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Great post. To add to Step 2.3, the book The 2-Hour Job Search provides a great system for reaching out to people. Sorry if it seems like I'm shilling, but it helped shift my mindset on networking, especially digitally these days. Basically the book outlines how to reach out to people (without asking for a job) and narrowing them down into 3 categories of how helpful they may be.
This post warms my old, dead heart.
Buy him this: https://www.amazon.com/Elegoo-EL-KIT-008-Complete-Ultimate-TUTORIAL/dp/B01EWNUUUA
It is an Arduino kit that will give him a ton of projects to create, hack, and experiment with. All without burning down the house or electrocuting himself.
As the world becomes a more connected place, being able to make smart devices is going to be an invaluable skill. Get him this kit, get him excited, and watch his imagination run wild.
Quite a large number of people don't have it figured out at 20 years old. I'd be tempted to say a majority of people.
This helped me a lot: http://www.smbc-comics.com/?id=2722
Whatever you decide to do right now isn't forever.
Also, read Cal Newport. So Good They Can't Ignore You, and Deep Work.
At a desk: Data Entry
http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=data+entry&l=
On your feet: Warehouse Worker
http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=warehouse&l=
*$21,000 per year is about $11/hour if you do 40 hours per week.
Here's a suggestion: Take some courses, at community college if it makes sense, or on coursera for free. If you are working you can do the later in the evening or off hours (like all things, you'll get out what you put in). Something might grab you.
Don't worry so much about a career, and don't worry about going down the wrong path or failure. And don't compare yourself to other people, it will make you crazy. But do take action. Don't be frozen with indecision and don't be embarrassed by failure. Pick something to work hard at now and if it isn't working, don't be afraid to walk away and work on something else.
I don't know about the UK, but in Silicon Valley it doesn't apply. This thread got some play a wile back.
What I think you want to aim for is the nicest dressed 10% of the developers who work where you're interviewing. You don't want to be the nicest dressed guy; that guy is usually a little weird and has a clothes fetish. You want to be well enough dressed that you show you understand the culture and put in some effort to look good given the prevailing norms.
"I develop websites and apps for my own personal use" - perhaps this is something to delve deeper in? How good are your programming skills at the moment? Perhaps you can take it further, learn in your spare time using resources such as http://www.codecademy.com or others. Maybe even a job in this field would allow you to work from home, depending on what is available for you.
Here are some fields that match your interest/needs:
1.) Marketing Associate (creative/lucrative) 2.) Sales Associate (lucrative/can be creative) 3.) Charter School Teacher(creative/can be lucrative depending on location)
Also, don’t give up on your Graphic and Web Design interests! Might seem daunting now but there are great resources to help you catch up over time. Try checking out EdX or Team Treehouse . If you dedicate time everyday you can catch right up!
Good luck moving forward!
> practically speaking to support myself?
Well you're 28 so you somehow have made it this far. Either you're supporting yourself through jobs you don't like or someone else is paying for your living expenses. Therefore, for right now, your life is secure.
If you've never had any job, pick one to start the process. It really doesn't matter which one....any job will do to help bring in income. If you've had menial jobs, then find one that pays a bit more or pick up a second job.
Then start dreaming.
If you want help with ideas go to your local library and look for books on careers such as "What color is your parachute". There's another book that's helpful "Think and Grow Rich"
Then follow your bliss.
You must realize that your present situations are simply the result of your thinking and lack of action. That's good news because both can be changed.
There's a book you may find interesting: <em>So Good They Can't Ignore You: Why Skills Trump Passion in the Quest for Work You Love.</em> As you practice something and acquire excellence, you'll hopefully enjoy it more and more.
Basically, the job market cares about what you have to sell it. Your skill is your product, and your employer is your customer. Your customer cares about your product, and your delivery of that product.
Hopefully, you have class projects you were good at and enjoyed doing. Try to keep an eye on class projects and cool things you perform in college, these are "relevant work experience" later. See if you can find a degree plan that follows up on that sort of project. Alternatively, see if you can find something varied and use it to acquire as many skills as you can. In the end, employers don't hire degrees, they hire skills.
- Get tested for a learning disability. (Not joking or trolling)
- If a learning disability is found, make changes based on it.
- If a learning disability is not found, seek counciling to discuss your feelings.
- Once you have worked on your learning issues, work to obtain your GED; if possible.
- Next seek a career that only requires a highschool diploma and will provide OJT. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/highest-paying-jobs-for-high-school-graduates_b_57c8899be4b07addc411a0c0 5.
Hey HeathenSoldier. Your story sounds really familiar. I have a friend who has been with the Marines for 15 years and had a lot of trouble discovering his next move. It took him a while, but he is now an investigator with a small consulting firm.
As for you, I would start by making a list of all the skills and experience that you have. Then one by one, plug the keywords that describe your skills into Indeed.com and see which job titles pop up in the search results. Read each description to see which positions both interest you and match your experience. For instance, when I type in "Ordnance Technician" into Indeed, I see a ton of private sector jobs.
After identifying the job titles that interest you, do a search on LinkedIn for people with those titles. Examine their career arcs to determine if you can mirror their path. Connect with these people and don't be afraid to ask questions. Ideally, one or two of these people can mentor you and provide guidance on how you can find your dream job.
You should take a look at teamtreehouse.com. They have an excellent collection of courses on git, jQuery, JavaScript, PHP, and even how tips on how to freelance. The code academy is also a great resource(it's free!): http://www.codecademy.com/learn
I'm pursing front end web dev, I watched my friend go into it and he's been so successful that I decided to give it a try. What I keep hearing is that your portfolio is worth way more than a degree, so don't waste too much time going back to school if you've got the smarts to manage self educating.
All the best to you. ;)
Maybe you are judging everyone you meet too harshly. I did that. I had some friends but did not develop deep long lasting friendships with anyone from college, mostly acquaintances that I hung out with randomly. For example, every birthday I celebrated, I only had about 1 or 2 people hang out with me and they were just there to party and drink. I never was able to get close to people because I always found some flaw with them and would tell myself I won't make too much of an effort because they sometimes annoy me and I don't want to invest my time in them. Some were really great people looking back. So my advice would be this - give some people a chance, invite them to things, give them the benefit of the doubt. Make small talk with strangers in your classes and outside your classes. Try joining a meetup group from meetup.com so you can find people with similar interests as yourself.
Hey, fellow physics grad! How goes?
You made a great decision to get a BS rather than a BA. I'm not saying you're going to get a job as a physicist. You're not. Doesn't matter. The fact that you can get through the degree means that you can study and think. So let's look at a few of your many options.
