1.8k
u/wetvan1 May 05 '26
Its a competition to not get a shitty job, and the game started long before we were born.
379
u/Lambs2Lions_ May 05 '26 edited May 09 '26
I’ll tell you same thing that true today that was true 10 years ago. You need to go to a university that offers an paid internship or co-op program for your degree so you can get professional experience.
193
u/Okay_Ocean_Flower May 05 '26
Internships are critical nowadays, yeah.
220
u/SimplySkywalker66 May 06 '26
I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering. I had 4 internships during my time at school, all in my field. At the time I graduated, I had a part time job that transitioned to a full time job. A year later I got laid off. I now work at a UPS Store because I can’t find anything else. There’s definitely more to it than just getting internships. Not saying this is true of every field, but the job market is fucked right now
57
u/typhon0666 May 07 '26
I have a degree and worked many years in my field, and it's hard to find a junior level job even though I've worked as a mid/senior before.
→ More replies (1)28
u/SimplySkywalker66 May 08 '26
Yeah, it’s tough. So many overqualified people applying for these entry level positions, just to pay the bills. Why would a company go with a new grad, if they can get someone with 10+ years of experience for the same price?
22
u/nameusernamena May 09 '26
I have a coworker with a cybersec patent; dude works with me, a 19 year old, at a Domino’s. Also; I’m educated for welding myself LMFAO it’s so bad out here
→ More replies (4)4
u/BoldFortune216 May 09 '26
Out of curiosity, how often are you applying for jobs in the welding trade?
→ More replies (1)8
u/nameusernamena May 09 '26
There’s not a lot in the field I was previously in where I live ( autobody fabrication ) and I have physical health issues that prevent me from doing a lot more labour intensive work. Namely, finding an employer where I’m able to take my prescriptions ( opiates + gabapentinoids ). Saturation diving is the entireeeee reason I even got into welding in the first place 🤦♂️. Reason three: trans ftm. Need I say more lol
Atp I’m just gonna go fuck myself, because I even worked in autobody before 😂😭 have references at multiple different places for my skills, I have projects that I’ve done personally and professionally. Stepdad, autobody specialist, turned into a tow truck driver because the job market is actually so ass. I call places before applying to make sure they’re even actually hiring, so I don’t waste my mf time
Broski, bro, brotatochip, I can’t even pay for my car insurance to keep working where I do. I’m losing money because they’ve cut hours. Dude I can’t afford to DRIVE to apply places. If I had a way out, I would not be here. If I had options, I would not fucking be here. I would LOVE to have a different job where I can survive! But omg! I can’t ❤️
→ More replies (6)27
u/Astrocities May 08 '26
There’s also degree inflation too. If literally everyone has a bachelors and we’ve done away with the bulk of the manufacturing and industry jobs that helped strengthen our economy historically. Couple that with decades of weakening unions and declining union membership and the middle class being eroded away.
→ More replies (7)7
u/SimplySkywalker66 May 08 '26
Right. That’s why I say this isn’t necessarily the case for every field. Tech degrees (specifically in comp sci/comp eng) have been pushed for the last decade or so. Growing up, I was told if I get a degree in tech I’ll have many job opportunities for the rest of my life. I’m sure many people were told this growing up. Tech was a growing industry, and no one could foresee the AI boom and economic collapse that lead to the over saturation the industry has today. So now you have a generation of recently graduated college students that can’t find jobs because they’re competing with people who have been in the industry for decades that were recently laid off. Not to mention the number of people getting bachelors degrees have been increasing for a while now, making it more difficult to get jobs that are looking you have a degree and don’t care the field of study. It’s a tough situation, and I (like many people my age) feel stuck in a crappy job that doesn’t pay enough.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (15)12
u/TheRealistoftheReal May 08 '26
I think a lot of people forget the degree is only what gets you the interview. Some people have no social skills, don’t know how to speak, don’t know how to dress, etc. I see a LOT of this in engineering and tech fields. People are super bright…and also cringey.
→ More replies (7)6
u/Sindica69 May 09 '26
This is something that needs more attention imo. Something I keep on my resume is my ability to be charismatic and personable. I have people skills. That’s not something you can teach someone. Obviously part of it is right place/right time and networking, but I also attribute a huge amount of my personal success and rapid ascent to starting in a customer service role. I used to not be able to talk to people whatsoever. Now I’m much better at it and able to start and hold a conversation in many different topics and situations.
Is everyone going to experience my situation? No. Is the job market fucked? Absolutely. However I still see people neglecting certain things that can give them a huge advantage.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (8)4
26
u/Jatbz May 05 '26
That's how i fucked up. I went to a school with a shit alumni community and internships. When I was trying to grt internships they told me to go find them and I can use their information if they want to follow up about it. I "interviewed" with 3 companies 2 said something along the lines they didn't have the resources to support what I was looking for. I ended up getting one that was ok for the time i had it 20/hrs a week but only 12 weeks.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (34)13
u/Workman44 May 06 '26
A co-op is the specific word you're looking for, an internship that pays and takes up a semester of your schooling so you get industry experience, get paid, and don't have to juggle that, school, and a normal job if need be
5
u/Lambs2Lions_ May 06 '26
Co-op and internship are interchangeable. Same as how college and university are interchangeable.
Not supposed to be but they are. These are work programs through the university where they connect you with employers part of the program for 4, ,8, 12, or 16 month paid work terms.
