h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

It's not how much money I'll earn I'm worried about. I'm much more interested in having a job I will enjoy, as I will be spending a third of my life doing it.

What I meant was I don't like the idea of having a job, that isn't actually useful. Doing something that nobody would actually pay me for doing. As a chemist or biologist you can do something real, people will give you money for that, knowing your research ca be used for something.

Oriental languages? I can't even count to 10 in malaysian yet. And if I don't do astrophysics I still have no idea what I should do. There is nothing I'm good at.

"There is nothing I'm good at." Bollocks!

You can present arguments cogently and in college-level English for a start. Maybe you could write for an Astronomy magazine.

My best advice is to go about this in a structured way, find a book which will guide you through the process of identifying what you can do, and what you *enjoy* doing, and play your way through the process.

Sitting around wingeing is not going to change anything, but organised thinking will. You may even find something you love AND that pays!

But best advice is do a degree which you will enjoy - at this stage it does not actually have to be vocational, if you do not have a specific vocation!

B

College-level English? I've been told I speak it as a native Why are you so cruel? Though I must admit I didn't know the word cogently. Did you mean coherently?

I was about to add to my previous post that as an astronomer the only thing you could get paid properly for was working for an astronomy magazine or teaching it at uni. But that all seems quite circular doesn't it?

'speak it like a native'
Who says the natives speak at or above college level? A lot don't!

Right, Icotan. When I came back to the UK from Sweden I was shocked at how bad the English is that is spoken here - and I don't mean swearing!

Cogent? - Well argued, logical, thought through, and indeed, coherent

B

although, it must be said, it is only a tiny minority who unable to read a name on a web page

Suggestions are still welcome.

Well, I'm out of money and have to go home. So that probably makes my choice easier, less options. But I need some work again at some point. Anyone know some call centers in Ireland that need someone who speak Danish, English and German?

Actually Ireland is full of call centres, so that is a good question. Why not amble over to the Irish Researchers page and ask there?

B

I know, that's all part of my big masterplan Also I am trying to apply for uni in ireland right now. Astrophysics.

Fingers crossed! I am sure that applying is a wise move.

B

i can only speak from what i have found in my life... i discovered my bigest 'mistake' was to confuse the subjects in which i did well for the things that i do well. i know it sounds confusing but i was good at chemistry, physics, biology and maths and assumed that i should take up a career in life sciences... i was totally wrong. It took me 20 years to understand the reason i was good at those subjects was i had and have the mental ability to enquire test and experiment. designing experiments for example requires creative expansive thought, seeing the whole picture and its impact on the detail. So after 20 years of biomedical sciences i now work in organisational behavior and change management and am much happier.

My point? Look to see what you do and how you do it rather than the immediate subject at hand. Works for me...

Well, I'm not good at the sciences. I just like them. And the final obstacle seems to have disappeared. I was having quite some trouble with the application fee. It's only 50 euro's but without a Visa-card or a bank that believes you are who you claim, it was getting quite difficult to pay it. But now I have a number so I can pay straight into the bank account.

Next problem is, I don't know which city I will get into uni in. So if I go to Dublin and get a job I might have to leave it again a few months later.

Dublin's a great city - full of Irish pubs!

B

...except for those English theme pubs in Dublin. The beer is watered down, crappy pop music as loud as it will go and 20 morons with their XR3i's parked outside.

Liam.

Well, seems I have a lot less money than I thought I did. That takes away a few options. Anyway, I need to apply for some jobs in Ireland. Someone on here said they had been in a position where they had seen a lot of CV´s. I don't remember who, but could that person perhaps take a glance at mine? So I could correct any faults before making them available to the public.

Sling it over to me Xanatic, if you like, and I'll take a look at it. My addy is in my U-Space.

Get as many people as possible to look at it, different countries have different preferred styles.

B

And could such a CV person please give us some tips?

Don't know what I should be doing with my life either. But there was a very good point earlier about doing something that you're good at now, rather than what you think you may be good at cuz you like the idea of it... I'm confusing meself now!

As it says on a poster me mam gave me:
"God put me on this earth to accomplish a certain number of things, right now I'm so behind I'll never die"

Queegle

Thanks Ben, I'll sling it. I just need to make a few tweaks, then I'll send it.

Have you met any psychologists?