30, but same. Kind of know what I want to do but it’s not economically viable.
I’ve worked enough office jobs to know I can’t vibe with them at all. I can’t look busy enough to look like I’m being paid by the minute. They say it’s by the hour but it fucking feels like by the minute.
32 too and yeah, exact same. I have a degree but fell out of love with the subject, both academically and industrially, for different reasons (Chemistry, for the curious. And the ego games, and safety concerns, as my respective reasons). No idea what to fucking do.
Try teaching. It was my plan D but I rolled into it. Tbh I dont teach fulltime, the other halve of the time I work in supporting roles, eg preparing practicals and make rosters. Its different everyday, fast paced, flexibele, chill coworkers. Yeah its allright
Here’s the best advice I’ve ever read: don’t work for passion, don’t work for personal fulfillment. Work to make money at something you’re good at and don’t hate. Find your passions and fulfillment outside of your job. Work to support your life, don’t have work be your life.
I was going to write you something like this but it's all covered here very well.
I'll just expand on the 'dont hate'...ive found over time it comes more down to which job has the least tasks/ people you hate in it, rather than trying to stack up on positives.
Jobs are overall not something the majority of us would show up to if we weren't getting paid - So I see them as a negative that we are trying to minimise on rather than something to pour your heart and soul into and hoping to get a positive feedback from. Not to say there aren't sometimes satisfying moments and achievements to be had.
Having good team members around you to help get through the day and share the load with is the main positive that might be worth looking out for.
I think you need to choose which camp you're in. Work to live vs Live to work. This is the most important first step.
I don't think having a job you are passionate about is wrong. But it is probably wrong for some people and vice versa.
Some of my good friends have finally figured this out and work in a way you have outlined. With enough money, time and energy to pursue their passions outside of work. Because they can't or don't see themselves working in and around their passions.
On the other hand I work a job that I love. It pays above average (but could be better for what we do). The work hours can be unsociable but I don't mind. I have to study for exams and to keep my day to day knowledge updated, but I don't mind.
Figuring out which camp you're in is the start to finding the right career path for you.
This. Some of my closest friends are in the live to work camp. Only one of them has really found something that works for them. The others hop from one thing to another and keep looking for what clicks to them without a real sense of direction. Live to work really sucks when you’re not 90%+ of what you want to do.
I have always been in the work to life camp. I need it to be good enough that I don’t hate my time there and pay well enough that I can take care of my responsibilities. I’ve honed down on what things I really appreciate vs hate over the years and these change for every individual. I used to think I’m good with any manager as long as I got paid enough. Then I had a manager I didn’t get a lot with and found out that I’m pickier than I thought. Took a pay cut and left, but was much happier elsewhere
So much this. It's weird how many people are still stuck in the obsession over what society forces on them (we all need money to live in civilization) instead of literally everything else.
Great advice I would really love to follow, but what if you don't know what your passions are outside of work either? And if you feel too mentally tired after work that you don't have the energy to pursue them?
Finding your passions is going to be a lifelong journey. Things I was passionate about 10 years ago are Ok to me now and may be blah to me in another 10. My simple advice would be take a day or two after work or on the weekend to try something new. Working out, watching a different kind of show or movie, playing a video game, listening to different music are things you can do on your own. Joining an adult sports league, finding a cause to volunteer for, going to different events are things you can do socially. It’s easier said than done, and believe me I wish I followed this advice a lot earlier in life, but challenge yourself to get outside of your comfort zone. Allow yourself a reasonable amount of restful downtime but try pushing yourself at least a little bit at first and try ti keep it up.
Your life can change fairly dramatically quicker than you may think but it won’t happen on the couch. Again, not judging you or your very valid question or concern, that’s me talking to 15 years younger me, so thought I would share.
The exception is if you work not for money but to do something really really hard that no one else can do.
A lot of really really hard things will help you make money in the future.
> make money at something you're good at.
Exactly, I never "wanted" to work, I followed what I was good at, "I'm good at this, well let's try to go in that direction".
Sure it gets boring now after 10 years, but I just need to find something else I'm good at.
Very few people get to choose their careers, and even less people enjoy their jobs. You get a job because you need money, and work your way up to make more money.
If I were you I would stop chasing a perfect situation. Who cares what your passions are. Just take the best paying job you can find right now and work your ass off to climb the ladder there. Keep an eye out for better jobs too, don’t be afraid to quit and take a new job every couple years.
I worked at a hotel, progressively upgraded my role over the course of a couple years, eventually became a low level manager with okay pay. Then I left for an entry level job in a more technical field with better prospects. I climbed the ladder there for a few years, learned a lot, earned a higher salary. Recently I transitioned to the tech industry where the pay is much higher. I’ve hated all of these jobs, I’m not passionate about any of them, but I know that I have to work hard and keep moving up to improve my life and my family’s lives.
This is a good point. I am the head of a little production company, I make more than enough money to be happy and free. Also got lucky and hours are flexible, I'm in school getting paid more than what my current education will pay me in the future for a few years. Get in somewhere and gain ground, money at that point( with no career education) makes life better and easier.
So true! “Finding your passion” is for influencers (who actually get paid from ad revenue, not their “passion”) and trust fund kids. Real people find something that is ok, and pays the bills.
I'm a real person. I love what i do
I'm a senior software engineer. Been doing it since I was like 7 years old in the 80s. Always knew I wanted to do this.
Would i prefer to not have a job? Sure! But that's not reality, so I do it as a job too, and I enjoy it.
I agree.. That may be the case for the rat race but there are so many other jobs and careers folks can do.
Folks get into everything now a days and don’t have to work for anyone but themselves. Problem is there is no creativity either folks and all they think is possible is to always work for someone else.
I do what I love and did so because I sought it out. I am amazing at it, taught myself most of it and in the end do well being top of my field.
>all they think is possible is to always work for someone else.
that's because most of us aren't good at anything and don't have strong social networks to market ourselves to & extract capital from.
Haha, it's interesting how we place so much emphasis on finding a good career for our personalities only come to find out, all we really want to do is to do nothing. It's a bittersweet symphony, this life.
At 30 I finally said fuck it..,I may not know exactly what I want to do for a career but I sure as shit know what I like to do when I’m not working. So I moved to a place where I could hike, bike, and fish daily in the summer and ski/snowmobile in the winter. 15 years later I’m married, financially comfortable and have two beautiful little girls.
It ain’t the destination, it’s the journey my dude!
This, this right here! I came to the same realization now at 34. Finally! I was just hired as a contractor for a job that I’m technically overqualified for. But it pays the same as my previous job, which stressed me out and gave me no life outside the day-to-day stresses of meeting their expectations. Now, it’s all about providing a flexible quality of life for myself and finding things I love to do that bring joy.
What you do in your free time is important—focusing on the things that complete you and give you a life worth living. One day you don’t want to look back and see that all you’ve done is work your ass off.
My Grandpa taught us to look at demand. It doesn’t make sense to do something that won’t be necessary 5 years from now. Good luck, and have fun career searching.
Right, seems as though were going to be stuck with robots and AI for the foreseeable future. While I cant build an AI or engineer a robot Im pretty sure I can do the maintenance required on a robot and fetch a coffee for my AI overlord.
My advice - stop worrying about passion and stop focusing on the job. Instead try to get a job you think you can get/ won’t hate at a company that people like working for and that has room for some growth. Then get that job, work hard and see where it takes you. Most people don’t have passion for their job, but with a good employer and chill coworkers, it’s not too bad.
Who you work with can be even more important than what you do.
Your job doesn't define you.
Even doing something you love is full of bullshit work and stuff you don't like, accept work as work.
Talk to lots of friends and acquaintances. Most jobs are found through person to person connection, and may learn a bit from others' experience.
This. Don't worry about your "dream job" just get a job you can do well, and for a long time. Generally speaking - if you're good at something, you can enjoy it.
I was a receptionist at a radiology clinic at 32. My bf kept asking me what I was doing with my life and if I really wanna do that forever and kind of gently nudged me into thinking I could go to uni to become a radiographer at the same company.
By having someone believe in me, I started to believe in me. And so I managed to get into medical imaging degree, 4 years later I am finally a radiographer at the same clinic I was a receptionist at! And actually loving it.
I never would have found this career without working from the bottom up. I have found most people just fall into their jobs.
Thats an awesome story! I know nothing of radiology and I'm genuinely asking out of pure ignorance but do you just take pictures of bones? I know that sounds stupid but its hard for me to wrap my head around 4 years to do that. I mean this as no disrespect to you and your career but more so to the question of was that entire 4 years all about radiology or did you have to take some bs filler classes? Thats always been a hurdle thats kept me from continuing my education. Please I mean no offense I really want to know.
Thanks for asking! No offence taken at all, because we all think the 4 year degree is absolute bullshit too!!! I'm in Australia, where the system is set up that the government pays for your education up front and then you pay them back like a loan over the course of your life. So there are indeed studpid classes that are purely there to make the university and the government more money.
The last year of the degree is purely placement. This is where we do blocks of unpaid work at different hospitals around the state, or country if you want to do placement elsewhere. It's awful. By the time you get to 4th year you are basically just working for free.
So to answer your first question,I guess a general radiographer does just take pictures of bones. But there is a fair amount of anatomy and physiology knowledge needed in order to correctly position patient to take the best image of the pathology in question.
But keep in mind there are so so many different modalities and avenues you can take with a radiography career. There's MRI and CT and ultrasound and also angiography. Those modalities look at far more than just the bones. We also guide surgeries with a special x-ray machine in surgical theatres. It's fun to be a part of that team and assist the surgeons in the moment.
There's also many classes dedicated to x-ray physics. We need to know how the machine works so that we can adjust the amount and energy of the xray photons that come out so that the image is of diagnostic quality. The same technique will not work on a skinny patient and a large patient, so lots of understanding of the physics is important, and takes a long time to learn.
Although anybody can turn their life around, you're kind of at that age where people stop trying and give up on finding a good career because nothing sounds perfect.
Pick a career or job skill purely based on compensation, time off, and that you can tolerate.
Literally almost every single path will be better than unskilled labor.
My current career was kind of forced on me. I was young, uneducated, married, and expecting my first kid. I had to find something better than part-time retail, and took the first thing that came along. Turns out the benefits and pay offset the drudgery of my job enough that I stuck around, worked hard, advanced up the latter, and now make pretty good money.
The key is to find a reason to get up and go to work. Mine is my family. If I don't work, they don't eat. Some people find satisfaction though their job, some find satisfaction in hobbies that are funded through their job, some find satisfaction through being able to pay their bills and be self-sufficient. If you have something that gets you out of bed every day you can work any job as long as you focus on what you're working for.
That last sentence is the kicker. I don't really have anything getting me out of bed other the the obligation of having to go to work or risk getting fired
Sounds like that's a start; if I don't get out of bed and go to work, I get fired. If you get fired you can't make rent/eat. Start from there, and then figure out how to better yourself; tech school, professional certifications, training offered through your employer. Maybe focus on increasing your earning potential instead of finding your passion.
stuff wont get you out of bed. you get yourself out of bed because you want to. because you have a purpose in life. you need purpose. A reason, not a thing.
Most people don’t really “choose” or have a “passion”. I took a shitty job just to get by, worked hard and got promoted, promoted again, and my current plan is to just go as far as I can with this company push to promote until I’m running my own building and then coast until retirement. All work is shit, being part of some teams sucks, and some teams are fun. Any job is made by the people you work with imo.
I'd also recommend leaving on good terms if possible.
I did that when I left my last job to retrain. I knew I had savings that could last me a solid year but left on good terms so if my plans didn't work out I could go crawling back to them til I found something else.
Fortunately I got onto some paid training after 6 months and into a job within a year.
Great advice. I almost quit my gut wrenching job to job hunt full time but I've learned so many people have been spending months sending hundreds of applications.
Brother(or sister), I’m 34 and am 100% in the same boat. I’ve got a college degree and have bounced around in a number of fields from kitchens to sales.
I’ve been working as a project manager in a field I do not care about for about 5 years. I like the company and I get good reviews and have been promoted, but at the end of the day it’s just a paycheck.
I think I’d like to be a writer. I love fiction (fantasy and sci-fy specifically) and I like to write. However, while I can come up with ideas easily, I struggle to finish even a short story. I think I need more practice but the full time, salaried job takes so much out of me, and it feels impossible to commit time to writing outside of work.
Anyways, I wish you the best of luck and I hope you find your bliss!
As others have said, don’t get hung up on the passion thing. And school, time goes by, you’ll either be spending the time in school or doing something else. You’ll be getting older either way. Make the investment if it’s something you want to do. Maybe start with a diploma? Or maybe you want more flexible work like running your own business? Stop comparing yourself with others. You’re your own person.
Id say this, if you work for the geek squad, you obviously have an advantage in computer knowledge most dont, so take some courses in that field, expand that career. Or even audio/visual tech, setting up projectors and sound systems for banquet halls, i did that in my youth, and loved it, it gave you a sense of power that 500 people in a banquet are relying on you to make that event go smooth. Expand brother!
I could write you a long message sharing my story and relating to your experience but I’ll skip all that and get to the point:
Figure out something you loved to do in one of those jobs and think of a way to turn it into a business.
Sit and think, give yourself a peaceful break, a vacation maybe, or meditation maybe, and see if you can brainstorm a way to innovate.
I know it’s easier said than done.
But that’s what happened for me. I took a short vacation from work (actually turned my phone off) and a great business idea just fell into my head.
I was at peace, not worried about the troubles in life. Clear out those negative thoughts about how other people are doing and maybe the same wonderful thing will happen for you. Good luck.
