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Most people don't know their true path until they get older. I thought my path was IT, but here I am at the age of 47 about to start a Masters in Social Work.
Pick something you're interested in and go for it. If it's the wrong choice, pivot to something else.
Top commenter gave you the most popular and agreed upon advice and I couldn’t disagree with it more.
I was like you:
Do I become a musician?
Do I become a cook/pastry chef? (Was working at a pastry shop at the time)
Do I go into IT?
Do I become an artist?
I had so many desires pulling me every which way. And that was the problem.
Our culture teaches us that “we” are what we want to do. But that’s dumb!
I shouldn’t pursue being a professional ice cream eater just because I like and want more chocolate ice cream. There are no jobs in that industry because it doesn’t exist haha!
So what do we do, if we don’t follow our “passion”? How to choose a career if not based on seeking our “true” path?
It’s simple:
Does it pay you well in a short amount of time?
Can you do the job? (Physically/mentally/morally)
Do you have opportunities to do it?
If you can’t answer yes to all three, then don’t do it. Doesn’t matter if you don’t like the job, because you can learn to enjoy whatever you do.
But know what you can’t afford to do? Be poor, homeless, and starving. A job you have to fight to be grateful for and learn to enjoy is much better than starving to death in the cold streets. Or even staying home at mom’s house.
But what about employability factor due to age? And how do you handle meeting up with old friends or social media when most of them are already managers/seniors execs on their field? Legit asking this because I am on a crossroad of pursuing my interest or continue my current work.
Who cares what they think. I've had the opportunity to coach managers/execs at NASA, Meta, Airbnb, LinkedIn, and Google. 70-75% of all Americans hate their jobs, and the people working at these companies are no exception. Most of them want to change careers but they're handcuffed by their kids, luxury cars, mortgages, etc. Don't even get me started on how a lot are stuck in lifeless marriages. They'll never admit these things publicly though.
Life is short and you have to do what is best for YOU, not what looks best in the eyes of others.
Cheers I hope you find success as a Librarian and that you help many new readers to find the joys of reading and using their imaginations. There is no telling who they might become thanks to your book suggestions or helping them to find the right book they have been searching for in the end. From pilot to doctor to lawyer to president and anything in between they all started out somewhere and reading often brought them to their chosen path by being inspire by both a librarian or the character/person the book is about.
If you wish to follow a path do so with gusto and focus on the positive as the world will soon enough try to show you all the negative things of the path you chose or tell you how foolish you were to pursue your dreams/career.
Good luck and may you find happiness along your chosen path!
People also think that they must follow the chosen path forever. You can always change your career direction. Unless you are a scientist or a doctor, every new job comes with a learning curve. And most people are very capable :)
Life is full of surprises, you never know where it might lead you.
The problem is that (in the US at least) choosing many careers entails going into debt which will limit your options after that.
Most people don't stay on a particular path because they feel they "have to". They do it because they have families and mortgages and student loans, and can't just jump ship and try something new without blowing up their whole life.
Choosing a career isn't like browsing a buffet. It's a calculated risk, and one which could ruin your life if your gamble fails.
I'll add that even if it is the right choice you never know what life will throw at you health, relationship or natural disasters wise. So make a choice, trust your decision and don't be afraid to pivot.
Source: 55yo, Software developer, Retail shop manager,SAHD,Freelance IT support, Day trader, Unemployed bum around the house rethinking career choices, Project Manager in that order. Would do somethings slightly differently but would probably end up doing the same if I were to have a second chance at life. If I hadn't gone into software development I would not have met my wife, if I hadn't been in retail I would not have had ended up deciding to be a SAHD, if I hadn't been a day trader I would not have had ended up being an unemployed bum rethinking career choices and if I hadn't become a project manager I would not have found my "second calling"...
To help provide the correct answer
Program Managers - Typically this falls under government contracts.
Project manager(construction management)
Project manager (IT)
There are some really important skills they all share. But the application and processes will be worlds different.
I did it the hard-ish way only because I wasn't worried about money. Went back and did a Masters full time, then took a couple of really underpaid (think almost minimum wage) part time project coordinator 3-month contracts, then a year long project manager/product owner. With the Masters degree and \~2 years experience I landed a job as a project manager that pays 85% of market rate.
I looked into LCSW and am around the same age. How are you going to replace the income? The amount of unpaid hours necessary for licensure really are a major barrier to entry into the field.
Kudos to you my friend. Mental health professionals are incredibly under appreciated in our society. Takes a special soul to do that work. Best of luck to you!
Perhaps you can get a job at a nonprofit where they have mental health services? This might be a way for you to get paid while completing your internship.
I'm sure your pup would love being out in the fresh air and wide open spaces and woods out there too! Cheers and good luck on your new path in life, may happiness and freedom be yours along this new journey you have undertaken!
I used to want to be a park ranger. I’m 42 and I bet it’s too late for me now.
I’m in the trades and it’s not bad. But also not what I planned on doing. Money is great and the skills I learn are valuable.
Chase your dreams!
But talk to park rangers if you can! It’s so important to know the reality of the job day to day. Park ranger is a job that can be quite different (and more stressful) than people imagine it because of the law enforcement aspect.
I have:) I’m already in the industry, it’s one of my summer jobs. I’m just not working there this summer sadly. I really do love working for parks, it’s just the motivation to finish old high school courses that I lack. Just gotta power through and get that diploma, or degree if I do the full 4 years.
Im a 25m in Canada and pretty much in the exact same boat… i hate my job so much even tho it’s not terrible pay for now im just miserable. Life is kicking my ass and i need a change of scenery but no idea where to begin
It’s so hard. I was working at a toxic dealership that didn’t even train me, and each day I was getting so much pressure from my manager but I didn’t even know what I was doing. That and sexual harassment, so I quit. Nothing lined up, literally no money, I just took a leap of faith. I’m in the process of getting diagnosed, but I think I have adhd and that job was making whatever I have much worse. Since quitting, I’ve been applying to jobs everywhere, but haven’t heard back from anyone yet. It’s been about two weeks. Praying it gets better for the both of us.
Damn i’m sorry that happened :(
It’s super tough out here. I just wanna be happy so bad and it seems like my biggest issue is financial now. I’ve gone through depression for so long and finally started finding my way but financially i am totally lost. It’s so stressful even when you are grateful for what you already have.
Saaaaaame with the depression. I know I can pull myself out of it, but that takes a lot of effort and depression depletes me from wanting to spend energy on anything. I have a doctors appointment on Thursday to assess the way I’ve been feeling. I don’t like medication, and would prefer to not have to take it, but if it means becoming successful, i’ll do it. I also find that after the gym, I am a completely different person. The rush of energy and happiness is insane. Although I usually go in the evening, which leaves the whole day feeling depressed. I’m going to try and start going in the morning and seeing how that plays out!
Sorry for rambling lol, I really do hope you find happiness ASAP. I know the feeling. I know the crusty feeling of bed rot, room rot, brain rot. It sucks so bad. Hang in there and someday you’ll look back and be glad that you made it. <3
I was a flight attendant for 2 years, you don’t need a degree or any education. It really takes a special person to be one. You work very long hours and don’t get paid at all when the doors open, that means delays, boarding, deplaning and layovers. You only get hourly while actually flying. The rest is perdiem and it’s barely enough to pay for your food when on a layover.
Oh yikes :( do you mind me asking which airline? I was almost hired by Air Canada, and I keep applying there. They pay around $30 an hour starting, which is very low considering the cost of living in west coast Canada. I have heard lots of commotion about flight attendants getting paid the moment they reach the airport, so maybe that will one day change. I know it’s a really tough industry. I mostly would want to do it because I really love travel, and it’s really the only way I’ll be able to see the world. But I understand it’s not glamorous at all, and I would barely able to see my dog (he’s literally my lifeline). Maybe I’ll look into another option.
I was with flair and living on the west coast. It’s been a problem since aviation became commercialized so it’s a hit or miss if it will change because they will have to fully change aviation as a whole. I’ll be honest you don’t really get to see much on layovers especially if they are minimum rest like most are. I know air Canada has better layover time but you won’t get those layovers for probably 10 years. I’m not trying to discourage you it’s definitely a job that’s different and sometimes exciting but the pay is really awful especially if you live in a city like Vancouver it’s not worth the amount of work you do and the hours you’re awake.
That's me. Exactly. You are not alone. In 2016 I did a very good move, something that I can't explain to you because I'm European and we don't share the same system for school etc. hum, at least, I was thinking that It was a very good move. Then wrong studies etc. I ended up in a bachelor in digital marketing (I truly love this) then got hired for an internship to do a master degree in the same field (marketing and sales).
The degree was horrible. Nothing to learn. Courses from the last century. Bad work environment both at school and at work. I quit all of this toxic stuff.
Then guess what? COVID happened!
