Job help?

gardengnome55

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I'm 16 and I'm just being job curious. Also just wondering what kinds of jobs you guys think that I'd be good at...
I'm musical. I play the ukulele, guitar, clarinet, alto saxophone, learning the banjo, and I sing. I have written some songs and my dream music job would to be recording songs and making albums but I realize that it is a hard life (?) and it's not very easy in this world to do that. I would never think about teaching because my mom is teacher and I don't like the drama that she talks about with her work. I thought that it might be fun if I opened my own ukulele store because I love my ukulele so much but don't think that just having ukuleles would get me much business. I also like to do little crafty things like sewing, baking, and photography. I also realize that a lot of people like to do these things and if I'm not absolutely amazing at any of those then I won't be able to have a job that I like... so yeah... just wondering what the possibilities are... :)
 
Part of me did not want to reply to this.........
I am 20 years a head of you, and have a degree in Technology and Masters in Project Management and training. this is relevant only because when I was 16 I thought I wanted to help people, so I went to college as a psychology major.
then figured out that I don't really fit in with that world, so I became a health ed major and realized that I really don't want to teach people about this while fighting politics on what I can teach.... So I landed in technology and found out that I am actually a problem solver of sorts and love technology and I am pretty good at research and find it fun to find solutions to issues.
My advice is that you are young, use this time to explore what you love. play music, work in a music shop, start a band, travel if you can. take all your experiences and follow where they lead you too.
The ukulele actually has been a current thing (6 years-ish?) and has lead me to a new job, starting a blog where I review things, and meeting many people and creating connections and friendships that just led to other things.
I help people with finding ukes and shops with what to carry.
At 16 I would have never known I would be where I am today.
On the performer thing, Yes it is hard and a tough life, but if you are doing it for money than that is not what you should be doing.
 
Find what makes you happy in your heart, it has to come from you and what you enjoy doing....try a few things you are intrested in...
older folkies may push you to higher paying jobs and degrees and that might not suit you well...You have to be happy in what you do, well it
will be your life long career so get it right early and save the misery..many time your parents and elders mean well, but it's not the case that it always works
I've seen too many unhappy kids with master degrees finding out later that their and wasting time and money on education and careers either switching or dropping out.
good luck....and trust your inner feelings....not others I've had alot of kids ask me, I usually say, oh no I'm not falling for this one...:)
 
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If you pick your career on the first try I would be surprised.
Going thru a career(s) change is not uncommon.
My advice, like others, is try many things while you are young.
Summer and part-time jobs are a great way to get exposed to future possibilities.
Don't paint yourself in a corner keep your options open.
Follow your heart and not just dollars.
Most important is get an education it is a credential that will make a difference in your life, no matter what you do.
 
^ good advice above here too...

As someone who manages 'professionals', when you do get your first job (probably a part-time one), please be on time. And don't call in sick. You would be surprised how just showing up on-time, doing your job well, focusing (not texting/facebooking while on the premises), and being responsible/polite, will get you ahead of others in no time.

Also, do what you love. If you're not getting paid a ton of money, no worries, you'll at least be happy. Or if you're miserable in your job, at least you can always go home and play the ukulele!
That's all the high-level pie-in-the-sky "wisdom" I can think of at the moment.
 
16, dang I have shoes and underwear that old. Just a minute; yep and I'm wearing them now.
I was in the motion picture business. When I was around 8 yrs. old, I met Bill Williams, a very famous actor at the time. He told me the best advice he could give was to get a good education first and do what I loved doing. He was right. The guys above have given good advice.

Sounds like you are a very talented person and will be a success in whatever you try. Welcome to the forum, We have a number of young people here so you'll fit right in.
 
Don't fall into the trap of thinking that there's only one answer to this question. Most people are good at several things and have a passion for several things. It's true that you should ideally do work that you enjoy, but the converse isn't always true... you don't necessary have to turn everything you enjoy into work. :)

The trick is to look at all the things you like and have a knack for, and, for a job, focus on the ones that have the most promise to earn you a reasonable amount of money.

Oh, and you'll want to make sure that it doesn't A) make you hate the thing you had passion for because now it's your job, or B) require a life situation that makes it difficult to still do, as a hobby, some of the other things you like and have a knack for.

JJ
 
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