It feels like people around my age are falling through the cracks of society

[MorganL4]

Also, you know there is nothing wrong with learning a trade right? They make a decent living and the work can be quite rewarding, and they are usually in high demand. I know the US likes to push everyone towards a college degree and looks down upon the trades, but as someone who has worked alongside electricians, plumbers, welders, and such there is nothing wrong with those lifestyles. And you can take pride in your work as you will directly help to create actual physical objects/buildings.

Also if you do go for a college degree, for the LOVE OF GOD, get an internship or some practical experience. I wish I knew how important that was when i was in college.

indeed, there really is this mentality of looking down on tradespeople and i dont know why, it is very rewarding to stand back after a days work and see that you have made something.

in certain fields you can make good money if you are skilled enough, last time i was in america i know the welders working on a nearby stadium were on something like 100 dollars an hour.

Hey man, Jesus was a carpenter... And more than half of this country looks up to him.

But yeah, I went to a tradeschool for my two year degree, and then found a 4 year program that accepted it as a direct transfer, so hopefully when I finish ( at the end of the year) I will be in good stead.

I honestly feel like I learned more pertinent information from the two year degree, than I am learning from the four year one.

 

[Twilight_guy]

College degree aren't worth as much as they used to be. However, they are required if you want a good job. It might not get you hired, but it will ensure you have a better job then busting rock with your head. The economy still isn't that great so people aren't hiring, and recent grads are getting the shaft because of it, but that's just the way it is. Life sucks all over.

 

[Sansha]

snip.

we have homeless too....

I think its a bit rich to dismiss any and all concerns when your clearly saying how great you have it..again the US is different

sure complaing about the systm isn't going to help but thats not to say it doesnt have some serious issues

My philosophy is if you sleep on a mattress with food in your stomach and artificial light on your skin, and you'll definitely wake up healthy, not murdered and with more food available, you have exactly nothing to complain about. Everything above what you have to be alive is just details. If that's not enough for you, there's only one person in the world who's going to make it better. Can you tell me who that is?

I find it despicable that people are incapable of living within their means, and all they do is whine about what they don't have, blaming the rich and the government for all of their problems.

You're talking to a man who dropped out of high-school eight years ago at sixteen, didn't even consider college, and has enough money to buy a house, but won't because it's not a paying asset. I'm living well below my means and sacrificing a lot because I have goals much bigger than the almost robotic 'college > job > family > forty years later > retire > die' lifestyle most people 'aspire' to.

 

[Vault101]

[
My philosophy is if you sleep on a mattress with food in your stomach and artificial light on your skin, and you'll definitely wake up healthy, not murdered and with more food available, you have exactly nothing to complain about.

no actually...I think you might


[quote/]You're talking to a man who dropped out of high-school eight years ago at sixteen, didn't even consider college, and has enough money to buy a house, but won't because it's not a paying asset. I'm living well below my means and sacrificing a lot because I have goals much bigger than the almost robotic 'college > job > family > forty years later > retire > die' lifestyle most people 'aspire' to.[/quote]
...like what?

your sounding like one of those people.."I dont have a probelm! I dont get what everyone elses problem is! CLEARLY theres just somthing wrong with everyone else except me!"

 

[Alchemist08]

Seek therapy, for one, since it seems like you might be heading towards dark places and could use a little cheering up and reframing of your life, choices and possibilities.

As for the rest, I really frown on saying "woe be me, the young person! It is my age range, and not the senior citizens, who are falling through the cracks of society!" because yeah, senior citizens have it far worse. At least you can work at Walmart, McDonalds or a cubicle, and make enough money to support yourself. And you have, you know. Health and a strong, able body (and if you don't, you are still a healthcare priority before the elderly).

But yeah, I suppose saying "they have it worse!" isn't very helpful. I just really disapprove of pretending that one's own problems are the absolute worst (I think drama should be rationed according to severity, not according to how much it personally affects you. Otherwise everything would be 100% dramatic 100% of the time. And I can't take that much drama).

But yeah, look, nobody's asking you to devote your life to something you don't enjoy doing. Just pick a degree that will let you live comfortably (Medicine, Law, Nursing, something Science-related, Business (or Administration), etc), perhaps after seeing a career counsellor, and then find what you truly enjoy doing, what makes your life worth living, and do that in your spare time. Even if you work 10 hours a day, that still leaves you with 4 to 6 hours a day to do what you love.

