To ask how people get these jobs.

[Ecriture]

I'm over 30, I come from a working class background.

I grew up with a mum on benefits single parent, 3 kids.

I tried though.

I went to iffy poly uni and got a crap degree (2:2) because I worked three jobs just to stay on the course.

It's not been easy but I've been willing to work as hard as it takes to make a life for myself unlike my childhood.

However, in the past 7 years I'm working I've barely scratched the surface and I am only on 25 grand and still at the bottom of the pile.

Today I had to attend a meeting where 60% of people present were some type of chief officer, cfo or head of major departments.

They all seem to have very distinguished careers and have attractive salaries way beyond my own.

My question is this how did they get there?

A lot of women on this site also seem to be high earners with lots of responsibility.

Does one have to be born into a wealthy family, know the right people or go to the best university. I have none of this.

Can hard work actually get you anywhere in life?

Am I destined to spend the rest of my life doing a low paid work despite my ambitions?

Am I being unreasonable do you think that someone from my background could ever rise higher?

Can anyone give me any advice about what I can do or how they progress in the phone their own career?

I think it's important to guide kids into careers that pay well, not just encourage them to study a subject they enjoy then be stuck in a dead end job.

How I wish I’d had guidance and advice like this when young 🙁

Any successful career changers on here?

Similar background to you. Had entry level admin job for all of my early/mid 20s, despite doing everything I could to progress it wasn't happening (internal and external). Applied for a job in a completely different field I'd dabbled in at head office. No one, including me, thought I'd get it but I went for it on the 60% principle a previous poster mentioned. I got it, they wanted someone bright and willing to learn, not necessarily experienced. After a couple of years I asked for a promotion (I was timid as a mouse in my previous job, so this was quite a big deal for me), I got it with a small pay rise due to the type of work I was then doing. While on maternity leave from this a job I liked the sound of with a £20k rise was advertised at my office. I spoke to the person advertising who said while I had no experience he knew I was a hard worker and capable so would interview me. My boss thought I'd never get it due to lack of experience, but I got it. Highest scores they'd ever seen on the interview test apparently; I sound like a bragger but honestly I am so proud after years of feeling like I was getting no where and it proves you just have to go for it sometimes.

I went from £16,500 to £50,000 in five years just by stopping myself from being too eager to please and not acknowledging my worth. Ive since been asked if I would apply for the next step up which would be another £10k, although I didn't go for this as I don't feel ready and am enjoying my current role and work/life balance.

Don't let your background even factor in it. In my department virtually everyone is on a good salary and some are from a MC background, but there's a good handful of us that aren't and we all work very well together despite different starts in life.

Ask for more responsibility m, do your job brilliantly and with dedication. Apply for promotions or move company for a job with more responsibility and higher pay. Or just the responsibility to begin with.
YOU work up the ladder. The top of the ladder isn’t going to come to you!

I worked really really hard at school, got great grades, got a good degree from a good university.
But I have friends who didn’t do that and are now earning well, what I would say in general is that in their work environments they have all always worked very hard - gone the extra mile, taken opportunities for promotion, been the go-to person to problem solve difficult situations. I have one friend who has worked from a cashier in a bank to a senior level, another friend who dropped out without A-levels and went to university as a mature student, another friend who got a poor 2:2 but is now senior in the public sector.

A lot of the advice I'm getting 'be the go to person, take opportunities etc' I'm already doing.

I am a hard worker but there's a ceiling at this company.

I need a more radical change. Looking at job specs now...

4 things work- brass neck, brown nose, connections and luck. Unless you are one of the lucky few who happen to be in an organisation where you have competent decent managers who respect talent and hardwork.
I'm 50 and it's often a conversation I have with old friends.
I would say to my 30 year old self- put your self effacing, self awareness to one side and play the game. Develop a thicker skin. Apply for jobs you didn't think you were properly qualified for and embellish a little.
My most successful friend thinks everyone loves her at work- but she has left a trail of disgruntled people she fucked over. She just doesn't notice or care. She has re written her own story.

According to the ONS, my salary is in the top 3% of women employees in the UK. I had zero connections and I am in a senior role but I am not a manager. I am also disabled.

