). Worked part time before then since I was 14...

Getting experience is priceless....

Sala

Degree, Masters, PG Diploma, Professional exams, - work for free (not jobbridge, FREE!)

Tar.Aldarion

Sala wrote: »

Degree, Masters, PG Diploma, Professional exams, - work for free (not jobbridge, FREE!)

Why not ask them to set up jobbridge?

caste_in_exile

I've an acute degree of the ould madness, due to bein cast a drifter so long so pls; leave me here....

save yoreselvvvvvessssss....

Sala

Tar.Aldarion wrote: »

Why not ask them to set up jobbridge?

Ah I didn't explain as I wanted you to feel bad for me! I left a job I didn't want to do voluntarily to intern in the area I studied so therefore cannot get social welfare

o1s1n

Degree in fine art painting, working full time in software licensing for over 4 years. Managing my own team of 40 people now.

And people said painting pictures every day would amount to nothing :pac:

Sala

o1s1n wrote: »

Degree in fine art painting, working full time in software licensing for over 4 years. Managing my own team of 40 people now.

And people said painting pictures every day would amount to nothing :pac:

ah but do you get to do what you love??

o1s1n

I always dreamed of either being a painter in a studio or some kind of graphic artist. Spend all my youth drawing everything. Loved college, but doing it every day all day I found to get very draining. It can be difficult trying to come up with fresh visual ideas every single day for years on end. You can never really switch off. I needed a break!

On the other hand, I've also always loved technology and am really enjoying doing something completely different to my studies. I always thought 'art' was the only thing I was really capable off - apparently I was wrong.

I'll get back to the painting lark in a few years when I'm a bit more set up in life

Wantobe

I have certificates of excellence to the eight grade in elocution from the Royal Irish Academy. If I had only gone one more level I could have taught it.

I did a TEFL course over a highly extensive two week period once, years ago. Erm, but didn't do any teaching english either.

Oh and I did a teach yourself to type course ( it was a sort of cassette plus booklet thing from Easons). At one stage I was pretty fast.

I did an evening course in pottery once too, but I dropped out after the second evening because, frankly, the person I was partnered with had severe BO. Plus it was really boring; all theory and no practice.

I am highly educated.:D

hairyprincess

Just started first year into a three/four year degree :eek:

Halloran springs

SouperComputer wrote: »

Blurb warning....

Been working full time since '96 when I was doing LC. No college degree thus far. Worked in bars, kart tracks, worked as a race driving instructor, worked in electronics retail, circuit board repair, mechanic odds and end as well as IT/Server admin/systems type work. Setup a small IT small company in '03, sold it in 06 and moved to the US. Spent a while arsing around in the US, worked as a line tech at an airport for about 6months (fellah with the glowy wands).
Then started as a lowly service desk fellah in a large healthcare org. Kept my head down, grafted hard, learned the business and its systems and how I can influence them. Still with that healthcare org after 5 years. Now I work as an IS business & systems analyst for a leading surgery dept. Basically pushing the larger org for change and advancement so that our IS systems meet the standards that our clinical ones demand.

Decided to go to college for Nursing in the last few days. Need to break the monotony of IS related stuff. Its very cyclical....
Figured studying computers/IT would frustrate the piss out of me having to listen to lectures about stuff that has little bearing in the real world and business courses don't really translate into a real-world qualifications. Nursing however does, and my knowledge in that area is low enough that I will be able to drink the cool aide, learn something new and stay engaged.
Goal in a few years is to have a clinical background as an RN that I can combine with my technical\IT\systems and business experience in healthcare which should be a powerful combo. Even if I decide fook it I just want to be a nurse (unlikely) I could make a decent living from that so I will have added a degree and a new potential career path that augments what I already have.

I think a universal rule you can apply is that a willingness to be versatile is key to staying employed and staying interested in what you do. Versitility is much more important than a degree IMO.

I did have about 9months of unemployment in 02-03ish but I was still wheeling and dealing computer odd's and ends to make a few quid here and there. I was stuck in limbo, underqualified for what I wanted to do and overqualfied in ways that made it hard to convince employees that I would stay on board with them. In some ways I'm still trapped in that kind of limbo, but at least I'm making decent money in the meantime.

