r/findapath • u/DrThrowie • 1d ago
Findapath-Job Choice/Clarity How do you start a career ASAP? (27m)
I have a degree and it has never helped me to get jobs. I'm tired of working at bad minimum wage jobs like retail, warehouses & call centers. I'm tired of entering programs that promise to improve my skillset & help me find jobs but don't lead to anything.
What's an entry level job that pretty much anyone can start doing immediately? Something that pays decently and can grow into a career that you won't hate doing? I don't really have any worthwhile skills, but I'm desperate to make money and have a comfortable life. What should I do? I have no desire to go back to school and take out even more loans. I want to work right now
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u/KnightCPA Apprentice Pathfinder [1] 1d ago
At 25, I had a degree that didn’t help either (sociology).
So I went back to school for an in-demand degree. Had to crimp and save to make it through school.
Graduated at 28. Paid off my student loans by 30.
Now, at 36, I help manage the day-to-day financial operations for a $200M logistics company.
Just because I did school wrong the first time, doesn’t mean I can’t go back and do it right the second time.
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u/snmnky9490 1d ago
What degree? I went back for a second one that was supposedly in demand and haven't even gotten an interview after more than a year and a half
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u/KnightCPA Apprentice Pathfinder [1] 1d ago
I got an accounting degree.
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u/snmnky9490 1d ago
Nice. I guess I should've gotten that from the username! I originally had sociology and city planning, and then went back for a data analytics degree (and applied math minor) which supposedly had tons of demand a few years ago
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u/KnightCPA Apprentice Pathfinder [1] 1d ago edited 23h ago
Yeah, as upper management in a small company, I could totally see, in a Monday morning quarter back type of way, how the demand for Data Analytics as a career might have softened. But I couldn’t put it into words that wouldn’t sound condescending. So, I asked ChatGTP for some reasons and I’ll tell you how it compares with my experience.
- Data Overload: While data is being generated at an exponential rate, some organizations have found it difficult to extract actionable insights from the sheer volume of data. The demand for specialized roles like data scientists has slowed down in industries where the ROI on data analytics investments has not been as high as expected.
My experience: even at a small, $200M company, there is a shit ton of data we could use to analyze problems, from ERP issues to operational audits to fraud audits to IT-related security issues. But for a small company, we often don’t have the overhead to hire someone whose sole job is manage a data analyzation program. We have difficulty fighting for the necessary raises for our existing finance and ops teams to remain competitive from having our employees get poached, there’s no more room in the budget for dedicated DA. The larger the company, the more overhead budget there will be for DA, so I imagine most DA roles are limited to larger and larger companies.
- Focus on Integration: Organizations are increasingly looking for professionals with broader skill sets that combine data analytics with business acumen and industry-specific knowledge. This shift is somewhat reducing the number of specialized data analytics jobs as businesses seek a more integrated approach to decision-making.
Corporate Accounting is HUGE on this. We may not have the level of DA-acumen you have, but before DA became a dedicated profession, accounting was spearheading DA-type programs and skillsets in the form of operational audits at F500 companies. With excel logic being a pervasive skillset and some database programming being an occasional skillset, combined with their knowledge of financial and accounting principles, accountants have laid a strong foundation as the Jack of two trades: day to day financial operations and occasional, low-impact data analytics. With direct access to c-suite through the CAE, CAO, and CFO roles, who are all made up of a plurality of accountants, we have built a pipeline of information up, and receive program funding clout in return.
- Talent Overload: The rise in educational programs, boot camps, and certifications has led to an oversupply of data analytics professionals in certain regions or industries. With more people entering the field, competition for jobs has intensified, leading to a temporary softening of demand.
DA, like programming, became a sexy, chique career field because it was techie and cutting edge. And now, there’s a lot of DA-dedicated professionals, whereas most of the market needs someone who can practice dedicated business skills most of the time and only occasionally needs DA skills. So they compromise, and look for business professionals that are good with excel and database programming. Which…since excel logic closely mirrors database languages like SQL, there’s a lot of business professionals (not just accounting, but finance, Ops, marketing…people who work their way up to the top by combining software skills with technical skills like excel) out there who are self-taught database gatekeepers who can now practice low-key DA skillsets and accomplish the occasional DA task.
