Getting a job - don't know where to start.

[dav27]

Any advice or stories is appreciated.

Basically in the past i've only ever had low paying jobs like retail/bar work and now i'm looking to get myself into more of a 'career' type job. I'm thinking something to do with IT or finance.

The trouble is i don't know where to start - i'm not sure what jobs there really are and what they involve, i'm guessing i'd need some sort of experience but most places won't hire without it. I've had a look at websites for training courses but a lot look overpriced and seem a bit too easy to be true.

I know i've got the potential to get into a really good job, but feel like there's a huge void in my mind of how to get there. Please help me to fill it

 

[Fuglydude]

Depends on your work experience, your training/education, your values, what you like to do, etc.

Do something you'll really love. There's nothing worse than having a job that you don't like in a place where you don't want to be.

 

[dav27]

Thanks for the answer but that doesn't really help. I know i need to do something i love (or try to at least), but don't know the steps of how to get there. How did you guys get into the jobs you enjoy?

 

[Fuglydude]

Personally, I think its good to have a long term career goal in mind. You can then slowly begin to work towards it. Pick jobs that will help you to get there.

For example, lets say you wanna be a doctor. You'll have to into a pre-med or other program and do the related course work. You'll have to have a wide variety of work/volunteer experience, write the MCAT, blah blah...

Another important thing to consider with jobs is the stress:cash ratio. Ideally you want a low stress job that pays well. How much you enjoy a job however, should be the most important thing.

I also think its important to have more than one avenue of income. It keeps things more interesting. Personally I'm an RN, and I also free-lance on the side as an entertainer. I also had started a personal training business, but need to look into getting insurance coverage and advertising opportunities for that so that's on hold right now. I enjoy all my jobs because they incorporate values that are important to me: helping people, helping people have fun, promoting health/fitness, etc. It doesn't hurt that they're also quite well paying... I think the most money is in starting your own business.

As far as how I got into these jobs...my first degree is in molecular bio. I did this degree because I'm a nerd and I like science. After I finished I thought about doing grad school, doing pharmacy, physiotherapy, or nursing. I chose nursing because the program at my university is fairly abbreviated for those who already had a degree. Plus I love the patient contact and the clinical experience you gain. RNs are also quite well paid in my part of the world (my base rate is 32.08/hour + shift differentials + double time for OT) and are in high demand through out the world. These factors lead me to choose to be an RN. If I choose to go on to be a nurse practitioner or an MD, having the clinical experience and being an RN will undoubtedly help my application. Furthermore, there's a huge number of career opportunities when you have an RN, including the opportunity to travel. Although it can be stressful at times, its nothing close to the kind of stress that MDs have to go through.

As far as the dancing, one of my good friends and training partners was a stripper, and he asked me if I wanted to dance. Its hard to say no to making 150-200 cash plus tips for "working" for 20 minutes by taking your clothes off for a bunch of screaming women. Its a great source of part time income. There's been nights where I've come home with over $1000 cash in my pocket. Its a line of work that's tough to quit because the cash just comes so easily, and its also a very easy job (think great stress:money ratio).

Just my 2 cents. Hope it helps.

 

[Fuglydude]

How did I get into this? Graduated Police College and wanted to try something different for a year. (4 years and 5 countries later, I've never looked back)

ESL Teacher (www.globaltesol.com) <--- Takes 1 week

Benefits:
Paid Travel.
Paid Accommodation.
Its so easy to get into.
No degree required.
Decent Salary.
Foreign Women.
Get paid to talk about yourself.
Sex with students.
Upper Middle Class lifestyle.
You get to be the center of attention 24/7.
Possibility to work for yourself or out of the house.
You are helping people learn a much needed skill.

Whats not to love?

I'm jealous now

 

[DamHE]

How did I get into this? Graduated Police College and wanted to try something different for a year. (4 years and 5 countries later, I've never looked back)

ESL Teacher (www.globaltesol.com) <--- Takes 1 week

Benefits:
Paid Travel.
Paid Accommodation.
Its so easy to get into.
No degree required.
Decent Salary.
Foreign Women.
Get paid to talk about yourself.
Sex with students.
Upper Middle Class lifestyle.
You get to be the center of attention 24/7.
Possibility to work for yourself or out of the house.
You are helping people learn a much needed skill.

Whats not to love?

Hi,

How long is a job at a certain location? For example, are you in China one week and Poland the next??

And were you jokin about the sex w/ students

 

[Derek Flint]

Any advice or stories is appreciated.

Basically in the past i've only ever had low paying jobs like retail/bar work and now i'm looking to get myself into more of a 'career' type job. I'm thinking something to do with IT or finance.

The trouble is i don't know where to start - i'm not sure what jobs there really are and what they involve, i'm guessing i'd need some sort of experience but most places won't hire without it. I've had a look at websites for training courses but a lot look overpriced and seem a bit too easy to be true.

I know i've got the potential to get into a really good job, but feel like there's a huge void in my mind of how to get there. Please help me to fill it

How old are you?
What are your interests?
What do you enjoy?
Are you a "team player" or do you work better in an isolated environment?

I would suggest a visit to a career counselor and having them do an assessment of your interests and your skills.

They don't do this for free. It's how they make money, but a good one will identify your strengths/weaknesses, your likes/dislikes, what you're good at, etc...

But you have to find a good career counselor who will take an honest, sincere interest in your needs and help you.

Don't fall for any MLM scams or anything like that, or any jobs where you have to pay for training or training materials or anything like that (Cutco, Primemerica, etc...)

If you are young, be prepared to start out at a lower paying, menial job, and get some experience and build your résumé and work your way up to where you want to be.

A stable job history looks good. An unstable history with employment gaps, job hopping, etc... won't even get you an interview.

BTW, it's called "work" for a reason. It's hard and it's not easy to get ahead, but pretty much anyone can do it if they make the effort.

And most of these "training" bootcamps such as the one's that get you an MSCE don't teach you anything other then how to pass the test for the certification, but won't help you once you're in the real world and have to put those skills to the test.

In other words, they teach you tricks and techniques to pass the certification test, but very little as far as learning any usable skills.

Kind of like the "Mystery Method"

 

[RazorAzoth]

How did I get into this? Graduated Police College and wanted to try something different for a year. (4 years and 5 countries later, I've never looked back)

ESL Teacher (www.globaltesol.com) <--- Takes 1 week

Benefits:
Paid Travel.
Paid Accommodation.
Its so easy to get into.
No degree required.
Decent Salary.
Foreign Women.
Get paid to talk about yourself.
Sex with students.
Upper Middle Class lifestyle.
You get to be the center of attention 24/7.
Possibility to work for yourself or out of the house.
You are helping people learn a much needed skill.

Whats not to love?

Please. If it sounds way too good to be true, it's always a scam. Otherwise, do you REALLY think they're would be janitors cleaning up puke and **** or Burger King employees in the world when they could be doing this?

 

[dav27]

That does sound really interesting, though i doubt i'd try get into something like that.

Surely it must be difficult teaching english around the globe, i'm guessing you'd have to know their language too?

 

[RazorAzoth]

....and that's the attitude that keeps you working at Burger King Razor.

Yep, I insulted my own profession.

I really hope no one plops down the $1,000 for this nonsense and wastes their money.

"Possibility to work for yourself or out of the house."

Teach English overseas from your home.