Life Plan

[Mostyn6]

As someone who's interviewed a lot of younger people for employment, AND someone who dropped out of education cos I was distracted at the time and felt it wasn't interesting enough, I'd like to offer some advice and comments, it's totally up to you should you take them on board, but I find myself saying the same things that people said to me.

 

These are my thoughts and observations:-

• something must've attracted you to the course you're doing, what was it? The reason will probably still exist, and you've just overlooked it.
• do NOT think the grass it greener on the other side. Only stars and footballers truly love their jobs and I GUARANTEE that within 3 months of your first proper job, you'll be a lot more disinterested and underwhelmed than you currently are at University.
• you'll be expected to work until you're 70-ish, which should be another 50 years for you.
• jobs ARE available, but without a specialist knowledge (building up experience) OR a qualification, your 'earning ceiling' is a lot lower. I know plenty of people that went into jobs paying £200 a week when 18, and now nearly 20 years later, still doing the same job for only a pittance more. For women -see Care Worker, For Men - See Forklift Truck driver. The minimum wage sounded good when it was introduced, and is good if living with parents but try paying bills on it.
• Personally, I've not kept a job for more than 3 years since 2006. That's nothing to do with my ability, attitude or performance. Businesses constantly look for cost-savings and always re-structure. I've been the victim of restructures in May 2002, March 2006, Dec 2007, June 2009, May 2010, December 2011, and November 2012. ALL good jobs with responsibility and authority and a decent salary. My skills are sought after, having built a good level of knowledge up. I left college in 1994 to get a job and support my younger brother through school after my parents split. I was doing cr*p at college anyway. But not a day passes that I don't regret getting some academic certificate of my ability. Some speciality training that could help me get away from the UK!
• Even though I earn a fair salary nowadays, it hasn't always been that way. When younger in my early 20s, my mates were learning to drive and having lads' holiday, and I was missing out. Earning power is a massive thing.
• Work out what sector you want to work in, even if unqualified. There are some areas that will NEVER pay a decent wage.

Anyway, I'd like to go on, but my lunch break is over and these parts aren't going buy themselves!

[CrimsonRam]

As someone who's interviewed a lot of younger people for employment, AND someone who dropped out of education cos I was distracted at the time and felt it wasn't interesting enough, I'd like to offer some advice and comments, it's totally up to you should you take them on board, but I find myself saying the same things that people said to me.

 

These are my thoughts and observations:-

• something must've attracted you to the course you're doing, what was it? The reason will probably still exist, and you've just overlooked it.
• do NOT think the grass it greener on the other side. Only stars and footballers truly love their jobs and I GUARANTEE that within 3 months of your first proper job, you'll be a lot more disinterested and underwhelmed than you currently are at University.
• you'll be expected to work until you're 70-ish, which should be another 50 years for you.
• jobs ARE available, but without a specialist knowledge (building up experience) OR a qualification, your 'earning ceiling' is a lot lower. I know plenty of people that went into jobs paying £200 a week when 18, and now nearly 20 years later, still doing the same job for only a pittance more. For women -see Care Worker, For Men - See Forklift Truck driver. The minimum wage sounded good when it was introduced, and is good if living with parents but try paying bills on it.
• Personally, I've not kept a job for more than 3 years since 2006. That's nothing to do with my ability, attitude or performance. Businesses constantly look for cost-savings and always re-structure. I've been the victim of restructures in May 2002, March 2006, Dec 2007, June 2009, May 2010, December 2011, and November 2012. ALL good jobs with responsibility and authority and a decent salary. My skills are sought after, having built a good level of knowledge up. I left college in 1994 to get a job and support my younger brother through school after my parents split. I was doing cr*p at college anyway. But not a day passes that I don't regret getting some academic certificate of my ability. Some speciality training that could help me get away from the UK!
• Even though I earn a fair salary nowadays, it hasn't always been that way. When younger in my early 20s, my mates were learning to drive and having lads' holiday, and I was missing out. Earning power is a massive thing.
• Work out what sector you want to work in, even if unqualified. There are some areas that will NEVER pay a decent wage.