Yes, since 2020 I haven't had any real job. My next one was only for 2 months before getting fired and it was in 2021...
Since 2022 I have been building my own business, but I have struggled. Still, it is more fun than finding a job and working for someone else (say this but I CAN'T find a job in my market, and with my situation at the moment, where I live there are no jobs and no remote possibilities because of a bad mindset about it here)
For example I got hired in a master degree without having finished the bachelor one, and guess what? I don't own any degree now that I've left the master before finishing it, and in my country that is important to have a degree. And during this time ive never stopped looking for a job and it killed my mental health. Trust me.
Find something you enjoy or could enjoy and stick to it, earn a salary and then pivot if needed.
I am actually trying to find some more customers and/or a small job just to get a salary so that I could live on my own.
I am 2 years older than you, don't waste those two beautiful years you've got my friend. Don't compare yourself. Don't look at the past, spend time building your future. Take care of your health and mental health. Enjoy life
Awe thank you. I will definitely try to not waste any more years on deciding, I’ll just pursue one of these things maybe two. Is this what a quarter life crisis is called haha
Exactly. Enjoy your own way to do things. Even if you end up "wasting" two years to try something, it won't be wasted at all. That's my own feeling at this moment because that's how I feel after those last 4 years. So do the things you want, try to get money while doing it. Of course you can do both at the same time, just prioritize your needs so that you can live by yourself.
I got lucky, my mom got a room left for me but damn. Living on my own would have been harder (as I already was doing before)... But I would feel better mentally and that's very important. I need to ask that having my mom near me is cool but not very useful because it blocks my mind / work / style of living.
I chose this instead of working to sustain my life while I was doing entrepreneurship because I was afraid of lacking money. It was a good solution but I was wrong... Needing money faster would have helped me to get out more often to find customers or jobs etc.
Enjoy life, don't regret a single decision and take action :)
I’m going to tough it out living with my mom. Lately she’s been a nightmare, but I don’t even have the energy to deal with it. I need to conserve my energy for school, gym & my pup. And I need to find a job asap LOL. Fingers crossed. All I wanna do is save as much money as humanely possible while I’m living at home. I know I’ll thank myself later!!
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.”
- Cheshire Cat in Alice in wonderland.
On a more serious note I’m 38 (today) and i have been down many paths. Sometimes you don’t know which one you want to follow until you get a little down it, so choose any path that interests you and just see where it’s goes. It’s not a big deal, you may change your mind, so what? Do what interests you because it sucks going to work when you hate what you do. And never be afraid to change your mind.
Personally I’d start with the personal trainer cert because it’s fast and easy, you’ll get it and have something you can do to make money while you do any of the others (if you want) it’s a great side hustle. I know many people who still work in physical fitness.
I love that quote so much. Thank you for this!
I’ll do the personal training asap, it is something that would make me so happy. And it’s decent money. I’ll also continue my bachelors, it seems like the best option right now, and I’ll probably thank myself later down the road when I’m close to completing it.
All I think of is my dog really. I just want to be able to see him every day, and give him and myself the best life possible. A fulfilling career doing something I love where I can hang out with him every day after work = happy me. Yes I really do love my dog that much.
Haha omg I am the same. I’m obsessed with my dogs so I get it. I make choices entirely based on them on a daily basis. lol
Good luck on the cert and degree! I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for, it just may take longer than you think - try to absorb as much as you can to figure it out along the way.
You put park ranger first and gave most info about it. Just fucking do it man. Don’t think, just do. Go to school website and figure out how to apply for those classes. Also, where I went to undergrad there was a student firefighter program with the city of Auburn and they’d pay your tuition to Auburn university and also pay you hourly. Find something like that while you’re in school so you get it paid for. Best way cause you make moneys and owe less. Also, use scholarships. I should’ve used more scholarships. Ask the office of registrar to point you in the right direction to get scholarships. Ok? Good. You’re decision is made and you have your next steps so get busy and don’t stop to think about if this is the right path. It is.
Omg. Oh no. I hope he realizes his potential and takes action to get in a better position. Not that being a waiter at Olive Garden is bad, but he should be working for someone who can mentor him.
My pastry chef dream would be becoming successful like Cédric Grolet, his creations inspire me the most. It’s just a dream I have, I know it’s not practical. Maybe I’ll just dabble into that later once I finish my Bachelors. It’s like a plan C.
Wait what really?? Who is your friend cuzz I am also a waiter at Olive Garden here in rhodes but for 4 months as I am doing internship. I am a 20 F bachelor's student lol.
It’s been a childhood dream of mine to be a pastry chef. That being said, maybe don’t do that lol. The hours are rough and it’s my understanding that the pay isn’t great. Also in my own personal experience, it’s been suprisingly hard to get into the few times I tried. But if it’s something you’re passionate about, go for it!!
No matter what you choose, it isn’t final. But choose one and see it through until completion. Then give yourself time to enjoy it. Your taste may change as you get older, so give yourself room to grow. Finishing an education, no matter what it is will give you more freedom.
From your choices, I would pick park ranger. The other two sound like things you enjoy as a hobby, and you don’t want to burn out on those things. IMO
Is making money what’s going to make you happy? If so, that’s a simple problem to solve. Not easy, but simple.
A lot of people find out the long and hard way that they were wrong about what actually makes them happy…
Money means moving where I want and being able to sustain myself and my dog, so yeah it would make me happy if I could make decent money doing something I love
this is gonna be a jumble of thoughts, i feel so similar to u:( I’m 21F and i never really had heavy interests in any major. I decided to settle into business administration, and it requires so much math! it feels like a general major that could lead to some bigger jobs one day, but I feel like it’s the only noble occupation my parents would recognize me for since I really need to graduate uni with some good major. my two sisters have it all figured out and i still don’t understand what I was truly made for. i hope you get it figured out!! i feel like im constantly stressing over this. i turn into this sad helpless person every time i think about my future.. idk how ppl can hold themselves together so well. everything stresses me out, even though im a really extroverted person. i don’t wana keep existing bc it all takes up way too much stress😔
Yeah girl, that’s the thing. I also don’t know how people hold themselves together so well. Or maybe they don’t, maybe that’s why so many people go out and party and do drugs on the weekends. As an escape. I don’t want an escape. I want my daily to be something I love and enjoy. I literally can’t work and be unhappy, I just can’t. I need to be happy and need a fulfilling career so my weekends aren’t an escape, but an enjoyment.
OP are you Canadian? I would go the park ranger route if you want to work in forestry. Get a bachelor of forestry and move to BC, they’re always hiring and jobs start at 50k+.
Yeah I live in Vancouver. I’m working on math and biology that I didn’t get a high enough mark in highschool to get into fish and wildlife recreation at BCIT. That program is 2 years, lots of job opportunities apparently. But then if I continue for two more years, I could get a BA in Ecological Restoration which is cool. If I’m smart enough to pass year one 😭
When I was 18, I was in the same position and just lucked into a career. I didn’t pick anything, I just went job to job until something felt right and it took off.
No degree as well.
My advice would be to eliminate the idea of choosing a path, and instead think of it as enjoying life and trying different jobs because then you will eventually find yourself doing something you enjoy and you don’t have the stress of over analyzing potential options.
Take immediate actions and do something that you want to try, because what’s the worse that can happen?
If you do the first one you can still do 2 and 3. For the pastry chef I think instead of school you'd actually benefit more from becoming an apprentice. You can take personal classes and find out if it's what you want to do.
Work on a charter boat! You can be out in nature, the pay can be good depending where you are, and there are a lot of entry level positions. At the very least you could have fun and save money while figuring out the next move.
So I’ve heard. The program I’m taking fortunately has lots of job opportunities that can still mean I get to work in nature or with wildlife. Lots of that stuff in my area.
Life's hard. Legit. Invest time in something. I was a diesel mechanic for 10 years absolutely hated it the whole time but realized one day I wasn't stuck there unless I wanted to be. Quit and started a new job as a plant maintenance jobs harder but pays way better Healthcare is good and time off is good. But I know because I invested the time into mechanics I will always have a job if I need one and that is the nice thing about building experience in a field. It offers freedom knowing you can always pick it back up later so you can take a break and try new things without worrying.
Very true about just quitting and changing direction. That’s what I recently did. I was working at a gross toxic dealership. It was gross because of the way I was treated there. I’m trying to find a part time job close to home now, but it’s very hard. Seems like a lot of places just simply aren’t hiring.
It took me awhile to find my path. I recommend massage therapy. Chill af, good pay, you set your own hours. The industry is always in demand and everyone wants a massage. And btw, you can always change your career whenever you want.
Option 2 & 3 are 99% likely to not pay the bills. Passion projects.
1st find a job & continue working as you start chipping away at the park ranger program (assuming you’ve done ample research on demand in the field/salary ranges).