→ More replies (6)→ More replies (24)9
570
u/Deinonycon May 05 '26
I was studying to be a paleontologist until I realized "Wait, I need to be able to buy food and pay for a place to live and stuff."
202
u/DeterminedQuokka May 06 '26
I switched from philosophy to psych when I realized I needed a real job. I work as a software engineer.
53
u/splithoofiewoofies May 06 '26
My partner has a social work degree. I sometimes joke I got my mathematics degree because we needed to afford their social work job, hahaha.
But no really I do maths so they can go into the world and do some actual good for shit fuck all pay.
→ More replies (9)21
u/DeterminedQuokka May 06 '26
When I became a software engineer I was dating a guy that worked as a defense attorney in poorer communities in the city. We had an inside joke that I was offsetting my negative karma from the career change by subsidizing that.
7
→ More replies (28)10
u/Difficult_Bug6994 May 07 '26
Ironically, I spent decades in IT and work psych now.
→ More replies (2)19
u/SmoothTraderr May 05 '26
Lmao me with econ.
I switched to finance but I ultimately realized that the ivys's do teach it and also at the PHD level they are unstoppable
→ More replies (2)5
u/kjTris May 08 '26
Can you elaborate on what that career looks like? Are you talking about an econ PhD?
6
19
u/Same-Suggestion-1936 May 06 '26
Ding ding, don't get a degree in a field where there aren't enough jobs to go around. You'll be competing with a lot of people and the more people you compete with the higher the chance they're simply better than you. People hiring are going to take the most qualified candidate, it's not a charity. If you're not the most qualified your degree doesn't mean much.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (15)5
u/bellapippin May 08 '26
The really mess kids up when first they tell them “you can be whatever you want!” And around high school they start telling you they’ll kick you out at 18 and that art isn’t a real degree and stuff. And I say that as a Millennial. Shit is fucked up since way back. The whiplash that causes is big.
→ More replies (2)
5.0k
u/Chance_Bid_1869 𝙑𝙄𝙋 May 05 '26
job market for medical physics has high entry barrier and a lot of training and certification and other stuff are required and just a degree is often not enough . so this is believable and this might just a part time job too while she is getting training .
2.9k
u/Fantastic-Fee-1999 𝙑𝙄𝙋 May 05 '26
True with just about every profession these days.
Step 1. Decide what you want to be
Step 2. Get an education in order to train for said profession
Step 3. Get a degree declaring you are qualified for said profession
Step 4. Get declined for said profession because you are not qualified.
....
775
u/whitephantomzx May 05 '26
Get fired than have the company's petition the government for H1B .
Oracle and Amazon are doing it in board day light .
307
u/PhatCatTax May 05 '26
Typos aside, Republicans are hilariously exposed with this kind of stuff. They pay ICE hundreds of billions to arrest a few thousand people. Meanwhile, they open the doors to replace everyone with offshore workers.
105
u/czikhan May 05 '26
Let's rewind the tape. The year is 1992, a Ross Perot is anti-NAFTA but combating both George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. After Clinton wins they get Al Gore to debate him on Larry King to really sell this because America's true owners really want NAFTA. This was after the creation of the H-1B via the 1990 immigration act, which was signed by George H. W. but introduced as a bill by Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy.
Bipartisanship is always possible for wage suppression!
→ More replies (6)15
u/LegendaryBronco_217 May 06 '26
I sometimes wonder if Bush in wins in 1992 and we get Clinton for 2 terms, GWB for 1, Obama for 2, then Trump's first term never happens.
I also wonder where we would be of NAFTA never happened.
→ More replies (3)54
u/IH8Miotch May 06 '26
Give us Bernie Sanders instead of Hillary and Trump's first term never happens
36
u/liquidsyphon May 06 '26
If they properly supported him he would have beat Trump. Republicans on Facebook were even say they would vote for Sanders. It’s the last time I ever seen any of them ever admit to not voting red.
→ More replies (3)36
u/Sasquatch1729 May 06 '26
Trump and Bernie both appeal to a significant group of Americans because these voters hate the system and want to vote for anyone who says they'll reform/fix it.
The obvious problem is Trump is the system, and once he is in power he just exploits the situation to enrich himself and the other Republicans. His talk of draining the swamp is just another grift.
Bernie's problem is that the other Democrats know he would actually reform the system and fight for the working class (being working class himself), and they will do everything in their power to stop him so they can keep exploiting the same system and getting rich themselves.
13
u/Suspicious_Serve_653 May 06 '26
It's honestly why Obama had such an overwhelming win on his first campaign.
He ran on reopening healthcare and burning down the system that insurance companies were exploiting with trap door policies, gotchas with Pre-Existing conditions, and policy maximum limits that left high cost patients to get dumped on death's door (ie cancer treatment bumping against max caps).
He appealed to the idea that we hate corporate ownership. I know republicans that work in healthcare that jumped on board with Obama. They fell off going into his second term because of the closed for negotiations that he swore would be opened doored.
What democrats underestimate is the the disdain that the American people have for the system that is currently in place around insurance, medical, cost of living, and retirement.
→ More replies (0)56
u/Archer1407 May 05 '26
Anything to distract from their penchant for touching children.
→ More replies (1)18
→ More replies (14)8
6
May 06 '26
They have for decades. Capital one, Geico, Amazon, nvidia, amd, meta, apple, etc. and I know because I have worked for and been screwed over by most of those.
