Career Advice - Need Some Direction

[nahneun]

You're bitching about your current life and job, and won't work for something that matches all your needs AND will look great on your resume out of ******* principle? Dude, go ************* with a ten foot pole, you ******* entitled dickwad. It's not like USACE is ******* Al Qaeda. You KNOW the economy is ****. Take what you can ******* get and be happy with it. ******* spoiled brat.

 

[grit]

tl;dr but I'm guessing you don't have much real, specialized experience in which case no one's going to pay you jack ****. But you seem to have a decent communication skills and I think there was something about an engineering background. So think about something people really need, make that thing and sell it. If you can't deal with working under people, be an entrepreneur.

 

[Flambeur]

 

[globetrotter]

basically, man up. I'd say join the military, not just because it will give you some work experience, but because it will give you some character, which I guess your parents were too busy to be bothered with.

but if you simply possitivly can't be bothered to do something that will contribute to your country, try some NGOs - you are a civil engineer. there are plenty of organizations that could use you in haiti, in other parts of the world that need engineers. go build bridges or damns or roads for a few years, then, you know what? have have experience. and maybe some balls too. and life will look better.

 

[Fuuma]

Work for an NGO and proceed to meet plenty of other engineers working in firms all over the world. Go work for one of them afterwards.

 

[FStyles]

Dude, I feel your pain. both my lady and I have gone through similar work woes in the recent past. Ours were not $$$ related issues, but rather, the shittiest feeling of hating what you do, and having no dollar amount remedy the situation.

I was almost to the point where I'd be driving to work in the morning, and would hope that someone would crash into me so I wouldn't have to go in.

It was fucked up.


But things changed, she's almost landing another, I recently got another and the light's shining on the other side.

keep ya head up, kid.


PS: I kinda wish that I lived in an area where $40- $50K was enough to keep afloat

 

[Stu]

You sound like a bright guy, but with a sense of entitlement, for which you've already been caned here. I would say that keep doing what you have to do until you can do what you want to do. It's the only way to make it in this economy. I am 45 years old and was out of work 2 years. I had 5 jobs at one point, and they were **** jobs, Hell I even was delivering newspapers, and I am a professional guy like you are. Eventually I got a great job. Point is, by staying busy, working your ass off, being humble and losing the sense of entitlement, things will come together. That **** job you have now is a blessing. I would have killed for $17/hour when I was unemployed, and I have 2 mortgages and a family to support.

 

[TheFishKing]

This is a tough situation. I can't say I've been in the exact same boat, but I've felt feelings of despair because of an uncertain future/job prospects. I found listening to inspirational talks really helped out through these rough times, and theres a chance it could help you figure things out as well. Here's a classic one:

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[Fraiche]

I have the perfect video for your situation:

Randy Pausch - The Last Lecture: Achieving your childhood dreams

 

[deadly7]

I'm really confused as to the posters that say he sounds like a bright guy. He sounds like a twat. Graduated with mediocre grades, couldn't find work/internships in what he wants, and hasn't even *thought* about what he wants. How does this add up to him being smart?

 

[Khayembii Communique]

Originally Posted by eqpablon

He certainly comes across as possessing this mentality, at least to a lesser degree. This is exactly why he shouldn't consider working for the USACE. No matter how wrong that mindset is, someone with that mindset doesn't belong in that environment. Not to mention the fact that USACE has next to nothing to do with the actual military. Their primary mission is to develop and maintain the nation's water and related environmental resources. I know you are aware of this, clearly he is not.

Clearly I am aware of this, and simply prefer not to work for the government.

Originally Posted by Matt

...and on the occasions where people have asked him questions to that effect, he has either not answered, or responded with something along the lines of "i just do, so there"

I haven't seen any questions, just a bunch of bitching. I find nothing wrong with being entitled; you only get so far as you think you deserve in life. There is nothing wrong with entitlement as long as you are appreciative of where you are already at and what you already have. That doesn't mean that one should settle.

Originally Posted by globetrotter

basically, man up. I'd say join the military, not just because it will give you some work experience, but because it will give you some character, which I guess your parents were too busy to be bothered with.

but if you simply possitivly can't be bothered to do something that will contribute to your country, try some NGOs - you are a civil engineer. there are plenty of organizations that could use you in haiti, in other parts of the world that need engineers. go build bridges or damns or roads for a few years, then, you know what? have have experience. and maybe some balls too. and life will look better.

I have no desire whatsoever to contribute to "my country". But I will probably start getting more involved with Engineers Without Borders, and will probably look into other organizations to which I could contribute; thanks for the suggestion.

Originally Posted by Stu

I am 45 years old and was out of work 2 years. I had 5 jobs at one point, and they were **** jobs, Hell I even was delivering newspapers, and I am a professional guy like you are. Eventually I got a great job. Point is, by staying busy, working your ass off, being humble and losing the sense of entitlement, things will come together. That **** job you have now is a blessing. I would have killed for $17/hour when I was unemployed, and I have 2 mortgages and a family to support.

Sucks that you had to go through that. Yeah, after a year of not thinking I'd be able to find anything I was really excited to get this job. Now that I have this job it's time to focus on where to go from here, which is what this thread is about.

Anyways, I'm actually seriously looking into going back to grad school for a Masters/PhD in Aerospace engineering. My friend, who I just found out yesterday is going that route, has given me a ton of great advice, and I'm starting to really research into that. I'm also going to start applying to engineering jobs again, because it couldn't hurt, even though I don't expect much to come of it.

 

[deadly7]

Originally Posted by JLay87

I haven't seen any questions, just a bunch of bitching. I find nothing wrong with being entitled; you only get so far as you think you deserve in life. There is nothing wrong with entitlement as long as you are appreciative of where you are already at and what you already have. That doesn't mean that one should settle.

Congratulations on the stupidest statement I've ever read, and I read through CE.

 

[Matt]

Originally Posted by JLay87

I haven't seen any questions
here, try mine:

Originally Posted by Matt

Anyhow, a few questions:

1. how do you define "deserving" a better job?
2. who "deserves" your job?
3. In what way are you better than the people in 2?
4. If you don't know what you want, how will you know when you have it?
5. What if it disappoints?

 

[NAMOR]