I wish I hadn't believed the lies and spend seven years and tens of thousands of dollars on education (all career-track stuff) thinking it would overcome the fact I come from a poor back ground with no real connections. Nothing really overcomes that. So you can schmooze your face off and hope for crumbs, that's how I've survived, or you can find another way. I probably should have started a business or something. Too damn late now, with these loan payments.

I was working full time in retail. Its unionized and pays a relatively high wage for that kind of unskilled labor. But its absolutely horrible and I hate it. I went back to school and got a liberal arts degree. I failed at Math and Science in high school so that's all I could pursue.
Big mistake.
Its absolutely worthless. I graduated in 2012/13. I started sending out resumes not looking for any high-paying/managerial types of jobs of course, just entry level jobs that might lead to something better. The only job offers I've gotten are for doing the same dead end unskilled labor I'm doing now.
I got one call back for a position doing low-level Administration at the company I work for. She asked me what "previous experience" I had. I answered that I've only worked in retail and I never heard from her again. The fact that I've spent 15 years grinding away for the company meant nothing.
My only volunteer experience is related to working with kids as a literacy tutor. Its not really relevant for the kids of office jobs I'm applying to.
I went back to school a year and a half ago. I hate it. I don't really have a choice though. I don't know what your degree is, but if you did liberal arts/humanities like me, you're screwed. You might have to go back school and start over in a program that's actually in demand by employers. The only advice I can give is to not waste more years like I did before caving in and pursuing skills that might actually get me hired.

... if your degree isn't in one of the Government-protected professions like medicine, law, architecture, engineering, etc. it's not very relevant. I mean, sure, there are going to be some clerical positions within the University where they require "a degree," so there's that, but not much else.

Undergrad degrees, and even professional degrees to some extent (an MD pretty much guarantees work, as does a BPharm, engineer, architecture, law less so), are a scam. The primary beneficiaries are not the degree-holders but the people who work for the University, which is one of the biggest employers in Vancouver.

If you're young and able-bodied, can drive a car, do a trade. They're not very dangerous, and you'll make good money. We're having work done on my house right now, more than a few 20something tradesmen here. They all have their own cars or trucks, most of my 30something friends with University degrees do not own vehicles. And most of them didn't even go to school to do a trade, they just sort of worked their way into it.

School is a scam. It makes sense if you want to be a doctor or a lawyer or something where the Government has _mandated_ schooling (which is another can of worms), but otherwise, unless you are wealthy and want the experience, it's a scam. Even going to grad school is a scam, most people with MAs/PhDs do not teach, many cannot even find adjunct positions.

Same approach to personal life also applies to professional life, at least it works for me.

- Persevere Persevere Persevere - Always pays off!
- Stay true to your values and always be yourself - Never surrender your integrity!
- Follow your dreams/passions, not the money - Money will follow.
- Don't view your mistakes in a negative light - embrace and learn from them.
- Don't lose sight of the bigger picture - 'can't see the forest for the trees'.

You'll do great. Good luck

Insurance broker. Easy to get a foot in the door with no experience ( for auto positions) and if you land a position, the employer pays for licensing/training. Post a profile on the IBABC (Insurance Brokers Association of BC) job board and you will likely get calls. Also apply for entry level positions.

It's never a waste of time in my opinion. Education of any kind broadens your world view, makes you a more interesting person, thus more dateable and yes, more hireable. Most careers require further training anyway. Keep plugging away. That being said, I'd seriously consider a trade if you're so inclined. Keep your options open and keep networking. Yes, there's always hope. Good luck!

It's never a waste of time in my opinion. Education of any kind broadens your world view, makes you a more interesting person, thus more dateable and yes, more hireable. Most careers require further training anyway. Keep plugging away. That being said, I'd seriously consider a trade if you're so inclined. Keep your options open and keep networking. Yes, there's always hope. Good luck!

I gradded with an arts degree in 2012 as well. I finally have my first decent paying job and I'm 30. I had to go back to school too.

I can't wait to get out of Vancouver. I wish young people had affirmative action. Instead professionals from elsewhere get the cake.

Classicism is alive and well in BC.

As much as I hate it, I believe that we've become a society where "higher" education is no longer a way to find employment. Its ironic that so many ads for jobs state that the applicant must have at the minimum a bachelors degree, when in reality they rarely need that and what they really mean is who do you know and how little are you willing to work for.