Finding a career path

It would be interesting to hear if anyone else struggles or struggled deciding upon a career path? I'm 23 and currently work some welcoming assistant job at my local National Trust. It's just as you'd expect really, very quiet and a little bit dull. Although it's 'perfect' in the sense of lovely people and not much stress.

All my other jobs have either been fast paced and intense sales jobs, working with horrid trades people and not so nice 'co-workers'. Or a path down carpentry which also stressed me out. Both of which haven't been the best for me and ultimately ended in me having burnout and or a mental breakdown in the past, hence the transition to NT, not important.

I've always struggled finding what path I want in a career and have inklings of what I'd like to do, which most of the time seems impossible to achieve. I'd really love to get into wildlife or woodland conservation / volunteer management, don't ask me how I intend to do this.

Does anyone else feel a bit lost at times and just overthink themselves into a panic? How does one get around this? Anyone I seem to ask (Such as career advisors) just act as if I'm odd and brush me off, it's quite frustrating.

Thank you Slight smile

Parents
  • I'm now retired. I never knew about a career. I had some jobs that suited me relatively well and some much less so. For me it was a long, largely unconscious, process of working out what my strengths were and playing to those. I was never very good at it. If I'd understood earlier on that I was probably autistic I think it might have been easier for me to navigate a smoother path. As it was, I always expected myself to perform well at things that people took for granted as basic skills, but which were harder for me. I viewed this as being symptomatic of personal deficiency, rather than simple difference. So my working life was harder than it ought to have been, I think.

    In a nutshell: try to find out what your strengths are, and what gives you a "buzz", and make the absolute most of them. Which doesn't mean you can't learn new skills - you'll probably need to at some point. It's a long road, but hopefully there will be good experiences for you along the way. Take care!

Reply
  • I'm now retired. I never knew about a career. I had some jobs that suited me relatively well and some much less so. For me it was a long, largely unconscious, process of working out what my strengths were and playing to those. I was never very good at it. If I'd understood earlier on that I was probably autistic I think it might have been easier for me to navigate a smoother path. As it was, I always expected myself to perform well at things that people took for granted as basic skills, but which were harder for me. I viewed this as being symptomatic of personal deficiency, rather than simple difference. So my working life was harder than it ought to have been, I think.

    In a nutshell: try to find out what your strengths are, and what gives you a "buzz", and make the absolute most of them. Which doesn't mean you can't learn new skills - you'll probably need to at some point. It's a long road, but hopefully there will be good experiences for you along the way. Take care!

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