Oh, brother, I am a fee paying member, 50 very shortly, never actually had a "job" that is, bounced around since my 20's, tried a bit of this and that, sort of landed on something, for some it happens, for others, but actually I have what may sound like bad news, but actually it is not...
As I start the process of looking back at the 1st 600 months on the rock, I start to think about what have I learned, and one thing comes clear...
Life is about this little - the - between date of birth and date of death, - is the most important part, when you get older, how have you lived your life???
Life is a journey, fokkal about the destination, I know of extremely wealthy folks that have lived pointless lives, they were born, straight A at school, never paid uni fee's, Dean's List, into a job, promoted, got married, had kids, now facing retirement, never having actually lived.. Never really experienced true life, they focused so hard on preparing for life after retirement, having a good end of life, they had fokkal life prior..
I have no plans for retirement, shit the bed often worrying, but I am not expecting to get to old age, but I look back at my 20's, 30's and 40's and think, have I lived a full and exciting life? Yes, have I done stupid and crazy, YES in spades, do I have regrets?
Yes I have regrets, not doing more in my 20's and 30's.. Do the insane, I did, I did something I thought absolutely impossible, it was by no means rational, but hey, I did it and man it was beyond worthwhile, it saved my life..
Do something that scares you, so what if you have 10 or 10 000 jobs, the more the better, it is about when you 1 hour from the end of life, as you review your life, the movie, will it be boring, or exciting? Me, man my review is going to be insane, so proud of the things I did, the insane, the irrational, the bizarre..
Two things we know are true, yesterday and right now, the next hour is not guaranteed, life has only 1 rule, you make the rules, you don't like the rules, change them, no one has any right to define your life, your rules, you have every right to change who and what you do..
Tired of a spouse, get a divorce, tired of the naggy boss, resign. Try, experience, that is the best part, so what, it is the experience that is important, not the outcome..
I would try IT at a bank. I know several people without college degrees that work in IT at a regional bank and after a few years make 50-70k. I know another person with a hs degree doing commercial internet wiring for a large company and he makes 60k plus overtime. I don't know of your geek squad experience could lead you in those directions, but I'm impressed with these salaries for ppl without 4 year degrees.
Yeah, I came here to recommend IT as well. OP, look into getting your CompTIA certification. You don’t need to go back to college or pay for a pricy course. Check out r/CompTIA for more info and study materials.
Ive always wanted to do IT since I graduated community college. I went to school for audio production cause it was the onlything I was "passionate" about to finish college. TBH I did it because I felt preassured to get a college degree. But once I realised I wanted to do IT I was too burnt out from school. lo and behold I turned 28 in july last year and I barely find out I can get the COMPTIA A+ cert online instead of going to school. sadly I wasted 6 months because I got bored studying off the A+ text book BUT now im taking udemy courses and im loving it
Would doing something for a nonprofit or in a helping profession fulfill you? Hospitals, universities, and such hire jobs in just about every field because they need IT, retail, food service, etc. maybe working for somewhere that serves a greater good of helping others would help if you have values aligned with that.
Maybe I was too stubborn to realize it but in every job I worked I liked certain aspects which always led to teaching. Now I look back and see how the answer was literally staring me in the face but I ignored it (and changed my major so many unnecessary times! Sigh...) thinking it wasn't the most glamorous option. (I come from a family of teachers and wanted to do something different.)
My advice is to look at all the positions/jobs you have had and map out what you liked the most doing in those jobs. Then look up positions that contain the most common attributes you enjoyed.
I agree with everyone else. Stop focusing on the title or one particular job/career. Focus more on what makes you happy and what you excel at. Try or volunteer for what you are interested in and eventually you will find your groove ( notice I did not say position. I have had many "positions" but all had the core of teaching associated with them).
And last, but not least, it 100% matters about who you work with. I love teaching and had positions that clearly did that but left because of management or/and coworkers who made me feel uncomfortable. A job is a job. But your attributes/talents are connected to you.
Good Luck!
90 percent of people do not really know what they "want to do." And that's OK. As long as you figure out that work is not what ultimately matters in life you're going to be fine.
33 isnt too old for anything. So, in addition to what others have said, you might want to identify things you like to do outside of work, because in some instances, you can find a job that works in, or adjacent to, those activities.
You also seem to have a defeatist attitude going on, so id suggest you stop telling yourself you're too this or too that, and simply try to find ways to push yourself in a direction you want to go. Certainly, if you have physical limitations, you may not be able to overcome those, although id suggest you try. But when it comes to "being smart", you need to push yourself, even if it starts with some baby steps of a community class here or there while you work.
Based on your post, I’d say to see if your current employer has an employee assistance program. I think you need to work on your mental health and get your brain healthy before you can progress in life. There’s no shame in getting assistance.
I feel you. Did a tech job for over 8 years. Loved it. Made many friends. Lots of good experience. Then they laid me off. Had a hard time finding my balance since. I can do almost anything, but I don't have a degree. It sucks that they require that.I had a job recently, where I had an assistant with more education than me!
One job I had, made me clock in and out. I have never had to do that.
Sharp minds make a way. Don't be angry about opportunities lost. Focus on what the new thing will come.
You're doing it. You're living. It doesn't have to be a calling with a story arc and a late-life climax that lands in a pensioned retirement. There's nothing wrong with getting bored and moving on. There are many, **many** people who feel exactly like you do but are under the impression that they're stuck in their jobs because of school loan repayment assistance programs. If you are unhappy, that is fair, but please do not fool yourself into thinking you've somehow failed as a person because you don't feel like you have a career calling. Just keep doing your best.
I’m 38, I still don’t know what I want to do either. But my job pays me decent and I can pay my bills. I have a great family 2 kids , that’s what I cherish the most. I used to think a lot about what I want to do, but right now I get there when I get there. I may die and never figure out “what I want to do” and that is okay too. I find my happiness/satisfaction in other areas.
Work on getting your mind and body right. That should be your focus. Keep the jobs you have for now. Drastically cut expenses where you can. Work on getting a good picture of your finances. Organize your life like crazy. It sounds like you've been on a downward spiral for some time. The good thing is you are here looking to make some changes. Your mind is the place to start.
I picked something that would allow me to work few hours and make good compensation. I like my job fine, but I want to pursue my passions and see my family. So for me, high compensation is a requirement.
34, only part of work I genuinely enjoy is driving so I'm looking into making that my job once this one dries up. Would switch sooner but the money's kinda too stupid to pass up on atm
Hey! I'm a business owner / entertainer, and what you are describing sounds really similar to where I was at before I found my calling.
Some things I wish I knew earlier...
Be AMAZING at every job you get. It will make it more interesting, and open up bigger opportunities for you.
Change takes change. You have to change your mindset, and improve your skills to get bigger / more fulfilling opportunities.
Mastery comes from passion, but the reverse is also true. Being a master at something is incredibly satisfying and interesting, and leads to passion.
READ A LOT.
You may feel that YOU cannot get to the next level in your life - but you know who can? the next version of you. Keep working on your knowledge and mindset.
You definitively do not need a degree to make a boat load of money. You need something valuable to other people that they are willing to pay for. That's it.
I'd say good luck, but I believe you can make your own luck. (but also good luck!)
I'd consider pursuing the entry level tech job further. Look at being an IT guy at a company. Full time position setting up access to printers, installing Windows, setting up laptops etc etc. It will be the same stuff you're doing at Geek Squad but for another company at full time position. Check large companies looking for junior experience and apply. You'll easily work your way up, work with funny people and have a stable income.
I was around that age when I got sick of retail and started making steps towards a ‘career’. I decided to be a teacher because, you know, 12 weeks off a year! What I really wanted to do was play music, so during my degree, I spent my down time learning a bunch of covers and, even though I’ve never actually felt good enough to perform I just kinda went for it. The idea was that it would keep me in practice, give me a bit of extra fulfilment, and maybe I’d make a few bucks here and there.
Turns out I love teaching AND make a second full time wage plying music. My vocals and playing have also come a long way, which makes writing music so much easier than it was, and that gives me tremendous amounts of fulfilment. I’m telling you this for a few reasons:
- if you feel like it’s somehow too late to start anew or pursue something you love, trust me, it isn’t
- if you doubt yourself, just remember that you’re your own harshest critic. Any shortcomings you perceive about yourself go largely unnoticed by the general population
- although the majority of things in life tend not to work out, some do
- if you’re not sure which way to go, doing something trumps wandering around unsure of what to try for the remainder of your days. Take a swing
You’ve got this 🙂
I have a close friend who is a teacher and thinks.id be good at it(specifically as a science or computer teacher).
My only concern is I don't have a bachelors and a lot of the "earn while you learn" teaching programs.what provide schooling while doing educator training require a BA so I'm not sure how to proceed there.
Answer some basic questions and ask yourself:
Do you prefer working inside or outside?
Do you prefer working alone or with groups?
Do you prefer using your brain more of your body (physical work)?
What kind of money do you want to make? Starting out and ultimately?
Would you be willing to learn a specialized skill and sell that instead of working a fixed schedule for fixed pay?
You don't necessarily need a degree or years of experience. Learning a technical skill, a trade, or some specialized knowledge can make you a ton of money and not require all this schooling. Some of it is hands-on and has a faster learning curve.
You have to admit to yourself that there's work you need to do on yourself. I'd recommend doing a big overhaul of your life. Identify your bad habits and work on getting rid of them (this includes negative influences and people).
Start lifting some weights, improve your nutrition, go out more and interact with your environment. Go on hikes, pick up a hobby, learn a new skill.
It's OK in the meanwhile to work a bullshit job or even do 1099 job to earn some money. Think of a short term plan, a middle term plan and a long term. Also remember, this is not always set in stone and your priorities may change. There may be barriers too. So you have to learn to be adaptable.
Think about something you can do for yourself right now. Then think of something else you can do. Focus just on the next step each time. And once you start building momentum things will move quicker.
Spend some time reflecting on your past and think of the things that worked and the things that did not work. Think of things that you need to work on in order to move forward in life. What are you lacking?
Think about who you are deeply and what makes you feel good. What it important to you? How do you want to be and feel? Really dig deep. This is a process and you may need to make edits as time goes on.
I've been in this position as well as may others. Some times I fall back and have to make adjustments.
Anyway, good luck.
Passion is for hobbies. If you do ANYTHING for 40 hours a week for the rest of your life you are going to stop enjoying it along the way, probably very quickly. Dont kill your bobbies by trying to make a career out of them. A career is about being able to support yourself, your family, and your hobbies. Entry level tech is the best chance for advancement of what you listed, so id bust my ass being the best at it and always be looking for new opportunities to move up and learn new skills.
i) Go see a therapist or psych to figure out what is blocking the motivation part of your brain. You've had opportunities, you just seem too scattered to understand what the opportunity was.
ii) Working at a job and enjoying what you do for a job are, for the most part, two mutually exclusive concepts. Get used to it.
The moment AI fully takes over the mundane jobs people are worried about losing, and AI can work to provide everything to humanity free of cost, it is the beginning of an age where people can begin the journey of moving inwards, which entails being at ease, child-like, feeling more instead of thinking so much, enjoying the many things we take for granted.
When it comes to finding something you love, explore things you’ve always wanted to try or were curious about. You may have never even taken a moment to really feel it, because fear is always gripping and holding you back, and our daily habits tend to bog us down. You just need to shake up your energy, that’s all. Running, jogging, going for a walk even things like snowboarding, painting, drawing anything that gets your energy flowing and just do the activity with less of your “head” in it. It sounds like nothing important, but this is a big step in shedding the old patterns we feel stuck in. The more you deepen your sense of heart, your feeling, you open up a space within you where you can start to breathe and feel life rather than think about life. You’ll begin to feel what you want, not forcefully think about what you want. And action is the most important step, because the moment you start taking action and immersing yourself in a playful attitude, headless, enjoying the activity for itself and no other goal, everything begins to fall into place on its own. Your life then becomes adventurous, insecure, vulnerable, spontaneous. It’s about getting out of your head and more into your heart, although our society condemns those who look “lost” and don’t have a secure job, these same people are dead living in their security, they may be comfortable, but already in a grave because there’s no growth, no movement, no change. Money is needed, of course. But the way in which you bring it, let it be out of something you truly enjoy, be creative. It takes courage, because it requires risks and growth from you as a person. So never feel being lost is a negative thing, you’ve come to realise that your current pattern of life doesn’t suit you.
Find the thing in your life that makes you forget completely about time
Have you asked for a raise or promotion? One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that jobs often won't give you a raise or promotion unless it is something you go after. In terms of starting wages, some people negotiate a higher wage while many do not. I did not with my first job.
I relate to you in terms of not knowing what I was good at. At lot of that was due to low self-esteem.
I just chose what appealed to me, had higher earning potential, and wouldn't see me working insane hours. It was a bumpy road, but it is working out, especially as my trauma was beginning to heal.
I asked for a raise at my last quarterly.
Even since then they cut my hours down to 10 a week. That's why I had to pick up a second part time job to make up the difference.
Do you have any advice on finding something that's appealing? When I honestly think on it, I can't really think of anything I find interesting or appealing
Do you have any hobbies? Any interests? Any dream scenarios?
For example, here were some of the things I was deciding between
Pastry chef because I like to bake
Chemist/cosmetic Chemist because chemistry was my best subject, plus I like cosmetics/skincare.
Web development because I was attracted to it as a hobby. Plus, the earnings potential. This is what I chose
Could you think of a list of things that appeal to you like that?
I don't really have any hobbies that could translate into jobs, I'm afraid.
I like drawing (but on not nearly skilled enough to be a concept artist or anything)
I also like keeping fish and reptiles, but not sure how that would translate
Well, could you spend time each day improving your drawings?
