Take any job I can get or find something I want?

KiLLeR CoUCh

I recently had a job interview which went quite well and was asked back for a second interview.

That's great but the problem is the job it's for has absolutely nothing to do with the area I'm trained in. I have a degree and a master's and the guy interviewing me said himself I'm completely overqualified. To top it off I realised about half way through the interview that maybe the work wouldn't be for me. It seems like a nice place to work, it's convenient and although the salary is low-ish (20k) it's certainly more than I get on JSA. But it's just so far removed from what I want to be doing. There’s nothing I would be doing in this job that would relate even slightly to what I want to work as.

The master's I have is in a healthcare related sector and thanks to the HSE recruitment freeze it would be nothing short of a miracle if there was an opening in the next year. It’s what I've wanted to do for years which is why I did the masters in it, so it’s a pain to not be able to find anything. I might be able to get some unpaid work experience but I'd have to be able to keep my social welfare payments to do that. I can’t apply for Jobsbridge or Fas work placement till the new year either. To try and help myself I signed up for a FAS course in something that might be useful to know for working in that area.

Long story short if I take the job, I’ll have an income and finally get myself out into the work force (I've only worked part time on and off prior to this). However I’ll also lose the chance to do this FAS course, lose any chance I might get at trying to find some sort of work placement in the area and I’ll feel like an asshole if I take the job but end up leaving in a couple of months because a miracle has occurred and something more relevant has come up. I would also hate for a year or two down the road some hospital I could work at looking at me and thinking “you’re clearly not dedicated to this line of work if you've just spent the last year pushing paper around a desk”. It’s worth mentioning a lot of the people I’ve graduated with have gone abroad to find relevant work. I'm just not in a position to emigrate so that’s a non runner.

This is all conjecture I suppose, I may not even get the job after all this, but it’s something I've been thinking about everything I apply for something so I’d appreciate any opinions.

Mr. Loverman

Back in 2001/2002 I was working in the IT industry and for about 12 - 24 months things were very slow.

I was out of work and my options were to go on the dole and live with my parents, or take whatever crappy job I could get.

I chose the latter option. I got to experience things I would normally never have experienced. I worked in a bank call centre (terrible job), a book shop (sounds great but the people who worked there were all in denial they worked in a shop which drove me nuts), a warehouse doing weird scanning work, and eventually I ended up in a finance role which has seriously impacted my life in a good way.

Also, I remember working in the call centre thinking this is awful, I need a way to generate another income. I got the idea for my current business...

So what I am saying to you is... you may be surprised what you will learn from the crappy jobs, or where they may lead you.

Don't feel guilty if you leave a crappy job after a few months - they would make you redundant in a heartbeat.

khaleesi

I would say just take it if a job is what you want.Keep looking for what you want to work in while your there. Your under no obligation to stay there for the rest of your life and no need to feel guilty!!!!.Lots of people do it.Its gets you back on the employment ladder, fills any kinda gap in your Cv and gives you some extra money.It will hinder the fact of doing a fas course, so have a think and decide what you really want to do. A fas course will look as good on your CV too! The new year isnt really that far away to wait!!! So you might be waiting a long while.but have an better income while your waiting...or do fas course, expand your knowledge base and maybe do something you enjoy until the oppurtunity arises for a job in the field your wanting. Go with your gut and what you see yourself doing and enjoying cause once your in the job ya cant just quit and go back to social,, you will have to have another job lined up. Hope you come to decision that makes you happy!!!

khaleesi

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

they would make you redundant in a heartbeat.

Very true on that, they wont care a bit either!!!

Gurgle

Take the job.
If nothing else, when you finally start getting interviews for jobs in your profession you can sell yourself as a 'has to be busy', 'hate to have nothing constructive to do', 'I'd rather shovel shìt than kill time' type.

Crazyteacher

I'd love to what you were interviewed for? Pm if you like:) I too have a degree and MA but likewise no jobs in my area . Everything ( part time or otherwise) I seem to apply for , I get you have no experience. Applied for jobbridge and yet I got you have no experience( I know that's not allowed but that's a whole other story). I educated myself but it appears that I should have got any type of job when I left secondary instead and not bothered with education. Having a really bad day here , sorry for the ranting. What else I should be applying for?

yellowlabrador

take the job. Any experience will stand you in the future. As for courses, do them online and maybe do a bit of volunteering in the healthcare sector?

