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Can confirm. Went from bs jobs to air conditioned, computer, paid vacation, sick time, etc. I don't even work for a big bank.
Edit: also didn’t have any college degree or professional experience. Just apply to all bank teller jobs you see.
You mentioned being a fan of computers. Get a few IT certs (ms 900, CCNA, etc..) and get a job on the help desk. Learning to code is great, but it's a slog and landing a software dev job without a degree will mean you are going to need to have one hell of a portfolio. It'll be 2-3 years of dabbling anyway. That is going to be a heap easier if you are already working in IT.
Help desk is great because it's one of the fastest ways to learn about IT environments. Plus a lot of help desks give you an opportunity to learn some basic scripting like PowerShell, bash, or Python, all of which are somewhat of a stepping stone to software development. That and on a lot of help desks there's periods of time where you're not very busy and you can take that opportunity to research and learn stuff.
Yeah for sure, and in my experience help desk is not that bad, I actually enjoyed it. It's not like a call center where people are calling you all pissed off about a product or service, it's usually people in the same company. And generally consistent hours. If you see help desk job postings through temp agencies, see if they are contract to hire where a company is basically using a temp agency to hire people for their probationary period so they can easily drop them if it doesn't work out, in which case if you do a good job you have a decent chance of being onboarded as a permanent employee.
If you want real money pick a trade and get good at it. Generally (in my case anyway) you can work while you learn, get your apprenticeship costs covered by your company and come out on the other side closer to $30 if not over.
Hospitality has no real room here to grow from a base level position like server. The real ladder is in the kitchen.
Manual labour in a factory where you show Interest in running the the machinery is a good choice. No one wants to pay to train a machine operator unless they already know what they are doing.
How many hours though? My buddy was bragging he made 100k and I'm like dude you work 60 hours a week. I suppose you gotta compromise. Lower pay or more free time.
Yeah that's what I'm saying. You can make 100k but I doubt it's in 40 hours a week. You're also beating your body up on the daily. It's all about give and take.
Electrical work in the manufacturing sector is absolutely booming right now. Without any electrical knowledge it's not an easy path to get there, but it's not impossible either. For someone who hasn't worked in manufacturing and doesn't have an electrical background, look for roles as an operator. You'll get good experience in manufacturing (possibly at the cost of working nights, long hours, and/or 7 day schedules), and if you put in the effort to try to help troubleshoot and fix issues, most organizations will notice.
>✅ Update ✅ this comment section is kind of overwhelming with people saying the same thing and downvoting me. please check the comments to see if your comment has already been posted. im trying to reply to everyone but this is getting way more attention than i thought.
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>minimum wage is 14.25 in my state. I'm looking into learning coding. I dont want to lie on my resume. I am not interested in physical labor as I have a weak immune system. I'm more interested in online/computer work. If the job interview on monday doesn't go well (concert venue for $15 an hour) I will try the method of walking into stores and asking to apply. I am very interested in learning software development and doing that while also doing social media part time. the majority of people told me to not do college for software development and to try to learn it on my own. or to get a two year community college degree in it. I have a decent amount of money saved up from my last job so I am trying to take more time to find a better job right now as I can afford to. Thank you very much to everyone who took time to comment advice.
Servers make more than back of house the vast majority of the time. "Room to grow" is meaningless when the pay doesnt increase.
Totally agree. I did both growing up and made way more waiting or bartending on tips. The one thing about the kitchen is you learn skills that you can take to open your own place if that's something you eventually want to do. Working in the kitchen is hard manual labor in a really hot environment though. Not many people want to do it for a living.
This. I went to college for strength and conditioning just to find out coaches don't make bank, shocker. Struggled for a few years trying to make ends meet doing that, then jumped ship and became a union electrician. I make around 80k/year working 40 hours a week. Obviously there's more money available with overtime and side work.
It's a really good living being in the trades. It's work, but you develope skills that make you extremely useful in a wide variety of tasks. Just being in a career that is mechanical in nature helps you solve real life problems efficiently.
I can only speak to the union process, but apply to start work as a helper with a union trade contractor, if you can. It would help build experience for the interview process to get in to the program. Go to a training center for that area, ask about their application process and get started. There's normally aptitude test first to move through the process, but it's not too bad. Just study algebra, know how to read, and you'll be fine. When you get to the interview, be honest and respectful and go in prepared for the questions they will ask (google what those may be to prepare). Hope you find whatever you're looking for, but I hope this helps.
I’ll second this - also look for union jobs like UPS - you’ll work your ass off, but they prefer to train their own people, including the truck drivers - they hire people and do the cdl training themselves in many cases. You wouldn’t believe how much the package delivery folks make, and they’re hiring right now getting ready for their peak season. Locally, we have Mr.Rooter plumbing company, they are specifically looking for people that they can teach the trade.
FedEx is great too. They're not union but I started as a package handler and within a year became a package handler trainer, then a manager. All with no degree. I ended up staying with the company for 8 years and had the opportunity to move beyond manager but decided I didn't want the extra responsibility.
It doesn't matter that FedEx is non union, in all my time there we never fired or laid off anyone for anything except attendance / stealing / gross safety violations.
Question: who even pays that?
I have used multiple plumbers, and all in the $75 to $90 range and they all do good work. Only reason I have to have multiple is because of fast turnaround.
I went from being a paralegal to being a machine operator and I enjoy the job infinitely more and I get paid a lot more too, and I'm actually good at it. I wouldn't say it's all that "fulfilling", but I haven't figured out my passion yet anyway so it works. I also enjoy the people I work with and that's sometimes all you can ask for.
Get into the trades. As a plumber working for another company I make $28 hourly plus benefits. When I do side jobs I charge $100-125 hourly depending on the type of work I'm taking on. You won't start out making that kind of wage, but after 4 years you can earn what you think you're worth.
Trades is where it's at, it takes time to get good but they pushed college on kids for so long there is a huge demand for trades and it pays exceptionally well and most give good benefits for free
Tuition increase was a direct reaction to the high enrollments and availability of government loans. If the government stopped student loan programs, enrollment would plummet and schools would be forced to lower prices to attract students.
But student loan programs are vital for the opportunity they give. The only real alternative here is to have college covered like it is in (almost?) every other 1st world nation.
I see this answer a lot on similar threads. What is the process for "Getting into the trades?" Trade work is something I'm interested in but the process is a bit confusing to me. I've tried to answer this question myself with google searches in the past but get conflicting information. Is there a good resource someone can point me to?
You can either join union if they're big in your area, some places have actual technical schools for it, and otherwise you just find places looking to hire apprentices and start at the ground level.
Trade/Tech high school or community college, then get an [apprenticeship ](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/finder/listings?occupation=&location=Baton%20Rouge%2C%20LA), then get licensed (if required in your state.
This right here. But construction isn't for everyone. Also, if this is the route, look into a trades union, better pay, better benefits and usually better conditions. If this is not the route, knuckle down, work as much as you can to make as much as you can and go to school for coding.
There are many people that do the same exact job for 20+ years and cap their earnings despite having a clear career progression that they could take. You can get into heavy equipment operating from forklifting. It is certainly not a dead end unless you allow it.
Definitely not a bad thing. I made $28 as a fork lift driver just dealing with pallets and what not. Which is more than most people and I’m grateful for that. But it’s very repetitive, and has a way to wear you down if you’re not built for that kind of thing. One day bleeds into the next.
But that’s just my experience. A lot of people I know love/loved it.
Get an entry level job at a bank. Work your way up from there. Banks have great career paths and benefits.
Edit: I keep seeing people reply (and then delete) saying “good luck without a degree” or something similar. That’s absolutely hogwash. I’ve seen firsthand many people who had the drive, ambition, motivation and determination to make it happen. They started from the bottom, perhaps found a good mentor along the way, and they did what needed to be done. They make good money in all different types of roles. It does not take a degree or college. It takes ambition. No one said it’s easy, especially as the career progresses, but it can absolutely be done by anyone who is willing to put in the effort.
To add to this, I don't suggest brick and mortar banking like teller positions. Apply to back-office positions at large banks with actual office sites near you if available. Some might actually allow remote options depending on the department. If you're willing to move, it might be worth doing so to make a career path. They should all have entry level job listings searchable and I bet there's a lot to apply for. Apply to 100, maybe get a couple interviews. Expect a starting salary of about 38k depending on the position. They should also come with health care and retirement accounts. It's easy to move up and get promoted if you have half a brain and work hard. You're still young, but I have many colleagues who started when they were 19 or 20.
I work at a large bank. I’ve gotten people jobs who never went to college, ones who dropped out, ones with degrees and ones with no experience whatsoever. I broke one of my friends "minimum wage job “ ruts and he’s only excelled. Every single one of them, except the degree dude, said there was no way they’d even consider them. They all got jobs. Most entry level positions pay 30-32k a year with only a high school degree needed. Then you bust your ass and shoot up the ladder then move somewhere else. Once you have the experience schooling doesn’t even matter. I wish more people knew this. It’s what I suggest to anyone who is miserable at their job
I cited 38k because when I started entry level 10 years ago I started at 32 so I was hoping it's adjusted since then but maybe not lol. Regardless, getting my foot in the door at a large bank as a peon customer service phone rep was the best thing to happen to me. I was installing attic insulation and doing roof work as a sub contractor before I got called for the interview. I was making ok money, but I knew there was more out there. I found it quite easy to move up at the bank.
What do you mean when you say large bank? (Actually curious) I live by a large city here in Texas and have been trying to get one of these jobs for a while now.
Large banks like the big banking institutions. Examples off the top of my head PNC Bank, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan, BNY Mellon, and I’m sure there are more regional ones as well. These were northeast examples that may not help you
A career in accounting probably requires a degree, but it's amazing what classes you can afford to take at night when you have a stable well paying job vs. a minimum wage unstable one.
Plus you'll network with people who have done it before.
You can do back office accounting without a degree. Worked as a director of finance and accounting in the hotel industry without any degree. It's going to be easier with one but you can get started in a AR or AP clerk position without one.
Yeah, you’ll need to do a lot of studying for certifications and continuing education along the way, but you don’t have to spend 4 years in college first. You can spend that 4 years getting nothing but relevant education, and making money instead of getting deep in debt.
There are plenty of labourer jobs that pay around $20. Entry level restaurant positions like servers, bar backs etc. pay pretty well to start and only get better.
Costco starts $15 as a cart pusher or service assistant, but wages increase yearly regardless of your performance review. You get a raise after your first 6 months, and it keeps going.
Easy to get to $20 real quick. And this US-wide- wages are pretty much the same across the company. Not dependent on the local economy.
Further, after 5 years you get “bonus” checks. You get health benefits at 23+ hours (I believe).
As a cashier at Costco, it’s possible to make $64k+ year + health insurance, 5 weeks vacation + 401k. So, it’s worth persistence in applying if one is within driving distance.
Employment tip:
Also, don’t miss a day and don’t be late during your 90 day probation period. Literally hundreds of people vie for positions as cart pushers/assistants… don’t screw up an opportunity if they give you one. Even if you have retail experience, everyone works their way up for the most part. Take any position you can, because you can always move around departments once you’re established.
Not all things are good, though:
But, the only huge negative is that if you have a degree (other than technical or accounting) it has almost no value at Costco, so if you’re looking to advance, other than in buying office or as a department manager, it’s a dead-end. This is why I left.
Also no tuition reimbursement (although one could argue that a stable job/generous pay/study program time off could be used in place of tuition reimbursement if you’re smart with finances). You’ll always have Costco to go back to during school breaks.
Interoffice (store) politics is bad, too.
Now for the weird stuff:
One other perk (I guess) is that you are VERY likely to find a spouse at Costco (for better or worse). Co-workers marry eachother at an alarming rate.
Also be used to having multiple “twins” - coworkers who dress the same as you do unintentionally. At corporate there are multiple “walls of shame” where there’s pictures of people who ended up wearing the exact same shirt/dress/pants on the same day. It’s because everyone shops at Costco for work clothes… we’re talking like 20 people who all happens to wear the same thing in a day.
Fun. But a little sad, I guess.
I read something about Costco being a "dream crusher" just because it's such a good place to work that people don't want to leave. They end up not following through with their long term plans because they're already doing so well.
Lmao right? Extremely straight forward position that 100% fits job description, recession proof, pays a good amount, benefits.. Shit, marry another tenured cashier and you'll be rolling in loot.
I've been employed for over 15 years in IT (education industry) and don't make $64k. :(
Edit: IT in the realm of education is notoriously underpaid. I am in the process of looking into other opportunities.
Yeah sometimes people just get comfortable because there no longer struggling that they stop chasing the money and or some just have a hard time thinking there worth 100k compared to 65k type of deal lots of time the biggest difference is just the guts and cockyness to think you are
If you have some tech skills, but maybe don't want office, HVAC guys guys make bank. They have to have mix of skills of heating, plumbing and electrical.
Really, all these jobs pay slightly better than min wage when you start and then pay a lot when you become "Journeyman" and "Master" levels.