You seem to have read a different OP then I did if you think he claimed to have the absolute worst problems. You seem to hate drama but your post seems to be interested in nothing but inciting drama. Also telling someone they need therapy because they are having trouble feeling optimistic about the job market is fucked up. That's insulting and it makes your whole post seem little more than an attempt to belittle the OP. Pointing out that someone else always has it worse is just stupid. We know other people have it worse, he was asking for some advice and you berate him for it? You'd think he said screw the old people, us young guys have it harder based on your post. It's not one or the other, both groups are having trouble and its only fair that they both seek out help. He asked for advice, if you can't offer someone advice without belittling them then you really should not offer advice. Don't derail the thread.

To the OP: Hang in there man, I know it isn't easy. The best advice I can offer is network. In whatever area you wish to work, meet people, make friends. It's disheartening that actual abilities matter less than who you know but that's how it is.

 

[Sansha]

no actually...I think you might

Specify.

[quote/]...like what? [/quote]

There's this beautiful four-acre estate on Lake Taupo in NZ I'd like to retire on, but I need three million dollars, so that's my life's ambition, and the only way I'm going to get there is by not spending a dollar out of place.

your sounding like one of those people.."I dont have a probelm! I dont get what everyone elses problem is! CLEARLY theres just somthing wrong with everyone else except me!"

That's about the short of it.

The measure of the complaints I hear out of people our age regarding the economy is that they can't get jobs in the fields they want, while there's always massive demand for tradesmen and other professions, and I entirely fail to sympathize, and truthfully the Occupy movement furthered my disdain. I've lived on the poverty line, I started from nothing and I'm well on my way to my goals, and thus I sincerely do not understand how others are incapable of that.

 

[Virgilthepagan]

Welcome to the magic of a dream. Once upon a time college degrees and internships set an applicant apart from others, so more people started doing both. Which brings us up to today, where enough people have that experience and its no longer a distinguishing factor. It's a bummer, but I wouldn't lose heart. I'm 21, and about to graduate, but I'm still weirdly optimistic. There's work out there, even in a field as oddly specific as mine. That said, I've had plenty of friends who have wandered the wilderness for months or years looking for it. It's not perfect, but it's hardly grounds for despair quite yet. When it gets to that point, there's always the barricades.

 

[Alleged_Alec]

Here's a news flash: college degrees are useless, unless you've taken a practical one. Most of them boil down to knowing some stuff, yes, but not enough to actually be of a lot of use. The only use for a Bachelor's degree is that it allows you to get a master's and a phd.

 

[Vault101]

Specify.

I dont know but having food and somwhere to sleep doesnt mean you can't have problems, I'm sure you are aware of the many probelms a person can face in life

[quote/]
The measure of the complaints I hear out of people our age regarding the economy is that they can't get jobs in the fields they want, while there's always massive demand for tradesmen and other professions[/quote]
thats a big over simplification....alot of people can't get jobs in feilds that are thourght to be VERY employable...some people can't get mcdonalds jobs. some peopel get caught in the catch 22 of no experience..go on..ask those people here WHY they couldnt get jobs...

[quote/]I entirely fail to sympathize[/quote]
you cannot possibly comprehend that not everyone is as awsome as you? did I not say several times you might want to consider that America is a bit different to your country?

[quote/] I've lived on the poverty line, [b/]I started from nothing and I'm well on my way to my goals, and thus I sincerely do not understand how others are incapable of that.[/b][/quote]
[quote/]I started from nothing and I'm well on my way to my goals[/quote]
[quote/]I'm well on my way to my goals[/quote]
[quote/]my goals[/quote]
[quote/]they can't get jobs in the fields they want, while there's always massive demand for tradesmen and other professions[/quote]
I'm seeing some dissonance here

 

[Sansha]

I dont know but having food and somwhere to sleep doesnt mean you can't have problems, I'm sure you are aware of the many probelms a person can face in life

I believe people will always complain, no matter how good they have it. It's human nature to find something to complain about and want more more more. Personally I could not be more fucking grateful to be living in the Western world. We have it so unbelievably good, and jealousy for what other people have only motivates me to attain it for myself. Success is the best revenge.

thats a big over simplification....alot of people can't get jobs in feilds that are thourght to be VERY employable...