1) Wall Street: It's not where it was a decade ago, but Wall Street still needs tons of people who can model things. You're going to have to be smart and it's highly stressful and you're going to work your ass off. You'll make closer to 600K-700K than 60K-70K, but it's a tough life.
2) IT / Software Engineer: More of a stretch but still up your alley, potentially. Will require some study.
3) Data Scientist: You likely won't know what this is. This is the new hotness, and likely to stay that way for quite a while. Take this and you can write your own ticket with a physics degree. Learn yourself some Hadoop and you're golden.
Do they exist? Yes.
Should you count on them? Hell no.
There number of quality jobs that turn into careers for associate degree holders is scarce. There will be a dozen bachelor holding grads gunning for them to gain "entry level experience" and most employers will make the rational choice of picking the person with 4 years of education over the person with 2. The saying is that "a bachelors is the new highschool diploma." It completely skipped over associate degrees.
Honestly, if you know you hate school and never liked school and it just doesn't do anything for you, don't go. I would strongly encourage you to get into trades and pursue being an electrician if you'd rather work than study. I'm not sure where you've been getting your data from, but the pay isn't shabby by any means.
Lookup vocational programs and see what turns up. A lot of these programs are very generous and will offer paid-training.
Here’s how I would approach it if you’re interested:
- Start with interactive lessons here: https://bubble.io/academy
- Then do this course: https://canvas.airdev.co/bootcamp
- Build one complete sample project to showcase your skills
- Then go on the bubble forum, bubble Facebook groups, bubble slack channels and start answering peoples questions
- Put your title as a bubble developer on LinkedIn
From there you’ll start getting project inquiries.
Prepare for the process to be 3-6 months assuming you’re committed.
I think you need to start some place and then worry about the other concerns like getting hired a bit later. You'll need some type of experience to show a potential employer that they should trust in your work.
Programming isn't an especially easy thing to pick up but you might really like it if you're just into working on your own and not socializing too much. Before you go to the local tech school though, I would do something like Code Academy (http://www.codecademy.com/). I've done it myself and found it extremely satisfying. I did it just because I wanted to know something about coding but not necessarily wanted to go into it. At the same time though, it gives you a great framework and I think people do end up learning a lot of solid material. You can do it at your own pace so you won't have the pressure of people around you. Being able to put on a resume that you've started to learn programming on your own is a big accomplishment. I don't know much about the different types of coding to tell you where to start, but maybe this is where you can do some research to see what type of programs you want to create (e.g. if you want to build games, maybe you can figure out if it's mobile or desktop that you want to focus on and which types of languages are taking off).
Don't worry about failing. I know it's easy for me to say but when you fail a few times, you'll realize that you've actually created a bunch of successes also. Don't give yourself too much to do since you're starting so fresh. You just have to jump into it and start somewhere.
Good luck!
I think you've got a a bunch of skills that could lead to a great career. However, I suspect you're goint to have to move to somewhere where you can get a job.
- Web developer. You've got the skills, you can do this.
- Web / Application Security: Here's a link to some jobs. You'll need to learn skills, but it sounds right up your alley.
- Data Science. Super hot right now. You'll need even more skills. See if you can get through this online course.
Don't give up. One day at a time. Get the skills and get the job.
Social Media Manager? Average salaries are around $50k/year USD. The job doesn't sound like there's very much in-person contact with customers, and might be interesting. Check out some descriptions http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=social+media+manager&l=
You can also try online freelancing websites like Upwork.com , Freelancer.com and many others. Have a google...or you can make a squarespace website to promote yourself professionally, set yourself up as a sole proprietor (aka freelancer/contractor), get a business account and work independently. You can find clients by going to startup weekends. If you're interested in startups, there are like thousands looking for people like you (myself included).
You can totally work as a programmer remotely, whenever you want, wherever you want, and make good money doing it. Just have to pay your taxes yourself, otherwise it's easy.
This is what I do. I'm an advertising consultant. I work remotely. I work from LA, Japan, the UK and travel all over the planet with my boyfriend. It's pretty great.
you can do it!
Browse around on the fitness subreddits: /r/fitness, /r/bodyweightfitness, /r/running, /r/weightroom
For someone who is just starting out, I would suggest a beginner program like Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength. It consists of basic compound lifts (squat, bench press, overhead press, deadliest, power clean) that'll help build a foundation of muscle. I've been messing around in the gym for years, but actually having a program to follow was better than figuring out what I wanted to do once I stepped foot in the gym. If you can afford it, read the Starting Strength book or watch a bunch of videos on YouTube to learn about proper form technique. If you do decide to go with SS, you're gonna want to start out very lightweight, then add 5 lbs to each lift every single workout until you can no longer do that. The website I linked should explain more. Stick with it for about 2 years or until you can no longer add on weight, then find another program to follow in the /r/Fitness FAQ.
I've also found that when one addiction gets shut down, another might try to take its place. My main addiction has always been porn, masturbation, and orgasm (but primarily porn). When I was a junior in high school, I realized how many hours I wasted watching porn every day. I'm not saying that everyone has this problem; some people can be functional while still being able to join those kind of pleasures, it was just that I couldn't function at all. With that being said, I'm also gonna leave a link to a subreddit that has been helpful to me over the past couple years: /r/NoFap
Good luck on your journey, friend!
The crucial thing to look for is : "is this a not for profit school?"
If it is a not-for-profit, like Harvard, Stanford, and University of <insert state here>, it is at least trying to educate students.
If it is a for-profit school, it is trying to provide value for the shareholders, and if students get educated, that's nice. But not necessary.
Many, many not-for-profit schools have online, including completely online programs.
And, if you want to learn, but don't need to get a degree, you can use MOOCs like http://www.coursera.org and http://www.edx.org
But before you do any of that, find someone who is doing what you want to do in the future and ask them what the good schools are, or what skills you need, or what you need to do in order to get a job in that field.
> I don't see any job (that is within reasonable reach)
You can work your way to pretty much any job that you want. What do you mean that it's out of reasonable reach? Somebody else does it, right?
> expertise with a specific software, technical and challenging, with decent pay and a few years of education required.
Film degree, interest in video games, and looking for something challenging and technical? You can start making games today. For free. Try the Unreal Engine. You only have to pay anything if you make a game that sells more than $50k. You can make a game with simple elements and Blueprint, which is a visual scripting language. Or you could challenge yourself and use C++.
The Unity Engine uses C#, which is an easier language to learn. It has different licensing terms which I don't recall at the moment, but it should be something reasonable.