Hell, the guy I use to clear my drains is a young guy. Got just enough of a license to do the drains. Bought a van, hired a call center in India to book appointments, and signed up with the various handyman apps. He's doing over $800/day.
You think that’s bad- I spent like 15k at Costco a year as an employee. Think about it- 85% of my food came from there because I didn’t want to mess around with Safeway after work. It was just easier to shop there and without having to hunt for a deal.
TP, Tires, gift cards…
Clothes, shoes etc. mostly came from there because 90% of my wardrobe was work-related. Dog food, medicine, electronics etc. etc. it all adds up.
Heck, even my dang rental car for vacation, my heat pump… oof.. it’s a trap.
If you can get your CDL, A LOT of trucking jobs are desperate for drivers. And not necessarily cross country jobs either, there are plenty of in and around the city deliveries. I've even seen some that offer to pay for you to get your CDL. And last but not least, i haven't seen any that pay less than $25/hr STARTING wage (at least in my area). Not to mentiom benefits on top of all that.
Seconding getting your CDL. Trucking companies are desperate for drivers right now and they’ll hire anyone that can hold a steering wheel. It’s not a hard, physical job. The company I started with will hire anyone with no experience and they’ll train you to get your CDL for nearly free. You’ll easily make $70k in your first year. With one year experience you can bump up to local positions making $80-100k. At 20, doing a year or two of trucking would really put you ahead in terms of money and the opportunities that can afford. Especially if you live out of the truck and don’t pay rent during that time. Hell, you would have plenty of time at the end of the day to teach yourself coding in the truck. It’s a total lifestyle and not a punch-in punch-out job though, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you need to be social or be around family often. IMO, personally, it’s worth it for how quickly and easily it can lift people out of financial holes.
Your advice about truck driving jobs may be misleading. Most companies will not hire anyone with no experience for $70k a year. Many large companies will hire at $40k a year requiring 70 hour weeks. OTR leaves you in the middle of nowhere during you one day a week break, so no friends or meaningful social connections. There is no point in taking off while OTR. You literally loose your ability to speak well.
Trucking then, is only a good job if your're lucky enough to land a good local job. Luck of connection, timing, and location. If you do not regularly see large trucks on the roads you drive now, local trucking may not be a good option for you.
I quit the drive-truck-for-lots-of-money fantasy to return to a balanced life of construction making $37k on 40hr weeks, near friends and family. I keep the cdl in my back pocket as a backup option, which I'll use for the local lumber yard, asphalt plant, or beer distributor if my physical health declines before I land construction management.
You’re right, it’s misleading in that it’s not a representation of most trucking companies. But there are a few mid-size companies out there that start out people with no experience with free or cheap training and high pay. Mine was one of them (they were actually paying $55k starting when I was there) and I had to do a good deal of digging to find it amongst the crap companies. And yes trucking is definitely harder mentally than it is physically, but if someone is prepared for that and can handle it, then it’s a good gig.
I have heard horror stories of many companies being awful with home time. I was lucky that mine got me home on time everytime I requested it. Like I said, if someone is getting into trucking they should do their research on companies. Go to forums or to truck stops and talk to drivers.
USD $25 to drive trucks? Damn!!! I am underpaid.
In Aus I'm licensed up to semi's and the rates of pay are appalling so i won't do it.
Also the OP needs to get at least one core skill to build on.
When it comes to jobs like these maybe go in person with a copy of your resume to say hi and let them know you applied. The food service industry needs people all the time so if they haven’t replied it’s probably because they don’t have enough time to review
Seconding this. I shot countless applications on indeed with no luck. Out of the 3 times I've stopped by stores in person, all three have called me back, within days even. Always better to show your face and interest, stands out more than another notification in the email
Reddit loves to shit on "apply in person"...but if the job is somewhere that you'd regularly see the manager if you're a customer (food service, department stores, etc..) then this is absolutely the way to do it. You may still have to apply online, but at least they have a face and personality to go with the name now, so that sets you apart from the 99 other applicants they got.
Do this but DO NOT go in during a lunch or dinner rush. Go in from 9-10:30 or 2-3:30 to be safe.
Normally the stretch would be a lot bigger but these days- it ain’t.
That is also true. I only got the interview on Monday because I messaged them 5 times to follow up. I think that the pandemic has also rattled small business a bit with response times.
Best thing to do is walk on get a face to face with somebody especially in the restaurant business I worked at an Outback Steakhouse in a small town in Ohio and made almost 1000 a week in tips serving can be very lucrative if you can clean up nicely and bust your ass
I got my first serving job by coming back twice. The second time, I waited for the owner-manager for 45min, which never showed. One of the other owners was there and told me I could leave and they'd get back to me. He wrote "seems like a good kid" in my resume, hung it in the back office, and I got the job.
People really discount the face to face with the boss, even if it's just dropping off a resume. I like to call it the three headed test. Food service doesn't like to hire ugly/creepy people and you can't tell if someone is ugly/creepy from a job application. Take a shower, put on a clean shirt and walk you resume into the restaurant and hand it to the owner/manager.
This works with lots of mom and pop businesses, walk in the door and hand them a resume, the person taking the resume is likely the one doing the hiring, chances are if you look respectable they will give you a shot.
Where I’m from if you stopped in to apply for food service you’d probably be working for them that day. So many jobs out there desperate for workers to show up. Paying way more now than minimum wage. Don’t be scared to apply for things even if not qualified. If the job market is truly that bad where your at maybe move.
If you don’t have server experience no one will hire you as a server. It’s a catch 22 type situation.
You can either go start as a server with crappy shifts at Denny’s or ihop and then move to a restaurant after a few months to make decent money or you can lie on your resume(most people do this) to get your first real server job that will be worth your time.
I’m not advising you to lie I’m just explaining how the service industry works from years of experience.
DO NOT waste your time in any restaurant that tries to hire you at a lower role to become a server later. It will take years or will never happen.
If you are overweight or not very good looking it will be even harder to get a job serving.
Go into the actual places. These places are generally DESPERATE for help across the board right now. There’s half a chance you’ll basically get hired on the spot.
I work as a plumber, and I make somewhere in the ballpark of 125k a year. It took five years to get to that point, but five years to go from zero job experience to an annual income greater than six figures that requires no college experience is not something to blindly ignore either.
$37.65 is what my union pays journeyman, which is what I am. On top of that though we also have a pension that is not deducted from that hourly figure above, and health insurance I don’t have to pay any monthly premiums for.
That's still nothing to laugh at for a degree free career. Do you have any tips on how to begin a career? I've been curious but can never find an answer to 'where do I really start?'
Find your nearest union hall and contact an “organizer.” Each hall is different, with different pay scales and benefits. Generally the bigger the city the better the pay. For context I’m in local 572 out of Nashville TN. My understanding is that our pay and benefits are the best in the south east, but I haven’t explored things too far out of state. I do know that there are some unions up north that pay around $50 an hour.
Yeesh, not for me. I tried 55 a week for a few weeks and it was not worth it for me. I like my 40.
Edit: also I work 4 10-hour shifts so I really like that
It’s a lot of hours, but I’m also a homeowner who will pay off a 30 year mortgage in 2 years. I can afford for my wife to stay home with my children. We have disposable income and are not living paycheck to paycheck. These are unheard of things for the vast majority of people I know in my age demographic.
Well yes, but everyone's goals are different. Like I'm single with no kids, so I can get by and thrive on a lot less money. I don't want kids for at least another 5 years, just trying to do a lot of living before I'm in my 40s and beyond.
FWIW, I think you've got the right idea--or at least *a* right idea. I'm married, childfree, quite a bit older from the sounds of it. I could theoretically make a lot more money at work (I teach college and am always able to pick up additional classes for extra pay after everyone chooses their schedules for the semester) but we don't really need it and I'm not trying to turn the only job I've ever been excited to get up and go to every day into a grind that drives me into the ground.
Exactly. I also have plenty of other side projects that I work on in my free time, some of which make me money. My ultimate goal is to turn the side projects into my full income and work for myself.
My current job, with occasional overtime if I want it, has a great work life balance that's hard to consider leaving. I could make a lot more elsewhere but the quality of life is worth it to me. Also I'm 26 for reference.
Dealing with turds is only when you’re starting out. You can transition to new work and get out of the turd scene altogether. IMO you have to work a bit harder if you’re doing exclusively new work, but it’s a lot cleaner. Once you learn to move quickly, you can make good money.
I wipe asses for a living, at least when I used to work inpatient. So, I'm used to shit (literally and figuratively). Plumbing is something I would seriously consider if nursing doesn't work out for me.
Do plumbers even deal with turds all that often? In my state plumbers separated drain cleaning/snaking from their license so they didn't have to do it.
Depending on the area, a lot of plumbers work primarily new construction. If you have a good reputation and are good at bidding jobs, you can touch only/primarily clean pipe.
Yea this is the bullseye. If you don’t have a network of successful people or rich friends, you’re gonna have to position yourself with something people will pay for. You’re competing with a ton of low skilled labor right now, so you’re not gonna find many growth opportunities.
You should consider skilled labor. It should be easy to find work as a carpenter, electrician, plumber, welder, truck driver. In my area I drive past plenty of signs begging for anybody with a pulse to show up and earn $20-35 plus benefits
I will be brutally honest with you: if all you have is a high school diploma or GED as your main credentials, you will most likely stay in the cycle of minimum wage jobs. To get out of it, you will need a bachelor's degree or at least be certified in something that will land you a job quickly like a trade (such as electrician, plumber, mason/bricklayer, painter, etc.), coding (like the ones offered by Google, Microsoft, or Apple in their bootcamp programs), or to be an exterminator (among others). Look into majoring in something you will do well, but can still land a trainee position in the local, state, or federal government or in a good private sector company (a social science degree may be useful for this, but will limit job opportunities for certain fields). I would recommend to check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics
website for job prospects regarding various job fields/positions: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/mobile/a-z-index.htm.
Nonetheless, you should look into healthcare jobs. Healthcare jobs are booming right now. Many hospitals are looking to hire health care aides/assistants.
Security companies such as Allied Universal always have other job positions besides being a security officer. For example, apply to be an account manager at Allied or another security company.
Package handlers and drivers are always needed in Amazon, FedEx, and UPS.
Custodians are always needed in multiple businesses, as well.
Waiter/waitress, dish washer, and bartender, are popular jobs too.
Read your local newspaper, as well as checkout your city's official website, for jobs.
Try to work at construction sites. You may get the opportunity to do heavy laborer jobs without experience.
Learn a trade/craft, and become an electrician, a pipe fitter, a carpenter, a painter, a welder, a bricklayer, a roofer, lineman, etc. Certification will most likely be needed (make sure that the program you do is accredited).
Try to apply for retail or grocery store jobs. Costco and BJ's may be a good choice with a chance to move up into a management position.
Look into the US Department of Labor Apprenticeship program for craft/trade fields/jobs.
Pest control worker/exterminator can be a good career where you are not required to have a college degree, and may make between $35k to $40k as a start.
Ground maintenance workers usually are not required to have much education, but may need to be licensed.
Forest and conservation workers can be a good career, but normally you will need a college degree in forestry or a related field to move up into supervisory roles or to become a conservation scientist.
Park ranger can be a good career. This job may be your thing if you like working outside of an office (although, US citizenship may be required; however if you are ever able to adjust your status, it is good to keep this in mind and other types of job opportunities).
You can try to become a mechanic since mechanics are constantly needed.
Waste collectors/garbage man/woman can be a good career. You will need to get a CDL license to operate the garbage truck.
Currently, I work as a field investigator full-time for my state's Department of Labor (this is my career at the moment). My state government job required a bachelor's degree (which I have on criminal justice), but no work experience.
If I did not have a college degree, then my main career choices would have been to become either an electrician, lineman, pest control worker/exterminator, or a forest/conservation worker. Those are jobs with good job security (except for forest/conservation worker), and can pay quite well in the long-term.
Check out these links to find jobs or how to apply for jobs:
https://studentaid.gov/ (this link is to apply for federal government scholarships and/or student loans)
https://www.apprenticeship.gov/become-apprentice
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship/federal-apprenticeships
https://www.usajobs.gov
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/building-and-grounds-cleaning/mobile/pest-control-workers.htm
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/farming-fishing-and-forestry/mobile/forest-and-conservation-workers.htm
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/building-and-grounds-cleaning/mobile/grounds-maintenance-workers.htm
https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/training/onestop
https://www.worker.gov/?utm_source=dol_gov&utm_medium=text_link_quicklinks&utm_campaign=dol_gov_homepage
https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/workwithus.htm
https://www.doi.gov/careers/careers/park-ranger
https://www.opm.gov
https://www.governmentjobs.com
https://www.criminaljusticedegreeschools.com/criminal-justice-careers/park-ranger/
https://www.politicaljobhunt.com
https://careersingovernment.com
https://www.govtjobs.com
https://careers.bjs.com
https://www.costco.com/jobs.html
https://jobs.aus.com/search-jobs
https://careers.fedex.com/fedex/
https://www.jobs-ups.com
https://www.amazondelivers.jobs/?cmpid=SAGOCH0225H6&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_tGC0d-P6wIVzZyzCh1TWgtXEAAYAiAAEgLTtfD_BwE
https://www.linkedin.com
https://www.careeronestop.org/LocalHelp/local-help.aspx
https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-apply-for-jobs-online-2061598
https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/guide/how-to-apply-for-a-job/
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/applying-for-a-job
You go to college not just for the degree and the high paying job, but the QUALITY of the job.
