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I'm just curious if anyone else here has been in my situation, moved on from it, and is no longer miserable. I attended a mediocre college and have a correspondingly mediocre job. IQ/SAT-wise I was actually more than capable of having done well for myself, but I was also a very impressionable and insecure teenager. I'm 25 years old. I understand that I can probably get a better job than I have now at some point, but, partially because of my age, I still feel like I'll always be doing much worse than I would've done had I attended a decent college (to illustrate: obtaining a six-figure job at 55 and obtaining a six figure job at 24 are not equal outcomes in my mind... for the sake of making my point lets assume the functions of the job and the employee's level of interest are identical, you could use either of these as an alternative metric to money if you'd like). Has anyone "gotten over" this feeling? It is even possible?
I've read this forum for a while and feel compelled to add this: Please don't assume I'm not doing anything to change my situation. I'm working hard and trying more than one thing.
Well, it sounds like you're doing the right things, but it's a really tough market. Six figures is quite a lofty goal to set in terms of determining success, that typically doesn't happen to 25 year olds but it certainly is possible. I didn't get my first "real job" until I was 25 (i.e. salary, benefits, office setting) and it only paid 26k/year, that was in 2000. It takes time and you need to remember that the economy is bad so people who have a lot more experience are also competing with you or at the very least impeding your ability to move forward as they are staying in the workforce longer. The best advice that I can give you is to join local professional organizations and network like crazy if you're not already doing that. You can also find your dream job or ideal job and develop a strategy to develop over the next few years to get to that level.
It is RARE for a 24 year old to have a 6 figure job coming out of ANY school. Don't get caught up on the hype and don't get caught up in the "salary". Your salary is more dependent on where you live vs what school you went to. What is important is do you like your job and can you pay your bills. It's hard to judge whether your job is "mediocre" since we don't know what you are doing but my guess is that you are putting too much emphasis on your salary.
Average starting salary for a college grad is just under $50,000. There are very, VERY few people what will double that salary in a year or two...
Once you are a few years out of college your experience and professional accomplishments FAR outweigh where you went to school. Honestly, having an elite undergrad degree really only weighs heavily on your first job out of school. At this point employers want to see what you've accomplished in your jobs.
I went to a non-name brand school for my undergrad and had a pretty low paying job at your age. I've just about doubled my salary in 9 years since and have a very rewarding career. Forget about the school name game and focus on what you can offer.
It is RARE for a 24 year old to have a 6 figure job coming out of ANY school. Don't get caught up on the hype and don't get caught up in the "salary". Your salary is more dependent on where you live vs what school you went to. What is important is do you like your job and can you pay your bills. It's hard to judge whether your job is "mediocre" since we don't know what you are doing but my guess is that you are putting too much emphasis on your salary.
Average starting salary for a college grad is just under $50,000. There are very, VERY few people what will double that salary in a year or two...
Good point. I make quite a bit less than the average starting salary. However the area I live it is a pretty low cost of living area. I would probably have to make 60-70K in New York City to balance it out.
Unfortunately, my job isn't entry level for the kind of work I want to do. I'm working on fixing that.
Once you are a few years out of college your experience and professional accomplishments FAR outweigh where you went to school. Honestly, having an elite undergrad degree really only weighs heavily on your first job out of school. At this point employers want to see what you've accomplished in your jobs.
I went to a non-name brand school for my undergrad and had a pretty low paying job at your age. I've just about doubled my salary in 9 years since and have a very rewarding career. Forget about the school name game and focus on what you can offer.
Nice! If I could double my salary where I live, I'd be pretty okay.
Well, it sounds like you're doing the right things, but it's a really tough market. Six figures is quite a lofty goal to set in terms of determining success, that typically doesn't happen to 25 year olds but it certainly is possible. I didn't get my first "real job" until I was 25 (i.e. salary, benefits, office setting) and it only paid 26k/year, that was in 2000. It takes time and you need to remember that the economy is bad so people who have a lot more experience are also competing with you or at the very least impeding your ability to move forward as they are staying in the workforce longer. The best advice that I can give you is to join local professional organizations and network like crazy if you're not already doing that. You can also find your dream job or ideal job and develop a strategy to develop over the next few years to get to that level.
Good luck to you.
Thank you! The job I have is entry level, but not it the field I want to go in to. A lot of people who didn't go to college make more money than I do, which they've earned, but sometimes I wonder if I would've been better off not going to college.
Advice to you is, unless you get into a top notch company, do not be afraid to job hop to gain experience. Experience in the right things matters a lot. Also, networking is key. And do not forget about ongoing professional development.
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