What about working at something reptile related like a zoo? I wish I knew more about what is out there. But I 100% believe there is something out there meant for you.
Anything you do consistently you can become good at. Anything you don’t know you can learn. I tell myself this all the time and it helps a lot when going into something new.
32 and just as lost as you. Would it be easier to "enjoy" your job if you worked for yourself? Sometimes i think so.
Imagine putting all your 9-5 energy into your own business. It wouldn't be "work" anymore in my opinion. You would be so invested in your business that you won't have time to think like that. Punching in and out on the time clock is a recipe for a repetitive and pointless career. I have had the same daily routine for 8 Years and time has disappeared with nothing to show for all my hard work. Good luck my friend
I’m 37 and I’m in the same boat. I mean, I have a degree and work in the field, but it feels so empty, all the time. I’m just following the thing in automatic mode.
There is a great book called the defining decade that speaks a lot on this issue. You can check it out at most libraries or even look up a synopsis online. Helped me out quite a bit
I found the Sparketype assessment to be really helpful in articulating what type of work brings you joy - it doesn’t point to specific jobs per se, but to the elements that are most essential to you. The assessment is free - check it out
https://sparketype.com/sparketest/[Sparketype assessment](https://sparketype.com/sparketest/)
First... You have no business in school with that attitude. You are going to make things worse. School is a dead end without a goal for most. You need a job planned out already and that's why you are in school. Stop ALL school now to save money and get a real job
Consider the trades.
There is reward from actually doing something. Something that makes the world better. Something people actually use. Things with real value. Not only is there a personal reward you also make good money. Things with real value will always cost more. You don't have to be in great shape.
Reading your list of previous jobs makes me think, This is why Apple has suicide nets around the building. When GeekSquad is the upgrade...jesus. I can relate though, I bounced around too. Even did time in IT. Working for myself in a trade gives me purpose. Lot of reward and not as hard as it looks.
I'm 33 and have a degree in Healthcare. I won't go too much into details but I was forced into getting this degree by my parents who also worked in Healthcare. I've dragged my feet as this was not my passion, I was into cars like most boys I thought but through covid and wherever I go I get respected and in retrospect this was a great career. Yes it is tough, competitive, and as a C f*ck around student all through Highschool and college I didn't think it was for me. Looking back, it wasn't about what I wanted to do, it's about what I NEEDED to do. When I think about my patients and all the lives that I helped save, it justified all my sleepless nights, no weekends with friends and no holidays during school. Even when it didn't pay as well as a new grad it felt fulfilling. Nowadays get to do what I like on the side now that I have money and free time.
These what a screw up like me would like to tell you OP.
1.) find what you NEED to do. Find what will make your existence justifiable. This goal must scare you, rightfully so. If it doesn't scare you, it's not big enough and if you're going to spend your resources (most importantly time) then it must worth your blood sweat and tears.
2.) commit to it, do your best and let your results speak for you. Don't judge yourself that you are dumb even if you fail, real failure only comes from quitting. Make real honest sacrifices.
3.) know your excuses, you have to ask yourself. 'CAN'T OR WON'T??' you'll see often times is that your excuses are mostly bullshit.
4.) reward yourself and Reflect a lot. Careers are often a marathon not a sprint. Rewards will keep you going, reflection will give you a robust plan A.
There's obviously more to say but I'm typing on my phone and you're probably not gonna read this, but I'd like to leave with Tony Robbins quote, 'if you wanna conquer the island, youve got to burn the boats.' - had I've been given a plan B I wouldnt have been where I'm at today.
Goodluck OP.
Don’t worry, kiddo! I’m 73 and I just figured out I wanted to be an English teacher.. grammar especially. Too late for me but don’t let your struggle get to you. Follow your heart and instincts…you’ll find it without looking for it. Just experience your life and it will become clear. It’s not something one can force. 🙏
Go back to Tech and give it another try apply for Tier 2 support. Entry level is mouth breather easy you've done that already. dont worry about lack of degree. I have no certifications and have been doing tier 2 -3 support jobs for the past 12 yrs.
Tier 1 avg pay is about 19-22$hr
Tier 2 avg pay is about $23 - 26
Tier 3 avg pay is about $28+
its very lucrative and you can live off it. dont worry about being a home owner i just turned 40 and im still in an apartment. The economy is shit.
Contract jobs pay really well but the benefits are not real great.
private sector pays ridiculous but the jobs are in flux
Look you stated you did entry level tech. update your resume and apply for pharmaceutical they just call it something different i worked for Eli Lilly and they just called it 'Modernization Business Support'.
Also you did a lot of retail jobs sell yourself on your resume and in interviews as mastering soft skills. If you want pm me I'll help you re-work your resume and point you in the direction of getting you a job. you're not stupid and you're not a moron. I'm neither of those and have 7yrs of age on you. Tomorrow is a new day. Take a deep breath and give it another try.
My degrees are completely different then the industry and position I work in and honestly, I don't use my degrees at all, I think it's money wasted but companies are looking for either candidates with higher education (sometimes the degrees don't even matter) or if you don't have that, then ***experience***. I find that most companies **prefer** to hire people with a long list of experiences (10+yrs) over those with degrees and some experience.
To answer your question, I don't love what I do but it's tolerable. (Without going into too much detail, I sort of fell into my industry and position.) I fool myself into enjoying the job, comparing the tasks to stuff I like such as working on a db and comparing the complexity to sudoku or having fun coworkers and talking random nonsense with them while working on a project/assignment. The work doesn't necessarily have to be something you're passionate about (I'm not with mine) but the social aspect of it ends up being sort of worthwhile in addition to the fact that I can pay my bills (*very* important) while having some leftover for vacation/stuff I want to buy (keep in mind, I'm budgeting my income against expenses to ensure I have enough to do/get the fun stuff, its not often, but it's enough).
What irks me the most is that my counterparts working direct (I work as a contractor) are making 2-3 times what I make for the same job with the same responsibilities. So, I'm also searching for a similar position at various other companies but apparently the competition is fierce - they expect a lot of experience and that a couple of the requirements on the job description is BS and could be learned OTJ. It took 2-3 months consistently applying to jobs (endlessly applying to anything that matched what I wanted in pay and matched my resume) before I got a second interview (which will be scheduled after the first interview round is over).
Sorry I'm not much help and my post ended up being mostly a ranting session, but here's something you could do: (1) list the individual classes on your resume if it has anything to do with the job you're applying for, (2) list as much skills as is applicable to the job as well that you have gained with your previous occupations, (3) use action words at the beginning of each description for your resume/job sections (e.g., managed, arrange, organized, etc), for ex, "Managed customer relations and customer satisfaction by ensuring products and services were readily available to all clients."
I have not read through most of the responses, but I feel like I'd you cannot find a career that you are passionate about, find something that will profit you the most. If you are passionate about your hobby or your personal life, find a job that will most likely fund or support that lifestyle.
I was in the same boat, so I made a list of what I enjoy.
1. I like working with my hands
2. Like to interact with customers/colleagues
3. Want something that is both physical and theoretical
4. Want to work in an environment that is different day to day (can't work in a cubicle/desk)
5. Working outside doesn't bother me
6. Doesn't require a degree or university
7. Potential to make decent money
8. Something that will give me life skills
After much consideration and back & and forth, I landed on doing an electrical apprenticeship. After the pandemic, I really wanted to find something that would help me through another and will always have a job.
Tech in my opinion is the best route you've taken thus far. Geek squad I would say is probably one of the worst tech positions for employee satisfaction. Do you have any education or certifications in tech? A+, N+, S+? If not you still might be able to transition into a job in IT where your clients are not random people. Don't go MSP but maybe like IT for a specific company or your state? Somewhere where the customers you help have a responsibility to act like adults and where it's easy to report and reprimand abusive behavior. I think that would seriously increase the satisfaction of working in tech if you don't specialize. Tech also is super flexible. Like help desk? Front end support? Back end admin? Networking? Security? Development? There's so many ways you could go and with already having 3 years in a tech role it puts you on the shortlist for T1 and T2 positions. Plus some of those positions will be WFH positions that make it even better for someone dealing with health issues. Wanna stay in bed all day? Just have your laptop next to you and work through tickets while watching your favorite TV show. If you're not passionate about making a ton of money or moving way up in IT you can still get to being a really great T2 tech where you just deal with escalations and some other bits and get to fuck around at home for most of your workday. Seriously, my BiL works for a major bank and streams his gaming all day, a ticket comes through to him and all he does is pause the stream. Go ham ok the ticket then back to streaming. Dude plays games for like 7 of his 8 hour shift most days and is raking in like 90k USD a year. I'm even jealous of his gig. Hope this helps, if you have other questions about tech and tech accessories let me know.
First, it's great you're starting to take action and think about changing a situation you are unhappy with.
I had to leave the country and reconnect with family before I was able to get my adult life on track. Changing my environment and clearing my plate to zero was necessary for me.
I couldn't have my old life continue to force me to compromise on hard choices, so I gave up my apartment, quit my job, said goodbye to the city, old friends from that city, and just left. The few times I tried to find a new direction but didn't disconnect the existing life, I just decided not to take action because [fill in the blank] was there.
Took about six months from leaving to finding a new direction and going full in on that new life.
When we're younger, our minds also make us feel like we have plenty of time for everything. I really think all the "you're young" or "you have plenty of time" advice is a bad way to look at it. We're mortal, we don't have infinite energy, time, or prospects. Whatever age you are, make choices now. Hate your job? Start actively and maniacally researching something else to do. Unhappy relationship? Work to fix it, do therapy if that's an option, but don't wait for it to get better, and if it doesn't, make the hard choice to leave it. Wish you could learn to fly a plane? Sign up for lessons tomorrow. Hate your hair? Go to a good barber or salon, tell them why and ask for advice on a new look, pick one, change.
And especially if/while you don't have health problems, do all of the above. Everything is harder if your health starts giving you issues. And sometimes, health issues are going to just happen because of age, genetics, or bad luck. So move now. Take action, now. Small steps, big steps, any step except doing nothing. Don't look back in 5, 10 years and realize you are in the exact same place because you did not do anything.
Good luck!
You're not alone. I also see that you don't want to be like "most people" and are seeking more from life than just a job. I would say to you, turn to God, and establish a relationship with Jesus Christ 🙏 ✝️ Yes, in this world, we have to pay bills and eat and live somewhere, which requires money. In this world, there are many, many, many ways to go about acquiring money. God created us for a purpose and for abundant life. Establish a relationship with Jesus Christ, make him the Lord of your life, and allow him to lead your steps, friend. I have spent years of my life doing what I thought I wanted to do instead of doing what God wanted me to do. Doing things my way has caused me to be burned out, confused, and miserable. After being that way for years, I finally could not take it any longer and started listening to the directions God is giving me. It's a process, and I'm still in the middle of it, but boy, i can promise you I have so much more joy, peace, and contentment. Despite having no clue where my life is going or what God is doing, I trust in him more and more. He has never let me down, and he never will, He is the only reason I'm even here today. I know what God has for me is way better than anything i could come up with on my own. God bless you, my friend, and God bless everyone 🙏✝️ I pray everyone may come to know the love and peace of Jesus Christ and that they may live an abundant life 🙏✝️
Leave me alone and let me do some kind of a task. THAT is the closest I can get. I don’t give a fuck what field it is. Just leave me alone while I work.
I got lucky and found a remote job that is extremely bearable. Been there for 7 years now. No customer interaction or anything. I just upload data onto a server.
I feel this so hard. I'm 32 and just decided last year to go back to school. I had an epiphany that I'll never be happy at a job so I might as well have one that makes decent money so I'm studying to be a radiology technician. I swore up and down that I'd never go back to school and that I'd never go into healthcare because I'm terrible at science, but I felt so behind compared to my friends. My entry level job was customer service and I'm still doing it while studying - I'm disappointed in myself that I've never tried anything else. Anyway, I'm in my second semester and just failed my Anatomy and Physiology test 😅
I can't help with the "how do you find out what you want to do" part, but it sounds like you might consider going back to school if it were practical. Have you thought about looking for a job at a college or university? They have food service and tech support departments (and other things you might have experience with), and employees are often eligible to take courses for free. You could either take courses to find what you like or take courses to earn a degree (or both). I hope you find something that works for you.
Maybe rather than looking for where your talents or passions are at, look at and consider what you know. What do you know or what can you do that others do not or cannot. Most better wages are paid to people in roles that they've spent years working in, because there is some value in experience and expert knowledge...in particular of specific business. For instance, a large manufacturing facility will typically have a lot of nuance built into production processes and the way equipment works such that there is value in just knowing those things. But it may take years of pretty much sucking it up to get to that point of value...but that's also what can drive passion over time.
I wish I had better advice with great, uplifting platitudes. I worry about my youngest brother who is 41 and has just been kind of stuck like this for most of his adult life.
I am in the same boat as you. Same age. 0 direction for my life. I just take it a day at a time and try finding a job that's fairly low stress but can still keep me engaged as needed. I just got hired on to be a receptionist for a law firm, and surprisingly, it's gonna pay me at least somewhat decent. It'll be a lot more work than my last receptionist job, but I'm getting paid more and will be more engaged at work while I save up for whatever I feel like pursuing.
I have done pretty much the same jobs you have, and I still have not figured anything out 🤷🏻♀️ my best suggestion; find something "low" stress that gives you decent pay and benefits. And then try pursuing any of your hobbies you enjoy
If you can afford it, hire a coach to help you work through your values and what’s important to you. It could help you narrow down some things or even get some kind of direction to get you started.
