I moved to Spain with my parents when I was 11.
I have severe ADHD and dyslexia.
I didn’t finish high-school.
I opened a bar when I was 22 years old, and lost a ridiculous amount of money before it closed a year later.
I started a software company with a friend of mine. I got tired of the friend and soon got tired of the company.
I started doing freelance work in “online marketing” very generally. Did some work with some local fashion boutiques to get them online. I learned a lot, but I felt I was being dishonest with my clients and not delivering the results they needed.
I decided I ought to go back to work, that I still lack a lot of experience and discipline and might be able to get this by working with more seasoned startupeers.
I joined a start-up that dealt with online fashion sales. I was fired after one month. They said they couldn’t afford me, and that I’d oversold myself.
I joined another start-up and got fired.
I find myself losing faith in myself, not sure what I’m doing wrong. I’ve often times when reading your blog feel like your brutal honesty and ability to cut through the bullshit is something that would help me out. I feel that I am very strong at some things (thinking outside the box, risk taking, sales, schmoozing) but really bad at other things (planning, “sticking with it”, networking with people I don’t automatically like).
In my heart what I want to do and be is an entrepreneur. I enjoy the thrill of creating something from nothing. But I don’t really have an “idea” now. My family urges me to keep looking for a job, even if it is one I’m not too excited about.
I feel like I’m at a crossroads, and that if I compromise now I’ll lose something intangible.
I haven’t felt this lost and directionless in probably at least a decade, and I think I’m at the point where I could benefit from your advice.
As someone who lives on a farm in Wisconsin, I’m curious as to how you continue to build and maintain your social connections from such a remote location. Obviously there are social media outlets, but I find that they can only supplement the social connections made from more real, and meaningful correspondence.In your case, I’m guessing that your experience living outside the farm allowed acquired adequate social resources to allow you to move to a farm and still be connected.
Basically my question is:What is the most effective method to network when you are physically isolated from most of the people whom you would be looking to network and socialize with?
I have an idea for a yoga studio in LA, but I don’t have much cash. I was thinking of escorting on the side to pay my bills while doing this. I was wondering should I do this? I’ve always been open minded. Have you ever participated in the sex industry, or tempted to?
I’m about to graduate in May with a degree in Psychology. Although I will be graduating Summa Cum Laude and had previous internships, I have not been able to find a professional job. My network options have been exhausted as well. Of course, I always try to network as much as I can, but I only seem to land high-end retail jobs (glorified retail position) based on my previous work experience. I live in a place that’s probably the country’s capital for hospitality and shopping. Not much else going on. I knew that I would need to go to graduate school if I wanted to thrive in psychology; however, I’m still not completely 100% sure if what I want is to spend the next 5 years trying to obtain a PhD in Industrial / Organizational (I/O) Psychology. I’m not interested in the traditional clinical path, I am interested in I/0 Psychology. Many people don’t know about it but it’s getting recognition. It is basically Psychology Applied to business. and I love it. However, I think that through professional experience I can learn much of what I would learn in school. My dilemma is going to grad school (and spending all the time, effort, and money) to validate that I can learn practical and tangible skills in this era of graduating with “useless” degrees or simply try to find a professional job in HR or organizational development.
When I was using Google asking how to start a blog your name came up. I took your message to just begin and ran with it. That was a few months ago and I still do not feel as though I have a direction or voice yet but I truly enjoy it as a creative outlet.
I have read many of your posts and the other day came across one where you were talking about Twitter. I have an aversion to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, all the Pinterest, all of the social media for the masses. I have taken the Myers Briggs test 4 times professionally and always an INFP. Since you are a Myers Briggs fan do you think Introverts are on Twitter or is it the 75 percent Extroverted population that find it so lovable?
I have a choice now between:
a) Going back to school for 3 years to get a degree in speech-language pathology – and the school I was accepted at is across the country. What I would gain is a career that would be intellectually engaging, be in a field that’s growing (career stability) and be a in a field where I can take a couple months off a year to travel or do other hobbies (because I could work in a school district). I really would rather work less with more time to travel, camp, hike, sew, and do other pursuits.
b) Stay at my current job which is ok. I’m in human resources, but not all that successful in a corporate culture, haven’t been promoted in 5 years, but I meet the job requirements, and since I’ve been with this company so long I get about 5 weeks of paid time off a year. What I could do by doing this is – pay my house off in 4 years, continue living 3 houses away from my sister, maybe start a little Etsy business in my basement, and my boyfriend lives here, so we could easily continue our relationship. But as far as working until retirement — I don’t know if I could do what I do forever.
Right now I make 65K/year…and would make about the same working year-round coming out of school. If I I can make $17/K a year while going to school, I could pay for college and out with no debt – but my savings account depleted.
I’m stuck because if I have to work for the next 20-25 years – I would much rather be a speech-language pathologist. But what I really want more than a career I love – would be to be married and have a kid – and I’m 33 so my clock is running out.
Any thoughts on what to consider?
I’ve been doing informational phone appointments with people who are employed in the industry I hope to be in (financial services). I’ve been very lucky to have “chemistry” with all of my contacts. However, I am not sure how to follow up with them as my graduation date (and need for employment!) approaches.
How does one follow-up with contacts after an informational phone appointment? Does one ask for a job? Ask for more contacts? Ask if the contact knows of any jobs? Ask for an in-person meeting?
A recent post on your blog talks about having challenging goals for which you can focus your energy on. You also mention you need to be able to make money doing it. Does that mean the only worthwhile goals that you focus on and try to reach everyday are ones that you can eventually make money from?
My husband graduated 5 years ago and got a job at his current company and loves it. I’m an avid reader, so I know you’d approve of the reasons why: He’s always learning. He’s thrilled to have opportunities to travel, and even live, abroad. We’ve both made good friends with a few of his colleagues. It’s close to our families, and he has a ten minute commute. There’s bullshit like anywhere, but we feel like it’s worth it. And he just got a promotion and a big raise.
The trouble is, he’s happy to stay there indefinitely as long as they pay is good but I worry that in the modern job market, he’ll seem odd for staying at the same company – his first job out of school! – for much longer. Can that be a bad thing? If so, can you mitigate it by diversifying a resume with other things like being active in industry organizations or volunteering?
Could it possibly make sense to give up so many good things for the benefit of having more diverse experience?
Do you have advice for trying to relocate across country and find a job? Does one need to lie and say you are actually in the new town? It seems like they can find that out in a background check. They seem to be more interested in local candidates, even when I stress I would pay for my own move.
I just cannot afford to quit and go live in the town in order to interview because of overhead.