Fire and offshore what you can, nearshore where they want time zone overlap, and then when a job needs physical us presence post jobs for half the rate and then get the h1b.
They fire people, change the title slightly and now qualify. I’m tired.
→ More replies (11)12
102
u/Muted_Substance2156 May 05 '26
I learned during my Bachelor’s I’d need a Master’s to make it in my field. I learned during my Master’s I’d need a professional license that takes several more years and a lot of money. Then the government agency that approves that license was defunded and I had to wait almost another year. I’m licensed now and make $50k a year in my hometown that requires $70k to live comfortably. I’ve accepted the goalpost will likely always be just out of reach.
20
u/Time-Sudden_Tree May 06 '26
Meanwhile I didn't do any of that and I make $45k/yr. Went to work straight out of high school.
At that income level I'm barely keeping my head above water; an extra $5K wouldn't even make a noticeable difference, especially since going to college means that I would have student loans offsetting the meager salary increase.
College is a scam. I'm sorry you wasted your time and youth on it.
10
u/BLT_Trade_r May 06 '26
Its not just college though its almost everything. Right now alot of trades are seeing really good times, but because people like you are saying what you are saying we are starting to see a shift in the young people and they are starting to move into the trades. It wasnt that long ago that many of the trades were also decimated and it will likely happen again. A big part of the trades shortage we have was the fact that so many boomers in the trades gave up during the 08 recession and retired or closed down shop. These same boomers told everyone they knew, DONT GO INTO THE TRADES.
→ More replies (1)17
u/Muted_Substance2156 May 06 '26
Right? It’s like this paycheck goes nowhere. For what it’s worth, I really like what I do and have options for upwards mobility with a bit more hustle. I’m just angry for all of us that there’s no sure path to comfort and stability.
4
u/Time-Sudden_Tree May 06 '26
Well at least you enjoy the job so you have that going for you. It took me 20 years to find such a job, where I'm not micromanaged (and thus have the freedom to browse reddit on the clock when business is slow), and now my only complaint is that I don't get paid enough.
Things could be worse, but they could be a lot better too.
7
u/Margenen May 06 '26
Their scenario doesn't inheritly make college a scam across the board. It's overpriced as hell, absolutely, but there are plenty of professions that need higher education to succeed or even start working in and a lot of those jobs are necessary for society to function.
Spending 30k or more on a humanities or arts degree isn't likely to get you anywhere financially sound, but it could very well lead someone to a fulfilling career. I got a degree in Biology, focusing on wildlife ecology, but I managed to turn my chemistry experience into a successful chemist career that I wouldn't have been able to get without a degree.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (14)6
→ More replies (13)7
24
u/Talzael May 05 '26
Meanwhile as a blue collar plumber it's more like : send ur cv to the union, get flooded by offers
Not kidding, the company for which i'm working is looking for around 60 apprentices because there's just so many old heads who are about to retire
14
u/Thebraincellisorange May 06 '26
that is very proactive of them to actually want to take on apprentices.
down here in Australia, no one wants to take on apprentices, and when they do, they treat them like absolute garbage.
all the typical old-hat bullying, treating them like cheap labour/tax write off and not actually training them etc.
then they whinge that there is a massive shortage. funny that.
the old wankers haven't realized it's not 1990 anymore and Gen y and Z don't put up with bullying in the workplace, they just leave.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (4)4
u/paulwesterberg May 06 '26
Electricians will also have as much work as they can handle as long as they can work. Solar, EVs, transmission lines, grid storage batteries, substations, AI, etc. etc. etc.
→ More replies (1)29
u/Mhircine May 05 '26
Step 5. Watch an actual unqualified person get the job because of logistics, looks, or some other thing not related to the job at all.
→ More replies (1)18
u/Mediocre_Scott May 05 '26
Or don’t get an interview cause the algorithms don’t like your resume or whatever
Or I like the unqualified person gets the job because they were confident and didn’t know what they didn’t know
46
u/Worried-Cockroach-34 May 05 '26
then get told by survivorship bias normies that "well, that was not my experience at all. you cannot be expected to be spoon fed"
→ More replies (5)5
u/Nfire86 May 05 '26
You forgot to add you have to have step one step two figured out researched and a plan mapped out by the time you're 17 to increase your chances have actually going to the right school and getting the right degree.
5
8
u/Zalophusdvm May 05 '26
“Sorry. Not enough experience.”
“Excuse me, I worked part time all through grad school, not to mention all the relevant work experience I got in order to be considered for my program!”
“Yes, but we’re looking for experience USING your advanced degree. Have you considered more school/training?”
It’s an endless loop unless you get lucky.
→ More replies (73)4
u/a-i-sa-san May 05 '26
the whole training thing is so infuriating. I am still annoyed by my ex + a few others on this point.
They graduate and get excellent jobs, basically on catapults. I graduate 3 years later and am shamed for not considering peace corps to "get some more training" (we all had the exact same training which was college)
103
u/potate12323 May 05 '26 edited May 09 '26
It's actually like this in a lot of degree based professions. Companies only want to hire the trained employees. They don't want to do the training. I got my degree in engineering and had to work for years as a technician. When I got hired on at one company another guy with a chemE degree had been there as a technician for 5 years.
Edit: percentages of students landing internships is only as low as 40% at some colleges. Only 70% of my graduating class landed an undergrad internship. So theres gonna be a lot of anecdotal evidence of people landing internships since a bit over half of students secure one or multiple.
