What color is your parachute?

October 13, 2005 1:51 PM

What should I do with my life, and how should I do it?

I've just found out that I'm shut out of the career direction I was planning on heading in. I'm not sure what I want to do with my life career wise. I know roughly what I want. I want a career position where I can make enough money (30,000 or so) to not have to worry about money constantly. The thing I would love to do is fiction writing, but I know that won't pay the bills.

So here's my deal, I have a degree in Journalism (in which I finished both the print and broadcast submerisons). I do freelance writing work for a pretty big internet company, but this has just made me realize how much I don't enjoy writing nonfiction.

I also do video work for an educational access channel. Originally I hoped this would count as career experience towards getting a job in video, but the productions we do are so poor and underbudget that my resume reel has suffered and I've soured to the idea of finding a career in video production.

My grades in college weren't spectacular, so grad school is out, though I did recently submit an application to try for a second undergraduate degree (tentatively film, though everyone I know that has one, doesn't have work in their field, though now I know how to use school a little better).

I'm introverted and horrible at networking.

I can type 60 words a minute, but would rather not.

I like to travel, I like to bike or spend time outdoors.

Is there some career path I should try to wheedle myself on? Is there a book you read that helped you focus your career goals? Any other advice?

posted by drezdn to Work & Money (14 answers total)

The thing I would love to do is fiction writing, but I know that won't pay the bills.

The clue is here. Whatever you do to pay the bills in the meantime, get writing. You could start a blog, for example. If you're really good at writing fiction (and, admittedly, it might take time) you could get a pretty reasonable following and self-publish in time. Many have done it. It won't make you a millionaire, but having several hundred people buying your self-published work makes you look good when climbing that ladder.

Follow your heart and remember life is a one-shot opportunity. The dots will never connect looking forward, but make sure you start making dots that'll join together when you're looking back in the future.. so follow your heart and try to get things falling into place.
posted by wackybrit at 1:56 PM on October 13, 2005 [1 favorite]

I've just found out that I'm shut out of the career direction I was planning on heading in.

What does that mean?
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 1:56 PM on October 13, 2005 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I was trying to become a police officer (I wanted to eventually be a detective). There were two cities that I was still in the process of possibly becoming an officer. The first turned me down today. The other, my number on the list is in the middle, meaning they might get to me eventually, but maybe not so much. So the odds are very low of it happening. The city I wanted to work for was the one that turned me down.

The thing was, at this point in my life, I'm not so much worried about what I'll be doing for a living. I would do my best at most anything, I'm just tired of working retail (which I've been doing for 8 years now and forgot to mention in my post) and worrying about how I'm going to pay rent on a $400 apartment.
posted by drezdn at 2:02 PM on October 13, 2005

Don't assume that grad school is necesarily out. Shit grades as an undergrad can be easily overcome by testing well and demonstrating accomplishments in the professional world (depending on the field, of course). There is an earlier thread on grad school admissions with poor grades that may be helpful if you go that route.
posted by stet at 2:08 PM on October 13, 2005

My grades in college weren't spectacular, so grad school is out.

You should not consider going to grad school because you don't know what else to do, and if you want to make 30K and not have to worry about money all the time, grad school probably isn't for you either.

but..

You don't need spectacular grades to go to grad school, even at a top tier school. It's not about grades. So if grad school is what you want (even though you won't make 30K and your financial situation will be in turmoil every semester), and you're just ruling it out because of grades, you can start rethinking that position.
posted by duck at 2:08 PM on October 13, 2005

Ever thought about teaching? Consider going for an MFA in Film (screenwriting interest you?). I've seen a few jobs posted by schools looking for Journalism/Film/Broadcast teachers, and an MFA (or Phd) is usually required. Try to do some TA work (or even teach your own class if they let you) while working on your degree so you have some experience under your belt. Like people said, if you can do well on your GREs, bad grades in college doesn't end things. Just a thought.
posted by starman at 2:28 PM on October 13, 2005

Try to focus on why you wanted to be a police detective. What was it that appealed to you about it? Are there other lines of work easier to get into that might have the same characteristics?

