Nova Scotia: There are a lot of things I like about you but your job market sucks. I have a postgraduate degree, and haven’t found a job in my field since I graduated last year. You say I am either underqualified or overqualified- which one is it? Yes, I realize I am lacking experience but I’m also not self-entitled about my education. I am hardworking and loyal. It’s kind of hard to move on to something better when I can’t even get my foot in the door isn’t it? —At least I’m not in debt
This article appears in Jan 16-22, 2014.
Best of luck in your endeavours. It’s a tough market out there. Me, I’d put my foot through the door.
Have you tried the provincial government or the feds? – there’s a flood of old boomers retiring, a trend that will continue for some time to come.
It all depends on what you went to school for. Got a bachelors degree in English? History? Philosophy (lookin’ at you MM)? Psychology? Any form of the arts? If you answered yes to any of those you are S.O.L OP. However, there is a lot of opportunity up north for skilled people who are willing to work and live in a very small, very cold town. Might be a way to at least get your foot in the door and gain a bit of experience.
I concur with the last post. I did two years in the Canadian Arctic. The pay was very good, the opportunities to do some really cool things were great. It is a beautiful place to see during all seasons. The cost of living was high but the pay helps negate that. Plus there is very good tax benefits to living above the arctic circle. My first year up there I did a comparison of my tax return between the NT and NS. I got back just under $10,000 because I was earning money above the Arctic Circle the first year. If I was back in Nova Scotia, I would have paid $2300.00. PLUS… if you move to the arctic on or before December 31st, you get to file your previous year earnings as an arctic resident… not the province you came from. I say… start applying for jobs up there. Many companies help with relocation fees. Do a couple of years up there, get some experience, and then start shooting off resumes to the south after that. Your pocket and the life experience will thank you for it.
Oh yeah… I forgot to mention… I went up as an engineer, I also secured a PT job (while visiting the local Royal Canadian Legion) with the local undertaker over a game of darts. It wasn’t steady work (once or twice a month cause the population was small) but it offered some quiet reflective time with no complaints from the customer as compared to dealing with customers who hire engineers. I also learned a lot about anatomy and procedures regarding embalming. How cool is that!!!
Was that where you learned about ass-to-mouth, SOH? I bet they didn’t complain about that either!
Good luck OP, I hear ya! For better or worse, we decided to stay here and try to make a go of things, because this is our home and this is the community we want to be involved in and contribute to. I have found a decent gig but my husband is still seeking. I don’t know what the answer is but surely there must be something out there for somebody willing to roll up their sleeves and work hard.
If you have a postgrad then you MUST have experience. What the hell did you do to obtain this designation? Yes, that is called ….. experience. Assumption here is the postgrad is in Canada which requires research, and coursework directly related to the field of research.
If you are identifying yourself as ‘lacking experience’ then you did not earn the degree!
EITHER STUPIDITY OR IGNORANCE
“I have a postgraduate degree, and haven’s found a job in my field since I graduated last year.” At least I’m not in debt
The poster’s problem is a result of either stupidity or ignorance. If he has obtained a postgraduate degree but has not found a job a year after he graduated then he chose the wrong field for which there was no market for his skills. That is caused by his stupidity.
If he has obtained a postgraduate degree in the humanities such as Philosophy (lookin’ at you, Ho!t) and has not found a job a year after he graduated he should realize that education and training are two distinct things which should never be confused with each other. That is caused by his ignorance.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
Having said it before, I’ll make my point short: OB, YOU swallowed the “university-education-will-make-me-rich” Kool-Aid. Yes indeed, be thankful you’re not in debt!
Nice one STEPHEN HARPER IS THE MOTHERFUCKING DEVIL. 😉 I see you are paying attention!!! And don’t worry… corpses are treated with the utmost respect and courtesy in the morgue. Ya have to kiss em first.
I’m not sure what your degree is but if it’s even orbiting the liberal arts spectrum, I’d get used to waiting. Those jobs are given to prodigies.
And like you say, at least you’re not in debt. I believe you ARE hardworking. (either that or mom and dad paid for everything… in which case, good luck to you) I’m going to assume you earned your degree with scholarships. To get as far as you did also implies dedication. So yayy!
