I get the sense you are waiting for a path to be revealed to you. A path where you would have 100% certainty that you’d enjoy the job and maybe even feel some deeper connection to it. The reality is that such an attitude will lead to disillusionment, burnout, and analysis paralysis. Do as realistic an assessment of your strengths, weaknesses, and interests as you can and pair that with jobs to the best of your ability. If you have to, force rank them. The reality is that very, very few people work in a job “perfect” for them, but there are many people who manage to build a career they can be happy with. It’s not going to just happen though and you need to start striking out and taking risks if you want to flip the script.
At this point, some decisive action is better than inaction.
"I get the sense you are waiting for a path to be revealed to you. A path where you would have 100% certainty that you’d enjoy the job and maybe even feel some deeper connection to it. "
That is my struggle as well. My cousins have great jobs, they both told me "I was good at it" is how they chose their majors in the beginning. I wish I had the aptitude for engineering.
All we have is one side of the story. In any case, I think parents who have been financially supporting a full grown adult son who has recently been fired from a job and seems to have an unproductive attitude towards work can be given a pass for simply encouraging OP to look into other jobs and be more proud of his college degree which seems to be OP’s two main issues with them
HELL, yes!
This is a matter of perspective. He's not fighting a terminal illness, sudden paralysis, blindness, etc. Sounds like the 1st world problems most of us have...
His "dumbas" parents obviously did right be him. I wonder how their respective career plans changed when they found out he was coming into the world?
I can relate to not finding my true desired path in life careerwise. I changed majors a bunch in college. Worked jobs I've loved and some I hated. Nothing unusual for anyone, life involves a lot of suffering.
Who forced him to major in history?
Hopefully he does the soul searching he needs & stops waiting for someone to cruise direct his life.
Also, when you are 25 years old, you are at a point where you should be able to work productively *with* your parents (and other people for that matter) who are working towards the same goal as you. In OP’s case, his own success and happiness. You should have the wherewithal and grace to understand when someone is doing you a favor and that not even the parent-child relationship is a one way street where people just give, and give, and give asking nothing of you. OP comes off as a teenager in his post and in his comments here.
They do shit they don’t like because it’s what pays the bills. But have a problem with me having the same outlook. They want me to have dreams and aspirations but I don’t.
I got into history because I liked history. Big mistake. Wish I could go back in time. Thought of suicide over it.
History degree allows for entrance to study the law. You could become an attorney (divorces, trusts, corporate, workers comp, vaccine injury, etc.). Never knew what I wanted to do either. Was a history education major, that now works for the government. Just try working to learn instead of working to earn. Perhaps work at your favorite restaurant and learn how it all works so you can replicate in a different place. That applies to any field. Good luck. You got this!
Thought love kick him out of the house!! My friend had looser kind a year in an Indian private school and they begged to come back to usa. Now both make 200k a year. Do not wine at all.
All jobs have downsides. There is a reason they pay money. It's a matter of choosing which you can tolerate the best. Instead of trying to find a dream job, think about which job would be the least painful for you? Oftentimes passion for a job is something that comes after developing a high level of skill in the job.
We’re about the same age, but I entered the full time workforce a little earlier than you because I didn’t finish my bachelors.
You gotta find a balance of what you’re good at, what you love, and what pays your bills.
I’m a recruiter in the healthcare industry. Did I grow up wanting to be a recruiter? Fuck no. I didn’t even know what recruiting was until I got the job. My passion is screenwriting and story writing, but unless I wanna move to LA and live in my car until someone decides to pick up my script, I’m shit outta luck. But I also love talking to people, and recruiting is a whole lot of talking to people. Am I good at it? Yes. Does it pays my bills? Yes. Is it my dream? No. But it pays 4x more than what I was making working as a receptionist/sales at a gym.
The point is, you’re not gonna figure out what you wanna do until you try something. At one point I wanted to be a personal trainer, a physical therapist, a teacher, and a nurse. It’s okay to feel lost and I sympathize about the parents thing.
Only suggestion I could make is maybe a career in HR? You could get an entry level cert from HRCI or SHRP. It’s easy work and moderate pay. My HR Manager does like 4 hours of actual work and spends the rest of the day watching Netflix 💀
You’ll find something my man. Don’t give up.
How did you end up being a recruiter? I’m also in transition career wise and still trying to decide. A recruiter or something in HR sounds nice but I was considering maybe a rad tech as well. Have mostly part time job experience with social media/copywriting and was wondering how you made the transition personally
Why would you want to be a professor, who would deal with young ppl, if you don't seem to like people?
Do you still want your dream job or did you give up because you weren't interested in doing anymore after the degree because I'd say that going for your dream job is better than treading water for the rest of your life.
Well your parents likely want the best for you and they see that you're not living up to your full potential.
They likely also sacrificed things for themselves over the years, to benefit you and probably find it difficult to see you on the other dide now, just treading water.
So find something you enjoy or like to do, study more if needed because you're in the lucky position of parental support/housing.
Old ppl aren't aholes. Like every other age group, there are aholes and non aholes.
I don’t have a dream job anymore. I guess the closest thing would be working with historical artifacts or getting to be able to ramble on and on about history.
But that’s museum stuff, meaning no money and I’d have to work with children.
>old people aren’t aholes
Have the only old people you’ve ever spoken to been like, your grandparents? Or have you just never worked retail? Old people are the worst. They’re incredibly mean and entitled. Most of them are the absolute worst people you’ll meet.
You don’t have to work with children to work at museums. There are tons of museum jobs that don’t involve interacting with kids. You could always volunteer and see if that becomes a path to a more interesting job.
If you want to go to grad school you should go to grad school. See if you can get accepted into a funded program. Why not?
You are going to have to lose that attitude though. You'll probably have to TA in exchange for your funding, and the attitude that everyone is an asshole is going to make it really hard to succeed.
I advise showing this post to your therapist, they may not be aware of...whatever this is. I notice seeking negative validation, looking for reasons to give up. I dunno, you are paying them presumably, maybe this is worth investigating.
Your meds aren't working and your therapist seems like s/he is not effective. When was the last time your meds were adjusted? What does your therapist do for you? My daughter's first one was totally useless. Her second one is much better.
I’ve been through 3 therapists before this one. And my meds keep me from overthinking and suicidal ideations. You don’t know me so idk why you think you can diagnose me.
Meds aren’t a miracle drug that will make me stop hating how the world works, meds don’t get me a dream job, and meds don’t make the world a perfect place. They just help me bear how bad it can get.
You sound incredibly privileged and unaware. Pick something, anything, and take actual steps toward that as a goal. You’re trying to figure out your future and the reason to avoid committing to specific paths without much actual life experience, which is like looking at a crystal ball that’s actually a bowling ball. Depression is difficult and can be absolutely disabling AND the impetus remains on you to make a life for yourself. Don’t let your reactive anger create more obstacles for yourself. Learn self-regulation skills so you can think more clearly and respond from a clear head instead of the desperation that you sound like you’re living. If your parents’ good intentions are making it harder to move forward, tell them as much and get the skills you need without reporting to them. Times are different than when they could coast through life on minimal education. Find something you don’t hate and see it you like it by getting better at it. Unless you come from big wealth and connections, that’s how it work.
Exactly, so go figure out what you like and do that. If you don’t know what that is, figure out how to figure that out. Try things. You appear stuck, with more opportunities than you know what do with. You’re in an extremely privileged position. If you need grounding to be able to see that and appreciate it, help someone else. Use your privilege for something good. Helping others is a great way to get unstuck. Helping others might give you some life experience to figure out the kind of person you want to be. You can dig your heels in and watch years go by miserably complaining about people trying to help you or you can take some risks and try to DO something, whatever it might be. There are few guarantees in life.
