To think it is not that easy to 'get a better job'

[EuclidianGeometryFan]

Seen a few threads lately about people with money issues, and on low wages or minimum wage.
Then some posters say things like 'why haven't you got a promotion in the last X years?' 'Why don't you re-train / upskill?' 'Why don't you get a better job?'

As if anyone stays in a minimum wage job for years just for the fun of it!

The job market is a pyramid - there is not enough room on the higher levels for everyone. Even as you age you can't automatically expect to climb the ladder and move up - the maths don't stack up. Not every field of work has a 'career ladder'.
Some people are stuck on minimum wage or not much more, for life. They may not have the ability or skills or aptitude to re-train or get promoted, let alone the time and energy.

It smacks of blaming the OP for not being ambitious enough. Some posters seem to have no conception of what life and the job market is like for minimum wage workers.

What if there aren't the jobs available. And who would then do the lower paid jobs- someone needs to.

Exactly. The lower paid jobs always need to be done and the people doing them deserve to have a life worth living too. Not working 80 hours a week and killing themselves in the process.

Teens/students who want extra cash. People who've retired from their main career who want the odd thing to do here and there. Ex-SAHMs who want to bring some extra cash back to the family.

What about people who are not capable of more?

They receive pay equivalent to their (lack of) skills.

No they dont.
YOu dont get benefits due to lack of skills.
You have no idea about the benefit system if you think this is the case

I started my degree at 30, now doing a master's. Have 3 kids, one disabled. Now in specialist school as a high schooler. No support beyond this. I made it work, and it was difficult.

I ended up with a great job. Now I'm disabled with aceey severe condition and lucky that work are beings supportive.

I am an outlier, I am not blinded to think that others can do the same.

I have a certain mindset that others don't. And that okay. I am not a 'hard work will get you xyz'
I have coasted, and it's worked out. I am VERY lucky.

Not everyone else is the same. Some people really struggle, some who have less to deal with than I have. And I do not judge them.

Why aren't these people capable of more then?

I was saying that if someone isn't capable of anything better then their wage would reflect their lack of marketable skills.

I mean this as a completely serious suggestion @WeylandYutanibut have you considered becoming a university exam invigilator? I did this when I was younger to earn cash to go travelling and all you have to do is hand out exam papers, escort students to the toilets if they need them and collect exam papers at the end. That’s it. There is a lead invigilator who makes all announcements (time checks, reading out the rules of the exam) so you don’t have to worry about that. Most people I worked with were young people and retired folk. It’s exceptionally low pressure, although work is concentrated in December-January, and May-September. With so many students getting extra time / additional support with exams, a good chunk of the exams I invigilated, there was just one student (to 2x invigilators, per university rules).

As PP said, if you don’t struggle to go on MN, you really wouldn’t struggle with this job. Might be worth considering to bring a bit of extra cash in.

I struggle to leave my house. I need someone with me. I have B-C GCSEs and a pass at a GNVQ that is over 20 years old. How would I invigilate someone studying an exam way more above my own qualifications?

OMG are you not understanding how some people are not capable?
You are bordering on being abliest.

Why do you find it hard to leave the house? Are you scared of the big world?

Or are you physically unwell and have medical issues?

You don't need to actually know the subject being invigilated. Just make sure the exam rules are being followed. Basically doing the admin stuff of the exam.

I have several mental health issues and am autistic.
The big world is not set up for people like me.

Why are you asking? I am not sure it is in good faith.

I’m capable, I just made some wrong choices with jobs and have ended up where I’m in a job, not a career
jobs I see around are paying maybe 28k at a push, all want experience in that job which I can’t get unless someone gives me a chance to gain that experience

i can’t afford to move and my commute is limited due to health conditions (I max out at 40hrs a week)

I got a scholarship to a private school on academic merit, I read at over 1000wpm, I have a degree, a levels… I’m still in a just above min wage job

What genuinely scares you so much about going outdoors? I know lots of people who have autism who go outside.

What do you do for work now then? Do you not have to go outside for it?

If not, do you work from a laptop at home? If so, many things you can do to up skill. Excel, python, powerBI. Lots of Data analysis software to learn. Online professional courses to take.

You can do it with a friend. There are usually several invigilators per exam. You don’t need to know anything about the subject matter of each exam - you literally hand out papers, collect papers, escort a student to go to the loo or refill their water bottle, that sort of thing. No qualifications needed whatsoever. You just have to be able to stay quiet for a couple of hours.

I have meltdowns and shutdowns when I go out. So I have huge anxiety about going out as I dont want to experience them.
I do not work right now as it has been recognised that trying to work would make me ill. I have spent a lot of time in psychiatric wards.
Please stop with the whole autistic people can code thing. I can just about use a web browser and youtube and I feel good for that.

I have needed people assist me when I had exams. So how am I meant to help others?

"just about"? You find it hard to use a web browser and YouTube?

What's your plan for the future then, given you don't work? I'm sorry you've experienced such mental health issues in the past but what's your plan for the rest of your life?

Do you want to work in the future?

I hear you. Do not get me started! I think a good job depend on lots of criteria like area, job type, tick box programmes, what school you went to and who you know.

my eldest daughter is a “minority” on 4 fronts but she had not put that on job forms. Buy she said she will now as she thinks it will get her the job!

To be honest the best person should get the job but that don’t ever pan out that way 😡

I want to work but there is a huge barrier to work with people like me.
If you cant understand that then you are privileged.

The job market is pretty tough at the minute too
i got rejected from a call centre job for “not enough experience”
I have over 18 years call centre experience, how much more do you want?!

Yes it is awful out there. Simple shop jobs offering min wage are wanting 3 years experience.
There are threads on MN about parents worried about their kids graduating uni and not having a job lined up.
The people on MN saying no one is trying hard enough have no idea how shit things are out there right now.

What do you mean? ? you saying a bin man is not as important as a doctor? I hope not cause both are importent in different ways …