There are a ton of tutorials for both of those engines, and subreddits and forums to help you along. There are also free samples to view, and if you really get into it, you can buy some art assets for pretty cheap and release your own game. If you learn C++ or C# well enough then you'll definitely be able to get a better job, even if it's not in games.
Business Development is just a buzzword for a Marketing/Account Manager/Sales type role. Usually they are a mix of the 3 depending on the startups needs.
You can try AngelList for startup jobs, or HackerNews job postings. Other buzzword titles: Growth Hacker or Sales Hacker.
Read this book. It's a short read that delves into the general societal response you will need to accept for choosing the lifestyle you described. It will be worth it if it's what makes you happy, but you will absolutely experience social isolation and be treated like a pariah for your choice to only have one low-end job on your resume. I wish you happiness, whatever you choose. https://smile.amazon.com/Convenience-Store-Woman-Sayaka-Murata-ebook/dp/B075VC651Y/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=convenience+store+woman&qid=1610912671&sprefix=convenienc&sr=8-1
Hey! First, things first....get your degree. You will make WAY more money over the course of your career if you start with a college degree. Second, the best part about being in college is that you can try/test out different things you might like after graduation with relatively low risk. I'd strongly encourage you to dive into the entrepreneurial process right now. Don't wait until you graduate. Pick one thing you're particularly interested/excited about trying and go for it. I'm sure you have many good books/resources. Three books I'd suggest for you. 1. Business Model Generation; 2. The Lean Startup; 3. The Four Hour Workweek. If you don't have those books, they will come in incredibly handy. Finally, I'd strongly encourage you to consider finding a partner in the work. You may not be the creative person but you clearly have the drive to launch something. Search out a person who is completely creative but doesn't have the excitement about launching a new venture. Hope this helps.
If you haven't, read So Good They Can't Ignore You.
Personally, I have a few qualms with the book overall, but I think it might address your general thesis and would suggest that work satisfaction comes from long term skill that grows from/into effectiveness and autonomy and that 'feeling like I'm on top of something' you describe.
I generally don't work well with people and have worked alone for the past few years. It's starting to get a little creatively lonely so I'm collaborating more, and when the pendulum swings back I'll retreat to solitude again: my personal metric for that happiness isn't "am I working exactly how I like right now?" but rather "do I have the freedom to choose as I start to lean different ways over time?" which, I mean, we're human, I don't think anyone could lock in an answer and live with it forever, no matter how staunchly they might feel at the time of the choice. So having that flow, that autonomy, is awfully nice feeling. I'm confident not in the position, but in the ability to course correct.
Just a couple of comments: I'd use the commute as writing time. It's a perfect opportunity to observe the people around you. Write stories about them.
If you haven't read On Writing by Stephen King, I recommend it. It's the best book of advice on writing I've ever read. And it's just a plain good read in and of itself, whether you're a writer or not.
Working in industry, somewhat using the skills I developed. This is not the norm, most of my colleagues, despite also graduating from top schools moved on to something entirely different. Scientist jobs even in industry are tough to get and don't pay terribly well.
Knowing what know now about the difficulty of academia, the low pay, and lack of jobs, I would have majored in engineering and gone straight to work after getting my bachelor's.
I can't overstate what I said in my previous comment. Ignore the people who say things like "follow your passion". It's recipe for disaster and only young naive people or folks who didn't pay for their education are saying this nonsense. Compromise and do something that pays well. If you like science, continue doing something technical like being an engineer or financial engineer as opposed to being a professor. If you like writing and talking, go be a lawyer or paralegal, as opposed to writing for a newspaper. You get the point.
You are female - that alone presents so many more problems. Do you want want to worry about money in your early thirties while trying to have kids? With a high paying gig, you have more options - you can pay for a nanny, take time off because you have greater savings, etc. Hell, in finance, you might even retire in your early forties.
Read "So Good They Can't Ignore You" by Cal Newport, a CS professor. It's a book I wish read 15 years ago. It provides a very healthy and realistic perspective on how to approach your career.
> https://www.linkedin.com/jobs2/view/89071338
Awesome! I think I needed to see something specific. That link was very helpful and restarted me. As of now, I am on contract for a while longer, but I will be looking at more positions like that. Thanks so much!
I think /u/AlotOfReading has very good advice. Many western firms find it very hard to get representatives on the ground in China (Hong Kong, Taiwan) who know the language and who they trust. IT is trendy, but with your background I don't think you understand how valuable your ability to communicate between the two largest economies in the world really is.
Tell me why you couldn't do this job?
A Masters in Public Health ticks a lot of your boxes, and those programs don't often require heavy science prerequisites.
Alternately, if you want to explore more foundational courses in STEM without committing to a whole new degree, I'd suggest finding a post-baccalaureate program. These are like mini-degrees for students who already have an undergrad in an unrelated field, and they allow you to get exposure without committing to fulfilling too many elective requirements. Something like this could give you a strong foundation to pursue a MSc.
Also, your interest in statistics makes me think of this.
This is so relatable. You are doing the work to figure it out right now, so give yourself some credit for that!
Do you like computers? A lot of software-related jobs can be done with no special degree, and that could be a real confidence booster. Maybe try starting with the basic HTML course at https://www.freecodecamp.org ?
Sure. 2019 is like cheating. Go to meetup.com and search 'IT' or any IT keywords. There are TONS of free meet ups where you can network, get free amazing advices, coaching, etc.
​
Some examples are:
-Project Management casuals
-Python 101 beginners meetup
-Solution Architect fundamentals event
etc etc.
​
We are so lucky to be living in such digital world.
Definitely happy to chat. Uncertainty is so normal so what we do with exploration is provide the space & structure to navigate, tolerate, and manage THROUGH the uncertainty until you get to that point of certainty about which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you, all by using practical means to get there. Let me know if you want to chat!
Hi! Firstly, I want to let you know that it is normal to not feel certain about your career path, but there is a way forward to reach that feeling of certainty on which path would be the best fit for you. (70% of the US feels disengaged at work, and about 85% globally). However, we want to look at the 30%, or the 15%, who are engaged at work. Career Exploration is a process whereby you are guided through the steps to deeply learn and understand relevant paths in order to effectively reflect and narrow in on which role, industry and environment would be the most suitable for you. By the way, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach, and I'd be happy to chat further with you to hear about your challenges and give you further suggestions if you'd like!
It is definitely okay to try a different path but it sounds like you were dealing with fear, so it'd be worth it to uncover whether that is the path you want and how to face that fear, or if you truly want something else.
