So you want a stable job? It’s not going to happen
26 October 2024
The latest study by the German Friedrich Ebert Foundation shows that over 40% of the youth in North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina don't believe they will find a stable job. “No such thing exists today” says a recent university graduate from Bosnia.
Their pessimism is largely justified, for many reasons. But starting from the basics, many employers give young people work contracts that offer no security. The pay is often minimal wage, while the rest (if it exists) is handed to them in an envelope. The contracts are also rarely permanent, robbing young people of many employee benefits, security and pensions. Some employers avoid contracts altogether. Oftentimes, if the employer needs to fire someone, for example, for business reasons, young people are the first to be hit.
“No matter how hard or how diligently you do your work, nothing guarantees stability anymore” states a 25-year-old Bosnian. “One time, I got fired a week after I got a promotion because the boss simply decided he wanted to restructure the entire organisation. ‘It’s not you, it’s me.’ he told us.”
 | Boban Ilijevski As a 30-year-old who had a lot of experience with non-stable jobs, I can easily relate to the pessimistic young people from the study. Before I started my journalism career, I used to work in a coffee shop where I didn't have a work contract, so the employer could fire me whenever he wanted. This took a toll on me and my mental health. A colleague from the European Correspondent shared her story from working in a Balkan media outlet. “Every six months they made me sign a new contract, with the job obligations changed ever so slightly. This would reset the trial period so that they don’t pay for any benefits. I was the desk editor.” It seems like everyone has their own employment horror story. No wonder many of us are secretly dreaming of the seemingly ideal work in the public sector. |
Welcome to The European Correspondent
Europe lacks true European media: in Germany alone, there are more media devoted exclusively to football than news outlets specialising on Europe. The established players mainly focus on Brussels and European institutions. The European Correspondent aims to change that. We cover the whole of Europe and write for a community of citizens who want to look beyond their own national borders. Without European journalism, there is no European civil society.
〉Read our manifesto
〉The stories we would like to write for you
Become a donor!
The European Correspondent is fully funded by its readers. We can only produce the newsletter with your support - and work towards the bigger project: building true European media. Donate now!
With your help, we can create true European journalism. Thank you!
We are non-profit. Every donated € goes directly into The European Correspondent.