*** Really I'm just a hack and what I posted may be a complete a load of sh1e :d

That's actually a fascinating post, would make a lot of people (myself included) put their career/education into perspective.

Best of luck with your future plans, sounds like an interesting combo, reminds me of a chat I had with an old doctor about the technology industry impact on medicine..

homeless student

hiram wrote: »

No degree, been employed all my live. One should be flexible in work, hours, ability to change, enthusiasm for learning and willing to except a lower wage for long term employment. Had two people started last year and they hadn't a clue..not event the basics in workplace savvy and how to "play the game"...no masters is going to teach you that.

dont be jealous of people with masters, Im sure you hadnt a clue either when you started.

mariaalice

I had my first job at 14, had two attempts at college and finished it the last time about 12 years ago. I am thinking of going back to study par time again.

My husband has a degree in civil engineering and had been unemployed at 3 different time though not for long, until this present rescission he has had to go back to the UK to get work this time.

My first husband started an apprenticeship at 14 and has been working at various jobs for the past 50 years:eek:

My oldest daughter has a degree and has never been unemployed.
My youngest daughter droped out of college and got a job she is going back to college.

All my siblings bare one have degrees and non have every been unemployed for long.

Luck and circumstance have more to do with how things work out that any degree but the higher the educating you have the more likely you are to be employed.

Tom_Cruise

I am in college studying for a degree at the moment. I'm pretty stupid so i know if i by some miracle i complete the course ill just end up on the dole, especially when the other students will have better grades.

Its something to work towards though so that's enough for now and its pretty interesting.

carzony

I'm 20 I always hated school, however I finished my leaving cert (just). While in school I worked weekends and holidays in a pet shop. Then when school finished the weekend job finished aswell.

I signed on and have done several fas courses and had a temp job at 'city post' but if i'm honest i'd say i'v been unemployed for the best part of 2 years now :o

rainbow kirby

BSc and MSc in computer science. First job at age 15, worked part-time while in school and college, summer research after 2nd year, full time tech support while on a year out from college before final year, 2 years of maths geek QA after finishing my masters, and now working as a software developer. Haven't really ever been out of education or work for more than about 6 weeks at a time.

ViveLaVie

UCDVet wrote: »

I can't fault anyone for availing of additional education while collecting the dole....but, at the same time, I really feel for the people who are working low paying, unrewarding jobs.

I mean, long term, if I'm unemployed and collecting the dole and using that to allow me to attend school, learn new skills, go to uni full-time and then in 2-3 years be in a situation where I'm some sort of high paid engineer....that's great - for me. But is it fair?

What about all the people who were working their low-paying, dead-end job? They can't go to school because they're too busy working and paying taxes. And in three years, they'll just be three years older. Still working a dead-end job for low pay.

To be honest; I'd love nothing more than to get a Masters degree while collecting the dole. I mean, I'd do it starting today if I could.

UCDVet wrote: »

A large part of the education inflation is made possible by people getting additional degrees whist on the dole They end up being the competition for those were too busy working full-time to get additional degrees.

You can't collect the dole and be in college. It's not allowed. Also it wouldn't be enough to both pay for a Master's and live on even if you could do that.

You also aren't entitled to any grants for 'additional' degrees unless you qualify for BTEA which is hard to get unless you have been unemployed for over a year and you are applying to progress along the scale. It's also not a huge amount.


The people who are busy working are getting paid and gaining experience (and these days experience is usually worth more than a degree). A lot of people who go back to college to get extra qualifications are struggling. They may have to pay significant fees and must have money to live on despite not qualifying for the dole or any grants. For those who do get grants, it can still be a struggle as the amounts are small and they have to live on it all year, probably having to pay for food, rent, heating and electricity bills and college books.


They have resorted to this because they can't find work. If the end goal is work, then how are they in a better position than those who are currently employed? Even on graduation their extra degrees may not get them any work at all.

Andrewf20

Engineering degree. 10 years on the job.

Father Damo

Papa_Bear wrote: »

Yes I have and still looking.....

Reckon i'll stop looking within next five years as my age will just make it impossible.

Been looking for business ideas too but they are thin on the ground and so is my imagination and creativity at this stage.

