Never had an "OFFICIAL" job

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Hello everyone!

I am 27 years old and going to college. I started college at the age of 24 but still today never had an official job and earned a paycheck. I have done some side dog-sitting or a cleaning of a church but nothing legit. Has anyone else never had an official job? How do you feel about it? I hate it. I really want to work and I cannot wait to but I know it's best to wait til after college is done.

-Catherine

Apologies for being slightly off-topic. I just thought I'd tell you that I know a couple of people who have their own little 'dog sitting and walking' business. It can be a perfectly "legit" and rewarding career if it is something that you enjoy doing.

Hello Catherine, I know exactly what you mean. I also started Uni late and recently graduated age 26, although there were some other extenuating circumstances that caused me to graduate late, I'm also soon to be 27 and terrified of the possibility of never being able to get a job. A big problem I've found is a lot of employers expect you to have work experience, the problem with this is: how can you get work experience when nobody is willing to give you any?

I am currently exploring volunteering options as a way to tackle this. I think this could also work for you. What is it that you are studying? Perhaps there are charities or organisations that will give you work experience relevant to your degree if you're willing to work for free. Then once you have the work experience you can use it in your CV and apply to jobs that will pay you. This is my own plan at the moment, I'm hoping it may work otherwise I will need to try something else.

You aren't being that off-topic as you may think you were. Yes, I know if I made a dog sitting and walking into a business I could make it legit and rewarding career if it is something I enjoy. I do enjoy doing it but it isn't a career choice for me. But thank you for making it seem more legit than I said it was. I appreciate that.

Hi there! I am glad I am not alone. Congrats on graduating! I turned 27 myself in January. What did you get your degree in? And I feel you on being terrified of the possibility of never being able to get a job.... for me to even keep one. It scares me. There's this vocational rehabiliation thing up here about helping with jobs. I hope to get accepted. Do you have that by you? Yep.... I know that about work experience. Did you do any internships in school? I have one internship in school I did. And I started volunteering this year- working with senior citizens and teaching them how to use technology. It has been an amazing experience. It definitely has made me feel like I can do anything. What are you interested in volunteering? Right now psychology but switching to graphic and media design. I do know I just talked to someome about doing internships even not in school you can still do that which is working for free for experience. Maybe it will help you too!? Right now while going to college full time I want to focus on that more than a job but sometimes I feel embarassed about being 27 and never having a job.

Not sure what you have going on in New York, but over here (Melbourne, Australia) event work is common with students. Some of it is paid, some is voluntary... but it could be as simple as handing merchandise, pamphlets, or bottled water to attendees. The work shifts usually tie in with weekends or public holidays.

I once got paid to sell foam reindeer antlers to people in the lead up to Christmas. It was nerve-wracking, but a good test to see how I could cope with weird looks. Sometimes you have to take something that is a little outside your comfort zone.

It was called Finance, Accounting & Management. I enjoyed the accounting part of it the most. My father and his brother are both accountants which is partly the reason I went for it. When I saw Temple Grandin recommending Accounting as a career for people with AS that are verbal fact thinkers, it made more sense why I seemed to love Accounting so much. I was actually diagnosed with Asperger's by chance, it was inbetween the first and second year of my degree. It came about due to ongoing depression problems. I was recommended to see a University counsellor and it was during one of these sessions that she suggested I might have Asperger's. My GP then referred me onto the district Asperger Service and I was diagnosed 6 months later.

I haven't done vocational rehabilitation but it sounds interesting, I'm not sure I have that offered in the district I live in. Anything that will increase employment prospects is worth doing imo. I also didn't do any internships, I would have liked to though, unfortunately my first year grades were average, therefore I didn't bother applying to any as I doubt I would have been accepted onto one. I did do some volunteering work in my 2nd and 3rd year, this was non-accounting related, it was in special interest: chess. This consisted of teaching chess to primary school children in 4 primary schools near the University. My experiences were mixed, however, in the 4 job interviews I have attended so far, the interviewers wanted to discuss these experiences with me, therefore I think you should definitely mention your volunteering activities in your CV. Also think about what skills you learned from them e.g. improved: confidence, communication etc.

I think it's probably best in your situation to first focus on finishing your degree, then worry about the job after. If you try to do too much at the same time it could end up hurting your grades. I use to feel some embarrassment as well, but there are many people that have major career changes during their working lives, meaning they usually have to start from the bottom of the ladder again. I remember my A level Accounting teacher telling me; he teaches 30, 40 and 50 year olds in his vocational accounting courses. I am from a rural county in England that has a lot of farm land. I think the main demographic of his classes were former farmers looking for a career change into accountancy. I'm sure this type of thing isn't exclusive to accounting either. I have read of people that pack in successful careers, to go and teach at a significantly reduced salary. Therefore I don't think you should be concerned age wise. I think key is to keep trying, that's what I'm planning to do. If the opportunities aren't there, that's a problem with society not us.

Oh that is pretty cool. If I don't take a step outside of my comfort zone ones in awhile I become a recluse. I understand what you mean.

I agree with this, and try internships as well. Some of my most successful contemporaries who finished school with me, but without prior work experience, corrected the problem with unpaid internships, some of which not only gave them valuable resume fodder, but eventually even turned into paid positions.

The question is, will you be able to support yourself in the meantime? If the answer is yes, then intern away, and if you can, don't wait until graduation. I interned every summer while in school to ensure there were no long-term gaps in my employment history, and some paid a stipend too, which was nice.

BTW it's awesome that you decided to complete your education, congrats & good luck!!