How long have you been employed-What degree do you have(if any)

Loanshark Blues

I was working from age 16 to 21 until I was made redundant. I was in the final year of my degree at that stage so I finished that and went on the dole for a year, then had to sign off last year to do a Masters because there's no dole or back to education for postgrads. Now I'm back to dole "job seeking".

woodchuck

After school I spent 4 years getting a degree in science (with some part time jobs along the way) and then another 4 years getting a PhD. I took some time off by choice afterwards, then it took me about 3 months of searching to get a job (wasn't entitled to the dole). I've been working for over 6 months, but my contract is coming to an end now. So I'm frantically looking for work again.

I think a good combination of education and experience is important, but more experience over education seems to be preferable. If I find myself unemployed for a time I would consider doing some courses to upskill, but to be honest I'm at the point where I need the experience to back up the education, not the other way around.

hooradiation

I have an MSc.

This means I have mastered Science.
ALL OF IT.

Sugar Free

I'm not counting summer jobs or part time jobs while in education.

So, university degree and currently studying for a masters part time. Working in my current company (large multinational) for over 3 years, prior to that worked for a few months in a different industry (though both are broadly related to my degree).

As another poster said, part time studying with a full time job is seriously hard and really not for everyone. Very much dependent on your circumstances.

speedboatchase

Aside from a three month period after I was made redudant (I was on the dole for about 10 weeks during this time), I have been employed for the past ten years or so after I got my first job - give or take the first few weeks of my university education abroad when I had to find a job. I have a higher national diploma and a BA degree in Journalism.

Shivers26

Teyla Emmagan wrote: »

I am well educated and have never been unemployed, thank God. I deliberately chose an area with plenty of long term opportunity though (and thankfully that is how it turned out).

I'm the same. Have never been unemployed since I started working full time and I count myself very lucky.
I have a BA in Accounting & HR (the area I work in)
Still working on my professional accountancy qualification (that sort of fell to the wayside but I do hope to go back to it next year)
I also have a Dip in Child Psychology that I did for fun and back to college in January to do a Dip in Employment Law.

charlietheminxx

I have been employed for the last 5 years without gaps in 3 different jobs.

I dropped out of my degree, but do have a Fetac qualification.

kippy

Never been out of work (apart from in college for a while) since doing the leaving certificate. Got a college cert, been working in IT ever since (6 or so jobs in the past 12 years)
Since I've been working full time various employers have paid for two diplomas in different fields and a shed load of IT related professional qualifications.

Some would say I am lucky, I would say I was able to/willing to move location, change jobs, study while working etc to get where I am now.
Bit of luck, yea, but a fair bit of hard work as well.

I should say I have no degree.

rgmmg

I have a degree (Commerce) and Masters (Economics - waste of time!). I have been working for 14 years post university. I was unemployed for a period of 5 months in 2008 through choice I guess.

I now work in IT having realised there was a skills shortage in my company there when I was about 27. I funded evening IT courses myself to get my foot in the door so have been lucky - my colleagues thought I was a genius when I did the smallest thing computer related. I realise not all have that option. Looking at this thread suggests most who undertook IT and Engineering courses have had comparatively little issues getting a job.

If I was to give someone a tip it would be to try to learn a new practical skill each year. In IT it might be databases, programming etc. This year I learned how to drive. Next year it will be something else. Make hay while the sun shines - It all adds up.

Mastering MS Office (through free online resources) alone should be enough to get that foot in the door SOMEWHERE!

Best of luck to all out there - that plays a huge part

petes

No qualifications apart from the leaving cert.

Working eight years in previous job and nearly five in this one with four months off in between

blackwhite

Degree and a Masters.

Been working for 7 years, never unemployed.

5 years in first job from college, and 2 years in current one.

oc_pl

10 years, no degree and in a well paid job too.

CiaranMcDCFC

No degree, dropped out after one year of college. Have been employed ever since, almost 20 years, and earn a nice wage at present. Have lots of friends with degreees and more and they are in similar jobs as me so while degree might open doors initally nothing beats experience. Had I my time over though I would have studied harder in college. Am back now two evenings a week getting a Diploma and it's a pain!

BizzyC

Degree and a Masters.
Been in full time employment for 5 years now.

homeless student

ash23 wrote: »

Been employed since I was 16 with a few gaps here and there - time off after having a child, a gap of a few months when I moved but always unemployed by choice luckily enough.

I had nothing but a leaving cert initially, dropped out of college and took some menial retail/waitressing jobs. Somehow managed to get into a financial sector role and min wage and stayed in the industry, getting qualifications and pay increases as I went. In this sector now for the last 7 years and have a diploma and am considering continuing on to a degree via work (who support further education)

I was just pure jammy to fall into the industry that I did which (touch wood) hasn't been affected by the recession.

what industry are you in?

positron

Degree in Maths and Computer Science. And a few professional certifications in related area.