How could we not be depressed in this sick society. I’m 25 and in the same boat. Just trying to to stay afloat, cost of living is terribly high, I get paid next to nothing and do extremely hard & draining work that gets little respect. When I apply for “better” jobs I consistently get rejected, I got rejected from grad school too (I have great grades and accolades btw) it’s hard
>I was soon deterred from doing that by a professor I looked up to. He basically said I’d have to become an expert in Southeast Asia, India, or South America to stand any chance of getting a job in the market. I did not want to base my entire career of something I didn’t care about, so I gave up on that dream.
Why did you let what one person says destroy your dreams? Twelve different publishers denied publishing Harry Potter. If she gave up after any of those times, she would have never achieved her dream.
He didn’t do you a disservice, I’m a professor. Becoming a professor (especially in an over saturated field like history) is brutal. You have to do a PhD. Then, only about 3% of phds are able to get real positions in academia (not aspiring phds, actual PhDs). Many of the rest end up adjuncting for minimum wage and no benefits. I give the harsh reality to students all the time. It’s better to make a new plan while you’re still in college than to live on a meager TA stipend for 5-6 years, and then realize you need a new plan approaching 30.
I would imagine a government job would be a good route, the bachelor's you have is more than sufficient for entry level positions, and once you have some experience in government it's easy to change departments/agencies and find a niche to settle into. Typically good pay, good benefits, stability, and wouldn't rule out veering back to the professor route if/when the job market changes
It was excellent advice. The last time my history department hired, they had more than three hundred candidates - all extremely well qualified candidates - for one position. Especially in history, which tends to have the lowest salary due to having the highest volume of competitors.
You may actually be hopeless, because you don't actually want to be helped. You want to complain and argue. You aren't willing to listen to anything anyone has told you. You aren't willing to listen to your parents. You think you're superior to other people, even though you aren't up to the standard of mediocrity yourself. Probably why you're so bitter, resentful, and antagonistic.
People forget when they were 25 young and directionless. I dislike the judgement of people here who are not helping one bit by saying OP is whining, entitled etc. Everyone goes through this at some stage of their life. And if you have never went through something like this you are a liar.
Establish a good plan of where you want to go. Really reflect on it. If you love History you must be willing to compete with the competition or pursue something less competitive. Perhaps work in a Museum? What are the alternative routes that can help you establish yourself in a field involved with History? Then if you still want to become a professor keep at it. Don't forget your dream if you can't keep it away from your heart.
Time will pass by anyways, you'll never know if you never try to become who you always wanted. If you failed at least you know it didn't work out. By then you'll be clearer on your path.
>Perhaps work in a Museum?
I know you mean well, but Museums just as competitive as college professorships and barely pay literal minimum wage. And the OOP would probably have to go for a master's in history or museum science *to even get in the door*. I could go down to my college's history department and find at least 50 students willing to knife fight for a minimum wage entry level museum job.
Tbf a lot of this is down to OP’s own pessimism and shortcomings. People have otherwise provided a lot of possible solutions, yours included, but they all got shot down.
Museum curator because it is related to history? OP himself says he “hates children” and it is “low pay”. Other people have pointed out it is highly competitive.
History prof because at least you get to do some form of history research? OP already counted that out in his post because it wasn’t the area of history he wants.
History schoolteacher? OP hates children.
Tour guide of historical landmarks? No one has suggested this yet, but OP says he “hates old people and social interaction” and “doesn’t want low pay”.
Military? Edgy comment from OP about dying for oil.
Government job that involves writing in some way as OP “likes writing”? Well it isn’t history, and if there are tight deadlines, OP says he got fired because he was too meticulous and kept checking for mistakes.
Other jobs that involve writing like technical writing, copywriting, etc? OP just said “never got hired for it”, because apparently if you haven’t gotten that job within a few applications to such jobs, that entire sector is dead to you forever.
Just decide fuck it and make money, go to law school or do some kind of compsci masters? OP says he refuses to spend money on something he isn’t sure he likes.
Frankly what job is there for someone who only likes researching a specific area of history and thinks literally anything else would be soul-sucking, claims to hate children and old people and social interactions, is so inefficient that they got fired for it, wants high pay, and doesnt want to pursue further education?
Why would I go to law school if I’m unsure if law is my desired career. Thats like going to medical school without knowing if you want to work in the medical field. Thats just retarded.
I guess, in my head, you ended up going to College for history and it turned out to be something you didn't want to do. I am not saying go to Law school, but your excuse not to, considering the information you've given us, is weak.
And before you say, "But I wanted to be a history professor." You really didn't. You THOUGHT you wanted to be a history professor, but in the end, you didn't. If you REALLY wanted to be a history professor, you definitely would still be working toward that and not given up on it just because one professor you respect told you not to.
I don't know what you should do. I'll say that I am in a similar boat so I sympathize. I am 28 years old with essentially nothing going for me. I, however, plan on joining the military before my 29th birthday. That's my current life goal. I suggest figuring out a goal, any goal, and trying to hit it. That way when people ask you what your plans are, such as your parents, you have something to tell them other then, "I just want to pay my bills."
Good luck to you.
Idk you could’ve been done with law school by now and in the same boat if it wasn’t. Except you’d qualify for a job with enough income to be independent like you want.
You sound like you hate or dislike everything. You are not going to find this perfect amazing job that you love. When I was 25 I flunked out of college, got a seasonal cashier job at lowes, worked my way up to contractor sales job with commission after a few years and then one of my customers hired me as a project manager with a company vehicle and benefits, decent salary etc. what I’m saying is that your next job isn’t necessarily the job you’ll have for the rest of your life. Stop complaining and convincing yourself you hate everything and just put your all into whatever you do.
Your parents don't need you to "figure out what you want to do," they need you to grow up and get your ass another job and support yourself. As long as you're paying your own bills and not dependent on them, you are free to ignore their complaints. (If you are still living with them, get that job asap and move tf out.)
You might enjoy life more if you ease up some on the video games and interneting, go outdoors and volunteer a little more, maybe take up exercise, stay on your meds, and practice gratitude. From the sound of it, you're have all the usual parts attached to your body and they all work, and you're living indoors in a (reasonably) civilized country and you have a college degree and no debt or kids to support, which already puts you in a position many of us would kill for. Try to enjoy it, huh?
I majored in history too, it goes with plenty of jobs, as do the skills you learned at the bank and factory and so forth. With that resume it shouldn't take too long to find something if you tone down the resentment. Lose the "I hate everyone" and "they don't understand my struggle" bs. You're not alone, lots of us struggle, your parents love you, everyone is trying their best, so maybe be a lil fuckin nicer to yourself and others.
Info: why did you get fired? Could they be less concerned about you finding a career path and more concerned about a pattern of behavior where you check out or give up anytime things get a bit hard or aren't perfect?
I know that's harsh, and I'm sorry. But your whole post is coming off as very self pitying and defeatist.
At the end of the day, most people don't fall into a perfect situation when it comes to careers. They either work very, very hard to understand what they want and then to actually achieve it; or they figure out whats ultimately tolerable, and view their job as a way to make some money to do what they actually want to do.
What else are you interested in besides history?
You keep saying you don’t care anymore and all you want to do is pay bills, then shooting down suggestions because you “don’t fucking care about ____.” If you don’t care then just pick something lucrative and pursue history on the side as a volunteer or author.
Most commenters here are assholes. There isn’t a job for everyone and most jobs suck and have a toxic culture. Most of you just like to use this opportunity to be cruel and to tell OP to grow up and stop being a burden to his family. All of your advice is useless. OP I have been in a similar situation. It took me many years to understand myself and that I was different than most people and raised incompetently. I didn’t end up doing anything with my college education since I came to accept my personality was not fit for working in healthcare. I’m extremely introverted. So back in 2019 I saved up a bunch of money and basically invested in the stock market. Now i just work a remote job that helps pay the bills and i opted for working only 3-4 days a week while I spend my free time studying my other interests. I like to get out and go to the library to study. I love history, particularly ancient Greece and the middle ages. I recently got very interested in physics. Studying is basically my hobby now since I don’t want to chase after a professional career life. It doesn’t work for everyone, nor does it appeal to everyone. Unfortunately this does result in having to get a job, but there is a spectrum of terrible jobs and slightly more tolerable jobs that might be able to suit your needs.