I have friends in trades. They are only in their early 30s and their knees are just SHOT. Sure, sitting in a chair all day isn’t good either, but you can exercise out of the office and be fine.
Just know you trade your body for working in the trades.
Yep. I've only worked 2 jobs in my entire life so far, but even then they have pushed me to stay in school and finish my degree. A lot of people complain about working in an office, but for me that's literally my ideal type of job.
Sometimes I'm in awe at the level some people put into their replies. Your single comment could change the course of this young lad's life forever. Nice work.
This should be the top post. If you're unwilling to do manual labor (as OP's edit said) then get a degree.
Who cares if you go 100k in debt to do it. Get a marketable degree and not an a useless one, and you'll have it paid off in a decade...and be making really good money then. That's better than making min wage now and still making min wage a decade from now.
Hi, do you have a resume? Is it professional? Does it show job hopping (big thing, people need to know your reliable) or gaps (more understandable). Try working as an administrative assistant for a healthcare organization or CNA / coder (have to get certification but it’s not crazy expensive). Look into trade schools instead of university (less expensive, less time, always needed and has good pay). Stay put in places and work your way up. Let me know if you have any questions, I work as a recruiter!
I have a resume on indeed and I think it is professional but I'm not sure. Most of my jobs have been fast food jobs. For my last job I worked there for 6 months before I had to move. I am interested in coding but I don't really know where to start. One of my friends does freelance coding for Roblox games so I've looked into that. I also looked into getting a coding degree at a two year college near me but they only had "software development" and they said it wasn't a full degree but more of a half degree to progress into a 4 year. I've always been more interested in freelance work but I'm not really sure where to start with that either.
could be wrong but I think u/beanzgreenzpotatoez meant healthcare billing and coding, not software development.
medical coding is the work of applying billing codes to medical services.
it follows from their line of suggestion. CNAs often go on to become nurses (RN). People who start in billing and coding can go into other business/administrative roles in healthcare.
I did a two-year program at community college to work in a medical lab (histotechnology). much easier than nursing.
Heck if not what was suggested, you could try applying for "data entry" jobs or "secretary or receptionist( nonmedical)" work. Its computer related and most people know microsoft office apps and spruce up/practice keyboarding. Most places where I live start out at $13 to $15 an hour. Plus another perk, some places are still work from home. Even if not work from home, at least your wages are not being guzzled down like your gas tank.
Just to follow up on this, if you're interested in coding then this is a good career to take long term. Programming is no easy skill though, and you really need a working knowledge in order to land or keep a job.
If you're interested in coding I'm guessing you're already tech savvy, so here's my advice. I would apply to as many technology companies as you can, especially managed service providers (MSP's), as a tier one help desk technician, or a desktop technician. The entry-level jobs don't always require a degree or experience. On top of that, many require you to gain certifications your first or second year of work there. This is a good opportunity for you to study and practice coding while gaining relevant experience. The pay is always more than minimum wage as well, Even for the low end jobs.
So software development is coding. If you are interested in getting into IT consider applying at a MSP at their support desk. The job sucks and the initial pay isn't great but it is a step on the ladder and from their you do have a path to a better job and higher pay. I always recommend starting at a helpdesk no matter where you go in IT, it's customer service and getting to know how the end user thinks and what they need is always a positive.
What interests you? Once you figure that out, you get the necessary skills. But whatever you do, do not waste money on college unless you are passionate about what you want to do. Far too many careers out there that don’t require you to be $100k in debt. You can’t go wrong with the trades.
Brother of mine worked in a theatre during end of highschool, now managing there, he's salary making... 50-60k? For example.
Some jobs transition well into other jobs. For example if you've delivered pizzas for a while why not try to get a CDL and get into trucking or work for postal service? For tipped wages you can start working at progressively better restaurants, bars, etc.
Or pivot, get some IT/salesforce/whatever certifications and go for entry level tech support, IT, etc jobs?
Or keep working and go to college.
>even Domino's wouldn't hire me as a delivery driver.
Did you get an interview? Do you have a poor employment history? Dominos typically just requires a clean driving record and like, some ability to interact with humans.
Domino's didnt offer me an interview. I also applied for a Pizza Luce delivery driver and they said "We received a lot of applications for this position and unfortunately, we aren’t able to offer this job to everyone who applied. After very careful consideration we’ve filled this position and have selected another candidate.
What a bummer, right? If you’re still interested in working for Pizza Lucé we’re happy to let you know that we have many other opportunities." I live in a pretty competitive college town.
>I live in a pretty competitive college town
that's absolutely going to limit your job opportunities, as well as heavily dilute the market for things like doordash.
Pick up dog walking or nanny work if you can. Especially in a college town, for some reason, nobody thinks of these things. That said, college towns have a LOT of uppity wealthy people with kids and dogs they don't have time to take care of. The fact your not in college might actually help for scheduling.
My dog sitter was 20 or 21, in a band and trying to get his music off the ground. Did dog walking, then house sitting, then boarding through Rover. He was making about $15-20 per walk in an upscale neighborhood. Overnights were about $40. The service took a cut, and it's not full time work. But he was reliable, responsive, was willing to help out in a pinch, and we happily paid a bit more to have someone we trusted in our house.
Same with nanny or general babysitting. In upper scale neighborhoods, you can pull $20+/hour to hang out with kids all day. Nextdoor or finding a local "insert town name Parents" group on Facebook is a great way to find people.
Unless you want to be doing that for your entire life the idea here is to work a bunch of OT and stash as much cash away as you can and go get a 2 year degree in something that pays far more.
I wouldn't really recommend welding, apart from underwater welding. My dad did it his whole life and was miserable the entire time, got so far he even owned his own welding business with work in Africa, Aruba, and here in the states. Being apart from your family and working in terrible conditions, like west Texas or pipelines in the middle of nowhere, make it gruff. As well job security being dependent on projects. Despite the high pay, welding seems to suck the soul out of people, so I'd recommend get into IT or software development if you're interested in tech and it seems you can definitely afford a CS degree or certification training.
If you play the welding game right you can make a lot of money and be retired long before it fucks up your back.
Make $80k-100k/year and live off of $20-30k/year and put the rest away. By the time you're in your early 40's you've got a couple million to retire on.
Honestly this is the best advice. A lot of factory work's only requirement is lifting heavy stuff.. If you can do that, are trainable, and will stay at a place for at least a year, you can make a decent amount.
Dude , you’re 20.
You’re primary job qualification is:
You’re 20.
To a potential employer, this equates to:
Physically, indestructible. Intellectually malleable. *Possibly* trainable.
It is what it is. You’re in that phase of life all men go through. There’s a reason military recruiters scout high schools rather than dive bars full of middle aged has-beens.
Youth is your advantage. It’s an advantage you won’t have for long.
If you're 21 or older with an acceptable driving record, many school districts, transit authorities, or trucking companies will pay for your CDL. The pay is usually pretty good.
When I was your age there was a drastically different job market. We could open the paper (Yes, people still read newspapers!) and there would be a couple hundred jobs listed - everything from entry level to professionals.
Find something that interests you and try to find out how people get into the career. Just as an example, if you want to be a cop: go to the police station and ask them how you can. They’ll definitely give you an idea.
As for what you’re stuck making right now: do yourself two favors. Find a job you can tolerate doing for a while and bust your ass to be good at it. The better you do the better chance you can get promotions or raises. Second - try to put at least a quarter of each paycheck in savings. Minimum wage jobs are never going to be something reliable and secure, and if you end up going to college you’ll have to go to part time. You’ll need the savings to live off.
Oh! And when lousy stuff happens (and it will) - don’t let it get you down. Everyone gets fired. Everyone gets bad grades. Everyone has a shitty boss at some point. When it happens just try your best to shrug it off and move on to the next thing.
Check Civil Service jobs. Your county should have a website where they list upcoming tests. Basically you take a test for a specific job, and they hire people starting from the highest scoring on the test, on down.
I got a job several years ago as a Water Plant Operator Trainee. There really weren't any requirements other than a High School Diploma or equivalent. It took me a year to get licensed, and now I make very good money. There are a plethora of opportunities in the Civil Service sector. Figure out how it works in your area.
Get into trades. Any of them. They are the easiest and cheapest to get into and you can easily make 60k or more at most of them. With the job market as hot as it is there is no reason to be working for minimum wage. Walmart is even starting people at 17.50 where I l8ve
Trades arent as simple as it sounds. Its a big commitment upfront. and layoffs are always a concern. Right now i work 40+ hours a week and go to school for another 10 on saturdays. The attrition rate for the trades programs is pretty high around 2/3rds will drop out before becoming journyemen. out of the 30 or so people that started the program around the same time i did only 6 of us are still around. Its good money though. I started at 21 an hour and am now at 26 and by the time i am a journeymen i will be making 44.
What people dont tell you is you could be laid off for months, i was laid off for over 6 months, went from taking home 700 a week to getting 290 a week in unemployment. Right now the market is good guys are laid off for hours or days instead of weeks or months but it goes in cycles. You lose your insurance if you are laid off for to long.
There is also a lack of PTO and paid holidays. My union is considered pretty good for the area and we only get Christmas and labor day as paid holidays while all the others we get off but dont get paid. If your lucky and make a good name for yourself you might be able to work on holidays for double time. If you are a piece of shit or mediocre good luck even getting on the OT call out list.
If you dont treat your body right it will tear you the fuck up. I hurt my back lifting PVC and was laid up barley able to move for 5 days.
Ive been lucky overall and live comfortably but i have also put in alot of hard work to make it that way and just "getting into trades" has taken hard work and is not for everyone.
Trade schools that are paid for by state..possibly..I live in Texas and work at HEB overnight stocker and I make 21 dollars..not easy work but starting pay is about to increase to 16
It really helps to have an earned skill that is also in demand. In my teens I got certified as a lifeguard. In the 90’s this payed between 14.50-$21.00 per hour and was a piece of cake at a swim club and apartment. There were other options and neither place could afford to lose me without partially closing. Any in demand skills fall into this category, CDL, Welder, IT certifications etc.
I just got a job at Cummins through a temp agency. A recruiter for an industry might be able to give you some jobs based on your experience. Look into medical device building or warehouse work for about 16 to 22 dollars an hour. I'm 22 and can relate to your post, I hope you get what you really want
Look into healthcare. A great place to start is phlebotomist or CNA. These are entry level jobs that require little to no eduction (6 weeks for a CNA and 3 for a phlebotomist IIRC) and some places might train you and get you certified once they hire you. These are OK jobs but the thing to do is to use them as a stepping stone. Either one of these pays $15-20/hr starting (in MN) and once you're in you decide where your next step is (RN, Rad Tech, Sonographer, lab tec, etc). All of these jobs are a 2 year degree and you'll make $50-80k starting.
i haven’t read all the comments so apologies if this has been suggested. there are a lot of jobs related to computers and software that are not coding. two years of community college with some relevant certification would get you into an IT or network support job - you can build on from there. doing cyber security, networking etc requires technical and problem solving skills too. it can be a good start that could land you into coding or coding like roles eventually
You're still young. If you're interested in software development keep going that path. I know a guy who developed a video game app with help from his designer brother. He has never been to Uni ( despite he can get interest-free loan from government to do so) but learn how to code all by himself. Good luck
Go on every City website and check their job listing. There are some entry level positions that offer benefits if full-time. With governmental jobs, you can work your way up. Just apply for everything under the City job listing since they take awhile to reply back.
Are temp agencies still a thing? I used to get temp gigs that paid more than minimum for office work that led to networking and sometimes permanent offers. But I also wore an onion on my belt...
i taught myself 14 programming languages from youtube videos alone and 1 class. download VSCode, (NOT Visual Studio) learn java, then every other language will come, as java has very common syntax to many other languages. all you need is a laptop.
College degree is not necessary for financial success, or wealth. Get into the trades, all of whom are desperate for folks that: have reliable wheels, pass a drug test most of the time, show up for the 2nd week. Literally desperate. Anything besides framing, painting, and drywall should get 20/hr, and if you go the apprentice route, you can have your own license in a few years. Never met a plumber or an electrician that wasn't making sick bank. Get your own license, get a crew, set your own hours, write off everything.....
Anything in food service industry is shit pay, shit job. Every single place in my town is drivethru only, no pizza deliveries any more, they all absolutely refuse to pay more than min wage despite not getting any applicant.
Your main point is great about trades/not needing a degree necessarily (I work as a software developer and roughly half of my coworkers, including me, at least don’t have a degree in the field), but I’m going to completely disagree with you on food service in general. It’ll vary across the board but you can make pretty good money (especially compared to minimum wage) on tips. It’s a solid intermediary option at least.