I have been working in IT since 1997 and in Ireland since 2000, and was unemployed for about 2 months during 2003 (dot com bubble burst etc).

//Holy scary Jebus, I've been working 15 years!! F*ck, and look at the size of my negative equity!

hiram

No degree, been employed all my live. One should be flexible in work, hours, ability to change, enthusiasm for learning and willing to except a lower wage for long term employment. Had two people started last year and they hadn't a clue..not event the basics in workplace savvy and how to "play the game"...no masters is going to teach you that.

Papa_Bear

Father Damo wrote: »

Sorry....

You have been unemployed for THIRTEEN years?

Yes I have and still looking.....

Reckon i'll stop looking within next five years as my age will just make it impossible.

Been looking for business ideas too but they are thin on the ground and so is my imagination and creativity at this stage.

positron

^^^ Just wow. I can only imagine how hard this could have been. ^^^ Not being busy is really hard - it's okay once in a while, but it's not something I believe we have evolved to do.

Purely out of curiosity, what do you do - and were any medical/other reasons stopping you from finding work, or are you looking at a very specific area etc?

endacl

hooradiation wrote: »

I have an MSc.

This means I have mastered Science.
ALL OF IT.

I've nearly finished one o' those yokes! Wanna take over the world? Next year?

allibastor

Papa_Bear wrote: »

Yes I have and still looking.....

Reckon i'll stop looking within next five years as my age will just make it impossible.

Been looking for business ideas too but they are thin on the ground and so is my imagination and creativity at this stage.

what kind of jobs are you loking for if you have not found it for 13 years dude. I mean, i think even NASA hire in people more than that, as do MI6

thenightrider

TheGez wrote: »

Got my degree in journalism 2 weeks ago and also have an IT diploma. I have spent 2 weeks on the dole couldn't handle it. If people are willing to work there is work I got a job not related to anything I went to College for and I don't enjoy it one bit, but it puts the drink in my belly and the College life of living on 50 quid a week thought me how to live on a budget so I am living like a king at the moment in a minimum wage job haha

Your dead right to be doing any job you can when it comes a time when you are going for a job in your filed and some one else with the same degree as you is going for the job but has being spending there time on the dole you will stand out more as the employer will see you are able to get of your ass and do a days work.

Papa_Bear

positron wrote: »

^^^ Just wow. I can only imagine how hard this could have been. ^^^ Not being busy is really hard - it's okay once in a while, but it's not something I believe we have evolved to do.

Purely out of curiosity, what do you do - and were any medical/other reasons stopping you from finding work, or are you looking at a very specific area etc?

Qualified engineer but i keep busy by taking courses, making things (into recycling junk and am good with my hands ,diy etc) fixing things for family and friends, working on the house. Stuff like that.

Trying to get a jobbridge internship at the moment but is prooving equally difficult.

Having a dissability doesn't exactly help but i guess im just crap at interviews but i try my best all the same.

Thanks for the thought:)

TheChevron

Sissy-boy book-readers!

sfwcork

I have a Higher Degree in Marketing & Business Studies Management. Also ave a degree im Business Marketing. Finished college few years back.Ive worked since I was 16.Put myself through College.

When finished I went Into Management.Im now in IT sales for a large Multinational

Havnt used my Qualifications as much as I would like to have done so,Neither have a fewcollege friends. Thats life I guess

BSc in Physics and currently working towards a PhD. In the area of my research its the very same as working (apart for the drastically lower pay I get) so I will say I've been employed for almost 4 years in this field.

John Mason

Employed about 22years, dont have a degree. I grew up in. the great recession, college was for rich people

mark renton

irishbird wrote: »

Employed about 22years, dont have a degree. I grew up in. the great recession, college was for rich people

I was there for the great recession too, thems were tough times. Back then even secondary school was for rich people!

TPD

BSc in computing, working a year now, after dossing for a few months once I'd left college. Weekend job through the four years at college too.

Wile E. Coyote

martingriff wrote: »

I would not be so sure somethimes if the job advert says degree needed it will not matter how long you have been working. Especially if they use one of those word searchers to screen out CV's

Have to agree. I've 7 years experience in my current position learning everything I know from hands on experience and I'm currently supervisor of a team of 16. I started looking for something new at the end of August and have applied for no less than 25 positions. Of those only 2 people bothered to acknowledge receipt of my application and only one recruiter bothered to arrange to meet me last week. I'm convinced its because I don't have a recognized qualification. I even applied for one or two junior positions to see if I could get some sort of feedback but nothing.