Choosing Careers

Jasoncmor

Jasoncmor

Jasoncmor

Associate
Joined
13 Feb 2010
Posts
609
Location
Bournemouth
Hi all

I'm just wondering something as I'm struggling at the moment with my life.

I am waiting to hear back from college at the moment regarding doing an evening electrician course.
I'm still not certain that's what I want to do, but I'll hopefully give it a go all being well.

My current issue I have is I really don't know what to do with myself.
People always said "i'm going to be a fireman when I'm older" for example, and become one, I never had those thoughts while growing up, I was never certain what I wanted to become.

I'm turning 30 in a couple of weeks and I feel that the pressure is on me to actually do something, and become someone, but nothing really stands out at me for what I should do with myself.

I've taken multiple personality tests, watched countless youtube videos on how to find your passion, how to find what you enjoy etc etc, but the more thought I put into it the more I lack any insight.

Does anyone have any ideas that could help me?

Many thanks
Jason
 
How do you spend your spare time what do you do for fun? If money was suddenly no object and you never needed to work again how would you spend your days?
 
You can’t really find what it is you’re going to enjoy doing until you’ve done it, and even then doing it for 40 hours a week can soon kill off those feelings.

I’d stop watching “motivational” YouTube videos for a start and burdening yourself with the feeling that you need to be a certain person or have a certain job title to have a life.

Apply for positions or education that look appealing and give them a go, self employed sparkies I’ve met seem to be enjoying life, ones that are employed seem to hate it unless they’re on the engineering side.
 
If you dont know by 30 you might never know, i was in single figures and taking things to bits to see how they worked ... ie about 7... by 15 i had 5 or 6 computers..

I also dont submit to the... what are your hobbies/ what you do for fun type way which always pops up in these discussions.. if your already passionate about something like a hobby or interest you could well be doing that as a career by now, but most job wanderers dont have any real .... serious interests going way back.. at least not most i have met.
 
Stephanie Peterson said:
If you dont know by 30 you might never know, i was in single figures and taking things to bits to see how they worked ... ie about 7... by 15 i had 5 or 6 computers..

I also dont submit to the... what are your hobbies/ what you do for fun type way which always pops up in these discussions.. if your already passionate about something like a hobby or interest you could well be doing that as a career by now, but most job wanderers dont have any real .... serious interests going way back.. at least not most i have met.
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Yeah if you ain't sorted by your 30 you might as well go on the dole and give up work, it's not for you :p
 
Don't really agree with these "what would you do if you won the lottery/money was no object" type responses. I'd travel the world, consume nice food and drink, buy nice things, undertake lots of new experiences. None of which I'd translate into a career I'd like to do.

For me, it's a combination of what are you somewhat competent at: maths, logic, people skills, sales skills, teaching, problem solving, working with your hands, etc, etc. What do you find somewhat interesting in which a feasible career could fall out of: cars, houses, engineering, computers, teaching, building, etc. Then try and find something in which these two aspects compliment each other.
 
Cheers for your replies guys.

So in my spare time I like to make things, i've done a few big projects like a custom built shed, a large outbuilding, and a room conversion, the latest thing I have been doing is upcycling old wooden pallets into planters, and i made a bird table, plus some other small projects. I just really love using my head, using my hands, and using power tools, and I own tools for all sorts of tools for different applications, for example wood tools, metal working tools, garden tools, garage tools and electrical / electronic working tools. I just enjoy either making or fixing things, at one point I had a side business for repairing iphones, ipads, laptops and other smart devices, and also built a few gaming PCs for friends.

I seem to go through phases where i'll just watch crap on netflix / youtube after work, or playing the odd game, but i seem to have lost interest in gaming, and I have done for quite a while, i'm just hoping I get back into it.
Other things I do, is tend to the garden now, i'm growing lots of different types of fruit and veg which is one reason for making all the planters I have and because we are renting our first house together so everything is in pots so I don't destroy the garden, and I can easily take them with me whenever we move.