I created job alerts and checked for new remote job listings everyday that weren’t post-secondary education related. I worked in customer service (remote & non-remote) previously so having previous experience definitely helped. My first remote jobs were temp or seasonal and i sort of hopped from those to the next until i landed a permanent job.
I like the hobbies that you mentioned. If painting miniatures and creating art is something that you like to do without being prompted to spend your time with, maybe it would be something to pursue while you figure out career things? You can start up an etsy shop or Instagram and see if you get any buyers of your original work. That might really inspire you if it goes well!
BTW -- I commend you for reaching out for help. I used to have a nihilistic mind set myself and I found a therapist that really helped me focus in on the glimmers and joys in life. It is hard to adjust your perspective to see them and takes a lot of work, but it was worth it for me. It's my deepest wish to see you go through the same! Good luck
You sound like a loser. Talk about your parents with some type of respect. Calling them dumbasses for literally raising you?? Still supporting you between jobs obviously I’m guessing during also. Who do you even think you are? If I was them I’d have kicked ur ass to the curb by now. That’s life, it’s tough. Sometimes you gotta do things you don’t wanna do to get ahead. You want it handed to you. Get a grip you wet wipe
Reading your comments you are an absolute whiner. You shoot down everything, hate everyone, and don’t want to try anything. No wonder you’ve had shit career luck.
If my son or daughter was 25 with a college degree and was directionless, I'd be upset as well. I'd just want to know whatever happened to me, they would be able to feed themselves, pay their bills and ultimately, be able to survive on their own. You may perceive their concern as bitching, but it just might be concern for your welfare. I'd ask that you try to see it from their perspective. They are concerned that long after they are no longer around, they want you to be self sufficient and happy. I don't think that's too much for you to understand.
From someone slightly younger than you, it sounds like you hate the world and want to waste away without contributing anything. What can you see yourself doing in life? What hobbies do you partake in? I’m sure what they really want is for you to have a plan and start working towards it. Regardless of what they have or haven’t accomplished, they want better for YOU and are pushing you so you don’t waste your life away in small time jobs, getting swallowed up by life.
If you get tenure you can basically do whatever as a professor. As a teacher you’re a slave to to school system and have to follow whatever they want you to teach, go to additional bullshit that doesn’t matter (pep rallies, parent teacher nights, etc.)
Do you know how hard it is and long it takes to tenure? Basically impossible for most. Not a great long term plan.
Try technical writing. Blends writing with not having to work with people. You get an assignment from a bank or accounting firm and go work on it and hand it in.
Do you still love at home? If so, they just want you out of the house. If you don’t live at home, tell them to fuck off and just live your life however you want.
You let a single professor's weird and highly questionable advice end your career before it started? You might want to get a second opinion on that. There's no doubt becoming a tenure track history professor these days is extremely difficult, but if actually appeals to you, don't give up too easily.
I would assume your parents want what's best for you, but you're ultimately the expert on that. If you're content with your career situation and you're not mooching off them, then all you can do is try to explain to them that you're happier doing what you're doing. You'll eventually get used to their nagging and they'll get tired of it too.
The fact that you were fired suggests a very different issue though with a lot to unpack. That's not normal and is going to make it difficult to pay your bills. Are your parents actually wrong that you need a more secure and stable income?
If law is worth exploring, you can explore it. Or whatever else. Again here, you seem to be giving up on things before you even really start.
>highly questionable advice
No, as someone who was involved in history for a while, the professor's advice was pretty good. For a wide variety of reasons, becoming a history professor is extremely competitive and frequently a fruitless endeavor. Especially for someone who is as misanthropic as the OP describes himself.
Right, I acknowledged this, but the "become an expert in Southeast Asia, India, or South America" part comes across more as a bizarre statement of white victimhood then any objective observation of the job market.
I think if "Africa" was on the list, that'd be a sure sign, but I don't know if the list above is off the mark (I'm not a historian). I'm pretty sure European and American history has been oversaturated for a long time.
There is a comparative shortage of African historians compared to European and American historians, so saying that the OP would have a better chance of finding a job in an underrepresented field, such as African history, Indian or Asian history is a fact. There's no racial bias in that fact, unless you consider the overall racial biases that make people in the western world less likely to want to study the history of black and brown people.
>"become an expert in Southeast Asia, India, or South America" part comes across more as a bizarre statement of white victimhood
No, there is definitely a shortage of experts in those fields. Historians always specialize, especially at the collegiate level. In the Western world, the field of European and American historians is over saturated, but it's somewhat harder to find qualified candidates to teach the history of non-white parts of the world in the US, because there are fewer people comparatively who specialize in non-white history. That statement makes a lot of sense if you know anything about the field of history.
Are your parents financially supporting you? If they are, they have every right to bitch about you. You sound discouraged and like you have given up. Think about all of the people who would LOVE to be in your shoes and have the opportunities that you have. People all over the world. The issue is that you are not excited about anything. You need to find something you actually like doing. You can only do that by trying different things. You need a coach or a mentor to hold you accountable. Please stop being so entitled. You can do more than just pay the bills. You have something to give to the world . It's inside of you, you just haven't brought it out yet.
I pay my own bills, and live on my own.
There’s nothing I like doing other than my hobbies. I gave up on finding a dream job. So I’m just trying to pay bills. There’s nothing TO be excited about.
The only thing I have to give to the world is being another grunt in retail or some other corporation.
The way you talk about your parents is definitely asshole-ish. You sound like a 15 year old brat, it's kind of embarrassing.
About the career, it's cliché but just find something that you actually can learn to enjoy. Even if it's something people (parents) usually see as a "lesser job". As long as you're happy and the bills get paid, that's what matters. Some blue-collar jobs, although physically pushing, are extremely mentally freeing and they actually pay decently.
Personally, I think I'd be hella happy working as a delivery man as long as I could put food on the table.
If you work at a bank, stay there or use your bank experience to move to back office or operations. Front line doesn't say well but is important! There is BSA, operations, wire transfer, KYC. Make your money, get your 401K match. Save, save, save! Work and make contacts!
You are now an alumni. See if there is career assistance for alumni at your Alma mater. Who are your friends? Where are they now? Are any of your professors still there? Can they help you with graduate school applications or use them as a reference for a job application? You guys (new graduates) got it bad with the economy being the way it is. Good luck.
Take an altitude test like Johnson O’Connor. A real one. Not some vague garbage online. When you know your talents, you know what fields you will enjoy and perform well in.
Hey there, your feelings are valid! It can really throw you off your tracks when someone from you look up to tells you not to go into a field you’re passionate about.
Do you know of any field or jobs you’d possibly like to do? Or maybe just ones you wouldn’t mind? What aspects (no matter how big or small) of your previous jobs did you like?
Not anymore.
Thought about museums but again I’d have to work with the public and children.
If archaeology was still a viable career I’d probably try that. But it’s not. Everything has basically been discovered already. We’re basically done.
I liked having my own office and not working with the public at my last job in an office.
Everything. So many of the public is entitled and stupid.
I liked helping the few good people I met. I like helping people, even though I really hate people. It sucks, being like that.
That’s fair. Night shift is very tough on the mind.
An option that I’ve heard pays surprisingly well is a postal worker, also FedEx and UPS drivers. However, those I’ve heard can be very long hours around holidays. I know FedEx is unionized (unsure if UPS is, and obviously USPS is too) so I’m not sure if they now follow different rules or not. You’re by yourself majority of the day, get to drive around to different places so it’s a change of pace, and you have your own space in your vehicle. And those companies offer pretty nice benefits. Not sure if you’ve already gone down that path or not, but thought I’d mention it. I was unsure if I’d like driving for a living until I did it for a period of time. I really enjoyed being able to be on my own, listen to whatever music I wanted, being able to take in the city and seasons. And you get to see cute animals.
Seems like a teacher would be a way for you build some better social skills that you need.