It’ll either happen or you’ll figure out that university needs to be combined with trade school in most non-technical/legal cases.
EITHER STUPIDITY OR IGNORANCE (II)
“If he has obtained a post-graduate degree in the humanities such as Philosophy (lookin’ at you, Ho!t) and has not found a job a year after he graduated he should realize that education and training are two distinct things which should never be confused with each other. That is caused by his ignorance.” (Montrealman 01/20, 10:02AM)
To disabuse the poster of his ignorance in respect to the perks enjoyed by those possessing post-graduate degrees in the humanities such as Philosophy please consult my latest avatar.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
New Avatar Alert! New College, Oxford
The OP must have a degree in philosophy. The least employable skill ever invented by childish, over educated, poor little rich kids, whose parents could afford to stuff money in the orifices of societies educated elite to ensure their useless spawn get professorships and can suckle at the publicly funded teet for life. Then they can argue stupid points like the difference between education and training. Some semantic bullshit to make educated people feel better than those trained to do all the shit they can’t do for themselves. Like build their houses, fix their cars, or do anything that’s “beneath them”.
RSVP
The Taint (01/21, 7:23PM)
“Then they can argue stupid points like the difference between education and training.”
Of course, Taint doesn’t support his stupid assertion that the argument about the difference between education and training is “stupid.” In the usual stupid manner of those who stupidly assume their stupid assertions are self-validating and require no support, Taint would obviously benefit from a little elementary Philosophy himself. Of course, his stupidity is so ironclad that he will never understand this. That is because he is stupid.
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
Oh oh….someone got my history and philosophy professor awake.
One could say that MM’s interlocutor taint too smart.
RSVP
:Klyde (01/22, 10:38AM)
You can say that again, Klyde. As a matter I’ve just finished posting on “Our Buses are Pro-Life” where I had to give the buffoon another good spanking.
What did you think of the cannons?
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!
RSVP
MontrealMan (01/22, 3.36PM)
I just love your cannons and the commentary you provided…reminds me when I was a lad playing soldiers.
In relation to The Taint….he or she should understand that every bitcher has an opinion…doesn’t mean he or she has to like them. By resorting to name calling, to me, it diminishes an otherwise intelligent comment and also shows maturity level or lack of…little kids do name calling, not the bitchers on here. I have met many bitchers on LTWWB/L and can tell anyone unequivocally they are very intelligent people and good hearted. If a bitcher has an issue with another’s comment they have 2 choices…hit dislike or more importantly rebut why they dislike that person’s view. I know my choice. I’ll rebut or banter.
Well, I like your guns, MM.
But, I don’t think they are 9 Pounders, since virtually all of that shell weight were muzzle loading cast cannon of the Napoleonic era. Yours appear to be turn of the last century products of the late industrial revolution. WW1 era 13 or 18 Pounders, perhaps, or maybe 4.5 Inch Howitzers.
Just the thing to call in a world of hurt on a redoubt of Swineish Swabians, Porcine Prussians or Bellicose Bavarians.
Over the top Dennis, old Boy. Lead the charge with brass whistle in one hand and ash walking stick in the other. Boo sucks to you, Kaiser Billy. Give nasty old Harry Hun a taste of your youthful British spunk.
RSVPS
: Klyde (01/22, 4:44PM)
Glad you liked the canons. They and the soldiers manning them belong to the few beloved survivors of my original army as I mentioned. I’m not so sure I agree that Taint’s comment was “otherwise intelligent” since his blustering self-contradictions erased any reflective content they might have contained. I agree with your point about rebutting comments such as his rather than just clicking “Dislike” which can be prompted by anything (or nothing) at all.
: Col. Ivan Sonofabitch (5:16PM)
Yes, I knew I was skating on thin ice with my 9-pounder comment but the number just bubbled up out of the recesses of my atavistic consciousness and so I decided to run with it. Speaking of Swinish Swabians, you might enjoy my latest avatar, a wartime Life magazine of June 3, 1940. Since avatars are limited to only one photo, I went with the cover rather than a great shot of Hitler posing, in shining boots and gloves in hand, with a selection of his parachute lieutenants. But we kept a stiff upper lip and knocked them for six.
New Avatar Alert!: Wartime Life Magazines (4)
A pleasure as always.
Cheerio!