Not having one of the best paying jobs is embarrassing

NEVER GIVE UP ON YOUR LIFE

We all have dreams of graduating school and finding one of the best paying jobs around so we can get a kick-start on life because money is important just to survive.

Last week we talked about a CBB fan whose financial success turned her friends towards jealousy and it happens because people give up on themselves and focus on what they wish they could have.

My wife told me after she graduated the first time it was hard for her to find one of the best paying jobs in her field unless she moved into the heart of Toronto. Most often finding the rewarding careers means you literally have to seek them out.

Not everyone is in a position to move to secure their passions but for those that move to the big cities to live out their dreams many of them end up going back home.

Some people move to different countries after graduating just to gain valuable work experience then either stay, move on or move back to their hometown. Passion in life means doing what you love in hopes that one day you look back and are happy you took the path you wanted to.

The important part here is to be open to travelling if you can because once you graduate if your focus area is your hometown you might sadly not find the best paying jobs surrounding you unless you graduated in a field that is high in demand.

Best paying jobs

According to a Workopolis study there are only certain careers that will land you in top paying jobs.

The study, which analyzed more than seven million resumes on the job search website, found that 97 per cent of those who studied nursing, whether it was at the bachelor, masters or PhD level, are working in jobs related to their education.

Some of the other best paying jobs that made the list was working in Human Resources, Pharmacy, Engineering and Computer Science.

Reality is that not everyone finds a job after they graduate. Some people we know are still either jobless or feel the same way our CBB reader feels who wrote me looking for some motivation for her career and budget.

Dear Mr.CBB

I’ve always been considered someone who has excelled at her studies and going to University has gotten me nowhere. I studied for many years and have the OSAP loan to prove it but have no job like many graduates who struggle to find work. Sometimes while I’m working at a local big box store where I often see people who I went to high school and University with and I just want to hide.

I had dreams of making a decent wage, working in a career that I love but that slowly slipped away. I’m not sure if I can handle going back to school again. I wanted to know how I can budget my money working in a low-income job while trying to pay back OSAP and how you managed to get over the career hump when you moved to Canada.

Thanks for your support as this has taken a toll on me wanting to get married, buy a home and starting a family. I feel like I might not ever have my dreams come true and have no one to talk to about it.

Signed,

Sabrina L.

Hi Sabrina,

First off, thanks for sending in your question as I always enjoy hearing from the fans. I may not be your saviour but I can certainly shed some light on my personal experiences for you.

Budgeting 101

If there is one thing I wish I did when I was in University is budget. Sure, I was a frugal guy who loved to save money and earn money to pay off any debts I owed but a budget would have been even better. Many of us think we can mathematically calculate our finances in our heads or by looking at our bank account but we can do better than that.

I’ve blogged here and using the budget spreadsheet we designed for a few years now and I can tell you that even when my income was low and it was pretty low after I graduated, the budget helped us out tremendously.

Budgeting was more of a way to make sure we were attaining the goals we wanted to without going overboard. A budget is like that little voice whispering in your ear, “Do you really need to buy that?”

Many times people need the budget push because they are too busy making excuses as to why they need to spend money rather than excuses as to why they need to earn more money. It’s amazing how much energy we put into feel good spending than feel good earning ventures.

The realization is that when we focus on balancing the two life is better. We can earn, spend and invest while paying down debt as long as we have a plan and the income coming in to support that plan. If we don’t have the cash, we need to find a way to earn more or spend less. The other option is to go back to school like I had to do and you might choose to as well.

Sabrina, you may be earning minimum wage at your current job and you might want to hide because you are embarrassed but you are not a failure. Failing is when you give up on yourself and anyone who sees you at work doesn’t know how much effort you are putting into that job and what you do outside of that job. Only you know so don’t beat yourself up about it. Life is not meant to be easy but money and the debt-free life certainly won’t fall on our laps.

If you need a budget, download the CBB budget for free and give it a try for a few months to see how it works for you. You might even surprise yourself how much money you thought you were earning, spending and saving.

Career slump

What jobs pay? That’s an important question that anyone who decides to head off to College or University should research. No one says you have to study a certain field just for the money but knowing that there are a higher percentage of available jobs may be beneficial.

When I decided to go back to school I chose a field that I always wanted to do but missed the opportunity back in the UK because I was too busy wanting to be a computer engineer because I thought I would find a high-paying job. Get that notion out of your head IF you don’t like what you do. I wasn’t a big fan of computers and only studied it because of the money and that’s the WRONG thing to do.

If you don’t like what you are doing you are apt to be less motivated to pursue it. You may give up early searching for a career or your passion just won’t shine through and those that interview you will see this.