So you have been living off benefits for 13 years?

13 years of hunting and you cannot get a successful interview?

13 years and you cannot be arsed looking for work in a different field?



Thank christ I dont pay Irish tax anymore.

Lunni

Wile E. Coyote wrote: »

Have to agree. I've 7 years experience in my current position learning everything I know from hands on experience and I'm currently supervisor of a team of 16. I started looking for something new at the end of August and have applied for no less than 25 positions. Of those only 2 people bothered to acknowledge receipt of my application and only one recruiter bothered to arrange to meet me last week. I'm convinced its because I don't have a recognized qualification. I even applied for one or two junior positions to see if I could get some sort of feedback but nothing.

No less than 25 positions? Since the end of August? And you think that's a lot?

I apply for over 10 jobs a week (sometimes many more) and some of those require long, online application forms where you need to write mini-essays. I rarely hear anything back and I have a degree, a Master's, quite a bit of good experience and several foreign languages. There's just a lot of competition out there, it's an employers' market! If you think 25 applications in several months is a lot, you're not being very realistic about the job market, IMO. Oh and BTW, I do have a full-time job as well so it's not like I'm sitting around with nothing else to do but job search!

charlietheminxx

Lunni wrote: »

No less than 25 positions? Since the end of August? And you think that's a lot?

I apply for over 10 jobs a week (sometimes many more) and some of those require long, online application forms where you need to write mini-essays. I rarely hear anything back and I have a degree, a Master's, quite a bit of good experience and several foreign languages. There's just a lot of competition out there, it's an employers' market! If you think 25 applications in several months is a lot, you're not being very realistic about the job market, IMO. Oh and BTW, I do have a full-time job as well so it's not like I'm sitting around with nothing else to do but job search!

I would sort of agree. I'm in a full-time job, but want something new. I've applied for 12 jobs this week alone.... Probably about 40 jobs in the last month!

You have to sit down and fire off a bunch of applications a couple of times a week in order to even had a chance. I've had one call to an interview....

Emeraldy Pebbles

Upper second class BA in Natural Sciences from TCD. In my current job 8 months. It is directly related to my degree. I fought for this job, and was most definitely a bit pushy. Wouldn't have got it otherwise. :cool:

homeless student

charlietheminxx wrote: »

I would sort of agree. I'm in a full-time job, but want something new. I've applied for 12 jobs this week alone.... Probably about 40 jobs in the last month!

You have to sit down and fire off a bunch of applications a couple of times a week in order to even had a chance. I've had one call to an interview....

From reading posts such as this my mind is made up, seeing as its an employers market I think the best solution is to go it alone, once my postgrad is over im going to set up my own business, Im not begging someone for a job, anyone with me?:)

mitosis

Agent Smith wrote: »

I graduated from the school of hard knocks

And have a HDip from the university of getting the sh1t kicked out of me.

homeless student

ViveLaVie wrote: »

You can't collect the dole and be in college. It's not allowed. Also it wouldn't be enough to both pay for a Master's and live on even if you could do that.

You also aren't entitled to any grants for 'additional' degrees unless you qualify for BTEA which is hard to get unless you have been unemployed for over a year and you are applying to progress along the scale. It's also not a huge amount.


The people who are busy working are getting paid and gaining experience (and these days experience is usually worth more than a degree). A lot of people who go back to college to get extra qualifications are struggling. They may have to pay significant fees and must have money to live on despite not qualifying for the dole or any grants. For those who do get grants, it can still be a struggle as the amounts are small and they have to live on it all year, probably having to pay for food, rent, heating and electricity bills and college books.


They have resorted to this because they can't find work. If the end goal is work, then how are they in a better position than those who are currently employed? Even on graduation their extra degrees may not get them any work at all.

you can collect dole while in college and also I find your post to be very pessimistic, we need positivity these days, we will be ok in the end, recessions dont last forever.

ViveLaVie

homeless student wrote: »

you can collect dole while in college and also I find your post to be very pessimistic, we need positivity these days, we will be ok in the end, recessions dont last forever.

You cannot collect the dole while in college. Source? You just simply aren't entitled to the dole while in education.