If you think you want to see what else is out there for you, I'd recommend pursuing the process of career exploration, which should be done in completion before any job search. It is a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are most confident in pursuing. Specifically, it will help you understand and prioritize which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. While clarifying your ideal path can never be a quick answer resolved on a thread, it doesn't have to take forever either, or be as daunting as it seems. With 2-3 months, you can gain confidence in your direction by ensuring you learn enough about the options and reflect on what it means for you, to find the best possible fit.
That being said, if you "knew" your passion already I'd lean in to that, most people don't have that, or feel that certainty in what they want to do (I help them find it!), it's just a question of whether you muster up the courage to pursue it. Like I said, its OKAY to decide not to as long as your decision is informed, thought through, and that you understand where its coming from (is it a decision based on fear, or is it a logical decision based on the realistic factors involved in pursuing the path).
I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach. Happy to chat further if you like!
Position yourself as a generalist/project manager that gets things done and done cheap. Transition into logistics in a more interesting industry or get into a different role and different industry.
Interest Related Ideas:
Guitar: give music lessons/manage team of music teachers, used guitar reseller, guitar manufacturer operations-logistics, music venue event coordination...
http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=music+logistics&l=
Lifting Weights: gym management, personal trainer, supplement store manager, fitness equipment sales...
http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=gym+manager&l=
Your experience sounds good even if it hasn't been enjoyable. Combine your experience with a genuine interest in an industry and you should be good to go.
Good luck wherever you end up!
Web development can be a good field but as other people have mentioned it's kind of oversaturated and if you don't have training there's a steep learning curve.
If you're interested in it I would recommend taking some free online classes rather than paid college courses or bootcamps so you can see if you like it. One popular online school for web development is freeCodeCamp. More on the design side I like Gymnasium.
A lot of work-from-home jobs are either for extremely experienced people or unfortunately scams. But some possibilities are: sales, customer support, virtual assistant (like an online secretary/receptionist), transcriptionist (if you're a very fast typist).
I couldn't give you solid info on that honestly but I can imagine being able to get at least an entry level something but maybe not what you want to do.
This is a good link describing that field: http://careersinpsychology.org/becoming-an-industrial-or-organizational-psychologist/
Job search for that to see what employers are looking for: http://www.indeed.com/q-Industrial-Organizational-Psychologist-jobs.html
Can't say I'm surprised with that answer.
I'm going to suggest three things, all of which will require work, although not necessarily more credentials, although they'll help.
Community college physics instructor. You'll likely have to do a masters in physics. The students will be (at least somewhat) interested since they're there by choice. You won't have any of the 'restoring order' problems. Having said that, it doesn't pay too well. However, the Masters might lead to other good places.
Learn a little about data science / machine learning. This course is fantastic: https://www.coursera.org/course/ml. If you think you'd enjoy that, the pay can be great. You'll need to work hard though and it's mentally challenging.
Get into programming. Pay is really variable depending on the skills you need. I would do this on my own without a formal class. If you do well in an interview you can get a job. If you can kill this (http://www.amazon.com/Cracking-Coding-Interview-Programming-Questions/dp/098478280X/) you can get a really good job.
Be prepared to move no matter what you do.
If you understand computers, You might wanna learn coding. Give https://scratch.mit.edu/ a try. It's basic and asks to submit timely assignments. It's good way to know whether you want to be Programmer or not.
However, self-studying requires some will or motivation to keep going. I'd suggest you join college after you made up your mind.
It's dangerous to go alone, take this.
This is a simple exercise I wrote that might help. It sounds like you're in zone 4 and need to find a path forward. Take all the possible ideas you can think of and plot them on this chart. Prioritize by pursuing the next closest dot to the upper right.
I say: GO FOR IT
It's not the most ideal time, honestly, but I would still love to be in your shoes so I could capture photos across the country (USA) during this historical period. I would suggest doing some research into backwoods camping spots ahead of time or using some kind of road trip website (roadtrippers.com?) to plan out your route. I'm a little jealous of you, haha, but you've obviously worked hard to be in the place that you are in to be able to even consider this. Best of luck to you!!
I wouldn't accept the gold anyways :P
And boy, do I have some good news for you. There's a default plugin with Unreal now, in the 4.3 release, and the notes can be found here
I haven't really messed a whole lot with it, but that's actually my next project. Me and my friend want to make a basic gauntlet/hammerwatch styled game in that.
Some other advice I want to give you, as well as anyone out there, is don't rush things. The saying quality over quantity will definitely go a long way. You don't want to just pump out mario game after mario game, it teaches you almost nothing, other than you can make mario twice. Try experimenting with as much as you can, but never rush it.
If you get frustrated with something, don't just stop all together. Take a fifteen minute break, grab a glass of water, cool down a bit, then go back, and look at things differently.
Always write things down too. Either in a notepad file, or in a physical notebook, hell, if it's a program you're writing, just make a comment like "Oh hey, don't forget, if you put anything less than 0, everything breaks, fix later."
EDIT: If you're more interested in Unreal Engine, definitely check out /r/unrealengine , there's a few things you can pick up from them. Also, feel free to message me anytime if you have anymore questions.
I’m not sure if this is directly relative to your question, but I found myself in a similar situation. I was chasing building a specific type of lifestyle in an industry. However, it took me some time to admit to myself that I wasn’t putting in the work, nor willing to do the work. I debated quitting for awhile.
Then, I read a book called The Dip by Seth Godin
It helped me put into perspective what was working, and helped me realize it’s okay to walk away and choose something else. It gave me clarity on making a decision.
Good luck on finding clarity.
It's quite common to experience a loss of passion if you're not engaged or interested in what you're doing. I'd start with that. Start by listing all the things that you do find engaging. I'm not saying you can turn that into a new job or position overnight, but crafting a career and path takes a bit of time.
Start small. List out what you're interested in. Also sketch out what you're good at naturally. What are your superpowers. Everyone has some.
The other approach is to make whatever you're doing more meaningful. What can you learn there. This is not a cursory comment. What if you were at your current job to selfishly learn? Can you learn about other people? Are there skills you can pick up?
This book is also worth checking out. Great stuff for answering these questions
Designing your life.
Hope this helps. Happy to chat if you have further questions.
Ps. curious about the skincare routine!
I’ve been in your shoes. I feel that my depression highly contributed to my failures in school. I completed my bachelors degree at age 30 through an online self-paced program with lots of work experience under my belt. I’ll be attending grad school in January for my Masters degree. What I’ve learned over time is that you absolutely CANNOT wait for motivation in life. Take that word out of your vocabulary now. It will not serve you.
What you need to discover is discipline. School is important to you because you want to work in social services. Okay, now come up with a plan to complete your coursework. You will work on school during set hours and you do not have an excuse to do anything else during that time. You are going to do it because you made a promise to yourself and motivation has nothing to do with it. You OWE your future self to be disciplined right now.