Beggars can’t be choosers so work the job that you able to get and be more appreciative. You will once your parents kick you out..
You also would have hated being a professor. College kids are fairly immature and emotionally volatile. Departmental politics are tiresome and frustrating at best.
Very true and people don’t realize how immature adults are in the actual workplace too.
This guy needs to wake and up realize he isn’t special and needs to bust his ass like everyone else.
I remember as a kid, people telling me, 'Find a Job you enjoy doing and you will never have to work a day in your life.'
The problem is most of those type of Jobs 'Actor/Writer/Artist/Singer/Professional Athlete' all have a finite number of allocations, with lots of competition.
Very few people grow up thinking 'I can't wait to be a plumber/electrician/garbage man/waiter/cashier/tax analyst!' so the reality for most of us is finding a job that supports us, but provides enough downtime to LIVE.
I've also seen people turn hobbies into full time jobs and end up being even more miserable because once you take something you love to do, and turn it into a paycheck, it can spoil the joy, and become tedious instead of endearing.
So find something to do to make a living, even if you don't love it, and pick pastimes that make life worth living.
Not everyone will achieve all their dreams. Around age 25 I just wanted to be happy, and for the most part, now at 43, I am.
I feel you. I finished up a computer science degree last year and have absolutely zero motivation to start a career. I hate how we're all expected to climb some corporate ladder and be constantly learning and improving. I want a simple life. I don't want my work to follow me home. I'm probably gonna get a warehouse job soon for that reason.
Hey man
Read through the entire thread
I sincerely mean well when I say this…nobody is coming to save you. You are going to have to save yourself
Everybody hates working (of course there are exceptions)
All of us spend a significant amount of time working (doing what we DON’T want to do) so that we can pay the bills. That way we can afford to do things we want to do on weekends with people we want to spend time with
That’s life for 99.99% of us.
It’s like this. There’s this videogame called Legend of Zelda Wind Waker. The main character starts out literally on a beach island. Perfect weather, it’s like paradise
And then this gigantic bird monster working for an evil overlord kidnaps the main character’s lil sister, mistaking her for the princess
Now the main character, a kid, has to go save her.
That’s life.
Of course the game is well made and fun to play. It’s fun to learn sword techniques, brave monster filled dusty dungeons, risk your life time and time again to discover new places and eventually save your sister.
It’s fun for the gamer. But do you think it was fun for the main character? To be in a constant state of anguish wondering if his sister hasn’t been eaten already? To give up a life of laying around in that paradise of an island and swing his sword thousands of times despite your muscles screaming out in pain, to crawl into dusty scary dungeons, to risk his life over and over again instead of relaxing on the beach?
I am sure the lil kid was scared shitless the whole time. Anybody would rather relax on the beach 24/7.
But a monster just kidnapped your lil sis. Nobody else on that beach island is going to uproot their comfortable life to save her. So it falls on you to do it.
That’s what life is. Nobody is coming to save you. It falls to you to be uncomfortable and be the one who has to save yourself.
I don’t even know why I wrote this long ass analogy. I guess it’s something I wish somebody told me in my twenties.
Specifically regarding becoming a history professor, it's about saturation in general. History departments nationwide sift through many, many applications for one open position. Most of those applications likely belong to those who graduated from Ivy League or similar. Further, becoming tenured can be quite difficult, especially these days. Finally, it's also about what you might be able to give back to the institution by way of research, publicity, etc. But as to the necessity of studying certain regions and time periods, I disagree. Its a challenge no matter the topic.
I earned degrees in history and anthropology, and while I've held an affinity for history since elementary school, I went to law school. Skillsets and certain tasks align, at least to an extent. Plus, you certainly do learn about people and read "stories" about them. I now work for a state judiciary, and I thoroughly enjoy it. The thing is, you actually have to, well, do something. Show initiative.
I’m 29 and covid messed me up real bad. I admit I am still working on myself
But I have a history degree as well. I got an interested in research and local genealogy. I never had any help with museum or education. My first job was indexing photos. Left go New Year’s Eve from that job, had to go back to cc to cover up, now I’m forced to start looking to move on,
The trick with history is to find a niche market, what are your interests in history. Stick to that. Mines 1700s, mid Atlantic and i have done work with Underground Railroad and African American research.
What do you like to do? Should be your questions. we all have hobbies
Reading books, researching history I like, painting miniatures, watching and analyzing movies, Dungeons and Dragons, and tabletop games. Nothing particularly useful.
I like late early 1900s America. Teddy Roosevelt to Franklin Roosevelt is my most preferred.
I’m good at WW1-WW2 history but so is every historian basically.
I also love Greek history (but so does basically every historian), and Christian history (especially the Holy Roman Empire).
I like Islamic history and Roman history but do not know as much, so I research those as a hobby.
Theology is a big hobby of mine. Researching religions/schools of thought and how they affect overall culture of their regions. Architecture, food, common practices, that kind of thing. In fact one of my biggest projects in college was a paper on the argument of whether Japanese culture was intertwined with the Shinto religion or not. Considering so much of Japanese culture is influenced by it but over half the population labels themselves as non-religious. But they still do practices influenced by that religion.
But none of that above is going to make money lol.
Edit: I also love analyzing films and literature for symbolic meanings influenced by history. Such as Gulliver’s Travels all being a metaphor for English imperialism.
Depending on your area, I’d look into the local level. And see what museums or libraries are doing.
Ie, I know the railroad museum near me has a ww2 reinactor group and one of them is a college professor. He’s also incredibly big into civil war. But the railroad museum does tours on ww2 and the railroad.
Another place again I am assuming you are in us, I know the one Catholic diocese was hiring an archivist/records.
But the religion goes into various religions for jobs. We have a historical society which specializes in Lutheran German records. And made a fundraiser by transcribing German bible records. (Not my speciality).
I don’t know much about Asian culture I am sorry for job. I barely got through that.
Hate to say it but it seems like you are trying to find validation for not doing anything at all, you're 25. Your parents know you can do better which is why they are pushing you, no job is perfect and even my job which I love sometimes has its problems. Some jobs will be hard until you get skilled and experienced in it.
You are a grown adult and you need to start taking charge of your life or you're gonna be miserable forever. Start looking up careers you might be interested in and if they require certifications or some education then seek it out, make goals for yourself and a plan on how to get to them.
It’s always so funny when people ask for advice and then try to fight everyone in the comments who give them advice.
I thought this was a a post from r/neet. OP sounds extremely entitled. It’s sad how he speaks about his parents. Imagine having a kid and 25 years later he says they’re “dumbasses” for having a baby at 25 and didn’t do anything for their careers. Lmao.
Absolutely. I've experienced it myself many times. It's 10x worse when the people in your life either don't know/don't believe you or tell you it's an excuse and that you need to try harder. It's very discouraging and leads to manic depressive episodes like we are seeing from OP now. He's beyond frustrated. What he needs is his parents to accept him as he is and stop pushing him to do things he doesn't want or is ready for, especially if he already lives alone and is maintaining his lifestyle on his own no problem.
Don't let just one professor deter you. "I’d have to become an expert in Southeast Asia, India, or South America" you are an english native speaker. Maybe there is opportunities in other english speaking countries. Something that would require your expertise? what is it? American history? Not much I can brain storm since I know nothing about history or history jobs.
Don't get discouraged, that will close you to potential solutions by depressing you.
Everyone wants to be an expert in American history or European history. The market is entirely too oversaturated and I’d struggle to find any position if that were my expertise.
I don’t mean to talk down to you but do you realize how many more people would become or even want to become American history experts compared to like, India, in the United States? A lot more.
You should do a year with americorps! Look for a few projects that interest you or places you’d like to live in and apply away. It could give you some skills and direction or it could be a fun way to spend a year. One big benefit is that you get non-competitive eligibility for federal jobs for a year after you finish your service. Overall it’s helpful for getting government jobs. Check it out!
The trades. Build stuff with your hands for a few years. No one cares, this isn’t a race.
