Ask Me Help Desk - No career with a deadend job and it bothers me

Hey folks,

So as the title of my post tells, I have no career. At 31, I've had about 5 jobs in my life(mostly retail, except for my current job),
Graduated college, traveled a bit, wrote and produced my own CD and still have no experience or skills with things I feel are pretty common with most people in the professional world.
I work full-time at a job that sounds good(if I spin it the right way, but it's really crap and I have no idea why I'm still here or what the hell I want to do still.
I graduated with a degree in Music, but I'm not sure I want to even do that for a living- I do love it and I'm glad it's still plays a part in my life, but it's my age that's making me apprehensive about pursuing it.

I know that my personality isn't cut out for the corporate world. I'm a really creative person, but I can't find the medium I want to focus on and start moving towards.
Being creative and making a respectable, secure living is what I think would make me
Happy.
I feel so behind everyone else I meet that shares my age or even younger!

I'm a hard worker when it comes to being creative and solving problems outside the box.
I love finding unsual solutions to things and seeing them work.

Anyway, that's all. Thanks for reading and for your advice, should you have any.

Take care

Some things that come to mind:

DJ (like weddings, parties, etc)
Writing music for commercials?

There was a local band here that used to write "heart songs" they were custom songs written for people.. like for anniversaries, weddings, etc...

Try to think of different ways to use your music talent.

Well, what do you have to lose?? Keep your current job (so you have $$ ;) ) but hit the pavement! Start looking! Send resumes out, dig & search... the worse that can happen is you wasted some time. :) good luck!

And, use the power of thought... it sounds hookey but it works. Picture yourself doing it, writing the song, working for a company doing it. Don't use the words want or wish... you HAVE the job. You ARE doing it. Keep thinking it over and over as you look and search.

Crazy.. but many times this even works for finding a close parking spot at the store/mall LOL

Many people in muisic work that 9 to 5 job to pay the bills while they chase their music dream. The trouble is you don't seem to even have a dream. Decide what you want and work toward it.

Hey,

I can't really answer your question but I feel like your double. I'm 31 also, music degree, was in an office job that I hated but was let go due to cutbacks. I thought this was good at the time because I was unlikely to leave even though it didn't suit me at all - it made me physically sick at one point. I'm thinking of going to college but I keep changing my mind. I can always teach music but it can get a bit lonely and somehow I'm looking for something a little more exciting or different.

I can really relate to you. A lot of my friends have good well paid jobs and can't understand why I don't think like them. Anyway, its good to know there are always people out there in the same position as you. I have the same hesitancy about pursuing a career in music because of my age. It's a terrible feeling! You want to be true to yourself but people tell you you need to be realistic - and I don't want to ignore that advice if that really is the case.

Sorry this probably isn't any help to you. Good luck and if you come up with any answers or advice for me let me know...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel121

Hey,

I can't really answer your question but I feel like your double. I'm 31 also, music degree, was in an office job that I hated but was let go due to cutbacks. I thought this was good at the time because I was unlikely to leave even though it didn't suit me at all - it made me physically sick at one point. I'm thinking of going to college but I keep changing my mind. I can always teach music but it can get a bit lonely and somehow I'm looking for something a little more exciting or different.

I can really relate to you. A lot of my friends have good well paid jobs and can't understand why I don't think like them. Anyway, its good to know there are always people out there in the same position as you. I have the same hesitancy about pursuing a career in music because of my age. Its a terrible feeling! You want to be true to yourself but people tell you you need to be realistic - and I don't want to ignore that advice if that really is the case.

Sorry this probably isn't any help to you. Good luck and if you come up with any answers or advice for me let me know...

Boy, if I could only find a way to unite people like us so we could all find what we love and
Make a decent living at it, I would. We've been blessed(and kind of cursed) with a gift that is so powerful and unique, but in the eyes of society it's just "having fun". Nobody really understands the amount of work it takes to actually graduate from music school or the effort it takes to perfect one's craft(music, art, etc... )- it takes a lot of discipline, that mostly goes unrecognized.
I'm at that point where I'm thinking about school as well, but it really has to be something that I know is right for me and will allow me to be who I am. I know I'd be able to thrive in that kind of environment, I just don't know what it could be. Perhaps, I have to make that environment? I don't know.

Anyway, thanks for your response. It really is reassuring to know that there other people facing the same circumstances. Don't hesitate to contact me if you would like to talk some more. Take care.

Hello again,

Yep, there is a perception that if you're creative that somehow you need other more sensible people to get you to be realistic and practical. I'm not so inclined to accept advice from people who work 10 or 12 hour days just so they can spend tons of money at the weekend.

The trouble is, for me, being creative seems to go hand in hand with being sensitive too. I think that's two reasons I can't do a 'regular' job. I also tend to be interested in lots of different things so it's difficult to know what I really want. I wish I could decide what I wanted and then I could go for it. I guess you never know until you try. I got accepted to a music course and it wasn't until I signed up and got in there that I realised that it wasn't worth doing. Luckily I was able to get out of it.

I think while you are in that job you should do as much research as you possibly can - into college courses or talk to people in a career that attracts you. I wish I had done that while I was in my old job. I have been doing that over the last month and its amazing what's out there but I wish I had more time. I've been thinking of doing a course in multimedia but I don't know if that will get me a job or just another thing to add to my list... I think about going back to train as a teacher. It's the safe option - and that attracts and repels me for that very reason!

Anyway, I hope you find what gives you that buzz in life, gives you a healthy challenge, a healthy income and suits your personality. If you'd like to talk more that'd be great. Best of luck!

Hi there,
I hear you about the sensitive part. I feel confidence plays a big part in it as well.
Not that I don't believe I have great ideas and can do unique things, but just letting others know what I can do is hard for me at times.
I think I am getting better as I get older and more comfortable with myself.
Music helps me convey that too.

It's hard for me to choose one thing as well, since I have so many other interests and can find the beauty in just about anything.
Maybe I'm just lazy or selfish, but I can't see myself working 10 to 12 hour days unless it was for something that felt right to me.

Yeah, I'm always attracted to those creative type jobs, but I'm hesitant that I'll
End up at square one again wondering what the hell am I going to do with another degree
That I can't really do much with, you know?

Well, my project for the next couple of months is to do research and really see what's out there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mel121

Hello again,

Yep, there is a perception that if you're creative that somehow you need other more sensible people to get you to be realistic and practical. I'm not so inclined to accept advice from people who work 10 or 12 hour days just so they can spend tons of money at the weekend.

The trouble is, for me, being creative seems to go hand in hand with being sensitive too. I think thats two reasons why I can't do a 'regular' job. I also tend to be interested in lots of different things so it's difficult to know what I really want. I wish I could decide what I wanted and then I could go for it. I guess you never know until you try. I got accepted to a music course and it wasn't until I signed up and got in there that I realised that it wasn't worth doing. Luckily I was able to get out of it.

I think while you are in that job you should do as much research as you possibly can - into college courses or talk to people in a career that attracts you. I wish I had done that while I was in my old job. I have been doing that over the last month and its amazing whats out there but I wish I had more time. I've been thinking of doing a course in multimedia but I don't know if that will get me a job or just another thing to add to my list...I think about going back to train as a teacher. Its the safe option - and that attracts and repels me for that very reason!

Anyway, I hope you find what gives you that buzz in life, gives you a healthy challenge, a healthy income and suits your personality. If you'd like to talk more that'd be great. Best of luck!