I dont know what I'm doing.

[410440]

It seems I have come to a point in my life that is slightly un-nerving.

I have no idea what the hell I want to do with it.

What are you guys doing or have done in the past to try and figure out something like this?

I currently hate my job... not a career, but a job ( it does pay the bills though)

I'm 21, I have a college diploma, and just cant seem to get a break when it comes to applying for any positions.

I think I just need to get a career that doesnt suck.

Thoughts/opinions? input?

[KRyn]

My guess is your resume sucks. You need to tailor your resume for each job you apply for. You should be tweaking it for at least an hour each time before you apply anywhere if you are looking for a serious job.

[adam c]

your 21, life is just starting, take a few deep breaths

what is your diploma?
what experience do you have?

jobs aren't as plentiful as they were, say 5-6 months ago before all hell broke loose on the markets, but they are still there. companies don't want to put themselves at a financial risk right now. that's why a lot of the oil & gas type companies are laying off employees here and there

[Grogador]

Your cover letters suck too. Try for a junior/entry level position at a company you like, with potential for a position that you want, then simply show them how awesome you are and transfer eventually (6-12mo typically).

[1997GSR]

travel

[410440]

I think the bigger problem is I dont know what I want to do, as in what do I apply for... lol

my diploma is pretty general, i do wish i had done something differant but its a Diploma in business with a management major from sait.

[Grogador]

sell drugs

[410440]

^^ I left that off my resume for a reason.

[Canmorite]

Originally posted by 410440
I think the bigger problem is I dont know what I want to do, as in what do I apply for... lol

my diploma is pretty general, i do wish i had done something differant but its a Diploma in business with a management major from sait.

Management is fairly general. You thought about going back to SAIT and majoring in Accounting or Finance? Maybe going to Uni?

Travelling is a good option too. Maybe explore as many careers as possible, and try to find something that peaks your interest.

[410440]

Thats my big problem right now, I took business as I had no idea what I wanted to do, 3/4 of the way done my diploma and i realized i should have done something else, but i didnt want to just drop out and change with so little time left to just end up with the diploma.

I dont want to go back for anything business related.

I thought about getting into a trade but I want to have a house within 6 months to a year so going back to school and not making full time money kinda of doesnt work.

[rizfarmer]

Your SAIT diploma transfers to the U of L. THey have a campus at SAIT to. I also have a SAIT diploma, but in finance, but sorry to say that a degree is kind of standard these days and the diploma from sait is really meant to get someone into a very entry level position at a company. I highly doubt that you will get anywhere near O&G with a SAIT business admin diploma. Actually, I can say for certain that you won't, especially in these conditions.I only say that the SAIT bus admin diploma is completely useless because I have one and I know that it requires about 25% of the effort to get compared to a degree, so thats why I don't see any companies hiring based on that alone.



You can still work full time because U of L classes are at night, most students also work full time. Once you start University you will realize that SAIT was more or less a continuation of mid level high school classes compared to your new work load.

So going back to school can work for you, but really you just have to figure out what it is you want to do first haha.




I would just stop wasting your time and start doing something, then at least while you are still figuring it out you are being constructive. Thats what I'm doing and it's gotten me set up to go pretty far in a company if I want, or I can leave with an excellent resume and experience If I ever figure something better out.

So that would be my advice from personal experience.

[Kloubek]

I wouldn't be too concerned yet. Keep working, and keep applying for entry level jobs, as suggested. Chances are, you'll eventually be hired.

Breaking into the business isn't always easy. Everyone always wants experience, but how do you get that if nobody gives you a chance?

Don't worry... you're still young and have time to get a decent job. Just got out of college for gods sake!

[ekguy]

Originally posted by rizfarmer
Your SAIT diploma transfers to the U of L. THey have a campus at SAIT to. I also have a SAIT diploma, but in finance, but sorry to say that a degree is kind of standard these days and the diploma from sait is really meant to get someone into a very entry level position at a company. I highly doubt that you will get anywhere near O&G with a SAIT business admin diploma. Actually, I can say for certain that you won't, especially in these conditions.I only say that the SAIT bus admin diploma is completely useless because I have one and I know that it requires about 25% of the effort to get compared to a degree, so thats why I don't see any companies hiring based on that alone.