College is absolutely not required to do well in life but I do think that working on self discipline will get you far no matter what you choose to do.
ETA: I’m a huge fan of personal development books to push through depression. Unf*ck Yourself and Stop Doing That Sh*t are books by Gary John Bishop that I highly recommend reading or listening to the audio books.
Ok this is going to be a long one so I'm going to break it down. First things first.
Finances
You finances are 100% within your control. How you decide to live right now will have a profound impact on the freedom you will have in the future. When I graduated form my Bachelor’s I could only dream to stop living on a student budget. I dreamed of the day I’d have a brand new car and a nice Condo downtown. And you know what? Fuck that. I still live on a student budget. That means that whatever money I make now immediately goes towards savings and investments.
The result? No car and no Condo, but I have a new business that my free capital allows me to start. And I no longer work full time, I now work only sporadic contracts with about a month break in between. This gives me the free time I need to still keep figuring things out between my work periods and do what truly is a passion for me. There is no way I could afford to do this if I had a mortgage and a car loan. It all comes down to choices. You do need money in the world, because indeed it doesn’t stop for you. But it’s much more important to have a financial and spending plan that supports your direction in life instead of shackling you to a job. Sound financial management is your safety net.
There’s plenty you can read about that. Here’s a couple of recommendations:
It’s all difficult but life is a journey.
Embrace whatever it is you take on. Do it the best you can. Then look for a different, better one.
Check this out: https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Get-Off-Our-Buts/dp/093158079X
The search for meaning is something every human has to go through and decide for themselves. You may figure out what the meaning of your life is next week or next decade, and it might change after you think you've found it.
Viktor Frankl's "Man's Search for Meaning" is the classic book on the subject.
When you are looking at compensation in law enforcement, remember that these organizations load compensation with benefits and retirement plans that you may not find in places paying more money. Also, if you read "The 4-Hour Workweek," you might find the inspiration to continue with your tech studies and see loads of options in career freedom.
They are immensely useful if you want to quickly get out of the funk that you're in and get clarified quickly on what it is you want to work on next. However, reading a book works too. Try Mindset by Carol Dweck.
The summer work is good for meeting others your age and listening to how they're planning their future. It gives you a chance to meet people who are older, as well, to see how their decisions have impacted their lives. It is also a good way to give yourself time to self reflect. I wouldn't say it's a launching point for much, though Disney is well known for recruiting young people to work in their theme and amusement parks, and having your background would likely make you an appealing hire. I know someone who worked there a few summers and said it was one of the best decisions he ever made.
Non-profit work like the Peace Corps can open opportunities in federal positions after your tour - you qualify for preferential treatment for certain jobs if you apply within a certain amount of time after leaving the Corps.
If you are serious about avoiding children, non-profit work can span a wide range of social services, such as helping the homeless, assisting in battery shelters, addiction clinics, rape victim advocacy groups and organizations, etc.
One way you can use your education is to look for research opportunities at major institutions. It's usually term-limited work, but if you get experience working with certain types of equipment, you can use that to get into sales related to the field of research you were in. That may be the work around if you're not able/willing to go back to school.
One of the things I wish I had done 10 years ago was keep an eye out for others who were ambitious and seek potential mentors in fields I thought were interesting.
This morning, I heard a quote on the radio that seems to be relevant here:
Do not wait, the time will never be just right. Start where you stand, and work whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along. ~ Napoleon Hill in his book Think and Grow Rich.
Tim Ferris initially got me started on thinking about alternative work prospects. His book 4 hour work week was really good, his podcast as well. On his blog he recommends a lot of great books to put you in the game. I'd recommend the books Essentialism the One Thing as good material for acquiring focus. I've gotten a lot out of the Duncan Trussell Family Hour Podcast as well. The War of Art is also a great creative booster. Start there, visit the forums and keep expanding your acquisition of knowledge. I find that the internet seems to connect full circle at certain points of information after you look long enough.
This is not something you should accept and build a life around. This is a flaw, but, luckily, a flaw which can be fixed.
I used to be just like you. I would start a new project, excited and pumped up, forget to eat, work like a dog (a happy dog, at that), only to lose interest come next month.
Hell, I'm still like that. But I'm making progress; I'm learning, improving, keeping momentum, and in 5 months I'll be a whole lot better.
Slowly but surely, like me, you can overcome your flaw. The bursts of energy are great, and the passion you experience is indeed admirable.
But anything worth a damn requires persistence.
Rome wasn't built in a day, and if you lose interest after only a day, you'll never build Rome.
Here's a formula to channel your energy over a long period of time, so that you can produce something of value and build a legacy beyond your time on this piece of rock flying through the sky.
Desire + Planning + Faith + Decision + Persistence
That's it. That's all you need to build your Rome.
These principles are better explained and outlined in Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich, which I highly recommend you read if you plan on making something of your life.
>I don't really care what my city looks like, I just want it firing on all cylinders.
Reading OPs ideas and motives, I rather think he should do something like /u/sparsecoder suggested and not something in the field of managing human beings.
I also love making stuff more efficient – and it's also possible to make great adjustments to work procedures etc. to get things done efficiently. But: People are not machines and you should be really careful what you do with them to get better work output.
Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but I've seen too many "managers" giving a shit about employees, pushing them into burnout or into quitting a company because they just cared about maximizing the output of their little worker bees instead of caring for the actual human being in front of them.
So I think OP will find great satisfaction and can contribute in a really great way with anything related to making machines do better work. Go for that!
Highly recommended book for this topic: Peopleware – Tom de Marco & Timothy Lister
I just finished reading a book that I really wish I'd read five or six years ago: <em>So Good They Can't Ignore You</em> by Cal Newport. Basically, it points out flaws in the "follow your passion" ideology and offers an alternative route of developing marketable skills and selling them. You sound like you have some decent skills, so if you focus on honing the skills you enjoy to the point of being able to innovate them and push to the next opportunities, you can do well.
Dan Miller's <em>48 Days to the Work You Love</em> is also handy for cross-transferable skills and career-hopping.
Hope these help!
> BA Social Anthropology
> I love writing
> My main interest is art and I paint and draw as often as I can
> I have basic skills in HTML, CSS, JQuery and other low-level web development-related skills
> I can use Photoshop well
> Fieldwork/research skills, including interview techniques, ethical codes, surveying etc. I'm good at research.
> Want to help people
Consider being a designer, you're basically the perfect candidate! Think of design as part artist, part inventor, and part anthropologist--with a bit of writing and stats in the mix.
