How Do You Get Out of This Situation? - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

f6twister · 02-13-2007, 11:29 AM

After over eight years in my current job, I find myself in this situation. What options does one have to get out?

1. I am in a union

2. I am at the top of my pay scale and make more than the average pay for my job

3. There are only two positions in my department, mine and my bosses

4. The only other departments in which I would be qualified to work earn less than my current job

5. Promoting to my bosses job would mean leaving the union, only a 4% increase in pay, a 13 year venture to the top of that positions pay scale and a loss of a full weeks worth of vacation.

6. I can't afford to take a pay cut due to at home costs (which have already been cut down)

7. I don't have a college degree and my work hours don't allow for me to attend school

8. Even if I had time to attend school, I don't have the money due to my expenses

I would really like to get a college degree and move on to a position with more pay and more advancement opportunities but no matter how I look at it, I can't figure out how to accomplish this.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

dirtyrascal7 · 02-13-2007, 11:55 AM

Obviously, I don't know what all your expenses are... but you give the impression that they are rather inflexible. However, just remember that at some point you made a choice to take on each and every one of them. If you're serious about getting your degree and working towards reaching your potential, I think that is awesome and I find it very admirable. However, you seem to be looking for a solution that won't require sacrificing anything... and a lot of times, that kind of solution just doesn't exist.

You need to ask yourself just how badly you want this and just what you're willing to give up in order to get it. Sometimes we have to give up something good in order to get something great.

politicophile · 02-13-2007, 12:00 PM

The old work/school dilemma. A very similar thing happened to my best friend from high school. He's still working for very little money with no real plans for future education, I'm afraid.

A few questions: Are you married? Do you have an SO? Does he/she have a job? Do you have any kids?

Here's the basic deal, as I see it. If you don't have enough time to work and go to school at the same time, the only way for you to attend school is for you to amass enough savings for you to take a significant amount of time off from work. Provided you're fairly poor, I expect you can get grants and loans to cover a goodly amount of your tuition, but you still must deal with living expenses.

Have your asked your parents for help? It occurs to me that (provided you are able to stomach the annoyance) it would be extremely helpful if your parents agreed to give you a room to stay in while you attended school. That way, your cost of living would more or less be reduced to transportation and food.

I understand that saving up large sums of money isn't easy. I also understand that my moving home suggestion might not be viable, for any number of reasons. My fundamental point, however, is that you must drastically reduce your living expenses and set aside a reasonable amount of savings if you are to succeed in taking enough time off from work to get a degree.

I hope you find a way to make it work.

f6twister · 02-13-2007, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirtyrascal7

However, you seem to be looking for a solution that won't require sacrificing anything... and a lot of times, that kind of solution just doesn't exist.

You need to ask yourself just how badly you want this and just what you're willing to give up in order to get it. Sometimes we have to give up something good in order to get something great.

There isn't a whole lot I can sacrifice. The only extra expenses I have are the cell phone and internet. The cost of those items will have little impact on my ability to afford to change jobs or go to school. I really meant it when I said I've already made cuts in my expenses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by politicophile

A few questions: Are you married? Do you have an SO? Does he/she have a job? Do you have any kids?

I am married and have two kids. My wife works part time. We did some calculations and determined that if she were to work full time, we would be putting everything she earns directly towards child care. What she earns also goes towards expenses.

Quote:

Originally Posted by politicophile

Have your asked your parents for help?

My dad died a few years ago and my mom doesn't make enough money to put me through school and pay her bills (or support me). She also doesn't have a big enough condo for her and my family.

politicophile · 02-13-2007, 12:58 PM

The presence of a family complicates things...

Realistically, it looks like your only method for acquiring enough money is to borrow it. Some good advice here. Also, check out this stuff. Some of these loan packages specifically provide money for living expenses. I would search around thoroughly for the cheapest deferred payment loans you can get. That way, you won't have to worry about payments until you get your degree (and hopefully a higher-paying job to go along with it.)

Elphaba · 02-13-2007, 05:30 PM

My husband found himself in this position a decade or so ago. Although he was overqualified experientially, the requirement for a degree that he did not have, superceded his experience. To complicate the issue, he needed a higher degree from a top notch university.

If you need a degree only, without consideration of whether it's Harvard or not, I recommend that you look into the numerous opportunities for "offsite" education via the internet. You must make certain that you take this approach through a fully accredited institution, and look for any grants or student loans that you may qualify for.

Your bigger question is whether to stay at the top of your non-exempt position, or take the chance of working your way up the management ladder with this employer or another. The circumstances that you have described in your OP suggest to me that you would be wise to keep your current position, and work over time to gain the education credentials that may be useful to you in the future. My experience is that a management position isn't always a move forward, nor is there any guarantee of success in the long term. Two college graduates where cheaper than my husbands salary that had been earned through years of experience.