You can still work full time because U of L classes are at night, most students also work full time. Once you start University you will realize that SAIT was more or less a continuation of mid level high school classes compared to your new work load.

So going back to school can work for you, but really you just have to figure out what it is you want to do first haha.




I would just stop wasting your time and start doing something, then at least while you are still figuring it out you are being constructive. Thats what I'm doing and it's gotten me set up to go pretty far in a company if I want, or I can leave with an excellent resume and experience If I ever figure something better out.

So that would be my advice from personal experience.

thank you for posting this...This made me re-think some things about my life at the moment haha. Looks like i'll be doing more school after SAIT...:rofl:

[Canmorite]

Originally posted by ekguy


thank you for posting this...This made me re-think some things about my life at the moment haha. Looks like i'll be doing more school after SAIT...:rofl:

Haha fuck, same :rofl:

[ekguy]

Originally posted by Canmorite


Haha fuck, same :rofl:

looks like sound advice though at least...

[Canmorite]

Probably is. Depends what you want to get into, of course.

[TomcoPDR]

Originally posted by 410440
but its a Diploma in business with a management major from sait.

Don't think, just watch porn.

I too went to SAIT for a BA diploma and it didn't get me anywhere, started watching hardcore porn and just general jobs (i.e. dealerships, washing dishes, oil change, etc...) and one night while watching porn it dawned on me that I'm pretty skillful with my hands... so I agreed to get back into the dent industry like everyone else was telling me.

/story

[jsn]

buddy, you're 21. That's still young. (I'm only 22, but thats beside the point). I'm in my 5th year of Univeristy because I switched majors when i was in third year. The way i figure it, might as well switch while you still can. Even if you take another 4 year degree, you'll be 25, which isn't even that old. Hell, alot of my classmates are in the same boat as me. Tons of them switched from other degrees so many of them are in their 4th or 5th year in university as well.

Personally, I'd hold off on the house you're planning for. Go back to school if you don't like your job. Better to wait a few years before you get your house and have a career you'll enjoy for the rest of your life, than get a job you don't like just go get a house now.

[eblend]

Originally posted by 410440


I thought about getting into a trade but I want to have a house within 6 months to a year so going back to school and not making full time money kinda of doesnt work.


Why the hell do you want a house so soon....if you don't have a stable career then you will just be another statistic on a home forclosures once u can't pay the bills if your in between jobs and don't have something solid

I am 24 and I don't have a house, but will be buying in about 1 year. I am already married and have a reason to buy a home, for you it seems like something you want but not ready for. You have to be responsible with that kind of shit.

When I was your age I finished University with a BComm in Management Information Systems at the Haskayne and then applied for a job at a local company. Wasn't terribaly interested in actually getting a job (at this point i haven't really had any computer experience outside of fixing comps at home and the A+ i got when i was 16, plus a half year at a local comp shop). I didn't want a career setting job just yet as I wanted to travel, but the one place I applied to do desktop support hired me. After about 4 month of working there, I told them that my intention was not really to get into a job just yet as I planned to travel. They were impressed with my skill set and let me have 7 weeks off to travel Asia. I travelled 7 different countries in Asia by myself and was the best experience in my life. Get to see a whole lot, realize where you want to be and all that. After all this, I came back home and went back to my job. Moved up fairly quickly and no longer doing desktop support, but rather on the server side working with servers, became a VCP and moving my career ahead. Start at the bottom and work your way up, don't expect people to give you hand outs, you have to work for it.

[em2ab]

Pay someone to redo your resume for you. I paid Google $300 to do mine including the cover letter and have been using it for the last 3 years with minimal modification. It has given me probably a rate of return of about 6000% since then.

[rinny]

Question:

Originally posted by 410440
I think the bigger problem is I dont know what I want to do, as in what do I apply for... lol

my diploma is pretty general, i do wish i had done something differant but its a Diploma in business with a management major from sait.