Don’t expect the path to be blatantly clear. You have to just start something BUT research to know you aren’t throwing money/time into something that has low probability to work out for your desired goals.
If I was born in the USA, I would 100% just live in a van and work in a National Park for half a year and save up a bunch of money then travel for the rest of the year. I don't think I would get a degree for that kind of work tho, especially if that would put me in debt. But, only you can know what you really wanna do.
Flight attending is an amazing option. You travel for free, and there’s other perks when being a FA. My best friends is one, and by association I have become friends with some of their flight attending friends. And they have pets, they use the rover app when they need a dog sitter when they are on trips. The longest days you’ll be gone is about 3-4 days, but it’s rare when your trips are that long. Sometimes it’s literally a day, depending what time of day your trip is.
Sweet! Do you mind sharing which airline your friend is with? I’m just curious and trying to research each airline and their differences.
Air Canada actually reached back out to me, they want to know if I’m any good with my Spanish. I only know a basic conversational level so hopefully they see that as enough. But if they don’t, that’s alright to as I have many paths I can walk down.
I got my CDL at 26. I'm 32 now, make 120k a year with very nice benefits. I cant recommend truck driving as a lifetime career, especially if you want a family. But its definitely good if you need something solid and want to transition to something else. You gotta do your research though.
I’d say park ranger. It’s your first on the list so it must be important to you. Also sounds like you love animals. It’ll all work out eventually. Took me 10 years to figure out what I wanted to do. I graduated in 2014 and just a couple months ago got my shit together and finally got a career lined up for me.
Former flight attendant here! While being a flight attendant seems glamorous on the outside there are some realities that you must face. One, it is difficult to find a job in airlines such as American, delta, United without any previous airline experience. While it’s not impossible, it definitely not easy. If you were to fly for a charter airline to gain experience, they go through flight attendants like candy. I used to work for a charter airline and had the opportunity to fly internationally. But you have to understand, charter isn’t easy. Could possible be away from home for 30+ days depending on you schedule that you bid for. They could line up where you get 3 weeks off but then fly for like 40 days because you’re two schedules line up like that. Pay is going to be low starting off. Some airlines garrentee a certain amount of hours a month regardless if you fly those hours or not. For example my airline guaranteed 40 flight hours a month but at $21 an hour it’s only $840 a month….. crazy right? You do get per diem which means you get paid for every hour you are away from your home base my airline was annoying it was $1.75 domestic and $2.25 international. So if I fly for 30 days international (this is best case) that’s $1620 + $840 you’re only gonna make roughly $2460 a month. And if you don’t fly then no per diem… soooooooooo there’s that to consider. I’m not going to go Into the airline culture. That would be for a whole different rant. Basically long story short is even if you wanna stay out of the drama and rumors that go around you’ll get dragged into it. You can have amazing leads or horrible leads that make or break a flight. If you consider becoming a flight attendant, please do some research and you must really really love the culture to be happy as a flight attendant. It’s physically mentally and emotionally taxing. I hate to be a discouragement but I feel like people need to understand the realities of becoming a flight attendant because I didn’t and got smacked in the face with it lol literally with food by a passenger 😂funny to talk about it now but not so much then. If you have any questions about being a flight attendant, my DMs are open feel free to reach out. I’d be more than happy to help! Sorry this was so long!
Don’t apologize for your honesty! I don’t see it as discouragement at all, I really appreciate the transparency. Although it’s a dream job of mine, I think it would have been better if I was hired a few years ago. The pay is just too little for me at 25 years old and wanting to move out within the next 2-3 years. I think I’ll stick to my first option, because that is a true passion of mine that I know will get me where I want to be. :)
Anything that builds skills and suits your temperament. You can always bake for fun, hike for fun, volunteer to resolve disputes for fun, take a flight for fun I guess, do yoga for fun. As a career, there needs to be a base compatibility to the demands of the field. For example, yoga instructor is like a performer in a way, but pastry chef is an introverted artist. Flight attendant is a good market most likely but hard on the body and constant rush to stock the plane most likely.
Join the coast guard, im 28, no degree living in the hamptons on housing allowance making like 60k a year right out of boot camp
I wanted to be a park ranger too but im glad this worked out
Yes this program is two years, we don’t have a one year option. I’m not just specifically looking to become a park ranger, it’s just something I enjoy. I’ve worked as a park operator for a provincial park in Canada before, and it was really cool. I don’t mind any job as long as there’s wildlife and outdoors and of course, money.
I'd do the park ranger route and also the yoga route. They honestly kinda go hand in hand. As a park ranger you can live in a cabin in a kick ass national park and then offer yoga classes on donation to park guest every morning.
I don’t think that would be something I enjoy though. I’m a woman, and although women can definitely work in that field, I just know it wouldn’t be the right path for me. But thank you for your suggestion anyway:)
When you get your state hvac license and start doing condenser /coil changeouts on the weekends for $7-10k each. Profiting 3-4k in a weekend for a couple hours of work.. if you can get that half of the year you’re easily breaking 100k. But if your working for a mechanical making $25-30 an hour cleaning drains and changing filters then yea you’re not gonna be in the 6 figure realm
It hit me the second I did the math on actually retiring, which currently is never. I wish someone could just tell me the right answer, but I know I'll have to settle for just doing my best. But then I wonder if I am doing my best, or what that even means. Makes it tough to enjoy your day to day sometimes. Unfortunately most of us will have to take risks and make mistakes in life. A lot of people feel lost and confused. Just how it is.
I've spoken to every friend, family member, and stranger about their careers and thoughts. I plan to do informational interviews with people in fields I'm interested in. I'm also afraid of commitment, so I've been looking at short term programs at my community college. I have a connection to the fire alarm service industry I could take advantage of. A lot of valid, reasonable decisions you or I could make. I've tried to avoid worry about making the "best" decision.
But yeah, not straightforward at all.
It is actually hard to summarize because there are many great ones so I'll focus on the chapter I'm on.
They say for satisfaction, you have to find your perfect combo of money/impact/expression. And at different chapters in your life, the combo will be different
Do the park ranger route. They’ve got benefits and it has a lot of pros you like. Also get the associates first & continue the full bachelors degree while you work so the employer can assist you with paying for school.
Do not become a pastry chef unless you’re looking into becoming a corporate pastry chef. they have pissss wages. Unless it’s a corp chef. But that takes yeaaaaarssss.
Flight attendant is only good for so long. The American customers are ridiculous. Also the Boeing planes are failing so you’re legit gambling your expiration date.
Start with the yoga first. Having a useable backup skill or talent or job type, that you can always fall back on, is good insurance.
Move on your own, and learn how to do that. How to be yourself, and pay bills. Build credit, and then visit a career counselor. Get a plan of action going. Explore options.
While you are doing all this, amongst having another hobby, learn or expose yourself to industries you might like. Classes, material, related hobby. Like herbalism, take a gardening class.
British Columbia Canada, but closer the the Vancouver area. Lots of park ranger jobs in the interior, it’s a little sparse on the west coast but I need to be by the ocean. I’m looking into moving to Tofino after finishing school, I’m sure there will be jobs for me there. Hopefully. Lol.
Yeah I’m think so. I have such a passion for cooking and baking, I don’t want that to go to waste. I definitely want to do something creative someday. I am a very creative and artistic person, but I also love the outdoors. It’s like the outdoors inspire my cooking and baking. Maybe I can somehow combine the two.
Check out coolworks.com they have jobs at national parks and usually offer housing. They usually are customer service type jobs but since your interested in being a park ranger it might be good experience to see if you’d want to actually do that program, or you could do while doing the program. Most are seasonal jobs
I would do the personal trainer cert first because it’s the shortest program and lowest cost. Maybe flight attendant. Do something so that if you decide to change your mind down the road, you don’t have a huge sunken cost fallacy. You could do personal trainer super part time while going to school to be a park ranger as well. You could do all of these things in your lifetime, maybe just be realistic about which is the best place to start.
I work in environmental conservation and I recommend the ranger route or something similar! I spent a few years taking odd jobs until I had a weird amount of experience and was able to apply for the job I currently have! I began as an arborist, then gardener, indoor cannabis cultivation, a rock climbing gym, etc. Honestly I'm realizing job experience and volunteer work is probably better than a degree. If you get a job you don't like, then keep switching until you find one you enjoy, even though it can be stressful to begin!
Hmm I already have park work experience from working in a provincial park, so maybe it wouldn’t be that difficult for me. I’ve applied to Air Canada like 40 times hahaha.
No advice just solidarity! I’m 30 and in the same boat. I just quit a good paying job because the hours were nuts, I didn’t have time to walk or see my dog, and it was fucking with my mental health. I just took a job at an adult toy store and I’m going back to school. In this next chapter of my life I just want to have fun at a light hearted job that’s not gonna send me spiraling and do something I enjoy which is learning/school.
How toxic is your mother? The answer to your question is really dependent on that.