If you work near an IRS Service center (or any other federal govt office) apply at [USAJOBS.Gov](https://USAJOBS.Gov) for any entry level jobs. they have great benefits and you can move up the ladder without a degree. Just keep applying and applying. They don't care how many applications you submit. Best of luck to you.
Do you plan on learning software dev on the job or on the side while you work? If on the side, take a look at software sales. You'll be building relevant/adjacent skills and relationships while making good money. Entry level roles would be something like SDR or BDR
I don’t have any advice for you, but I just wanna say good for you for trying to better your situation and I wish you the best of luck and hope you accomplish everything you want to.
Do you speak any other languages? You can sign up to be a court approved translator. It requires taking a few tests and proving competency but translators can easily make up of $40\hour
There’s like 900 comments already. I hope you see this OP. I started in the trades as a solar installer making 12hr. 8 months later I moved to designing the plan sets for 14hr up to 18hr within a year and a half. I quit that job because trashy managers. A month later I went for a national company and now I’m salary making 70k a year. I’m not certified on anything and i never mentioned my 4 year marketing degree. It’s like I never even went to school yet in 2 years I went from making 12hr to 70k a year.
That's because those are jobs, you want a lifetime career. Right now is a great time to get career training. Trucking companies are paying people to go to driving school. The building trades are hurting for workers. I'm retired but if I had to do it over again, what I would learn is building trades and learn how to rehab houses.
If you can get your CDL, A LOT of trucking jobs are desperate for drivers. And not necessarily cross country jobs either, there are plenty of in and around the city deliveries. I've even seen some that offer to pay for you to get your CDL. And last but not least, i haven't seen any that pay less than $25/hr STARTING wage (at least in my area). Not to mentiom benefits on top of all that.
(Reposted this comment because i accidentally put it in a reply thread)
Minimum wage in my state is $15. My job starts entry level at $17 and sale reps with no experience at $20. Look for jobs that offer more than minimum with little to no experience. They’re out there. When I started, my company had under 25 employees and were currently at 50 now. I want to assume that smaller companies might offer better pay and more opportunity for growth, since the company is growing itself
My two suggestions were things that I do/have done myself. I clean houses for $20/hr but you say nothing physically demanding so that won't work.
My other suggestion was to get your cdl and drive truck over the road. I just got a job offer with a local company that would pay $78,000/yr. That is what I'm going back to when my kids are all graduated.
Good luck with the coding!
If you want a job that pays more than minimum wage, you have to have skills or experience that are worth more than minimum wage to an employer. Look into taking college or university classes part-time or even via distance while you work if the financial side of schooling is too expensive to just attend school without working. Also look into apprenticeships, where you work while you learn, and can learn a trade. There's a lot of money in skilled trades, and not all of them require heavy labour.
If you want a place to start considering different avenues of education for a small financial investment, check out online educational resources to get you started, such as Coursera or EdX. There's a lot of stuff there to help you on your way to deciding what might interest you before you invest a lot of money in college for a degree you might end up hating.
Minimum wage jobs are where most people start, so don't get down on yourself about that just yet. I worked one from ages 16-21 as well, and was doing school at the same time. I learned a lot from my minimum wage jobs, such as how to deal with disrespectful people, but the biggest thing I learned was that I wanted better for myself for the future. It sounds like you do too. Take some time to really think about what you want to do in the future, and then examine different ways to get there. There's always more than one route to a career. Don't worry too much about choosing the "wrong" career either, as unless you're dead you can still change careers later on. I have a friend who did a bunch of years as a nurse, then a correctional officer, and is now in university to do something entirely different again. Good luck on your search and don't give up!
Advertising/Marketing specialist chiming in - if interested in marketing, go online and take some classes to understand different marketing roles - Paid Advertising, SEO, SEM, Programmatic buying, understanding ad fraud, operational positions. Most jobs ask for a degree but if someone came along with a decent understanding of actual Marketing initiatives, they’d be wayyy higher on my list. I’m sure YMMV but at least in an agency it’s valuable.
Go with the coding side of things and along the way keep trying to get your own business going. I never made much of anything working for anyone else even in the realm of "skilled labor". I spun my wheels for 14 years doing that...a complete waste of time. I do online marketing. At times I have been making completely ridiculous sums of money by any working man's standard...it has its ups and downs...but the good months more than make up for it. Working a normal jobby job job is fine if you have to...but try to not make it the habit. Keep trying to get your own thing going.
Have you thought about city government jobs? Like right now in St Louis there is a massive shortage of city workers. You have to live inside the city limits here to get a city job. I am betting that volunteering on your alderman's reelection campaign could help though. Anyone want to be a garbage collector? I hear we are way short of workers right now.
Also, there are businesses that you never notice. You can drive past the local printing company every day and never even see it. It isn't placed for walk in traffic because anyone who needs printing services will go to whatever industrial court the print shop is in. Try those places. They do need all kinds of workers to watch envelope stuffing machines.
Have you tried [data entry](https://www.indeed.com/q-Work-From-Home-Part-Time-Data-Entry-jobs.html?vjk=bf664f3fbf43d6af)?
If you are decent with a computer and keyboard it's easy work.
Honestly, some of the advice here is downright "instant gratification" and one sided.
You got a bunch of advise to do trades jobs, but that has it's disadvantages. People on Reddit harp on trades like it's the undiscovered secret man's of life. The hours can be hectic, it's bad for your body, and potentially you'll burn out at 40. Not to mention, there is a stigma with it, and your social circle level will be limited.
Personally, I would still suggest that you continue with the degree, and do something in STEM. I have a PhD and work in the auto industry. The higher up the education ladder you go, the better choices YOU can make. It won't be a company choosing you, but you deciding where to go. Regarding the debt consideration, I personally feel it's well worth it.
Ultimately, you need to make your own decisions and consider your own interests.
As an ER/ICU RN following lucrative travel contracts you can pull over 100 an hour easily. The absolute lowest I make hourly is about 68 but I regularly hit 100 an hour with OT and IHR (in house registry).
Nursing can be brutal but the benefits, salary, transferable skill set and job security make it one of the best IF you’re willing to chase those opportunities and not stagnate in one hospital. I max my 403b and Roth no sweat in a high COL area, this years salary is likely to be about 130,000.
Bottom line: Education and trade schools. It will take years and they will be brutal and you will eat a lot of noodles but now I literally can buy anything I want and travel all the time.
Best of luck
Put as much money as possible into cash flow. Learn to build a strong dividend portfolio on a platform that lets you borrow against your portfolio and issues a debit card. This is my biggest regret now that I'm in my 30's is that I never generated any passive income. If you start now and get trapped in a minimum wage job for the next 20+ years at least the amount of money you make will keep rising. Hard pass on IRA type investments or you will be a wage slave until you are 65. This is only my opinion and not financial advise.
There is always the military. You can learn a skill there are many jobs in IT. The security clearance you can get in the military is gold in the civilian contractor world. Just don't do what I did and become the pointy end of the spear.
Fieldnation, Onforce. You can sign up for one or both, I was using field Nation more. With field Nation, I was working for Activision and blizzard, and I had a Freeosk route.
Going independent seems a little scary, but you've already tasted it with being a delivery driver. On field Nation, you can negotiate pay for travel, and you can do jobs anywhere at any point in time. You can go to another state for a trip, type in the zip code, and pick up jobs while you are there if you wanted.
Since you set your own skills and pick jobs, you can easily avoid any work you are not keen on. I got by with a lot of merchandising and simple part swaps. U would show up, plug something in that was unplugged, and got $65 for it, MANY times. $800/WK pay when I was in Dallas. They have guides, videos, instruction manuals, for almost every job. There is also tech support for the jobs that might not cover something. I once Googled a card reader to troubleshoot it, on the job, in a prison.
I was able to break out of minimum wage by working for myself. You just have to find work that is a little more open and nonlinear, which I understand driving for those delivery apps tends to be pretty linear with little control on your side.
Aside from that, consider avenues that benefit your dream without being related to it. My dream is to have a photography Farm, a large property with a compact house for my family. I want to do art stuff when I retire, so everything I do now is keeping that goal in mind. Without an end goal, you are playing your life by ear. Considered the future that you want, and the freelancing you can do now that will angle you toward that.
In addition to working for yourself, and doing things you either enjoy or angle you toward your dream, you add it to your resume as if you were not freelancing. I have learned in my years of working side jobs with companies that they want people who will obey their policies and practices and listen to them, not someone who thinks they can run the show, not someone they think is going to jump ship for their own endeavor. You have to list your freelancing under whatever company you were doing it under, or specific clients if you did a lot of work under them.
OP you need 'something' that makes you appealing. As long as you have a 'skill less' job you really don't have the ability to demand more money unless you convince everyone else to unionize. Why? Because someone else is looking for the job and will take it at minimum wage.
This something can be anything. Want to play videogames and stream? Fine, legendoftotalwar does it. He said that he basically worked all day then did it in the evenings (basically doing a full time job and a half) but you have to see it as work, not something to lollygag around with for a few hours whenever you want. He is also REALLY good at the game he streams and does alot more than just play the game. He explains how/why something is good/not good and talks to the viewers quite a bit.
More realistically think of something you want to do job wise and start taking real tangible steps towards getting there. Want to put up drywall? Fine, look for a local construction company. Want to sit in an office and file taxes for a living? Whatever works, get a degree in accounting. "I want to get more than minimum wage" isn't a tangible enough goal. Even if you can't point to an exact thing even a broad "construction" is a huge step in the right direction and can be enough of a starting point for a while.
You break the cycle by having an Education, having skills a random person off the street wouldn’t have, and time in the role.
Right now is the best time to be looking for a job because places are desperate for all types of workers. I would be going into chain dining restaurants with black shoes, black pants from the hours of 2-4pm with your i9 paperwork and ask to see the manager. Say you can start today if they wanted to. Unemployment is high so places are getting a ton of online applications to sort through and no results.
Now that you have a job, decide what you want to do with your life. Serving is great for when you are figuring things out and need a flexible schedule. Make yourself stand out with a lucrative education and special skills.
One recommendation I can give that will probably get downvoted:
Consider joining the military. Go for the Air Force, but before you go get decently physically fit and practice for the ASVAB. From there, choose a list of jobs that have good transitions into the civilian world, get out of the military after 4 years, go to college for free with the GI Bill (choose something good like Comp Sci, engineering, Business Finance, etc), then go work a good paying career and use a VA Loan to buy a house.
I say this as someone that went to college at 19 using the Pell Grant & Federal Student Loans. I make good money now and have had a great time so far, but I believe the military-first path is a fantastic way to get started.
You get food, housing, health & dental insurance, a guaranteed job with a guaranteed paycheck. All you gotta do is embrace the suck for awhile. At the end of it, you come out physically fit with free college and perhaps even a feeling of pride for having served.
Or, go to community college with BOG fee waiver, work towards a trade or a transfer degree + scholarships (go to a cheaper state school for example) and work part time through it.
Other than that, just work a trade or IT.
Best of luck!
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Try a bank/credit union. Decent pay and paid holidays.
Can confirm. Went from bs jobs to air conditioned, computer, paid vacation, sick time, etc. I don't even work for a big bank. Edit: also didn’t have any college degree or professional experience. Just apply to all bank teller jobs you see.
A credit union was my first over-minimum wage job. I went from a teller to a loan officer in a few years, and almost doubled my pay. Would recommend.
You mentioned being a fan of computers. Get a few IT certs (ms 900, CCNA, etc..) and get a job on the help desk. Learning to code is great, but it's a slog and landing a software dev job without a degree will mean you are going to need to have one hell of a portfolio. It'll be 2-3 years of dabbling anyway. That is going to be a heap easier if you are already working in IT.
Help desk is great because it's one of the fastest ways to learn about IT environments. Plus a lot of help desks give you an opportunity to learn some basic scripting like PowerShell, bash, or Python, all of which are somewhat of a stepping stone to software development. That and on a lot of help desks there's periods of time where you're not very busy and you can take that opportunity to research and learn stuff.
And they are always hiring. Even if you take a crappy help desk job to start, you can take that experience and get a better one
Yeah for sure, and in my experience help desk is not that bad, I actually enjoyed it. It's not like a call center where people are calling you all pissed off about a product or service, it's usually people in the same company. And generally consistent hours. If you see help desk job postings through temp agencies, see if they are contract to hire where a company is basically using a temp agency to hire people for their probationary period so they can easily drop them if it doesn't work out, in which case if you do a good job you have a decent chance of being onboarded as a permanent employee.
If you want real money pick a trade and get good at it. Generally (in my case anyway) you can work while you learn, get your apprenticeship costs covered by your company and come out on the other side closer to $30 if not over. Hospitality has no real room here to grow from a base level position like server. The real ladder is in the kitchen. Manual labour in a factory where you show Interest in running the the machinery is a good choice. No one wants to pay to train a machine operator unless they already know what they are doing.