A designers job is to understand a context (people, environment, problems, etc) and create a form (user interface, tea kettle, whatever) that's well suited to that context (ie, solves people's problems) in well-balanced way (functional, visually pleasing, feasible, simple).
- Pay is good, often on par with engineers if you're really skilled.
- Demand is high. Basically every startup needs good designers these days.
- Being young and inexperienced isn't a problem in the startup world. It's almost a prerequisite.
- Lots of designers are "lost kids" from arts/research/tech backgrounds, and your career path so far is pretty in line with most designers' I know.
Google around for "UX Design", Read Designer News and Medium Design Channel for some sense of the industry.
Book to buy right now: The Design of Everyday Things by Donald Norman
PM me if you have questions, I lead design at a well-funded startup in the States.
Game Artist here. TBH it depends of what game you want to make and how long you have for it.
If you already have 2D and 3D basics, a first good step before making your own game could be going over Itch.io Gamejam page and try a 48hour jam see if you like it and how the process of making a game works. You'll have to find teammates, and have a good overview at the pipeline at a small scale.
Then you can decide if you prefer to go the team route by getting better at the art part ( and learning Unity/UE4 art implementation, VFX and become a game artist). Or the solo route where you'll need to learn code (C# for Unity and C++ for UE, I'm not sure for Godot). Codeacademy is a great pace to learn how to program I reckon but Reddit is full of great devs so I'm sure you won't have any problems finding one for a jam (r/INAT) or ressources to learn.
Unity is widely use especially in indie development.
As a Game artist, knowing how to make art is important, but knowing how to implement that art within the engine, the constraints of devs when adding the assets and such is even more important. It allows you to be more efficient and quicker while working as a team. Also it'll remove a lot of workload from the devs.
If you're in no rush, I'd suggest you to get familiar with game process first : Gamejams. You'll learn a lot while meeting other devs. You don't need to know anything first and you'll have fun. After a couple of them you'll know more about source control, Game engines etc and it will build up gradually and you'll have a better vision of what to do for your own game.
Hope this helps ! Good luck !
Maybe https://www.udacity.com/ will have some programs that are affordable and will also help you develop the skills you need to get a job in that field. I’m not affiliated with them, but I’ve thought about taking a nano degree from them a few times
Consider reading The Right Job, Right Now: The Complete Toolkit for Finding Your Perfect Career. https://www.amazon.com/Right-Job-Now-Complete-Toolkit/dp/0312349262/ref=sr_1_17?crid=39MJ5VARG394F&keywords=career+counseling+toolkit&qid=1668954335&s=books&sprefix=career+counseling+toolkit%2Cstripbooks%2C199&sr=1-17
Consider getting a life coach.
Japan doesn't stigmatize mental illness? That's amazing. In Korea, I heard of people getting let go when their employers find out [TEFL teachers.] Darn, I heard Japan was one of the better countries in which to teach. What was physically demanding about teaching?
It may take some time to build your portfolio. Are you planning on working there? Might need someone that knows the employment culture around programming.
Having a bulged disc myself, sitting down for long hours will definitely exacerbate it. But nothing close to physically demanding work that loads your back. Check out McGill 3s.
Check out www.freecodecamp.org or the Odin Project to see if it's for you. They're so motivating/optimistic.
Since you've never done it before, you could start with learning the basics of Python on FreeCodeCamp here as an introduction to programming.
There's no surefire method to get really good at programming besides practice. Learn the basics first and then start practicing. 4-6 months might be unrealistic.
It very much came across that way, the post to me read "I am incredibly good at too many things and nobody has noticed, how come I'm not a celebrity with my amazingness, I should start a brand based upon my greatness".
> A 9-5 "cog in the machine"
People who say that tend to have never had a consistent job.
> I need to be an entrepreneur but I don't know what to do
"Why hasn't the world made me rich yet?"
> Do I compromise and just get a 9-5?
OP, Yes, you should. But remember what I think is the most important lesson from Rich Dad Poor Dad - Work to learn, don't work to earn. Who's going to pay you learn new skills?
That sounds interesting thanks, it looks like there's two versions? A concise version: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Concise-Mastery-Robert-Greene-Collection/dp/1846681561
Any idea what you read?
Thanks
I’d been freelancing for 4+ years and used the book Design the Life You Love by Ayse Birsel to understand what I wanted and what steps I could take towards it.
My steps included growing my professional network, getting a career coach for a couple months, read more books per year and I just started a new job in a big group. That’s my path currently but I know it may change anytime.
Invest the money in several sources...I'll recommend this book How Come that Idiot's Rich and I'm Not for some things to think about. You can grow this money and be set and have the freedom to pursue things you are passionate about.
Hi there! I'm a UX/UI Designer and from what I've read you could have what it takes to be a UX Researcher or a UX Designer. One of the foundations of UX is Cognitive Science, the first guy to use the term "user experience" is Donald Norman who has studied (and currently teaches) Cognitive Science for years. You could try reading one of his books (one of the most well-known books in the Design field): The Design of Everyday Things to see if you're interested in the subject.
I'd also suggest maybe doing the Google UX Certification available through Coursera, it's a good introductory certification that'd get you in the right path to apply for a trainee or even an entry level job.
If you have any questions let me know, I'm 30 and I've worked in tech for the last 4 years :)
Nice article, 100% agree with the "craftsman" mindset approach. If you can find meaning in refining a skill over time and making incremental improvements, the act of doing the skill becomes joyful.
I would also point you towards So Good They Can't Ignore You, possibley the best book on the subject. The title comes from a famous Steve Martin interview where he was asked the secret of his success, and he replied that to succeed "You have to become so good they can't ignore you."
I would recommend reading this book. It suggests there is rarely purely passion in creating or having a career you're happy with. You need to become good enough in your chosen area, so good that you have enough power to make your work enjoyable and grow into passion. Most people weren't simply born with a passion.
It seems like your issue is that you are trying to figure out what you want to do next and aren't sure what that thing is. Try the book "What Color is Your Parachute". It is a classic of career management for a reason. It's not a perfect book, but I found the "flower exercise" to help find a path useful.
There are a handful of schools in North America as well as a couple correspondence courses. Personally I think the Arthur Reblitz book has all the information you need. If you can find a local tuner to apprentice with it would also take you very far. The tuner I apprenticed with was happy to have an extra set of hands in return for teaching me the hands on part.
If you're interested you may want to reach out to the local chapter of the PTG (Piano Tuners Guild)
Maybe there is nothing wrong with you
I'm reading this book:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ending-Pursuit-Happiness-Zen-Guide/dp/0861715535
Some of it is Good so far.
