Published on 12, July, 2020
I'm in my mid 20s. I don't know if I would consider myself to have ever had a permanent, full-time job.
In my late teens, I did some volunteering. My first paid job was at 22 where I was a runner on a TV show. I ended up working with them for five months, mostly on a part-time basis (two days a week) but it was manageable for me. Surprisingly, given the long commute (hour either way) and long hours (10) but I guess two days a week offsets that.
I did a bit more in the TV industry but it was all very intense and I didn't last much longer. Also, it was freelance, and therefore contract based. Not really ideal if you're wanting stability. The opportunities didn't come so easily to me because I was after something which wasn't 5 days a week, 12 hours a day.
It was 2.5 years ago that I last had a paid job. I've done freelance/ad-hoc things in the meantime. More recently, I began looking in a different direction: I reached out to a theatre company in my area as I thought that could be a possible route. I've always been into performing arts anyway.
I had a meeting with someone who set up some shadowing in a primary school. He goes in and runs drama lessons for 5-7 year old kids once a week and I was there to, I guess, get a sense of what it's about and also just to be doing something cos it had been ages. I did that on two occasions, and had another meeting yesterday with someone at the company, and I sat in (and joined in with) a group of young people (with disabilities) who were preparing something.
I'm in a weird position where I don't know if I'll have the mental or physical capacity to do a job, and that's without knowing what the job in this field even is for me. Admittedly I've not made life easy for myself as I physically can't do jobs I don't enjoy - I'd back out after a few days, if that. However, I know there's something here that I can at least explore. I guess it's scary because I'm so out of practice; it feels so long ago that I was studying 5 days a week or whatever (well, it was long ago!) and I almost can't believe I managed that when I was younger.
I'm 62 and I still don't what I want to do when I grow up. To be honest I think its a bit daft to have just one thing anyway, you change throughout life and different things inspire you, most people will have had 2 or 3 different careers by the time they get to my age, the whole idea of a job or career for life seems strange these days. But if you feel drawn to something then go for it, it might not work out, but then it might and you will have a successful and fulfilling career. Don't let the "what if's" get the better of you, that's a part of you thats afraid of success, we all have one, but what if you're brilliant!
Yes, the what ifs are difficult. I thought I had a clearer idea but now I'm questioning everything.
I am later in my working life than you describe for yourself - and yet, having periodically revised my CV / Resume; I feel that it would probably be correct to say (without realising it until recently) I have actually been building a "Career Portfolio" rather than particularly sticking to a given "Career Path".
I wonder if this might be (or become) the new normal for many people?. Likewise, "Retirement" with a capital "R" is not these days meaning / looking like quite the same thing that it may have done to prior generations. Now, as people plan their worklife and the glide-path towards what "Retirement" might mean for them these days - it seems all the more important to notice how your outlook across adulthood by necessity shifts, changes and you re-frame every now and then: what working wants / needs to mean and look like for you as an individual and you as part of your household.
This article is one which I have used recently to freshen my thinking ...as I tackle the latest round of CV-refresh for my own situation. It explains what is meant (to different age groups / walks of life / levels of ambition) by building a "Career Portfolio" - I found it helped me to consider (anew) more of my life-skills as candidates for being potentially portable / applicable to also becoming part of my valid workplace offering. It is not only about which qualifications / roles people have held, you can also contribute some aspects to a team in the workplace: as a result of your skills and experience gained among your family, community, friends and interests (sometimes we forget to reflect on those things - which may also provide us guidance to answering "what do I want more of / what do I want less of / in which workplace environment might I be able to grow into that achievement?):
https://hbr.org/2021/10/why-you-should-build-a-career-portfolio-not-a-career-path
I wish there were 'neurodivergent friendly' careers advisors or something. I'm happy with my CV and everything, it's more having an idea of the specific route to go down.