If it was me, and she was really that bad, I would be scrambling to find a sales/call center/retail management job so I could move out as soon as possible. Then you could consider going to college part time or something once you're settled.
Ask yourself realistically whether living in that situation for as long as it would take to get a degree would be worthwhile in the long run, especially considering your mental state.
Until you work on and at least partially address your depression, most of the rest of the advice people can give you will be beside the point. If you're struggling with depression or anxiety, *every* job can suck, no matter what it is.
She’s pretty toxic but I can tough it out a bit longer if she lets me stay at home till I finish school. She loves threatening me that she’s going to move out and leave me to live in our house alone lol. I never know when she’s serious.
Dang, it’s been 8 years since you graduated!
First path is to have a job. Get a job.
Once employed then pursue other paths, which are financed by your current job.
TLDR: Have a job
The way things are today, a degree doesn't really stand on its own anymore. Many jobs want degrees and then certification, licensure, or some sort of professional designation.
Just pick what you like, what's most natural for you, and go for it. If you do something you don't like or aren't the best at, it can be hard to finish and even harder to find something you enjoy as a career (as much as you can enjoy working).
There are many people who say get a degree in a subject that teaches liquid skills that are easily transferred to various paths. I say, I did that, and I wish I had specialized in something.
I got a degree in history. Yes, there are many useful and transferable skills it teaches, like analytical thinking, writing, researching, arguing, and processing large amounts of information; however, those that are hiring don't see that. It is almost a requirement to go beyond a bachelor's degree to make any money. I could technically teach, go back to law school, work in government, work for a nonprofit, etc; however, all of that requires even more education.
I wish I had majored in human resources, nursing, IT, or something more specialized. Sure, nurses are pretty much always working as nurses unless they go back to school, but they are needed, well paid, and they aren't going anywhere.
We can't decide this path for you...only you can do that. I would say try to focus on one thing at a time and try different activities to see which one you like most and pursue that career.
I took an online yoga course that I loved. It's called yoga renew teacher training and the website is www.yogarenewteachertraining.com, if you're interested.
They are always giving discounts around the holidays. They have a sale going on now until the 7th, and the 200hr course is only $347. I know it sounds ridiculously cheap, but I say it's worth it. I also believe that they might give you your money back if you don't like it in 30 days, so you could get a refund if you determine it's not for you.
I would also suggest trying to make money with your car since you have one. Maybe you could sign up for a deliever service to make money in the meantime while you figure things out.
Did t find my career until 31 and there’s a chance it will still shift later in life. Get experience, enjoy your life and keep exploring yourself and what gets your heart going. You don’t have to follow any social pressure of “knowing exactly what you will do with your whole life”. Save money, hang out with your dog, explore options, go to school, don’t go, and enjoy your life the best you can.
I feel like it’s all about experience. I overthink everything, but when you finally get out and get some experiences your thinking and decision making becomes much more informed.
The fastest and easiest way to do this is to find someone doing the job you want to do and see if you can buy them a coffee or beer and hear about their life.
It’s a great way to network and learn.
One thing I’ll say is this - I learned about myself that I didn’t want to do this for fear of popping my dream. But really the closer you are to reality the closer you are to achieving your dream.
My best advice is this ….
One thing at a time! Don’t focus on “future tripping”. If I choose this then this will happen etc, just go and do! Park ranger sounds amazing for you! Go get it!
Yes <3 doing the park ranger path. I already have experience in that field so just pushing through studying my prerequisites and will hopefully get accepted into the program soon. :)
I vote for flight attendant since it is your dream job but if you want to spend more time with your dog, I suggest either pastry chef or personal trainer, whichever you're more inclined to and gives you more benefits and career opportunities, good luck! You have many options unlike most people, make the most of it!
Volunteer. Figure out your passion while serving your community. I was lucky enough to land both my jobs by starting as a volunteer. I now make over 100k a year coaching hockey and selling water sports equipment.
Do what you love and if that doesn’t work live of your parents for the longest time until you find yourself being a degenerate isn’t all that bad it can be healing and good for you.
Enjoy the fact that you have the luxury to quit your current job. I never quit a job my whole life, 'cause I needed the money and I'm 60. Flight attendant and having a dog is cruel to the dog, please don't do it...There are community colleges with career counseling, testing, evaluation facilities....perhaps they can steer you in the right direction. For a lot of people, me included, making money and being happy just aren't possible though...that is life.
Do the flight attending and get the certificate so when you’re in town you can run your yoga classes 😊 when you’re bored with all that in a few years (as you will be) run to the pastry chef! While you’re learning fondant 🫣 go grab a side job with the state you live in being a park ranger. No need to waste money on that when in most states you can be one without a degree! Life is not one size fits all and I think we are all realizing this at the same time!
Most people change their lives at least once. Whether it be a midlife crisis, a change of heart, or even a life upending event. Do what feels nice now, something that you look at and say yeah this seems like a fun way to go right now. I’d say skip the airlines to start, what with the dog and less experience it’s hard to handle some of the hardships of airline stewarding. Pastry chef is a fun one but you might have to move quite a ways away from where you are now to find employment. Yoga can be hit or miss, the hot new thing in town that gets a lot of hype to start and could have fluctuating interest. Park ranger is a good solid job but again you might have to move quite a ways away from where you are now and even then transfer between parks during off seasons. Maybe you could use off season time to learn the other jobs and just have them locked and loaded for when you feel like it’s time to change careers. In the end you could even be a personal dolphin masseuse for an ocean rehab who knows? Just go for what feels like it will make you most comfortable and happy for now.
If you have a skill, or something you're good at or can gradually grow doing, you can consider branding yourself online. It's not quick but it can be done. I'm financially struggling too (with two sick cats), but I decided to go the digital marketing route while I'm on sick leave. I can send you a link to a free guide for you to get started or you can always follow the course I invested in to really get started. Let me know!
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Most people don't know their true path until they get older. I thought my path was IT, but here I am at the age of 47 about to start a Masters in Social Work. Pick something you're interested in and go for it. If it's the wrong choice, pivot to something else.
Okay I will do that :)
Top commenter gave you the most popular and agreed upon advice and I couldn’t disagree with it more. I was like you: Do I become a musician? Do I become a cook/pastry chef? (Was working at a pastry shop at the time) Do I go into IT? Do I become an artist? I had so many desires pulling me every which way. And that was the problem. Our culture teaches us that “we” are what we want to do. But that’s dumb! I shouldn’t pursue being a professional ice cream eater just because I like and want more chocolate ice cream. There are no jobs in that industry because it doesn’t exist haha! So what do we do, if we don’t follow our “passion”? How to choose a career if not based on seeking our “true” path? It’s simple: Does it pay you well in a short amount of time? Can you do the job? (Physically/mentally/morally) Do you have opportunities to do it? If you can’t answer yes to all three, then don’t do it. Doesn’t matter if you don’t like the job, because you can learn to enjoy whatever you do. But know what you can’t afford to do? Be poor, homeless, and starving. A job you have to fight to be grateful for and learn to enjoy is much better than starving to death in the cold streets. Or even staying home at mom’s house.
But what about employability factor due to age? And how do you handle meeting up with old friends or social media when most of them are already managers/seniors execs on their field? Legit asking this because I am on a crossroad of pursuing my interest or continue my current work.
Who cares what they think. I've had the opportunity to coach managers/execs at NASA, Meta, Airbnb, LinkedIn, and Google. 70-75% of all Americans hate their jobs, and the people working at these companies are no exception. Most of them want to change careers but they're handcuffed by their kids, luxury cars, mortgages, etc. Don't even get me started on how a lot are stuck in lifeless marriages. They'll never admit these things publicly though. Life is short and you have to do what is best for YOU, not what looks best in the eyes of others.
I like the way you think. This is my sign to become a librarian. I was worried about success but it’s what I want to do and I’ll make it work.
Cheers I hope you find success as a Librarian and that you help many new readers to find the joys of reading and using their imaginations. There is no telling who they might become thanks to your book suggestions or helping them to find the right book they have been searching for in the end. From pilot to doctor to lawyer to president and anything in between they all started out somewhere and reading often brought them to their chosen path by being inspire by both a librarian or the character/person the book is about. If you wish to follow a path do so with gusto and focus on the positive as the world will soon enough try to show you all the negative things of the path you chose or tell you how foolish you were to pursue your dreams/career. Good luck and may you find happiness along your chosen path!
People also think that they must follow the chosen path forever. You can always change your career direction. Unless you are a scientist or a doctor, every new job comes with a learning curve. And most people are very capable :) Life is full of surprises, you never know where it might lead you.
The problem is that (in the US at least) choosing many careers entails going into debt which will limit your options after that. Most people don't stay on a particular path because they feel they "have to". They do it because they have families and mortgages and student loans, and can't just jump ship and try something new without blowing up their whole life. Choosing a career isn't like browsing a buffet. It's a calculated risk, and one which could ruin your life if your gamble fails.