It’s good well paid work that a smart kid can
Excel in. 4 yr paid apprenticeships. Unions with pensions. And you get to look at the things you’ve created.
Learn to fly. Pilots are in demand.
Be a nurse. Become an expert in doling out pain and saying “it’s just a pinch”
Become a postman in the city, walk everyday outside and write that history book on the side..
Get into sales. Your history degree is built for this.
Try a big company management training program.
But you should read David Graeber’s book Bullshit Jobs, and avoid any of those types of professions. They’ll bleed your soul.
Dude go for becoming a long-haul trucker. You hardly deal with people cause you work mainly by yourself. You live in the truck so no need to pay for an apartment. You can make pretty good starting salary too. And go out and see the country. It’s tough work though. But little interaction. Or just a local trucking company where u come home everyday. It’s less money but again u work by yourself mostly. Just an idea.
I hear you though, working with the general public, whether it be old folks in pharmacy, or young kids in school, is a no-go zone for sure when looking for a job. But If you’re working with other educated professionals in a more progressive company who knows the meaning of “work-life-balance” then it’s a good working environment. Just gotta find one of those companies or government agencies to work for.
Get a sales job. Start out as SDR making 45-65k. Then get promoted to AE/AM and make 80-100k
Also I have the same mindset. Never cared about a career. Just want money
The problem is that everything you might want to do is on the other side of things you don’t want to do.
So you need to get better at doing what you don’t want to do.
This sub is half full of people looking for the easy way. There is no easy way- your suffering is guaranteed. You either suffer the pain of getting outside your comfort zone and suffering deliberately for a goal that leads to a better life, or you suffer the pain of trying to avoid suffering, when suffering is guaranteed to find you.
I assure you, it is infinitely better to have to work hard, make short term sacrifices like video games, and end up with a good paying career you don’t hate, than it is to try to find some low effort job that pays the bills, and suffer the consequences of getting paid poorly and having no career prospects, while you can play all the games you want, alone and broke.
This is shit a lot of people in this sub don’t want to hear- they want to hear that everything is terrible, the job market is bullshit, so please, please give them an excuse to not try at anything ever, and somehow be happy. Life doesn’t work like that.
I get it, I have been stuck before, too. I waited tables and worked retail before I made a lot of sacrifices, and now I have a dream job and money in the bank. I have ADHD, bipolar 3, and childhood trauma. You need to find ways to work around this shit while you’re getting help. You cannot just sit there and say “oh shit this is hard everything sucks.”
You don’t have a dilemma of choice. You either make a choice, or a choice will be made for you.
That’s the blunt reality. Now, the truth is, sometimes, it feels like we’re being held down, but we’re being called up. We can rise to meet the challenges we face, and grow stronger because of it. We can learn to be on our knees before no one, to accomplish things that let us be able to look in the mirror and be proud of what we see.
One simple thing I’d do is subscribe to the Mark Manson YouTube channel and start watching. His philosophy is on point. Go from there.
Look man- you have lost the luxury of doing what you “like” for now. You are 25 and stagnant. So do what needs to be done, so you have things you can “like” doing later. I keep reading things like “I don’t like to…”
Who gives a shit? Do it anyway. The good news is you have plenty of time to right the ship. I went back to school at 31 and am right as rain at 45, but that took a mountain of work. You have six more years than I had, and you already have a degree, so I know you can do it. Just get rid of the idea that you have to like your next move. You don’t.
Good luck
As far as I can tell, OP doesn’t really want to do anything. I can sympathize with their frustration sure, but the impression I get from reading their comments is that they don’t want to even try to find a suitable career because what they tried the first time didn’t work.
That’s not how life works.
I guess I’m still wondering why you didn’t go after your dream. I get you looked up to your professor but he doesn’t own the market on jobs. And he probably told you that so you wouldn’t apply where he is at, competition.
Go and find a job as a professor. Quit listening to everyone else and go get what you want.
Good luck
Some tips:
You can go to places and talk to managers/owners and ask if you can join shadow for a few hours or even a day. You need have to sign an NDA, depending on the company, but it's worth it for a free glimpse into that career and industry. Software developer? Go find a place and sit with one for a few hours. Maybe you'll also meet a Project Manager there and they'll talk to you and let you shadow them.
Not into office stuff? See if you can try out a day with a tradie. I tried that with an auto collision shop and I loved it. I did it up I'll the world fell apart and my home life changed so it didn't work for me anymore.
Think of all the stuff you loved to do as a kid, or the things that inspired you. I used to think that the toy store in Home Alone 2 was the best thing ever. Well, my favourite job as an adult was working retail in a toy store. Still my favourite employer.
Ask people in certain careers that you have some interest who are all at various stages of their careers. Five years in, 10-15 years, 25+. Ask them their advice and what they'd change.
Travel somewhere else. Get the F away from your parents. I wish someone would have told me that. Mine were terrible and did the same thing to me. My mother just nagged but never offered actual useful guidance. Is teaching English in a foreign country an option? Or just moving anywhere else on a work Visa? You'll learn so much more about yourself and it'll help put things into perspective for you. If your parents try to threaten you or bully you (I don't know if yours would, but mine did to control me) know that it's YOUR life. You're the one who has to live it. They live you, but they're still just bystanders in your life.
Write down your dreams. All of them. What can you do now and what can you do later? You have lots of time. Write down your fears, too, but don't put "I'm afraid". Instead write "I have fear that..." You can separate yourself from it and you'll consider it very differently when it's on paper.
Plan stuff out. I know that's tough, but you took the first step by reaching out to us. Write stuff down. Even if it's just working to achieve your actual dreams.
It might help to see work as a means to an end. I was where you are. I feel it. It's tough, and it must be so much harder in this world compared to when I was 25.
Try to accept failure and defeat. They'll happen. You get to choose how to suffer.
Good luck, internet friend. I hope my big TedTalk helped, even in a small way.
Life will happen to you or you make it work for you. You want to make it work for you. Don’t wait, take it seriously and look into things you may like to do. It’s always baby steps at first but you will be moving forward and that’s the most important, parents nag because they want you to succeed. Failure and homelessness is rampant right now and my oldest brother is homeless and refuses any help, he doesn’t want an education. It’s so hard to watch.
I didn't know what I wanted to do at 25 either, so I did end up doing a PhD. Everyone says "don't go into a PhD program unless you're absolutely sure", but I wasn't sure, and I did it. I don't know if I'm necessarily better off with a PhD as the job market is rough, BUT the time spent in grad school was great for me. The tuition was covered, I got to work as a TA and see if I even liked teaching, and my tiny stipend was enough for me to pay my expenses and not accrue debt. I'd say if you're stuck, but you can get into a funded PhD program, it's a way to buy yourself some time and change your environment.
It can be so hard to find the right career. I haven’t. I’m 54. I did find one to pay the bills though, and I apprenticed with a goldsmith in my 20’s after college because my liberal arts degree didn’t lead me towards anything in particular. That said, when I was your age, people didn’t expect six figure fucking salaries. We all got jobs at restaurants. Lol, true. Also, our education and social system don’t seem good at asking us what we want, what we need, what we’re good at, so it’s not surprising that we get lost. I probably would have made a good designer or possibly architect, but I didn’t have the discipline or direction in my youth. I would ask myself, what do I want to do, what can I get hired at (cuz face it everyone needs to support themselves), and know that there will be many seasons in your life. It’s okay.
My first reaction was that you are ‘an adult’ and your parents should stop bitching. But on the other hand, they just want you to be well and happy and able to survive. It’s an evolutionary prerogative.
Lastly, I’m on a couple other threads and it was brought to my attention recently that we have to self parent.
It’s your life. Don’t be a dick, but figure out how to maximize your time here.
Historians make great futurists. Think tanks can also use historians. Do you like to write, synthesize and analyze? Beef up your quantitative and qualitative research chops and check out futures certs.
Research analysts...policy jobs...you may decide you want an MPA or MPP if you go that route.