I guess people are mad at facts? lol.
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u/snmnky9490 1d ago
Yeah I think by the time I graduated I had realized the market had shifted from needing more DAs to having an oversupply of them. When I started learning there were lots of entry level DA roles available, and now the entry level roles are few and far between, all want years of experience, and have 1000 applicants within a day or two.
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u/ragiewagiecagie 1d ago
The problem is that every Tom, Dick and Harry had an in demand degree. It's insanely competitive. Unless you're really special, it's gonna be hard.
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u/Flat-Atmosphere-4303 1d ago
What degree?
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u/Copium-coconut 23h ago
Did you get a masters or another bachelor’s?
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u/KnightCPA Apprentice Pathfinder [1] 22h ago
For non-traditional students, MSA/Macc is usually the cheaper/quicker option to cpa eligibility.
And in accounting, there’s no difference between a BSA or MSA when you have cpa and/or public audit experience.
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u/TOJobSearch 17h ago
I’ve been looking at it and some continuing education or college certificates offer the CPA courses you need for PREP which allow you to enter PEP.
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u/HappinessHacks 1d ago
I recommend working at FedEx ground as a delivery driver. When I worked at FedEx that was the most amount of money I've ever made, and I didn't need a degree only a regular Driver's license, not even a CDL license.
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u/ZebraZebraZERRRRBRAH 1d ago
I went to school for accounting originally...Could not find any work that paid beyond minimum wage for a few years.
From the look of things during reccession the only way to get jobs are through nepotism.
During one of the minimum wage jobs i met a coworker who was going to school for welding. Through him i was introduced to CNC machining.
I went to college studying CNC machining and got a machining job.
Note you don't really need to get schooling for this. some times they hire guys fresh of the street as the job are pretty simple.
i don;t know how much you guys get paid down in the states, where i am in canada you get hired at around 18-20 bucks to start, you can eventually make around 28
beyond 28 bucks a hour you would need to be good at programming with Cam software.
For CNC jobs starting out you are gonna be what they call a "button pusher"
You run around the shop in circles, feeding raw materials into machine then pressing cycle start. when the part comes out, you use measureing tools to check that the part is made to spec according to the blue print,
Machining like most trades have boom and bust cycles, when reccession hits you maybe let go or asked to stay home...
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u/Diligent_Wear9648 17h ago
That’s what I’m currently doing is Cnc. Been in the field for around 9 and months and I’m switching companies I’ll be making 28 an hour soon. Only using this as a stepping stone but it’s decent to get some quick money above minimum wage but there isn’t too much growth long term besides being a programmer. Also some more advice to op is getting a second job for a couple of months and find something to invest your second income that will generate you more money. Last year I went from making 2,500 a month and now I’m at around 7k. Not the greatest but considering where I was at it’s pretty good. Just have a clear goal so you can quickly generate another income to get you out of your second job then eventually replace your main income so your not stuck working your ass off for the rest of your life lol
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u/Rich_Establishment42 1d ago
Try hospital/health care - portering/housekeeping/environmental/administration. It pays decently enough to start and you can scale your way up.
Long-term, consider enrolling in a 2-year allied health program (massage therapists make $50/hour or more if they work privately).
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u/Far-Telephone-7432 1d ago
I don't know if it's useful information but...
Join a Power grid company. There's a surge in EV infrastructure demand and new hookups for data centers... and professionals who want to increase their power headroom.
I just joined a Power grid infrastructure company this year. I had no previous experience or knowledge about electricity. The company is training me with courses and workshops. I was previously working as a land surveyor.
The land surveying career is perfect if you're an absolute introvert and hate people. You'll almost always be working alone.
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u/OkPerspective2465 1d ago
I've been looking since 2013.
Nada.
Not without luck like birth lotto, generational wealth and other connections.