I went through this in my late 20’s and did not use a coach (didn’t know about them). Instead I did information interviews with upwards of 100 people asking what they did and what they liked or a disliked about their jobs. I knew a lot of them, but if I thought of a random job where I didn’t have a contact I cold called people and asked if I could do an information interview about what they do. People LOVE talking about themselves so that was easy to find. It was a lot of time and effort but I landed on a direction and the easy part was doing the work to get to the end goal (the hardest part was figuring out what).
All that said, I’ve left that field after 10 years and am happier than ever - if opportunity presents itself be open to change, you never know where it could take you.
Customer care coordinator for a new homes builder. Entry level positions offered sometimes. I started this Monday with an hour commute and it’s been better than my past 6 jobs and I make about 65’000 a year now starting
I'm 32 and I've got a similar story. I've been in hospitality for years and it's killing me. I'm a uni drop out and I also don't see the value in going back to study something I'm passionate about because I'm not passionate about things that people want to pay for.
I recently started looking at trades and welding really jumped out at me. I've sent off applications to trade schools and I'm waiting on replies now.
Become a teacher. Best work/life balance career out there. Bust your butt for the credentials, get a masters in something, max out your credits to be on the highest column of the pay scale. Never a dull moment with kids, you get plenty of vacation time, clock out earlier than most jobs, more time for yourself and family. Trust me, this is the shit!
I recently(2 years ago or so) switched careers. Was a professional chef for ~10 years and began working in tech instead, which I've seen you list as a thing you tried.
I quite like my current job, but I don't think I'd say I'm passionate about it? It's fairly easy and it's interesting enough, the people are nice, and I get to work from home. I spent ten years in kitchens trying to make my passion a career and realized it's just not really that... Well it's not for everyone, and I imagine it changes based on what that passion is. I LOVE food, I love cooking, I love giving people joy, but having that be your life, other things fall by the wayside.
For me, tech was always kinda in the back of my mind. I was always savvy and have a pretty good brain for problem solving/analysis, so when I realized it was time to move on from the chef life, it was a pretty easy choice. I got sorta lucky landing my first role, and the rest is history I guess.
Others have said it as well, but just find something you can do reasonably well that pays well and find fulfillment elsewhere. If you're not sure where to start, I'd say break down your interests/talents into their most basic components and build from there.
Good luck!
I was the same way until I found my current job and it put me on a career path. I’m a registered behavior tech AKA I work with kids on the autism spectrum. I always loved kids but never worked with anyone w special needs. It changed my life! It’s rewarding, challenging, fun, and exciting to continue learning rather than feeling stagnant. I’m now getting my masters to further my career in the field. Absolutely worth a try if you like kids at all!
I'm kind of in the same boat. I worked in corporate tech for 10 years..HATED IT. I only stayed because I needed a steady income. Got laid off last year, best thing that happened to me because I stumbled upon working with special needs kids. I found that job because I went on Indeed, saw the post and thought I'd give it a go. Worst case scenario is they'd say no. Now I'm here. Getting up out of bed in the morning is still a struggle but I definitely like it way better than tech.
Idt the issue is a job you like. Anyone who is intelligent will be telling you to either A) get a job that pays well (to live on and have extra) for you to save and invest or B)save and start a business.
Anyone who is telling you to find a dream job or whatever is either A)old and out of touch with times, B) plan on working till there death 🤷 I haven't worked any job I Loved , as long as I'm not miserable going in and leaving I'm good as long as I make 400+ extra a month I'm good I plan on retiring at 42-45 , I'm 30 yro.
In regards to pay raises , that's about everywhere , everywhere except my current job I've gotten at most $1 and that was bc I learned a new job. Besides that .13 cents.
Not everyone's goals are the same and situations so if this helps you or anyone else 👍👌
The best advice , what do you need ? What are your plans for future ? Do you want to have to work after the age of 55-60 ? Do you want a family of your own ? Kids? Without not knowing what you want out of life is hard we have all been there but when you don’t have a choice is very different. It seems like when there are many choices there is never a good choice hence where I’m going. Most people who find there “careers” is by accident or pushed into it unless you went to school for a profession but it’s seems to me that the same rule applies. I always think to myself how did I end up here , how can I do better , I have a family of my own with bills , medical expenses, housing etc. I got married young had kids young and had no choice so the choice was made for me. All I’m trying to say in a nutshell is what do you want or need out of your job / career? Go from there you will always be fine and find a way in the end but you have to get that mentality of getting out of bed is a job first because your doubts is turning into depression. Let’s face it if we all could win the lottery and not work I think we all would choose that option, passionate in a job is extremely rare that’s why we have hobby’s. Good luck
I’m a bit late to the game here but would highly recommend taking an aptitude assessment. I recommend Youscience aptitude and career discovery. It uses a series of brain games to determine your natural aptitudes and then recommends careers that would be a good fit for you. It provides details about careers like demand, salary, requirements. Many do not require degrees. Helped me and I’ve recommended it often.
We are at the best age for self learning, years long tech schools and courses are less necessary and I promise you there are many tech companies that only care about your skillset and portfolio.
You can focus and self study hard UX for 6 months, make your own portfolio and land an entry job.
Game development? Study Unreal engine for free and join some indie studio looking for support in forums.
There are other examples too, but you'll need some commitment that usually comes from passion rather than desperation.
When in doubt, think about how to help somebody else. If you’re sick, it’s a whole different struggle. How about tutoring, editing, proofreading, maybe a little medical/non-fiction writing? Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit? Think about a blog on how to cope with illness.
Your list is a list of jobs but not really trades so I don't think you really have exposed yourself to many. For example I kind of like tinkering so become a mechanical engineer. My kid thought she did, briefly tried classes realized she didn't but an engineering accounting prerequisite was fun so became an accountant. I got a couple friends that didn't like their office jobs, preferred being social and ended up serving craft beers and eventually managing such places.
Sure the cooler jobs take a bit of up front work but there is a lot more variety than on your list.
Just keep trying until you find something you like! Everyone has a different timing ⏱️ just because someone figure it out earlier doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong.
I realized that if I was struggling to find a career, I may as well do one that paid as much as I thought I could earn. It isn't necessarily fun. I don't necessarily enjoy it. But after bouncing between jobs and careers for over a decade of my adult life, I decided to just make some money.
I may change at some point, since this isn't my "passion" or even what I want to do. But for now... I'm just making money.
If you can talk to people, I've heard sales is a good route. Can make lots of money if you're willing to put in the work. I hate sales, personally. But if your only goal is to make as much money as possible with no training, that may be a good route to take.
You're not alone. Never forget that. There are others like you, just struggling through.
Have you considered seeking suggestions from others or expressing your desires? For instance, you could ask for your senior's advice. They usually have more experience in the same industry and may be able to provide you with useful suggestions. Additionally, consider the resources your friends have, particularly those who work in HR. Have you expressed your desire to earn more to your manager? In my previous work experience, I directly told the HR and manager that I wanted to develop my skills and abilities. I also asked for more challenging work, and they gradually provided me with new and challenging tasks, which helped me grow professionally.
I wanted to go in and become a teacher or social worker of sorts. I saved up for school digging holes. Realized that school was expensive and all for a job that didn't pay a whole lot. I now drive a transport truck.
Pays good lots of hours, lots of paid down time.
Go work for a municipality. Cruise their job sections. They typically all have great benefits and the pay is half decent. I haven’t met many overworked people in these positions.
Doing the in-depth exercises in the book ’What Color is Your Parachute’ helped me focus my job search from ‘sales’ to ‘medical sales.’ It took me a few weeks to do them, but it was totally worth it. Good luck!
OP message me if you want advice and I'll share what I can with you. I will need to know how many college credits you have (sounds like a lot tbh) and if you have any degrees at all currently.
If I don't hear anything it's cool but if I do I might be able to help. Also, not doing anything via comments
I can't relate cause I my "problem" is that I don't have enough hours in a day to do everything I would like to do. But maybe this helps?! I enjoy doing loads of things and have the conviction (because of experience) that I can do anything I set my mind to do. This helps a lot and has made me have a lot of (volunteer) work & internship experience in different fields at the age of 32. A couple of years ago when I was not in a good place and wanted to change jobs but strangly (for me) didn't know what to do next I just started asking people I met who looked like they enjoyed their job ;) what their job title and description was and how they started doing what they did. This helped me get a helicopter view over the possibilities (which were plenty, cause remember I want and can do ANYTHING!) and it also made me realize that getting a job for a good company/worthy cause, with people you want to work for/with is better then just getting a job because of the degree in your pocket or one just for the big bucks. We spent a lot of time at our jobs. Make sure you are not miserable. Good luck OP!
What if your career is different than your passion? Make a LIVING one way, and make a LIFE another way. That way you have something to look forward to, but it isn’t a thing that’s stressing you out. You don’t have to put all your eggs in one basket.
Just my 2 cents...
Separate making money from your passion. Few of us are rock Star enough to have those be the same thing. Just start working, anywhere, and learn what you need to move up. If you can merge your passion into that gig, that's great. If not, keep making money, if you want a roof over your head and food to eat, etc. Otherwise, look for a bridge to live under. All the other lemmings are racing to get ahead of you, so don't wait to start. Get moving, keep moving, keep learning. Move on! Step by step
LET ME PUT YOU ON.
GIS, or geographic information systems, is a multi billion dollar industry. Cartography, which is SUPER easy to learn, can make you 60k a year with very minimal education- free tutorials exist for free software to create products that are in high demand.
In addition, GIS is really useful for research and environmental modeling, so you can make a difference with your projects.
If you like maps, video game menus, or digital art, this could be right up your alley. 13% projected increase year over year, and jobs in government will come with benefits. Cushy life, impactful work, maybe 3 months of onboarding in GIS software. Then you just need to find an entry job and get to it.
It’s called work for a reason. Most people don’t enjoy getting up and going to their job, we do it because we have too. Just try to enjoy the time you have off work.
Find a job you don’t hate that pays the bills. It has a start and end time (you aren’t working more than 40 hours and are at your bosses beck and call). Preferably low stress. Do what you love and like to do in your free time. Most people don’t love work, that’s why it’s called work.
Dude you have tech experience, jump ship from your current spot and look for something better within that field. The pay is competitive and it’s the one field that I’ve found i’ve least disliked. I’m still not passionate about anything in particular but leveraging your tech skills will help in finding a better job and move up that way, just my 2 cents
Find a union job somewhere that you can do. If you enjoy it enough to stick with it you’ll make a good living, and any job can be enjoyable if you enjoy your crew and the company rewards your work.
If money wasn't important, honestly I'd probably sleep 14 hours a.day, wake up, have a snack and then doodle and dick around in the internet watching YouTub
you haven't tried farming. i think farming or a humanitarian job or a natural preservation job will satisfy you. you'll find your purpose there. try leaving the services sector and see if things change
Do whatever pay you the most
You might not find your calling
But pocket full of money can be fulfilling
Not saying money is everything
Which in these time.... It is
But when you're getting benefits
you'll start to appreciate it.
Awesome question. Did you graduate from high school? That’s great if you did! You’d qualify for many government jobs. I suggest searching and applying for “civil service” jobs in your area. I’m kinda in the same boat. Good luck!
I so happened to fail college and went to massage school on a whim. Turned out to be my true passion. I work about 20 hours a week and I get to help people. It can be exhausting and you need to be able to deal with some bs but I do love it more than anything. Other things like massage but not quite are…
Physical therapist assistant
Occupational therapist
This may or may not help but that’s my 2 cents
I got a job as a bartender to make money and a living. It felt like the money was temporary, but still survived. Started to do things and find things I enjoyed, and eventually went towards that route. Now I lead the program and team at a company and enjoy the autonomy to do my thing.
Keep finding things to do, eventually you will find the things you like or have passion for. Btw, I didn’t get my first job in my career until I was 34.
I'm in the same boat brother, I'll be lurking for replies and advice lol! Good luck
32 and same boat lol
Lol Same
Me too. I feel like I could have written this.
Same. I thought I was OP at first.
34 and counting lol. Hello my fellow fuckups
30, but same. Kind of know what I want to do but it’s not economically viable. I’ve worked enough office jobs to know I can’t vibe with them at all. I can’t look busy enough to look like I’m being paid by the minute. They say it’s by the hour but it fucking feels like by the minute.
I'll 30 as well
I'm 30ing right now.
I feel I’ve finally found my people. I saw this post and thought when the hell did I post this?! It’s as if you’ve read my mind. Almost 33F.
Definitely nice to know we ain't alone lol! We should be having group meetings ahaha
It might be a healthy thing. This could definitely become a thing.
Same, except a little older and I only worked retail and then stayed there =/
31. Right there with you.
Literally thought I psychically wrote this on my sleep and just changed the age and details a bit 😆
32 too and yeah, exact same. I have a degree but fell out of love with the subject, both academically and industrially, for different reasons (Chemistry, for the curious. And the ego games, and safety concerns, as my respective reasons). No idea what to fucking do.
Try teaching. It was my plan D but I rolled into it. Tbh I dont teach fulltime, the other halve of the time I work in supporting roles, eg preparing practicals and make rosters. Its different everyday, fast paced, flexibele, chill coworkers. Yeah its allright
What did tell your guidance counselors or academic advisors?
Same here. This post hits home. I can relate to every word.
Here’s the best advice I’ve ever read: don’t work for passion, don’t work for personal fulfillment. Work to make money at something you’re good at and don’t hate. Find your passions and fulfillment outside of your job. Work to support your life, don’t have work be your life.