My response was realistic imo and in response to another poster who seems to think people in college are coasting along getting money off the state when in actuality a lot (not all but a significant amount all the same) of people are struggling to go to/stay in college.

I agree it's good to be positive but really that post needed that kind of response.

homeless student

ViveLaVie wrote: »

You cannot collect the dole while in college. Source? You just simply aren't entitled to the dole while in education.

My response was realistic imo and in response to another poster who seems to think people in college are coasting along getting money off the state when in actuality a lot (not all but a significant amount all the same) of people are struggling to go to/stay in college.

I agree it's good to be positive but really that post needed that kind of response.

if you are a part time student you can, FACT.
You have to look on the bright side if you can, from reading many posts on this iv seen that people without even a leaving cert are doing very well for themselves(own businesses etc ..) so someone with good qualifications should certainly be entitled to be positive about their future, especially as we dont have to stay in Ireland.

The_B_Man

I just got my Bsc Hons in Software Engineering and have been in full time employment since about a month after my last exam.

Sarky

I've been employed for about a week now as a bioinformatics researcher in UCC. Unemployed for 3 months before that, and a different kind of bioinformatics researcher at UCC 6 months before that (It's always nice when your final year project supervisor approaches you and says "would you like to come back in 3 months to do the same thing but for money?"). Contract work, so no real job security, aside from being about the only one in the building with the know-how to do what they want done, and the fact that they'd advertised the post for nearly a year without success.

I have a Degree in marine science, a higher diploma in applied microbiology, and a masters in bioinformatics and systems biology. I intend to get a PhD in something similar, and this job should help get me there.

marozz

Worked since I left scool in 1980. All sorts of different jobs. Spent 10 years in Holland where I picked up the lingo and got a degree in art. Never had a job in the arts but I just did it because I've always liked the arts. Came back to Ireland in 98 and was on the dole for about two weeks. Hated it. Got a job in customer service and been doing that ever since.

Wossack

Started out on an engineering degree, though could only hack 2 years of it before I decided it really wasnt for me. Swapped over to computer science (unfortunately didnt recognise anything I'd done to date, so back to square one with 4 year ahead of me). Ploughed ahead though and enjoyed it much more.
Part of the BSc degree was on placement, and they kept me on part time afterwards, and I stayed with them till work/funding dried up about 6 months after graduating. Think I was about 2 weeks unemployed, and am in current job now for about 4 years now

Have been incredibly lucky mind you - was definitely in the right place a number of times in the last decade

ViveLaVie

homeless student wrote: »

if you are a part time student you can, FACT.
You have to look on the bright side if you can, from reading many posts on this iv seen that people without even a leaving cert are doing very well for themselves(own businesses etc ..) so someone with good qualifications should certainly be entitled to be positive about their future, especially as we dont have to stay in Ireland.

So you agree a full-time student can't? I find it hard to believe part-time students can. Nothing came up when I googled it. Why would they be entitled to payments? Can you provide a source for your FACT?

I agree it's good to be positive however the reality is that there are huge numbers of highly qualified people who can't get jobs. Many have already emigrated and many more will do so. Yeah it's great to be able to find work abroad but sadly a lot of these people were forced into it because Ireland
has nothing to offer the majority of graduates at the moment. Hopefully things will improve and I am glad for anyone who does manage to secure work here at the moment.

Madam_X

Lucky enough to have been in employment always, apart from a stint self employed (by choice). Have a cert, degree, postgrad. Work in communications.

Hippies!

I smoked too much pot in college and never really did finish anything but now I've a sweet job in

homeless student

ViveLaVie wrote: »

So you agree a full-time student can't? I find it hard to believe part-time students can. Nothing came up when I googled it. Why would they be entitled to payments? Can you provide a source for your FACT?

I agree it's good to be positive however the reality is that there are huge numbers of highly qualified people who can't get jobs. Many have already emigrated and many more will do so. Yeah it's great to be able to find work abroad but sadly a lot of these people were forced into it because Ireland
has nothing to offer the majority of graduates at the moment. Hopefully things will improve and I am glad for anyone who does manage to secure work here at the moment.

no idea if a full time student can or can not get the dole, so i cant agree.bte allowance is more or less getting the dole while in full time education.
I know a few people who get the dole and are part time students, thats my source.