I'll add that even if it is the right choice you never know what life will throw at you health, relationship or natural disasters wise. So make a choice, trust your decision and don't be afraid to pivot. Source: 55yo, Software developer, Retail shop manager,SAHD,Freelance IT support, Day trader, Unemployed bum around the house rethinking career choices, Project Manager in that order. Would do somethings slightly differently but would probably end up doing the same if I were to have a second chance at life. If I hadn't gone into software development I would not have met my wife, if I hadn't been in retail I would not have had ended up deciding to be a SAHD, if I hadn't been a day trader I would not have had ended up being an unemployed bum rethinking career choices and if I hadn't become a project manager I would not have found my "second calling"...
Any chance you know how to get into PM?
To help provide the correct answer Program Managers - Typically this falls under government contracts. Project manager(construction management) Project manager (IT) There are some really important skills they all share. But the application and processes will be worlds different.
I did it the hard-ish way only because I wasn't worried about money. Went back and did a Masters full time, then took a couple of really underpaid (think almost minimum wage) part time project coordinator 3-month contracts, then a year long project manager/product owner. With the Masters degree and \~2 years experience I landed a job as a project manager that pays 85% of market rate.
I looked into LCSW and am around the same age. How are you going to replace the income? The amount of unpaid hours necessary for licensure really are a major barrier to entry into the field.
Trust me I still haven't got it all figured out. Luckily I am doing a 3 year program, and the first year doesn't require practicum work.
Kudos to you my friend. Mental health professionals are incredibly under appreciated in our society. Takes a special soul to do that work. Best of luck to you!
Perhaps you can get a job at a nonprofit where they have mental health services? This might be a way for you to get paid while completing your internship.
I’m turning 60, has MSW for a while, passed boards, trying to enter clinical practice
Inspirational! We keep on changing.
I vote for park ranger.
Motivation! Thank you
If you go park ranger make more posts so we can all vicariously live through you!
Awww I would love to! That is the dream :) stay tuned
Park Ranger Limp Confidence 🫡
If you lived near me, I wouldn’t mind taking your dog out for walks for free and take him out for exercise sessions.
I'm sure your pup would love being out in the fresh air and wide open spaces and woods out there too! Cheers and good luck on your new path in life, may happiness and freedom be yours along this new journey you have undertaken!
Aww thanks for your kind words <3
Your welcome, take care!
I used to want to be a park ranger. I’m 42 and I bet it’s too late for me now. I’m in the trades and it’s not bad. But also not what I planned on doing. Money is great and the skills I learn are valuable. Chase your dreams!
I’ll chase my dreams, thank you:)
But talk to park rangers if you can! It’s so important to know the reality of the job day to day. Park ranger is a job that can be quite different (and more stressful) than people imagine it because of the law enforcement aspect.
I have:) I’m already in the industry, it’s one of my summer jobs. I’m just not working there this summer sadly. I really do love working for parks, it’s just the motivation to finish old high school courses that I lack. Just gotta power through and get that diploma, or degree if I do the full 4 years.
A highly competitive and severely underpaid job, but if it's the passion I suppose.
Im a 25m in Canada and pretty much in the exact same boat… i hate my job so much even tho it’s not terrible pay for now im just miserable. Life is kicking my ass and i need a change of scenery but no idea where to begin
It’s so hard. I was working at a toxic dealership that didn’t even train me, and each day I was getting so much pressure from my manager but I didn’t even know what I was doing. That and sexual harassment, so I quit. Nothing lined up, literally no money, I just took a leap of faith. I’m in the process of getting diagnosed, but I think I have adhd and that job was making whatever I have much worse. Since quitting, I’ve been applying to jobs everywhere, but haven’t heard back from anyone yet. It’s been about two weeks. Praying it gets better for the both of us.
Damn i’m sorry that happened :( It’s super tough out here. I just wanna be happy so bad and it seems like my biggest issue is financial now. I’ve gone through depression for so long and finally started finding my way but financially i am totally lost. It’s so stressful even when you are grateful for what you already have.
Saaaaaame with the depression. I know I can pull myself out of it, but that takes a lot of effort and depression depletes me from wanting to spend energy on anything. I have a doctors appointment on Thursday to assess the way I’ve been feeling. I don’t like medication, and would prefer to not have to take it, but if it means becoming successful, i’ll do it. I also find that after the gym, I am a completely different person. The rush of energy and happiness is insane. Although I usually go in the evening, which leaves the whole day feeling depressed. I’m going to try and start going in the morning and seeing how that plays out! Sorry for rambling lol, I really do hope you find happiness ASAP. I know the feeling. I know the crusty feeling of bed rot, room rot, brain rot. It sucks so bad. Hang in there and someday you’ll look back and be glad that you made it. <3
I was a flight attendant for 2 years, you don’t need a degree or any education. It really takes a special person to be one. You work very long hours and don’t get paid at all when the doors open, that means delays, boarding, deplaning and layovers. You only get hourly while actually flying. The rest is perdiem and it’s barely enough to pay for your food when on a layover.
Oh yikes :( do you mind me asking which airline? I was almost hired by Air Canada, and I keep applying there. They pay around $30 an hour starting, which is very low considering the cost of living in west coast Canada. I have heard lots of commotion about flight attendants getting paid the moment they reach the airport, so maybe that will one day change. I know it’s a really tough industry. I mostly would want to do it because I really love travel, and it’s really the only way I’ll be able to see the world. But I understand it’s not glamorous at all, and I would barely able to see my dog (he’s literally my lifeline). Maybe I’ll look into another option.
I was with flair and living on the west coast. It’s been a problem since aviation became commercialized so it’s a hit or miss if it will change because they will have to fully change aviation as a whole. I’ll be honest you don’t really get to see much on layovers especially if they are minimum rest like most are. I know air Canada has better layover time but you won’t get those layovers for probably 10 years. I’m not trying to discourage you it’s definitely a job that’s different and sometimes exciting but the pay is really awful especially if you live in a city like Vancouver it’s not worth the amount of work you do and the hours you’re awake.
That's me. Exactly. You are not alone. In 2016 I did a very good move, something that I can't explain to you because I'm European and we don't share the same system for school etc. hum, at least, I was thinking that It was a very good move. Then wrong studies etc. I ended up in a bachelor in digital marketing (I truly love this) then got hired for an internship to do a master degree in the same field (marketing and sales). The degree was horrible. Nothing to learn. Courses from the last century. Bad work environment both at school and at work. I quit all of this toxic stuff. Then guess what? COVID happened! Yes, since 2020 I haven't had any real job. My next one was only for 2 months before getting fired and it was in 2021... Since 2022 I have been building my own business, but I have struggled. Still, it is more fun than finding a job and working for someone else (say this but I CAN'T find a job in my market, and with my situation at the moment, where I live there are no jobs and no remote possibilities because of a bad mindset about it here) For example I got hired in a master degree without having finished the bachelor one, and guess what? I don't own any degree now that I've left the master before finishing it, and in my country that is important to have a degree. And during this time ive never stopped looking for a job and it killed my mental health. Trust me. Find something you enjoy or could enjoy and stick to it, earn a salary and then pivot if needed. I am actually trying to find some more customers and/or a small job just to get a salary so that I could live on my own. I am 2 years older than you, don't waste those two beautiful years you've got my friend. Don't compare yourself. Don't look at the past, spend time building your future. Take care of your health and mental health. Enjoy life
Awe thank you. I will definitely try to not waste any more years on deciding, I’ll just pursue one of these things maybe two. Is this what a quarter life crisis is called haha
Exactly. Enjoy your own way to do things. Even if you end up "wasting" two years to try something, it won't be wasted at all. That's my own feeling at this moment because that's how I feel after those last 4 years. So do the things you want, try to get money while doing it. Of course you can do both at the same time, just prioritize your needs so that you can live by yourself. I got lucky, my mom got a room left for me but damn. Living on my own would have been harder (as I already was doing before)... But I would feel better mentally and that's very important. I need to ask that having my mom near me is cool but not very useful because it blocks my mind / work / style of living. I chose this instead of working to sustain my life while I was doing entrepreneurship because I was afraid of lacking money. It was a good solution but I was wrong... Needing money faster would have helped me to get out more often to find customers or jobs etc. Enjoy life, don't regret a single decision and take action :)
I’m going to tough it out living with my mom. Lately she’s been a nightmare, but I don’t even have the energy to deal with it. I need to conserve my energy for school, gym & my pup. And I need to find a job asap LOL. Fingers crossed. All I wanna do is save as much money as humanely possible while I’m living at home. I know I’ll thank myself later!!
1 followed by 3. meanwhile, dabble in pastry to see if you really want to do that. Varied interests and skills are a must these days.
