Night Elf Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Okay. What if you have a high school student who really has absolutely no clue what he/she wants to do? There are no obvious interests but some heavy dislikes. Specifics for me: dd19 wants a job that will pay decent money and benefits. She isn't sure about going to college and getting into debt when she has no interest in any of the majors offered by a college. She can possibly see herself being an xray technician but no other job in the medical field interests her. In fact, overall the idea of the medical field grosses her out. She doesn't want to be a teacher. Her dad and stepmom are teachers and she has never, ever had an interest in following that career path. She didn't even play school as a young child. She doesn't particularly like the idea of childcare because she hasn't ever had an interest in babies and toddlers. We're also not sure about pay and benefits from such a position. The two places I worked at in childcare paid little and had no benefits, not even sick days. She hates the idea of a business degree. There isn't anything remotely interesting about it. I don't blame her really. I'm not a business person. She was an assistant manager of a small restaurant and weeks away from being named manager when she decided to quit. The job was very stressful and the manager she worked with was a jerk. It put her right off working in that industry. Besides, she decided she would rather be part of the working group than the person in charge of the group. She feels like she is a follower, not a leader. We are stuck and have no idea how to move forward. We spent over an hour last night looking at the schools within a 2-hour driving distance. The technical school closest to us has a few possibilities, including a radiologic technician, but we don't understand the accreditation. She has had 2 people tell her the school is not properly accredited and the degree or certificate (depending on program) wouldn't be worth the paper it was written on. For example, what does this mean, "accredited to award associate of applied science degrees, diplomas and technical certificates of credit by a national agency, the Commission of the Council on Occupational Education (COE)." and farther down the page it reads, " is a candidate for accreditation with the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award associate degrees, diplomas, and technical certificates of credit." It's so confusing! I didn't have a choice when I was taking business classes as a senior in high school. I took a basic accounting class and typing so I could land a clerical position. I didn't think about anything else. My dd19 feels like is drowing in a sea of possibilities with each of them not being a great feeling. She does understand that it's not always possible to love your job, but she would like to at least try to work in a field that holds at least some interest. She should finish her high school diploma by the new year. Then she doesn't know what she is going to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in NH Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 I would have her take a couple of career-interest assessments, and then investigate the careers/training needed for what the assessments suggest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LidiyaDawn Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 She should finish her high school diploma by the new year. Then she doesn't know what she is going to do. Does she have to decide right away? Can she graduate and THEN spend some time trying things out, learning about different jobs (can she job-shadow anyone? volunteer in a few places to see what this/that is like?), figuring out who she is… ? Our dd14 is obviously a few years younger, but she *is* in tenth grade - so she just has a couple of years left.. and she has NO idea yet what she wants to do either. I'm not gonna rush her..if she graduates and wants to just stay home and 'try out' some stuff - she's welcome to do that. Not everyone is ready to fly the coop right away .. and there's nothing wrong with that. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Would cosmetology school be of interest to her? If she went to one of the two year schools (there is one in Iowa that I've heard is FANTASTIC) she could apply to get into a high end urban salon...there can be some good bucks in that and some benefits. Our one year beauty school around here isn't so good...it's graduates work at Grondin's Bo Rics, etc. and do not get paid well nor do they get health insurance. But, there are a couple of rockin' salons in Detroit that pay very well and include heath benefits. Obviously these salons are for the well-to-do. I think a simple maintenance haircut is $100.00! Does she like animals? A vet tech degree - vocational school two year degree - might be an option. The larger veterinary practices in our area do offer medical insurance to their full-time employees. Vet techs can give injections, take vital signs, maintain charts, etc. but are not involved in too many of the "gross" tasks usually. Medical transcriptionist, medical insurance billing...not gross, most offices pay decently for these. I know of one massage therapist (she does have extensive training) who works full time for a chiropractor/natural health and wellness center, and she makes a reasonable living plus health insurance though I believe the deductible is quite high. