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I work "full-time" (only about 35 hours if I'm lucky) at a retail place as a "lead." I've been there for four years and I hate it. It's not a bad job, and for retail it's actually pretty good. But I hate retail so much, I hate commuting 40 minutes to work, I hate the customers, I'm tired of the place, the people, and I need to get out. I've been in this mood for at least two years, but I was finishing school so I just had to put up with it.
Now I have a Master's, but no job options within my career (I've been trying to for months). I'm really, really tempted to apply for a new job but have one overriding concern:
---How will it look on my resume to abandon a job as a lead to become a part-time lackey at another retail place?
I take my "career" (meaning, in my field) very seriously, and I'm trying to put myself in a good position moving forward. It's hard enough finding work I don't need to make it any harder on myself. I know you're not supposed to trash talk a previous place, so how would I explain leaving for a lower-paying part time job (or two)?
I don't think you'd look bad. Are you moving to a retail job closer to you? That makes sense when you get an interview for a job in your field. Have you looked into internships?
I work "full-time" (only about 35 hours if I'm lucky) at a retail place as a "lead." I've been there for four years and I hate it. It's not a bad job, and for retail it's actually pretty good. But I hate retail so much, I hate commuting 40 minutes to work, I hate the customers, I'm tired of the place, the people, and I need to get out. I've been in this mood for at least two years, but I was finishing school so I just had to put up with it.
Now I have a Master's, but no job options within my career (I've been trying to for months). I'm really, really tempted to apply for a new job but have one overriding concern:
---How will it look on my resume to abandon a job as a lead to become a part-time lackey at another retail place?
I take my "career" (meaning, in my field) very seriously, and I'm trying to put myself in a good position moving forward. It's hard enough finding work I don't need to make it any harder on myself. I know you're not supposed to trash talk a previous place, so how would I explain leaving for a lower-paying part time job (or two)?
Since you don't say what your degree is in, it's hard to comment on that. All I can say is that *EVERY* profession has entry-level positions. If it were me, I'd find an entry level position in the field of your career expertise and start gaining valuable experience so that when something does come available you will be well qualified experience-wise for the position. Unless your master's degree is in retail, selling whatever it is that you are selling, isn't going to help you a bit.
I've done a few internships and unfortunately there just aren't any where I live, and being unpaid, it's impossible for me to move for them. I'm still working on developing some career-related skills, so I'm not too terribly concerned. I'm just assuming the new job would be retail because that's pretty much all there is around here. And yeah, it would be closer.
I've done a few internships and unfortunately there just aren't any where I live, and being unpaid, it's impossible for me to move for them. I'm still working on developing some career-related skills, so I'm not too terribly concerned. I'm just assuming the new job would be retail because that's pretty much all there is around here. And yeah, it would be closer.
so break it to us gently, what the heck is your major?
I have a B.S. in Political Science and History and an MA in History.
There are no entry-level jobs, except for museum interpreters and the like. Which, unfortunately, don't exist in my state (I've contacted all of the ones I can find already). I actually had one job offer but had to turn it down because of a change in my finances. I'm still confident I can find a job in the field someday, but there's no immediate solution to working in the field. I'm not giving up in that field, but I need an immediate change in order to just enjoy life. Ideally I could find something other than retail to tide me over, but college pretty much killed any other skills I had.
I have a B.S. in Political Science and History and an MA in History.
There are no entry-level jobs, except for museum interpreters and the like. Which, unfortunately, don't exist in my state (I've contacted all of the ones I can find already). I actually had one job offer but had to turn it down because of a change in my finances. I'm still confident I can find a job in the field someday, but there's no immediate solution to working in the field. I'm not giving up in that field, but I need an immediate change in order to just enjoy life. Ideally I could find something other than retail to tide me over, but college pretty much killed any other skills I had.
Unless you also have a teaching certificate, your degrees are nearly worthless,
I worked with a smart lady in a factory who had a degree in English,but didn't want to be a teacher,
I'm retired and I'll bet she will be at the factory until she retires.
What a waste of time and money getting her degree !
I have a B.S. in Political Science and History and an MA in History.
There are no entry-level jobs, except for museum interpreters and the like. Which, unfortunately, don't exist in my state (I've contacted all of the ones I can find already). I actually had one job offer but had to turn it down because of a change in my finances. I'm still confident I can find a job in the field someday, but there's no immediate solution to working in the field. I'm not giving up in that field, but I need an immediate change in order to just enjoy life. Ideally I could find something other than retail to tide me over, but college pretty much killed any other skills I had.
I see your dilemma.
Your interest in political science might work toward you getting a job in an attorney's office. You can work a computer (obviously). There is always a need for intelligent, capable people in attorney's offices.
Since you are rather on the academic side, you might also consider working in a library or even a school in a non-teaching capacity. The idea, VM1138 is to "make friends" with people who can help you find what you are looking for. People who are sympathetic to your plight and might offer some assistance or at the very least good advice where to look.
The objective in this world, I have discovered, is to get to know the right people who can help you. Forget about the other stuff.
Unless you also have a teaching certificate, your degrees are nearly worthless,
I worked with a smart lady in a factory who had a degree in English,but didn't want to be a teacher,
I'm retired and I'll bet she will be at the factory until she retires.
What a waste of time and money getting her degree !
As someone who has an English degree, I can concur that career options are limited.
That being said, you don't have to limit yourself to working in a factory either. I have had a wealth of different types of jobs because all of my life I continued learning MARKETABLE skills and knowledge. If you sit on your duff thinking that just because you have a sheep's skin you don't have to continue learning, yeah, you're going to end up in a dead-end job.
Your interest in political science might work toward you getting a job in an attorney's office. You can work a computer (obviously). There is always a need for intelligent, capable people in attorney's offices.
Since you are rather on the academic side, you might also consider working in a library or even a school in a non-teaching capacity. The idea, VM1138 is to "make friends" with people who can help you find what you are looking for. People who are sympathetic to your plight and might offer some assistance or at the very least good advice where to look.
The objective in this world, I have discovered, is to get to know the right people who can help you. Forget about the other stuff.
20yrsinBranson
Thanks for the advice. I've actually already temporarily run a small research library, but unfortunately I think the isolated geographic nature of my current surroundings prevents my connections from being all that helpful. I guess I just have to keep trying.
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