Realistically what are my career options?

[Russinating]

My GCSE results, getting a D for ability but A for effort on school report, numerous things really but it is generally based on what others say so maybe I am talking myself out of things.

You have a good point about talent and apathism. My lack of interest has held me back to an extent.

On one hand I just want to go to work, make my money and forget about it. On the other hand I want to achieve something that's the equivalent of my friend having his own car garage.

Even the just going to work and making money isn't really an option though. It's so competitive, a popularity contest, people bad mouthing others for not having superior knowledge of something they've spent every waking hour nerding up on. I know that sort of thing happens everywhere, but I don't have enough enthusiasm about what I do to give a toss.

Also I feel anyone could do my job. Maybe not as well as me, but they could still do it. If I had to get a car fixed for example I would go to a mechanic because I don't have the skills to fix it myself and I know if I attempted it I could do more damage to the car or even myself. If anyone did a shoddy job of what I do though nobody would notice because at the end of the day it doesn't really matter. Makes me question what's the point.

Whatever you decide to do, it sounds like you're really unhappy so any change will be beneficial. There's more to your working life than money and even a significant drop - if you can still afford to get by - may be hugely beneficial.

 

[tacticalx86]

I've just seen this, was going to make a thread of my own and still might.

I feel the same.

I'm 19 years old, currently in a dead job. Looking to join the police, and have a medical next week, but am setting my expectations very low because I have Autism, ADHD, and more importantly as far as theyre concerned, depression which I am medicated for.

Currently doing delivery driving but like, what kind of job is that other than a short part time one? I have three A levels, As and A*s.

I'm cautious about going back to univeristy (was there for a few weeks before i dropped out due to illness and finding it boring) because its a lot of money, and fundamentally, I still don't know what I want to do, other than the police.

I worked in a regular full time job for about two months but more or less got fired because of the difficulties my then undiagnosed ADHD caused with remembering stuff. Also as a whole, i have never found the prospect of sitting behind a desk all day interesting.

I also want to get out and actually meet people. Don't actually have any friends, and certainly not a partner, so it's more than a job.

I'm really good at writing and orating but writing is a very difficult line of work to get into and even if you do it doesn't pay that well unless you're famous, so like boris johnson, who can get paid £2K an hour; not because his writing is particuarly exceptional, but its Boris Johnson.

 

[Russinating]

I've just seen this, was going to make a thread of my own and still might.

I feel the same.

I'm 19 years old, currently in a dead job. Looking to join the police, and have a medical next week, but am setting my expectations very low because I have Autism, ADHD, and more importantly as far as theyre concerned, depression which I am medicated for.

Currently doing delivery driving but like, what kind of job is that other than a short part time one? I have three A levels, As and A*s.

I'm cautious about going back to univeristy (was there for a few weeks before i dropped out due to illness and finding it boring) because its a lot of money, and fundamentally, I still don't know what I want to do, other than the police.

I worked in a regular full time job for about two months but more or less got fired because of the difficulties my then undiagnosed ADHD caused with remembering stuff. Also as a whole, i have never found the prospect of sitting behind a desk all day interesting.

I also want to get out and actually meet people. Don't actually have any friends, and certainly not a partner, so it's more than a job.

I'm really good at writing and orating but writing is a very difficult line of work to get into and even if you do it doesn't pay that well unless you're famous, so like boris johnson, who can get paid £2K an hour; not because his writing is particuarly exceptional, but its Boris Johnson.

I'm sure you're bored of older people saying this but you really have nothing to worry about at 19.

Have you looked at or would you be interested in any types of roles in the creative sector? Seems like you share some similarities with the OP and it ticks the not at a desk box without being manual labour.

 

[tacticalx86]

I'm sure you're bored of older people saying this but you really have nothing to worry about at 19.

Have you looked at or would you be interested in any types of roles in the creative sector? Seems like you share some similarities with the OP and it ticks the not at a desk box without being manual labour.

I'm not totally sure what the creative sector actually is, enlighten me !