I graduated yes but my degree at the time got me nowhere because everyone was studying computer engineering and trying to find a job where there were more people than jobs available in the UK. When I moved to Canada I found that the opportunities were more realistic for me in terms of what I wanted to study and potential for landing a career I loved. I was right and I love what I do. I don’t say what I do for a living other than I help keep people safe and alive. (I know it’s vague but I’m sure some people can figure it out)

Sure, I didn’t want to go back to school a second time. Knowing that I was almost 30 and already spent years in University and worked to pay for my studies so I had no debt really turned me off. I had no choice though because with my qualifications in Canada I was only able to land jobs that would pay me minimum wage and I wouldn’t settle for it.

I knew I had much more to offer and if I wanted to reach for my dreams I had to go out and grab them. No one is going to push you but yourself. Sure, we had to put everything on hold when we both went back to school for a second time.

We didn’t have a house nor did we have baby-making on the brain. Our careers and paying down debt was our priority. We weren’t out blowing money partying on the weekends or jetting away on vacations we couldn’t afford.

I have worked in my field now for a few years and I may not be making that six-figure income yet but I know I will be at some point. Optimistic, you bet and because I know the career I’ve chosen will easily get me there. It may not be millions but it’s more important to love what I do.

This leads me to my next tip for you… motivation.

Motivation

If you want to work in the medical field, engineering, trades job, public sector job or any job that pushes you to be the best you can be requires a certain desire to succeed.

The hard part about motivation is sometimes we are left to motivate ourselves. This can be challenging especially if you have already started the next phases of your life. Not everyone follows the traditional go to school, get a career, married, house and kids role but for those that do they may find it a bit easier if they wait until they are in the career they love before moving forward.

I know this because having to go back to school meant I didn’t follow any sort of tradition and had to deal with renting a room which was horrible most times and having to put off having kids until we knew we were somewhat financially stable. Not everyone agrees with the path we took but we don’t care what other people think because they don’t have to live our life. Remember it’s your life.

You will always have people who share their opinion about what you need to do but it’s you who needs to figure that out. There is no rush to get married, buy the house etc. those can wait. Sure it was helpful financially for me to buy my houses from a young age as that gave me the kick-start I needed but it was only because I thought I had it all figured out. I thought I was going to be working in one of the best paying jobs and life would be peaches n cream… wrong.

I’ve grown up quite a bit since then and although I’ve made some smart moves financially I might have done things differently. After graduating University I didn’t work in low-paying jobs rather jobs that I just didn’t like.

I was paid decent money with an excellent pension plan (thank goodness) but you certainly worked hard for that money, physically. Investing when I was younger would have been something I wish I did more of but we can’t have it all. If you can then that’s great but remember investing doesn’t just have to be in the stock market. Investing in yourself is what I’m talking about.

I flat-out didn’t like my job but like you Sabrina I didn’t know whether to go back to school only to flop again or to just stick with the job. You almost feel like your brain is filled with all the knowledge of the education you just paid for and you are letting it go to waste. Sadly, we are not the only one’s it happens to.

I didn’t like to tell people where I worked either but you know what? I wasn’t the only one who couldn’t find those high paying jobs we thought we would get. There are many people even in Canada that are struggling especially if they studied in University for something where openings in the job market are slim.

Motivation is key as is a solid plan to get where you want to go. Don’t give up on yourself because many people high-tail it back to school when they don’t want to. The problem is too many people think it will take too long to achieve their goals because they are thinking so far ahead of themselves. This type of thinking almost always lands people in the “I give-up seat” in life. Don’t be that person. It may take you a few more years and more money but if it’s a career with a solid employment path and you know you can do it, why wait?

I know my story is my own and circumstances are different for everyone Sabrina but ultimately what you do with your LIFE is up to you. I don’t know how old you are or how much debt you have but don’t let that stop you from achieving your goals. Budgeting your money if you aren’t already is important whether you are in school or not.

Sabrina, take the bag off your head and be proud of what you have accomplished thus far and remember you have your whole life ahead of you.

What other tips do you have for Sabrina? Are you ashamed of where you work after graduating school? Why are students finding it so hard to jump-start their career after graduation?

Are You New To Canadian Budget Binder?

• Follow Me on Social Media:  Twitter, Facebook , Pinterest , Stumble Upon,  Reddit and Google+
• Don’t forget to Subscribe to Canadian Budget Binder by Email to get my daily email. Once you subscribe you MUST VERIFY your email account so check your spam folder and inbox for that email!
• Check out my new Free Recipe Index
• If you like FREE then click this link for my FREE Excel Budget Spreadsheet and all my Free Money Saving Lists!
  
• You can now have full access to my Ultimate Grocery Shopping Guide in Canada.

• Related articles

  • Budgeting With Mr.CBB Got Us Back On Track (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
  • How I Reduced Our Grocery Budget From $1100 To $600 In 6 Months (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
  • How I Support My Family On One Income (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
  • Dumpster Diving~The Top 5 Rules For Finding The Good Free Stuff! (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
  • Starting Our Frugal Garden From Seed (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
  • What my life is like with terrible credit (canadianbudgetbinder.com)