He Found a Job That Better Utilized His Skill Set
Allan Liwanag of The Practical Saver has an undergraduate degree in economics as well as an MBA with a specialty in statistical/budget analysis and project management, but when his business went under and he found himself $40,000 in debt, he took the first job he could get — a collection specialist for a healthcare company. The job paid $39,000 a year, and he was the sole breadwinner for his family.
“The job entailed calling delinquent account holders and requesting payments for the services provided to them by the healthcare company I worked for,” he said. “None of the training or technical concepts I learned from both of my degrees were used — but I had to take the job.”
Liwanag knew he’d be better off with a job that actually utilized his skills and education, so he kept applying to jobs that would be a better fit.
“After applying to over 435 jobs for a year and getting interviewed by 10 companies, I landed a job as a financial analyst at an aviation-related company in Maryland,” he said. “My starting salary was $64,000 per year. Since then, my income has [almost doubled]. Now, I’m making a little over $110,000, with a potential salary increase to $125,000 in the next three years. I would never have the opportunity of earning that salary in my old job.”