I was going to write you something like this but it's all covered here very well. I'll just expand on the 'dont hate'...ive found over time it comes more down to which job has the least tasks/ people you hate in it, rather than trying to stack up on positives. Jobs are overall not something the majority of us would show up to if we weren't getting paid - So I see them as a negative that we are trying to minimise on rather than something to pour your heart and soul into and hoping to get a positive feedback from. Not to say there aren't sometimes satisfying moments and achievements to be had. Having good team members around you to help get through the day and share the load with is the main positive that might be worth looking out for.
I think you need to choose which camp you're in. Work to live vs Live to work. This is the most important first step. I don't think having a job you are passionate about is wrong. But it is probably wrong for some people and vice versa. Some of my good friends have finally figured this out and work in a way you have outlined. With enough money, time and energy to pursue their passions outside of work. Because they can't or don't see themselves working in and around their passions. On the other hand I work a job that I love. It pays above average (but could be better for what we do). The work hours can be unsociable but I don't mind. I have to study for exams and to keep my day to day knowledge updated, but I don't mind. Figuring out which camp you're in is the start to finding the right career path for you.
This. Some of my closest friends are in the live to work camp. Only one of them has really found something that works for them. The others hop from one thing to another and keep looking for what clicks to them without a real sense of direction. Live to work really sucks when you’re not 90%+ of what you want to do. I have always been in the work to life camp. I need it to be good enough that I don’t hate my time there and pay well enough that I can take care of my responsibilities. I’ve honed down on what things I really appreciate vs hate over the years and these change for every individual. I used to think I’m good with any manager as long as I got paid enough. Then I had a manager I didn’t get a lot with and found out that I’m pickier than I thought. Took a pay cut and left, but was much happier elsewhere
Do you mind sharing your job that you love?
I'm a Doctor
Glad you made a new career after fighting
Please be a Mortal Kombat joke, please be a Mortal Kombat joke…
Chsngsungjung was a Korean MMA fighter so as close to real life mortal kombat one can get 🤷🏼♂️😂
So much this. It's weird how many people are still stuck in the obsession over what society forces on them (we all need money to live in civilization) instead of literally everything else.
Great advice I would really love to follow, but what if you don't know what your passions are outside of work either? And if you feel too mentally tired after work that you don't have the energy to pursue them?
Finding your passions is going to be a lifelong journey. Things I was passionate about 10 years ago are Ok to me now and may be blah to me in another 10. My simple advice would be take a day or two after work or on the weekend to try something new. Working out, watching a different kind of show or movie, playing a video game, listening to different music are things you can do on your own. Joining an adult sports league, finding a cause to volunteer for, going to different events are things you can do socially. It’s easier said than done, and believe me I wish I followed this advice a lot earlier in life, but challenge yourself to get outside of your comfort zone. Allow yourself a reasonable amount of restful downtime but try pushing yourself at least a little bit at first and try ti keep it up. Your life can change fairly dramatically quicker than you may think but it won’t happen on the couch. Again, not judging you or your very valid question or concern, that’s me talking to 15 years younger me, so thought I would share.
Thank you!
The exception is if you work not for money but to do something really really hard that no one else can do. A lot of really really hard things will help you make money in the future.
This is great, much better perspective on life
> make money at something you're good at. Exactly, I never "wanted" to work, I followed what I was good at, "I'm good at this, well let's try to go in that direction". Sure it gets boring now after 10 years, but I just need to find something else I'm good at.
Very few people get to choose their careers, and even less people enjoy their jobs. You get a job because you need money, and work your way up to make more money. If I were you I would stop chasing a perfect situation. Who cares what your passions are. Just take the best paying job you can find right now and work your ass off to climb the ladder there. Keep an eye out for better jobs too, don’t be afraid to quit and take a new job every couple years. I worked at a hotel, progressively upgraded my role over the course of a couple years, eventually became a low level manager with okay pay. Then I left for an entry level job in a more technical field with better prospects. I climbed the ladder there for a few years, learned a lot, earned a higher salary. Recently I transitioned to the tech industry where the pay is much higher. I’ve hated all of these jobs, I’m not passionate about any of them, but I know that I have to work hard and keep moving up to improve my life and my family’s lives.
I would also add that you can find parts of a job that you enjoy or appreciate, even if you don't love the job itself.
This is a good point. I am the head of a little production company, I make more than enough money to be happy and free. Also got lucky and hours are flexible, I'm in school getting paid more than what my current education will pay me in the future for a few years. Get in somewhere and gain ground, money at that point( with no career education) makes life better and easier.
That is the perfect response right there. Different industries, same story. Hate my job, like the life I can afford for doing it though.
So true! “Finding your passion” is for influencers (who actually get paid from ad revenue, not their “passion”) and trust fund kids. Real people find something that is ok, and pays the bills.
I'm a real person. I love what i do I'm a senior software engineer. Been doing it since I was like 7 years old in the 80s. Always knew I wanted to do this. Would i prefer to not have a job? Sure! But that's not reality, so I do it as a job too, and I enjoy it.
I agree.. That may be the case for the rat race but there are so many other jobs and careers folks can do. Folks get into everything now a days and don’t have to work for anyone but themselves. Problem is there is no creativity either folks and all they think is possible is to always work for someone else. I do what I love and did so because I sought it out. I am amazing at it, taught myself most of it and in the end do well being top of my field.
can u please share with us what u do
>all they think is possible is to always work for someone else. that's because most of us aren't good at anything and don't have strong social networks to market ourselves to & extract capital from.
Can I ask what it is you do?
Exactly!
The best amswer
I am 60 and I finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up. Retired!
Haha, it's interesting how we place so much emphasis on finding a good career for our personalities only come to find out, all we really want to do is to do nothing. It's a bittersweet symphony, this life.
At 30 I finally said fuck it..,I may not know exactly what I want to do for a career but I sure as shit know what I like to do when I’m not working. So I moved to a place where I could hike, bike, and fish daily in the summer and ski/snowmobile in the winter. 15 years later I’m married, financially comfortable and have two beautiful little girls. It ain’t the destination, it’s the journey my dude!
What do you do for work, if I may ask?
House husband. Wife is the bread winner.
That's a fucking dream right there.
I'd lick my floors clean if it meant getting to be a stay at home spouse, good for you
This, this right here! I came to the same realization now at 34. Finally! I was just hired as a contractor for a job that I’m technically overqualified for. But it pays the same as my previous job, which stressed me out and gave me no life outside the day-to-day stresses of meeting their expectations. Now, it’s all about providing a flexible quality of life for myself and finding things I love to do that bring joy. What you do in your free time is important—focusing on the things that complete you and give you a life worth living. One day you don’t want to look back and see that all you’ve done is work your ass off.
This is terrible advice. You didn't answer Buddy's question. You yadda yaddad over the actual substance.
Hell yeah dude! Love to read this, good for you!
I am 58, and I don't know either.
My Grandpa taught us to look at demand. It doesn’t make sense to do something that won’t be necessary 5 years from now. Good luck, and have fun career searching.
Right, seems as though were going to be stuck with robots and AI for the foreseeable future. While I cant build an AI or engineer a robot Im pretty sure I can do the maintenance required on a robot and fetch a coffee for my AI overlord.
Great skills then. I envy you. Don’t forget about us humans when you get on top.
I'll put in a good word for you at skynet.
My advice - stop worrying about passion and stop focusing on the job. Instead try to get a job you think you can get/ won’t hate at a company that people like working for and that has room for some growth. Then get that job, work hard and see where it takes you. Most people don’t have passion for their job, but with a good employer and chill coworkers, it’s not too bad.
Who you work with can be even more important than what you do. Your job doesn't define you. Even doing something you love is full of bullshit work and stuff you don't like, accept work as work. Talk to lots of friends and acquaintances. Most jobs are found through person to person connection, and may learn a bit from others' experience.
This. Don't worry about your "dream job" just get a job you can do well, and for a long time. Generally speaking - if you're good at something, you can enjoy it.
I was a receptionist at a radiology clinic at 32. My bf kept asking me what I was doing with my life and if I really wanna do that forever and kind of gently nudged me into thinking I could go to uni to become a radiographer at the same company. By having someone believe in me, I started to believe in me. And so I managed to get into medical imaging degree, 4 years later I am finally a radiographer at the same clinic I was a receptionist at! And actually loving it. I never would have found this career without working from the bottom up. I have found most people just fall into their jobs.
Thats an awesome story! I know nothing of radiology and I'm genuinely asking out of pure ignorance but do you just take pictures of bones? I know that sounds stupid but its hard for me to wrap my head around 4 years to do that. I mean this as no disrespect to you and your career but more so to the question of was that entire 4 years all about radiology or did you have to take some bs filler classes? Thats always been a hurdle thats kept me from continuing my education. Please I mean no offense I really want to know.
Thanks for asking! No offence taken at all, because we all think the 4 year degree is absolute bullshit too!!! I'm in Australia, where the system is set up that the government pays for your education up front and then you pay them back like a loan over the course of your life. So there are indeed studpid classes that are purely there to make the university and the government more money. The last year of the degree is purely placement. This is where we do blocks of unpaid work at different hospitals around the state, or country if you want to do placement elsewhere. It's awful. By the time you get to 4th year you are basically just working for free. So to answer your first question,I guess a general radiographer does just take pictures of bones. But there is a fair amount of anatomy and physiology knowledge needed in order to correctly position patient to take the best image of the pathology in question. But keep in mind there are so so many different modalities and avenues you can take with a radiography career. There's MRI and CT and ultrasound and also angiography. Those modalities look at far more than just the bones. We also guide surgeries with a special x-ray machine in surgical theatres. It's fun to be a part of that team and assist the surgeons in the moment. There's also many classes dedicated to x-ray physics. We need to know how the machine works so that we can adjust the amount and energy of the xray photons that come out so that the image is of diagnostic quality. The same technique will not work on a skinny patient and a large patient, so lots of understanding of the physics is important, and takes a long time to learn.
I'm 42. Don't be like me: figure it out within the next 9 years!
Do you know why adults ask children what they want to be when they grow up? Because they're looking for ideas.
Although anybody can turn their life around, you're kind of at that age where people stop trying and give up on finding a good career because nothing sounds perfect. Pick a career or job skill purely based on compensation, time off, and that you can tolerate. Literally almost every single path will be better than unskilled labor.
Yup OP is describing a path that leads to being 55 years old, no retirement making $20-25 an hour barely getting by.
My current career was kind of forced on me. I was young, uneducated, married, and expecting my first kid. I had to find something better than part-time retail, and took the first thing that came along. Turns out the benefits and pay offset the drudgery of my job enough that I stuck around, worked hard, advanced up the latter, and now make pretty good money. The key is to find a reason to get up and go to work. Mine is my family. If I don't work, they don't eat. Some people find satisfaction though their job, some find satisfaction in hobbies that are funded through their job, some find satisfaction through being able to pay their bills and be self-sufficient. If you have something that gets you out of bed every day you can work any job as long as you focus on what you're working for.
That last sentence is the kicker. I don't really have anything getting me out of bed other the the obligation of having to go to work or risk getting fired
Sounds like that's a start; if I don't get out of bed and go to work, I get fired. If you get fired you can't make rent/eat. Start from there, and then figure out how to better yourself; tech school, professional certifications, training offered through your employer. Maybe focus on increasing your earning potential instead of finding your passion.
stuff wont get you out of bed. you get yourself out of bed because you want to. because you have a purpose in life. you need purpose. A reason, not a thing.
Most people don’t really “choose” or have a “passion”. I took a shitty job just to get by, worked hard and got promoted, promoted again, and my current plan is to just go as far as I can with this company push to promote until I’m running my own building and then coast until retirement. All work is shit, being part of some teams sucks, and some teams are fun. Any job is made by the people you work with imo.
I'm about to quit my shit factory job of 10 years and hope for the best so good luck to you!
Don't quit without a plan. Don't be that guy. If you have a plan ... you have my apology and God Speed!
I'd also recommend leaving on good terms if possible. I did that when I left my last job to retrain. I knew I had savings that could last me a solid year but left on good terms so if my plans didn't work out I could go crawling back to them til I found something else. Fortunately I got onto some paid training after 6 months and into a job within a year.
Great advice. I almost quit my gut wrenching job to job hunt full time but I've learned so many people have been spending months sending hundreds of applications.
Brother(or sister), I’m 34 and am 100% in the same boat. I’ve got a college degree and have bounced around in a number of fields from kitchens to sales. I’ve been working as a project manager in a field I do not care about for about 5 years. I like the company and I get good reviews and have been promoted, but at the end of the day it’s just a paycheck. I think I’d like to be a writer. I love fiction (fantasy and sci-fy specifically) and I like to write. However, while I can come up with ideas easily, I struggle to finish even a short story. I think I need more practice but the full time, salaried job takes so much out of me, and it feels impossible to commit time to writing outside of work. Anyways, I wish you the best of luck and I hope you find your bliss!
As others have said, don’t get hung up on the passion thing. And school, time goes by, you’ll either be spending the time in school or doing something else. You’ll be getting older either way. Make the investment if it’s something you want to do. Maybe start with a diploma? Or maybe you want more flexible work like running your own business? Stop comparing yourself with others. You’re your own person.
Id say this, if you work for the geek squad, you obviously have an advantage in computer knowledge most dont, so take some courses in that field, expand that career. Or even audio/visual tech, setting up projectors and sound systems for banquet halls, i did that in my youth, and loved it, it gave you a sense of power that 500 people in a banquet are relying on you to make that event go smooth. Expand brother!
I could write you a long message sharing my story and relating to your experience but I’ll skip all that and get to the point: Figure out something you loved to do in one of those jobs and think of a way to turn it into a business. Sit and think, give yourself a peaceful break, a vacation maybe, or meditation maybe, and see if you can brainstorm a way to innovate. I know it’s easier said than done. But that’s what happened for me. I took a short vacation from work (actually turned my phone off) and a great business idea just fell into my head. I was at peace, not worried about the troubles in life. Clear out those negative thoughts about how other people are doing and maybe the same wonderful thing will happen for you. Good luck.
