What is a good path for a young man?

[42nate1]

ZK. Enjoyed your career story. 18 year old me was offered that path when I was looking at joining the Air Force. I tested really well, so I guess I had the aptitude on paper. I turned it down because it required 6 years of service & I was not sure if I would like the military.

There was no one around that was giving me good advice at that point in my life. I took a different path that worked out well enough. Still, if I could go back in time, I would tell 18 year old me to take that opportunity.

Nice to hear that it would have been a fun career.

[Escoguy]

When I was 17, I spent a year in Germany (1986) as an exchange student.
Took five months to learn the language and that’s really all I did.

I then picked a prestigious company E&Y (after college 1991) to do an internship at.
Basically earning enough to pay my rent and plane ticket.

But then I had a foreign language and “experience”.

It became much easier to find work, more ponds to fish in.
Because I learned pretty decent German, I was hired first by Price Waterhouse and then by the German Ministry of Privatization (Treuhandanstalt) to help restructure the former GDR economy. If I hadn’t done that internship, none of this would have happened.

A few years later, I was inspired to make language learning programs for Mandarin/Portuguese/French and Spanish. Taught myself to program and made 4 CD-roms which my publisher sold in 40 countries.
Didn’t get rich off of it, but learned many thing and it was a mark of pride to walk into a shop and point to something and say “I made that”.

Overtime, I spent 20 years in 8 foreign countries: Germany, Russia, Azerbaijan, Kuwait, Ukraine, Moldova, UK, Kyrgyzstan. Worked in telecoms/non-proliferation (bio-threat reduction), fast moving consumer goods, energy services, consulting.

I’d tell him go abroad, find a project which is really interesting but be open to new opportunities.

There are more companies than US: German/UK/Australian. etc.

These days learning some data manipulation techniques is also helpful. Start with spreadsheets. If he has good skills and is motivated, there are endless opportunities in the world.

[svelte]

[quote=Coronita]…Funny how life screwups always end up working itself out in the long run.[/quote]

You can’t keep a good man (or woman) down.

I think that saying is very true. If you’re truly a strong performer, you’ll eventually find a place that will let you excel if you keep looking for it.

Which goes back to another of my favorite sayings:

Luck = preparation + opportunity

I share both of the sayings above with my kids often.

[zk]

[quote=svelte] If you’re truly a strong performer, you’ll eventually find a place that will let you excel if you keep looking for it.

[/quote]

Totally agree. Some people just have great persistence, drive, energy, people skills, creativity, intelligence, etc, and are bound to end up doing well. But if you’re an average (or below) performer (which, by definition, at least half the people are (somewhat more if you count the rather large bunch toward the middle of any bell curve as “average”)), I think the kinds of questions being asked here are more important.

I say this not to be contrary but to point out that, while truly strong performers will most likely end up doing well (if they keep looking for a place that will let them excel), for most people finding a good landing spot is somewhat harder and will probably require more…I don’t know, planning, preparation, searching, knowledge, wisdom etc. Or maybe it will just require more analysis of what their strengths are. I don’t really know what it requires; I wish I did. But it seems like it would require more of it for average people than for truly strong performers.

[utcsox]

[quote] These days learning some data manipulation techniques is also helpful. Start with spreadsheets. If he has good skills and is motivated, there are endless opportunities in the world.[/quote]

I am surprise no one offer this advice:

LEARN TO CODE.

[o2addict]

[quote=utcsox][quote] These days learning some data manipulation techniques is also helpful. Start with spreadsheets. If he has good skills and is motivated, there are endless opportunities in the world.[/quote]

I am surprise no one offer this advice:

LEARN TO CODE.[/quote]
In the 1st response.

There’s plenty of opportunities in law enforcement.

Or he could get his heavy machinery operator certification and get an entry level job with Caltrans.

Or get an apprenticeship as a bricklayer, and in 10 years or so, start his own company.

[svelte]

[quote=o2addict]
There’s plenty of opportunities in law enforcement.
[/quote]

I read somewhere that a policeman’s pension was revoked due to a law he broke after retirement. Not sure if it was true nor can I remember where I read it.

I decided right then and there that I didn’t want a career in any field where my retirement could be revoked. To me, it is something a person earns due to their years of service and should not be revoke-able based on a future action.

[o2addict]

[quote=svelte][quote=o2addict]
There’s plenty of opportunities in law enforcement.
[/quote]

I read somewhere that a policeman’s pension was revoked due to a law he broke after retirement. Not sure if it was true nor can I remember where I read it.