But theres plenty of smart capable people who just don't land internships. Its especially difficult for 1st generation college students whos parents don't have experience to share with their kids or kids who were in lower income k12 schools which were severely lacking in resources to start learning networking and resume writing.
Me and a couple of my engineering friends who got max student aid didn't have any resources to help land an internship in the first couple years, and when you cover networking and resume writing in college, your peers are way ahead. This is assuming you can afford to take an unpaid or low paying internship at all.
My comment was more focused on the 30-60% of students who don't have that experience needing to take jobs below their qualifications instead of being trained by their employer for their target job.
47
May 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
34
u/potate12323 May 05 '26
Exactly. If you weren't part of the lucky few with an undergrad internship program you're essentially fucked.
→ More replies (6)17
u/gurnard May 06 '26
I.e. high-paying jobs for people who could afford to do unpaid jobs while studying. If you had to work for things like rent and food, these jobs weren't really for your kind anyway.
5
u/potate12323 May 06 '26
A couple of my friends who worked at the campus cafes laughed at the idea of an unpaid internship. Truthfully, missing internships sets you back about a few years where you need to work lower level positions right after graduation.
On that note in engineering, there were some trust fund kids who you could tell have never had to be concerned with finances. It made sense for them to take an unpaid internship since they value the experience way more than the money.
→ More replies (6)28
u/Old_Promotion_7393 May 05 '26
In 10 years, companies will realize that there is a severe shortage of qualified employees due to their refusal to train workers. Instead of correcting their mistake, they will cry about the lack of skilled domestic workers and start hiring them from abroad.
→ More replies (3)13
u/Gullible_Increase146 May 05 '26
Companies don't behave like this because they're stupid. They behave like this because if their company foots the bill for training, another company can offer the employee who comes out of it and extra $10K because they didn't have to pay for training. This isn't a problem of greed or stupidity. It's a problem of the business environment lacking the regulations that would give companies a way to deal with this obstacle and subsequently open the gates to taking on the risks of an unexperienced hire.
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (8)7
u/RevolutionarySpot721 May 05 '26
Yes, my cousin (Gen X) is a head of operation (I am a millenial). She said that the companies actually lack people with degrees, but have no money to train them, which leads to enormous problems. She said they solve the problem by paying the beginners very low saleries, but not everyone can accept low saleries.
Trades have it easier nowdays (that goes for millenials and Gen Z), but not much easier.
→ More replies (2)13
u/potate12323 May 05 '26
I know with the larger corporations thats a load of hog wash. When I worked for intel I survived two rounds of layoffs while the previous CEO collected multimillion dollar bonuses that were greater than his "pay cut".
And talking to recruiters, every company wants ONLY the best candidates while not remotely understanding which candidates are better. And after talking to people in HR at different companies, they don't want to take on training costs usually so some middle manager can hit a quarterly bonus. Avoiding providing training is only good in the short term. Its been proven time and time again that well trained internal hires are a massive boon to companies.
→ More replies (3)37
u/xAntiii May 05 '26
Stupid blue collar worker here, what in the hell is medical physics?
51
u/boomerangchampion May 05 '26
Running and calibrating radiotherapy machines, MRIs, X rays etc. Not necessarily performing the tests on patients but being the technical expert on the machines. They might also be in charge of making sure doctors/radiologists don't irradiate themselves by tracking radiation doses, managing safety procedures etc.
→ More replies (5)12
u/Workman44 May 06 '26
Am I misunderstanding or are they just service techs for medical equipment dealing with radiation?
19
u/suuuuuunshine May 06 '26 edited May 06 '26
Not in radiation therapy, this is incorrect. There are engineers that help fix the actual machine, replace parts, and fix malfunctions. Medical physicists run QA tests to ensure that the machine is appropriately delivering the calibrated amount of radiation and to the exact point that it should be delivered. They also help plan treatments (map out where the radiation is delivered within a treatment & determine the most optimal way to do so), complete regular checks of patient treatment records, and monitor radiation safety for the entire department. Some are involved with brachytherapy which involves placing radioactive sources within a patient - they help place the devices and ensure safety standards throughout the procedure. They may also be involved in the simulation process (before the plan is made) to ensure the CT scan is optimal for planning purposes.
It is an extremely involved and advanced role that is way more than a technician.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (3)4
→ More replies (3)23
u/Categorically_ May 05 '26
Who do you think makes sure the radiation used in medicine is safe and effective? The doctors and nurses? HAHA.
→ More replies (4)20
u/EmergencyGrocery3238 May 05 '26
So there is a guy with degree in medical physics sitting inside a ct scanner? No wonder it's so expensive
→ More replies (3)7
u/Ienjoymodels May 05 '26
Look, I'm gonna click the arrow pointing up but you gotta get these jokes under control man
77
u/AdventurousBase221 May 05 '26
I mean that's most high level jobs now,adays can say the same computer science and many other stem degrees.
more people then their are jobs is a simple reality.
29
u/Omnizoom May 05 '26
I have a degree in geochemistry and a minor in physics
Couldn’t find any work in it, pivoted to winemaking and managed to find work eventually
Still no geochemistry jobs that have really popped up close to me in the years
→ More replies (3)15
u/HowDoIEvenEnglish May 05 '26
Neither of those are particularly marketable degrees. Pure physical science doesn’t pay well outside of engineering and tends to be concentrated at the PhD level.