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LidiyaDawn Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 I would have her take a couple of career-interest assessments, and then investigate the careers/training needed for what the assessments suggest. I remember doing some of those waaaay back…and the results - the "you should do this" - were so far off anything that I even remotely had an interest in… it was kinda funny. They all kept saying I should have some sort of 'social' job - working with people, in 'helping' type careers… and I'm SO freakin' awkward with people. :laugh: That's not to say that they wouldn't help other people… I'm just weird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-FL Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 My niece in TN is trying to get into a radiology tech program. They have 1 class/year meaning if you don't get in this time, it's 12 months until you get to try again. The link is for the program she's looking at. Hopefully the courses list will help your dd see if this is really something she's interested in & what she needs to do to make herself a competitive applicant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebug42 Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 I worked for several years as a leasing consultant for apartments. I made decent money, had benefits and even got a discount on my own apartment. You have to have dome aptitude for people and be able to lease (sell) apartments but I liked it. I always got to see different people and I liked working with our residents for the most part. It wasn't too bad. If looking at a medical field, I would call human resources at a local hospital and ask them about the local schools and who they hire from. There is a technical school here but the hospital I work for (which is the biggest in the region) won't hire people from that school because of the quality of their education. I would want to make sure I would be employable before attending a certain school. Xray techs cannot always escape the "gross" aspects so that would be worth considering as well. I have been a medical transcriptionist and no longer recommend it because jobs are getting more and more scarce as docs and hospitals move to voice recognition software or outsourcing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalknot Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Against advice, my friend went to one of those schools you mentioned (questionnable accreditation) to become an ultrasound technician. Two years out of school and $45K later she is still unable to find a job in her field, despite (empty) promises to help her via professional relationships and alumni contacts. Contrast that with our other friend who did the same program via our community college network and was hired immediately following completion. When she tries to get our first friend in the door, she's told our first friend went to a diploma mill; nobody respects the degree, and worse -it seems they try to avoid it completely. Like your daughter, I prefer a job with few responsibilities. I have enough of those in my 'real' life, and work -for me- is more about earning a paycheck than it is anything else (i.e., I don't get or seek personal or professional fulfillment from work). I want the job a monkey could do. I managed restaurants, too, and loved the people parts of it but not the administrative parts. I'm a flight attendant, and it's a perfect career for people like me. For someone who doesn't enjoy travel, there are several entry-level jobs in that vein that could segue into careers. She should look into government jobs, too. One example: an air traffic controller; there are locations all over the place so there's a level of freedom to move around, you show up and do your job (no bringing work home), the pay and benefits are great without having to invest in a four-year degree, the schedules are flexible (no 9-5, M-F), and it's a career versus a job. It's a move that would afford her ample flexibility now for playing (hobbies) and later for family (raising kids). If she ended up not loving the job, she could take her government time into another government job; there's so many to choose from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Yes, I am very familiar with this conundrum. Ds is still sitting on the fence but at least leaning heavily in one direction, finally. Has she taken any kind of aptitude test? I would try for a book that describes in detail many professions. There may be something she has never considered or thought of. It helped to have ds just work for some time while he got closer to making up his mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 She says she took a career assessment in 8th grade. Maybe she's exaggerating, but she said one of the career suggestions was a rock splitter. :tongue_smilie: I found some online that I will have her look at. One just seemed weird when I was answering the questions. It was a 'would you rather do this or that' type and I didn't even know what the positions were. I was going by title only. I can't see how that can be an effective indicator of job interest. She worked full-time for almost 2 years at the restaurant and knew other mall retail store employees. She feels she has a handle on those types of jobs. Her dad & stepmom are teachers but there isn't really anyone else she knows with a job. My DH works for HP and works from home. That would be useless. His job is beyond a, or at least this, layman's understanding. We do have a great vet office. Dd19 is afraid to work in that field because she is so attached to animals and is afraid she would be crying all the time. I guess that can be a question she asks the staff, is how to keep emotions away. I'll ask her about that. She knew some people who worked at a nice hair salon. She did some modeling for them. She doesn't like the idea of being a stylist but could possibly see herself being a color specialist. We don't know their base salary but tips were good considering the cheapest coloring was about $100 and the cheapest haircut was about $60. A manager of a different nice salon approached her with a job offer when she was working at the restaurant. The woman was impressed with dd19's customer service skills and reliability. She wanted to train dd as a makeup specialist but dd19 declined. She's been living the 'I don't have to choose right away' for a while. She's ready for serious consideration. She wants her own apartment. She wants to stay home only long enough to get training or an education for a specific job. She is really against the idea of a 4-year college. I find this hard to believe since she's been playing on computers for years, but she has never learned to touch type. She types with 3 fingers. When I was an office manager, I would have never hired someone who couldn't type! Maybe I'll make her learn. I do have a Typing Tutor cd. Honestly, she is not a lazy person. She is not trying to get out of working. She is genuinely bewildered and upset about this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Night Elf Posted September 22, 2011 Author Share Posted September 22, 2011 I'm a flight attendant, and it's a perfect career for people like me. For someone who doesn't enjoy travel, there are several entry-level jobs in that vein that could segue into careers. Where do you go for that kind of training, and is it a competitive training field? