careers that are possible for people who have messed up? (debt, apply)

[hellothisismyname]

hey all,

so, my life story is rather unique (I think). I think a combination of being well-off, wanted to take the easy way and depression has really hampered my career and allowed me to make some serious mistakes in my life. Now I am trying to put the pieces back together and work things out. I am attended therapy and have been prescribed anti-depressants. I really should have done this sooner and I could have saved myself lots of time, but I didn't and now I am living with the consequences

I did the standard thing of going to college right after high school. I was undeclared at first and picked Psychology, but then I decided to go to law school. Why I chose this is a mystery, but I think I just had to pick something and it sounded nice. So, I also double majored in Criminal Justice and I intended to become a prosecutor. Though, if I am being honest, I picked CJ because it was easy and I wanted a GPA boost. This is a terrible reason, I know and it is one of the many mistakes i've made in my life (and their are many). My first serious bout with depression happened during my last year of university. I graduated with a 3.475 GPA.

Anyway, I got accepted into a solid-but-not-spectacular law school and did one-year and a summer internship. I was very depressed at the time and I really did not like the work, so I dropped out. Because of my present situation, this seems like a mistake now, but I think when I look back on my life I will determine that it wasn't. My GPA here was not very good, only a 2.95.

After this, I bounced around for a year doing stupid internships and then for some really bizarre and stupid reason I decided to do a 1-year Masters in Marketing course. Completed this with a 3.3 GPA and did a summer internship. I absolutely hated that because i was just doing outbound sales-type calls to people.

This is when my third (and current) bout of depression started and it has amplified considerably. This happened 16 months ago. Since then, I have been completely unmotivated to try and find work and I was completely discouraged with my life and future prospects.

And yet, this summer, I made yet another pre-mature and awful school decision. I signed up for a 2nd Bachelor's degree at my first university. I have taken 5 classes so far, but I withdrew from one (Intro to Accounting) and I have achieved 3 A's and a B so far. However, I am still seriously depressed and it was during this semester that I sought counseling and medication this time. I have taken a leave of absence for this upcoming semester because of mental health issues. Now, I am considering what to do with this semester and my life.

I have been thinking about a career change for some time, but i am petrified of putting it into action. The main reason is that I have gone to school and studied things before and it didn't make my life better, so i'm not sure if I can do it now. I also have a perverse fear of not being admitted into possible programs because the school will see that i've bounced around too much and won't think i'm serious.

Anyway, I have been told from my therapist that I am a 'giving' person and when she asked what I wanted from the job, the main take-away was that i want to help people who are confused/in trouble about something and give them to the things that they need to get better (I suppose people tend to give what they always wanted).

Based on this, I am thinking of something in healthcare, teaching, social work or counseling of some sort. However, all of these bring up their own fears in me. With social work/counseling, I am afraid that being around depressive ppl on a day-to-day basis will end up making me regress in my own battle with depression. The risk with healthcare is making a serious mistake that has profound effects on that person. Teaching brings fear of a poor job market that is over-saturated, especially in my state.

so, that's it! sorry if it is a tl:dr type of post, but this was a-lot of information to get out. Anyway, I was wondering if any of you had any other career tips or suggestions based on what i've written so far? And more specifically, are their any careers that you would say are very unlikely for me because i've messed things up? I guess my real question is, what careers are forgiving of people who have had a non-linear life path? I know things like Fortune 500 companies will probably not be interested in someone like me because they will only see me as someone who bounced around a-lot. But i'm hoping that their are some industries that won't hold my past against me.

Thanks for all of your help!

[jaypee]

I don't see where you've "messed things up". You're just trying to find your way through life like everyone else.

I say become a nurse or physical therapist and work in a children's hospital or cancer ward for a better perspective.

[ShampooBanana]

I think there are a lot of people who "messed up" a lot more than you and have ended up just fine. You at least managed to get decent grades in school and landed some internships, so at least you have that experience going for you. It might be tougher to land something in this economy than someone with a more stable track record, but if you take the right approach and are enthusiastic about it then I'm sure someone will "take a chance" on hiring you.

[Just_the_facts]

You one of one thing going for you: you knew enough yo quit law school after the first year, and, as a result, did not incur another two year's worth of law school debt as well as the stain of a JD on your resume.

Sales (including so-called "financial planner" positions, which are almost always insurance sales jobs) and collections are two fields you could enter into right now, but they're not for everyone. Health care, accounting (which you apparently didn't like), engineering, and it have some growth (though the last are being outsourced more).

You could also try a civil service test if you're good at standardized tests. A lot of government employers consider the results of the test more than your work experience/education.

[berkeleylake]

You were somewhat focused in college and did very well to get into law school. Take your existing experience and tailor your resume. I wouldn't call what you did as messing up. You just weren't sure what career path you wanted and for some out there, they never really find out. You do have more options that you might think.

I would apply for entry level work somewhere, private or public sector of some sort. You already have a college degree and that helps you some. Apply for many things and perhaps start in a different city if you get a decent job offer. Maybe you need a change like that if it is possible for you.

If you like dealing and helping people a lot, maybe teaching / counseling or healthcare is more of your liking. However, with these jobs, you will need more certifications / degrees and so on. You could try doing substitute teaching to see if you like dealing with kids.

