3 ms·

It's near impossible to gain access to the best paying jobs

6 points by SQL2219 11y ago

meesterdude 11y ago
> For those who didn't go to prestigious schools, don't come from money, and aren't interested in sports and booze—it's near impossible to gain access to the best paying jobs. Well shit. I didn't go to college, my family was poor... I mean I guess I could take up an interest in sports and booze but really at that point you just might as well live under an underpass.
DigitalSea 11y ago
What a depressing article. I actually disagree that if you don't go to a prestigious school or come from money that you can't get a decent paying job. My dad was a humble mechanic, my mother stayed at home and looked after the house. We didn't have a lot of money and we always rented, I went to a public school and I didn't even end up attending college/university after I finished senior studies. But here I am, earning a lot more than my indebted friends many of whom did study and get expensive degrees. As a front-end developer, I earn a six figure salary and have a comfortable life with minimal debt. I think these kinds of articles are demoralising and dangerous. Anyone from any walk of life, no matter their upbringing can succeed and get a high paying job. You just have to work a little bit harder than those with a headstart to get there. You will face a lot of setbacks, I know I did, but I didn't let it stop me from achieving my goals and getting a career that has opportunities. Yes there are companies out there who will discriminate talent based on what school they attended or what their last name is, but not every company offering a high paying job is like this, definitely not in Australia anyway.
digikata 11y ago
It sounds like this is article is focused a little bit towards the financial industry. It would be interesting to hear if there are firms bucking the conventional wisdom and following something like a 'Moneyball' strategy for hiring.
- tcbawo 11y ago
  My observation of the financial industry is that people with connections have strategic value that does not go unnoticed. Intellect and hard work are only some of the factors in a successful trading venture. Where many might have potential, pedigree gets you a chance early on. Without a chance, vital skills don't develop. Mentorship is vital. Anyone can succeed. But, you need a combination of smarts, hard work, charisma, and luck.
  - digikata 11y ago
    I had a similar thought that if the company in direct contact with customers of a given social strata, having employees from similar backgrounds that interact with those customers might be an advantage. On the other hand, if the company is say a company that specializes in quant algorithms interacting with a trading api, then personal background yields no advantage.

6 points by SQL2219 11y ago

> For those who didn't go to prestigious schools, don't come from money, and aren't interested in sports and booze—it's near impossible to gain access to the best paying jobs. Well shit. I didn't go to college, my family was poor... I mean I guess I could take up an interest in sports and booze but really at that point you just might as well live under an underpass.

DigitalSea 11y ago

What a depressing article. I actually disagree that if you don't go to a prestigious school or come from money that you can't get a decent paying job. My dad was a humble mechanic, my mother stayed at home and looked after the house. We didn't have a lot of money and we always rented, I went to a public school and I didn't even end up attending college/university after I finished senior studies. But here I am, earning a lot more than my indebted friends many of whom did study and get expensive degrees. As a front-end developer, I earn a six figure salary and have a comfortable life with minimal debt. I think these kinds of articles are demoralising and dangerous. Anyone from any walk of life, no matter their upbringing can succeed and get a high paying job. You just have to work a little bit harder than those with a headstart to get there. You will face a lot of setbacks, I know I did, but I didn't let it stop me from achieving my goals and getting a career that has opportunities. Yes there are companies out there who will discriminate talent based on what school they attended or what their last name is, but not every company offering a high paying job is like this, definitely not in Australia anyway.

digikata 11y ago

It sounds like this is article is focused a little bit towards the financial industry. It would be interesting to hear if there are firms bucking the conventional wisdom and following something like a 'Moneyball' strategy for hiring.

tcbawo 11y ago
My observation of the financial industry is that people with connections have strategic value that does not go unnoticed. Intellect and hard work are only some of the factors in a successful trading venture. Where many might have potential, pedigree gets you a chance early on. Without a chance, vital skills don't develop. Mentorship is vital. Anyone can succeed. But, you need a combination of smarts, hard work, charisma, and luck.
- digikata 11y ago
  I had a similar thought that if the company in direct contact with customers of a given social strata, having employees from similar backgrounds that interact with those customers might be an advantage. On the other hand, if the company is say a company that specializes in quant algorithms interacting with a trading api, then personal background yields no advantage.