Yeah my grandad..he was a wise man, he was an electrician but always told me to "work with your brain, not with your hands" if you could. It's just awkward because most employers seem to equate a degree with intelligence, when all a degree really equates to these days is having the money to go to university. I've known people with D's in their a levels to go to somewhat respectable universities

 

[CapitalOne]

Chancellor?

 

[M4 Driver]

I disagree with the advice "work with your brand, not with your hands". That's what was being said when I was younger but those who left school at 16 and picked a trade have done really well generally speaking.

At least if you're an electrician for example you're doing something useful. As long as electricity is around we're always going to need electricians. If any of the companies I've worked for ceased to exist tomorrow I don't think too many people would notice.

Maybe joining a company that does something more meaningful is the answer for now.

 

[tacticalx86]

I disagree with the advice "work with your brand, not with your hands". That's what was being said when I was younger but those who left school at 16 and picked a trade have done really well generally speaking.

At least if you're an electrician for example you're doing something useful. As long as electricity is around we're always going to need electricians. If any of the companies I've worked for ceased to exist tomorrow I don't think too many people would notice.

Maybe joining a company that does something more meaningful is the answer for now.

Oh yeah. Those jobs are well paid, electricians especially, and there's always a shortage of them.

I'm the kind of person who yes, likes to do something "meaningful", though you could argue we need people to work in supermarkets, and I hated that job. I wish I didn't, I've found recently I would like to be promoted at work etc, but supermarket managers have terrible hours. A friend of my family's is s till a manager for iceland but had a heart attack when he was 40. My current boss is only 24 and does 60 hour weeks. There's even younger bosses where i work, like 18 year olds, doing similar shifts.

The only sort of "manual" job I could do without any actual training because I'm already very skilled in it is IT, not so much programming/software but I've built computers for myself and others. I think i said in a post earlier though - Google MyBusiness is useless and has never reinstated my business after changing my number.

I have seen one or two IT apprentice jobs - but apprenticeships are very poorly paid, and also a lot of IT companies I know will just rip people off and sell them stuff they don't need or cut corners. But it's something I've done since about the age of ten and it makes money. Just need to try and get advertised again.

 

[tlrBeta]

Product manager in general - why not consider that role, you've got 15 years of experience already, can you make a lateral move in your current firm? Look at some good startups (maybe not a great time for those at the moment sadly but perhaps if you're selective). These girls are probably on $150k+ to attend meetings, coordinate & prioritise stuff, chase up developers etc..

Sounds like the Op would need a significant mindset change if he wanted a PM role.

It isn't all fun and games I must add, don't let the IG life mislead you. Although it's pretty varied role and might be something you would enjoy. More importantly, it really does show what value your work brings through customer satisfaction / shippable product. There is a few of us on here, give one of us a shout if you want some pointers towards content etc - loads on linked in!

PS. I don't earn anywhere near $150K

 

[M4 Driver]

Oh yeah. Those jobs are well paid, electricians especially, and there's always a shortage of them.

I'm the kind of person who yes, likes to do something "meaningful", though you could argue we need people to work in supermarkets, and I hated that job. I wish I didn't, I've found recently I would like to be promoted at work etc, but supermarket managers have terrible hours. A friend of my family's is s till a manager for iceland but had a heart attack when he was 40. My current boss is only 24 and does 60 hour weeks. There's even younger bosses where i work, like 18 year olds, doing similar shifts.

The only sort of "manual" job I could do without any actual training because I'm already very skilled in it is IT, not so much programming/software but I've built computers for myself and others. I think i said in a post earlier though - Google MyBusiness is useless and has never reinstated my business after changing my number.

I have seen one or two IT apprentice jobs - but apprenticeships are very poorly paid, and also a lot of IT companies I know will just rip people off and sell them stuff they don't need or cut corners. But it's something I've done since about the age of ten and it makes money. Just need to try and get advertised again.

There's also a shortage of Data Analysts but in reality many places don't need them so positions go unfilled because it doesn't really matter.