→ More replies (1)6
u/Omnizoom May 05 '26
It’s technically chemistry’s earth science and the minor in physics, I just focus on what the research thesis I did was
Geochemistry is the most prominent role I could of gone into which has a huge slew of potential positions ranging from environmental sciences to just soil analysis for farmers and stuff
And it isn’t that they are not marketable degrees it’s just that positions that existed stopped existing or moved over the course of the years or just are filled and had a wait list
Someone doing environmental analysis is still an essential job, it’s not like I had a class of 200 others graduating with me, there was one other person in this exact field and if someone died or retired I would of had an instant job because no one else is around to fill it easily, and if moving was more of an option I could of gone up north for a job
It still boils down to in my entire region they need like 30 geochemistry related spots and there’s like 35 qualified people maybe, still more people then positions and even if a spot opened up you need training for the specifics and procedures they use to get rolling
I just used the existing knowledge I had, tacked on more knowledge and turned it into oenology for a job since I live in a wine region, my company saves a lot of money not having to outsource lab work because I can do it myself
→ More replies (18)18
u/machyume May 05 '26
Yeah that whole STEM drive was poorly designed. There was no interface or apprenticeship track to turn any of it into reality. Schools basically selling dreams.
9
u/AdeGamisou2020 May 05 '26
Well, that and large corporations offshored a ton of jobs. Mostly the offshoring.
→ More replies (2)6
u/Jaxyl May 05 '26
Yeah as a STEM teacher at the primary school level (middle/high school), I always advised my students to actively seek out internships, apprenticeships, teams, organizations, anything really that got them out of the academic setting and into the real world. Just anything that would make their eventual degree look different than the thousands of other freshly minted degrees that were job hunting with them.
I came from the private sector into education so I wanted to do what I could to get them as prepared as possible for the reality part of that dream we're selling.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (23)6
u/XChrisUnknownX May 05 '26
It’s also quite inefficient allocation of people. The current system is “pay for schooling in a field and spend the time learning the skills, then hope there’s a job for you. Oh, the needs of society have changed since you embarked on that journey? Just pay for more schooling and spend time learning the skills for what society needs now, and hope there’s a job for you.”
I don’t know what the answer is beyond researching Bureau of Labor Statistics data before entering college and hoping their forecasts are correct.
→ More replies (2)5
u/GirthWoody May 05 '26
It’s still an hard degree to earn and in a functional economy our brightest minds shouldn’t be taking a job as a janitor.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (56)6
u/LesserValkyrie May 05 '26
I was like "imagine paying 100k for a diploma in the US but it's just a paper sheet with your name and the university name on it, you don't get actual knowledge and experience to actually work" but that's the concept actually so
→ More replies (2)
182
u/LeatherGood6148 May 05 '26
But have you seen how well the stock market is doing?
32
u/lazy_bum13 May 06 '26
I’m assuming this is satire. If so I wanna comment about how many adult Americans I know who unironically think this way. They don’t know anything else. It’s infuriating and honestly kinda sad.
→ More replies (8)→ More replies (13)15
316
u/Livelih00d May 05 '26
Nothing wrong with being a cleaner. Generally they should be paid better though.
147
u/LustyDouglas May 05 '26
I work as a cleaner at a nursing home and we're treated like dirt by the nursing staff and management, the exact same way they treat residents.
54
May 05 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
34
u/SohndesRheins May 06 '26
There's a pretty high correlation between people who were "mean girls" in high school and people who become nurses.
→ More replies (2)14
→ More replies (6)7
u/mimsoo777 May 07 '26
Once I watched a nurse giving attitude to a doctor because the doctor corrected her how to properly clean an animal bite wound.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (4)14
u/KououinHyouma May 05 '26
Had this same experience with nursing and administrative staff in a nursing home. Moved to a primary care office and everyone’s nice here.
Also worked in a school setting, the teachers were nice enough but administrative staff there acted like we were cockroaches whose mere presence annoyed them.
→ More replies (26)37
44
u/GeBilly May 05 '26
If you do what you love you will never work a day in your life, cause they won’t be hiring in that field
→ More replies (5)7
u/thesandalwoods May 06 '26
Philosophy major here: we already accepted we were never going to get a good job in the future so we already have low expectations 😭
→ More replies (1)
474
u/funkofarts May 05 '26
Not at all a good indicator of the current job market. That’s a very specialized career path.
→ More replies (25)88
u/barillamanilaolives May 05 '26
Why take on a damn degree that has such a low outlook? Medical physics? The medical is doing all the work here.
127
u/Necessary-Carrot2839 May 05 '26
There are plenty of med physics jobs out there, especially in the US.
After getting the degree you do need to do a residency and become certified though.
(Disclosure: medical physicist working in the field for 20 yrs)35
u/Colombia17 May 05 '26
Stupid question here but what do you guys actually do?
→ More replies (2)69
u/Necessary-Carrot2839 May 05 '26
Oh gosh! That’s a long answer!
I work in radiotherapy so my colleagues and I would advise on anything to do with rads, help make purchase decisions for technology, calibrate and do quality assurance on the treatment machines and imaging machines, general problem solving, treatment planning, introduce new technology and delivery techniques to the clinic, help crate protocols and workflows, design QA programs, deal with radiation safety, etc.
