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?

It’s 20% hard work and 80% luck ime.

I’m 28 and earn £42k, also worked 3 jobs in my final year at uni so I could come out of it with less debt and it was bloody hard. I got a 1:1 though but to be honest, it’s never helped me beyond an interview at the very beginning.

I started my career at 23 on £15k straight out of uni and worked my backside off for the last 5 years. I’ve prioritised work massively and made a couple of savvy job changes, again largely through luck that they came up at the right time.

I think the biggest influencer of earning potential is how hard you back yourself. If you carry around a chip on your shoulder and think your background defines you, you’ll never back yourself enough to earn well. However, if you drop that baggage and think ‘I’m good at my job, I can do this’ you’re much more likely to apply for better paid roles and progress.

I speak from experience when I say the moment you let go of your expectations for yourself, you give yourself permission to do well.

fuck off yourself downcasteyes as you charmingly put it.

I wish I had tons of money lol, I wouldn't bother working if I had! Half my week is basically spent to give away money, it's absolutely ridiculous.

Be generous with your own cash and let me do what I want with mine. That unfair system also means that the highest earner do not go on PAYE to avoid paying a ridiculous amount of tax .
We should all pay tax, we all agree, but we should pay tax fairly. It's not that much to ask.

We do pay tax fairly. Your disagreeing doesn’t make it unfair.

What you are arguing for thedisorganisedmum is actually unfair, though, isn't it. Despite what the Daily Mail may tell you, you are NOT being 'penalised' for paying higher rate tax. As pp said, this higher rate reflects the fact that you earn enough to ensure the basics are covered, whereas others do not.

We already have millions who work their tits off on stupidly low wages that are not enough to live on, so they have to be topped up by the state. To argue those people should pay 45%, so that you don't have to feel all dog-in-the-manger, is brainless in the extreme. How the fuck would the be able to afford it, for a start?

Maybe make a concerted effort to stop feeling so bitter, and instead look around you at those worse off, and try and cultivate some gratitude. It'll be to your own benefit in the long-run.

Paying proportionally more tax is definitively unfair, I don't need the DM to compare 2 tax rates.

You should educate yourself and compare, in real life, how much cash families end up with when one pays tax and has no help whatsoever, and another one pays less or nothing, get everything subsidised, gets children benefits, child credit, free meals and so on.

I have no gratitude for people being better off than me because I pay more tax, how stupid is that. I completely agree that 45% is too much, never said it was a valid tax rate!

It's a bloody shame the solution, until the system is resolved, is to go into long-winded schemes where the accountant benefit the most. That is not helping anyone. If you think the high earners accept to pay 45 or more tax, you are completely deluded.

Yet one in five people earn under the living wage and the average salary is £24k.
🤷🏻‍♀️

Can you kindly start a new thread about tax, please?

I'm looking for career advice/stories, not a political/ moral argument about tax.

I think picking the right field, and being prepared to move job often are two vital ingredients.

Picking the right field: some things just pay more than others, even thought they're not intrinsically harder. Cultural capital makes a big difference here, often when young enough to be making critical decisions, many people have no understanding of what is out there. People may want to be hairdresser, teacher or doctor, because those are professions they've encountered. They have no concept of the 90% of professions that are out there.

I went into IT because it was a high-paying technical field I'd heard of. But I grew up literally have no concept of most of the things investment banks and hedge funds did, because I wasn't in a country where that was a major industry. So the possibility of earning hundreds of thousands a year in a techie finance field was something I only understood much too late. (I'm not complaining, just offering this as an example that even successful people could have done better, if they'd started with a wider understanding of the world.)

Some of the advice here makes me laugh. I’m not at all career minded and earn above the UK average salary.

I have no desire to work unpaid hours, network or any other such nonsense. You’re a long time dead!

"Paying proportionally more tax is definitively unfair, I don't need the DM to compare 2 tax rates."

No it isn't. The problem is that don't even understand the basics of a progressive tax system, in which those who can best afford it pay a greater proportion. (And frankly, I find this surprising because I would expect an A-level politics student to give a decent account of this).

The baseline cost of living doesn't change with income - milk is the same price for a millionnaire and someone who can't work because they are unwell. Because of this inelasticity, the effect of a flat tax, such as the one you are advocating, falls disproportionately on those least able to pay.

I’m not from a wealthy family, I went to local state comprehensive school.

But my parents, although not wealthy, did support me at school, with my homework etc. They took education seriously and saw the importance of things like reading from a young age.

I did well at school due to my own hard work, went to a top uni and secured a graduate job with a top firm. I spent a whole summer working on job application forms while most of my mates were in the pub!

From then on my career has progressed and I’ve got a really good job now.
I’d say it’s 75% down to my own hard work but 25% down to having a supportive family. Nothing to do with being from a wealthy background in my case.

@Polarbearflavour How did you end up earning more than average if it wasn't down to the factors other posters mentioned?