My parents moved to England in the 1960's, neither finished secondary school. My Dad worked in a manual job, my mum was a SAHM unless she took a cleaning job when my Dad was out of work.

I did well at my GCSEs. I worked part-time in retail from the month before my 16th birthday until I got my second full-time job. I had to leave after one term at 6th form college to support my parents. They were both out of work at the time due to illness; I either got a job or we would lose our council house. I got an entry level job in a call centre and kept my part-time retail job. I used every spare minute I had to gain IT qualifications in both coding and hardware because it was something that interested me. I applied for and got an IT-based role in the financial services industry after a year in the call centre. I think I may have been somewhat of a novelty as there were not many women in these roles at the time. I was with this company for two years, promoted once.

I married fairly young. I delayed having my child until my career was well established and I had significant savings behind me. Unfortunately my now ex-husband turned out to be an abusive alcoholic. He was arrested for an offence against me and received a suspended sentence plus a whole-life restraining order. In a way that made things easier as I didn't have to deal with residency issues for our child. I think the most challenging aspect was compartmentalising; I had to make sure that no matter what went on at home, my performance at work would not be affected.

I was involved in an accident and became physically disabled. I also have a completely separate disability which requires daily medication to control, plus ongoing medical appointments. My current employer headhunted me. I asked them write a clause in my contract to ensure all previous medical conditions were included in my private medical insurance package and they agreed. I have worked in four very different roles with this employer for 10+ years and have been promoted three times. My company is very positive with regards to employing those with all types of disabilities and we have a number of outreach programmes to encourage applicants from these groups. I think that's why I prefer large companies; you can progress by changing your role but maintain your in-service benefits/security. I have been given a lot of flexibility with regards to my hours and ability to work from home, but that is wholly in return for a proven track record of delivery.

I am asked to be a mentor quite a lot. Suggestions I've made are:

1. Every time you raise a problem, provide your suggestion(s) how to fix it. If you can see ways that a process can be improved, raise them. I always did this electronically, so there was a record.
2. Be punctual and organised.
3. Dress appropriately. If your office states 'smart casual', you should not dress for a day at the beach/evening at a club. Take cues from your colleagues.
4. Set yourself tangible goals, e.g. find out what company training courses are available and book yourself onto at least one within the next six months.
5. Meet your deadlines. If you can see that you can't meet a deadline, raise the issue early. Say when you CAN deliver and meet the new deadline.
6. Be proactive. When asked to do something, finish it and then offer suggestions for how it can be made better in future.
7. If you don't understand something, ask for clarification. Never be afraid to ask questions.
8. Don't clock-watch; deadlines need to be met, even if that means working outside your contracted hours.
9. Communicate effectively - do not take 100 words to say something when you could take 10. There are a lot of free online courses that help improve both written and verbal communication skills.

10. Everyone makes mistakes, so don't be too hard on yourself. It's how you deal with mistakes that matters. 11. Don't assume that someone else will do 'it' (whatever 'it' is). If you have the time, take on extra tasks without waiting to be asked. 12. Don't be flaky. If you tell someone you are going to do something then do it. 13. Always try to the very best of your ability. This means learning your role inside out; not just what you need to do, but why you need to it. 14. Take an interest in global current affairs. It's a very useful conversation starter if you ever need to make small talk. 15. Ask for and listen to feedback. Be willing to make changes.

I obviously can't speak for other companies, but I do not feel as though my race, sex or disability have ever had an impact in my career progression.

Best of luck

For me - and my line of work is in the media which is mostly v low paid - it took til I'd done 12 years on shit salaries then suddenly went from £30k to £52k within two years as the senior roles came through.

But then I fucked it up by having a baby and requesting flexibility, so....

Good luck! It may just be a question of putting in a few more years groundwork.

I grew up on a council estate, I scraped a 2:2 from a good Uni. I only just scraped through as my Mum was dying from cancer in my final year and I couldn't concentrate. I got a job straight from uni and have stayed in the same field and worked my way up to managerial level now and earn a good wage. I honestly think it was down to my parents. They encouraged me, were interested in my education and didn't let me arse about and waste my time. I'm eternally grateful to them.

