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Need some advice
chrisofthedale
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
May as well start with my current situation. I live in a small town, about an hour drive from the nearest city, with my father. I get along with my father very well and have a group of awesome friends that I see on a regular basis. My grandmother did move in a while ago and we do not get along at all, but for the most part I am able to avoid her.
The only thing that I do not have right now is a job. I have worked at a Ford dealership as a detailer, quit that job because my supervisor was a complete asshole. Worked at a gas station, quit that job because my boss wouldn't pay me for the overtime hours I had worked. After highschool I joined the military. After I got out of the military I worked at a local plant as a labourer. Quit that job because I almost got buried alive in the offloading system. I then decided to go to college and take a PC Service & Support Certificate course. After that I struggled for months to find a job.
Eventually found one as the computer technician at a retail place that was a 30 minute drive away. The idea was to get experience, go for my A+ Certification and then attempt to get a government job. The problem was that I couldn't follow my plan. The pay was shitty, I had to do sales as well (even when I had a backlog of computers to work on) and I worked out of, what was essentially, a hallway. Ended up having a talk with my manager after I found out that the people in tech sales were making the same rate I was. This conversation ended with me quitting, in early December, with them having just started a free diagnostic offer for the month. Essentially screwing them over.
I have been looking for work since. I have dropped off atleast 5 resumes to every place I could stand to work at in town. I have been applying for jobs online (if they are within reasonable driving distance). I have even been applying at the plant I almost got buried alive at, atleast the pay is good. Honestly I have no idea what I even want to do for work now. Mostly been applying for labourer positions.
Being unemployed is starting to drive me insane. For the majority of the week I have nothing to do other than apply for jobs online. I find myself going out less with my friends because I am so low on funds. When I do go out I don't enjoy myself as much because all I can think about is money. My friends often joke about my unemployment. I find myself becoming increasingly depressed and resentful towards my friends. I mean, this isn't where I thought I would be by this point in my life, I feel like a complete failure. I have no idea what I want or should be doing, when it comes to everything now.
I realize this is a long post, so I am very appreciative of any responses.
The only thing that I do not have right now is a job. I have worked at a Ford dealership as a detailer, quit that job because my supervisor was a complete asshole. Worked at a gas station, quit that job because my boss wouldn't pay me for the overtime hours I had worked. After highschool I joined the military. After I got out of the military I worked at a local plant as a labourer. Quit that job because I almost got buried alive in the offloading system. I then decided to go to college and take a PC Service & Support Certificate course. After that I struggled for months to find a job.
Eventually found one as the computer technician at a retail place that was a 30 minute drive away. The idea was to get experience, go for my A+ Certification and then attempt to get a government job. The problem was that I couldn't follow my plan. The pay was shitty, I had to do sales as well (even when I had a backlog of computers to work on) and I worked out of, what was essentially, a hallway. Ended up having a talk with my manager after I found out that the people in tech sales were making the same rate I was. This conversation ended with me quitting, in early December, with them having just started a free diagnostic offer for the month. Essentially screwing them over.
I have been looking for work since. I have dropped off atleast 5 resumes to every place I could stand to work at in town. I have been applying for jobs online (if they are within reasonable driving distance). I have even been applying at the plant I almost got buried alive at, atleast the pay is good. Honestly I have no idea what I even want to do for work now. Mostly been applying for labourer positions.
Being unemployed is starting to drive me insane. For the majority of the week I have nothing to do other than apply for jobs online. I find myself going out less with my friends because I am so low on funds. When I do go out I don't enjoy myself as much because all I can think about is money. My friends often joke about my unemployment. I find myself becoming increasingly depressed and resentful towards my friends. I mean, this isn't where I thought I would be by this point in my life, I feel like a complete failure. I have no idea what I want or should be doing, when it comes to everything now.
I realize this is a long post, so I am very appreciative of any responses.
chrisofthedale on
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Posts
Depending on your age I would suggest looking at apprenticeships
1) Move to another city. The economic opportunity in a small city is necessarily going to be worse than in a larger city, just because there would be more businesses there and more opportunities.
2) Specialize in some tech industry. A lot of people mistakenly assume taking a few courses about computers and some IT work is a fast track to a great career - it's one of the bigger fallacies of today's tech industry. Don't be a a generic 'IT' support guy - learn network security and do that well, or learn how to make scalable and robust networks / systems for companies. However, either of those require college (or a lot of experience) so...
3) Get some student loans and then go back to college. A lot of people don't like student loans - but if you can't afford to go to college, they really are a game changer. I took out loans and now am happier than a pig in mud with my career. In a year or two, I'll have them paid off. Going to a normal university can be still cheap and net you a good education - not everyone has to go to harvard or stanford to get a good degree. Just make sure your degree is something marketable, and not underwater basket weaving.
Assuming you were honorably discharged, a military veteran with a 4 year degree is a shoe in for a lot of positions, just on status alone. It means you would have discipline and a drive to learn / succeed and sets you apart from the other candidates. You really should get a 4 year degree though - I think you would be much happier.
I'm 22. I have thought about apprenticing, just not sure what for.
find out about local jobfairs, take a bunch of resumés and go nuts, it's what I did and it landed me a sweet contract at a bookshop
ymmv of course
1) I realize this is making it harder on myself, but I enjoy living in the country (the town I live in has a population of 2400). I am within driving distance of Edmonton (the north end anyways), as far as work goes.
2) I'm not sure I want to pursue an IT/tech career anymore, I enjoy it as a hobby, but after my retail experience I am no longer sure.
3) I have no idea what I would want to take if I went back to college/university.
I'm in Canada. Never thought about job fairs, need to research that.
UPDATE: Doesn't really look good for job fairs apparently, unless I am making the info hard to find.
I think you should do some soul searching then, because I figure you will have to go outside your comfort zone for a while to get back into a good position, both financially and career wise.
Have you ever done the "Office Space" career test? If you had a billion dollars and never had to work again... what would you do with your life?
but they're listening to every word I say
I've been applying for jobs within a reasonable driving distance. This includes the city of Edmonton (provincial capital).
I went back to school and went for automotive. I picked a career that no mater what happens I can always get a job that will pay me well. Auto techs, plumbers, electricians etc are skilled labor. I can move on the side of the damn hemisphere and still get work. It's not what I want to really do but it pays damn good and I have job security.