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra in FL Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 How about the Post Office? The pay and security/pension are not bad. I think the wait list is pretty long though, but I was reading somewhere that the way to get in is to do rural routes (don't know where you live or if this applies). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalknot Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 I read many places that air traffic controlling is one of the most stressful jobs out there. That will vary from location to location, and even whether one works a tower or radar at any given location. There are many, many small and slower traffic locations. I know a fair number of controllers, and the facility -coupled with personality- definitely determines how stressful the job is. I live near and work out of one of the nation's busiest airports and I imagine the controllers there feel more stress than do the controllers working the municipal airport we fly out of privately (where "traffic" means a plane LOL). I see and hear that often, but I think it's referring mostly to the higher-profile facilities. It's still a great income with good benefits, especially at the smaller facilities where there is little traffic. I know a guy who works midnights and will go days without seeing activity LOL. He's there in case there are diversions from our nearest major airport; if anything, he gets bored! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vettechmomof2 Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Does she like animals? A vet tech degree - vocational school two year degree - might be an option. The larger veterinary practices in our area do offer medical insurance to their full-time employees. Vet techs can give injections, take vital signs, maintain charts, etc. but are not involved in too many of the "gross" tasks usually. Faith I have to disagree here completely. A veterinary technology degree will get you low pay, long hours, lots of messy work and severe stress many times with emotional burn out. Yes, you can get benefits but this is a field that you really should only go into with both eyes wide open. When I was in college they actually made us take a course on the realism of working in this field and why you want to do it. It can be very,very rewarding emotionally but just as difficult and financially not good! Anyway, if she likes animals and medicine and people then it might be a good field for her. However do not go with the thought of just a 2 year degree because most universaties or larger practices want a 4 year degree or a another degree along with the AAS degree. I would try to get her to volunteer at a variety of places to see if anything "fits". Many places will take volunteers to explore their jobs. They tend to work volunteers hard but it might give her an idea of something she did not think about before hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeacefulChaos Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Speaking of animals.... what about like a dog grooming/boarding/doggie day care type place?? Would something like that be of any interest to her? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 I have to disagree here completely. A veterinary technology degree will get you low pay, long hours, lots of messy work and severe stress many times with emotional burn out. Yes, you can get benefits but this is a field that you really should only go into with both eyes wide open. When I was in college they actually made us take a course on the realism of working in this field and why you want to do it. It can be very,very rewarding emotionally but just as difficult and financially not good! Anyway, if she likes animals and medicine and people then it might be a good field for her. However do not go with the thought of just a 2 year degree because most universaties or larger practices want a 4 year degree or a another degree along with the AAS degree. I would try to get her to volunteer at a variety of places to see if anything "fits". Many places will take volunteers to explore their jobs. They tend to work volunteers hard but it might give her an idea of something she did not think about before hand. Wow! As always, things differ from area to area. Thanks for relating your experience. Faith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalknot Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Where do you go for that kind of training, and is it a competitive training field? Each airline runs it's own training, typically 6-8 weeks (unpaid). It's held at the airline's corporate headquarters, so they'll provide lodging and so long as training is completed you're guaranteed a job at the end. It's a great job, but there is a period of time for paying one's dues so she should know that going in. I don't know where you live, but the biggest dues she might pay will be assignment to a major city anywhere in the airline's hub network. That is a deal-breaker for some, but was ideal for me at the time I was hired (at not much older than your DD). Feel free to PM me with any questions. Airlines ARE hiring. Most will have brief information on their corporate websites. And really, there are lots of airline jobs listed ... maybe she'll see something else that strikes her fancy. I relate to her situation. People thought I was lazy or elitist, but I was neither. I just wanted an interesting job that I could clock in/out from and earn enough to fund my free time and hobbies :) I hope she finds hers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 I took a career assessment in college and it said I should be a florist. :glare: I thought it was hysterical being I don't like flowers and manage to kill any plants I come in contact with. Why not take 1-2 years off and just chill. Get a plane ticket to Europe and backpack around. I did college right after high school because my parents