My 2 cents, but only you can decide what is best for your future. Good Luck!

Daniel_ · 02-14-2007, 12:27 AM

I would advise joining a professional association and gaining a vocational qualification related to your experience.

For example, I work in the field of Quality Management, and therefore can join the CQI (equivalent to the ASQ), who have a programme of degree equivalent qualifications based on modular segments that you can do over months or years.

In the UK, I would sugest studying for an Open University degree, or working with your employer to obtain a suitable degree level Vocational Qualification.

MSD · 03-10-2007, 12:54 PM

Is there any way you can justify asking your employer to pay for college?

f6twister · 03-11-2007, 05:36 AM

I wish there was a way but being a local government agency, there isn't a chance. We have to get the approval of three people and two committees just to get a replacement stapler. They are too stingy with their budget for anything like that.

They do offer what they call a tuition reimbursement program but it only pays $250 per semester, which gets paid out after your submit your grades and 6-8 weeks to process the request.

eileenbunny · 03-25-2007, 04:20 PM

Start applying for grants and scholarships. There are millions of them out there for a variety of different groups (Irish-American grants, scholarships for adults seeking to change careers, or I bet even your union offers some sort of an annual scholarship). Your local library probably has tons of information on this. Getting money for college isn't tough if you look around for it hard enough. You might have to put out a little money (a few hundred dollars) to apply for some of these scholarships but it is usually worth it.

As far as actually going to school, you are in luck because you are living in the 21st century! Depending upon what you are trying to study, schools offer many different programs. There are online courses, courses you can take at your own pace, weekend college programs, evening college classes, and traditional schedules. I have a friend who works full time in a thankless job, supports his wife and child, lives on a very tight budget, is expecting another child, and is studying to get a masters degree right now. Sure he's incredibly busy, but there is an end to this and the reward will be that he has a better job, more money, and more time to spend with everyone he loves.

You can work all this out with some creative planning and support from your family.

thingstodo · 03-26-2007, 03:13 AM

You didin't mention your qualifications. What do you do and how can that translate into another company or field? You don't always need a degree. I manage a business unit with 500+ people under my area of responsibility - with no degree. I did take the long route.

02-13-2007, 11:29 AM	#1 (permalink)
f6twister Addict	How Do You Get Out of This Situation? After over eight years in my current job, I find myself in this situation. What options does one have to get out? 1. I am in a union 2. I am at the top of my pay scale and make more than the average pay for my job 3. There are only two positions in my department, mine and my bosses 4. The only other departments in which I would be qualified to work earn less than my current job 5. Promoting to my bosses job would mean leaving the union, only a 4% increase in pay, a 13 year venture to the top of that positions pay scale and a loss of a full weeks worth of vacation. 6. I can't afford to take a pay cut due to at home costs (which have already been cut down) 7. I don't have a college degree and my work hours don't allow for me to attend school 8. Even if I had time to attend school, I don't have the money due to my expenses I would really like to get a college degree and move on to a position with more pay and more advancement opportunities but no matter how I look at it, I can't figure out how to accomplish this. Does anyone have any suggestions? __________________ A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin

02-13-2007, 11:55 AM	#2 (permalink)
dirtyrascal7 That's what she said	Obviously, I don't know what all your expenses are... but you give the impression that they are rather inflexible. However, just remember that at some point you made a choice to take on each and every one of them. If you're serious about getting your degree and working towards reaching your potential, I think that is awesome and I find it very admirable. However, you seem to be looking for a solution that won't require sacrificing anything... and a lot of times, that kind of solution just doesn't exist. You need to ask yourself just how badly you want this and just what you're willing to give up in order to get it. Sometimes we have to give up something good in order to get something great. __________________ "Tie yourself to your limitless potential, rather than your limiting past." "Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him."

02-13-2007, 12:00 PM	#3 (permalink)
politicophile Addict	The old work/school dilemma. A very similar thing happened to my best friend from high school. He's still working for very little money with no real plans for future education, I'm afraid. A few questions: Are you married? Do you have an SO? Does he/she have a job? Do you have any kids? Here's the basic deal, as I see it. If you don't have enough time to work and go to school at the same time, the only way for you to attend school is for you to amass enough savings for you to take a significant amount of time off from work. Provided you're fairly poor, I expect you can get grants and loans to cover a goodly amount of your tuition, but you still must deal with living expenses. Have your asked your parents for help? It occurs to me that (provided you are able to stomach the annoyance) it would be extremely helpful if your parents agreed to give you a room to stay in while you attended school. That way, your cost of living would more or less be reduced to transportation and food. I understand that saving up large sums of money isn't easy. I also understand that my moving home suggestion might not be viable, for any number of reasons. My fundamental point, however, is that you must drastically reduce your living expenses and set aside a reasonable amount of savings if you are to succeed in taking enough time off from work to get a degree. I hope you find a way to make it work. __________________ The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error. ~John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