Odysseus

homeless student wrote: »

no idea if a full time student can or can not get the dole, so i cant agree.bte allowance is more or less getting the dole while in full time education.
I know a few people who get the dole and are part time students, thats my source.

Yeah it the dole under a different name. I wek as a mature student my dole became a VTOS payment, I think the name has change a few times. I was a full time student, worked part time and got my dole payment at one stage. Though this was a long time ago.

af_thefragile

I'm like this guy...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rMDpMoBD5jc

Goodshape

I work "on the Internet". No degree. Have only ever been out of work by choice (travelling, arseing about at the end of my teens, etc).

Although the majority of the work I've done has been self-driven, so I've not had to 'apply' to many employers or compete with other job candidates (when you present yourself as a professional offering a service, as opposed to a potential employee seeking a job, nobody asks for your qualifications. It's entirely about your skills, portfolio, and aforementioned professionalism).

While I've always managed at least well enough, I do occasionally wonder if the time were to come where a steady and increased wage were preferable, how would I get on with employers. I reliably believe experience is highly valued in the work I do. I also wouldn't mind having a Computer Science degree in the back pocket for a rainy day.

Dutchie

areyawell wrote: »

Always wondered about the amount unemployed on the dole(including myself but gone back to do my masters with springboard). Just wondering what degrees/courses people have(if any) and how long ye have been on the dole just to see how truly fu**ed this country is with job prospects.

Why don't you and all of the other 'highly educated' unemployed posters on this forum actually do something constructive and CREATE your own job.

FFS why sit around complaining about the state of the country. Do something about it.

Madam_X

How do you create a job successfully?

Father Damo wrote: »

So you have been living off benefits for 13 years?
13 years of hunting and you cannot get a successful interview?
13 years and you cannot be arsed looking for work in a different field?
Thank christ I dont pay Irish tax anymore.

He has a disability.

I notice a lot of the people who don't have a degree qualifying it with passive-aggressive "fancy college" (fancy? ), "college was for rich people during the first recession", "it's just a bit of paper", "you don't need a degree", "a masters won't teach you commonsense" (as if you can't have both) comments - ye're gas!
Or claiming that because they had the luck to get really far without a degree, it's therefore the same for anyone else. Nothing wrong with having no third level qualifications of course but being dismissive of it comes across as protesting too much. And you do need a degree at least for many jobs, simple as that. I dropped out of college too for a bit - and I'm so glad I went back. You don't always need a degree/postgrad, but it's better to have one than not.

kippy

Madam_X wrote: »

How do you create a job successfully?

He has a disability.

I notice a lot of the people who don't have a degree qualifying it with passive-aggressive "fancy college" (fancy? ), "college was for rich people during the first recession", "it's just a bit of paper", "you don't need a degree", "a masters won't teach you commonsense" (as if you can't have both) comments - ye're gas!
Or claiming that because they had the luck to get really far without a degree, it's therefore the same for anyone else. Nothing wrong with having no third level qualifications of course but being dismissive of it comes across as protesting too much. And you do need a degree at least for many jobs, simple as that. I dropped out of college too for a bit - and I'm so glad I went back. You don't always need a degree/postgrad, but it's better to have one than not.

I havent seen that attitude (much) in this thread.

In an ideal world, it is better to have one than not, and as time goes on this will become even more of a necessity, however some of the best and most helpful/knowledgeable people I have worked with had and still have no formal college education. They may find it hard moving around or countries but the NATURAL skills they have would allow them to pick up things far quicker than most.

b.harte

I did a trade.
Back in my day collage wasn't an option (for me) due to family finance restrictions, and me not really being bothered too much, plenty of others in a similar position went and fair play to them.
I've only ever been out of work once in 23 years, for about 3 months in 2002.
I'm in my current job since then.
Every job I've had has been because of my trade and the experience I've gained along the way but I don't work in the field I'm qualified in.
Any qualification trade, degree, l.c. , Masters, PHD, all of them are only a gateway to employment, your make your own way after that.
But, it is becoming increasing difficult to even get your foot in the door with anything less than a degree.
Is this right?
I don't think so but from an employers perspective there has to be some easily recognised benchmark for candidates and a degree, if nothing else, shows a level of commitment, a sense of stability.
I work with people with varying qualifications, some better than others but everyone has their own particular skills that they bring to the workplace.