Answer:

Originally posted by 1997GSR
travel

Im not saying that travel will solve life's problems, but it'll sure open your mind to what you are interested in and enthused about doing.

I think too many people rush into school/jobs/careers without really giving it much thought, just jumping into courses/positions where they think they will be compensated and get a decent rate of return (financially), but do not end up fully enjoying what they are doing because they are not really interested in the actual position, but more the fiscal compensation that it brings.

I think seeing different places and the way other people do things changes your thought process from what you've come to know around you, to become familiar with the billion different ways that people do things in the world. I think this insight helps people realize that anything is really possible, and the only limitation is you.

Save some dough, take 6 months or a year outside of your shell and you wont regret it.

[kutt3r]

Find you passion, and if travelling will help then travel...

I am not well travelled nor am I working my passion, I think that I would have to be a hit man to be truly passionate about my work.... :guns:

What I do makes me really good money and is for the most part interesting and I have lots of options, wonderful thing about working in IT is that it transfers to any business, it allows me to see what is out there and to experience it.

The most truly sucessful/happy people that I have met are truly passionate about what they do. Kinda makes me sick that it comes easily to people (read jealousy), I have yet to find my passion... maybe 6 months in Thailand will make me find out what I want to do with the rest of my life :devil:

Take some time, gain some life experience... it will come to you eventually... I spent my first 7 years as a baker...so things will change as you grow and mature as a person and you figure out yourself. (I am at least in my 30's so I have a little life experience)

[eblend]

Originally posted by kutt3r
I have yet to find my passion... maybe 6 months in Thailand will make me find out what I want to do with the rest of my life :devil:


Whatever you do in Thailand, just make sure it doesn't have a penis first

[410440]

Originally posted by eblend


Whatever you do in Thailand, just make sure it doesn't have a penis first :rofl:

[sr20s14zenki]

I worked at a easy, well paying, but dead end job until i figured out what i wanted to do. I always liked working on cars, but every mechanic i talked to said "i hate cars now" because they work on other people's pieces of shit all day and now dont have the passion to work on their cars anymore.Not wanting to ruin my passion for cars, I decided at some point, not sure when, that i enjoyed welding, and building stuff, and working well with hands runs in my family, my great grandpa was a welder, my grandpa was a tin basher, my dad is a wicked carpenter. Now that im finishing up my apprenticeship, i think "damn, i wish i started my apprenticeship when i was 18, not 24" But hey, thats life right, im sure youll figure out what you want to do, it kinda just dawns on you, did on me anyways.

[Dumbass17]

im' in the same boat man
i'm 24 and am not satisfied at all with my job and i have absolutely no idea wtf i want to do
so i'm paying off my debts, saving money, driving a shitty car and then im' getting the hell outta here and travelling.
as it sits, i think i'd be happier scraping by and living in a sand hut somewhere warm versus doing ok and being unhappy working for the man in calgary

good luck

[Graham_A_M]

Save a few grand, put your stuff in storage and go travel for a year, just clear your head and figure some things out.
A few grand can go very far if you visit the right places, and spend frugally.

[Trini]

Originally posted by Dumbass17
im' in the same boat man
i'm 24 and am not satisfied at all with my job and i have absolutely no idea wtf i want to do


same boat..job is ok but not something I want to do for the rest of my life...

hopefully the new year will bring some changes....

bleh sucks sending out so many resumes etc and not getting anywhere...will seriously consider paying someone to help me redo it.

[thrasher22]

Traveling made it worse for me haha now I know what the good life is ;) On the other hand I hated life before and generally wasn't happy with where I was, traveling gave me a breath of fresh air.

Don't worry about rushing into the real world, it's a lot less fun (and I really like my job).

Try going through a headhunter to find a job. When I got back to Calgary in the summer I had ZERO luck getting interviews and was referred to a good headhunter by a friend. The first thing she did was sit down with me and helped me rewrite my resume and started getting call backs almost immediately.