I decided right then and there that I didn’t want a career in any field where my retirement could be revoked. To me, it is something a person earns due to their years of service and should not be revoke-able based on a future action.[/quote]

Absent any other concern, basing your decision on a single anecdote you don’t even know is true is . . . odd. Hopefully the OP’s son has the common sense to conduct a bit more due diligence.

[David J]

https://equable.org/which-states-have-laws-allowing-for-police-pension-forfeiture/

[scaredyclassic]

[quote=o2addict][quote=svelte][quote=o2addict]
There’s plenty of opportunities in law enforcement.
[/quote]

I read somewhere that a policeman’s pension was revoked due to a law he broke after retirement. Not sure if it was true nor can I remember where I read it.

I decided right then and there that I didn’t want a career in any field where my retirement could be revoked. To me, it is something a person earns due to their years of service and should not be revoke-able based on a future action.[/quote]

Absent any other concern, basing your decision on a single anecdote you don’t even know is true is . . . odd. Hopefully the OP’s son has the common sense to conduct a bit more due diligence.[/quote]

Cop could be fun.

One thing i didnt really think about is friends. Its good to have work if possible where you can make friends. Some jobs better than others.

[Snick]

Residential and commercial property maintenance manager might be of interest. I became friends with the maintenance supervisor of an apartment complex and he had a decent life. He managed a crew of 20 and, IMO, performed better than any of his predecessors. Discounted and sometimes free housing was one of the perks. He also moved around quite often within the parent company’s portfolio of properties. He’s currently at one of Irvine Company’s properties in LA.

[XBoxBoy]

The biggest piece of advice you can give anyone regarding careers is, “Go into something you are good at.” Don’t recommend being x or y because you are passionate, passion will fade. Don’t recommend being x or y because it is a good stable job, the tedium could well destroy that person’s spirit. But if you are good at something you will be successful at it, and that success will bring you happiness and fulfillment. Always, the answer to this question is “Go into something you are good at.” (Knowing what you’re good at can be a problem though…)

[svelte]

[quote=o2addict][quote=svelte]

I decided right then and there that I didn’t want a career in any field where my retirement could be revoked. To me, it is something a person earns due to their years of service and should not be revoke-able based on a future action.[/quote]

Absent any other concern, basing your decision on a single anecdote you don’t even know is true is . . . odd. Hopefully the OP’s son has the common sense to conduct a bit more due diligence.[/quote]

Not sure if you thought that response through well. I didn’t say I wouldn’t be a cop based on a single unconfirmed anecdote. I said that I wouldn’t choose a career where my pension could be revoked by a future action. I would certainly do my due diligence to see if the career had that potential issue before ruling it out.

I stand by that statement.

[sdrealtor]

[quote=XBoxBoy]The biggest piece of advice you can give anyone regarding careers is, “Go into something you are good at.” Don’t recommend being x or y because you are passionate, passion will fade. Don’t recommend being x or y because it is a good stable job, the tedium could well destroy that person’s spirit. But if you are good at something you will be successful at it, and that success will bring you happiness and fulfillment. Always, the answer to this question is “Go into something you are good at.” (Knowing what you’re good at can be a problem though…)[/quote]

Great advice

[scaredyclassic]

[quote=sdrealtor][quote=XBoxBoy]The biggest piece of advice you can give anyone regarding careers is, “Go into something you are good at.” Don’t recommend being x or y because you are passionate, passion will fade. Don’t recommend being x or y because it is a good stable job, the tedium could well destroy that person’s spirit. But if you are good at something you will be successful at it, and that success will bring you happiness and fulfillment. Always, the answer to this question is “Go into something you are good at.” (Knowing what you’re good at can be a problem though…)[/quote]

Great advice[/quote]

I took the johnson oconnor aptitude test while in high school. https://www.jocrf.org/testing/scheduling-cost

it was a full day of testing, in a fancy brownstone in Mahattan, so incrediblyupper class. I’m not exactly sure how I was selected, there were some “scholarships” at my high school. I took the test, excited to get my results. They recommended “lawyer”; I said no way. not for me.

Not only can it be difficult to know what one is good at, even with a sophisticated expensive aptitude testing company, but it can be difficult to see the connection between a particular aptitude and a job. or one may have several aptitudes, some greater than others, and a job may utilize some of them in various quantities. where does that leave one?

Still, I think the advice is spot on–better to honestly evaluate yourself, and try to do something that seems like you’d be good at.

[Author]

Posts