28 years old and earning 38K

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ThIs will come off as rude so I apologize but...

A lot of people our age (I'm 29) are in similar situations. The solution is to either take out loans to go back to school in order to Move forward in your career/switch careers entirely or realize that what you're doing now is a dead end and find something else.

I don't know much about the NGO scene But if you've tried all the angles to move up and they don't work, your only options are above.

Are they? I feel like no one I know is! All the people at my job level are 22-25 years old! I was hired when I was 26 and the people hired with me moved on to other jobs or got promoted. Now I work at an entry level capacity with fresh college grads. When I was there age, I was an unpaid intern so the fact that I worked my butt off only to land the same jobs as these people makes me feel deeply ashamed.

I want to go to graduate school but have no funds.

If your peer group has moved on and you haven't, that is a problem. What is the feedback you have had during reviews?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is something about this thread that pisses me off. A BA in English Lit, probably from UVA, making 38K and 28. At 31, I had a PhD in Physics, and was making 35K. (granted a while ago). Today, I make 5x that.

Guess what, entitled millennial, you have to work for your money. You get paid what you are worth. When you first start out, they pay entry level salaries because they to not know your capabilities.

As you prove your capabilities, you can move up. If, after six years, you are still making the same salary, then look in the mirror. Are you working hard? Or coasting? Are you adding value to the organization?

Yikes, get off your high horse. OP, a lot of times new grads and hires can't move up because there's a huge bloat of entitled older workers like this PP. If that's the case, you need to move on. You will never win against the "you entitled Millentials need to put in your time" crowd. Ageism in the academia / think tank world is real!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ThIs will come off as rude so I apologize but...

A lot of people our age (I'm 29) are in similar situations. The solution is to either take out loans to go back to school in order to Move forward in your career/switch careers entirely or realize that what you're doing now is a dead end and find something else.

I don't know much about the NGO scene But if you've tried all the angles to move up and they don't work, your only options are above.

Are they? I feel like no one I know is! All the people at my job level are 22-25 years old! I was hired when I was 26 and the people hired with me moved on to other jobs or got promoted. Now I work at an entry level capacity with fresh college grads. When I was there age, I was an unpaid intern so the fact that I worked my butt off only to land the same jobs as these people makes me feel deeply ashamed.

I want to go to graduate school but have no funds.

If your peer group has moved on and you haven't, that is a problem. What is the feedback you have had during reviews?

OP here. Yeah, i definitely need to move on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you should try a fed job. I was a GS-14 by age 28 making over $100k. Contribute to public service.

not op - but getting a fed job is not easy. i've been applying for 5 years for fed jobs. no dice.

I thought only losers get fed jobs. Can't believe it's that hard!

OK, only losers get fed jobs. NIST, NIH, NASA, ONR.. but continue to tell yourself that. Lols

Yeah... Losers making six figures by their late 20s (me included)

No one in their late 20s should be making 6 figures off of the backs of hardworking, private industry employed Americans. I'm disgusted that my taxes go toward that.

[Anonymous]

OP, I work at a non profit and am well paid. However, my first job in non-profits was as the Receptionist, making $17k or $19k a year (can't remember exactly) in 1993.

My non profit offers employees tuition assistance so you could go back to school. It can be hard to parley a Literature degree into a high paying position. That said, I have a History degree and make good money doing accounting now, which makes no sense but hey.

I'd interview with a bunch of trade associations. Try Asaenet and placement firms like Keepers. Look for an assistant position in a functional area you like and move up from there. If you can't move up within an organization, leave after two years.

FYI I hired my most recent assistant for $37.5 k. He had no accounting experience. I trained him and he was good. He just left after 18 months (with my blessing) for a job making $60k! We don't have a mid level accounting position he could take.... so it can be done.

We also pay for all health and dental premiums, parking, lots of vacation, federal holidays... Just saying trade associations could be worth looking into.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

We have 2 28 years old working in Accounting making 68k+, both have put in 3-4 yrs experience. Yes, it's doable, keep looking.