You don't necessarily need a degree you just need to be really good at what you do. I think employers value loyalty and integrity above all else. Be you, be genuine, kind friendly, humble and willing to be a dogsbody. Even when you're being paid £100k, be willing to empty the bin or carry the CEOs briefcase if need be. Just really be good at what you do.

This thread has really pissed me off tbh. I worked really hard for many years for a charity that did very valuable work and although I was great at my job, the money and opportunities simply weren’t there. The satisfaction I got fro it was from knowing how many other people ( mainly women) I had helped from the dedication and passion I put into my work. Was eventually rewarded by being made redundant and ironically they had to employ 2 pp to do my job! If you are in any kind of worthwhile caring profession you will never get some of the opportunities and big bucks pp have managed to obtain. Still proud of the work I did tho...

Similar background, no degree, earn twice what you do but could be in a higher role but chose not to as I don't need more and wanted to spend time with DC. Been made redundant twice but easily got another job. I'm in my 50s now but have been on this salary level for about 15 years.

Partly hard work, partly luck, partly intelligence and partly just likability I think (not blowing my own trumpet). I'm quite shy but quite bright, I make an effort to have a positive attitude, I am helpful, contribute at meetings and best of all, I do quite a specialist role that I sort of fell into. I could have pursued further promotion but I prefer not to manage people.

What type of area do you work in?

Having said all that DH earns half what I do, he came from similar background but has taken time out for college and then a degree in nursing and a degree from OU. he loves his job although the pay is poor. It's enough for us though as we aren't particularly money orientated.

I think that personality and being able to read situations and relationships with others counts for huge amounts as well as having a degree and the right breaks.

I went to a prestigious grammar school, got a degree, 2.1 from 2000, i qualified and practised PQE in a highly sought after profession (legal) but I have had serious mental health problems and i have not always have the confidence nor ability to behave suitably in jobs. So here i am now, pushing for 40 earning 23k a year.

I find it hugely upsetting as i did everything that i could to pave the way for a good livelihood but my shy, socially inept personality and then later, severe clinical depression stopped me!

@PinkOboe. I totally agree with you that not having parents who understand the corporate world puts you back a few paces.

My mum was a housewife, dad usually unemployed or setting up his own little one man businesses. I also left uni totally unaware of job roles other than teacher, doctor, journalist etc. That meant I really struggled for years trying to do very competitive jobs on low pay.

The turning point was dating someone who did quite a similar job to what I actually did but with a different corporate job title... and 4 times my salary! I just sort of learned from that and in my late 30s started to invest in myself, in professional courses and going to professional meetups etc to learn the ropes and adapt my existing skills. And since then my salary had doubled in just a couple of years. Im also getting headhunted for contract roles that pay up to £500 a day... but I wish I'd have known more about different roles when I was younger and had fewer years of struggle. But I just wasn't exposed to any of that so didn't have a clue.

You are lucky you have a job. I have worked in admin and other.similiar jobs in the past even though I have a good degree in business Mgt. I took 10 years out to raise a family and now at 40 am having no luck whatsoever getting a job interview for anything. Ideally I'd like a salary between £28 -40 but no one wants to employ me and I have some.great skills. Any advice mumsnetters xx

Work hard, keep stretching yourself and do something you love otherwise you won't put in the effort.

I don't have a degree or great connections or family background but I have a great job, great salary and its down to the factors above not what the OP stated...

I am doing fairly well in my career, could be better but I have progressed well over the last 6 years. Am in my 40s, Managerial role and paid a lot more than your current salary in Media. My advice is to make sure people know you are doing a good job. Be visible without being too obvious about it. Ask if you can attend more senior level meetings and then try to contribute in them if you can think of a good idea or something useful to say. Be pro-active and look for opportunities to become involved in things outside your day to day remit. Volunteer to organise your department away day or to be the person who trains others on systems etc. Suggest you run a workshop to teach other staff about your area. Be as visible as you can be without acting desperate or annoying! I am called a keeno beano (affectionately, I think!) sometimes at work but it honestly hasn’t done me any harm! Don’t get involved in bitching about others. Answer emails quickly, even if it is just to say you will get back to people soon. Be interested and enthusiastic all the time. And ask for a mentor at work. I also agree that sometimes you have to move jobs to progress. You can get pigeon holed unfairly sometimes and a fresh start can be just what you need. Apply for jobs even when you are happy where you are to keep practicing your interview technique and keep your options open. Best of luck. Am pretty sure your background doesn’t need to define you in any way.

