Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with workforce

Not lazy just scared to work full time

rainygrl716 — Sun, 31 Aug 2008 06:41:04 -0800

I'm scared of having to work for a living. I'm terrified I'll feel hollow and depressed and unfulfilled. Is this normal and part of growing up and entering the real world? Next month I am entering the first year of my official program at the university I attend. I'll have on full year of classes and then the next year will be a year long internship / clinical rotation in which I basically work 40 hours a week (and take exams).

I'm really terrified. I've never worked full time and have been a student for my entire life up until now. I've been at a community college (for four years. I took a the long road to figuring out what I wanted to do!) and I don't know if I am just feeling nervous because so much is changing and I'm now at a large university or what, but I am really really really scared. I've only had two real jobs before. One was for 19 hours a week at a department store. The other was more in line with the field I am going into now which was 12 hours a week and I enjoyed it a lot. I was in school full time when I had both jobs so I was balancing a lot.

I'm just terrified I'll hate working. I love school and learning and thrive on that environment. I've considered graduate school but this doesn't really address the fear I have about working full time.

At the same time I am frustrated because I do want to earn money and contribute to my household. I feel it is unfair that my husband should have to support us completely forever.

I just worry I won't be able to make it in the workforce. I think that is my biggest fear- that I won't be able to handle it. That having a job and doing the same stuff every day will make me feel hollow and depressed. One thing I like about college is that every quarter I have new challenges and a new schedule. When I get discouraged or tired or stress, I always see an end in sight at least and know I have a break coming up and that I'll start a new quarter with new challenges soon.

The field I am entering has interesting options for schedules. Night shifts, day shift, evening shifts. 12 hour shifts. 7 days on of 10 hr shifts then 7 days off. But some of these shifts would aggravate my depression and anxiety issues and even that flexibility doesn't alleviate the anxiety and stress I feel about entering the workforce.

I started seeing a psychologist last week to help work on my anxiety issues. How can I best address these issues so that he can help me? I feel embarrassed about admitting this, like I am weak and can't contribute to society. Is some of this just normal, growing up feelings? Can this be worked out with good therapy?

Will Work for Cash.

lekvar — Thu, 03 May 2007 15:50:54 -0800

I've been "mentoring" a kid with Asperger's Syndrome for years. He's about to graduate from High School and he needs a Summer job. I need recommendations on how to make this as smooth as possible for him. I've known this kid since he was 11, I fixed his first computer and gave him his first PowerMac (his true obsession). He comes from a home that could politely be described as dysfunctional. If all goes according to plan he'll be moving out on his own after graduation, but he's going to need a job, but he's never held one before. Hell, today's the first day he's gotten to school and back without a ride from his mother. This is a very big step for him.

As stated above, his fixation is computers, specifically Macs, but I see little chance of him holding down a job as a "Genius" at the local Apple store, as he has a number of the typical Asperger's issues regarding social interaction. He's sharp as hell and eager to earn his own way, but he lacks polish.

What I need is advice on what sorts of work would fit his general situation, and what I can do to make the transition for dependence to independence as painless as possible for him. I can probably get him a job here at the printing company I work for, which would be a good long-term skill to get him through college, but I'd like to see what the Hive Mind has to say about what might be best for him first.

Retirees

luser — Mon, 16 Aug 2004 11:49:47 -0800

Where are all the 55-65 year-old people? There must be just as many of those in the white-collar, private-sector workforce as there are people in their 20s and 30s, and yet everywhere I've ever worked the distribution was always uneven, with many more younger than older people. Do they all hit 50, get laid off, and migrate over to the phone company, the government, or freelance consulting?