‘I Have A Bachelor’s Degree And Still Work 4 Jobs To Make Ends Meet’

A bachelor’s degree is usually something to be very proud of, but for Brittany Jones, it may have been worth nothing. So little in fact, that she took to the HuffPost to write about it. And the sad thing is, we are sure that she is not the only one in this sort of situation. Being in debt and having to work extra hard for so little money is no way to live.

Brittany’s post starts off describing how easy life used to be, something many of us can relate to. Thinking back to how simple it once was, when hoping the shoes she ordered online would fit. But now, she has way bigger problems and her mail is not as exciting as a new pair of shoes. In fact, it’s downright depressing because it’s only ever some bill she needs to pay or some bank offering her a new credit card – the very reason she’s in the mess she’s in.

A Downhill Spiral

Brittany says that her boyfriend, who is now her husband, tried to tell her to leave all those years ago. When they started dating, they could barely afford their two-bedroom apartment. She recalls him telling her to leave and cut her losses and that he would drag her down.

We met nearly 10 years ago at an auction. I was 22 and bright-eyed, working part-time as a data-entry clerk so I could tack the experience onto my resume. He was 42 and fresh out of auctioneer school, looking to redirect his career. The first time he asked me out for coffee, I refused. But the more time we spent together, the more I realized the age difference didn’t matter to me. In fact, I hardly noticed it.

Maybe she was naïve in thinking everything would be okay. At the time, Brittany was studying for her Bachelor’s degree and working nights at a mall. She was looking forward to the day she finally had the piece of paper that would change her life. It would help get her hired by some publishing company and write for a living. She had many hopes and dreams.

What Bachelor’s Degree?

Brittany graduated. Things were looking up. She had an interview at a New York publishing company and it seemed like the perfect job. Sadly, Brittany was told that the company hired from within. Soon, Brittany realized that this would be the norm, and finding a job to match her fancy bachelor’s degree was going to be tough.

I was gutted. The trend continued. I worked for a woman whose dog would use my cubicle as a toilet. My paychecks were sporadic ― when they remembered to pay me. I answered an ad on Craigslist and interned for an author in Costa Rica. I moved from one mindless retail job to the next.

Two years post-graduation, Brittany says she finally found a job – sort of. She worked as a receptionist at an orthodontist’s office. While it was nothing to write home about, Brittany saw it as a step closer to her dream. After a year, she managed to get her foot in the door as a marketing assistant. The couple could barely pay the rent in their run-down, seedy apartment behind a Wawa outside Philadelphia.

My husband and I argued often. While I struggled to build my career in marketing, he was adapting and forever changing with the ebb and flow. He went back to school to get his certification as a sign language interpreter. I couldn’t stomach the thought of adding to my student loan debt ― not when my degree meant nothing. I still recall the look of shock on my supervisor’s face when he realized I had a bachelor’s degree. If you’re wondering what a degree is worth, the answer is less than $1 ― the amount of the raise I received when they realized I had an education.

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The Truth Hurts

It was six years after graduating and Brittany and her partner looked into buying a home together. It was this moment she realized that she did not contribute very much to their finances. Fast forward a few months and they found a home, their offer was accepted, however, it was not in very good nick. So much for that bachelor’s degree earning her money. She recalls the house and its state:

A gorgeous Victorian with a wraparound porch, it sat neglected on a handful of acres tucked back from the main road. It was an absolute disaster inside ― a fact we can appreciate more fully now. I ignored the crumbling walls and mouse droppings in favor of the window seats and upstairs balcony. I didn’t flinch when a dead bird fell at my feet when I opened the attic door. This was fine, I had convinced myself. And truthfully, the state of the house was only reason we could afford it.

Things only got worse for Brittany. She was harassed by the mortgage company for documentation almost daily, only for them to fold and the house to be lost. The couple eventually moved back to their rental home. Where was that bachelor’s degree salary?

Thanks For Nothing, Bachelor’s Degree

Brittany was angry and upset. Not only was she broke, but she could barely even afford groceries. Nothing was going right. She used her credit card for everything and three years later, she’s still paying that debt. Eventually, Brittany got another job, at the auction house her husband and herself had met. Yet, it still was not enough to cover the bills. She needed another job, and, slowly, her entire life became work and nothing more.

I found the address for another auction house and drove there to beg for work. Dozens of unemployed laborers meandered on the dock, offering clumsy help for tips. I was the only one there begging with a college degree. When they told me they didn’t really need the help, I volunteered my time for free. Anything to get my foot in the door and to help ease the press of anxiety on my chest. My persistence paid off, and I added another small but steady stream of cash to my wallet. And still the three jobs weren’t enough.

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An Idea

Brittany still had not used her bachelor’s degree. “My degree sits mainly untouched and forgotten since I earned it in 2010. It’s hardly the topic of any conversation and it’s certainly not a point of pride.”

But, that was not going to stop her from trying. She looked around and realized there was an opportunity. She worked in auction houses, she knew what sold, what did not. Maybe she could flip for a profit too.

I filled our living room with mountains of merchandise and taped ripped, faux brick wrapping paper to the wall. A half-collapsed, umbrella light stand provided just enough light for me to photograph my purchases and then stow them away in a second pile of bins. Mrs. Piles my husband called me, but it couldn’t be helped.

Sales started coming in, and Brittany’s hard work was paying off. Sure, it was not the salary her bachelor’s degree had promised her, but it was something. Despite that fact, she does not regret studying. Although, she still has student loans to pay. Back in high school, she never realized that a tertiary education might not be what she needed, and life was possible without it.

For now, I continue to burn the midnight oil. Tomorrow morning I’ll head off to work at a job that pays too little with a degree I do not use. As my husband leaves for yet another overnight shift, I wonder if we’ll ever get around to starting that family we so often talk about. Maybe someday, but not today.

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