No Idea What to do for A Career

[Negative Creep]

I've just returned from spending 11 months travelling in New Zealand after graduating. Now I'm back in the UK and need to find a decent job and career but this is where I'm coming up against a brick wall. Put simply, I have no idea what I want to do. I know you should have some sort of aim but I really don't as I'm not sure what I'd be good at. Was hoping to figure that out whilst abroad but no joy there.

The main thing is that I've just turned 28 so I'm now worried the chance of a career will pass me by and I'll end up stuck in minimum wage hell. I've done plenty of retail, delivery driver and office work but never got anywhere or had any managerial/supervisor role. I'm not "one of the lads" or very outgoing which I think explains the lack of progress to a certain extent. To get a good job I need experience that I don't have but even applying for a crappy job to get some money together isn't working as I've been told I'm over qualified! I want to get out there and find a decent job allowing me my own house (working abroad or night shifts would be fine, no kids or mortgage to hold me back). In academic terms aside from the degree (Ba History) I have 3 A levels and plenty of GCSEs, whatever that may count for these days.

Any suggestions what you'd do in my position? Thanks!

[Negative Creep]

cymtriks said:

*Go to an adult careers centre (I don't know the correct title, we have one at the local leisure centre) and have a go with a software package called "Adult Directions". This is a long series of questions about what kind of job you would like. Having answered the questions it searches through a big data base of jobs and suggests ideal ones for you. Don't get fixated on the top one, a small change in your responses could easily change the order of the top few so concentrate on the top twenty or so.

Thanks for the replies. Will be going to the Job Centre tomorrow so they will be able to tell me where I can use that Adult Directions program. I've been going through the vacancies on several sites, uploaded my C.V but still can't find anything I can see myself doing

Fatman2 said:

This isn't a funny question or pisstake but do you have any idea what you're actually good at?

I'd say the one thing I am good at is formal writing, although I've never really had a job that requires it. What I'm definitely not so good at is working under pressure so that excludes a number of careers. Also working in an office cubicle discussing targets for our team is pretty much my idea of hell.

[Negative Creep]

Silver Smudger said:

T84 said:

Try doing the Jung Typology test, It worked out that I was an INTP and it was scarily accurate:

http://www.humanmetrics.com/cgi-win/JTypes2.asp

Bugger - I am best suited to the job I am trying to find an alternative to....

So it's suggested I be a dentist, soldier, car mechanic, sports coach, computer programmer, lawyer or a sports coach. I don't think that's really narrowed it down

[Negative Creep]

Colonial said:

slipstream 1985 said:

why did you do a degree in history if you didnt have a job / career in mind that involved it?

What a short sighted and sad approach to have.

I did a BA in history.

I now work as a town planner.

I loved history, and did it because of that. Still do.

There is more to uni than simoly doing some job ready training course.

That was the main reason I picked that course, I have a genuine interest in it. A lot of people suggested teaching but remembering how we used to act in secondary school there's no way I'd subject myself to that. Not something I've investigated seriously yet but on my travels I did meet several people who've taught English in the Far East and enjoyed it so that could be a possibility?

[Negative Creep]

chevy-stu said:

What did you do that made you stay in New Zealand for 11 months.. ?

Surely you must have 'found' yourself a bit there, so have some idea of a particular industry you like, or role you have or would enjoy.

I was hoping I would but it raised more questions than answers to be honest. I worked for a Telecoms company there which confirmed for me working in a call centre listening to corporate bs (they basically had us there as a lot of people left when told most jobs were being outsourced to the Philippines) is not what I want to do.

As an update, I have an interview tomorrow for a sales job at an audio manufacturer. If I do get it it's only until the beginning of January so won't answer anything long term but at least if I did get that I can get some money together.

[Negative Creep]

Got the sales job only until the new year but at least I'll have a bit of cash saved up so I can relocate for my next job (still haven't solved that one). After buying a half interesting car first though.............

[Negative Creep]

A high end audio company who sound German but are in fact American. Probably not a good idea to go into much detail about your current employer and I've only had 2 days training. However I must say their philosophy seems to be about selling the right thing, as opposed to the one with the biggest profit margins and getting staff enthusiastic about the product