But my time seems to cycle between making things in the garage, cooking / baking, sitting at my computer, whether that is for gaming or forums, youtube, researching stuff etc.

When I do make things, I tend to picture them in my mind, how I want the thing to look and then I just go ahead and make it, sometimes I think it would make things easier if I draw it and mark down measurements but I can't draw lol.

Its kinda difficult balancing my time at the moment though as I work 6 days a week as a delivery driver for a well known motor factors. Previous to this I was a 1st assistant manager for McD, unfortunately, a lot of things I had enjoyed doing before I became management was put on hold as I never had the time nor energy due to work taking up so much of my life. So moving away with my partner has given me some time now after work, (which is regular hours) to have time for myself, so i'm trying to spend time doing the things I once enjoyed, I'm just finding it difficult in some areas, model making and computer gaming being my main hobbies.

I am finding it difficult though, maybe for a few reasons as i'm living with my partner for the first time, working full time and now I suddenly am in a position where I can go home and forget about work as its finished and over for the day, whereas before I was in work mode 24/7 which has had a lot of negative effects on me, and I have time for myself, but where I'm so used to just going home and working, i'm used to not doing the things I once enjoyed, then I feel guilty when I do do something as I'm not seeing my partner, can anyone relate to the last one?

If money was suddenly no object, i would like to work part time, using the tools I own, and future tools I would own as I always want more tools, lol, and then go use them to do tasks for people. Then lead a stress free, easy life, where I can spend time working on hobbies / projects I enjoy and have a good routine in life, be able to eat well and enjoy it instead of having to rush whilst working, and not having the time to eat well, go to the gym etc, actually have time to socialise.

Cheers
 
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You sound like a creator/refiner. I reckon you sold go down this route - the decision needs to be whether you take a physical path or a more virtual one.

For example a physical role might be a landscape gardener, a virtual one might be a coder or system developer.

Continuous Improvement is a massive part of modern business, taking current ways of working and making better or easier - would that sort of thing appeal?
 
Jasoncmor said:
So in my spare time I like to make things, i've done a few big projects like a custom built shed, a large outbuilding, and a room conversion, the latest thing I have been doing is upcycling old wooden pallets into planters, and i made a bird table, plus some other small projects. I just really love using my head, using my hands, and using power tools, and I own tools for all sorts of tools for different applications, for example wood tools, metal working tools, garden tools, garage tools and electrical / electronic working tools. I just enjoy either making or fixing things, at one point I had a side business for repairing iphones, ipads, laptops and other smart devices, and also built a few gaming PCs for friends.

[...]

If money was suddenly no object, i would like to work part time, using the tools I own, and future tools I would own as I always want more tools, lol, and then go use them to do tasks for people. Then lead a stress free, easy life, where I can spend time working on hobbies / projects I enjoy and have a good routine in life, be able to eat well and enjoy it instead of having to rush whilst working, and not having the time to eat well, go to the gym etc, actually have time to socialise.
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@Diddums might be able to give some pointers re: the "good with tools, likes fixing stuff" career options. IIRC he does or did this within offices... you could look into caretaker type careers too. I mean at the development I live at we employ a full time handyman, he deals with odd jobs on the site and deals with various contractors, he also moonlights a bit doing extra work for various BTL owners with properties on the site. Our handyman lives locally, though the development my friend lives at in central London even provides a small apartment for their handyman who lives there during the week.
 
Cheers guys for your replies, and my apologies for the late reply.

@Lopéz your examples are good I didn't even consider a landscape gardener. That is something I will look into.
When I was younger, I used to sit at home on the computer messing around and making websites, I enjoyed it back then, but these days I'm not one for wanting to sit around, I want to be active, but I assume that would come under a virtual role?

@dowie a caretaker position does also sound appealing. Certainly something I will look into.

Thanks again though guys, this has been really helpful and is giving me more ideas and opening my eyes a bit more to find my purpose!

Cheers :)
 
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