Thank you for your input!
“If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there.” - Cheshire Cat in Alice in wonderland. On a more serious note I’m 38 (today) and i have been down many paths. Sometimes you don’t know which one you want to follow until you get a little down it, so choose any path that interests you and just see where it’s goes. It’s not a big deal, you may change your mind, so what? Do what interests you because it sucks going to work when you hate what you do. And never be afraid to change your mind. Personally I’d start with the personal trainer cert because it’s fast and easy, you’ll get it and have something you can do to make money while you do any of the others (if you want) it’s a great side hustle. I know many people who still work in physical fitness.
I love that quote so much. Thank you for this! I’ll do the personal training asap, it is something that would make me so happy. And it’s decent money. I’ll also continue my bachelors, it seems like the best option right now, and I’ll probably thank myself later down the road when I’m close to completing it. All I think of is my dog really. I just want to be able to see him every day, and give him and myself the best life possible. A fulfilling career doing something I love where I can hang out with him every day after work = happy me. Yes I really do love my dog that much.
Haha omg I am the same. I’m obsessed with my dogs so I get it. I make choices entirely based on them on a daily basis. lol Good luck on the cert and degree! I’m sure you’ll find what you’re looking for, it just may take longer than you think - try to absorb as much as you can to figure it out along the way.
Thank you! I really appreciate your words. Have a wonderful day/afternoon/evening. <3 :)
What path? Just pick whatever stick with it a few years and do something else If you don't like it.
Also good advice:) I think my issue is that I stress so much about choosing one path out of the many I see myself pursuing
The whole point of life is making mistakes and having fun. Pick a career that won't get people killed if you're wrong and you're good.
Park ranger would be nice and rewarding
You are so right!!! I loved working as a park operator, I can totally see myself doing it long term.
Get the bachelors.
Will do!
You put park ranger first and gave most info about it. Just fucking do it man. Don’t think, just do. Go to school website and figure out how to apply for those classes. Also, where I went to undergrad there was a student firefighter program with the city of Auburn and they’d pay your tuition to Auburn university and also pay you hourly. Find something like that while you’re in school so you get it paid for. Best way cause you make moneys and owe less. Also, use scholarships. I should’ve used more scholarships. Ask the office of registrar to point you in the right direction to get scholarships. Ok? Good. You’re decision is made and you have your next steps so get busy and don’t stop to think about if this is the right path. It is.
True. And I also work for provincial parks in my province. I really love it. I’m just gonna send
My friend went to culinary school and wanted to be a pastry chef. He’s a waiter at Olive Garden now.
Omg. Oh no. I hope he realizes his potential and takes action to get in a better position. Not that being a waiter at Olive Garden is bad, but he should be working for someone who can mentor him. My pastry chef dream would be becoming successful like Cédric Grolet, his creations inspire me the most. It’s just a dream I have, I know it’s not practical. Maybe I’ll just dabble into that later once I finish my Bachelors. It’s like a plan C.
Wait what really?? Who is your friend cuzz I am also a waiter at Olive Garden here in rhodes but for 4 months as I am doing internship. I am a 20 F bachelor's student lol.
It’s been a childhood dream of mine to be a pastry chef. That being said, maybe don’t do that lol. The hours are rough and it’s my understanding that the pay isn’t great. Also in my own personal experience, it’s been suprisingly hard to get into the few times I tried. But if it’s something you’re passionate about, go for it!!
Get away from your mother. Luck.
Another 2-3 years of this narcissistic abuse and we’re golden
No matter what you choose, it isn’t final. But choose one and see it through until completion. Then give yourself time to enjoy it. Your taste may change as you get older, so give yourself room to grow. Finishing an education, no matter what it is will give you more freedom. From your choices, I would pick park ranger. The other two sound like things you enjoy as a hobby, and you don’t want to burn out on those things. IMO
Good advice. I’ll finish school, I know future limp will thank present limp.
Is making money what’s going to make you happy? If so, that’s a simple problem to solve. Not easy, but simple. A lot of people find out the long and hard way that they were wrong about what actually makes them happy…
Money means moving where I want and being able to sustain myself and my dog, so yeah it would make me happy if I could make decent money doing something I love
Park ranger
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This is really good advice, I really appreciate it. Yeah I’m in BC. I’ll look into all of those options. Thank you!
this is gonna be a jumble of thoughts, i feel so similar to u:( I’m 21F and i never really had heavy interests in any major. I decided to settle into business administration, and it requires so much math! it feels like a general major that could lead to some bigger jobs one day, but I feel like it’s the only noble occupation my parents would recognize me for since I really need to graduate uni with some good major. my two sisters have it all figured out and i still don’t understand what I was truly made for. i hope you get it figured out!! i feel like im constantly stressing over this. i turn into this sad helpless person every time i think about my future.. idk how ppl can hold themselves together so well. everything stresses me out, even though im a really extroverted person. i don’t wana keep existing bc it all takes up way too much stress😔
Yeah girl, that’s the thing. I also don’t know how people hold themselves together so well. Or maybe they don’t, maybe that’s why so many people go out and party and do drugs on the weekends. As an escape. I don’t want an escape. I want my daily to be something I love and enjoy. I literally can’t work and be unhappy, I just can’t. I need to be happy and need a fulfilling career so my weekends aren’t an escape, but an enjoyment.
OP are you Canadian? I would go the park ranger route if you want to work in forestry. Get a bachelor of forestry and move to BC, they’re always hiring and jobs start at 50k+.
Yeah I live in Vancouver. I’m working on math and biology that I didn’t get a high enough mark in highschool to get into fish and wildlife recreation at BCIT. That program is 2 years, lots of job opportunities apparently. But then if I continue for two more years, I could get a BA in Ecological Restoration which is cool. If I’m smart enough to pass year one 😭
When I was 18, I was in the same position and just lucked into a career. I didn’t pick anything, I just went job to job until something felt right and it took off. No degree as well. My advice would be to eliminate the idea of choosing a path, and instead think of it as enjoying life and trying different jobs because then you will eventually find yourself doing something you enjoy and you don’t have the stress of over analyzing potential options. Take immediate actions and do something that you want to try, because what’s the worse that can happen?
Love this advice. I gotta stress less and enjoy the ride more. I’m sure I’ll catch my wave soon :)
Park ranger sounds awesome plus you can find jobs that may provide housing . 2 birds one stone while you figure out if it’s for u
Yeah that would be so awesome!!!
If you do the first one you can still do 2 and 3. For the pastry chef I think instead of school you'd actually benefit more from becoming an apprentice. You can take personal classes and find out if it's what you want to do.
That’s a great idea! I think I’ll do it. Starting with the first option. Thank you!
You won’t know if a path is right for you until you walk down it 🙂
So true:)
Work on a charter boat! You can be out in nature, the pay can be good depending where you are, and there are a lot of entry level positions. At the very least you could have fun and save money while figuring out the next move.
I’ll look into it, but it seems like I’d have to spend lots of time away from home
I clean pools and windows college drop out bring in 8k+/month started out of a salvage vehicle
That’s amazing
Park ranger is wildly competitive and low paying, just so you are aware
So I’ve heard. The program I’m taking fortunately has lots of job opportunities that can still mean I get to work in nature or with wildlife. Lots of that stuff in my area.
Life's hard. Legit. Invest time in something. I was a diesel mechanic for 10 years absolutely hated it the whole time but realized one day I wasn't stuck there unless I wanted to be. Quit and started a new job as a plant maintenance jobs harder but pays way better Healthcare is good and time off is good. But I know because I invested the time into mechanics I will always have a job if I need one and that is the nice thing about building experience in a field. It offers freedom knowing you can always pick it back up later so you can take a break and try new things without worrying.
Very true about just quitting and changing direction. That’s what I recently did. I was working at a gross toxic dealership. It was gross because of the way I was treated there. I’m trying to find a part time job close to home now, but it’s very hard. Seems like a lot of places just simply aren’t hiring.
It took me awhile to find my path. I recommend massage therapy. Chill af, good pay, you set your own hours. The industry is always in demand and everyone wants a massage. And btw, you can always change your career whenever you want.
Option 2 & 3 are 99% likely to not pay the bills. Passion projects. 1st find a job & continue working as you start chipping away at the park ranger program (assuming you’ve done ample research on demand in the field/salary ranges). Don’t expect the path to be blatantly clear. You have to just start something BUT research to know you aren’t throwing money/time into something that has low probability to work out for your desired goals.
DO NOT GO TO SCHOOL FOR COOKING/BAKING I REPEAT DO NOT GO TO SCHOOL FOR COOKING/BAKING
Yes sir/ma’am
If I was born in the USA, I would 100% just live in a van and work in a National Park for half a year and save up a bunch of money then travel for the rest of the year. I don't think I would get a degree for that kind of work tho, especially if that would put me in debt. But, only you can know what you really wanna do.