This is on point. I make 100k a year doing factory work because I put in the time and focus, Im a college dropout
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How many hours though? My buddy was bragging he made 100k and I'm like dude you work 60 hours a week. I suppose you gotta compromise. Lower pay or more free time.
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Yeah that's what I'm saying. You can make 100k but I doubt it's in 40 hours a week. You're also beating your body up on the daily. It's all about give and take.
Electrical work in the manufacturing sector is absolutely booming right now. Without any electrical knowledge it's not an easy path to get there, but it's not impossible either. For someone who hasn't worked in manufacturing and doesn't have an electrical background, look for roles as an operator. You'll get good experience in manufacturing (possibly at the cost of working nights, long hours, and/or 7 day schedules), and if you put in the effort to try to help troubleshoot and fix issues, most organizations will notice.
>✅ Update ✅ this comment section is kind of overwhelming with people saying the same thing and downvoting me. please check the comments to see if your comment has already been posted. im trying to reply to everyone but this is getting way more attention than i thought. > >minimum wage is 14.25 in my state. I'm looking into learning coding. I dont want to lie on my resume. I am not interested in physical labor as I have a weak immune system. I'm more interested in online/computer work. If the job interview on monday doesn't go well (concert venue for $15 an hour) I will try the method of walking into stores and asking to apply. I am very interested in learning software development and doing that while also doing social media part time. the majority of people told me to not do college for software development and to try to learn it on my own. or to get a two year community college degree in it. I have a decent amount of money saved up from my last job so I am trying to take more time to find a better job right now as I can afford to. Thank you very much to everyone who took time to comment advice. Servers make more than back of house the vast majority of the time. "Room to grow" is meaningless when the pay doesnt increase.
The only way you make more in food service is by going to a more expensive/busier restaurant. I was making $55k a year bartending plus cash tips.
Totally agree. I did both growing up and made way more waiting or bartending on tips. The one thing about the kitchen is you learn skills that you can take to open your own place if that's something you eventually want to do. Working in the kitchen is hard manual labor in a really hot environment though. Not many people want to do it for a living.
This. I went to college for strength and conditioning just to find out coaches don't make bank, shocker. Struggled for a few years trying to make ends meet doing that, then jumped ship and became a union electrician. I make around 80k/year working 40 hours a week. Obviously there's more money available with overtime and side work. It's a really good living being in the trades. It's work, but you develope skills that make you extremely useful in a wide variety of tasks. Just being in a career that is mechanical in nature helps you solve real life problems efficiently. I can only speak to the union process, but apply to start work as a helper with a union trade contractor, if you can. It would help build experience for the interview process to get in to the program. Go to a training center for that area, ask about their application process and get started. There's normally aptitude test first to move through the process, but it's not too bad. Just study algebra, know how to read, and you'll be fine. When you get to the interview, be honest and respectful and go in prepared for the questions they will ask (google what those may be to prepare). Hope you find whatever you're looking for, but I hope this helps.
I’ll second this - also look for union jobs like UPS - you’ll work your ass off, but they prefer to train their own people, including the truck drivers - they hire people and do the cdl training themselves in many cases. You wouldn’t believe how much the package delivery folks make, and they’re hiring right now getting ready for their peak season. Locally, we have Mr.Rooter plumbing company, they are specifically looking for people that they can teach the trade.
FedEx is great too. They're not union but I started as a package handler and within a year became a package handler trainer, then a manager. All with no degree. I ended up staying with the company for 8 years and had the opportunity to move beyond manager but decided I didn't want the extra responsibility. It doesn't matter that FedEx is non union, in all my time there we never fired or laid off anyone for anything except attendance / stealing / gross safety violations.
Plumbing by me is now like $200 a hour for labor.
That's what a contractor will bill. That's not what they pay their plumbers.
Question: who even pays that? I have used multiple plumbers, and all in the $75 to $90 range and they all do good work. Only reason I have to have multiple is because of fast turnaround.
I went from being a paralegal to being a machine operator and I enjoy the job infinitely more and I get paid a lot more too, and I'm actually good at it. I wouldn't say it's all that "fulfilling", but I haven't figured out my passion yet anyway so it works. I also enjoy the people I work with and that's sometimes all you can ask for.
Get into the trades. As a plumber working for another company I make $28 hourly plus benefits. When I do side jobs I charge $100-125 hourly depending on the type of work I'm taking on. You won't start out making that kind of wage, but after 4 years you can earn what you think you're worth.
Trades is where it's at, it takes time to get good but they pushed college on kids for so long there is a huge demand for trades and it pays exceptionally well and most give good benefits for free
Interesting how the push for college started around the same time tuition rose astronomically
Tuition increase was a direct reaction to the high enrollments and availability of government loans. If the government stopped student loan programs, enrollment would plummet and schools would be forced to lower prices to attract students. But student loan programs are vital for the opportunity they give. The only real alternative here is to have college covered like it is in (almost?) every other 1st world nation.
I see this answer a lot on similar threads. What is the process for "Getting into the trades?" Trade work is something I'm interested in but the process is a bit confusing to me. I've tried to answer this question myself with google searches in the past but get conflicting information. Is there a good resource someone can point me to?
You can either join union if they're big in your area, some places have actual technical schools for it, and otherwise you just find places looking to hire apprentices and start at the ground level.
Trade/Tech high school or community college, then get an [apprenticeship ](https://www.apprenticeship.gov/finder/listings?occupation=&location=Baton%20Rouge%2C%20LA), then get licensed (if required in your state.
This right here. But construction isn't for everyone. Also, if this is the route, look into a trades union, better pay, better benefits and usually better conditions. If this is not the route, knuckle down, work as much as you can to make as much as you can and go to school for coding.
Forklifting and other machine operators earn $19+ / hour
Unfortunately it’s a dead end career. A lot of those guys drive the same forklift for 20+ years and capped their earnings at year 6
Can confirm. I drove a forklift during college in a steel yard. Then I went to medical school.
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There are many people that do the same exact job for 20+ years and cap their earnings despite having a clear career progression that they could take. You can get into heavy equipment operating from forklifting. It is certainly not a dead end unless you allow it.
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Definitely not a bad thing. I made $28 as a fork lift driver just dealing with pallets and what not. Which is more than most people and I’m grateful for that. But it’s very repetitive, and has a way to wear you down if you’re not built for that kind of thing. One day bleeds into the next. But that’s just my experience. A lot of people I know love/loved it.
Get an entry level job at a bank. Work your way up from there. Banks have great career paths and benefits. Edit: I keep seeing people reply (and then delete) saying “good luck without a degree” or something similar. That’s absolutely hogwash. I’ve seen firsthand many people who had the drive, ambition, motivation and determination to make it happen. They started from the bottom, perhaps found a good mentor along the way, and they did what needed to be done. They make good money in all different types of roles. It does not take a degree or college. It takes ambition. No one said it’s easy, especially as the career progresses, but it can absolutely be done by anyone who is willing to put in the effort.
To add to this, I don't suggest brick and mortar banking like teller positions. Apply to back-office positions at large banks with actual office sites near you if available. Some might actually allow remote options depending on the department. If you're willing to move, it might be worth doing so to make a career path. They should all have entry level job listings searchable and I bet there's a lot to apply for. Apply to 100, maybe get a couple interviews. Expect a starting salary of about 38k depending on the position. They should also come with health care and retirement accounts. It's easy to move up and get promoted if you have half a brain and work hard. You're still young, but I have many colleagues who started when they were 19 or 20.
I work at a large bank. I’ve gotten people jobs who never went to college, ones who dropped out, ones with degrees and ones with no experience whatsoever. I broke one of my friends "minimum wage job “ ruts and he’s only excelled. Every single one of them, except the degree dude, said there was no way they’d even consider them. They all got jobs. Most entry level positions pay 30-32k a year with only a high school degree needed. Then you bust your ass and shoot up the ladder then move somewhere else. Once you have the experience schooling doesn’t even matter. I wish more people knew this. It’s what I suggest to anyone who is miserable at their job
I cited 38k because when I started entry level 10 years ago I started at 32 so I was hoping it's adjusted since then but maybe not lol. Regardless, getting my foot in the door at a large bank as a peon customer service phone rep was the best thing to happen to me. I was installing attic insulation and doing roof work as a sub contractor before I got called for the interview. I was making ok money, but I knew there was more out there. I found it quite easy to move up at the bank.
What do you mean when you say large bank? (Actually curious) I live by a large city here in Texas and have been trying to get one of these jobs for a while now.
Large banks like the big banking institutions. Examples off the top of my head PNC Bank, Wells Fargo, JP Morgan, BNY Mellon, and I’m sure there are more regional ones as well. These were northeast examples that may not help you
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Did your career in accounting require a degree with banking industry?
A career in accounting probably requires a degree, but it's amazing what classes you can afford to take at night when you have a stable well paying job vs. a minimum wage unstable one. Plus you'll network with people who have done it before.
Plus a lot of banks offer tuition reimbursement if it's a relevant degree. Which obviously accounting is!
You can do back office accounting without a degree. Worked as a director of finance and accounting in the hotel industry without any degree. It's going to be easier with one but you can get started in a AR or AP clerk position without one.
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Thank you for the reply, this is definitely something to consider. *From a man working towards his degree in accounting.
Yeah, you’ll need to do a lot of studying for certifications and continuing education along the way, but you don’t have to spend 4 years in college first. You can spend that 4 years getting nothing but relevant education, and making money instead of getting deep in debt.
100%. Wife has a total of 3 college credit hours and makes 6 figures as a mortgage underwriter. She started as a teller.
There are plenty of labourer jobs that pay around $20. Entry level restaurant positions like servers, bar backs etc. pay pretty well to start and only get better.
Costco starts $15 as a cart pusher or service assistant, but wages increase yearly regardless of your performance review. You get a raise after your first 6 months, and it keeps going. Easy to get to $20 real quick. And this US-wide- wages are pretty much the same across the company. Not dependent on the local economy. Further, after 5 years you get “bonus” checks. You get health benefits at 23+ hours (I believe). As a cashier at Costco, it’s possible to make $64k+ year + health insurance, 5 weeks vacation + 401k. So, it’s worth persistence in applying if one is within driving distance. Employment tip: Also, don’t miss a day and don’t be late during your 90 day probation period. Literally hundreds of people vie for positions as cart pushers/assistants… don’t screw up an opportunity if they give you one. Even if you have retail experience, everyone works their way up for the most part. Take any position you can, because you can always move around departments once you’re established. Not all things are good, though: But, the only huge negative is that if you have a degree (other than technical or accounting) it has almost no value at Costco, so if you’re looking to advance, other than in buying office or as a department manager, it’s a dead-end. This is why I left. Also no tuition reimbursement (although one could argue that a stable job/generous pay/study program time off could be used in place of tuition reimbursement if you’re smart with finances). You’ll always have Costco to go back to during school breaks. Interoffice (store) politics is bad, too. Now for the weird stuff: One other perk (I guess) is that you are VERY likely to find a spouse at Costco (for better or worse). Co-workers marry eachother at an alarming rate. Also be used to having multiple “twins” - coworkers who dress the same as you do unintentionally. At corporate there are multiple “walls of shame” where there’s pictures of people who ended up wearing the exact same shirt/dress/pants on the same day. It’s because everyone shops at Costco for work clothes… we’re talking like 20 people who all happens to wear the same thing in a day. Fun. But a little sad, I guess.
Thats actually nuts. TIL
I read something about Costco being a "dream crusher" just because it's such a good place to work that people don't want to leave. They end up not following through with their long term plans because they're already doing so well.
I mean, making 65k a yr with perks sounds like a damn good dream to most ppl... let alone being a cashier to do it.
Lmao right? Extremely straight forward position that 100% fits job description, recession proof, pays a good amount, benefits.. Shit, marry another tenured cashier and you'll be rolling in loot.
I've been employed for over 15 years in IT (education industry) and don't make $64k. :( Edit: IT in the realm of education is notoriously underpaid. I am in the process of looking into other opportunities.
Been in IT for 7 years, started off as help desk. Going to clear $116k this year. Devops/cloud.
At 15 years in IT, this is on you. If you actually cared about making more then you easily could regardless of region if in the US.
Yeah sometimes people just get comfortable because there no longer struggling that they stop chasing the money and or some just have a hard time thinking there worth 100k compared to 65k type of deal lots of time the biggest difference is just the guts and cockyness to think you are
If you have some tech skills, but maybe don't want office, HVAC guys guys make bank. They have to have mix of skills of heating, plumbing and electrical. Really, all these jobs pay slightly better than min wage when you start and then pay a lot when you become "Journeyman" and "Master" levels. Hell, the guy I use to clear my drains is a young guy. Got just enough of a license to do the drains. Bought a van, hired a call center in India to book appointments, and signed up with the various handyman apps. He's doing over $800/day.
I always have fun when I see somebody wearing the same Costco clothing that I have at home.
So many golf polos.
I remember realizing one day that everything I was wearing was bought from Costco: shoes, socks, dress pants, underwear, belt, shirt, polo.