Hi, I work in HR in a senior position and my personal advice to you is to find a mentor and/coach who could work with you. Confidence building is important and agree with others that by applying and going for job interviews you will build experience as to how it feels and what you need to do next time. Changing jobs every 2/3 years was a key for me to progress and every new job gave me on average £15k pay rise. Patience is a key and choosing a career that works for you, areas, industries, security of employment etc is something I always do. Hope this helps.

Recognising that there's a ceiling where you are, is a good step. I moved companies as soon as I felt there was a ceiling but always left on good terms and have been headhunted to go back at a much higher level on occasion.
I also spent times learning additional skills too eg night courses, day courses, professional training. And applied for posts that were at least two steps up from my current role whenever I decided to move.
Oh, also network constantly. You never know when someone else will tell you about an opportunity.

@Chickaletta16 I understand but I'm not lucky, I've worked hard to drag myself up from a life on benefits to this role. A ten year gap is substantial, unfortunately some employers don't take the skills you build rearing children into account.

My advice to you would be to volunteer, that would get you some recent experience to link in with your previous skills.

@WaxOnFeckOff I work for the third sector.

Will be back to comment on the rest of the posts.

Loads of amazing points made upthread.

My advice to anyone would be - make an effort with everyone you meet, both inside and outside of work. And when you jobhunt, casually mention it to everyone you know. 'Right place right time' is incredibly accurate, and at the lower levels, people are more likely to hire people they know or have a personal recommendation for than an unknown.

Ecritura

You have got a lot of smug "look at me, I've done well, just work hard etc etc" responses. Ignoring the fact that it is well documented that background and inside knowledge can help enormously.

Sadly, the alternative to being born into the right class with connections and existing knowhow is to choose the right field of work. I have worked in the voluntary sector, education and financial services and guess which now pays me a good salary??

Financial services are a great place for someone with transferable skills and there are also (rarely recognised!) advantages for a woman.
Contrary to popular belief, it's not all about figures or even money, it's primarily a people business. It's a privilege to work in an area where you are involved with clients throughout their lives and get to know them as friends. The pay is a bonus!

Worth exploring, if you like variety, self-motivation and learning.

I grew up in a council house in a NE pit village. I went to Grammar School then Teacher Training then a degree. I was a teacher for 35 years, and then retired. I married a University Lecturer from a similar background. We have had a good life. You decide what you want, go for it. With your qualifications maybe what you need is confidence in yourself.

Where do you live op? If you’re in a major city there are so many more opportunities. For instance I work in London in the digital marketing field and we take on ‘apprentices’ at my company irrespective of background or qualifications - we’ve asking for this years applications now. In my line of work if you’re good within a few years you’d be at £30k and it goes up quickly after that. I’m 40 and earn c.£70k but could earn far more if I pushed and swapped jobs and generally gave more of a shit!

DH messed about all through school, was on the verge of expulsion at one stage. Left at 16 with no GCSE’s, he managed to get on a YTS (showing our age now!) did 3 years and then got an admin job with our local council.

His boss at the council encouraged him to go to Uni and do IT (as that was where the money was according to him) which he did, slogged his guts out, both of us doing 2 jobs and he graduated with a 2:1.

He’s now Global IT Director with 23 staff under him. He’s basically worked his backside off to get there, done every single qualification he can, sacrificed family time etc, but now he can sit back a little bit in terms of not having to work every hour God sends.

He’s the only one in his family with a good job and was the first to go to Uni so didn’t really get any support from his family, there was only me really who was there for him.

[Edited by MNHQ to remove identifying information]