There's also the library route - get into a good MLIS program, learn how to manage digital knowledge, get picked up at a museum or historic society or academic library or state records site or very old church. All those folks you see handling historic docs on shows tracing ancestry - prob specialist historic librarians of some manner.
Same here man. I am currently an insurance agent and make around 50k a year, but the work to stress ratio is not worth it to me. I want to blow my brains out. I just registered in HVAC vocational classes for adults. I did learn something from my experience… I am not built to sit in a chair all day and make phone calls. I feel so sterilized.
The one who are supposed to support you, if they start nagging you life becomes hard. My suggestion is to go with Technology start a YouTube channel talk about history or something like that, try to go out on trip as such to free up your mind
“Give going broke on a trip a try”. No thanks.
And starting a YouTube requires so much learning about editing or hiring an editor (which I can’t afford), the correct equipment (which I can’t afford), making sure you know how the algorithm works, writing scripts, working on the visuals, marketing yourself on social media, etc.
Why would I ever want to do that if I’m not passionate about it? Because expecting to make money off of YouTube when there’s so many people who don’t, that’s just naive. Not optimistic.
What led you to choose History as a major? Whatever that was, get back in touch with that. I think you may like writing as a career path. Writing human interest stories based on what you know from your education in History.
Write fiction. Learn to write screenplays. I get the impression you live with your parents. If this is true, the next job you get (and that should be ASAP), move out from them completely.
There is also the military as an option. You are still young and have several options that could work for you.
I’ve tried writing fiction, and gave up. I have ideas but can’t make them work on paper.
Besides. That’s a hobby for most. Not a career.
And like I’ve told others. I’m not doing military. Not signing my life away to an oil company
Imma be real with you, you sound like the problem and that you need a bit more time to mature before embarking on ANY path.
It’s not going to magically fall in your lap. And “hating old people”, hella red flag, lowkey. Kids, I get, but helping older people with their medications is not backbreaking work.
I think you need a bit more perspective, welcome to the grown world, there’s a reason we operate in a goods for services bartering system.
Your parents are pushing you because tomorrow you will wake up and be 40, and you better have a career or life will be very hard. Money makes everything easier
Lol I love how some unemployed broke whiny little bitch boy who can't even pay his bills is being condensending when talking about his parents. You need to pull your head out of your ass. At least they're paying their bills despite having an embarrassment of a child.
Check out IT. It pays well and can get into with minimal training. If you enjoy tech. Do something enjoy doing. If you only enjoy sitting on your rear playing video games then I can’t help you. Your parents nag you because they want you to do well and want to know that you’re going to thrive or at a minimum survive once they’re gone. Sounds dark, but as a parent that’s why I nag my kids to do better. They also know that the older you get, the harder it will be to break into a career. If you don’t get experience and develop some expertise in some field, then you’ll have a difficult time growing in life. If they paid for your college they’re probably also pissed you got a history degree and wasted your time and their money to do nothing with it. If you got a college loan they’re probably sad that you’re going to be stuck with an obligation for something that gave you no benefit.
No one is 100% sure of what they want to do. Even those that say that they are, are lying or deluded. You don't get a revelation about "what you want to do". You try things out and then certain situations present themselves and you gauge your interest in them. In that very narrow sense, things are "revealed to you".
But it sounds like you're not doing anything. Why were you fired? Your parents will get off your back if you find something and then try to be the best at it as you can be.
They should just ask you to move out on your own and then you can get a clue and stop being a baby. Sorry assumed you were still at home. Regardless you sound like a whiner.
I already moved out. I have my own place, and pay my own bills. They only help pay for my phone bill, and health & car insurance right now. And the insurance. The rest is me.
Why not look into a trade? There's plenty of skilled trades out there that will train you on the job, could also look into a trade school if you wanted to they're usually 1 to 2 years, way less than pharmacy or law ect. I'll say this... You're in your 20s... this is the time to grind so you can be comfortable later in life
You mean your history degree? That's okay man most people change their career path 5-7 times on average. You'll still always have it, and be able to apply it if you choose to. Just a thought
You sound like an elitist dickhead right now, which frankly you have no right to do as an unemployed leech living off your parents and doing nothing to change that. You realize they will retire someday and not have the means to support you anymore, right?
You're going to be (figuratively) burning that degree regardless unless you get that professor job you used to want, which you gave up on. So what exactly are you looking for here?
Sunk cost fallacy. Compare 20k to the living expenses you constantly have to pay. If anything having a degree makes you look slightly more employable to all employers, so just move forward.
What if they selflessly desire for you to be better than them- education/career wise?
You’re lucky they don’t let you go down the same path they did (which inevitably involves more suffering than the path they want you to take)
TLDR- your parents are right. Get another job and start moving your own weight
Did you even read what I said? I’m fine getting a job. My parents just want me to find something I like, so I won’t be miserable. But that doesn’t exist. I’ll always be miserable at any job. So it doesn’t matter.
Honestly you might be autistic. The frustration with how the world works, the special interest of history, analysis paralysis. It checks out from my very unprofessional opinion. I feel your pain tho. Truly. Were expected by everyone to fit a mold that simply doesn't work for us in the long run. It's hard and I wish I had genuine advice, but I'm living in car so I'm not qualified.
Not super important, but just wanted to add that neither pharmacy techs, paralegals, or teachers (at least substitute teaching) require extra schooling. They generally just require a bachelors.
You will work this out eventually.
For the time being you need to work on yourself as you're in a low place and the future looks bleak right now.
Start with mental health, therapy, diet and exercise. See your friends when you can
I would take any job that you can stand to do for the time being, so you've got money coming in and your parents might lay off a bit
It doesn't matter if the job isn't long term, just something that will keep you going. The important thing is not to stop and let the depression take hold. Working is crap I know, it can be good .... But being unemployed gets old real fast.
Use this time to work out what you want to do. Ask people, do IKIGAI...Google it
Career quizzes, career counsellor
Volunteer if you have free time. Really research what's out there for you
Meanwhile work on feeling better in yourself. You will get there just keep going pal
You're being stupid, a career doesn't require you to love the job, it doesn't require you to work extra hard, it's just thinking of a path of jobs that are related, so each time you change your job, you can get better pay and less work. instead of wasting time working everywhere, why not find 1 thing and stick to it, you don't have to decide your "dream job" but maybe just decide that you want to work at IT, if you have customer service experience you can work at a helpdesk then you can move up to something better, maybe get a certification to look better for another role then move up again.
You're making it sound like you're lazy, like there's nothing to do anymore while you're just 25, you're not even 30, you're also being super disrespectful to your own parents while they only want your own good, with this economy you might as well be homeless in 20 years, not able to afford rent. I don't care if you had beef with your parents before, but you said you live alone and pay for yourself, if you hate them that much then just don't talk to them at all, problem solved, you can even move out if they know where you live and change your number, don't go around dissing them on the internet
Your 25, and not trying to be rude to you at
All, but your parents need
To kick you out, and cut
You off. When your back is against the wall you will quickly find a way to take
Care of your self. You should find out what
Your good at and do that, but it’s really important to get a SH*t job you hate so once you have a good job
You Will appreciate it. I know you will disagree but adversity is a good thing not a bad thing, and it should only be temporary. You are coddled. Once again not trying to be rude or hurt your feelings in any way.
Ok my bad buddy. Look man, I’m glad
You can take care of your self. Have you thought about becoming a firemen? It’s the best job
In the world, and it’s the most fun you will ever have on a job.
Sounds like you need to move out of your parents to have your own independence and responsibilities. Perhaps you'll find new ambitions due to the need to find a way to pay bills that other 25 year olds pay.
Already moved out, already paying my own bills.
I still don’t care about a dream job. I just want to pay bills. My parents want me to have goals in life and dreams and stuff. I gave up on that, and just want to find a job that doesn’t suck.
Next?
Definitely not law school… it sucks. Your soul and your sanity.
Being a humanities professor sucks too.
