By Steve Taggart
You know the scene: post-graduation, with an air of optimism and a determination to be successful, young adults flock to London to experience the excitement, sights, and experiences that only the capital can provide.
As property and rent prices soar out of control across the city, a full-time career with a competitive salary is not only the dream but an absolute necessity. Unfortunately, these positions appear to be so few and far between that many Londoners can feel trapped with the job they’ve got just to make ends meet.
A recent survey conducted by Inghams revealed the parts of life that leave people in fear; perhaps the most shocking statistic from the piece is the fear that 40% of Londoners feel about asking for a pay rise or promotion at work.
Job dissatisfaction
Whilst negotiations around salary and positions have felt awkward for many, the Londoners that feel scared silent don’t even like the job they have; 31.5% said they weren’t working within their desired role.
So, why not up sticks and move to a more satisfying career? The answer, sadly, is money. When bills need to be paid, following your dream can often take a back step, as 32% can’t afford to work in their ideal role.
An additional 35% also stated that their desired job sector is too competitive to enter, which highlights the demand for roles across all areas of the job market. However, it’s not all about money and competition.
Face your fears
For those who say that money isn’t the top concerning factor, it could well be a case of feeling the fear and doing it anyway. With 26% of respondents reluctant to start from the bottom of the career ladder again, it could be a case of swallowing their pride and accepting that entry-level positions in their dream sector could lead to a happier life.
Meanwhile, the third of respondents who stated that they’re generally scared of applying for a job in a new sector may also need to take the plunge and simply see what comes of it. After all, what’s the worst that could happen?
Time to take a break?
Many people are often scared to have gaps in their CV – whether those gaps exist because you wanted to take a year to see the world, or because you were honing your focus on that ideal career move. Whatever the case, 27.5% of Londoners were too afraid to take a break from their careers.
On the brighter side however, 23.5% of people from London stated that fear hadn’t stopped them from doing anything in their working lives, whether that be taking a new job offer, or going about the dreaded task of asking your boss for a pay rise. Hopefully this figure will only increase in the future, as more people find the time to chase the job of their dreams!