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I graduated college in 2008. I had to move back home because my mom was dying and I took a crappy admin work job in a doctors office. I spent two years there. In that time, I was depressed. My boss saw how depressed I was and signed me up to see a counselor. 2011, I found a job that I didn't like, but they promoted me to another department because I had the skills, but no pay raise. 2013, I got a job that I am at now that I like, have a great boss who is like a mentor, and have potential to keep moving up.
tl;dr: Finding the right path will take some time. I was like you when I got out of college, full of hope and then realizing that my dream is just that. I'm hoping I'll be able to keep moving up in the world. And yes, the corporate ladder sucks, but if you do great work, show you are an asset to your company and make at least one friend in the office, it'll be okay.
Here's the thing. If you wait until you figure out what you really want to do you'll be in your 40's or 50's.
Agreed. Society has done a lot of people wrong with the whole "do whatever it is your love/enjoy for a living" advice. The reality is that very few people actually LOVE their jobs or do something that doesn't feel like work. So they either end up in a field that they love that doesn't pay beans or even when they have a good job they feel like something is off since it isn't "perfect".
By my reckoning, if you can get into a field doing something that can be marginally interesting, pays the bills, might have some advancement potential and that doesn't make you nauseous when you wake up for work, then you are doing pretty well.
I graduated from university in science major I now work at a hospital that I have no passion or interest for, I make 15 dollars a hour, definitely not something I want to do with my life. I thought I wanted to work in healthcare field which is why I majored in science, but then working at the hospital just does not appeal to me, resulting on me being loss and not knowing what to do. am just confused on what I want to do with my life. I keep on thinking about whats the best job that I can attain yet theres always pros and cons for everything. At some point I just feel like screw it just go into nursing or something to just get a job and make decent income, even though its not what I want to do. I feel like I just need a job to make a decent living that covers my bases then I can focus my off time on things I really want to do. Just all the jobs out there sound so unappealing to me. No passion for a real job or anything. All the things that I want to do doesn't pay or is unrealistic. I can't do something I want when I got bills coming in monthly, need something stable, a steady income. You hear stories of college students graduating with no job, pursing master degree to delay the real world all the time. Then they are done and they still can't find a job, now they have even more loans lol. Anyone feel this way? Just feel loss on life, what to do, my life purpose.
It may suck, but at least you're not unemployed.
As others have said, use your free time to think about what you'd like to do, how to get there, and if can realistically pay the bills.
If nothing else, make sure you can get professional references from your current position, and network to increase your job opportunities in the future!
The really nice work is difficult to get into, so you'd need to work your way there. Otherwise, if it isn't great but at least doesn't suck, you can still make a living.
"The secret to enjoying your job is to have a hobby that's worse"
-the father from Calvin & Hobbes
Welcome to the struggle every single college graduate faces if they didn't choose to go directly into medical school.
At least you majored in science (which science?), so you might have the basic chem, ochem, bio, microbio, biochem classes need to apply to med school. Honestly, it's med school or bust now a days.
I graduated in 2012.
Worked a job I hated, got out, now have a job I like OK, just got a raise to $13 an hour. It's entry level, requires no degree.
Sorry, I don't have a lot of sympathy for you. As someone said, welcome to adulthood & the real world. Yeah, you can't just spend all day having fun, you are an adult with bills! Um, duh!
I think there's good advice for you here. That's life, most adults don't love their job while raking in tons of cash. You find something you don't hate, and you make the best of it. Eventually it'll get better I think. You can keep working, maybe keep an eye out for something better. That's what I'm doing.
Agreed. Society has done a lot of people wrong with the whole "do whatever it is your love/enjoy for a living" advice. The reality is that very few people actually LOVE their jobs or do something that doesn't feel like work. So they either end up in a field that they love that doesn't pay beans or even when they have a good job they feel like something is off since it isn't "perfect".
By my reckoning, if you can get into a field doing something that can be marginally interesting, pays the bills, might have some advancement potential and that doesn't make you nauseous when you wake up for work, then you are doing pretty well.
Amen to that last paragraph.
Another problem is we created a generation where many parents were telling their kids, "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do" and ran to coaches, teachers, neighbors and other parents whenever something didn't go their kids way because they felt it was their job as parents to fix everything so their little darlings were always happy and had the best. So some young people are in search of some happiness in all aspects of their life and frustrated when they cannot find it.
Are there any community colleges near you? Drop in their career counseling dept, whatever its called, and chat with them. Many, many 4-year college grads are in your position. They have a degree, but its not a skill. Many go back to a CC to get some sort of technical training. The advantages of CC are that is not too expensive, or too much time involvement. See what you can get in the medical field, such as nursing, labatory technician, x-ray, or look a the business end, such as medical management, insurance, etc.
Don't forget, CC have their own placement offices, too. They can help you find something once enrolled in their program. I wouldn't go back for a Master's Degree before you even get your foot in the employment door, its just too much more time and money that might not result in anything.
So you're a college grad (why is your wiriting so poor?)
Quote:
If you were smart, you'de build on what you have...
Maybe his program didn't put all that much focus on "wiriting" (whatever that is). And, of course, he'de do well to realize that he'se not as smart and whatnot as yu are.
It's doubtful that you majored in science because you drew that out of a hat. You must have had some idea of what field you are especially interested in. It shouldn't take much research to find out what kind of careers are typical for the kind of science classes you enjoyed the most.
You still haven't answered questions posed here about WHEN you graduated, HOW LONG you've had this job you consider a dead-end, and WHAT ELSE you liked about majoring in "science" while you were imagining you wanted to work in "healthcare." Healthcare is a pretty broad field. My brother who is an executive in an eldercare corporation could be said to work in "healthcare." As is my sister-in-law who works with the deaf. As is my friend who runs the laboratory for a respected university researcher. As is my friend's husband who is a sales rep for a medical products company. There are also PLENTY of careers in science that have nothing to do with hospitals or sick people. Environmentalists are scientists. Robotics specialists are scientists, etc. But certainly you already know that. I think perhaps you just have that defeatist attitude common to people who finish school and realize that THIS IS IT, they are going to have to support themselves for the rest of their lives. That is a cold bucket of water on the head.
Usually colleges have some sort of office to advise students on their futures. If yours does, why not go back there and make an appointment. Sometimes they can give you tests like Myers-Briggs that might suggest what kind of jobs you would excel at. If you can't find something like that, Google "finding a professional mentor" for many articles with tips on how to find someone to guide your career.
There are also people who style themselves as "life coaches." Anyone from a nutritionist, to an exercise trainer, to a psychic can call themselves a life coach. You can use Google to find one of them in your area but look for one CERTIFIED to guide career choices. They will hold your hand through every aspect of finding a career that is right for you. You can check them out on places like Angie's List or even Yelp if you want recommendations. In my town, Angie's List has records on 28 life coaches and 8 of them are recommended by local AL users. Here's an article with some tips on hiring an effective life coach: Choosing the Right Life Coach For You
If you just graduated from college, $15 an hour isn't really that terrible of a starting salary. There are plenty of waiters. baristas, and house cleaners who are college graduates. At least your job can be seen as having some relationship to your education. You aren't a janitor/Shakespearean specialist. Good luck.
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