Gambled and lost.

some people can't get mcdonalds jobs. some peopel get caught in the catch 22 of no experience..go on..ask those people here WHY they couldnt get jobs...

Now I'm with you on this, in not being able to get jobs at McDonald's etc, but really all you can do about that is fire off your resume to literally every commercial establishment you can think of, and try to make a good impression. I was lucky in that when I dropped out of high school, I had a McJob lined up.

[quote/]you cannot possibly comprehend that not everyone is as awsome as you? did I not say several times you might want to consider that America is a bit different to your country? [/quote]

I constantly hear that America is the wealthiest, most powerful nation on Earth. The land of opportunity! Is this not the case anymore?

I'm seeing some dissonance here

Did I mention I'm not employed anymore? I obviously had to work a regular job to acquire some capital. Now I'm in the tenancy market. Save money, make house deposit, continue working and rent out the house, pay it off, repeat. Now while that chugs along in the background, I put whatever profit into a long-term bank deposit, which generates more income per annum, and I fill my days doing freelance acting for TV and commercials.
I believe anyone is capable of this. My grandfather did the same thing, only he was fucking homeless while saving for his first and second deposits. Slept at the railway station he was working at, while training in carpentry by working for the government building low-income housing for returning veterans circa 1946. At age 15 - 20.

 

[Vault101]

I believe people will always complain, no matter how good they have it. It's human nature to find something to complain about and want more more more. Personally I could not be more fucking grateful to be living in the Western world. We have it so unbelievably good, and jealousy for what other people have only motivates me to attain it for myself. Success is the best revenge.

some problems go beyond simple first world problems...while yes living in a first world is almost like winning the birth lottery some problems are still problems

Gambled and lost.

not gambling...but doing what everyone told them was the path to sucess doing the "hard" stuff and working hard...you dont always have the foresight to avoid certain things..

I constantly hear that America is the wealthiest, most powerful nation on Earth. The land of opportunity! Is this not the case anymore?

eather your joking or your seriously out of touch with reality

life doesnt work by step by step instructions...there are FAR too many factors, what worked for you may not work for everyone..especially given how times change. also the 1940's were a VERY different time to today

 

[Mauler]

Yeah its not only in the allmighty US but right here in the backend of Europe(Latvian Empire) too finished school got 3rd class(thats before 4th which is highest) computersistems technician degree and I am working as a janitor - Yard keeper for a minimal wage because I'm not needed... If i had money i would imigrate to Estonia or Finland or Sweden but still...

 

[Vegosiux]

Work isn't supposed to be fun.

[citation needed]

BADLY.

Am I doing something wrong, having fun with my work? Am I not doing it the way I'm "supposed" to be doing it?

Oh and maybe you haven't noticed but people have been upset about not even being able to get work in the first place.

So, I reported your post for low content and flamebaiting.

 

[Circleseer]

IS the OP even around anymore? I do hope so.

@Sutter_Cane

Basically, not everything is worth studying from an employment perspective. Hard science is good, especially directly applicable, like medicine. While languages or philosophy might be good for personal development, it's just not going to guarantee a job at all. If anything, you'll be over-qualified for a bunch of jobs.

That being said, it's still well possible to use that education by yourself, use the knowledge you gained to be a writer or such. But you'll have to use it yourself. Someone hiring you because you studied such a course is unlikely.

You have to go after it. My parents did, back in the day. They both worked full-time and went to evening school in their twenties. My ma saw potential in the computer (and thought it was interesting), and became one of the first comp. people in the company she worked for back then. That took more courses, and more work. Then as the company grew, so did her position - because she actively went to seminars, signed up for courses and all that, and now she's pretty comfortable there. But it was a lot of work.

No one is facing a dead end. But you might damn well be facing a mountain to climb, depending on your education and financial situation. And you have to climb it yourself. It's very rare to just 'roll' into the position you want. And even the hard science - medicine peeps, they network and make a lot of contacts in university, and your teachers vouch for you when you eventually get out and get a job.

So find something you're passionate about, and go for it. Go for it entirely. There's more people than jobs, and you'll have to be the best of the lot to get the position. Good luck.