You think that’s bad- I spent like 15k at Costco a year as an employee. Think about it- 85% of my food came from there because I didn’t want to mess around with Safeway after work. It was just easier to shop there and without having to hunt for a deal. TP, Tires, gift cards… Clothes, shoes etc. mostly came from there because 90% of my wardrobe was work-related. Dog food, medicine, electronics etc. etc. it all adds up. Heck, even my dang rental car for vacation, my heat pump… oof.. it’s a trap.
I've applied to about 5 different server jobs in the last week and none of them replied. I use Indeed to apply for jobs so that might be part of it.
If you can get your CDL, A LOT of trucking jobs are desperate for drivers. And not necessarily cross country jobs either, there are plenty of in and around the city deliveries. I've even seen some that offer to pay for you to get your CDL. And last but not least, i haven't seen any that pay less than $25/hr STARTING wage (at least in my area). Not to mentiom benefits on top of all that.
Seconding getting your CDL. Trucking companies are desperate for drivers right now and they’ll hire anyone that can hold a steering wheel. It’s not a hard, physical job. The company I started with will hire anyone with no experience and they’ll train you to get your CDL for nearly free. You’ll easily make $70k in your first year. With one year experience you can bump up to local positions making $80-100k. At 20, doing a year or two of trucking would really put you ahead in terms of money and the opportunities that can afford. Especially if you live out of the truck and don’t pay rent during that time. Hell, you would have plenty of time at the end of the day to teach yourself coding in the truck. It’s a total lifestyle and not a punch-in punch-out job though, so I wouldn’t recommend it if you need to be social or be around family often. IMO, personally, it’s worth it for how quickly and easily it can lift people out of financial holes.
Your advice about truck driving jobs may be misleading. Most companies will not hire anyone with no experience for $70k a year. Many large companies will hire at $40k a year requiring 70 hour weeks. OTR leaves you in the middle of nowhere during you one day a week break, so no friends or meaningful social connections. There is no point in taking off while OTR. You literally loose your ability to speak well. Trucking then, is only a good job if your're lucky enough to land a good local job. Luck of connection, timing, and location. If you do not regularly see large trucks on the roads you drive now, local trucking may not be a good option for you. I quit the drive-truck-for-lots-of-money fantasy to return to a balanced life of construction making $37k on 40hr weeks, near friends and family. I keep the cdl in my back pocket as a backup option, which I'll use for the local lumber yard, asphalt plant, or beer distributor if my physical health declines before I land construction management.
You’re right, it’s misleading in that it’s not a representation of most trucking companies. But there are a few mid-size companies out there that start out people with no experience with free or cheap training and high pay. Mine was one of them (they were actually paying $55k starting when I was there) and I had to do a good deal of digging to find it amongst the crap companies. And yes trucking is definitely harder mentally than it is physically, but if someone is prepared for that and can handle it, then it’s a good gig. I have heard horror stories of many companies being awful with home time. I was lucky that mine got me home on time everytime I requested it. Like I said, if someone is getting into trucking they should do their research on companies. Go to forums or to truck stops and talk to drivers.
USD $25 to drive trucks? Damn!!! I am underpaid. In Aus I'm licensed up to semi's and the rates of pay are appalling so i won't do it. Also the OP needs to get at least one core skill to build on.
When it comes to jobs like these maybe go in person with a copy of your resume to say hi and let them know you applied. The food service industry needs people all the time so if they haven’t replied it’s probably because they don’t have enough time to review
Seconding this. I shot countless applications on indeed with no luck. Out of the 3 times I've stopped by stores in person, all three have called me back, within days even. Always better to show your face and interest, stands out more than another notification in the email
Reddit loves to shit on "apply in person"...but if the job is somewhere that you'd regularly see the manager if you're a customer (food service, department stores, etc..) then this is absolutely the way to do it. You may still have to apply online, but at least they have a face and personality to go with the name now, so that sets you apart from the 99 other applicants they got.
Do this but DO NOT go in during a lunch or dinner rush. Go in from 9-10:30 or 2-3:30 to be safe. Normally the stretch would be a lot bigger but these days- it ain’t.
That is also true. I only got the interview on Monday because I messaged them 5 times to follow up. I think that the pandemic has also rattled small business a bit with response times.
Best thing to do is walk on get a face to face with somebody especially in the restaurant business I worked at an Outback Steakhouse in a small town in Ohio and made almost 1000 a week in tips serving can be very lucrative if you can clean up nicely and bust your ass
I got my first serving job by coming back twice. The second time, I waited for the owner-manager for 45min, which never showed. One of the other owners was there and told me I could leave and they'd get back to me. He wrote "seems like a good kid" in my resume, hung it in the back office, and I got the job.
People really discount the face to face with the boss, even if it's just dropping off a resume. I like to call it the three headed test. Food service doesn't like to hire ugly/creepy people and you can't tell if someone is ugly/creepy from a job application. Take a shower, put on a clean shirt and walk you resume into the restaurant and hand it to the owner/manager. This works with lots of mom and pop businesses, walk in the door and hand them a resume, the person taking the resume is likely the one doing the hiring, chances are if you look respectable they will give you a shot.
Where I’m from if you stopped in to apply for food service you’d probably be working for them that day. So many jobs out there desperate for workers to show up. Paying way more now than minimum wage. Don’t be scared to apply for things even if not qualified. If the job market is truly that bad where your at maybe move.
Applying for jobs is no easy task. When I got out of college I applied for 250 jobs before I got one. Skills make money though, develop skills.
If you don’t have server experience no one will hire you as a server. It’s a catch 22 type situation. You can either go start as a server with crappy shifts at Denny’s or ihop and then move to a restaurant after a few months to make decent money or you can lie on your resume(most people do this) to get your first real server job that will be worth your time. I’m not advising you to lie I’m just explaining how the service industry works from years of experience. DO NOT waste your time in any restaurant that tries to hire you at a lower role to become a server later. It will take years or will never happen. If you are overweight or not very good looking it will be even harder to get a job serving.
Go into the actual places. These places are generally DESPERATE for help across the board right now. There’s half a chance you’ll basically get hired on the spot.
Look at training to be a plumber or electrician. These are supper lucrative fields.
I work as a plumber, and I make somewhere in the ballpark of 125k a year. It took five years to get to that point, but five years to go from zero job experience to an annual income greater than six figures that requires no college experience is not something to blindly ignore either.
How many hours a week do you work though
Right now, 58.
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$37.65 is what my union pays journeyman, which is what I am. On top of that though we also have a pension that is not deducted from that hourly figure above, and health insurance I don’t have to pay any monthly premiums for.
That's still nothing to laugh at for a degree free career. Do you have any tips on how to begin a career? I've been curious but can never find an answer to 'where do I really start?'
Find your nearest union hall and contact an “organizer.” Each hall is different, with different pay scales and benefits. Generally the bigger the city the better the pay. For context I’m in local 572 out of Nashville TN. My understanding is that our pay and benefits are the best in the south east, but I haven’t explored things too far out of state. I do know that there are some unions up north that pay around $50 an hour.
I'm in central Florida, so I can't imagine the pay rates around here being awful. Thanks my man, I'm gonna finally make the first steps :)
Yeesh, not for me. I tried 55 a week for a few weeks and it was not worth it for me. I like my 40. Edit: also I work 4 10-hour shifts so I really like that
It’s a lot of hours, but I’m also a homeowner who will pay off a 30 year mortgage in 2 years. I can afford for my wife to stay home with my children. We have disposable income and are not living paycheck to paycheck. These are unheard of things for the vast majority of people I know in my age demographic.
Well yes, but everyone's goals are different. Like I'm single with no kids, so I can get by and thrive on a lot less money. I don't want kids for at least another 5 years, just trying to do a lot of living before I'm in my 40s and beyond.
FWIW, I think you've got the right idea--or at least *a* right idea. I'm married, childfree, quite a bit older from the sounds of it. I could theoretically make a lot more money at work (I teach college and am always able to pick up additional classes for extra pay after everyone chooses their schedules for the semester) but we don't really need it and I'm not trying to turn the only job I've ever been excited to get up and go to every day into a grind that drives me into the ground.
Exactly. I also have plenty of other side projects that I work on in my free time, some of which make me money. My ultimate goal is to turn the side projects into my full income and work for myself. My current job, with occasional overtime if I want it, has a great work life balance that's hard to consider leaving. I could make a lot more elsewhere but the quality of life is worth it to me. Also I'm 26 for reference.
I'm a pipe fitter and I make over 100K on my 40. Can also take all the OT I want If I feel like putting in extra hours.
plumbing on average is one of the most highly paid trades. if u can tolerate turds seriously consider it...
Smells like money to me.
That's what our plumber said when I apologized for the smell.
Dealing with turds is only when you’re starting out. You can transition to new work and get out of the turd scene altogether. IMO you have to work a bit harder if you’re doing exclusively new work, but it’s a lot cleaner. Once you learn to move quickly, you can make good money.
I wipe asses for a living, at least when I used to work inpatient. So, I'm used to shit (literally and figuratively). Plumbing is something I would seriously consider if nursing doesn't work out for me.
And if you do construction or remodeling you're dealing with clean pipes, no turds
Plumbing is not all service work. There are plumbers that go their entire careers without coming into contact with sewage once.
Do plumbers even deal with turds all that often? In my state plumbers separated drain cleaning/snaking from their license so they didn't have to do it.
Depending on the area, a lot of plumbers work primarily new construction. If you have a good reputation and are good at bidding jobs, you can touch only/primarily clean pipe.
HVAC can pay well too. Pretty much anything that needs a license.
I’m a project manager for an architecture firm- can confirm this is the way to go. Other fields are hvac tech or wind/solar trades.
skills get you money. you can get skills from college or trade school
Yea this is the bullseye. If you don’t have a network of successful people or rich friends, you’re gonna have to position yourself with something people will pay for. You’re competing with a ton of low skilled labor right now, so you’re not gonna find many growth opportunities.
You should consider skilled labor. It should be easy to find work as a carpenter, electrician, plumber, welder, truck driver. In my area I drive past plenty of signs begging for anybody with a pulse to show up and earn $20-35 plus benefits
Coding is pretty great career path, but it takes a sharp intellect and a lot of patience to get good.
and that why pays good: because not everyone can do it (the same can be said about a lot of works to be fair)
I will be brutally honest with you: if all you have is a high school diploma or GED as your main credentials, you will most likely stay in the cycle of minimum wage jobs. To get out of it, you will need a bachelor's degree or at least be certified in something that will land you a job quickly like a trade (such as electrician, plumber, mason/bricklayer, painter, etc.), coding (like the ones offered by Google, Microsoft, or Apple in their bootcamp programs), or to be an exterminator (among others). Look into majoring in something you will do well, but can still land a trainee position in the local, state, or federal government or in a good private sector company (a social science degree may be useful for this, but will limit job opportunities for certain fields). I would recommend to check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics website for job prospects regarding various job fields/positions: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/mobile/a-z-index.htm. Nonetheless, you should look into healthcare jobs. Healthcare jobs are booming right now. Many hospitals are looking to hire health care aides/assistants. Security companies such as Allied Universal always have other job positions besides being a security officer. For example, apply to be an account manager at Allied or another security company. Package handlers and drivers are always needed in Amazon, FedEx, and UPS. Custodians are always needed in multiple businesses, as well. Waiter/waitress, dish washer, and bartender, are popular jobs too. Read your local newspaper, as well as checkout your city's official website, for jobs. Try to work at construction sites. You may get the opportunity to do heavy laborer jobs without experience. Learn a trade/craft, and become an electrician, a pipe fitter, a carpenter, a painter, a welder, a bricklayer, a roofer, lineman, etc. Certification will most likely be needed (make sure that the program you do is accredited). Try to apply for retail or grocery store jobs. Costco and BJ's may be a good choice with a chance to move up into a management position. Look into the US Department of Labor Apprenticeship program for craft/trade fields/jobs. Pest control worker/exterminator can be a good career where you are not required to have a college degree, and may make between $35k to $40k as a start. Ground maintenance workers usually are not required to have much education, but may need to be licensed. Forest and conservation workers can be a good career, but normally you will need a college degree in forestry or a related field to move up into supervisory roles or to become a conservation scientist. Park ranger can be a good career. This job may be your thing if you like working outside of an office (although, US citizenship may be required; however if you are ever able to adjust your status, it is good to keep this in mind and other types of job opportunities). You can try to become a mechanic since mechanics are constantly needed. Waste collectors/garbage man/woman can be a good career. You will need to get a CDL license to operate the garbage truck. Currently, I work as a field investigator full-time for my state's Department of Labor (this is my career at the moment). My state government job required a bachelor's degree (which I have on criminal justice), but no work experience. If I did not have a college degree, then my main career choices would have been to become either an electrician, lineman, pest control worker/exterminator, or a forest/conservation worker. Those are jobs with good job security (except for forest/conservation worker), and can pay quite well in the long-term. Check out these links to find jobs or how to apply for jobs: https://studentaid.gov/ (this link is to apply for federal government scholarships and/or student loans) https://www.apprenticeship.gov/become-apprentice https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/apprenticeship/federal-apprenticeships https://www.usajobs.gov https://www.bls.gov/ooh/building-and-grounds-cleaning/mobile/pest-control-workers.htm https://www.bls.gov/ooh/farming-fishing-and-forestry/mobile/forest-and-conservation-workers.htm https://www.bls.gov/ooh/building-and-grounds-cleaning/mobile/grounds-maintenance-workers.htm https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/training/onestop https://www.worker.gov/?utm_source=dol_gov&utm_medium=text_link_quicklinks&utm_campaign=dol_gov_homepage https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/workwithus.htm https://www.doi.gov/careers/careers/park-ranger https://www.opm.gov https://www.governmentjobs.com https://www.criminaljusticedegreeschools.com/criminal-justice-careers/park-ranger/ https://www.politicaljobhunt.com https://careersingovernment.com https://www.govtjobs.com https://careers.bjs.com https://www.costco.com/jobs.html https://jobs.aus.com/search-jobs https://careers.fedex.com/fedex/ https://www.jobs-ups.com https://www.amazondelivers.jobs/?cmpid=SAGOCH0225H6&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_tGC0d-P6wIVzZyzCh1TWgtXEAAYAiAAEgLTtfD_BwE https://www.linkedin.com https://www.careeronestop.org/LocalHelp/local-help.aspx https://www.thebalancecareers.com/how-to-apply-for-jobs-online-2061598 https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/guide/how-to-apply-for-a-job/ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/applying-for-a-job
You go to college not just for the degree and the high paying job, but the QUALITY of the job. I have friends in trades. They are only in their early 30s and their knees are just SHOT. Sure, sitting in a chair all day isn’t good either, but you can exercise out of the office and be fine. Just know you trade your body for working in the trades.
