Career help? I need direction BIG UPDATE

I'm curious why do you say don't go to law school? It sounds like your degree has led you down some interesting roads?? Just confused on this post.

 

Look for a career in something people will always need and wont be affected by the economy. Water. Water treatment and distribution. You can also get into wastewater, if you dont mind working around poo.The job comes with great benefits, decent pay, every holiday off paid if you work for a city or county. Plus you would get great retirement being young. Your water testing skills could come in handy. Last year I made just shy of 70k and I have been at it for 3 years. You need to take courses and pass your certification exams but they arent all that hard. Clean drinking water is a necessity for life.
I went to a heavy equipment operators school and commercial truck driving course, both were hard to find jobs in. Everybody wanted experienced people. I found many water jobs are willing to train if you show motivation, and can get your basic certs in a year. I am the only certified backhoe and excavator operator where I work, so I dont dig with shovels I get heavy equipment. Just my .02 cents.

 

Healthcare is always necessary and in demand. Nursing especially. Plus there are many different jobs u can do with a nursing degree.

 

My wife has a job at the local hospital as a nurse (University of Iowa) and says that they are on a hiring hold and will only hire nurses with 1-2 years experience in the field already. so all those kids coming fresh out of school cant find jobs. this is happening all around my area right now.

 

First off, my $.02 is, YOU"RE 23 RELAX AND ENJOY BEING YOUNG!. You have plenty of time to be an adult, be a kid, make some cash and travel, and think of what you want. It'll come to ya, and if that gets boring, learn something new and do that. Sooner or later something will grab you that you'll like. I personally highly recommend getting one of those pieces of papers called a diploma, regardless of what it says on it, that'll keep doors open

But I really like a few things Peredhil wrote on this, really define your life on what was important. Were you a good dad, son, friend, uncle, stranger? Did you leave it a better place? Were you a good person? And at the end, are you going to look back on your life and give yourself a thumbs up or thumbs down? Relax and enjoy life, just strive everyday to learn a little bit, be a good friend, and work towards a goal. You'll get there.

 

I am a nurse manager at an inner city hospital in KC and we hire SO many brand new grads it is ridiculous. In our little 32 bed department alone we just hired 4 new graduate RNs and still have holes to fill. Suburban hospitals may be a bit tougher to get into, but there are certainly jobs available and I don't see it slowing down, especially with the new health care legislation.
Your a guy right? Being a nurse may not sound like a very ''manly" job, but in my experience, since there are so few guys in the field, those that are good get whatever jobs they want. Operating room, ER, ICU, whatever.. especially if you don't mind working in the hood, which is also where all the good traumas are . Nursing informatics(IT) is a field that is really taking off right now. Plus, if you aren't opposed to going back to school in a few years, nurse practitioners are becoming more common, and more necessary with the changes in healthcare.
I'm just saying your options are endless with the same degree. You could hate the hospital but thrive in a clinic, school, home health, corporate nursing, IT, the possibilities r endless. It is a hands on career that isn't so 'dirty,' but had plenty of room to advance. Plus full time RNs only work 3 days a week

 

Oh wise man, again such great advice!! I know my neighbor who is in his 70's has said to my sons (much to my dismay) and to my husband and myself - ENJOY life when you are young, his idea is to work to make enough money to get buy and to travel and do all of those things when you're young and then get a degree or training or whatever when you're older. Being older, his wife's health is failing and he has stayed in decent shape but is obviously 70 something so there are limits and they don't have the stamina to do some of the things he wished he had done. So, there's some additional advice. He keeps encouraging my husband and I to quit work and do what we want now - of course, we're too practical to do that and have two kids in college so a bit impossible - but you know what, I am taking that advice in terms of certain things - such as my tank - now, if I want something I get it - I've earned it and I could be gone tomorrow!

Back to Cosmo's advice, and Peredhil - there is so much that is more important in life besides working and a job. They have named many. You need the job to do the things in life that make you happy! You are young and should be enjoying life but obviously you need money to do the things that bring you joy. It will come to you and it looks like people have given you a huge number of options - I'm actually a little bummed I didn't go into "water" making 70K after 3 years but money isn't everything. It just makes doing what you want to do easier.

 

Wow everyone! this is great! has really given me some good insight!

So many good opinions. I guess i always looked at it like, you spend more then half your life working, so it kind of is your life.

But I need to start looking at it as a means to support your life. I think i might just try and go back and finish my automotive degree. There will always be demand to fix cars right? lol

and then maybe down the road i will learn to weld just to supplement my automotive degree?

 

So just got a text from my aunt that has a cafe. She is looking for a kitchen helper. $10/hr 32hrs a week. She might pay me more actually because i am family.

But I do have a passion for cooking. I know it would mostly be doing dishes, cleaned, making side dishes kinda stuff. But maybe it would be a good opportunity. I worked as a delivery driver for a pizza place so I am used to working in a kitchen.

I will be making slightly more money, and working almost 15hrs less a week! So I think it might be a good idea to give it a try!

If nothing else it will be another employer to add to my resume.

weird how a week after my boss says to start looking for something new, someone basically drops a job in my lap! weird how the universe works.

Any thoughts?

 

Most of us started from there, to some degree.

I got kicked out of my parents at 17. Moved 12 hours away to cocoa Fl. Started working at Port Canaveral loading and unloading banana boats with a bunch of crack heads for daily pay. Started working at a Cracker Barrel in Melbourne Fl washing dishes. After a year of making it on my own my parents asked me to come home. I did. 8 months later I left Va again to NC working for a landscaper. Three years of busting my butt I moved back and worked for an electrical contractor and got my License. Now I drive a bucket truck for a county school system changing Light bulbs and maintaining their electrical systems. Your young, go for something that will keep you happy. It will help you grow old. If you put in your time now, it will pay off later. I promise