Anyway, I'd like to go on, but my lunch break is over and these parts aren't going buy themselves!

 

Give it 10 years, they'll buy themselves, assemble themselves and then fill out an evaluation on your performance.

[Bris Vegas]

Unless you're one of the lucky ones with a natural gift, you'll never find a well paid job that doesn't have an element of risk to it..

 

All these success stories that people have with good jobs is because they've taken a huge risk somewhere down the line, and possibly a big sacrifice too..

 

There is no such thing as a well paid secure job..

 

Someone once told me that it's better to try and fail than not try at all.. But maybe that person doesn't realise how hard the consequences can hit if you fail.. I've been in a situation where I honestly wish I never 'tried'

[EastKentRam]

Well i'll have another

 

 

Who said anything about looking down on people? I work in homeless services and would never try to look down on another person, it's not  who I am. I just thought the expression was a bit careless. Yes you can be happy person and partake in drug use, it's not impossible. But crack addicts are not exactly what you would refer to as happy people.

 

I wasn't trying to start a fight or anything, just felt it was miss-placed.

 

Large shrimp, now there's an oxymoron

 

I wasnt saying you were, I was just talking generally. 

 

You're right that 'crack addicts' wasnt the best term to use, but it was meant more in reference to drug users. Probably from where I'm from, me and all my mates will just call anyone who's taking drugs as a 'crack head', a sarcastic exagerration term. 

[CrimsonRam]

Unless you're one of the lucky ones with a natural gift, you'll never find a well paid job that doesn't have an element of risk to it..

 

All these success stories that people have with good jobs is because they've taken a huge risk somewhere down the line, and possibly a big sacrifice too..

 

There is no such thing as a well paid secure job..

 

Someone once told me that it's better to try and fail than not try at all.. But maybe that person doesn't realise how hard the consequences can hit if you fail.. I've been in a situation where I honestly wish I never 'tried'

 

It's your own fault for trying to explain the term "Ball playing centre back" to Sage though

[EastKentRam]

Unless you're one of the lucky ones with a natural gift, you'll never find a well paid job that doesn't have an element of risk to it..

 

All these success stories that people have with good jobs is because they've taken a huge risk somewhere down the line, and possibly a big sacrifice too..

 

There is no such thing as a well paid secure job..

 

Someone once told me that it's better to try and fail than not try at all.. But maybe that person doesn't realise how hard the consequences can hit if you fail.. I've been in a situation where I honestly wish I never 'tried'

 

I think it all depends on your outlook in life.

 

Once you realise you're life is utterly pointless and worthless your actions will reflect that. Nothing you do truly matters, it's all just a series of distractions until you die, you're just avoiding boredom. Although I admit I struggle to accept the pointlessness of life, it's made me realise so many things that have made me happy. 

 

Why wouldnt you try to survive by doing what you really want to? If it doesnt work out, so what? You'll be dead and gone soon, what does it matter?

 

I'll never accept doing something I dont enjoy doing, The moment I'm surviving through something I dont like doing is the point where I've got to work harder to be where I want to be. 

[ladyram]

I'm looking for another job cos I hate where I'm at now and I hope I find one what involves doing what I love and what I'm really good at. Never had the chance to go to Uni but have a few qualifications (the better ones gained in employment, not at school).

 

I s'pose we could all have a moan and whinge about our jobs, I do, that's a fact - but at the same time I count my blessings, cos my ma always says "there's always some poor bugger worse off". She's right anorl, cos thankfully I don't live somewhere ripped apart by war, I'm not starving to death or craving a clean glass of water. If something great happens for me job wise, hey, bonus, but I'm still very happy and thankful for what I've got.

 

Richard Branson has my number though, just waiting for the phone to ring.

 

Any second now.... (he must be in a meeting....)

[AndyinLiverpool]

Whatever you do, work hard at it.

[Mostyn6]

I think it all depends on your outlook in life.

 

Once you realise you're life is utterly pointless and worthless your actions will reflect that. Nothing you do truly matters, it's all just a series of distractions until you die, you're just avoiding boredom. Although I admit I struggle to accept the pointlessness of life, it's made me realise so many things that have made me happy. 

