I finished high school and tried several jobs. I was always better working trade jobs. I've got 33 years in at the refinery as a mechanic and make a good living. I'd rather be in law enforcement but, I'm too old now and can't afford the pay cut.
I joined the military. Although I did take college course while in the military, but I couldn't select more than one item.
I graduated high school a year early and went and worked on drilling rigs off the coast of California. Made more money than I could spend at 18.....But somehow I found a way to.
If I had to do it over again I would join the military. I was soooooo close right out of high school, but just didnt do it....Took the ASVAB, and met with recruiters of each branch and all, but I guess I was blinded by the dollar signs. That and all my older friends who had been in the military were now in the oil field, so I figured Id get a head start. I guess that was my 18 yrs old wisdom. I think I would have went if someone pushed me a bit more, instead my Moms side of the family was dead set against it.
But like I said, I would join the military in a split second if I had to do it over again. Id also tell any 18 yrs old male who wasn't interested in college to join as well. Oil field, drilling rigs especially, I guess would be a close second. I learned a ton and had no choice but to grow up when working among men 12-30 yrs my senior.
If I had to do it over again I would join the military. I was soooooo close right out of high school, but just didnt do it....Took the ASVAB, and met with recruiters of each branch and all, but I guess I was blinded by the dollar signs. That and all my older friends who had been in the military were now in the oil field, so I figured Id get a head start. I guess that was my 18 yrs old wisdom. I think I would have went if someone pushed me a bit more, instead my Moms side of the family was dead set against it.
But like I said, I would join the military in a split second if I had to do it over again. Id also tell any 18 yrs old male who wasn't interested in college to join as well. Oil field, drilling rigs especially, I guess would be a close second. I learned a ton and had no choice but to grow up when working among men 12-30 yrs my senior.
Can I offer a suggestion? Taking a comprehensive interest inventory will give you some much needed information. The inventory is free for the taking at any local area Okla. Vo tech school.
I failed to mention that these interest inventories are not skewed towards vocational skills only. What they use is a well respected instrument. Most community colleges also offer this service free of charge too. Good luck and I hope this helps you.
Unfortunately they're only accurate for that moment in time when you take them, and even then any reasonably self-aware person can manipulate the outcome and skew the results to confirm their own thinking.
People's interests change, especially when they're young. That's one of the reasons that you have people who get three years into med school and then one day realize upon waking up that they no longer want to be a doctor. You have people that take these interest inventories and choose a vo-tech course based on them and later realize they don't enjoy what they've been educated to do.
The first two times I took one of those interest inventories, I got two very different results. One time the result was automotive service technician, the other was structural engineering. These were both within a few months.
Obviously, I now do neither of those. The first is a fine hobby for me, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to do that for work. The second is perhaps closer as it requires continuing education, but it also doesn't change fast enough for me. Plus you can't exactly be a structural engineer without a degree, and college moves too slow (which is why I quit after a semester).
I've also gotten lawyer and educator, but I don't have the patience with people for either of those. Lawyers have to deal with idiots (which is why I got out of tech support), and my thought on teaching is the student should keep up or go somewhere else.
They had us take those each year through junior high and high school to set our goals in terms of an "ideal" class schedule. Some people were consistent, some were all over the place. I can count on two hands how many people went the route recommended by their interest inventory, and on one hand how many are still there 10 years later.
My advice to anyone is to figure out what you love and do it. If you don't know what you love, find something to fill the time while you work on figuring yourself out, whether that's military, flipping burgers, a nomadic lifestyle, or going to college.
My favorite excuse I hear from people unhappy with their career is "well, it's the field I got my degree/certification in." Then there are the whiners who think they can't do more than minimum wage because they don't have a degree or certificate.
Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
I went to college, met a great guy who is a lifelong friend. Through him I met the man that I now work for.
Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk
Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk
Hmmm....Me thinks that should be worded differently. Or maybe not, to each their own.........
Similar threads