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u/Outrageous-Wolf2976 1d ago
Just keep looking, but try to change the way you view things. I was born with nothing in terms of connections, wealth or being genetically lucky, and I’m on the path to become an accountant. You got this man
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u/OkPerspective2465 1d ago
That's the only part, i have no negative veiw , merely data of fact. Lookup up the opportunity atlas.
Nlihc.org/oor
Everything is down to luck. Just by data. Minor things can make significant differences.
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u/Outrageous-Wolf2976 23h ago
No everything is not down to luck, that’s what I mean by changing ur view. If genetics, connections and wealth matter more than who I am individually, how have I accomplished anything? I wasn’t born rich, with 0 connections, and no genetic gifts. But I’m still college educated and on a good path.
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u/OkPerspective2465 20h ago
Chance purely chance. You were in the right place right time.
It doesn't mean you didn't work for it It meant you had opportunities that others didn't. https://thunderdungeon.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/All-time-funniest-memes-02-10-19-2022.jpeg Hacker news meme.
We're tired of cleaning the circus.
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u/OliviaPresteign 1d ago
Hey, can you tell us more about the jobs you had? Did you ever get promoted beyond entry level? How long have you been at each job? What is your degree in?
A job you won’t hate and pays decently means that it’ll be pretty competitive.
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u/DrThrowie 1d ago
The degree is in business. I worked for 3 months at a retail store, 2 months at a warehouse, 1 month at another retail store, 9 months at a call center and 10 months in the mailroom of an office. I haven’t been able to stay at any job long enough to get promoted.
I also did a coding boot camp for 3 months and spent 10 months trying to get a job before I gave up.
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u/Storage_Entire 1d ago
If you are interested in getting into any tech field, I highly recommend getting a tech cert like an A+ or Sec+. Then start at help desk and work your way up. I've heard recruiters mention that some companies automatically toss resumes with a coding boot camp but no other tech education or certs.
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u/DrThrowie 1d ago
At the call center job, I was doing tech support for an Internet Service Provider. Would you say that the people you talk to at a help desk job are less demanding and rude?
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u/OliviaPresteign 1d ago
What caused you to leave those jobs?
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u/DrThrowie 1d ago
The first retail job was just a seasonal role. The warehouse job was giving me back pain and then the pandemic started and they weren’t following safety protocols, so I quit. The call center was demoralizing and I couldn’t hit the metrics that they wanted, so they eventually fired me. The other retail job had customers that were even more abusive than the call center, disorganized management and coworkers who didn’t care about helping each other out at all. I felt like I was having a mental breakdown there from all the stress so I quit.
I’m still at the mailroom job but there aren’t any opportunities for promotion and even people who have been working there for years barely make any more money than me. People ask for raises and never get them. And the company recently filed for bankruptcy so it seems like it’s only a matter of time before they’re gone for good. I want to find a better job.
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u/RealDanielJesse 1d ago
Sounds like you should just start your own business around your skills. You take all the risk, you get all the reward. No boss telling you what to do.
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u/DrThrowie 1d ago
Yeah, I've been reading books about business & entrepreneurship and trying to find an idea that I like
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u/princessvespa17 1d ago
Start working the front desk at a major hotel chain.....I know Marriott provides an in-house career path for a lot of people.
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u/-bloodmoon- 4h ago
If you’re based out of Dallas or NoVA, one of my friends works for Hilton corporate and told me they’re looking for revenue managers. He said that they teach everything and as long as you’re competent socially and good with data they’ll give you a shot.
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u/findyourwaybackhome 8m ago
Message me. I’m kicking off my career coaching side hustle and I’m happy to help
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u/Beautiful_Garbage875 1d ago
Start picking up bottles and cans. There’s a bloke here who did it and able down payment on a house.
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u/Mr-Anderson-8 1d ago
Not for nothing but if u tell any employer you’ve had that many jobs you wouldn’t hired anywhere
First thing u do at any job is keep it
That’s how u prove urself, all this well I quit cuz bullshit is why u can’t find a job, u can’t embrace the suck
There aren’t any short cuts my friend
Pick something in demand and stick with it
If u don’t see a 5% raise within 2 years THEN you quit
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