 

[Vegosiux]

You have to go after it. My parents did, back in the day. They both worked full-time and went to evening school in their twenties. My ma saw potential in the computer (and thought it was interesting), and became one of the first comp. people in the company she worked for back then. That took more courses, and more work. Then as the company grew, so did her position - because she actively went to seminars, signed up for courses and all that, and now she's pretty comfortable there. But it was a lot of work.

*points at the other posts about how the baby boomers' generation didn't have to deal with the debts incurred by the previous one the way the current young generation has to deal with the situation*

I agree you have to "go after it", but intergenerational comparisons are kind of weak on this subject, because times have really changed.

So find something you're passionate about, and go for it. Go for it entirely. There's more people than jobs, and you'll have to be the best of the lot to get the position. Good luck.

Still in agreement about "going for it", but this is another thing I take issue with, saying this so lightly. Sure, if you go for it and get that job, you're not getting left out, but someone still is. And that's a problem that needs to be tackled from both sides. While it's entirely reasonable to tell people to play the cards they're dealt, there should be an effort to reshuffle the deck as well...since, while anyone can play their hand, everyone can't.

Right I hijacked your post a little there to push an agenda, apologies for that...it's just that the situation isn't simple...

 

[Smokej]

here is an easy check list for the projection of your employability and/or job security

do you have...

a) a job training in a blue collar job that someone from a foreign labor market can do as well for less money? -> you loose!

b) an education for a non specialised white collar job (administration, lower management)that someone from a foreign labor market can do as well for less money -> you loose!

c) an education for a technical job (technicans and some engineers)where in the near future the amount of computer-assisted work is going to rise? -> you loose!

d) an education for a job, where there hasn't been a declared intention for support from the economic system and practical politics (most social and cultural jobs)? -> you loose!

e) an education and skillset that makes you one of the few high-performers that can't be replaced or abolished that easily? -> you win the game, congratulations...

 

[Alandoril]

Same thing in Britain as well. And those cracks are actually gaping chasms.

 

[Alandoril]

Welcome to the magic of a dream. Once upon a time college degrees and internships set an applicant apart from others, so more people started doing both. Which brings us up to today, where enough people have that experience and its no longer a distinguishing factor. It's a bummer, but I wouldn't lose heart. I'm 21, and about to graduate, but I'm still weirdly optimistic. There's work out there, even in a field as oddly specific as mine. That said, I've had plenty of friends who have wandered the wilderness for months or years looking for it. It's not perfect, but it's hardly grounds for despair quite yet. When it gets to that point, there's always the barricades.

That optimism will vanish very, very quickly.

 

[Smeatza]

Spoiler: watch this

Entertaining, interesting and relevant I think.

Something does have to be done about our "modern" education systems.

 

[UniversalRonin]

Welcome to the magic of a dream. Once upon a time college degrees and internships set an applicant apart from others, so more people started doing both. Which brings us up to today, where enough people have that experience and its no longer a distinguishing factor. It's a bummer, but I wouldn't lose heart. I'm 21, and about to graduate, but I'm still weirdly optimistic. There's work out there, even in a field as oddly specific as mine. That said, I've had plenty of friends who have wandered the wilderness for months or years looking for it. It's not perfect, but it's hardly grounds for despair quite yet. When it gets to that point, there's always the barricades.

That optimism will vanish very, very quickly.

Only if you let it. It took me 9 months from graduating to finding a theme park job, and I've taken a £2.50/hour pay cut from the job I lost in the recession to do it! But as long as you choose to stay optimistic, and busy (either volunteering like I did, or learning something silly and fun like juggling or ukulele or something) and keep your mind active, there's no reason for the optimism to fade. Will there be good days and bad days? Of course! That's part of life, but as long as you can wake up every day, look in the mirror and repeat Yul Brynner's motto from cool runnings (I see pride, I see power etc.) or whatever it takes for you to do, you'll be fine lad.
Yeah, the job market is in poop city, sure you might not be able to use your degree, sure it could take months to get a 'crap' job, but as long as you keep faith in yourself, keep your mind active, and make yourself interesting to employers, something will happen. And once you have a 'crap' job, it isn't forever, just try and enjoy it, and even though financially it might not get better, your ability to deal with it will get better, and you might even end up liking it and loving the crew you work with!
Just don't choose to let your 'weird optimism' fade.