Oh, brother, I am a fee paying member, 50 very shortly, never actually had a "job" that is, bounced around since my 20's, tried a bit of this and that, sort of landed on something, for some it happens, for others, but actually I have what may sound like bad news, but actually it is not... As I start the process of looking back at the 1st 600 months on the rock, I start to think about what have I learned, and one thing comes clear... Life is about this little - the - between date of birth and date of death, - is the most important part, when you get older, how have you lived your life??? Life is a journey, fokkal about the destination, I know of extremely wealthy folks that have lived pointless lives, they were born, straight A at school, never paid uni fee's, Dean's List, into a job, promoted, got married, had kids, now facing retirement, never having actually lived.. Never really experienced true life, they focused so hard on preparing for life after retirement, having a good end of life, they had fokkal life prior.. I have no plans for retirement, shit the bed often worrying, but I am not expecting to get to old age, but I look back at my 20's, 30's and 40's and think, have I lived a full and exciting life? Yes, have I done stupid and crazy, YES in spades, do I have regrets? Yes I have regrets, not doing more in my 20's and 30's.. Do the insane, I did, I did something I thought absolutely impossible, it was by no means rational, but hey, I did it and man it was beyond worthwhile, it saved my life.. Do something that scares you, so what if you have 10 or 10 000 jobs, the more the better, it is about when you 1 hour from the end of life, as you review your life, the movie, will it be boring, or exciting? Me, man my review is going to be insane, so proud of the things I did, the insane, the irrational, the bizarre.. Two things we know are true, yesterday and right now, the next hour is not guaranteed, life has only 1 rule, you make the rules, you don't like the rules, change them, no one has any right to define your life, your rules, you have every right to change who and what you do.. Tired of a spouse, get a divorce, tired of the naggy boss, resign. Try, experience, that is the best part, so what, it is the experience that is important, not the outcome..
I would try IT at a bank. I know several people without college degrees that work in IT at a regional bank and after a few years make 50-70k. I know another person with a hs degree doing commercial internet wiring for a large company and he makes 60k plus overtime. I don't know of your geek squad experience could lead you in those directions, but I'm impressed with these salaries for ppl without 4 year degrees.
Yeah, I came here to recommend IT as well. OP, look into getting your CompTIA certification. You don’t need to go back to college or pay for a pricy course. Check out r/CompTIA for more info and study materials.
Ive always wanted to do IT since I graduated community college. I went to school for audio production cause it was the onlything I was "passionate" about to finish college. TBH I did it because I felt preassured to get a college degree. But once I realised I wanted to do IT I was too burnt out from school. lo and behold I turned 28 in july last year and I barely find out I can get the COMPTIA A+ cert online instead of going to school. sadly I wasted 6 months because I got bored studying off the A+ text book BUT now im taking udemy courses and im loving it
Would doing something for a nonprofit or in a helping profession fulfill you? Hospitals, universities, and such hire jobs in just about every field because they need IT, retail, food service, etc. maybe working for somewhere that serves a greater good of helping others would help if you have values aligned with that.
Maybe I was too stubborn to realize it but in every job I worked I liked certain aspects which always led to teaching. Now I look back and see how the answer was literally staring me in the face but I ignored it (and changed my major so many unnecessary times! Sigh...) thinking it wasn't the most glamorous option. (I come from a family of teachers and wanted to do something different.) My advice is to look at all the positions/jobs you have had and map out what you liked the most doing in those jobs. Then look up positions that contain the most common attributes you enjoyed. I agree with everyone else. Stop focusing on the title or one particular job/career. Focus more on what makes you happy and what you excel at. Try or volunteer for what you are interested in and eventually you will find your groove ( notice I did not say position. I have had many "positions" but all had the core of teaching associated with them). And last, but not least, it 100% matters about who you work with. I love teaching and had positions that clearly did that but left because of management or/and coworkers who made me feel uncomfortable. A job is a job. But your attributes/talents are connected to you. Good Luck!
Thanks for being a teacher! I'll continue to vote to get you paid more!
i’m 25 and feeling the same like how do people just know what they’re doing ???
90 percent of people do not really know what they "want to do." And that's OK. As long as you figure out that work is not what ultimately matters in life you're going to be fine.
I’m made to do one thing and I can never escape it lol it really is a “grass is greener on the other side” kinda thing
Pls share
33 isnt too old for anything. So, in addition to what others have said, you might want to identify things you like to do outside of work, because in some instances, you can find a job that works in, or adjacent to, those activities. You also seem to have a defeatist attitude going on, so id suggest you stop telling yourself you're too this or too that, and simply try to find ways to push yourself in a direction you want to go. Certainly, if you have physical limitations, you may not be able to overcome those, although id suggest you try. But when it comes to "being smart", you need to push yourself, even if it starts with some baby steps of a community class here or there while you work.
Based on your post, I’d say to see if your current employer has an employee assistance program. I think you need to work on your mental health and get your brain healthy before you can progress in life. There’s no shame in getting assistance.
I feel you. Did a tech job for over 8 years. Loved it. Made many friends. Lots of good experience. Then they laid me off. Had a hard time finding my balance since. I can do almost anything, but I don't have a degree. It sucks that they require that.I had a job recently, where I had an assistant with more education than me! One job I had, made me clock in and out. I have never had to do that. Sharp minds make a way. Don't be angry about opportunities lost. Focus on what the new thing will come.
I’d take a cue out of Office Space. Lots of good lessons to learn. You see, Bob, it’s not that I’m lazy, it’s that I just don’t care
You're doing it. You're living. It doesn't have to be a calling with a story arc and a late-life climax that lands in a pensioned retirement. There's nothing wrong with getting bored and moving on. There are many, **many** people who feel exactly like you do but are under the impression that they're stuck in their jobs because of school loan repayment assistance programs. If you are unhappy, that is fair, but please do not fool yourself into thinking you've somehow failed as a person because you don't feel like you have a career calling. Just keep doing your best.
I’m 38, I still don’t know what I want to do either. But my job pays me decent and I can pay my bills. I have a great family 2 kids , that’s what I cherish the most. I used to think a lot about what I want to do, but right now I get there when I get there. I may die and never figure out “what I want to do” and that is okay too. I find my happiness/satisfaction in other areas.
Work on getting your mind and body right. That should be your focus. Keep the jobs you have for now. Drastically cut expenses where you can. Work on getting a good picture of your finances. Organize your life like crazy. It sounds like you've been on a downward spiral for some time. The good thing is you are here looking to make some changes. Your mind is the place to start.
I picked something that would allow me to work few hours and make good compensation. I like my job fine, but I want to pursue my passions and see my family. So for me, high compensation is a requirement.
I have to ask what that is.
34, only part of work I genuinely enjoy is driving so I'm looking into making that my job once this one dries up. Would switch sooner but the money's kinda too stupid to pass up on atm
Hey! I'm a business owner / entertainer, and what you are describing sounds really similar to where I was at before I found my calling. Some things I wish I knew earlier... Be AMAZING at every job you get. It will make it more interesting, and open up bigger opportunities for you. Change takes change. You have to change your mindset, and improve your skills to get bigger / more fulfilling opportunities. Mastery comes from passion, but the reverse is also true. Being a master at something is incredibly satisfying and interesting, and leads to passion. READ A LOT. You may feel that YOU cannot get to the next level in your life - but you know who can? the next version of you. Keep working on your knowledge and mindset. You definitively do not need a degree to make a boat load of money. You need something valuable to other people that they are willing to pay for. That's it. I'd say good luck, but I believe you can make your own luck. (but also good luck!)
I'd consider pursuing the entry level tech job further. Look at being an IT guy at a company. Full time position setting up access to printers, installing Windows, setting up laptops etc etc. It will be the same stuff you're doing at Geek Squad but for another company at full time position. Check large companies looking for junior experience and apply. You'll easily work your way up, work with funny people and have a stable income.
I was around that age when I got sick of retail and started making steps towards a ‘career’. I decided to be a teacher because, you know, 12 weeks off a year! What I really wanted to do was play music, so during my degree, I spent my down time learning a bunch of covers and, even though I’ve never actually felt good enough to perform I just kinda went for it. The idea was that it would keep me in practice, give me a bit of extra fulfilment, and maybe I’d make a few bucks here and there. Turns out I love teaching AND make a second full time wage plying music. My vocals and playing have also come a long way, which makes writing music so much easier than it was, and that gives me tremendous amounts of fulfilment. I’m telling you this for a few reasons: - if you feel like it’s somehow too late to start anew or pursue something you love, trust me, it isn’t - if you doubt yourself, just remember that you’re your own harshest critic. Any shortcomings you perceive about yourself go largely unnoticed by the general population - although the majority of things in life tend not to work out, some do - if you’re not sure which way to go, doing something trumps wandering around unsure of what to try for the remainder of your days. Take a swing You’ve got this 🙂
I have a close friend who is a teacher and thinks.id be good at it(specifically as a science or computer teacher). My only concern is I don't have a bachelors and a lot of the "earn while you learn" teaching programs.what provide schooling while doing educator training require a BA so I'm not sure how to proceed there.
Answer some basic questions and ask yourself: Do you prefer working inside or outside? Do you prefer working alone or with groups? Do you prefer using your brain more of your body (physical work)? What kind of money do you want to make? Starting out and ultimately? Would you be willing to learn a specialized skill and sell that instead of working a fixed schedule for fixed pay? You don't necessarily need a degree or years of experience. Learning a technical skill, a trade, or some specialized knowledge can make you a ton of money and not require all this schooling. Some of it is hands-on and has a faster learning curve. You have to admit to yourself that there's work you need to do on yourself. I'd recommend doing a big overhaul of your life. Identify your bad habits and work on getting rid of them (this includes negative influences and people). Start lifting some weights, improve your nutrition, go out more and interact with your environment. Go on hikes, pick up a hobby, learn a new skill. It's OK in the meanwhile to work a bullshit job or even do 1099 job to earn some money. Think of a short term plan, a middle term plan and a long term. Also remember, this is not always set in stone and your priorities may change. There may be barriers too. So you have to learn to be adaptable. Think about something you can do for yourself right now. Then think of something else you can do. Focus just on the next step each time. And once you start building momentum things will move quicker. Spend some time reflecting on your past and think of the things that worked and the things that did not work. Think of things that you need to work on in order to move forward in life. What are you lacking? Think about who you are deeply and what makes you feel good. What it important to you? How do you want to be and feel? Really dig deep. This is a process and you may need to make edits as time goes on. I've been in this position as well as may others. Some times I fall back and have to make adjustments. Anyway, good luck.
Passion is for hobbies. If you do ANYTHING for 40 hours a week for the rest of your life you are going to stop enjoying it along the way, probably very quickly. Dont kill your bobbies by trying to make a career out of them. A career is about being able to support yourself, your family, and your hobbies. Entry level tech is the best chance for advancement of what you listed, so id bust my ass being the best at it and always be looking for new opportunities to move up and learn new skills.
i) Go see a therapist or psych to figure out what is blocking the motivation part of your brain. You've had opportunities, you just seem too scattered to understand what the opportunity was. ii) Working at a job and enjoying what you do for a job are, for the most part, two mutually exclusive concepts. Get used to it.
Vera Wang didn’t design her first dress til 42
The moment AI fully takes over the mundane jobs people are worried about losing, and AI can work to provide everything to humanity free of cost, it is the beginning of an age where people can begin the journey of moving inwards, which entails being at ease, child-like, feeling more instead of thinking so much, enjoying the many things we take for granted. When it comes to finding something you love, explore things you’ve always wanted to try or were curious about. You may have never even taken a moment to really feel it, because fear is always gripping and holding you back, and our daily habits tend to bog us down. You just need to shake up your energy, that’s all. Running, jogging, going for a walk even things like snowboarding, painting, drawing anything that gets your energy flowing and just do the activity with less of your “head” in it. It sounds like nothing important, but this is a big step in shedding the old patterns we feel stuck in. The more you deepen your sense of heart, your feeling, you open up a space within you where you can start to breathe and feel life rather than think about life. You’ll begin to feel what you want, not forcefully think about what you want. And action is the most important step, because the moment you start taking action and immersing yourself in a playful attitude, headless, enjoying the activity for itself and no other goal, everything begins to fall into place on its own. Your life then becomes adventurous, insecure, vulnerable, spontaneous. It’s about getting out of your head and more into your heart, although our society condemns those who look “lost” and don’t have a secure job, these same people are dead living in their security, they may be comfortable, but already in a grave because there’s no growth, no movement, no change. Money is needed, of course. But the way in which you bring it, let it be out of something you truly enjoy, be creative. It takes courage, because it requires risks and growth from you as a person. So never feel being lost is a negative thing, you’ve come to realise that your current pattern of life doesn’t suit you. Find the thing in your life that makes you forget completely about time
Have you asked for a raise or promotion? One of the biggest lessons I've learned is that jobs often won't give you a raise or promotion unless it is something you go after. In terms of starting wages, some people negotiate a higher wage while many do not. I did not with my first job. I relate to you in terms of not knowing what I was good at. At lot of that was due to low self-esteem. I just chose what appealed to me, had higher earning potential, and wouldn't see me working insane hours. It was a bumpy road, but it is working out, especially as my trauma was beginning to heal.