02-13-2007, 12:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
politicophile Addict	The presence of a family complicates things... Realistically, it looks like your only method for acquiring enough money is to borrow it. Some good advice here. Also, check out this stuff. Some of these loan packages specifically provide money for living expenses. I would search around thoroughly for the cheapest deferred payment loans you can get. That way, you won't have to worry about payments until you get your degree (and hopefully a higher-paying job to go along with it.) __________________ The peculiar evil of silencing the expression of an opinion is, that it is robbing the human race; posterity as well as the existing generation; those who dissent from the opinion, still more than those who hold it. If the opinion is right, they are deprived of the opportunity of exchanging error for truth: if wrong, they lose, what is almost as great a benefit, the clearer perception and livelier impression of truth, produced by its collision with error. ~John Stuart Mill, On Liberty

02-13-2007, 05:30 PM	#6 (permalink)
Elphaba Deja Moo Location: Olympic Peninsula, WA	My husband found himself in this position a decade or so ago. Although he was overqualified experientially, the requirement for a degree that he did not have, superceded his experience. To complicate the issue, he needed a higher degree from a top notch university. If you need a degree only, without consideration of whether it's Harvard or not, I recommend that you look into the numerous opportunities for "offsite" education via the internet. You must make certain that you take this approach through a fully accredited institution, and look for any grants or student loans that you may qualify for. Your bigger question is whether to stay at the top of your non-exempt position, or take the chance of working your way up the management ladder with this employer or another. The circumstances that you have described in your OP suggest to me that you would be wise to keep your current position, and work over time to gain the education credentials that may be useful to you in the future. My experience is that a management position isn't always a move forward, nor is there any guarantee of success in the long term. Two college graduates where cheaper than my husbands salary that had been earned through years of experience. My 2 cents, but only you can decide what is best for your future. Good Luck! __________________ "You can't ignore politics, no matter how much you'd like to." Molly Ivins - 1944-2007

02-14-2007, 12:27 AM	#7 (permalink)
Daniel_ Evil Priest: The Devil Made Me Do It! Location: Southern England	I would advise joining a professional association and gaining a vocational qualification related to your experience. For example, I work in the field of Quality Management, and therefore can join the CQI (equivalent to the ASQ), who have a programme of degree equivalent qualifications based on modular segments that you can do over months or years. In the UK, I would sugest studying for an Open University degree, or working with your employer to obtain a suitable degree level Vocational Qualification. __________________ ╔═════════════════════════════════════════╗ Overhead, the Albatross hangs motionless upon the air, And deep beneath the rolling waves, In labyrinths of Coral Caves, The Echo of a distant time Comes willowing across the sand; And everthing is Green and Submarine ╚═════════════════════════════════════════╝

03-10-2007, 12:54 PM	#8 (permalink)
MSD The sky calls to us ... Super Moderator Location: CT	Is there any way you can justify asking your employer to pay for college?

03-11-2007, 05:36 AM	#9 (permalink)
f6twister Addict	I wish there was a way but being a local government agency, there isn't a chance. We have to get the approval of three people and two committees just to get a replacement stapler. They are too stingy with their budget for anything like that. They do offer what they call a tuition reimbursement program but it only pays $250 per semester, which gets paid out after your submit your grades and 6-8 weeks to process the request. __________________ A little rudeness and disrespect can elevate a meaningless interaction to a battle of wills and add drama to an otherwise dull day. Calvin

03-25-2007, 04:20 PM	#10 (permalink)
eileenbunny Upright Location: Columbia, MD	Start applying for grants and scholarships. There are millions of them out there for a variety of different groups (Irish-American grants, scholarships for adults seeking to change careers, or I bet even your union offers some sort of an annual scholarship). Your local library probably has tons of information on this. Getting money for college isn't tough if you look around for it hard enough. You might have to put out a little money (a few hundred dollars) to apply for some of these scholarships but it is usually worth it. As far as actually going to school, you are in luck because you are living in the 21st century! Depending upon what you are trying to study, schools offer many different programs. There are online courses, courses you can take at your own pace, weekend college programs, evening college classes, and traditional schedules. I have a friend who works full time in a thankless job, supports his wife and child, lives on a very tight budget, is expecting another child, and is studying to get a masters degree right now. Sure he's incredibly busy, but there is an end to this and the reward will be that he has a better job, more money, and more time to spend with everyone he loves. You can work all this out with some creative planning and support from your family.

03-26-2007, 03:13 AM	#11 (permalink)
thingstodo A Storm Is Coming Location: The Great White North	You didin't mention your qualifications. What do you do and how can that translate into another company or field? You don't always need a degree. I manage a business unit with 500+ people under my area of responsibility - with no degree. I did take the long route. __________________ If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves. Stangers have the best candy.