[Anonymous]

I'm 30 and make 38k. I just got a GS-05 position back in January 2015. I've been a federal employee since 2008 but not on the GS scale which was my downfall. No promise of a raise. I'm late getting into the GS field so I feel like I'm way behind. Unfortunately i took that GS-05 so now i have to wait a year for a GS-07. I work a weekend part time job making $17/hr. which is about an extra 1k a month, maybe less. I'm trying to join the national guard for the benefits and potential career development/experience. More so joining the Md National Guard to set up for the future. Those benefits being my son's college paid for; VA loan for my next house - I'm in the process of buying one now; and to go back to school free; oh and to wipe out my undergrad loans of 22k)...So i figured if my paycheck will be shitty then at least throw me some freebies.

I have a 4 year degree from Nc State University in a bullshit field of study.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm 30 and make 38k. I just got a GS-05 position back in January 2015. I've been a federal employee since 2008 but not on the GS scale which was my downfall. No promise of a raise. I'm late getting into the GS field so I feel like I'm way behind. Unfortunately i took that GS-05 so now i have to wait a year for a GS-07. I work a weekend part time job making $17/hr. which is about an extra 1k a month, maybe less. I'm trying to join the national guard for the benefits and potential career development/experience. More so joining the Md National Guard to set up for the future. Those benefits being my son's college paid for; VA loan for my next house - I'm in the process of buying one now; and to go back to school free; oh and to wipe out my undergrad loans of 22k)...So i figured if my paycheck will be shitty then at least throw me some freebies.

I have a 4 year degree from Nc State University in a bullshit field of study.

What was your major? Is there any way to transition to the private sector -- I imagine almost every private sector job would get you more than 38k?

[Anonymous]

OP again. I have been job hunting but all my resume consists of is admin and event planning stuff. I don;t want to be an admin forever. What kind of jobs can i transition into?

sales? account management?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I work at a non profit and am well paid. However, my first job in non-profits was as the Receptionist, making $17k or $19k a year (can't remember exactly) in 1993.

My non profit offers employees tuition assistance so you could go back to school. It can be hard to parley a Literature degree into a high paying position. That said, I have a History degree and make good money doing accounting now, which makes no sense but hey.

I'd interview with a bunch of trade associations. Try Asaenet and placement firms like Keepers. Look for an assistant position in a functional area you like and move up from there. If you can't move up within an organization, leave after two years.

FYI I hired my most recent assistant for $37.5 k. He had no accounting experience. I trained him and he was good. He just left after 18 months (with my blessing) for a job making $60k! We don't have a mid level accounting position he could take.... so it can be done.

We also pay for all health and dental premiums, parking, lots of vacation, federal holidays... Just saying trade associations could be worth looking into.

Good luck!

I wish I had a boss like you! I'm 28 and I started off temping at a DC trade association just after I graduated. Some of my friends have had good luck with associations but many of them have had layoffs and restructuring recently due to financial difficulties. I was in an an entry-level temp-to-hire position and I thought I had a shot at it after the 5 month contract ended based on my excellent performance feedback. Unfortunately, I soon found out that the company had been filling the role with temps for the past *four* years. They only hired one of the temps into a FT role with benefits but he left after 5 months because our manager was awful and borderline senile. She had major anger issues, barely trained anyone, blamed everyone under her for mistakes to due lack of said training, and could barely use a computer. Instead of learning new skills on the job, I ended up having to train new hires, who were also incompetent, due to all the people who quit under her.

Perhaps my experience was atypical, but I wish more people over 40 realized how there's not only a lack of job opportunities, but a lack of jobs with realistic upward mobility potential. It's hard to get a leg up in the world in your 20s when associations, contractors and firms farm out a huge chunk of their entry-level work that should be salaried w/benefits to placement agencies that pay $13/hr with no benefits. Its also not uncommon for firms to delay health benefits for up to 90-120 days after date of hire. Seriously?! If you're going to hire someone, make a damn commitment and compensate your employees accordingly instead of dragging it out.