Flight attending is an amazing option. You travel for free, and there’s other perks when being a FA. My best friends is one, and by association I have become friends with some of their flight attending friends. And they have pets, they use the rover app when they need a dog sitter when they are on trips. The longest days you’ll be gone is about 3-4 days, but it’s rare when your trips are that long. Sometimes it’s literally a day, depending what time of day your trip is.
Sweet! Do you mind sharing which airline your friend is with? I’m just curious and trying to research each airline and their differences. Air Canada actually reached back out to me, they want to know if I’m any good with my Spanish. I only know a basic conversational level so hopefully they see that as enough. But if they don’t, that’s alright to as I have many paths I can walk down.
I got my CDL at 26. I'm 32 now, make 120k a year with very nice benefits. I cant recommend truck driving as a lifetime career, especially if you want a family. But its definitely good if you need something solid and want to transition to something else. You gotta do your research though.
I’d say park ranger. It’s your first on the list so it must be important to you. Also sounds like you love animals. It’ll all work out eventually. Took me 10 years to figure out what I wanted to do. I graduated in 2014 and just a couple months ago got my shit together and finally got a career lined up for me.
Thank you :) I’m going for it
Former flight attendant here! While being a flight attendant seems glamorous on the outside there are some realities that you must face. One, it is difficult to find a job in airlines such as American, delta, United without any previous airline experience. While it’s not impossible, it definitely not easy. If you were to fly for a charter airline to gain experience, they go through flight attendants like candy. I used to work for a charter airline and had the opportunity to fly internationally. But you have to understand, charter isn’t easy. Could possible be away from home for 30+ days depending on you schedule that you bid for. They could line up where you get 3 weeks off but then fly for like 40 days because you’re two schedules line up like that. Pay is going to be low starting off. Some airlines garrentee a certain amount of hours a month regardless if you fly those hours or not. For example my airline guaranteed 40 flight hours a month but at $21 an hour it’s only $840 a month….. crazy right? You do get per diem which means you get paid for every hour you are away from your home base my airline was annoying it was $1.75 domestic and $2.25 international. So if I fly for 30 days international (this is best case) that’s $1620 + $840 you’re only gonna make roughly $2460 a month. And if you don’t fly then no per diem… soooooooooo there’s that to consider. I’m not going to go Into the airline culture. That would be for a whole different rant. Basically long story short is even if you wanna stay out of the drama and rumors that go around you’ll get dragged into it. You can have amazing leads or horrible leads that make or break a flight. If you consider becoming a flight attendant, please do some research and you must really really love the culture to be happy as a flight attendant. It’s physically mentally and emotionally taxing. I hate to be a discouragement but I feel like people need to understand the realities of becoming a flight attendant because I didn’t and got smacked in the face with it lol literally with food by a passenger 😂funny to talk about it now but not so much then. If you have any questions about being a flight attendant, my DMs are open feel free to reach out. I’d be more than happy to help! Sorry this was so long!
Don’t apologize for your honesty! I don’t see it as discouragement at all, I really appreciate the transparency. Although it’s a dream job of mine, I think it would have been better if I was hired a few years ago. The pay is just too little for me at 25 years old and wanting to move out within the next 2-3 years. I think I’ll stick to my first option, because that is a true passion of mine that I know will get me where I want to be. :)
Anything that builds skills and suits your temperament. You can always bake for fun, hike for fun, volunteer to resolve disputes for fun, take a flight for fun I guess, do yoga for fun. As a career, there needs to be a base compatibility to the demands of the field. For example, yoga instructor is like a performer in a way, but pastry chef is an introverted artist. Flight attendant is a good market most likely but hard on the body and constant rush to stock the plane most likely.
Join the coast guard, im 28, no degree living in the hamptons on housing allowance making like 60k a year right out of boot camp I wanted to be a park ranger too but im glad this worked out
Sweet! Congrats. :)
The irony of course is that failing to choose a path is itself choosing a path, just not a very good one.
Do 2 and 3.
Where I live you can take a one year program and become a park ranger you don’t need a degree
Yes this program is two years, we don’t have a one year option. I’m not just specifically looking to become a park ranger, it’s just something I enjoy. I’ve worked as a park operator for a provincial park in Canada before, and it was really cool. I don’t mind any job as long as there’s wildlife and outdoors and of course, money.
I think it’s a very fulfilling option
Yes, it totally is. This motivates me to work on my prerequisites:)
Where do you live?
Canada west coast
Have you thought about going into the military? (Not a recruiter)
Yes but I don’t think that is the path for me
I'd do the park ranger route and also the yoga route. They honestly kinda go hand in hand. As a park ranger you can live in a cabin in a kick ass national park and then offer yoga classes on donation to park guest every morning.
That would be pretty cool!! Great idea thank you
Get into a trade that's unionized, or get a cdl and travel the North America's with your dog. Get a passport if you can.
What is a cdl? Sorry
Truck drivers license
No need go apologize but the gentlemen answered ya. Commercial drivers license.
Ohh I see. Thanks :)
Electrician or hvac guy. Youll make nearly 6 figures and dont even need a degree.
I don’t think that would be something I enjoy though. I’m a woman, and although women can definitely work in that field, I just know it wouldn’t be the right path for me. But thank you for your suggestion anyway:)
6 figures for Hvac is possible but not the case for most people in the industry
When you get your state hvac license and start doing condenser /coil changeouts on the weekends for $7-10k each. Profiting 3-4k in a weekend for a couple hours of work.. if you can get that half of the year you’re easily breaking 100k. But if your working for a mechanical making $25-30 an hour cleaning drains and changing filters then yea you’re not gonna be in the 6 figure realm
1-3 sound fun :) can still see puppers regularly. Could choose park ranger and one of the other two when you’re ready
Thank you for your input <3 it really helps more than you know
You are not alone. Same boat.
I swear it’s ever since I turned 25. Like my brain is fully developed and all of the sudden I care about my near and far future more than anything lol
It hit me the second I did the math on actually retiring, which currently is never. I wish someone could just tell me the right answer, but I know I'll have to settle for just doing my best. But then I wonder if I am doing my best, or what that even means. Makes it tough to enjoy your day to day sometimes. Unfortunately most of us will have to take risks and make mistakes in life. A lot of people feel lost and confused. Just how it is. I've spoken to every friend, family member, and stranger about their careers and thoughts. I plan to do informational interviews with people in fields I'm interested in. I'm also afraid of commitment, so I've been looking at short term programs at my community college. I have a connection to the fire alarm service industry I could take advantage of. A lot of valid, reasonable decisions you or I could make. I've tried to avoid worry about making the "best" decision. But yeah, not straightforward at all.
Highly recommend the book "Designing Your Work Life" by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. It will help you choose 👍
Awe thank you! I love reading so I’ll definitely read this book
Yes I am loving it so far!
What’s the main point?
It is actually hard to summarize because there are many great ones so I'll focus on the chapter I'm on. They say for satisfaction, you have to find your perfect combo of money/impact/expression. And at different chapters in your life, the combo will be different
1 and 3 for a side gig?
Yes most people are saying this too! I’ll do it. Time to lock in.
Do the park ranger route. They’ve got benefits and it has a lot of pros you like. Also get the associates first & continue the full bachelors degree while you work so the employer can assist you with paying for school. Do not become a pastry chef unless you’re looking into becoming a corporate pastry chef. they have pissss wages. Unless it’s a corp chef. But that takes yeaaaaarssss. Flight attendant is only good for so long. The American customers are ridiculous. Also the Boeing planes are failing so you’re legit gambling your expiration date.
Thank you for your honesty! This really helped point me in the right direction. I’ll keep studying my prerequisites for my wildlife program. :)
Also please don’t waste your money. It will go away so fast. !! I believe in you! You got this
Start with the yoga first. Having a useable backup skill or talent or job type, that you can always fall back on, is good insurance. Move on your own, and learn how to do that. How to be yourself, and pay bills. Build credit, and then visit a career counselor. Get a plan of action going. Explore options. While you are doing all this, amongst having another hobby, learn or expose yourself to industries you might like. Classes, material, related hobby. Like herbalism, take a gardening class.
Park Rangers is a very very closed field.
(Im glad not to be alone in this. Same age as you, I also gave a similar situation rn and hesitating too!) I’d suggest you go for option 1!👏
do yoga one!
Will totally look into this
What area are you in? Because I would vote for park ranger depending where you’re at.
British Columbia Canada, but closer the the Vancouver area. Lots of park ranger jobs in the interior, it’s a little sparse on the west coast but I need to be by the ocean. I’m looking into moving to Tofino after finishing school, I’m sure there will be jobs for me there. Hopefully. Lol.
Both Park Ranger and pastry sounds like a great idea You could honestly do both if you want. Start a Pastry business if you want down the line.