I've also gone back and done a completely unrelated degree course through the OU just to keep my brain active.
I do know that I would like my kids to get a good qualification, however they go about it.
I also believe that collage courses undertaken later in life, when you know a little bit more, stand to you.
18 is too young to truly know what you want.
Just my thoughts.

Degree in Science. Have worked in science without any periods of unemployment since I graduated, 6 years ago. Am in my current position 4 years. I have also completed my Masters while working full time.

While in school and college I also worked part time.

Odysseus

Madam_X wrote: »

How do you create a job successfully?

He has a disability.

I notice a lot of the people who don't have a degree qualifying it with passive-aggressive "fancy college" (fancy? ), "college was for rich people during the first recession", "it's just a bit of paper", "you don't need a degree", "a masters won't teach you commonsense" (as if you can't have both) comments - ye're gas!
Or claiming that because they had the luck to get really far without a degree, it's therefore the same for anyone else. Nothing wrong with having no third level qualifications of course but being dismissive of it comes across as protesting too much. And you do need a degree at least for many jobs, simple as that. I dropped out of college too for a bit - and I'm so glad I went back. You don't always need a degree/postgrad, but it's better to have one than not.

I think the view has changed some what, I left school at 16 with nothing. After a few jobs then moving abroad I came home and got the chance to return to education.

None of my mates/family had been to third level at that stage. Got my degree then my masters, in the last twenty years the amount of mature students has dramatically increased. The down side [if you can call it that] is the qualification inflation most people have some type of post-grad qualification nowadays.

I do concur though I really encourage everybody to access third level if possible and then go on to do post-grad if possible. It really is beeter to have than have not

Deliverance XXV

I have a BSc in I.T, a few certs and few diplomas. I finished my degree this year, in Waterford, while working full-time (retail) in Kilkenny and living in Carlow.

Still, I got through it after some rough times but I just started a new job two weeks ago and I have been working from home for the whole two weeks.
Happy days? Justice?

areyawell

I think people are misinterpreting what I meant in the Original Post, what I meant that I'm finding it difficult to get a job with a degree so decided to try and better myself with a masters. With the masters I probably still won't get a job or maybe I will, who knows.

I'm not bragging that I'm gone back to college but was just wondering do people with Masters still find it hard to get a job.

I know college isn't for everyone or that you don't need a degree to get a good job and most successful people never attended one in there life. They make there own way

OneArt

Have been self-employed for over a year. Dropped out of DCU and moved to another country because, well, Europe rocks.

Going back to college next year, doing an arts only so I can charge my clients more money and get away with it. And buy more cake.

Mmm. Cake.

areyawell

areyawell wrote: »

I think people are misinterpreting what I meant in the Original Post, what I meant that I'm finding it difficult to get a job with a degree so decided to try and better myself with a masters. With the masters I probably still won't get a job or maybe I will, who knows.

I'm not bragging that I'm gone back to college but was just wondering do people with Masters still find it hard to get a job.

I know college isn't for everyone or that you need one to get a good job and most successful people never attended one in there life. They make there own way

As stated I got my masters while working. It certainly has opened up opportunities in my current position but I believe this is more to the fact that I completed a masters while working, rather than the actual masters itself. I've also been contacted directly to attend interviews for positions in companies I haven't even applied to.

I guess the old adage is true...once in a job you'll come across another quite easily, but if unemployed it's much more difficult.

x_Ellie_x

I'm an accountant. I've been on the dole this time for almost a year now. I've been on the dole three times since 2008 with a few temporary part-time job in between. I haven't worked full time since 2008. I can't find any full time accountancy jobs at all - the majority of the jobs out there are only offering 3 day work weeks at the most. I'd consider immigrating but my health isn't the best right now. Until that's sorted I can't go nowhere.

SusieBlue

I'm a full time college student, studying a BA (honours) in Law. Don't particularly enjoy it but I want to get it out of the way.

Worked part time in retail from the age of 16-21, and was unemployed for a few months until I started my new job last month.