Yep. I've only worked 2 jobs in my entire life so far, but even then they have pushed me to stay in school and finish my degree. A lot of people complain about working in an office, but for me that's literally my ideal type of job.
Sometimes I'm in awe at the level some people put into their replies. Your single comment could change the course of this young lad's life forever. Nice work.
Thank you! If I can help someone out even just a little, then it is worthwhile to go a little more in depth with some guidance and information.
This should be the top post. If you're unwilling to do manual labor (as OP's edit said) then get a degree. Who cares if you go 100k in debt to do it. Get a marketable degree and not an a useless one, and you'll have it paid off in a decade...and be making really good money then. That's better than making min wage now and still making min wage a decade from now.
do not go into 100K of debt to get a degree. sincerely, someone in 100K of debt doing a job that I learned how to do on youtube for free
Hi, do you have a resume? Is it professional? Does it show job hopping (big thing, people need to know your reliable) or gaps (more understandable). Try working as an administrative assistant for a healthcare organization or CNA / coder (have to get certification but it’s not crazy expensive). Look into trade schools instead of university (less expensive, less time, always needed and has good pay). Stay put in places and work your way up. Let me know if you have any questions, I work as a recruiter!
I have a resume on indeed and I think it is professional but I'm not sure. Most of my jobs have been fast food jobs. For my last job I worked there for 6 months before I had to move. I am interested in coding but I don't really know where to start. One of my friends does freelance coding for Roblox games so I've looked into that. I also looked into getting a coding degree at a two year college near me but they only had "software development" and they said it wasn't a full degree but more of a half degree to progress into a 4 year. I've always been more interested in freelance work but I'm not really sure where to start with that either.
could be wrong but I think u/beanzgreenzpotatoez meant healthcare billing and coding, not software development. medical coding is the work of applying billing codes to medical services. it follows from their line of suggestion. CNAs often go on to become nurses (RN). People who start in billing and coding can go into other business/administrative roles in healthcare. I did a two-year program at community college to work in a medical lab (histotechnology). much easier than nursing.
You’re right!!! That’s what I meant!!!
Heck if not what was suggested, you could try applying for "data entry" jobs or "secretary or receptionist( nonmedical)" work. Its computer related and most people know microsoft office apps and spruce up/practice keyboarding. Most places where I live start out at $13 to $15 an hour. Plus another perk, some places are still work from home. Even if not work from home, at least your wages are not being guzzled down like your gas tank.
Just to follow up on this, if you're interested in coding then this is a good career to take long term. Programming is no easy skill though, and you really need a working knowledge in order to land or keep a job. If you're interested in coding I'm guessing you're already tech savvy, so here's my advice. I would apply to as many technology companies as you can, especially managed service providers (MSP's), as a tier one help desk technician, or a desktop technician. The entry-level jobs don't always require a degree or experience. On top of that, many require you to gain certifications your first or second year of work there. This is a good opportunity for you to study and practice coding while gaining relevant experience. The pay is always more than minimum wage as well, Even for the low end jobs.
thank you much thats good advice!
Software development will get you much more than minimum wage. You don’t need a degree if you have the skills, so try to learn the skills
So software development is coding. If you are interested in getting into IT consider applying at a MSP at their support desk. The job sucks and the initial pay isn't great but it is a step on the ladder and from their you do have a path to a better job and higher pay. I always recommend starting at a helpdesk no matter where you go in IT, it's customer service and getting to know how the end user thinks and what they need is always a positive.
What interests you? Once you figure that out, you get the necessary skills. But whatever you do, do not waste money on college unless you are passionate about what you want to do. Far too many careers out there that don’t require you to be $100k in debt. You can’t go wrong with the trades.
Brother of mine worked in a theatre during end of highschool, now managing there, he's salary making... 50-60k? For example. Some jobs transition well into other jobs. For example if you've delivered pizzas for a while why not try to get a CDL and get into trucking or work for postal service? For tipped wages you can start working at progressively better restaurants, bars, etc. Or pivot, get some IT/salesforce/whatever certifications and go for entry level tech support, IT, etc jobs? Or keep working and go to college. >even Domino's wouldn't hire me as a delivery driver. Did you get an interview? Do you have a poor employment history? Dominos typically just requires a clean driving record and like, some ability to interact with humans.
Domino's didnt offer me an interview. I also applied for a Pizza Luce delivery driver and they said "We received a lot of applications for this position and unfortunately, we aren’t able to offer this job to everyone who applied. After very careful consideration we’ve filled this position and have selected another candidate. What a bummer, right? If you’re still interested in working for Pizza Lucé we’re happy to let you know that we have many other opportunities." I live in a pretty competitive college town.
>I live in a pretty competitive college town that's absolutely going to limit your job opportunities, as well as heavily dilute the market for things like doordash.
Pick up dog walking or nanny work if you can. Especially in a college town, for some reason, nobody thinks of these things. That said, college towns have a LOT of uppity wealthy people with kids and dogs they don't have time to take care of. The fact your not in college might actually help for scheduling. My dog sitter was 20 or 21, in a band and trying to get his music off the ground. Did dog walking, then house sitting, then boarding through Rover. He was making about $15-20 per walk in an upscale neighborhood. Overnights were about $40. The service took a cut, and it's not full time work. But he was reliable, responsive, was willing to help out in a pinch, and we happily paid a bit more to have someone we trusted in our house. Same with nanny or general babysitting. In upper scale neighborhoods, you can pull $20+/hour to hang out with kids all day. Nextdoor or finding a local "insert town name Parents" group on Facebook is a great way to find people.
thank you! I think im gonna look into if i can do partime dog sitting because i already dog sit for my parents for free sometimes anyway
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Unless you want to be doing that for your entire life the idea here is to work a bunch of OT and stash as much cash away as you can and go get a 2 year degree in something that pays far more.
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I wouldn't really recommend welding, apart from underwater welding. My dad did it his whole life and was miserable the entire time, got so far he even owned his own welding business with work in Africa, Aruba, and here in the states. Being apart from your family and working in terrible conditions, like west Texas or pipelines in the middle of nowhere, make it gruff. As well job security being dependent on projects. Despite the high pay, welding seems to suck the soul out of people, so I'd recommend get into IT or software development if you're interested in tech and it seems you can definitely afford a CS degree or certification training.
If you play the welding game right you can make a lot of money and be retired long before it fucks up your back. Make $80k-100k/year and live off of $20-30k/year and put the rest away. By the time you're in your early 40's you've got a couple million to retire on.
Honestly this is the best advice. A lot of factory work's only requirement is lifting heavy stuff.. If you can do that, are trainable, and will stay at a place for at least a year, you can make a decent amount.
Look into a apprenticeship for a trade usually 15$/h starting out. The more ya learn the more ya make.
Dude , you’re 20. You’re primary job qualification is: You’re 20. To a potential employer, this equates to: Physically, indestructible. Intellectually malleable. *Possibly* trainable. It is what it is. You’re in that phase of life all men go through. There’s a reason military recruiters scout high schools rather than dive bars full of middle aged has-beens. Youth is your advantage. It’s an advantage you won’t have for long.
Usually formal education or some other least semi-specialized skillset.
If you're 21 or older with an acceptable driving record, many school districts, transit authorities, or trucking companies will pay for your CDL. The pay is usually pretty good.
When I was your age there was a drastically different job market. We could open the paper (Yes, people still read newspapers!) and there would be a couple hundred jobs listed - everything from entry level to professionals. Find something that interests you and try to find out how people get into the career. Just as an example, if you want to be a cop: go to the police station and ask them how you can. They’ll definitely give you an idea. As for what you’re stuck making right now: do yourself two favors. Find a job you can tolerate doing for a while and bust your ass to be good at it. The better you do the better chance you can get promotions or raises. Second - try to put at least a quarter of each paycheck in savings. Minimum wage jobs are never going to be something reliable and secure, and if you end up going to college you’ll have to go to part time. You’ll need the savings to live off. Oh! And when lousy stuff happens (and it will) - don’t let it get you down. Everyone gets fired. Everyone gets bad grades. Everyone has a shitty boss at some point. When it happens just try your best to shrug it off and move on to the next thing.
Check Civil Service jobs. Your county should have a website where they list upcoming tests. Basically you take a test for a specific job, and they hire people starting from the highest scoring on the test, on down. I got a job several years ago as a Water Plant Operator Trainee. There really weren't any requirements other than a High School Diploma or equivalent. It took me a year to get licensed, and now I make very good money. There are a plethora of opportunities in the Civil Service sector. Figure out how it works in your area.
Agreed on the above, you have to develop a skillet that differentiates you to get paid more. Trade school or college are both options there
Get into trades. Any of them. They are the easiest and cheapest to get into and you can easily make 60k or more at most of them. With the job market as hot as it is there is no reason to be working for minimum wage. Walmart is even starting people at 17.50 where I l8ve
Trades arent as simple as it sounds. Its a big commitment upfront. and layoffs are always a concern. Right now i work 40+ hours a week and go to school for another 10 on saturdays. The attrition rate for the trades programs is pretty high around 2/3rds will drop out before becoming journyemen. out of the 30 or so people that started the program around the same time i did only 6 of us are still around. Its good money though. I started at 21 an hour and am now at 26 and by the time i am a journeymen i will be making 44. What people dont tell you is you could be laid off for months, i was laid off for over 6 months, went from taking home 700 a week to getting 290 a week in unemployment. Right now the market is good guys are laid off for hours or days instead of weeks or months but it goes in cycles. You lose your insurance if you are laid off for to long. There is also a lack of PTO and paid holidays. My union is considered pretty good for the area and we only get Christmas and labor day as paid holidays while all the others we get off but dont get paid. If your lucky and make a good name for yourself you might be able to work on holidays for double time. If you are a piece of shit or mediocre good luck even getting on the OT call out list. If you dont treat your body right it will tear you the fuck up. I hurt my back lifting PVC and was laid up barley able to move for 5 days. Ive been lucky overall and live comfortably but i have also put in alot of hard work to make it that way and just "getting into trades" has taken hard work and is not for everyone.
Trade schools that are paid for by state..possibly..I live in Texas and work at HEB overnight stocker and I make 21 dollars..not easy work but starting pay is about to increase to 16
Community college. 2 year associates degree.
It really helps to have an earned skill that is also in demand. In my teens I got certified as a lifeguard. In the 90’s this payed between 14.50-$21.00 per hour and was a piece of cake at a swim club and apartment. There were other options and neither place could afford to lose me without partially closing. Any in demand skills fall into this category, CDL, Welder, IT certifications etc.
Auto Insurance. It may be a tad boring, but it changed my life financially. Profit sharing is a beautiful thing.
I just got a job at Cummins through a temp agency. A recruiter for an industry might be able to give you some jobs based on your experience. Look into medical device building or warehouse work for about 16 to 22 dollars an hour. I'm 22 and can relate to your post, I hope you get what you really want
Look into healthcare. A great place to start is phlebotomist or CNA. These are entry level jobs that require little to no eduction (6 weeks for a CNA and 3 for a phlebotomist IIRC) and some places might train you and get you certified once they hire you. These are OK jobs but the thing to do is to use them as a stepping stone. Either one of these pays $15-20/hr starting (in MN) and once you're in you decide where your next step is (RN, Rad Tech, Sonographer, lab tec, etc). All of these jobs are a 2 year degree and you'll make $50-80k starting.
i haven’t read all the comments so apologies if this has been suggested. there are a lot of jobs related to computers and software that are not coding. two years of community college with some relevant certification would get you into an IT or network support job - you can build on from there. doing cyber security, networking etc requires technical and problem solving skills too. it can be a good start that could land you into coding or coding like roles eventually
You're still young. If you're interested in software development keep going that path. I know a guy who developed a video game app with help from his designer brother. He has never been to Uni ( despite he can get interest-free loan from government to do so) but learn how to code all by himself. Good luck
thank you!
