CareerAdvice #LostInYour20s #UnemploymentStruggles
Hey Reddit folks,
So, I’m in a bit of a pickle and could use some guidance. Finished college, had a few jobs, got let go from my last one, and now I’m feeling a bit lost at 24. 😕 Here’s the deal:
Pros:
- Living with family, so no rent worries.
- Emergency funds to cover expenses.
- A great support system in friends and volunteer coworkers.
Cons:
- Health insurance uncertainty.
- ADHD making job hunting tough.
- Made a hasty job decision post-firing.
Any suggestions on how to pivot into a sustainable career? I’m all ears! 🤔
My two cents: Have you considered seeking career counseling or mentorship? Someone to guide you in exploring potential career paths and improving job application strategies might be beneficial. 🌟
Let’s chat! How did you navigate career changes in your 20s? Any tips to share? Your wisdom could be just what I need right now. 🌈
Looking forward to hearing your insights! 🚀
My advice would be to take some time to really reflect on what you’re passionate about and what kind of work energizes you. Volunteer, take a class, or try out some freelance gigs to explore different paths. And don’t be afraid to reach out to your network for advice and potential job leads. Remember, your 20s are all about learning, growing, and finding your way. It’s a process, not a race. You’ve got this!
I would first make sure that you process your firing properly so that it doesn’t have any subconscious effects on you. How did you take it and what do you feel about it now?
Why exactly did you leave your newest job? Because leaving a job and forfeiting unemployment just because it was “below” you, I think that may have been a hasty move. If the job was toxic due to other people that’s one thing. But if you find it boring or below you, I think it’s a wiser decision to keep earning income and then looking for a job while you work. That’s how a vast majority of people change jobs.
With regards to what you should do now, I think you need to take the job hunt more seriously but also understand that you will naturally want to procrastinate because 1) you are in a comfortable environment being at home with parents 2) it’s an uncomfortable and stressful task to job hunt so you will naturally want to avoid it, even if it’s what you want. Keep that in mind and remind yourself that you need to do this. The nice thing though is that you aren’t desperate yet, and job hunts take a long time sometimes.
As for what you should do, if you don’t know then just be open to any and all jobs and experiences. As you take actions, you gain experience and through experience you gain wisdom. You use that wisdom to help inform yourself about what you like and don’t like. By taking actions new doors will continue to open up, but if you stay stagnant at home you will find that years can pass by easily.
The good news is that you still have some time before your parents retire and it’s also rather common for people in their 20s to feel lost. I’d try to set aside a fixed period of time everyday to apply for jobs. If you have a system in place, its much easier to keep at it as opposed to relying on motivation alone. Next, I would also apply for all entry-level jobs that you think you can qualify for. Think office admin, customer support, or even sales I suppose. The best way to pivot out of retail is to apply to adjacent roles where you have the transferrable skills or exp for. Honestly, based on everything you’ve said, finding a sales role in a different field or customer support would probably make a lot of sense. Not that it’ll be easy to find, but at least you have some exp to show for. If you want a bit of direction and to see what other people have pursued after graduating from college, you may find the GradSimple newsletter helpful. They share job market insights but more importantly, interviews with other college grads. People talk about what degree they got, their post-grad job search journey, and what they’re doing for work now. You may be able to get some inspiration by seeing what other people have gone on to pursue as a career!
In today’s world, a college degree is a liability. It is a waste of time and money. About 80% of college graduated has useless degrees and never used it While at the same time accrued debt, piling interest, with no default options.
So, stay home with your family, work 2 jobs, or work on 1 job that offer plenty of overtime, save everything or throw half into the 401k. Do this as long as you can till you can pay a house in cash. Then live in the basement and rent out the top, or buy a duplex, renting out the other one while living for free.
It is a bit extreme, but you will come out a winner.