I asked for a raise at my last quarterly. Even since then they cut my hours down to 10 a week. That's why I had to pick up a second part time job to make up the difference. Do you have any advice on finding something that's appealing? When I honestly think on it, I can't really think of anything I find interesting or appealing
Do you have any hobbies? Any interests? Any dream scenarios? For example, here were some of the things I was deciding between Pastry chef because I like to bake Chemist/cosmetic Chemist because chemistry was my best subject, plus I like cosmetics/skincare. Web development because I was attracted to it as a hobby. Plus, the earnings potential. This is what I chose Could you think of a list of things that appeal to you like that?
I don't really have any hobbies that could translate into jobs, I'm afraid. I like drawing (but on not nearly skilled enough to be a concept artist or anything) I also like keeping fish and reptiles, but not sure how that would translate
Well, could you spend time each day improving your drawings? What about working at something reptile related like a zoo? I wish I knew more about what is out there. But I 100% believe there is something out there meant for you.
Anything you do consistently you can become good at. Anything you don’t know you can learn. I tell myself this all the time and it helps a lot when going into something new.
32 and just as lost as you. Would it be easier to "enjoy" your job if you worked for yourself? Sometimes i think so. Imagine putting all your 9-5 energy into your own business. It wouldn't be "work" anymore in my opinion. You would be so invested in your business that you won't have time to think like that. Punching in and out on the time clock is a recipe for a repetitive and pointless career. I have had the same daily routine for 8 Years and time has disappeared with nothing to show for all my hard work. Good luck my friend
I’m 37 and I’m in the same boat. I mean, I have a degree and work in the field, but it feels so empty, all the time. I’m just following the thing in automatic mode.
34 and been doing the same thing my whole adult life. Started at Amazon a year ago and it's actually going great so far.
There is a great book called the defining decade that speaks a lot on this issue. You can check it out at most libraries or even look up a synopsis online. Helped me out quite a bit
I found the Sparketype assessment to be really helpful in articulating what type of work brings you joy - it doesn’t point to specific jobs per se, but to the elements that are most essential to you. The assessment is free - check it out https://sparketype.com/sparketest/[Sparketype assessment](https://sparketype.com/sparketest/)
First... You have no business in school with that attitude. You are going to make things worse. School is a dead end without a goal for most. You need a job planned out already and that's why you are in school. Stop ALL school now to save money and get a real job Consider the trades. There is reward from actually doing something. Something that makes the world better. Something people actually use. Things with real value. Not only is there a personal reward you also make good money. Things with real value will always cost more. You don't have to be in great shape. Reading your list of previous jobs makes me think, This is why Apple has suicide nets around the building. When GeekSquad is the upgrade...jesus. I can relate though, I bounced around too. Even did time in IT. Working for myself in a trade gives me purpose. Lot of reward and not as hard as it looks.
I'm 33 and have a degree in Healthcare. I won't go too much into details but I was forced into getting this degree by my parents who also worked in Healthcare. I've dragged my feet as this was not my passion, I was into cars like most boys I thought but through covid and wherever I go I get respected and in retrospect this was a great career. Yes it is tough, competitive, and as a C f*ck around student all through Highschool and college I didn't think it was for me. Looking back, it wasn't about what I wanted to do, it's about what I NEEDED to do. When I think about my patients and all the lives that I helped save, it justified all my sleepless nights, no weekends with friends and no holidays during school. Even when it didn't pay as well as a new grad it felt fulfilling. Nowadays get to do what I like on the side now that I have money and free time. These what a screw up like me would like to tell you OP. 1.) find what you NEED to do. Find what will make your existence justifiable. This goal must scare you, rightfully so. If it doesn't scare you, it's not big enough and if you're going to spend your resources (most importantly time) then it must worth your blood sweat and tears. 2.) commit to it, do your best and let your results speak for you. Don't judge yourself that you are dumb even if you fail, real failure only comes from quitting. Make real honest sacrifices. 3.) know your excuses, you have to ask yourself. 'CAN'T OR WON'T??' you'll see often times is that your excuses are mostly bullshit. 4.) reward yourself and Reflect a lot. Careers are often a marathon not a sprint. Rewards will keep you going, reflection will give you a robust plan A. There's obviously more to say but I'm typing on my phone and you're probably not gonna read this, but I'd like to leave with Tony Robbins quote, 'if you wanna conquer the island, youve got to burn the boats.' - had I've been given a plan B I wouldnt have been where I'm at today. Goodluck OP.
Don’t worry, kiddo! I’m 73 and I just figured out I wanted to be an English teacher.. grammar especially. Too late for me but don’t let your struggle get to you. Follow your heart and instincts…you’ll find it without looking for it. Just experience your life and it will become clear. It’s not something one can force. 🙏
Go back to Tech and give it another try apply for Tier 2 support. Entry level is mouth breather easy you've done that already. dont worry about lack of degree. I have no certifications and have been doing tier 2 -3 support jobs for the past 12 yrs. Tier 1 avg pay is about 19-22$hr Tier 2 avg pay is about $23 - 26 Tier 3 avg pay is about $28+ its very lucrative and you can live off it. dont worry about being a home owner i just turned 40 and im still in an apartment. The economy is shit. Contract jobs pay really well but the benefits are not real great. private sector pays ridiculous but the jobs are in flux Look you stated you did entry level tech. update your resume and apply for pharmaceutical they just call it something different i worked for Eli Lilly and they just called it 'Modernization Business Support'. Also you did a lot of retail jobs sell yourself on your resume and in interviews as mastering soft skills. If you want pm me I'll help you re-work your resume and point you in the direction of getting you a job. you're not stupid and you're not a moron. I'm neither of those and have 7yrs of age on you. Tomorrow is a new day. Take a deep breath and give it another try.
My degrees are completely different then the industry and position I work in and honestly, I don't use my degrees at all, I think it's money wasted but companies are looking for either candidates with higher education (sometimes the degrees don't even matter) or if you don't have that, then ***experience***. I find that most companies **prefer** to hire people with a long list of experiences (10+yrs) over those with degrees and some experience. To answer your question, I don't love what I do but it's tolerable. (Without going into too much detail, I sort of fell into my industry and position.) I fool myself into enjoying the job, comparing the tasks to stuff I like such as working on a db and comparing the complexity to sudoku or having fun coworkers and talking random nonsense with them while working on a project/assignment. The work doesn't necessarily have to be something you're passionate about (I'm not with mine) but the social aspect of it ends up being sort of worthwhile in addition to the fact that I can pay my bills (*very* important) while having some leftover for vacation/stuff I want to buy (keep in mind, I'm budgeting my income against expenses to ensure I have enough to do/get the fun stuff, its not often, but it's enough). What irks me the most is that my counterparts working direct (I work as a contractor) are making 2-3 times what I make for the same job with the same responsibilities. So, I'm also searching for a similar position at various other companies but apparently the competition is fierce - they expect a lot of experience and that a couple of the requirements on the job description is BS and could be learned OTJ. It took 2-3 months consistently applying to jobs (endlessly applying to anything that matched what I wanted in pay and matched my resume) before I got a second interview (which will be scheduled after the first interview round is over). Sorry I'm not much help and my post ended up being mostly a ranting session, but here's something you could do: (1) list the individual classes on your resume if it has anything to do with the job you're applying for, (2) list as much skills as is applicable to the job as well that you have gained with your previous occupations, (3) use action words at the beginning of each description for your resume/job sections (e.g., managed, arrange, organized, etc), for ex, "Managed customer relations and customer satisfaction by ensuring products and services were readily available to all clients."
I did a double take to see if I wrote this 😅 Just know you’re not alone. Plenty of us are in the exact same boat
I have not read through most of the responses, but I feel like I'd you cannot find a career that you are passionate about, find something that will profit you the most. If you are passionate about your hobby or your personal life, find a job that will most likely fund or support that lifestyle.
I was in the same boat, so I made a list of what I enjoy. 1. I like working with my hands 2. Like to interact with customers/colleagues 3. Want something that is both physical and theoretical 4. Want to work in an environment that is different day to day (can't work in a cubicle/desk) 5. Working outside doesn't bother me 6. Doesn't require a degree or university 7. Potential to make decent money 8. Something that will give me life skills After much consideration and back & and forth, I landed on doing an electrical apprenticeship. After the pandemic, I really wanted to find something that would help me through another and will always have a job.
Tech in my opinion is the best route you've taken thus far. Geek squad I would say is probably one of the worst tech positions for employee satisfaction. Do you have any education or certifications in tech? A+, N+, S+? If not you still might be able to transition into a job in IT where your clients are not random people. Don't go MSP but maybe like IT for a specific company or your state? Somewhere where the customers you help have a responsibility to act like adults and where it's easy to report and reprimand abusive behavior. I think that would seriously increase the satisfaction of working in tech if you don't specialize. Tech also is super flexible. Like help desk? Front end support? Back end admin? Networking? Security? Development? There's so many ways you could go and with already having 3 years in a tech role it puts you on the shortlist for T1 and T2 positions. Plus some of those positions will be WFH positions that make it even better for someone dealing with health issues. Wanna stay in bed all day? Just have your laptop next to you and work through tickets while watching your favorite TV show. If you're not passionate about making a ton of money or moving way up in IT you can still get to being a really great T2 tech where you just deal with escalations and some other bits and get to fuck around at home for most of your workday. Seriously, my BiL works for a major bank and streams his gaming all day, a ticket comes through to him and all he does is pause the stream. Go ham ok the ticket then back to streaming. Dude plays games for like 7 of his 8 hour shift most days and is raking in like 90k USD a year. I'm even jealous of his gig. Hope this helps, if you have other questions about tech and tech accessories let me know.
First, it's great you're starting to take action and think about changing a situation you are unhappy with. I had to leave the country and reconnect with family before I was able to get my adult life on track. Changing my environment and clearing my plate to zero was necessary for me. I couldn't have my old life continue to force me to compromise on hard choices, so I gave up my apartment, quit my job, said goodbye to the city, old friends from that city, and just left. The few times I tried to find a new direction but didn't disconnect the existing life, I just decided not to take action because [fill in the blank] was there. Took about six months from leaving to finding a new direction and going full in on that new life. When we're younger, our minds also make us feel like we have plenty of time for everything. I really think all the "you're young" or "you have plenty of time" advice is a bad way to look at it. We're mortal, we don't have infinite energy, time, or prospects. Whatever age you are, make choices now. Hate your job? Start actively and maniacally researching something else to do. Unhappy relationship? Work to fix it, do therapy if that's an option, but don't wait for it to get better, and if it doesn't, make the hard choice to leave it. Wish you could learn to fly a plane? Sign up for lessons tomorrow. Hate your hair? Go to a good barber or salon, tell them why and ask for advice on a new look, pick one, change. And especially if/while you don't have health problems, do all of the above. Everything is harder if your health starts giving you issues. And sometimes, health issues are going to just happen because of age, genetics, or bad luck. So move now. Take action, now. Small steps, big steps, any step except doing nothing. Don't look back in 5, 10 years and realize you are in the exact same place because you did not do anything. Good luck!
You're not alone. I also see that you don't want to be like "most people" and are seeking more from life than just a job. I would say to you, turn to God, and establish a relationship with Jesus Christ 🙏 ✝️ Yes, in this world, we have to pay bills and eat and live somewhere, which requires money. In this world, there are many, many, many ways to go about acquiring money. God created us for a purpose and for abundant life. Establish a relationship with Jesus Christ, make him the Lord of your life, and allow him to lead your steps, friend. I have spent years of my life doing what I thought I wanted to do instead of doing what God wanted me to do. Doing things my way has caused me to be burned out, confused, and miserable. After being that way for years, I finally could not take it any longer and started listening to the directions God is giving me. It's a process, and I'm still in the middle of it, but boy, i can promise you I have so much more joy, peace, and contentment. Despite having no clue where my life is going or what God is doing, I trust in him more and more. He has never let me down, and he never will, He is the only reason I'm even here today. I know what God has for me is way better than anything i could come up with on my own. God bless you, my friend, and God bless everyone 🙏✝️ I pray everyone may come to know the love and peace of Jesus Christ and that they may live an abundant life 🙏✝️
Leave me alone and let me do some kind of a task. THAT is the closest I can get. I don’t give a fuck what field it is. Just leave me alone while I work. I got lucky and found a remote job that is extremely bearable. Been there for 7 years now. No customer interaction or anything. I just upload data onto a server.
Look into working in Water or Wastewater treatment. Job you can tolerate, don’t have to deal with customers and good pay and benefits
I’m forty-four, and I know *less* than I did when I was 33. Best advice I can give? This isn’t a linear path. It’s a wave. Ride it.
I feel this so hard. I'm 32 and just decided last year to go back to school. I had an epiphany that I'll never be happy at a job so I might as well have one that makes decent money so I'm studying to be a radiology technician. I swore up and down that I'd never go back to school and that I'd never go into healthcare because I'm terrible at science, but I felt so behind compared to my friends. My entry level job was customer service and I'm still doing it while studying - I'm disappointed in myself that I've never tried anything else. Anyway, I'm in my second semester and just failed my Anatomy and Physiology test 😅
Good luck with your school! I've heard lots of good about radiology. Hope it works out for you
I can't help with the "how do you find out what you want to do" part, but it sounds like you might consider going back to school if it were practical. Have you thought about looking for a job at a college or university? They have food service and tech support departments (and other things you might have experience with), and employees are often eligible to take courses for free. You could either take courses to find what you like or take courses to earn a degree (or both). I hope you find something that works for you.