Personally, I would leave college behind and work a while doing whatever I could. I don't think a second bachelor's degree is necessary at this point based on what you describe. I think if you get some good working experience behind you (2 or 3 years) you will probably have a much better idea what you want to do long term.

[DrEarth]

When I read the posting title, I thought of the people who have been convicted of felonies, and no one will hire them 10 years after the charge.

Your life is not that bad.

[joe from dayton]

I think your number one priority should be finding someone who can help you manage your own depression and insecurities. Does the person you are seeing do that? As stated in the above post, I thought you were going to be talking about a felony conviction of some kind. And stop throwing money at schools willy-nilly.

[willow wind]

I too thought you had some very serious felony conviction.

You haven't messed up at all- you've just not followed through on anything/ still trying to find where you fit in.

But what you are doing is turning into a professional student and that is getting you nowhere. All these classes and all these internships -- for what purpose ? . Can hiding out in school and internships be an excuse to not face the real world- yes, it can. You've yet go out and find a job paying a salary. .

Perhaps you need to sit down with a career counselor and decide just what you want to do and see if any of your schooling is applicable to that.

You could finish your law degree and work as a non- criminal Legal Aid attorney or work for various not for profits in a variety of helping sectors. You could work as a para legal in the same capacity without finishing your law degree but taking whatever classes are needed for that.

I would avoid any career that deals directly with other people's mental or emotional issues. It will sap the very life blood out of you. For a fragile personality such as yourself it's just too depressing. You will internalize their problems and make yourself sick- not good. Instead try a more uplifting career helping people or a career in which you don't have to deal directly with unhappy people and their problems. You can help from behind the scenes.

But first get your own depression under control. You have not messed up, you're just un-directed. Not a big deal. Once your mood is stabilized, then a good career counselor can help. Until then, perhaps no more throwing dollars at schools and classes.

[animalcrazy]

Originally Posted by joe from dayton

I think your number one priority should be finding someone who can help you manage your own depression and insecurities. Does the person you are seeing do that? As stated in the above post, I thought you were going to be talking about a felony conviction of some kind. And stop throwing money at schools willy-nilly.

It doesn't matter what you do, if your head isn't together you'll have a difficult time. Good luck.

[hellothisismyname]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply to my (rather long) post, I really appreciate it. Also, sorry for misleading people with my title, haha. Depression tends to amplify your perception of the negative things that happen in your life and that is exactly what is happening to me. Sometimes I get really low, but I am working on improving myself and trying to find the right medication+therapy combination that can help me.

Unfortunately, I don't think I have the stomach or self-esteem to have a successful sales career. I'm quite a timid person when it comes to 'closing the deal' and I don't really enjoy pressuring people (or being pressured). I think the successful people in those jobs have a particular personality type and I don't fit that criteria. But i'm not sure because I never tried it. I feel like I wouldn't be good at it, but who knows? sometimes being outside of your comfort zone can be the best thing for you. (thanks for the civil service test tip btw, i'm definitely looking into it)

Regarding the 2nd Bachelor's, I agree with all fo you that I should hold it off for now. But i'm not averse to going back to school for something else, if the career requires it. For example, in nursing it is mandatory to have that degree. I would be willing to go back to school for something like this, but I need to be absolutely sure it is something I want to pursue. I can't keep bouncing around.

Also, I forgot to mention that I am currently volunteering as a tutor for inner city students in a nearby city. I am also looking to start volunteering at a hospital in the local area to see if healthcare is a good fit for me. Another volunteer opportunity is in a store for a non-profit. I don't really want to do that one, but I know that I am qualified for retail management positions with my bachelors. However, I have absolutely no experience in retail or that type of work, such as dealing with customers, handling cash etc. This volunteer thing would give me that experience and something to write on my resume.

@willow wind - some of my schooling was definitely an attempting at avoiding the real world (not so much the job world, rather avoiding my own issues. I would say the Marketing course was definitely this), but not all. I completely dedicated myself to law school during my third year at the Bachelors. Why I did this is a mystery because I had no volunteer experience in the legal industry at all. We can chalk this down to another one of my mistakes. Anyway, the point is that when I put my mind to this goal, I was able to achieve it and do quite well. I went from scoring 48th percentile to 92nd percentile on the LSAT because I was really focused on it. But anyway, I don't have any desire to go back to the legal industry. I want a job that primarily interacts with people and helping them improve something about themselves. Perhaps you are right about mental health issues, I am thinking the same thing. This is why I am thinking about healthcare. You can help people out, but not have to deal with the crippling emotional baggage. Or teaching, where you can help people out intellectually.

The problem with career counselors is that they can only help you out if you know what you want to do. I think the counselor would have to be some type of miracle worker to determine what occupation would make me happy. It's the first think they ask you isn't it - 'what do you want to do'. Once i've answered that question, they can help me realize my goal, but helping me get to that step is not what they are qualified to do.

Another concern I have is related to HR manager. Should I mention my mental health issues? My gut is telling me no because people still stigmatize it too much. Unfortunately, most people have had a 'taste' of depression and they think that everybody should react to it like they did, which isn't the case. I then come to another problem of how do I explain the 1+ year gap on my CV? should I just make something up?

Once again, thanks for all of your help. This is the first time I have reached out to 'non-depressive' strangers on the internet and I was really concerned that I would be faced with a barrage of "stop being such a whiner!" and those type of comments. I'm glad to know that not everybody is like this.