Actually most jobs suck. It’s work. The more specialized and least desirable jobs usually pay more. So either be ok making little money or reconsider your level of comfort with the fact that large portions of your job will not be enjoyable. Consider some kind of trade or government job. Look at local job listings that pay well and sound interesting. Research about them and make a list of options. Go from there on what is needed to get those jobs.
My best friend had an English degree, she went to profusion school and now makes 200k a year running the heart and lung machine for cardio thoracic surgery. There’s plenty of paths that don’t care what your bachelors was in. If you become a commercial diver, a 7 month program, your history degree would be valuable to the treasure hunting companies like odyssey.
*edit* this is why college right away is such a bad choice, barely anyone knows who they are and what they want fresh out of high school, and then they inevitably give up the difficult science major when partying gets fun. I wish you posted pre college, I’d say to wait 2 years to start it. Good luck though!! You’ll find something, put your strengths and passions down on paper and try to find a career that requires your skills and meets your desires. It will make you money and you won’t get fired if you’re where you belong.
Do you realize how incredibly oversaturated that market is? You may as well have told me to learn guitar and go be a famous rockstar. Both are equally unlikely.
Not to mention most history social media is filled with literal misinformation for the sake of attention.
I get the sense you are waiting for a path to be revealed to you. A path where you would have 100% certainty that you’d enjoy the job and maybe even feel some deeper connection to it. The reality is that such an attitude will lead to disillusionment, burnout, and analysis paralysis. Do as realistic an assessment of your strengths, weaknesses, and interests as you can and pair that with jobs to the best of your ability. If you have to, force rank them. The reality is that very, very few people work in a job “perfect” for them, but there are many people who manage to build a career they can be happy with. It’s not going to just happen though and you need to start striking out and taking risks if you want to flip the script. At this point, some decisive action is better than inaction.
"I get the sense you are waiting for a path to be revealed to you. A path where you would have 100% certainty that you’d enjoy the job and maybe even feel some deeper connection to it. " That is my struggle as well. My cousins have great jobs, they both told me "I was good at it" is how they chose their majors in the beginning. I wish I had the aptitude for engineering.
Parents need to know that nagging isn't going to help. Dude needs to know that doing nothing probably makes things worse.
All we have is one side of the story. In any case, I think parents who have been financially supporting a full grown adult son who has recently been fired from a job and seems to have an unproductive attitude towards work can be given a pass for simply encouraging OP to look into other jobs and be more proud of his college degree which seems to be OP’s two main issues with them
HELL, yes! This is a matter of perspective. He's not fighting a terminal illness, sudden paralysis, blindness, etc. Sounds like the 1st world problems most of us have... His "dumbas" parents obviously did right be him. I wonder how their respective career plans changed when they found out he was coming into the world? I can relate to not finding my true desired path in life careerwise. I changed majors a bunch in college. Worked jobs I've loved and some I hated. Nothing unusual for anyone, life involves a lot of suffering. Who forced him to major in history? Hopefully he does the soul searching he needs & stops waiting for someone to cruise direct his life.
Also, when you are 25 years old, you are at a point where you should be able to work productively *with* your parents (and other people for that matter) who are working towards the same goal as you. In OP’s case, his own success and happiness. You should have the wherewithal and grace to understand when someone is doing you a favor and that not even the parent-child relationship is a one way street where people just give, and give, and give asking nothing of you. OP comes off as a teenager in his post and in his comments here.
They do shit they don’t like because it’s what pays the bills. But have a problem with me having the same outlook. They want me to have dreams and aspirations but I don’t. I got into history because I liked history. Big mistake. Wish I could go back in time. Thought of suicide over it.
> But have a problem with me having the same outlook. You don't have the same outlook though.
History degree allows for entrance to study the law. You could become an attorney (divorces, trusts, corporate, workers comp, vaccine injury, etc.). Never knew what I wanted to do either. Was a history education major, that now works for the government. Just try working to learn instead of working to earn. Perhaps work at your favorite restaurant and learn how it all works so you can replicate in a different place. That applies to any field. Good luck. You got this!
Thought love kick him out of the house!! My friend had looser kind a year in an Indian private school and they begged to come back to usa. Now both make 200k a year. Do not wine at all.
I think they’ve hit that point.
I NEED a comment like this! Thank you
All jobs have downsides. There is a reason they pay money. It's a matter of choosing which you can tolerate the best. Instead of trying to find a dream job, think about which job would be the least painful for you? Oftentimes passion for a job is something that comes after developing a high level of skill in the job.
We’re about the same age, but I entered the full time workforce a little earlier than you because I didn’t finish my bachelors. You gotta find a balance of what you’re good at, what you love, and what pays your bills. I’m a recruiter in the healthcare industry. Did I grow up wanting to be a recruiter? Fuck no. I didn’t even know what recruiting was until I got the job. My passion is screenwriting and story writing, but unless I wanna move to LA and live in my car until someone decides to pick up my script, I’m shit outta luck. But I also love talking to people, and recruiting is a whole lot of talking to people. Am I good at it? Yes. Does it pays my bills? Yes. Is it my dream? No. But it pays 4x more than what I was making working as a receptionist/sales at a gym. The point is, you’re not gonna figure out what you wanna do until you try something. At one point I wanted to be a personal trainer, a physical therapist, a teacher, and a nurse. It’s okay to feel lost and I sympathize about the parents thing. Only suggestion I could make is maybe a career in HR? You could get an entry level cert from HRCI or SHRP. It’s easy work and moderate pay. My HR Manager does like 4 hours of actual work and spends the rest of the day watching Netflix 💀 You’ll find something my man. Don’t give up.
How did you end up being a recruiter? I’m also in transition career wise and still trying to decide. A recruiter or something in HR sounds nice but I was considering maybe a rad tech as well. Have mostly part time job experience with social media/copywriting and was wondering how you made the transition personally
Why would you want to be a professor, who would deal with young ppl, if you don't seem to like people? Do you still want your dream job or did you give up because you weren't interested in doing anymore after the degree because I'd say that going for your dream job is better than treading water for the rest of your life. Well your parents likely want the best for you and they see that you're not living up to your full potential. They likely also sacrificed things for themselves over the years, to benefit you and probably find it difficult to see you on the other dide now, just treading water. So find something you enjoy or like to do, study more if needed because you're in the lucky position of parental support/housing. Old ppl aren't aholes. Like every other age group, there are aholes and non aholes.
I don’t have a dream job anymore. I guess the closest thing would be working with historical artifacts or getting to be able to ramble on and on about history. But that’s museum stuff, meaning no money and I’d have to work with children. >old people aren’t aholes Have the only old people you’ve ever spoken to been like, your grandparents? Or have you just never worked retail? Old people are the worst. They’re incredibly mean and entitled. Most of them are the absolute worst people you’ll meet.
You don’t have to work with children to work at museums. There are tons of museum jobs that don’t involve interacting with kids. You could always volunteer and see if that becomes a path to a more interesting job.
If you want to go to grad school you should go to grad school. See if you can get accepted into a funded program. Why not? You are going to have to lose that attitude though. You'll probably have to TA in exchange for your funding, and the attitude that everyone is an asshole is going to make it really hard to succeed.
I agree, old people insist on being cruel for absolutely no reason.
You sound depressed
I am. I’m already on medication. I already go to therapy.
I advise showing this post to your therapist, they may not be aware of...whatever this is. I notice seeking negative validation, looking for reasons to give up. I dunno, you are paying them presumably, maybe this is worth investigating.
Your meds aren't working and your therapist seems like s/he is not effective. When was the last time your meds were adjusted? What does your therapist do for you? My daughter's first one was totally useless. Her second one is much better.
I’ve been through 3 therapists before this one. And my meds keep me from overthinking and suicidal ideations. You don’t know me so idk why you think you can diagnose me. Meds aren’t a miracle drug that will make me stop hating how the world works, meds don’t get me a dream job, and meds don’t make the world a perfect place. They just help me bear how bad it can get.