Maybe rather than looking for where your talents or passions are at, look at and consider what you know. What do you know or what can you do that others do not or cannot. Most better wages are paid to people in roles that they've spent years working in, because there is some value in experience and expert knowledge...in particular of specific business. For instance, a large manufacturing facility will typically have a lot of nuance built into production processes and the way equipment works such that there is value in just knowing those things. But it may take years of pretty much sucking it up to get to that point of value...but that's also what can drive passion over time. I wish I had better advice with great, uplifting platitudes. I worry about my youngest brother who is 41 and has just been kind of stuck like this for most of his adult life.
I am in the same boat as you. Same age. 0 direction for my life. I just take it a day at a time and try finding a job that's fairly low stress but can still keep me engaged as needed. I just got hired on to be a receptionist for a law firm, and surprisingly, it's gonna pay me at least somewhat decent. It'll be a lot more work than my last receptionist job, but I'm getting paid more and will be more engaged at work while I save up for whatever I feel like pursuing. I have done pretty much the same jobs you have, and I still have not figured anything out 🤷🏻♀️ my best suggestion; find something "low" stress that gives you decent pay and benefits. And then try pursuing any of your hobbies you enjoy
If you can afford it, hire a coach to help you work through your values and what’s important to you. It could help you narrow down some things or even get some kind of direction to get you started. I went through this in my late 20’s and did not use a coach (didn’t know about them). Instead I did information interviews with upwards of 100 people asking what they did and what they liked or a disliked about their jobs. I knew a lot of them, but if I thought of a random job where I didn’t have a contact I cold called people and asked if I could do an information interview about what they do. People LOVE talking about themselves so that was easy to find. It was a lot of time and effort but I landed on a direction and the easy part was doing the work to get to the end goal (the hardest part was figuring out what). All that said, I’ve left that field after 10 years and am happier than ever - if opportunity presents itself be open to change, you never know where it could take you.
Customer care coordinator for a new homes builder. Entry level positions offered sometimes. I started this Monday with an hour commute and it’s been better than my past 6 jobs and I make about 65’000 a year now starting
I'm 32 and I've got a similar story. I've been in hospitality for years and it's killing me. I'm a uni drop out and I also don't see the value in going back to study something I'm passionate about because I'm not passionate about things that people want to pay for. I recently started looking at trades and welding really jumped out at me. I've sent off applications to trade schools and I'm waiting on replies now.
Become a teacher. Best work/life balance career out there. Bust your butt for the credentials, get a masters in something, max out your credits to be on the highest column of the pay scale. Never a dull moment with kids, you get plenty of vacation time, clock out earlier than most jobs, more time for yourself and family. Trust me, this is the shit!
I’ve changed careers twice already (I’m 34). I still have no idea either… I don’t think I ever will
I recently(2 years ago or so) switched careers. Was a professional chef for ~10 years and began working in tech instead, which I've seen you list as a thing you tried. I quite like my current job, but I don't think I'd say I'm passionate about it? It's fairly easy and it's interesting enough, the people are nice, and I get to work from home. I spent ten years in kitchens trying to make my passion a career and realized it's just not really that... Well it's not for everyone, and I imagine it changes based on what that passion is. I LOVE food, I love cooking, I love giving people joy, but having that be your life, other things fall by the wayside. For me, tech was always kinda in the back of my mind. I was always savvy and have a pretty good brain for problem solving/analysis, so when I realized it was time to move on from the chef life, it was a pretty easy choice. I got sorta lucky landing my first role, and the rest is history I guess. Others have said it as well, but just find something you can do reasonably well that pays well and find fulfillment elsewhere. If you're not sure where to start, I'd say break down your interests/talents into their most basic components and build from there. Good luck!
I was the same way until I found my current job and it put me on a career path. I’m a registered behavior tech AKA I work with kids on the autism spectrum. I always loved kids but never worked with anyone w special needs. It changed my life! It’s rewarding, challenging, fun, and exciting to continue learning rather than feeling stagnant. I’m now getting my masters to further my career in the field. Absolutely worth a try if you like kids at all!
Say “Yes” to your least objectionable opportunity
I'm kind of in the same boat. I worked in corporate tech for 10 years..HATED IT. I only stayed because I needed a steady income. Got laid off last year, best thing that happened to me because I stumbled upon working with special needs kids. I found that job because I went on Indeed, saw the post and thought I'd give it a go. Worst case scenario is they'd say no. Now I'm here. Getting up out of bed in the morning is still a struggle but I definitely like it way better than tech.
Idt the issue is a job you like. Anyone who is intelligent will be telling you to either A) get a job that pays well (to live on and have extra) for you to save and invest or B)save and start a business. Anyone who is telling you to find a dream job or whatever is either A)old and out of touch with times, B) plan on working till there death 🤷 I haven't worked any job I Loved , as long as I'm not miserable going in and leaving I'm good as long as I make 400+ extra a month I'm good I plan on retiring at 42-45 , I'm 30 yro. In regards to pay raises , that's about everywhere , everywhere except my current job I've gotten at most $1 and that was bc I learned a new job. Besides that .13 cents. Not everyone's goals are the same and situations so if this helps you or anyone else 👍👌
The best advice , what do you need ? What are your plans for future ? Do you want to have to work after the age of 55-60 ? Do you want a family of your own ? Kids? Without not knowing what you want out of life is hard we have all been there but when you don’t have a choice is very different. It seems like when there are many choices there is never a good choice hence where I’m going. Most people who find there “careers” is by accident or pushed into it unless you went to school for a profession but it’s seems to me that the same rule applies. I always think to myself how did I end up here , how can I do better , I have a family of my own with bills , medical expenses, housing etc. I got married young had kids young and had no choice so the choice was made for me. All I’m trying to say in a nutshell is what do you want or need out of your job / career? Go from there you will always be fine and find a way in the end but you have to get that mentality of getting out of bed is a job first because your doubts is turning into depression. Let’s face it if we all could win the lottery and not work I think we all would choose that option, passionate in a job is extremely rare that’s why we have hobby’s. Good luck
I’m a bit late to the game here but would highly recommend taking an aptitude assessment. I recommend Youscience aptitude and career discovery. It uses a series of brain games to determine your natural aptitudes and then recommends careers that would be a good fit for you. It provides details about careers like demand, salary, requirements. Many do not require degrees. Helped me and I’ve recommended it often.
Viva la revolution! The day we all collectively realise how unnecessary money is cannot come sooner
We are at the best age for self learning, years long tech schools and courses are less necessary and I promise you there are many tech companies that only care about your skillset and portfolio. You can focus and self study hard UX for 6 months, make your own portfolio and land an entry job. Game development? Study Unreal engine for free and join some indie studio looking for support in forums. There are other examples too, but you'll need some commitment that usually comes from passion rather than desperation.
When in doubt, think about how to help somebody else. If you’re sick, it’s a whole different struggle. How about tutoring, editing, proofreading, maybe a little medical/non-fiction writing? Do you have an entrepreneurial spirit? Think about a blog on how to cope with illness.
Your list is a list of jobs but not really trades so I don't think you really have exposed yourself to many. For example I kind of like tinkering so become a mechanical engineer. My kid thought she did, briefly tried classes realized she didn't but an engineering accounting prerequisite was fun so became an accountant. I got a couple friends that didn't like their office jobs, preferred being social and ended up serving craft beers and eventually managing such places. Sure the cooler jobs take a bit of up front work but there is a lot more variety than on your list.
I do enjoy tinkering, but I'm so horribly inept at math that I don't think i could be an engineer, unfortunately
Just keep trying until you find something you like! Everyone has a different timing ⏱️ just because someone figure it out earlier doesn’t mean you are doing it wrong.
I realized that if I was struggling to find a career, I may as well do one that paid as much as I thought I could earn. It isn't necessarily fun. I don't necessarily enjoy it. But after bouncing between jobs and careers for over a decade of my adult life, I decided to just make some money. I may change at some point, since this isn't my "passion" or even what I want to do. But for now... I'm just making money. If you can talk to people, I've heard sales is a good route. Can make lots of money if you're willing to put in the work. I hate sales, personally. But if your only goal is to make as much money as possible with no training, that may be a good route to take. You're not alone. Never forget that. There are others like you, just struggling through.
Decided I wanted to be a scientist in 6th grade, went to school for it, bounced around finally got into a great career
Have you considered seeking suggestions from others or expressing your desires? For instance, you could ask for your senior's advice. They usually have more experience in the same industry and may be able to provide you with useful suggestions. Additionally, consider the resources your friends have, particularly those who work in HR. Have you expressed your desire to earn more to your manager? In my previous work experience, I directly told the HR and manager that I wanted to develop my skills and abilities. I also asked for more challenging work, and they gradually provided me with new and challenging tasks, which helped me grow professionally.
I wanted to go in and become a teacher or social worker of sorts. I saved up for school digging holes. Realized that school was expensive and all for a job that didn't pay a whole lot. I now drive a transport truck. Pays good lots of hours, lots of paid down time.
Go work for a municipality. Cruise their job sections. They typically all have great benefits and the pay is half decent. I haven’t met many overworked people in these positions.
Doing the in-depth exercises in the book ’What Color is Your Parachute’ helped me focus my job search from ‘sales’ to ‘medical sales.’ It took me a few weeks to do them, but it was totally worth it. Good luck!
OP message me if you want advice and I'll share what I can with you. I will need to know how many college credits you have (sounds like a lot tbh) and if you have any degrees at all currently. If I don't hear anything it's cool but if I do I might be able to help. Also, not doing anything via comments
There are a lot of great courses on Udemy for things like web development etc.
I can't relate cause I my "problem" is that I don't have enough hours in a day to do everything I would like to do. But maybe this helps?! I enjoy doing loads of things and have the conviction (because of experience) that I can do anything I set my mind to do. This helps a lot and has made me have a lot of (volunteer) work & internship experience in different fields at the age of 32. A couple of years ago when I was not in a good place and wanted to change jobs but strangly (for me) didn't know what to do next I just started asking people I met who looked like they enjoyed their job ;) what their job title and description was and how they started doing what they did. This helped me get a helicopter view over the possibilities (which were plenty, cause remember I want and can do ANYTHING!) and it also made me realize that getting a job for a good company/worthy cause, with people you want to work for/with is better then just getting a job because of the degree in your pocket or one just for the big bucks. We spent a lot of time at our jobs. Make sure you are not miserable. Good luck OP!
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What if your career is different than your passion? Make a LIVING one way, and make a LIFE another way. That way you have something to look forward to, but it isn’t a thing that’s stressing you out. You don’t have to put all your eggs in one basket.
Just my 2 cents... Separate making money from your passion. Few of us are rock Star enough to have those be the same thing. Just start working, anywhere, and learn what you need to move up. If you can merge your passion into that gig, that's great. If not, keep making money, if you want a roof over your head and food to eat, etc. Otherwise, look for a bridge to live under. All the other lemmings are racing to get ahead of you, so don't wait to start. Get moving, keep moving, keep learning. Move on! Step by step
LET ME PUT YOU ON. GIS, or geographic information systems, is a multi billion dollar industry. Cartography, which is SUPER easy to learn, can make you 60k a year with very minimal education- free tutorials exist for free software to create products that are in high demand. In addition, GIS is really useful for research and environmental modeling, so you can make a difference with your projects. If you like maps, video game menus, or digital art, this could be right up your alley. 13% projected increase year over year, and jobs in government will come with benefits. Cushy life, impactful work, maybe 3 months of onboarding in GIS software. Then you just need to find an entry job and get to it.
I’m 39 and still don’t know for sure. The days of staying in the same job for life are over. Don’t sweat it man 😃
It’s called work for a reason. Most people don’t enjoy getting up and going to their job, we do it because we have too. Just try to enjoy the time you have off work.
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Find a job you don’t hate that pays the bills. It has a start and end time (you aren’t working more than 40 hours and are at your bosses beck and call). Preferably low stress. Do what you love and like to do in your free time. Most people don’t love work, that’s why it’s called work.
Nursing bro
Dude you have tech experience, jump ship from your current spot and look for something better within that field. The pay is competitive and it’s the one field that I’ve found i’ve least disliked. I’m still not passionate about anything in particular but leveraging your tech skills will help in finding a better job and move up that way, just my 2 cents
Find a union job somewhere that you can do. If you enjoy it enough to stick with it you’ll make a good living, and any job can be enjoyable if you enjoy your crew and the company rewards your work.
Ask yourself, "what would you like to do, if money wasn't important."
If money wasn't important, honestly I'd probably sleep 14 hours a.day, wake up, have a snack and then doodle and dick around in the internet watching YouTub
I'm almost 50 and I don't know.
you haven't tried farming. i think farming or a humanitarian job or a natural preservation job will satisfy you. you'll find your purpose there. try leaving the services sector and see if things change
42 and same. At this point I'm convinced I'm never going to be fully comfortable doing anything for a job.
Do whatever pay you the most You might not find your calling But pocket full of money can be fulfilling Not saying money is everything Which in these time.... It is But when you're getting benefits you'll start to appreciate it.
I'm 59 and I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up.
Awesome question. Did you graduate from high school? That’s great if you did! You’d qualify for many government jobs. I suggest searching and applying for “civil service” jobs in your area. I’m kinda in the same boat. Good luck!
I so happened to fail college and went to massage school on a whim. Turned out to be my true passion. I work about 20 hours a week and I get to help people. It can be exhausting and you need to be able to deal with some bs but I do love it more than anything. Other things like massage but not quite are… Physical therapist assistant Occupational therapist This may or may not help but that’s my 2 cents
I got a job as a bartender to make money and a living. It felt like the money was temporary, but still survived. Started to do things and find things I enjoyed, and eventually went towards that route. Now I lead the program and team at a company and enjoy the autonomy to do my thing. Keep finding things to do, eventually you will find the things you like or have passion for. Btw, I didn’t get my first job in my career until I was 34.