Gembals

Hi, I spent the last year doing a FÁS course and although I learned a few new things it wasn't worth while although it did pass 9months for me. Everywhere wants people with experience, so I think your best bet if you can afford it is to take the Jobsbridge only if its in the area you are trained in to gain experience.. it'll stand to you in the future.. look better on your CV than some random job too..

Crazyteacher

I was told by two companies I hadn't enough experience for jobbridge. I won't be degrading myself further by applying for more of them.

KiLLeR CoUCh

Crazyteacher wrote: »

I'd love to what you were interviewed for? Pm if you like:) I too have a degree and MA but likewise no jobs in my area . Everything ( part time or otherwise) I seem to apply for , I get you have no experience. Applied for jobbridge and yet I got you have no experience( I know that's not allowed but that's a whole other story). I educated myself but it appears that I should have got any type of job when I left secondary instead and not bothered with education. Having a really bad day here , sorry for the ranting. What else I should be applying for?

I know how you're feeling. I got a huge amount of "no thank you"s from jobs that I knew I was well able to do. This job is just low level office work, nothing to jump up and down about but I think I was just lucky that there was a small amount of overlap between this and some part time work I'd done before. Once I actually got an interview I was able to sell myself much better than I could on a job application.

Thank you everyone for the really nice replies I feel a lot better about this now. I looked into it and the FAS course I'm doing is something I could easily do as an evening course. I'll give it socks now in the second interview so wish me luck!

kippy

Mr. Loverman wrote: »

Back in 2001/2002 I was working in the IT industry and for about 12 - 24 months things were very slow.

I was out of work and my options were to go on the dole and live with my parents, or take whatever crappy job I could get.

I chose the latter option. I got to experience things I would normally never have experienced. I worked in a bank call centre (terrible job), a book shop (sounds great but the people who worked there were all in denial they worked in a shop which drove me nuts), a warehouse doing weird scanning work, and eventually I ended up in a finance role which has seriously impacted my life in a good way.

Also, I remember working in the call centre thinking this is awful, I need a way to generate another income. I got the idea for my current business...

So what I am saying to you is... you may be surprised what you will learn from the crappy jobs, or where they may lead you.

Don't feel guilty if you leave a crappy job after a few months - they would make you redundant in a heartbeat.

I'd agree 100% with this, you can learn an awful lot for "crappy" jobs, make some decent contacts and most importantly get some seriously badly needed motivation.
Possibly going against the description of a "crappy" job.

shoegirl

Crazyteacher wrote: »

I'd love to what you were interviewed for? Pm if you like:) I too have a degree and MA but likewise no jobs in my area . Everything ( part time or otherwise) I seem to apply for , I get you have no experience. Applied for jobbridge and yet I got you have no experience( I know that's not allowed but that's a whole other story). I educated myself but it appears that I should have got any type of job when I left secondary instead and not bothered with education. Having a really bad day here , sorry for the ranting. What else I should be applying for?

Sorry to hear that.

Unfortunately there is a huge myth out there that you "should" do something related to whatever it is that you studied. In reality, only a minority of roles require prior specialist training, and the remainder of jobs are either learnable, or trainable. The problem is, some employers just don't want to pay for training (IMHO, the currently "shortage" in IT is ALL about IT employers refusing to pay for training & re/up-skilling).

The biggest myth of them all of course, is this nonsensical idea that Arts graduates are all stupid people who don't know anything, or the spoilt, pampered offspring of priviliged families where it doesn't matter. Thats far from the truth. Think of all of the things you are good at, and make a list of them. Order it two more times in order of what you are best at, and what you enjoy doing most.

Then look at the top 3 and think of careers that might use those skills. That will help you.

The big thing though, is don't buy into the myths that you need vast amounts of experience to do certain jobs or that having a particular qualification disqualifies you for anything else.