Life sucks, and I need a job

[kitkatbar]

IMHO, it looks like you've given a lot of things a half-a..ed try but fully applied yourself to none of them. It's time to figure out something you won't absolutely hate that can bring in a paycheck and push yourself fully in that direction. Once you have income, you will have a lot more options, including for exploring other things that might interest you more in the long run. If you have steady work as an accountant, it's much easier to study Spanish at night and on weekends. You could also pursue writing in your free time with the option to switch over to that full time IF it ever becomes something you do well enough to earn a living (which for most people, it doesn't, so don't quit your day job.)

You need to adjust yourself to fit into the way the world works, at least from a business perspective. This doesn't mean you can't "be who you are" but you have to do that on your own time. So if you're shy? Be shy on your personal time. Fake it and act outgoing when you're on the hunt for work.

[DanielSNYC2014]

Jeez -- and I thought I was the only one with problems??

[Ace_TX]

apply for a govt job

sounds like that would be the perfect route for you

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btw, how did you pay for college?

[skipper24]

Originally Posted by rosie_hair

I'm guessing that 3.75 gpa is mostly from non-major classes. I've seen a lot of people with not so stellar major gpa but much higher gpa due to bullsh*t classes like philosophy and child rearing.

OP, I'll tell you about myself. Hopefully, it will inspire you to do more.

I graduated with a physics degree with mid-3.xx gpa (don't exactly remember the exact number). Got accepted to fermi-lab as a research tech. I was going to use the experience and pay toward working for a masters in physics. Well, right after I graduated, the economy tanked and research money got pulled. Not only did they rescind their offer, but they also let go a whole bunch of physicists. Almost over night, my degree was pretty much unemployable.

At the time, I fell into pretty much the same depression that you are feeling now. Felt useless with no prospect of a future.

Went straight to Menards (hardware store) and got a job in receiving. While I was working there, I started exploring other possibilities and other routes. Basically, I still wanted to end up in a technical field. How to get there? Then I came up with a crazy plan that I stuck to (for the most part).

So, while I was working at menards, I started applying to police agencies. Half a year in, I got accepted with my state police department. Went to their academy and 6 months later I was a state trooper. The pay was enough for me to save up, get a new car, and a few years into it I started taking classes again to work on my masters. By this time, I pretty much knew what I wanted to do. Engineering! Of course, getting a masters in engineering required a bit more work than I had anticipated, so I waited till I had enough savings and quit my police job to go all in to getting my masters.

When I was about to finish with my masters, I started interviewing to get an engineering job. Even got a couple offers from reputable engineering firms. All seemed good. Just right before I graduated, another stumbling block came along. My state had a budget crisis and the governor signed an order cutting all construction projects by half. Almost over night, construction budget went from $3 billion to $1 billion. Grrrrrrr....

I forgot to mention that while working on my masters I started learning how to write apps to earn some extra cash. So, by this time I knew how to program. Started an IT consulting business. Ok, hear me out. At the time, I figured that large companies had IT departments while small companies didn't. What about the ones in between? They're not big enough to have an IT department but they needed to run a server, backup, security, etc. So, I put everything I had and knew into this little niche to survive. It supported me for a while.

After a couple years of this, I started to let it go slowly and head back into engineering direction. I think this was why my business failed. But it didn't matter, because I got several job offers in engineering. I think my various backgrounds had something to do with it.

I chose the closest company to home and started working as an engineer. Been doing it ever since :-)

Here is a thread I started when my company gave me a car for both personal and professional use. My partner and I will be taking this car to Clearwater, Florida for our spring break. He's still in school.

And no, I ain't a gal. I don't have rosie hair either. Rose hair was the name of my pet spider when I was little. She died of old age a number of years ago.

Anyway, you get the idea. Life can some times take you through curves and different routes. When I was younger, never in a million years I thought I'd be a cop, IT consultant, and engineer. But I did it. After years of wandering from career to career, here I am working my dream job.

You can do it, too. It will take you a number of years. But don't give up! One day, you will look back and marvel at your accomplishments. You will be thankful that you never gave up and kept trying, even if it took you through several alternate routes.

Thank you for sharing this. Sounds like you knew what you wanted to do (something technical with heavy math) and did a variety of other things, while remaining focused on that goal. In the end, all those other things helped you get into engineering. Lots of people flounder around and never have a taste of happiness or financial security, but your story is inspiring.

[skipper24]

Originally Posted by kitkatbar

You need to adjust yourself to fit into the way the world works, at least from a business perspective. This doesn't mean you can't "be who you are" but you have to do that on your own time. So if you're shy? Be shy on your personal time. Fake it and act outgoing when you're on the hunt for work.

I promiscuously approach people in class etc. and ask them about themselves. Yes I have few friends and people tell me that I am awkward and put them on edge but I must keep trying, right?

Originally Posted by Ace_TX

apply for a govt job

sounds like that would be the perfect route for you

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btw, how did you pay for college?

I have gone the govt. job application route. My parents set up a college fund for me. To make it last, I went to a public college within commuting distance (1 hour each way) and never stayed in the dorm or used a meal plan. College was an extension of high school in many ways. I remained just as lonely in it.

[dazeddude8]

OP would you be willing to work unpaid/underpaid in a field that may not be directly related to accounting? I ask because unless you can get some sort of accounting work through a temp agency that is what you may have to do. Whilst accounting is a very good degree, you are certainly in a tough spot competing against the 2013, 2014, 2012 etc... grads (in which I assume the majority of those grads have some done some sort of accounting internship) , so yes the chances of a "old" accounting grad with no experience getting an entry level accounting job against the 2012, 2013 etc... grads is quite slim. What I would recommend is hitting up any small, local businesses like minor league sports teams, museums, publishing firms etc... and see if they are willing to take you on as an accounting intern. That will most likely mean you will be working for free or underpaid (may have to get a part time job to balance the "underpaid").

Right now lack of experience is probably the biggest obstacle you are facing and as we all know the : "No one will hire me because I don't have experience, yet how can I get experience if no one will hire me in the first place" is very much present today.

Ideally you will find some sort of job/internship directly related to accounting, failing that you will just have to take something for the moment and pursue accounting on the side. Whatever you do, please do not let weeks of unemployment turn to months, to years etc... gaps of unemployment really do kill a resume.

[DaniellaG]

I also think you should take the exam. It can't hurt to have.
It sounds like you have started and quit a lot of jobs or training? Also that you have a lot of negative self talk.
You stated you are a people person yet have been told you don't make an impression of that so I would work on that. There are even groups I would think to help. Even if you were perfect for a job if you interview in a poor way you will not get the job.
Since you said you like to write have you looked at part time freelance writing?
Have you thought of going to therapy? I just ask because you seem to be negative towards yourself and lack hope that things will get better. Also how you stated you are gay but have not told anyone. That must be really hard.
How long have you been unemployed at home? If it has been awhile and you are still unsure of your direction then maybe getting a job like waiting tables just to get some money coming in while you take time to think.

[skipper24]

I considered therapy but am unsure whether it is for me. I agree with all the posters that I need to be doing something now, while trying to get back on track with accounting.

Since my OP I have gotten several volunteering opportunities, preparing taxes for retired people, and doing data entry and answering phones in my local Assemblyman's office. These should carry me until mid-April, when I have a paid job lined up that will last six weeks, grading standardized English tests. After that (end of May) I need to line something else up for the summer, but at least I have some things to do for now.

[deposite]

Work on those people skills first. If you don't work on that, it can kill your chances for a job.