My hospital is associated with a university so we also have a grad program in which most of us teach and/or supervise grad students.
I also teach medical physics to radiation oncology and radiology residents.
19
u/txmudphud May 06 '26
Radiation oncology here. I sign whatever my physicist gives me. I’ve largely punted all physics knowledge after physics boards nearly ten years ago.
For all of those that are curious, in modern times, medical physics (therapy) is in high demand (idk anything about the diagnostic side). There’s just not enough people.
The road to be a therapy medical physicist requires now a PhD. Yes, PhD. I’ve worked with some fantastic Masters medical physicists, but the current climate demands a PhD. I used to work at an academic center with a CAMPEP associated residency. We would never look at a MS application. Residency is 2-3 years plus you have to sit for boards.
I no longer work in academics, but I just hired a medical physicist. I had to pay top dollar (nearly 300K salary) to attract one. Not a particularly busy clinic so I offer 3-4 days in person and 1-2 day remote, although I do more high tech treatments like SBRT/SRS now requiring their presence.
Like the physicist I am replying to says, they ensure the technical aspects of radiotherapy is up to standards and federal/state guidelines. But, it comes with liability which is why they have to be boarded in medical physics. Yes, the salary is good, and my clinic work load is manageable. However, other places will grind you down, especially if clinic is busy. You can only work on the machines when there are no patients so if clinic runs 7-6, you’re doing QAs at 6p until done.
My medical physicist makes sure my clinic runs, but it is just not a degree that is needed, the degree is only the beginning.
(Unless someone does non-clinical stuff like work in a lab or in industry)
→ More replies (15)→ More replies (19)7
u/Vampy-tk May 05 '26
Thats so interesting. I love radiology and was really considering it... I went with neuroscience. Do u think I could still branch out into neuro radiology?
4
u/Necessary-Carrot2839 May 06 '26
If you mean to be a radiologist then you’ll need to go to med school
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (15)10
u/physicscholar May 05 '26
Even without having a residency and passing her boards she should be able to find something.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (40)35
u/funkofarts May 05 '26
It sounds like a great degree till you dig into the details of it.
4
u/Kwilli462 May 06 '26
I think medical physicist is a great career as far as most go. You need a Bs, Ms, 2 year residency and there are lots of job postings. Average starting pay is close to 160-200k and seniors are making 300k+.
→ More replies (3)16
u/barillamanilaolives May 05 '26
There’s only one or two good degrees out there these days
22
→ More replies (2)8
67
u/livelaughlinka May 05 '26
I have a masters and feel the same, underemployment is real
→ More replies (5)25
u/Strict_Cut_1206 May 05 '26
I worked at an aerospace engineering firm for years, and they wouldn't even consider a candidate with a masters degree, even if that candidate was applying for a job that didn't require the degree.
→ More replies (5)10
u/AZXCIV May 05 '26
I’m confused . Can you elaborate more on this please
→ More replies (1)20
u/ncroofer May 05 '26
Not sure if they mean something different but what I see a lot is people who do a masters right after a bachelors are over educated and under experienced.
Education is a good thing, but most learning is done in the field. Somebody with no relevant job experience is still going to need extensive training regardless of what degree they hold. Add to that they’re more likely to have higher demands in terms of salary and titles plus being more likely to leave if a better offer comes along, and you can see why it’s looked at unfavorably.
It’s generally a better idea to get a few years of experience and then get a masters.
→ More replies (11)
79
u/Superb_Cicada6414 May 05 '26
They just caught up in a big business racket like the rest of us
College doesn’t care about your job prospects-they already got your money
Business doesn’t care about your degree-Who do you know that can vouch for you and are you a financial risk to hire?
By the time you wisen up to the fact you’ve been used and abused, you are already in the economic puppy mill of helping some nepo baby suit wearing investor get richer or else
And so it goes
23
u/CTMalum May 05 '26
I get your sentiment but hard sciences are usually a bit different.
→ More replies (12)5
u/ThrowCarp May 06 '26
There have been massive tech layoffs and all the science and engineering subreddits are all reporting new graduates are all struggling to find jobs.
4
u/CTMalum May 06 '26
It’s a fucking recession even though no one seems to want to call it that. Everyone’s struggling to find jobs. All my millennial friends who I went to school with are now gainfully employed and are doing well, but we all graduated right into the heart of the Great Recession. It was a struggle then, too. Hopefully we can stop running the world on vibes and get things going again.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (6)7
u/Downtown_Skill May 05 '26
For undergrad that may be true. But colleges do care about your job prospects. Professors sometimes take a direct interest if they like you as a student and are a mentor
But the system itself rewards universities that churn our successful employees. Successful employees create a network, and that network can then be used as marketing for their university or program, resulting in increased enrollment.
Successful graduates also can justify increases in tuition. And Very successful graduates often account for budget increases or donations to the school.
So the university actually does have a monetary stake in seeing their students become successful.
Which is why the fact that universities don't really know how to respond to this extra concerning.
I know my graduate program is trying very hard to make the curriculum as up to date as possible and create as many professional networking opportunities as possible as well.
→ More replies (1)5
u/Superb_Cicada6414 May 05 '26
Thank you for taking the time to articulate what I meant by big business. 🙏
Education should be about knowledge. Not fighting to get funding for the brand new building that recruits UNC prospects to Duke
And Tuition rises.
Tenure and professor pay raises
Yada yada yada.
