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Getting a job with JUST a BA in Canada?


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Hey everyone. I'm 21 and will be done at the end of April, with the exception of a 6 week course I have to take in July. So technically, I'll be completely finished in August.

 

I will be completing a Bachelor's degree in History and English. No, I do not intend to work in these fields, obviously. I took it because I am interested in both of these disciplines and nothing at college interests me, really.

 

For a long time I was considering doing my Master's of Library and Information Science, but now that it's almost time to apply, I don't even know if that's what I'd like to do. Kind of hard to tell when I've NEVER EVEN WORKED IN THAT FIELD. I've also considered post-graduate degrees such as PR, or HR, but again, I don't know! With this attitude, I would like to find a decent job I can live off of, and ya know... maybe get my freakin' first car or something, while paying off student loans...with my run of the mill BA (pathetic that 20 000 dollars later, this is how I view my education), but is that even possible? I feel like a general BA isn't gonna get me too much, which is pretty depressing. My mom keeps telling me to go get my MLIS (grad school) under the impression that I'll magically make a ton of money with my master's (disregarding the fact that I'm worried about my debt as it is)... but I just don't know. I don't even know if I'll get accepted!

 

I have 20 000 dollars in student debts and ideally, I'd like to pay that back in 2 or 3 years, but I'm stuck. As of right now, I'm working a minimum wage job where the hours will be cut back drastically starting in August. I'm just confused and scared and unsure of where to go.

 

And the city I live in, in Ontario, the unemployment rate is RIDICULOUS... I have a feeling I'm going to have my work cut out for me. :( Thinking about it stresses me out SO MUCH.

Edited by lemonlegs
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Take a deep breath!

 

First of all, congratulations for even going to college and choosing to get a higher education! I know they some degrees are worthless, but they really ARE NOT totally worthless at all!

 

The fact you have studied at college and earnt a degree says a lot about you! You are dedicated and committed to working for years at a time.

 

Please do not feel too down about things! There are things you can do and steps you can take, to best help you out. You need to seek a career councellor or another type of qualified person that spefically helps graduates or graduating students.

 

Without the career councellor, I am not sure how you will best find out the best path to take.

 

Really, though: if you can get into a masters, I WOULD absolutely. HR gets paid a LOT if your good at it, my friend is doing her masters in it next year!

 

There is bound to be SOMETHING in a masters degree and the resulting job that you like - do you have very specific tastes, or are you the type of person who always tries to find something interesting in any job you think about?

 

If it were me, I would try to get into a masters, and then just see where it takes you; BEFORE starting it though, it would be a good idea to see if it sounds REMOTELY like you would... like it to SOME extent....

 

If nothing sounds worth it to you, hold off! You do not want to MORE student loans towards a masters degree or the like, when you do not even like ANY job that results from the masters!

 

Good luck with it all, have a think about things and use others for guideance!

 

I did not know what I wanted to do at age 21! Many people don't have a clear direction, career wise... Why not think of an AREA you enjoy, and talk with a career expert at your university?

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I know how you feel. Getting a job with a BA alone is hard unless you go for a degree that's high in demand. Like you, I also have student loans and for me the degree needs to be worth all of that and land me a job in which will help me pay that off. My BS is in Business Management and thankfully I have almost two years experience in Marketing while I've been working on that degree. I think paying off 20,000 in 2-3 years is a bit unrealistic though unless you're living with your parents. Otherwise even if you earned 35-40k a year, that would be challenging to meet that goal while working, living on your own and supporting yourself. My brother has a bachelors in Psychology and 2 years later he's working at the supermarket. I think part of that is lack of motivation, but if you are motivated enough, you should be able to land a job making 35-40k a year minimum for a BA.

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