It's not just lots of money jobs either but interesting fun jobs. my friend was interviewed by a female journalist- I was there because I'm nosey. She turned up with photographer and didn't seem to have all that much about her, smiled and talked mainly but I see her name in local magazines a lot. she gets to meet interesting people and celebrities, goes to shows and restaurants and then just writes it up which cant be much more hard than writing a essay at school. I know I could do her job easily but how to get in,???? I have a degree in an area of the media but can't get in to do a related job at all and I have tried before given up four years ago. Sometimes I think I should try again but it is disheartening as it just seems my face not my skills doesn't fit. These jobs exist in a small world. Rant over.

Ecriture - Muhdunno. I’m good at lying in interviews and pretending to care? 🤷🏻‍♀️

I care remarkably little!

This may be going off topic but I’ve just read a great post on Reddit / anti work. www.reddit.com/r/antiwork/comments/aw86ob/you_know_what_really_grinds_my_gears_that_climate/

None of it matters really. That’s why I spend as little as time as possible at work and care very little.

@PerfumeandOranges I'm with you big time. It seems to be people that have very little about them that end up wiggling their way into these roles and then 10 years later they're the next big thing but they haven't put any work in.

@Polarbearflavour I'm glad that worked for you and that you don't care but I don't think that's a good idea for me.

There is a fair bit of luck involved...

But, I’ve no degree, parents were always skint etc, so not a privileged background.

I’ve always worked from age 16. From the bottom up. I took all the shit jobs no one wanted to do, and I did them well. I also moved to where the work was. Moved 5 times in 6 years with the same company. Each time resulted in a promotion. Working hard and not cherry picking bits of the job you want to do is my moto. I’m now in a really well paid job I love that gives me the flexibility I want and need for my family.

But I have worked bloody hard for it. When I split from my ex with 2 kids in tow, several people told me to give up work, claim benefits etc as it was going to be a lot of hassle working ft and looking after 2 dc. It was bloody difficult and often felt like I was spinning too many plates, but I didn’t and it’s worked out really well for me. It’s nit for everyone and I do understand some people wouldn’t do what I did with dc.

Thanks @Ecriture

Hi OP
My background is similar to yours I think. Working class family. My Mum only worked part time until we were teenagers so we didn't have a pot to piss in really growing up. I was always quite academic, did well in GCSE's, not so well in A Levels. Decided not to go to uni as I wasn't sure what I actually wanted to do.

Got my first job in a call centre type organisation from 18-21. Left, went travelling for a few months. Came back and started working in the industry I’ve been in since. Started on £17k. Worked my arse off and got promotions – then left there for more money (£27k) doing a similar role. Stayed there 4 years, and then left again for more money (£32k)

My job role hasn’t massively changed in the last few years but I work hard and keep the directors happy. I’m now more Senior in the role and earn just under £40k. I like to work to the rule of earning my age – and I will move again when I think I’m not going to be hitting that

I think the key for you is to move to a new company doing a similar role - and so on - until you feel you are earning what you think is a relatively fair salary in relation to what you do

Agree with @JonSlow comment, moving companies is where you get the big jumps. Internal promotions are rarely the same.

My progression has been from consistently going above and beyond, taking on more responsibility before its granted to you, taking on extra work etc. Then you state at your review everything you're doing and how your current job title and salary is not really reflective.

Unfortunately you have to go to great lengths to be noticed, and even then, promotions (in my exp) are not given freely, you almost need to demand them. Build a business case they cant dispute.

Or, switch to another company and climb that way - certainly quicker

I think a few things:

1. Don’t stay too long 3 year max before looking for the next step up
2. Applying for jobs - can’t win it if you are not in it
3. Prep properly for interview eg read what you can and make sure you have some questions related to what you have read
4. Specialise into an area of expertise
5. Remember people love talking about themselves so make people feel special by asking them things

Oh I have another one:

1. Ask for what you want and give a solution for how it could happen. Eg I work one day from home and I am the only one where I work who does it as it’s very very uncommon in my area. But I asked.

Than you do much everyone. It means so much to me to have this level of support and advice.

I'm going to look at my CV/work experience.

I think my best bet is to just start applying for jobs that are well above my salary and then see if I can get any feedback.

When I first applied for this job it was at least 6k more than what I was currently being paid and I thought I had no chance of breaking into the 20K bracket.

I think I can make another leap like that again but I'm just very scared because my confidence has taken a lot of knocks in this role.

I need to work on my confidence simultaneously.

I also think rebranding my accent will definitely help my confidence if nothing else.

Does anyone have any tips on that?

I really do think its all luck in the end - but agree move around and always for more money!

Also network - the last few jobs I've had (including present one) were all as a result of who I know in my industry (I do know my stuff if I do say so myself - but hey its not rocket science - just a niche area!!).

If I trace back to the start of what has been a great run of luck from an earnings perspective then it was after I decided to only do what interested me - if I start a role and its not what I expected then look to get out - fuck it you only get one life and I need to be happy (as well as earn as much as possible!). Never let any bastard grind you down - you are worth it!

I have a 2.2 degree (I went for a job more than 20 years ago now - it had already gone but they said I would off with a masters - when I asked what in they said they didn't care! I picked a part time masters on a subject I loved and its all been fantastic since then!)

Get lucky!

sorry missed out 'be better' before off!!

good luck