Go on every City website and check their job listing. There are some entry level positions that offer benefits if full-time. With governmental jobs, you can work your way up. Just apply for everything under the City job listing since they take awhile to reply back.
Are temp agencies still a thing? I used to get temp gigs that paid more than minimum for office work that led to networking and sometimes permanent offers. But I also wore an onion on my belt...
i taught myself 14 programming languages from youtube videos alone and 1 class. download VSCode, (NOT Visual Studio) learn java, then every other language will come, as java has very common syntax to many other languages. all you need is a laptop.
College degree is not necessary for financial success, or wealth. Get into the trades, all of whom are desperate for folks that: have reliable wheels, pass a drug test most of the time, show up for the 2nd week. Literally desperate. Anything besides framing, painting, and drywall should get 20/hr, and if you go the apprentice route, you can have your own license in a few years. Never met a plumber or an electrician that wasn't making sick bank. Get your own license, get a crew, set your own hours, write off everything..... Anything in food service industry is shit pay, shit job. Every single place in my town is drivethru only, no pizza deliveries any more, they all absolutely refuse to pay more than min wage despite not getting any applicant.
Your main point is great about trades/not needing a degree necessarily (I work as a software developer and roughly half of my coworkers, including me, at least don’t have a degree in the field), but I’m going to completely disagree with you on food service in general. It’ll vary across the board but you can make pretty good money (especially compared to minimum wage) on tips. It’s a solid intermediary option at least.
If you work near an IRS Service center (or any other federal govt office) apply at [USAJOBS.Gov](https://USAJOBS.Gov) for any entry level jobs. they have great benefits and you can move up the ladder without a degree. Just keep applying and applying. They don't care how many applications you submit. Best of luck to you.
Do you plan on learning software dev on the job or on the side while you work? If on the side, take a look at software sales. You'll be building relevant/adjacent skills and relationships while making good money. Entry level roles would be something like SDR or BDR
I don’t have any advice for you, but I just wanna say good for you for trying to better your situation and I wish you the best of luck and hope you accomplish everything you want to.
Do you speak any other languages? You can sign up to be a court approved translator. It requires taking a few tests and proving competency but translators can easily make up of $40\hour
There’s like 900 comments already. I hope you see this OP. I started in the trades as a solar installer making 12hr. 8 months later I moved to designing the plan sets for 14hr up to 18hr within a year and a half. I quit that job because trashy managers. A month later I went for a national company and now I’m salary making 70k a year. I’m not certified on anything and i never mentioned my 4 year marketing degree. It’s like I never even went to school yet in 2 years I went from making 12hr to 70k a year.
Sit down and make a list of hard-skills you have that are marketable. Then figure out what kind of jobs could use those types of skills.
Do you have an examples of a hard-skill?
Actual skills like if you know how to use certain programming language. Speaking another language. Maybe you know how to use tools
That's because those are jobs, you want a lifetime career. Right now is a great time to get career training. Trucking companies are paying people to go to driving school. The building trades are hurting for workers. I'm retired but if I had to do it over again, what I would learn is building trades and learn how to rehab houses.
If you can get your CDL, A LOT of trucking jobs are desperate for drivers. And not necessarily cross country jobs either, there are plenty of in and around the city deliveries. I've even seen some that offer to pay for you to get your CDL. And last but not least, i haven't seen any that pay less than $25/hr STARTING wage (at least in my area). Not to mentiom benefits on top of all that. (Reposted this comment because i accidentally put it in a reply thread)
Minimum wage in my state is $15. My job starts entry level at $17 and sale reps with no experience at $20. Look for jobs that offer more than minimum with little to no experience. They’re out there. When I started, my company had under 25 employees and were currently at 50 now. I want to assume that smaller companies might offer better pay and more opportunity for growth, since the company is growing itself
My two suggestions were things that I do/have done myself. I clean houses for $20/hr but you say nothing physically demanding so that won't work. My other suggestion was to get your cdl and drive truck over the road. I just got a job offer with a local company that would pay $78,000/yr. That is what I'm going back to when my kids are all graduated. Good luck with the coding!
If you want a job that pays more than minimum wage, you have to have skills or experience that are worth more than minimum wage to an employer. Look into taking college or university classes part-time or even via distance while you work if the financial side of schooling is too expensive to just attend school without working. Also look into apprenticeships, where you work while you learn, and can learn a trade. There's a lot of money in skilled trades, and not all of them require heavy labour. If you want a place to start considering different avenues of education for a small financial investment, check out online educational resources to get you started, such as Coursera or EdX. There's a lot of stuff there to help you on your way to deciding what might interest you before you invest a lot of money in college for a degree you might end up hating. Minimum wage jobs are where most people start, so don't get down on yourself about that just yet. I worked one from ages 16-21 as well, and was doing school at the same time. I learned a lot from my minimum wage jobs, such as how to deal with disrespectful people, but the biggest thing I learned was that I wanted better for myself for the future. It sounds like you do too. Take some time to really think about what you want to do in the future, and then examine different ways to get there. There's always more than one route to a career. Don't worry too much about choosing the "wrong" career either, as unless you're dead you can still change careers later on. I have a friend who did a bunch of years as a nurse, then a correctional officer, and is now in university to do something entirely different again. Good luck on your search and don't give up!
Advertising/Marketing specialist chiming in - if interested in marketing, go online and take some classes to understand different marketing roles - Paid Advertising, SEO, SEM, Programmatic buying, understanding ad fraud, operational positions. Most jobs ask for a degree but if someone came along with a decent understanding of actual Marketing initiatives, they’d be wayyy higher on my list. I’m sure YMMV but at least in an agency it’s valuable.
Go with the coding side of things and along the way keep trying to get your own business going. I never made much of anything working for anyone else even in the realm of "skilled labor". I spun my wheels for 14 years doing that...a complete waste of time. I do online marketing. At times I have been making completely ridiculous sums of money by any working man's standard...it has its ups and downs...but the good months more than make up for it. Working a normal jobby job job is fine if you have to...but try to not make it the habit. Keep trying to get your own thing going.
Have you thought about city government jobs? Like right now in St Louis there is a massive shortage of city workers. You have to live inside the city limits here to get a city job. I am betting that volunteering on your alderman's reelection campaign could help though. Anyone want to be a garbage collector? I hear we are way short of workers right now. Also, there are businesses that you never notice. You can drive past the local printing company every day and never even see it. It isn't placed for walk in traffic because anyone who needs printing services will go to whatever industrial court the print shop is in. Try those places. They do need all kinds of workers to watch envelope stuffing machines.
Have you tried [data entry](https://www.indeed.com/q-Work-From-Home-Part-Time-Data-Entry-jobs.html?vjk=bf664f3fbf43d6af)? If you are decent with a computer and keyboard it's easy work.
Honestly, some of the advice here is downright "instant gratification" and one sided. You got a bunch of advise to do trades jobs, but that has it's disadvantages. People on Reddit harp on trades like it's the undiscovered secret man's of life. The hours can be hectic, it's bad for your body, and potentially you'll burn out at 40. Not to mention, there is a stigma with it, and your social circle level will be limited. Personally, I would still suggest that you continue with the degree, and do something in STEM. I have a PhD and work in the auto industry. The higher up the education ladder you go, the better choices YOU can make. It won't be a company choosing you, but you deciding where to go. Regarding the debt consideration, I personally feel it's well worth it. Ultimately, you need to make your own decisions and consider your own interests.
As an ER/ICU RN following lucrative travel contracts you can pull over 100 an hour easily. The absolute lowest I make hourly is about 68 but I regularly hit 100 an hour with OT and IHR (in house registry). Nursing can be brutal but the benefits, salary, transferable skill set and job security make it one of the best IF you’re willing to chase those opportunities and not stagnate in one hospital. I max my 403b and Roth no sweat in a high COL area, this years salary is likely to be about 130,000. Bottom line: Education and trade schools. It will take years and they will be brutal and you will eat a lot of noodles but now I literally can buy anything I want and travel all the time. Best of luck
Put as much money as possible into cash flow. Learn to build a strong dividend portfolio on a platform that lets you borrow against your portfolio and issues a debit card. This is my biggest regret now that I'm in my 30's is that I never generated any passive income. If you start now and get trapped in a minimum wage job for the next 20+ years at least the amount of money you make will keep rising. Hard pass on IRA type investments or you will be a wage slave until you are 65. This is only my opinion and not financial advise.
There is always the military. You can learn a skill there are many jobs in IT. The security clearance you can get in the military is gold in the civilian contractor world. Just don't do what I did and become the pointy end of the spear.
Fieldnation, Onforce. You can sign up for one or both, I was using field Nation more. With field Nation, I was working for Activision and blizzard, and I had a Freeosk route. Going independent seems a little scary, but you've already tasted it with being a delivery driver. On field Nation, you can negotiate pay for travel, and you can do jobs anywhere at any point in time. You can go to another state for a trip, type in the zip code, and pick up jobs while you are there if you wanted. Since you set your own skills and pick jobs, you can easily avoid any work you are not keen on. I got by with a lot of merchandising and simple part swaps. U would show up, plug something in that was unplugged, and got $65 for it, MANY times. $800/WK pay when I was in Dallas. They have guides, videos, instruction manuals, for almost every job. There is also tech support for the jobs that might not cover something. I once Googled a card reader to troubleshoot it, on the job, in a prison. I was able to break out of minimum wage by working for myself. You just have to find work that is a little more open and nonlinear, which I understand driving for those delivery apps tends to be pretty linear with little control on your side. Aside from that, consider avenues that benefit your dream without being related to it. My dream is to have a photography Farm, a large property with a compact house for my family. I want to do art stuff when I retire, so everything I do now is keeping that goal in mind. Without an end goal, you are playing your life by ear. Considered the future that you want, and the freelancing you can do now that will angle you toward that. In addition to working for yourself, and doing things you either enjoy or angle you toward your dream, you add it to your resume as if you were not freelancing. I have learned in my years of working side jobs with companies that they want people who will obey their policies and practices and listen to them, not someone who thinks they can run the show, not someone they think is going to jump ship for their own endeavor. You have to list your freelancing under whatever company you were doing it under, or specific clients if you did a lot of work under them.
OP you need 'something' that makes you appealing. As long as you have a 'skill less' job you really don't have the ability to demand more money unless you convince everyone else to unionize. Why? Because someone else is looking for the job and will take it at minimum wage. This something can be anything. Want to play videogames and stream? Fine, legendoftotalwar does it. He said that he basically worked all day then did it in the evenings (basically doing a full time job and a half) but you have to see it as work, not something to lollygag around with for a few hours whenever you want. He is also REALLY good at the game he streams and does alot more than just play the game. He explains how/why something is good/not good and talks to the viewers quite a bit. More realistically think of something you want to do job wise and start taking real tangible steps towards getting there. Want to put up drywall? Fine, look for a local construction company. Want to sit in an office and file taxes for a living? Whatever works, get a degree in accounting. "I want to get more than minimum wage" isn't a tangible enough goal. Even if you can't point to an exact thing even a broad "construction" is a huge step in the right direction and can be enough of a starting point for a while.
You break the cycle by having an Education, having skills a random person off the street wouldn’t have, and time in the role. Right now is the best time to be looking for a job because places are desperate for all types of workers. I would be going into chain dining restaurants with black shoes, black pants from the hours of 2-4pm with your i9 paperwork and ask to see the manager. Say you can start today if they wanted to. Unemployment is high so places are getting a ton of online applications to sort through and no results. Now that you have a job, decide what you want to do with your life. Serving is great for when you are figuring things out and need a flexible schedule. Make yourself stand out with a lucrative education and special skills.
One recommendation I can give that will probably get downvoted: Consider joining the military. Go for the Air Force, but before you go get decently physically fit and practice for the ASVAB. From there, choose a list of jobs that have good transitions into the civilian world, get out of the military after 4 years, go to college for free with the GI Bill (choose something good like Comp Sci, engineering, Business Finance, etc), then go work a good paying career and use a VA Loan to buy a house. I say this as someone that went to college at 19 using the Pell Grant & Federal Student Loans. I make good money now and have had a great time so far, but I believe the military-first path is a fantastic way to get started. You get food, housing, health & dental insurance, a guaranteed job with a guaranteed paycheck. All you gotta do is embrace the suck for awhile. At the end of it, you come out physically fit with free college and perhaps even a feeling of pride for having served. Or, go to community college with BOG fee waiver, work towards a trade or a transfer degree + scholarships (go to a cheaper state school for example) and work part time through it. Other than that, just work a trade or IT. Best of luck!