What may seem insurmountable to you is actually not a big deal. You have a couple weed charges on your record, big fucking deal. Accept it. It is what it is and get on with it.
I usually don't recommend self-help books straight off the bat, but it sounds like you're letting the world around you close in on you and a swift kick in the dick would help you get a new fresh look at things. If you have an audible account, buy this book. If you don't have on, I think the first book is free. If you got no money or free first book, then hit the library up. They might have a copy. I only recommend audible because it's easier to consume that way for people with anxiety.
https://www.audible.com/pd/Cant-Hurt-Me-Audiobook/B07KKMNZCH
Also, what's your internet/video game use like? Do you spend a lot of time online? Do you spend most of your time indoors? Do you exercise? What's your sleep like? What about your diet? Do you follow toxic/violent/depressing shows, media accounts, websites?
Hello,
It is still possible to succeed in life if you change your mindset. Think about all the Internet-based businesses like Google, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok... These companies are multimillion-dollar enterprises. How can you profit from these successful companies? That's your new mindset. Take time to find the answer to that question. Check out how people are making money with Google AdSense, and you can do the same.
Here's one way to learn the skills - https://www.udacity.com/course/data-visualization-nanodegree--nd197
It is still an emerging occupation and is increasing in demand. I would think that anyone who develops these skills now, will not have a problem finding employment within a number of industries.
Have you found this?: https://www.coursera.org/specialization/jhudatascience/1?utm_medium=catalog
I'm not in the industry but it seems like a solid way to gain experience without committing to a full grad program. As to whether industry jobs accept it, well, I'm afraid that I don't know.
Most tech companies have a data science dept. so it's just a matter of picking an industry you like. Quite a number of openings actually: https://www.duolingo.com/careers
You could build your own portfolio, and use something like UpWork to land some clients? Gradually build your base from there.
coding is an essential part of it. Almost every company has some sort of data team so you can literally work anywhere which makes it easier to translate past experience. Take a few classes in SQL and see how you feel. I like datacamp.com. If you decide coding isn't for you then data science is going to be pretty tough.
I actually am terrible at math. I failed Calc multiple times. Stats was the only thing I was half decent at. It made me steer away from IT/CS careers for a very long time. Even now, I still struggle. Being able to communicate is a lot of it. People like to ask "where did you get that number from" and you need to be able to explain it to someone who has no math background.
I'd look up the career counselling office at your local UC school and ask them if you can talk to a junior (young) professor in physics, or astrophysics. You may get some push-back, but give it a shot. If you ask them the questions you're asking me, you might get somewhere. If not, they might get you some time to talk to some physics Teaching Assistant / Grad Student. Go see what they say.
Join LinkedIn (if you don't already belong) and ask your questions to this group.
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/Astrophysics-Professionals-Educators-1974637/about
(Off the top of my head.)
While often people consider salary in job choices, I'd also consider:
-Role -- how aligned are you with the day to day of what the role entails? would you be great at it? would you enjoy it? where could it lead? (future salary & growth potential); are you interested in it? (rate this from 1-10)
-Industry -- do you feel that the purpose/mission of the organization is important & interesting to you? (rate 1-10)
-Environment -- how aligned do you feel with the people? the size and pace of the org? the vibes? (consider all bells & whistles ... location, travel, remote, hours, etc) (rate 1-10)
Jot down key questions/concerns you have about each role.
After doing the initial rankings, plus considering your core questions & concerns, then try to consider your gut reaction about each of them & see if this helps you come to a decision. It may be the case that you have unanswered questions about each role. Remember to get your questions answered so you can make an informed decision about the right next step for you.
By the way, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach, and I'm happy to chat further if you'd like help with assessing offers, interview practice, negotiation, job search strategy, career pathing/clarity, etc!
Hey there, given what you're writing, I'd recommend pursuing the process of career exploration, which should be done in completion before any job search. It is a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are most confident in pursuing. Specifically, it will help you understand and prioritize which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. While clarifying your ideal path can never be a quick answer resolved on a thread, it doesn't have to take forever either, or be as daunting as it seems. With 2-3 months, you can gain confidence in your direction by ensuring you learn enough about the options and reflect on what it means for you, to find the best possible fit. BTW, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach. Happy to chat further if you like!
Hi! Given what you're writing, I'd recommend pursuing career exploration, which is a process that is distinct from and a precursor to the job search, including a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are confident in pursuing. THAT is the process whereby you can confidently narrow in on which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. In fact, I've helped numerous professionals to figure out, clarify, and pursue their ideal career direction. While pivots might seem big and scary, they're often more feasible than you think, but you at least deserve to identify which path would be the best fit for you first, and then determine what your strategy, approach or next steps would be. By the way, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach, and I'm happy to chat further if you'd like!
Hi! Given what you're writing, I'd recommend pursuing career exploration, which is a process that is distinct from and a precursor to the job search, including a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are confident in pursuing. THAT is the process whereby you can confidently narrow in on which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. In fact, I've helped numerous professionals to figure out, clarify, and pursue their ideal career direction. While pivots might seem big and scary, they're often more feasible than you think, but you at least deserve to identify which path would be the best fit for you first, and then determine what your strategy, approach or next steps would be. By the way, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach, and I'm happy to chat further if you'd like!
Hi! Given what you're writing, I'd recommend pursuing career exploration, which is a process that is distinct from and a precursor to the job search, including a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are confident in pursuing. THAT is the process whereby you can confidently narrow in on which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. In fact, I've helped numerous professionals to figure out, clarify, and pursue their ideal career direction. While pivots might seem big and scary, they're often more feasible than you think, but you at least deserve to identify which path would be the best fit for you first, and then determine what your strategy, approach or next steps would be. By the way, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach, and I'm happy to chat further if you'd like!
Hey there, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach. I'd recommend pursuing the process of career exploration, which should be done in completion before any job search. It is a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are most confident in pursuing. Specifically, it will help you understand and prioritize which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. While clarifying your ideal path can never be a quick answer resolved on a thread, it doesn't have to take forever either, or be as daunting as it seems. With 2-3 months, you can gain confidence in your direction by ensuring you learn enough about the options and reflect on what it means for you, to find the best possible fit. Happy to chat further if you like! calendly.com/woken/demo
Could you still live at school to have the social experience but perhaps pursue an internship and/or spend time pursuing career exploration to figure out your ideal career direction? These would be productive things to do while you can still be at school but not yet search for a full time role yet. Career exploration is a process that is distinct from and a precursor to the job search, including a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are confident in pursuing. THAT is the process whereby you can confidently narrow in on which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. In fact, I've helped numerous professionals to figure out, clarify, and pursue their ideal career direction. While pivots might seem big and scary, they're often more feasible than you think, but you at least deserve to identify which path would be the best fit for you first, and then determine what your strategy, approach or next steps would be. By the way, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach, and I'm happy to chat further if you'd like!
