Feeling disgusted by friend’s DD’s salary

[DisgustedParent]

Best friend’s DD is the same age as mine (26) and we’ve known each other since both DD’s were born. My DD went off to uni but struggled to find a job after her degree and has ended up working in a call centre (financial services) where she is paid very poorly, has to work unsociable hours and is not treated well by management at all. It’s awful to watch her struggling to get by after rent and bills, knowing that despite working long hours, she may never own a property of her own or be able to afford to do all of the things she wants to do in life. My friend knows all about DD’s struggles and my worries for her as we are very close.

Her DD went straight in to an apprenticeship after school at 16 and landed herself in a role in Data Protection. Over the years she’s completed all sorts of professional certifications in the field and worked her way up, but never did a degree. I hear today from my friend that she has just accepted a senior management data protection role at the same large financial firm where my DD works. Friend has gleefully told me that her DD will be earning an eye watering £70,000 per year along with all sorts of benefits such as home working, health insurance, allocated parking... all of which of course aren’t available to my DD despite working for the same employer.

AIBU in feeling absolutely furious about this on DD’s behalf and thinking that there is something so very wrong about a company which pays its front line workers the absolute minimum, with no benefits whatsoever, whereas those with more ‘fancy’ job roles who probably don’t do an awful lot at all (and friend’s DD at 26 is still barely old enough to be out of school!) get to swan in to the company earning an astronomical amount, with lots of benefits on top too. Friend’s DD has already bought a house, has a brand new car, is always on holiday and draped in designer clothes. Meanwhile my DD and the rest of her call centre colleagues are threatened with redundancy regularly and are frequently told that salaries will not be increased as cuts have to be made.....How can this be justified?!

I bet the degree is some sort of social science

From a very low ranked university. Like it not this does make a difference.

Your daughter chose to waste her degree that’s not the other girls fault

My sons starting salary was that after he left uni at 24

I couldn't be bothered with university (a lot less common to go in the 70's) paid and studied for professional qualifications in my own time - and was earning exactly the salary you mention by the time I was in my early 30's. Friends with degrees generally earned a lot less.

Employers pay on the basis of whether you can do the job, not that you've successfully motored along the GCSE/A Level/University path. (well. obvs some professions have degree entry requirements) - clearly your friends' daughter has worked hard, is well thought of, and has proactively worked and studied to advance her career.

You should be congratulating her and your friend, maybe encouraging your daughter to see her as a role model.

Friends daughter has ten yeare work experience, and her profesional qualifications could well be degree equivalent. Your duaghter has three or four years maybe?
Does the uni that she is an alumni of have any ongoing careers counselling?

You sound jealous and bitter. I kind of hope your friend or her DD find this thread.

Well done to your friends DD. She has started as an apprentice (usually paid Around £3 per hour!) and she has worked hard and proved her worth to the company and is being rewarded for it.

A degree isn’t an instant fast pass to the top level jobs with good salaries and benefits.

Financial Services companies hold sensitive data. A breach of GDPR can lead to a fine of 4% of turnover. £70K doesn’t look so crazy when you consider the potential responsibility.

This is why I have never told my parents my salary. So much jealously and oneupmanship.

Jealously

YABU you should actually be blaming successive governments that have promoted going to university over everything else.

Sounds like you friends daughter did the right thing, having a degree should be irrelevant for such roles.

OP the thing is if your friend’s daughter has a specialist / professional role and your daughter has an admin or customer service type role then it’s natural that one would earn a higher salary than the other. It’s irrelevant that they have the same employer, it sounds like they have very different jobs!

Not everyone who has a degree is good at their job and has a right to the best paid job

If your daughter isn’t happy (and I haven’t RTFT, only the first 5 pages, but you seem to be focusing on YOUR feelings) then she should consider her career options and what she can be doing to get where she wants to be

Loads of my DS’ friends, including himself and his girlfriend, all late twenties, earn £70k plus.

Filthy bastards.

Do you feel raging about Lord Sweets he doesn’t have a degree either

Your friend's DD has more years of work experience. Of course she's been promoted and paid more!

You are one horrible jealous person hopefully your friend sees this and cuts you off.

Come back and tell us the degree!

I would congratulate her daughter and wish her well. Everyone is different and makes their own choices based on their own circumstances. She probably saw your DD enjoying herself at uni - and thought about having to do the 9-5 + more slog - with envy

I would be thrilled for her daughter , she's obviously worked extremely hard to get her position. Perhaps your daughter doesn't have nearly the charisma or skills that she has , that doesn't always come with a degree.

Are you serious? If so you are disgusting. You said this girl had worked her way up. You are a jealous snob. Just because your dd has a degree you begrudge this hard working non degree girl. Tbh you sound like a right cunt

For those asking, DD went to a very good university and has a first degree in Criminology and Law.

try to help your daughter find something better than a call centre

If degree educated daughter is worth a £70k salary, susrely she has the gumption to plan her own career?
what is Mummy supposed to do - hold her hand when she goes for a sodding interview?

Friends DD spent 10 years professionally developing herself

Your DD spent 3 years studying, failed and the first hurdle & gave up.
Your DD needs to take a lead out of your friends DD book!!

For those asking, DD went to a very good university and has a first degree in Criminology and Law.

So why hasn’t she persuaded that area of employment? Working in a call centre won’t help.

I work in Law too OP and I know many people who come in as paralegals or even admin assistants and, despite having a degree, some of them are not that bright, ambitious or hardworking. Of course there are many that are, too, but my point is having a degree alone just mean you’re entitled to a well paid job (whatever that is)

Your daughter got her degree and went to work in the call centre. Has she done extra qualifications or applied for promotion? Is she taking responsibility for anything or taking on projects? You can’t expect your DD to earn £70k just because she has a degree. 50% of young people have a degree these days, and a degree doesn’t tell an employer anything about initiative, team work, leadership, or ambition. If she’s happy working in the call centre that’s fine, but if she wants the big bucks she’s going to have to work for them.

Why doesn’t she want to use her degree?