Working in a supermarket on paper doesn't sound a bad job in itself. It's working in public rather than an office. Unfortunately like you said it's rubbish hours and rubbish pay.

I've never had any interest in computers myself. What you describe is similar to what the companies I've worked for are about i.e. getting other businesses to buy a load of rubbish they don't need. Often it's not the data that tells them to spend the money, it's a senior manager telling his mate who's a senior manager at another company to spend the money.

I do question whether this whole pathway to a dream career was all lies or there's something I'm missing. Maybe it's a bit of both.

The story is you do well at school, get good grades, study a STEM subject at university then after graduating move to London to start your dream career where you will do fulfilling work and meet lots of like minded people to network with who will be your friends for life. The reality is I've done the first part but ended up with work that bores me to tears and many people I've met through work are false people I can't have a decent conversation with, both of which has severely impacted my mental health.

Don't get me wrong, it hasn't all been doom and gloom and there are lots of things I like about living in London to the point I don't really want to move elsewhere. I've met like minded people in London by other means, but my closest friends in London are a plumber and a warehouse manager. I've made friends at work too but again it's people doing completely different jobs such as security guard.

Data Analyst wise though I can only think of 2 people I've worked with who I can relate too. One stopped being a Data Analyst and became an Electrician and the other has completely fallen off the radar, deleted all his social media including LinkedIn so no idea what he's doing now.

I also really struggle with the concept of data science being the new rock star. I can't see any resemblance at all.

 

[dowie]

The only sort of "manual" job I could do without any actual training because I'm already very skilled in it is IT, not so much programming/software but I've built computers for myself and others. [...] But it's something I've done since about the age of ten and it makes money. Just need to try and get advertised again.

AFAIK the local "I can fix your computer" guys these days tend to be full-time IT support monkeys doing it as a side hustle(at least the guy on my local FB group is) or perhaps a service offered by a local independent computer/electronics shop (same sort of places that used to "chip" games consoles etc..).

It's also not exactly something synonymous with being "very skilled in IT" nor much of a career; if a computer or mobile outside of warranty is likely to cost "too much" to repair then a consumer is more likely to bin it and buy another.

If you really enjoy that sort of thing then perhaps you could get a job doing some sort of desktop support and maybe run a computer repair side hustle too.

Sounds like the Op would need a significant mindset change if he wanted a PM role.

Yup, after having read some of the other posts I'm inclined to agree.

PS. I don't earn anywhere near $150K

Location: Birmingham, yup that checks out!

 

[tlrBeta]

Location: Birmingham, yup that checks out!

It's true, I'm more the black country side However I hold onto the fact I'm originally from down South in Milton Keynes

Jokes aside, your figure of $150k isn't too unrealistic for Fintechs in the US etc. I'm lead to believe starting salary at Revolut on the lowest PM scale is c£85k in the UK - before bonuses which are done quarterly. Even some of the bigger travel firms booking.com and Expedia also start at this level.

 

[M4 Driver]

I have worked with product managers but that job seems even more pointless than a data analyst. The ones where I work now look like they spend plenty of time in video meetings because their teams are in cheap countries but don't go out and about.

Since I made this post I've had an interview for a data analyst in something more meaningful but I didn't get it. At the same time I was in a meeting where I really felt like standing up and saying this is BS I'm out of here.

 

[Russinating]

At the same time I was in a meeting where I really felt like standing up and saying this is BS I'm out of here.

That's how all companies should operate, regardless of the role/purpose. We have a culture of thinking it's rude to leave meetings when you're not needed, but it's totally superficial. We're pretty good at it here, such that I'm in hardly any meetings.

 

[M4 Driver]

That's how all companies should operate, regardless of the role/purpose. We have a culture of thinking it's rude to leave meetings when you're not needed, but it's totally superficial. We're pretty good at it here, such that I'm in hardly any meetings.

I was the one presenting at the meeting. It was constantly being interrupted by 2 senior managers talking about how we can get businesses to waste more money with us. At the same time I'd just had a final interview for a job to do with road safety which is much more meaningful. Sadly it wasn't to be.