Hey there, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach. I'd recommend pursuing the process of career exploration, which should be done in completion before any job search. It is a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are most confident in pursuing. Specifically, it will help you understand and prioritize which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. While clarifying your ideal path can never be a quick answer resolved on a thread, it doesn't have to take forever either, or be as daunting as it seems. With 2-3 months, you can gain confidence in your direction by ensuring you learn enough about the options and reflect on what it means for you, to find the best possible fit. Happy to chat further if you like!
You don't have to wander around, rather, you can take a focused, step by step, structured, practical approach to figuring out the best career path for you. Given what you're writing, I'd recommend pursuing career exploration, which is is a process that is distinct from and a precursor to the job search, including a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are confident in pursuing. THAT is the process whereby you can confidently narrow in on which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. In fact, I've helped numerous professionals to figure out, clarify, and pursue their ideal career direction. While pivots might seem big and scary, they're often more feasible than you think, but you at least deserve to identify which path would be the best fit for you first, and then determine what your strategy, approach or next steps would be. By the way, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach, and I'm happy to chat further if you'd like!
Hi! Firstly, I want to let you know that it is normal to not feel certain about your career path, but there is a way forward to reach that feeling of certainty on which path would be the best fit for you. (70% of the US feels disengaged at work, and about 85% globally). However, we want to look at the 30%, or the 15%, who are engaged at work. Career Exploration is a process whereby you are guided through the steps to deeply learn and understand relevant paths in order to effectively reflect and narrow in on which role, industry and environment would be the most suitable for you. By the way, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach, and I'd be happy to chat further with you to hear about your challenges and give you further suggestions if you'd like!
Hey there, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach. I'd recommend pursuing the process of career exploration, which should be done in completion before any job search. It is a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are most confident in pursuing. Specifically, it will help you understand and prioritize which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. While clarifying your ideal path can never be a quick answer resolved on a thread, it doesn't have to take forever either, or be as daunting as it seems. With 2-3 months, you can gain confidence in your direction by ensuring you learn enough about the options and reflect on what it means for you, to find the best possible fit. Happy to chat further if you like!
Hi! When you're considering upskilling, further education, or any learning opportunities, here's what I'd suggest:
- Ensure you feel 100% clear first on your ideal career direction i.e. role, industry and environment
- By pursuing career exploration until you feel 100% confident, it will make it much easier to feel confident in which, if any, upskilling experience/opportunity/program would be worthwhile for you
- You want to clarify your goal first, so that the pathway to reach that goal is much easier to define and determine
- Upskilling is not meant to be used as a "test" of if you'd like that job -- that is what career exploration is for
- There's only so much time or money you have to devote to additional learning, so be sure you're being intentional with any choice of course, certification, or any further education opportunity
BTW, I'm Rachel, a Career Exploration Coach, and I'm happy to chat further if you'd like!
Hey there, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach. Your degree actually won't matter as much as you think. Rather, you need a deep understanding of what path you want to pursue and why you'd be a great fit. People are very forgiving when its your first role and they know they'll train you on the job. I'd recommend pursuing the process of career exploration, which should be done in completion before any job search. It is a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are most confident in pursuing. Specifically, it will help you understand and prioritize which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. While clarifying your ideal path can never be a quick answer resolved on a thread, it doesn't have to take forever either, or be as daunting as it seems. With 2-3 months, you can gain confidence in your direction by ensuring you learn enough about the options and reflect on what it means for you, to find the best possible fit. Happy to chat further if you like!
Hi! If you're thinking about making a pivot, I'd consider:
a) Ensure you feel 100% about the change, ie you understand the role/industry deeply and feel confident it is a fit for you; if not, pursue career exploration until you feel certain
b) Once you feel certain, leverage networking as a means of understanding the day to day but also the realistic pathways and nuances as to how people break in
c) This will inform your next steps, whether there is a "step a" to take before "step b" (ie do you need to start in one role in order to move into the role you want?), and/or pursue upskilling opportunities, etc.
d) Then you'll be ready to refresh your personal branding materials and pursue job searching to forge into the path you want.
Let me know if you'd like to chat further and get help with these steps! Best, Rachel, Career Exploration Coach
Hobby- something you do for fun but would not want to be paid for
Volunteer - something you choose to do in your free time that you are happy to give your unpaid time doing
Job - something you are great at, find fulfillment and challenge in, find purpose in, feel is aligned with your natural strengths in order to contribute to our professional world in a way that you feel aligns with your natural tendencies, strengths and potential. The job can be split into 3 core parts -- role, industry and environment, and its important to figure out what you are a fit for as it relates to ALL 3 of those components.
Often people feel they can only find purpose/fulfillment in a volunteer gig or hobby but that is not the case. It is normal to not feel certain about your career path, but there is a way forward to reach that feeling of certainty on which path would be the best fit for you. (70% of the US feels disengaged at work, and about 85% globally). However, we want to look at the 30%, or the 15%, who are engaged at work. Career Exploration is a process whereby you are guided through the steps to deeply learn and understand relevant paths in order to effectively reflect and narrow in on which role, industry and environment would be the most suitable for you.
By the way, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach, and I'd be happy to chat further with you to hear about your challenges and give you further suggestions if you'd like!
Hey there, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach. I'd recommend pursuing the process of career exploration, which should be done in completion before any job search. It is a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are most confident in pursuing. Specifically, it will help you understand and prioritize which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. While clarifying your ideal path can never be a quick answer resolved on a thread, it doesn't have to take forever either, or be as daunting as it seems. With 2-3 months, you can gain confidence in your direction by ensuring you learn enough about the options and reflect on what it means for you, to find the best possible fit. Happy to chat further if you like!
Hi! Given what you're writing, I'd recommend pursuing career exploration, which is is a process that is distinct from and a precursor to the job search, including a series of steps of practical learning and self-reflection in order to compare, contrast, and clarify which career path you are confident in pursuing. THAT is the process whereby you can confidently narrow in on which role, industry and environment is the best fit for you. In fact, I've helped numerous professionals to figure out, clarify, and pursue their ideal career direction. While pivots might seem big and scary, they're often more feasible than you think, but you at least deserve to identify which path would be the best fit for you first, and then determine what your strategy, approach or next steps would be. By the way, I'm Rachel Serwetz, a Career Exploration Coach, and I'm happy to chat further if you'd like!