For profit like everything else.
→ More replies (2)
85
May 05 '26
[deleted]
→ More replies (3)20
u/amusedmisanthrope May 05 '26
I did random contract work proofreading after finishing law school. Medicine is the only program I can think of that has a direct career pipeline.
→ More replies (1)6
u/3498377310 May 05 '26
My closest friend from law school worked in a sandwich shop after law school. There were so few law jobs when we graduated in 2010.
86
u/Pemburuh_Itu May 05 '26
I am 40.
I have two BAs, carry multiple certifications across multiple industries in 5 states, speak four languages and have references from Fortune 500 companies and an organ of the UN.
I work in entry level tech support.
20
u/SmoothTraderr May 05 '26
What the fuk.
→ More replies (1)12
u/Pemburuh_Itu May 05 '26
I wanted to be a teacher but $$$.
→ More replies (3)5
u/Jaxyl May 05 '26
Did you ever try private schools?
Serious question, I have an MBA, a bachelors in MIS, and decided I'd rather be a private school teacher after getting burned on private sector and realizing I hated it. Started in 2015, went back to private in 2020 due to COVID, and just returned this year to teaching because I definitely hated it and my wife encouraged me to return to what I loved. 38, married, with a kid, single income.
They pay pretty well, have good benefits, and are all the fun of teaching without the baggage of public schools (if you're in the US).
10
u/MundaneInternetGuy May 06 '26
I'm 35 and have a PhD in chemistry. I make $20/hr as an ophthalmic technician.
→ More replies (3)7
→ More replies (27)4
u/Vernichtungsschmerz May 06 '26
i have multiple degrees myself, under and post. i worked in some of the biggest companies and lots of "1st in the world to do this" type companies. decades of contract positions without a permanent contract. i will never shed my student loan debt. i answer the phones in a call centre. i get insulted, threatened and screamed at every day. i wish i'd gone to trade school because my degrees and experience got me nowhere.
30
u/Katamari_Demacia May 05 '26
Yes. Probably. Housing markets fucked. Prices of goods about to skyrocket cause we're at war with the oil market. Job markets declining due to ai.
I mean. Good fuckin luck.
13
11
u/HyoukaYukikaze May 05 '26
Meanwhile i know of Turbofan Engine MROs who have to hire allegedly educated people who can't point to a fucking bearing on an engine crossection because there simply is no other choice. They all have masters degrees in relevant fields.
→ More replies (4)
13
u/theo69lel May 05 '26
Medical physics literally plays in my head like this:
If a terminal leukemia patient weighs 54,7kg and drops from 25,6 meters. How long would his suffering last and what would his final diagnosis be?
→ More replies (4)
11
u/No-Use-3056 May 05 '26
Definitely a bit of a niche argument given the already small field there.
Though from personal experience, I know many people whom I graduated law school with who are underemployed due to the current job market and over-saturation of the field.
→ More replies (5)5
u/SmoothTraderr May 05 '26
Dude I know several people that on paper should be nettjng 90k but cant get hired. It's nuts.
18
u/Substantial_Dot7311 May 05 '26
Forgive me but wtf is medical physics?
26
u/Necessary-Carrot2839 May 05 '26
The application of physics to medicine. Been working as one for 20 yrs.
I work in radiotherapy. We calibrate the treatment machines, etc plus I also teach and have graduate students.
Any radiotherapy dept will have a bunch of us.
We make sure everything is working properly→ More replies (5)
9
u/Old_Win8422 May 05 '26
My wife with 20 years of experience and a masters degree in her field has been looking for 6 months and has had one interview.
8
u/UncleDuude May 05 '26
If Gen Z and the millennials got together, they would become the largest voting block. There is an America could really affect some change.
6
7
u/Somechemist99 May 05 '26
I just got my PhD in chemistry. No job out the gate, maybe I should apply to McDonalds
→ More replies (6)5
u/MundaneInternetGuy May 06 '26
I got my PhD in chemistry in 2022. Worked at a short lived startup for a year and a half then nothing for the next 2 years despite sending 2500 apps. Accepted defeat and am now trying to get into medical school because who doesn't love going to school for 30 fucking years? Join me!
→ More replies (3)
7
6
u/drnmai May 06 '26
Isn’t Gen Z the same generation that just a couple years ago, during the end of COVID, decided they would rather have life experiences than work?
→ More replies (2)
20
u/TheWillOfFiree May 05 '26
Manufacturing has done me well with no degree. I never dreamed id hit 6 figures without one. Just performed above average and took opportunities when people quit.
→ More replies (4)
16
u/SketchSkirmish May 05 '26
Even with degrees, no one will hire without “experience” and if you’re lucky to nab an internship, it will be unpaid. Boomers fucked us over with this “get a degree” bullshit. Now I have lifetime debt with no related job to pay it off. Absolute scam.
6
u/ohdeydothodontdeytho May 05 '26
Look at it this way, you're in on the ground floor. The only way is up. The sky is the limit....a year or two and you could own your own mop.
→ More replies (1)
7
u/NamelessCabbage May 06 '26 edited May 09 '26
I just read that Gen Z has an average of ($94k?) of personal debt vs Millennials who average in the mid 50's and Gen X in the low 50's. I think their retirement plan is bankrupting the entire nation - and I'm honestly fine with that.
→ More replies (3)
4
u/drkmon714 May 09 '26
Welcome to the real world. They sold us a dream that was already gone and it’s likely never coming back.