gave me no choice. Then I spent many years bouncing from job to job because I still had no direction. My brother did 1 year of college and then spent several years living in Europe. It was an amazing experience and changed him in so many positive ways. He came home focused and has been working ever since (and is extremely extremely successful). I think its so hard at 19 to say this is what I am going to do for the rest of my life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parrothead Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 Seems like air traffic controllers are being hired right now. I just put "Georgia" in for the location parameter. They head the list, but the list is 24 pages long. Maybe something will jump out at her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 I was like her. I like retail, I liked working around people and stuff. Retail used to be a good area to work into management, don't know about now. I also agree about the vet work. I worked for small animal vet for five years. I did everything a vet tech did, except actually glove up during operations. It was emotional. Did you ever watch ER? It was like that with dogs and cats, not people. I loved every moment, but it took an emotional toll. Have you looked at temp agencies? I worked a few long term positions in that manner, one led to a four year employment as an insurance underwriting assistant, no degree, but decent money and great benefits. What about something like UPS? I actually wanted to be the girl holding the slow/stop sign at highway construction sites at one point. I love heavy duty bulldozers and I like to people watch. Sadly, that job never panned out. :tongue_smilie::lol: The pay probably would have been good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen in CO Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 I've been watching the dental assistants at our pediatric dentist and the orthodontist and have been thinking that it would be a great career choice for someone that doesn't want to go to a four-year college. It is a two year degree and has a high outlook for job growth. Another place to consider is the national park service. They hire temporary and seasonal workers in addition to offering full-time employment. They have more jobs than just park ranger. They have an advantage of having an interesting work location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teresa in MO Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 my 20 yo dd is alot like your dd. She just could not figure out what to do. At one point, she thought she might like ultrasound tech or physical therapist assistant. Even took pre-req classes and applied to the PTA program at the CC. There was a waiting list of two years. She did more checking and what she really wants to do is be an esthetician. I had not idea what this was. It is a full time 6 month program at a cosmetology school. You have to become state board certified. It is basically skin care. You work mainly in spas. My dd would like to work in a medical spa. She is investigating her different options before deciding where to go. They do make good money and benefits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 I don't have any specific advice for you, because just about everyone I know has gone the college-to-graduate-school route, but one thing I do want to strongly suggest is that your dd choose a career that offers strong advancement possibilities, even if she would need a college degree for the better positions. Right now, she doesn't want to go to college. But that's now. In a few years, she may feel differently, and if she's working for a company that will pay for her education, that could be a huge advantage for her. Another consideration is to try to think of a career that will make her employable in many different parts of the country, and that jobs in the field are relatively easy to find. Someday, she could be in a situation where she is married and they are moving frequently, and it would be nice for her to know that she can usually find a good job, wherever she's living. It does no good to be great at something, only to find out that the only way you'll get a job is if someone dies or retires, because there are so few jobs available. Obviously, she may choose one thing now, another in a year or two, and switch yet again in a few more years, and that's fine. She's still so young, so whatever she chooses now (even if it doesn't work out at all,) is not as crucial as she probably thinks it is. I know there are some kids who have clear-cut goals from when they are 5 years old, but most of us don't have a clue. (That's why we go to college... ;)) Your dd sounds like a sensible young woman, so I hope she doesn't stress too much over this. I'm sure her biggest problem is that there are simply too many choices. If someone said, "Choose this or this," she would do it, but when there are thousands of options, it can be overwhelming. Take it from this 40-something woman who has wanted to move to a new state for years, but because I have 49 options (plus Canada or Europe,) I can never seem to make a decision, and we're still here in the NYC area... and I'm still whining about how I'd like to move... :tongue_smilie: Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FairProspects Posted September 22, 2011 Share Posted September 22, 2011 If you go the career test route, you want the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory (these psychologists have split ways recently - it may now be named something else but it would be close and I'd have to ask dh). Get a licensed mental health practitioner who is certified in the test to administer and interpret the results. These are very well structured psychology tests that match your interests to people who report they are very satisfied with their career 5 years later. You will not get any of the "florist" type results on these tests, but differentiated info for careers based on how much school your dd wants to complete and what she likes to do. They will even tell you a bit about how you like to train/learn. I still refer to mine 10 odd years later, it was really worth the cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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