 

Why wouldnt you try to survive by doing what you really want to? If it doesnt work out, so what? You'll be dead and gone soon, what does it matter?

 

I'll never accept doing something I dont enjoy doing, The moment I'm surviving through something I dont like doing is the point where I've got to work harder to be where I want to be. 

 

 

Live for today is only a good outlook when you're young and living at home (with family).

 

How old are you? Do you still live with parent(s)?

[CrimsonRam]

Live for today is only a good outlook when you're young and living at home (with family).

 

How old are you? Do you still live with parent(s)?

 

I don't understand how live for today is only a good outlook when you live at home? I just declined a masters and am planning to leave the country to work in a bar somewhere in the world for a few years. It's not exactly what you'd call glamorous and perhaps not what you'd call wise but i'm not ready to get tied down to a job and miss the opportunity to make mistakes. I think people are too tied to the idea that you need a career and good money to be happy, I also believe people are afraid to do what makes them happy because it creates a certain level of vulnerability.

[EastKentRam]

Live for today is only a good outlook when you're young and living at home (with family).

 

How old are you? Do you still live with parent(s)?

 

Yes, I'm living at home at the moment. I'm 20, third year at uni (work placement, but not really working), back to Bournemouth uni in September for my last year. 

[EastKentRam]

I don't understand how live for today is only a good outlook when you live at home? I just declined a masters and am planning to leave the country to work in a bar somewhere in the world for a few years. It's not exactly what you'd call glamorous and perhaps not what you'd call wise but i'm not ready to get tied down to a job and miss the opportunity to make mistakes. I think people are too tied to the idea that you need a career and good money to be happy, I also believe people are afraid to do what makes them happy because it creates a certain level of vulnerability.

 

Exactly my thoughts, agree with everything you say. 

 

Me and a few mates plan to go travelling after uni, I hope to go travelling for the rest of my life. 

[ladyram]

I don't understand how live for today is only a good outlook when you live at home? I just declined a masters and am planning to leave the country to work in a bar somewhere in the world for a few years. It's not exactly what you'd call glamorous and perhaps not what you'd call wise but i'm not ready to get tied down to a job and miss the opportunity to make mistakes. I think people are too tied to the idea that you need a career and good money to be happy, I also believe people are afraid to do what makes them happy because it creates a certain level of vulnerability.

Declined a Masters? Have you turned down the chance to do one?

[Boycie]

Its the end of my first year of a 3 year course. My understanding on life at the moment is that there are a lot of unhappy people because of the current state of the country and jobs are very hard to come by especially without a degree. My dad who I only really talk to on occasions basically drilled into me from early that uni was the only way to be successful in life because he didn't go and has a poor job.

getting a trade is sometimes better than going to Uni.

Plumbers make a fortune, and it's bloody easy work.

If you're really intelligent and think plumbing is for plebs, you could try out to be an electrician.

[mozza]

an electrician is a plumber with his brain removed..

[Boycie]

an electrician is a plumber with his brain removed..

I always thought Stevie was the better brother.

[mozza]

I always thought Stevie was the better brother.

 

 

well , you were wrong ..

[Boycie]

Hey, what do you call a labourer with a full frontal lobotomy?

A window fitter.

Anyway, degrees are worthless.

A big penis is what you want if you want to get anywhere in this world.

It worked for Maggie.

[Philmycock]

I flunked uni, got kicked out for not attending or being arsed, I was too young for it all.

Spent 15 years at big companies just working away being unnoticed and earning a wage. At age of 34 joined a small growing company where the MD, managers all muck in and have never looked back.

A small growing firm in a growing industry can be a fantastic way to progress a career, where you actually count and are valued.

However, looking back I would suggest you get your head down and crack on with your studies then you'll have no regrets, it's what I'm trying to tell my sproglets, but will they listen??! Grrrrr :-)

[Day]

Hey, what do you call a labourer with a full frontal lobotomy?

A window fitter.

Anyway, degrees are worthless.

A big penis is what you want if you want to get anywhere in this world.

It worked for Maggie.

And me