The chance is very good. I've done it, my father has done it, I can name at handful of other people I know who have done it. Surprisingly, these are some of the best paid people I know as well. They make more than the I-bankers and lawyers I know that hate their jobs.     This is a negative attitude man, you'll get nowhere with this. Stop looking at what other people do, start setting goals for yourself and mapping out a plan that is realistic yet one that you will have to work hard towards. To get ahead you have to be a bit arrogant. Accept that you CANNOT fail and that you are the person a company would want to have working for them. You must project these things during your job intereviews (if you choose to go that route).   You write that you wish you had a chance to work a soul-sucking job... that's sad. I don't wish it for you. You have to believe you are better than that. I know for a fact that somewhere deep down (you may not have found it yet) you have more purpose than crunching numbers or doing mindless paperwork. Don't cop out and get a terrible job for decent pay. If you want to live the rest of your life doing unfullfiling work, then I can't respect that.   How to find the job that is right for you  I could sit here all day and write the BS rhetoric like above, but instead I'll give you the step-by-step process I went through. It is modelled after the people I know who work fulfiling jobs. This is a tough process that requires alot of work, however it's not as tough as you might think. 1) Write down a list of dream jobs that you think you would like to work. (be realistic and optimistic)  2) Write down a list of things you would do if you had to never worry about money again. What would you do to occupy your time. Is it pouring through volumes of tax code? Or is it playing golf, painting, designing clothes, playing in a band, etc...  3) Compare these two lists notice how they differ and how they are simillar. In theory they should somewhat coincide.  4) Take the list and determine what fields you are meant to work in. It should look like: Art, fashion, golf, writing. Now you have a concrete list of target area to start looking for work.  5) Find out what positions they're are in each field, from the bottom up. Get to know the career path in each.  6) Look at how you are qualified: such as your education, other training, general and specific knowledge of the field, etc...  7) Determine what positions match up with your skills and qualifications.  8) Find out all you can about this position. Read trade papers, join special interest chat groups on the internet  , meet people that already do this or work in that field, etc... You really need to work hard in getting yourself qualified for a job. This is where you need to put the time in. 9) Find every company that is in this industry. Make a list starting with the one you would most like to work for. Work your way down by contacting each.  10) Use existing contacts or job listings to set up interviews. Start sending out resumes by the dozen. Exhaust every avenue possible. Getting a job is an all-out assault, you have to give it everything you got.  11) Give the best interview they've ever seen. I can show you how to do this, it would be too long for this post.  12) Now you have a job that you absolutely love. You will be successful and the money will come pouring in. You will lead a meaningful and happy life. Now you never have to wear off-the-rack again. Go to Kiton and buy your first cashmere, bespoke suit and a pair of Lobbs to go along with it.   Comments are greatly appreciated.
Mike C., I dig your style, but I gotta say that I read your post, and it is pretty myopic. Your method *may* work, but is really a viable option only for those with no financial, familial, or other obligation that takes up their time and energy. Lots of people are playing a bad hand, and we could argue forever whether they were dealt it, or whether they've been playing the game badly - the fact remains that they do not have your options. A lot of people work really hard just to make ends meet, if that, and your friends with soulsucking jobs that pay big bucks are just being whiny babies, although I doubt that they would admit to that. They should be pretty happy with just the money.
I disagree. Â I feel that people can achieve their goals, even when they are dealt a "bad hand." Â Case in point. Â My Mother was abandoned by her husband (my father) when I was 1 year old and my sister a month old. Â My mother had two small children, no marketable skills, and no money. Â She decided to go to school. Â She went to school and got her college degree while taking care of me and my sister, and working. Â She worked hard. Â She had a part time job in the day, and after her college classes, she would pick us up, and we would go with her to her night-time job of cleaning houses. Â We were poor. Â When she couldn't get day-care, she would take us to school with her, and we stayed in the library. Â We read a lot. Â It took my mother a long time, but eventually, she finished school and got a well paying and (somewhat rewarding) job as a psychologist. Â Through hard work, she brought us out of poverty (we were homeless for six months during my 2nd grade year) and firmly into the middle class. Â Clearly, it is easier to chart your course ahead of time. Â It was easier for me than for my mother because I planned out my path quite a bit earlier on in life, and wasn't burdened by the same family responsibilities my Mother had when she was trying to go to school. Â I made choices early on in my life that gave me options later on. Â I agree with Mike C's comments. Â Getting the job you want is often within your grasp, provided you are willing to do what it takes to get it. Â However, if you're not willing to put in the effort, take the risks, and take advantage of the opportunities given, don't be surprised if you end up doing something you detest. Â Â Â My point is, that hard work and determination will help someone overcome many obstacles. Â Some have questioned whether we are truly living in a land of opportunity. Â I believe that we are, provided that you are willing to put out the effort to avail yourself of the opportunity. Â I have very little patience for people who think that they should be able to succeed at anything without effort. Â However, time and again, I see examples everywhere of hard work being rewarded. Â Figure out your priorities. Â Find out what matters to you. Â Based on that, choose what you want to do, then go do it. Â I know lots of people who really enjoy their work. Â None of them ended up with their jobs by accident. Â Â
I agree. Why even try? If something doesn't work for the "little guy", it's not a real solution. It has to work for EVERYBODY or it is inherently flawed. Because some people are dealt a bad hand in life, we should all suffer with them and wallow in guilt, rendering us paralized in pity and doom. We should also point out to others whenever possible that some people are less fortunate than us so that we feel better about ourselves and, at the same time, gain social points for appearing hip, tuned in, conscientious, and emotionally connected to those at the bottom rung of society. Until we have solved all the problems of the "little guy", we should not even try to improve our lives, poo-poo anyone who does try, and sneer scornfully at anyone who dares try and -- heaven forbid -- actually succeeds in pulling ahead of the rest of us. Mike, don't you see how hopeless and useless your dream job-finding process really is? How could you have ever offered it up to us? Don't you feel guilty for what you have done, you myopically-minded middle-class miscreant?
I totally agree with you LAGuy. My method was not meant to be a coverall for everyone, I hope no one took it that way. From reading this board and making a generalization of the people that post here, I'm assuming that what I posted is a realisitic path that is well within the grasp of the majority of the forum. Some people are playing a really bad hand, but I've seen these people as well achieve more than I probably ever will. I know so many of them first hand. It is possible, just on a longer term basis. Rome wasn't built in a day. All I'm saying is it is better to aim high and fail then wallow in mediocrity. BTW... my "method" or whatever does work, at least it did for me, 100%. Maybe someone else could gain some insight from it, hopefully.