Nothing to lose I guess….

O.K. here’s the thing, the organisation I manage has had it’s funding dramatically cut. We have things in the pipeline but it’s all grants work so may / may not come off. Not bad when the company was supposed to last three years and simply die – we’re now year 5 – but still not good. This week I had to offer the firm’s Directors the compromise of reducing hours and salaries. For me this will mean a 3 day week. Not that much of a problem as we can manage and for the time being an extra couple of days a week biking is fine with me – it will give me time to reassess my career.

My problem is this. I believe I’m pretty successful, manage a decent firm which I built from a shell and was until recently a trustee for a national body – all good stuff for the CV; but here’s the problem. Every time I look / apply for jobs at my level it’s always the same crap – must have a degree – essential degree etc etc. My problem is I don’t have one! So in effect I’ve hit a glass cieling in my career. So the questions are:

1. Use the two days per week as an oppo to do the degree – I’m into the idea just not into the ‘needs a bit of paper sctick’!
2. Wait for something better to come up
3. Start a business on my own
4. Fill the days with gainful employment of sorts until the current funding rounds have been decided?

Like I’ve said I’m not that bothered at the mo – done all the fretting and anxt on this one already!

So ideas please – 6mm gay porn is not an option….. 😆

cheers
TS

I’d only rule out the gay porn once you’ve given the straight or tranny versions a go, best to keep all options open

IME, ‘needs’ can be substituted for ‘would be preferred’ on most job adverts.

If you can demonstrate that you have a good track record in industry, then a degree is just a bit of paper. I’ve got a HNC, and never had an issue with my lack of degree when going up for ‘must have a degree’ posts. I’ve also placed a few job ads, all of which asked for degrees – but I was happy to see anyone with decent history on their CV in lieu of a degree.

HTH, IMO, etc.

Use the 2 days a week to start your own business, then if it looks like taking off you can jack in your permy job. Can’t beat working for yourself.

Cheers Dave – probably need to get over my ‘degree phobia’ and apply for more jobs which say degree essential then.

try having a degree and seeing nothing but jobs that say experiance a must !

I just finished a degree as a mature student, because I thought I needed the piece of paper to get anywhere, how wrong was I.
Prior to getting a degree I ran a small dotcom which went a bit tits up. But the skills I had would have been valuable to another startup or one of my competitors.
Now I am just another graduate and the skills I had from business are 5 years out of date.
Do a masters degree or a MBA if you want a piece of paper, they are quicker to get and probably more valuable.

I lied about one on My CV and never got rumbled!

Was gonna say, you could just lie! Never had to show anyone my degree certificates.

Open Uni courses are meant to be pretty good though I believe.

I’ve been lying about my degree since 1996, and never been rumbled. (It’s what they call an “ordinary degree”, something to give to the muppets who go a.w.o.l. in the final year). Admittedly I’ve never gone for a “graduate” job. I guess it’s easy to lie about it when you’re applying for deadend work, but a bit harder in your situation where it’s a smaller employment pool and your reputation actually means something.

EDIT- O.U. courses are an option if you fancy it, and they are very well respected. I’d try and start my own business if at all possible.

O.K. Dr. Doing what?

buy one from america then you can both lie and tell the truth

O.K. Dr. Doing what?

****, If I had any ideas I’d be trying them myself. Actually, I think I would make a very good escort for aging leftists.

Strangely the word Gay is used in a derogatory or not very humourous way again,WHY, i wonder, the question the OP, originally asked is quite valid, yet spoilt by the use of demeaning someones sexuality.

Give Gay porn a go,if thats what you fancy,theres good money, but i believe it may be a pain in the arse to get a good position in gay porn movies.

****, If I had any ideas I’d be trying them myself. Actually, I think I would make a very good escort for aging leftists.

PMSL!!!

Project – get over yourself mate. I never think about it, it’s just how it is – if your concerned you have’nt learned…

Not that i would ever suggest such a thing but …why not make one up, do some research though so the uni is real and the course is real and make it hard to verify. Its very rare to see these things requested. You may, however, come unstuck if you try and work for a large financial institution or such and they doa good backgruond search on you. Alternatively just apply and state in your app that while you don;t have a degree you feel your experience would be more than adequate….

Guys – too honest for the fake degree route. Conscience problem…

Yeah i can understand that and I wouldn;t do it either. So i would apply and write a very good covering letter to at least get you past the first post. In all honesty, asking for a degree always strikes me as odd if relevant experience more than makes up for it. I don;t really care what quals my guys have other than experience, professionalism and absolute honesty. Which i suppose if you lied on your ‘degree-ism’ you’d fail 😉