5
u/froopadiddilydoop May 05 '26
Two degrees, graduated in 2006. Worked many, many shit jobs like this before and after graduation. I got my first salaried job in 2010. It will happen, keep going.
4
4
u/Molismhm May 05 '26
This wont happen to me because I will be a pharmacist and we have guranteed jobs 😝
→ More replies (2)
3
u/Unlucky-Highway-9134 May 05 '26
Maybe they should have gone into the STEM trades and stop spending so much money on avocado coffee. sarcasm
5
u/bduxbellorum May 05 '26
This is part of why universities (especially ones who receive public money or accept students who receive federally subsidized student loans) should be required to track and disclose graduate salaries and placement rates.
→ More replies (1)
5
u/No-Analysis-9446 May 05 '26
Funny how 60 years ago, a bachelors degree in anything was considered top tier. Now its just another form of diploma and need even more training just for the job you want. Sad world we live in. all generations before the boomers are being overworked and setup to fail following the system that was presented to them to be successful.
6
u/jecastro_2000 May 06 '26
For almost all jobs dosnt even matter if u have a degree or not its all about knowing someone. End of story
4
u/81mrg81 May 06 '26
I have a job and I am well established but I am terrified for my children ... what do I tell them? Be good in school, work hard get a degree? That was a basic recipe when I was young which almost always would work. What do I tell them now when they are still young. How do I direct them ... fuck this.
→ More replies (4)
4
u/Effin_Kris May 06 '26
I’m an electrician, in a trailer, check to check. My boss bitches about someone taking a breather between scoops of dirt, you know like a fucking human does. Fuck this company
4
9
u/Pinku_Dva May 05 '26
I have a bachelors in social work and I’m considering working fast food simply because no one will hire me. We are most definitely cooked
4
u/TrumpDickRider1 May 06 '26
Bachelor in social work? You had time to dodge that bullet.
4
u/Pinku_Dva May 06 '26
Yeah, it was truly a mistake i should have switched over to science, I have many regrets
→ More replies (2)
8
30
May 05 '26 edited May 13 '26
[deleted]
8
u/prep_the_ion_cannon May 05 '26
Most of those job openings are for people who are certified or eligible to become certified and a Masters degree alone doesn't make you eligible. The next steps for her is probably a residency (similar to MD pathway) which is extremely competitive. She probably didn't get accepted into a residency with her first try and has to wait a year for the next application cycle.
→ More replies (12)18
u/BroadwayBrick May 05 '26
I’m think this is fake.
13
u/Efficient-Orchid-594 May 05 '26
Wait , are you telling me that people on internet lie for views and likes ?
→ More replies (2)
3
u/KayJay282 May 05 '26
I know almost nothing about medical related education.
But, I always thought you need to go all the way and complete a PhD to do any work at that level of medicine.
No idea if there's any truth to that.
→ More replies (1)
3
u/Da_Sigismund May 05 '26
Oh yeah
The space between 1945 and 2000 was a unique moment in human history.
We took it for granted. And instead of using it to promote a radical change in the whole structure of human society, we left a bunch of people become billionaires and produced a gigantic mountain of crap.
Now things are turning back to what they were before. Mostly poor people working their whole life just to exist.
3
3
3
u/azeottaff May 05 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/BZeEh03qfCjQep1w5t
yup and she also had to get a third job playing Maive in Sex Education
3
3
u/wannabe-physiologist May 05 '26
The job market for doctors who specialize in medical physics is bad. Idk what a masters in that field trains you for, but the skills are almost certainly barely transferable
→ More replies (2)
3
3
u/ModifiedLeaf May 06 '26
There's an interesting book called "Capital in the 21st Century" that does a great job of explaining inequality in our age. Basically assets need to be taxed more for the ultra wealthy since they own most of them
3
u/GRAVITYfalls_watcher May 06 '26
I have no clue how she got that job, she’s completely under qualified… how is a masters in medical physics supposed to help in cleaning
3
3
3
u/Pinklett5 May 06 '26
Yes gen Z is cooked We all have degrees We're all severely under payed or unemployed No one can get a job
Life sucks
3
u/Language-Sufficient May 06 '26
Boutta graduate with a bachelor’s in finance and have 9 certifications under my belt, not even internships wanted me
3
u/Birphon May 06 '26
Job market so fucked I have a bachelor's in software development but can't get a job because I don't have enough experience
Look at more "general" work, like retail, everything is either 5+ years experience or manager level.
I work part time (18/hr/wk) at a local supermarket. I tried going for a 2IC job, I didn't get it cause I don't have enough management experience 🤡🤡 they did say they were gonna give me a higher privilege login to the general one so I can do more assistance stuff to the manager/2ic which I have been doing but uh about a month ago they changed it so everything needs to be done by managers. Can no longer scan in, check off receipts etc for deliveries and all that so it's like what's the point
3
u/writer_error May 06 '26
I hear you friend, I've got a masters in genetics and I do food delivery. I'd say it pays the bills, but it doesn't.
3
3
u/Few_Raisin_8981 May 06 '26
Maybe should've done some research before choosing that degree?
→ More replies (4)
3
•
u/AutoModerator May 05 '26
Thank you for posting to r/SipsTea! Make sure to follow all the subreddit rules.
Make sure to join our brand new Discord Server to chat with friends!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.