Why not go for some area of emergency public service easier to get into for a while -- an EMT or the like? Or if you're interested in detective-type work, some district attorneys offices hire nonlegal staff as investigators. Some legal aid offices hire "mitigation specialists"--nonlegal staff who investigate the background of clients who might face the death penalty to uncover details that might help avoid a death sentence. Or there might be other kinds of paralegal jobs in criminal law that could suit you. Or why not take the plunge and go to law school with the goal of becoming a prosecutor or a defender?

Good luck!
posted by footnote at 3:01 PM on October 13, 2005

New Orleans needs cops :)

Recognize that you'll have have to have a day job and write in your free time.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 3:21 PM on October 13, 2005

I'll second Duck - DO NOT GO TO GRAD SCHOOL if it's not something you really really want to do. That also goes for the particular program in grad school.

I have two friends who wanted to be cops but didn't go down that route. One now works for the (Canadian) government as a customs officer. He did a stint checking imported pr0n to see if it was legal or not. He's working the border, now, and thinking about moving towards administration.

The other one went back to school to be a merchant marine sailor (I can't remember the exact name) and she is *absolutely* loving it. The course is half class/half travelling around the world.
posted by PurplePorpoise at 3:28 PM on October 13, 2005 [1 favorite]

I agree with happybrit that no matter what, if you really want to write, start writing! If writing is your true love - make that your "job" and do whatever to make a living. Remember, they are two different things. Some are lucky enough to have their life's work also be their means of making a living. Unfortunately, many are not.

I also agree with footnote that you should closely look at what attracted you to becoming a police detective. There are clues there. Pardon the pun!

-
posted by Independent Scholarship at 5:29 PM on October 13, 2005

1. Always write and submit everything. Even if you consider it to be a hobby, it's still very cool and possibly money-earning.

2. You, like all of us need a day job. You tried out for something a little more substantial, something with benefits maybe. These days there are tons of jobs in law enforcement. I'm not kidding about this, check out the DEA, FBI, HLS etc. Even if you land a lower level job, you will still get paid more and have benefits.

As an aside, I had a friend who wanted to be a Sheriff. He was passed over for about two years while he worked security night-shifts at werehouses and stuff, well while he waited he tried out for the FBI and got accepted. He turned down the FBI appt. when he was finally hired for the Deputy Sheriff position.

3. Go for it. You obviously have some skills and knowledge. You, know, it aint over 'til it's over, and YOU are far from over! Now get crackin'.
posted by snsranch at 5:56 PM on October 13, 2005

And why aren't you writing a reported, non-fiction book about cops?
posted by RJ Reynolds at 8:54 PM on October 13, 2005

If you want to do something, apply everywhere you can until someone is willing to pay you to do it. Go anywhere. Accept anything.

After a year or two, either you'll be qualified to move up or you'll discover you didn't really want to do it.

Stop working retail immediately.
posted by ewkpates at 7:01 AM on October 14, 2005

that's interesting! i too was turned down (in a stupid turn of events) from becoming a detective in a police unit for investigating computer crimes. i know what attracted me to the job was that i love understanding the real story behind things. maybe it was for the better for me, because most policemen i know (i worked as an attorney for prosecution) don't see their work that way.

because of the uncanny similarities (i also want to write fiction) i'll tell you where i'm trying to go (not there yet). i'm trying to take my curiosity into feature story writing. i see you've tried nonfiction but maybe you should try it on your own (not for a company). it's different when you're writing about something that interests you.

i'm going to follow this thread to see if there are any good ideas for me too. i'd love to hear if you find a painless way to make a living (my email's in my profile).

good luck!
posted by mirileh at 10:54 AM on October 14, 2005