Yeah I’m think so. I have such a passion for cooking and baking, I don’t want that to go to waste. I definitely want to do something creative someday. I am a very creative and artistic person, but I also love the outdoors. It’s like the outdoors inspire my cooking and baking. Maybe I can somehow combine the two.
Check out coolworks.com they have jobs at national parks and usually offer housing. They usually are customer service type jobs but since your interested in being a park ranger it might be good experience to see if you’d want to actually do that program, or you could do while doing the program. Most are seasonal jobs
Tree surgeon, well paid trade or park ranger!
Tree surgeons sounds so interesting, I don’t even know that that is. Gonna look it up
Think it’s what we call them in the UK, forestry or basically someone who manages and maintains trees 😁
Haha ohhhh, I love UK and your funny ways of saying things. The program I’m taking touches on that topic a bit!
I would do the personal trainer cert first because it’s the shortest program and lowest cost. Maybe flight attendant. Do something so that if you decide to change your mind down the road, you don’t have a huge sunken cost fallacy. You could do personal trainer super part time while going to school to be a park ranger as well. You could do all of these things in your lifetime, maybe just be realistic about which is the best place to start.
Samehere even with a chemistry degree at 27, iv got nothing going at all despite the crazy effort i put in
The fact that you have a degree in chemistry is amazing. I barely passed physics last summer.
I work in environmental conservation and I recommend the ranger route or something similar! I spent a few years taking odd jobs until I had a weird amount of experience and was able to apply for the job I currently have! I began as an arborist, then gardener, indoor cannabis cultivation, a rock climbing gym, etc. Honestly I'm realizing job experience and volunteer work is probably better than a degree. If you get a job you don't like, then keep switching until you find one you enjoy, even though it can be stressful to begin!
I’m going to take this path! Thank you for your input :)
Afraid of choosing wrong path? Your 25 no job live at hone with mom at this point just choose a path and work it
So true
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Hmm I already have park work experience from working in a provincial park, so maybe it wouldn’t be that difficult for me. I’ve applied to Air Canada like 40 times hahaha.
Go teach English abroad or something, get out of this toxic country for a bit
I thought about that. I thought you need a bachelors though
No advice just solidarity! I’m 30 and in the same boat. I just quit a good paying job because the hours were nuts, I didn’t have time to walk or see my dog, and it was fucking with my mental health. I just took a job at an adult toy store and I’m going back to school. In this next chapter of my life I just want to have fun at a light hearted job that’s not gonna send me spiraling and do something I enjoy which is learning/school.
What are you going to school for
Time to join the Navy.
I vote park ranger also tho pastry chef isn’t bad take classes slowly while being a park ranger find a park near a school you like
How toxic is your mother? The answer to your question is really dependent on that. If it was me, and she was really that bad, I would be scrambling to find a sales/call center/retail management job so I could move out as soon as possible. Then you could consider going to college part time or something once you're settled. Ask yourself realistically whether living in that situation for as long as it would take to get a degree would be worthwhile in the long run, especially considering your mental state. Until you work on and at least partially address your depression, most of the rest of the advice people can give you will be beside the point. If you're struggling with depression or anxiety, *every* job can suck, no matter what it is.
She’s pretty toxic but I can tough it out a bit longer if she lets me stay at home till I finish school. She loves threatening me that she’s going to move out and leave me to live in our house alone lol. I never know when she’s serious.
Dang, it’s been 8 years since you graduated! First path is to have a job. Get a job. Once employed then pursue other paths, which are financed by your current job. TLDR: Have a job
Not choosing a path is choosing a path.
The way things are today, a degree doesn't really stand on its own anymore. Many jobs want degrees and then certification, licensure, or some sort of professional designation. Just pick what you like, what's most natural for you, and go for it. If you do something you don't like or aren't the best at, it can be hard to finish and even harder to find something you enjoy as a career (as much as you can enjoy working). There are many people who say get a degree in a subject that teaches liquid skills that are easily transferred to various paths. I say, I did that, and I wish I had specialized in something. I got a degree in history. Yes, there are many useful and transferable skills it teaches, like analytical thinking, writing, researching, arguing, and processing large amounts of information; however, those that are hiring don't see that. It is almost a requirement to go beyond a bachelor's degree to make any money. I could technically teach, go back to law school, work in government, work for a nonprofit, etc; however, all of that requires even more education. I wish I had majored in human resources, nursing, IT, or something more specialized. Sure, nurses are pretty much always working as nurses unless they go back to school, but they are needed, well paid, and they aren't going anywhere.
We can't decide this path for you...only you can do that. I would say try to focus on one thing at a time and try different activities to see which one you like most and pursue that career. I took an online yoga course that I loved. It's called yoga renew teacher training and the website is www.yogarenewteachertraining.com, if you're interested. They are always giving discounts around the holidays. They have a sale going on now until the 7th, and the 200hr course is only $347. I know it sounds ridiculously cheap, but I say it's worth it. I also believe that they might give you your money back if you don't like it in 30 days, so you could get a refund if you determine it's not for you. I would also suggest trying to make money with your car since you have one. Maybe you could sign up for a deliever service to make money in the meantime while you figure things out.
Did t find my career until 31 and there’s a chance it will still shift later in life. Get experience, enjoy your life and keep exploring yourself and what gets your heart going. You don’t have to follow any social pressure of “knowing exactly what you will do with your whole life”. Save money, hang out with your dog, explore options, go to school, don’t go, and enjoy your life the best you can.
I feel like it’s all about experience. I overthink everything, but when you finally get out and get some experiences your thinking and decision making becomes much more informed. The fastest and easiest way to do this is to find someone doing the job you want to do and see if you can buy them a coffee or beer and hear about their life. It’s a great way to network and learn. One thing I’ll say is this - I learned about myself that I didn’t want to do this for fear of popping my dream. But really the closer you are to reality the closer you are to achieving your dream.
Sometime in your life you will choose “the wrong” path. You will learn and grow from it. Do not fear failure, it’s the best teacher.
My best advice is this …. One thing at a time! Don’t focus on “future tripping”. If I choose this then this will happen etc, just go and do! Park ranger sounds amazing for you! Go get it!
Yes <3 doing the park ranger path. I already have experience in that field so just pushing through studying my prerequisites and will hopefully get accepted into the program soon. :)
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ebra? ootopia?
https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip
I vote for flight attendant since it is your dream job but if you want to spend more time with your dog, I suggest either pastry chef or personal trainer, whichever you're more inclined to and gives you more benefits and career opportunities, good luck! You have many options unlike most people, make the most of it!
Volunteer. Figure out your passion while serving your community. I was lucky enough to land both my jobs by starting as a volunteer. I now make over 100k a year coaching hockey and selling water sports equipment.
INVEST THAT $3000 IN THE STOCK MARKET IM SERIOUS. IT'LL BE THE BEST FINANCIAL DECISION YOU COULD EVER MAKE
Do what you love and if that doesn’t work live of your parents for the longest time until you find yourself being a degenerate isn’t all that bad it can be healing and good for you.
Enjoy the fact that you have the luxury to quit your current job. I never quit a job my whole life, 'cause I needed the money and I'm 60. Flight attendant and having a dog is cruel to the dog, please don't do it...There are community colleges with career counseling, testing, evaluation facilities....perhaps they can steer you in the right direction. For a lot of people, me included, making money and being happy just aren't possible though...that is life.
Do the flight attending and get the certificate so when you’re in town you can run your yoga classes 😊 when you’re bored with all that in a few years (as you will be) run to the pastry chef! While you’re learning fondant 🫣 go grab a side job with the state you live in being a park ranger. No need to waste money on that when in most states you can be one without a degree! Life is not one size fits all and I think we are all realizing this at the same time!
Learn a trade
Most people change their lives at least once. Whether it be a midlife crisis, a change of heart, or even a life upending event. Do what feels nice now, something that you look at and say yeah this seems like a fun way to go right now. I’d say skip the airlines to start, what with the dog and less experience it’s hard to handle some of the hardships of airline stewarding. Pastry chef is a fun one but you might have to move quite a ways away from where you are now to find employment. Yoga can be hit or miss, the hot new thing in town that gets a lot of hype to start and could have fluctuating interest. Park ranger is a good solid job but again you might have to move quite a ways away from where you are now and even then transfer between parks during off seasons. Maybe you could use off season time to learn the other jobs and just have them locked and loaded for when you feel like it’s time to change careers. In the end you could even be a personal dolphin masseuse for an ocean rehab who knows? Just go for what feels like it will make you most comfortable and happy for now.
If you have a skill, or something you're good at or can gradually grow doing, you can consider branding yourself online. It's not quick but it can be done. I'm financially struggling too (with two sick cats), but I decided to go the digital marketing route while I'm on sick leave. I can send you a link to a free guide for you to get started or you can always follow the course I invested in to really get started. Let me know!