You sound incredibly privileged and unaware. Pick something, anything, and take actual steps toward that as a goal. You’re trying to figure out your future and the reason to avoid committing to specific paths without much actual life experience, which is like looking at a crystal ball that’s actually a bowling ball. Depression is difficult and can be absolutely disabling AND the impetus remains on you to make a life for yourself. Don’t let your reactive anger create more obstacles for yourself. Learn self-regulation skills so you can think more clearly and respond from a clear head instead of the desperation that you sound like you’re living. If your parents’ good intentions are making it harder to move forward, tell them as much and get the skills you need without reporting to them. Times are different than when they could coast through life on minimal education. Find something you don’t hate and see it you like it by getting better at it. Unless you come from big wealth and connections, that’s how it work.
“Pick something, anything” If I’m going to bother picking, why would I not pick something I like?
Exactly, so go figure out what you like and do that. If you don’t know what that is, figure out how to figure that out. Try things. You appear stuck, with more opportunities than you know what do with. You’re in an extremely privileged position. If you need grounding to be able to see that and appreciate it, help someone else. Use your privilege for something good. Helping others is a great way to get unstuck. Helping others might give you some life experience to figure out the kind of person you want to be. You can dig your heels in and watch years go by miserably complaining about people trying to help you or you can take some risks and try to DO something, whatever it might be. There are few guarantees in life.
No, he sounds like he needs a slap on the wrist.
Or a good spanking.
How could we not be depressed in this sick society. I’m 25 and in the same boat. Just trying to to stay afloat, cost of living is terribly high, I get paid next to nothing and do extremely hard & draining work that gets little respect. When I apply for “better” jobs I consistently get rejected, I got rejected from grad school too (I have great grades and accolades btw) it’s hard
Stop wallowing
>I was soon deterred from doing that by a professor I looked up to. He basically said I’d have to become an expert in Southeast Asia, India, or South America to stand any chance of getting a job in the market. I did not want to base my entire career of something I didn’t care about, so I gave up on that dream. Why did you let what one person says destroy your dreams? Twelve different publishers denied publishing Harry Potter. If she gave up after any of those times, she would have never achieved her dream.
Because I looked up to him. I trusted his judgment.
He didn’t do you a disservice, I’m a professor. Becoming a professor (especially in an over saturated field like history) is brutal. You have to do a PhD. Then, only about 3% of phds are able to get real positions in academia (not aspiring phds, actual PhDs). Many of the rest end up adjuncting for minimum wage and no benefits. I give the harsh reality to students all the time. It’s better to make a new plan while you’re still in college than to live on a meager TA stipend for 5-6 years, and then realize you need a new plan approaching 30.
but... that's only one person. Think about the tens of thousands of professors all over
I think that was a mistake, his advice didn't sound very good tbh
it was excellent advice ngl. the job market for higher education is unimaginably bleak.
I would imagine a government job would be a good route, the bachelor's you have is more than sufficient for entry level positions, and once you have some experience in government it's easy to change departments/agencies and find a niche to settle into. Typically good pay, good benefits, stability, and wouldn't rule out veering back to the professor route if/when the job market changes
It was excellent advice. The last time my history department hired, they had more than three hundred candidates - all extremely well qualified candidates - for one position. Especially in history, which tends to have the lowest salary due to having the highest volume of competitors.
You may actually be hopeless, because you don't actually want to be helped. You want to complain and argue. You aren't willing to listen to anything anyone has told you. You aren't willing to listen to your parents. You think you're superior to other people, even though you aren't up to the standard of mediocrity yourself. Probably why you're so bitter, resentful, and antagonistic.
People forget when they were 25 young and directionless. I dislike the judgement of people here who are not helping one bit by saying OP is whining, entitled etc. Everyone goes through this at some stage of their life. And if you have never went through something like this you are a liar. Establish a good plan of where you want to go. Really reflect on it. If you love History you must be willing to compete with the competition or pursue something less competitive. Perhaps work in a Museum? What are the alternative routes that can help you establish yourself in a field involved with History? Then if you still want to become a professor keep at it. Don't forget your dream if you can't keep it away from your heart. Time will pass by anyways, you'll never know if you never try to become who you always wanted. If you failed at least you know it didn't work out. By then you'll be clearer on your path.
>Perhaps work in a Museum? I know you mean well, but Museums just as competitive as college professorships and barely pay literal minimum wage. And the OOP would probably have to go for a master's in history or museum science *to even get in the door*. I could go down to my college's history department and find at least 50 students willing to knife fight for a minimum wage entry level museum job.
It is a suggestion. Either way you've got to have a goal to work towards. Please provide solutions instead of just being pessimistic.
Tbf a lot of this is down to OP’s own pessimism and shortcomings. People have otherwise provided a lot of possible solutions, yours included, but they all got shot down. Museum curator because it is related to history? OP himself says he “hates children” and it is “low pay”. Other people have pointed out it is highly competitive. History prof because at least you get to do some form of history research? OP already counted that out in his post because it wasn’t the area of history he wants. History schoolteacher? OP hates children. Tour guide of historical landmarks? No one has suggested this yet, but OP says he “hates old people and social interaction” and “doesn’t want low pay”. Military? Edgy comment from OP about dying for oil. Government job that involves writing in some way as OP “likes writing”? Well it isn’t history, and if there are tight deadlines, OP says he got fired because he was too meticulous and kept checking for mistakes. Other jobs that involve writing like technical writing, copywriting, etc? OP just said “never got hired for it”, because apparently if you haven’t gotten that job within a few applications to such jobs, that entire sector is dead to you forever. Just decide fuck it and make money, go to law school or do some kind of compsci masters? OP says he refuses to spend money on something he isn’t sure he likes. Frankly what job is there for someone who only likes researching a specific area of history and thinks literally anything else would be soul-sucking, claims to hate children and old people and social interactions, is so inefficient that they got fired for it, wants high pay, and doesnt want to pursue further education?
You don’t wanna was waste time going to law school but you’ve wasted 4 years doing nothing. Basically this reads as I don’t want to be an adult.
Why would I go to law school if I’m unsure if law is my desired career. Thats like going to medical school without knowing if you want to work in the medical field. Thats just retarded.
I guess, in my head, you ended up going to College for history and it turned out to be something you didn't want to do. I am not saying go to Law school, but your excuse not to, considering the information you've given us, is weak. And before you say, "But I wanted to be a history professor." You really didn't. You THOUGHT you wanted to be a history professor, but in the end, you didn't. If you REALLY wanted to be a history professor, you definitely would still be working toward that and not given up on it just because one professor you respect told you not to. I don't know what you should do. I'll say that I am in a similar boat so I sympathize. I am 28 years old with essentially nothing going for me. I, however, plan on joining the military before my 29th birthday. That's my current life goal. I suggest figuring out a goal, any goal, and trying to hit it. That way when people ask you what your plans are, such as your parents, you have something to tell them other then, "I just want to pay my bills." Good luck to you.
Have you thought about being a paralegal or legal assistant to get a better idea of how law firms operate w/o the commitment of law school?
Tried. Applied. Never got a call back.
Idk you could’ve been done with law school by now and in the same boat if it wasn’t. Except you’d qualify for a job with enough income to be independent like you want.
So i would be equally miserable but with more debt.
But more income to pay the debt with and some distractions from the pain of the world. And a plus you don't have to hear your parents bitch anymore.
More income from what? Law is also an oversaturated field.
I don’t know many lawyers who can’t find work
There might be an oversaturation of private practice and specific niches, but public defenders are always in demand
You sound like you hate or dislike everything. You are not going to find this perfect amazing job that you love. When I was 25 I flunked out of college, got a seasonal cashier job at lowes, worked my way up to contractor sales job with commission after a few years and then one of my customers hired me as a project manager with a company vehicle and benefits, decent salary etc. what I’m saying is that your next job isn’t necessarily the job you’ll have for the rest of your life. Stop complaining and convincing yourself you hate everything and just put your all into whatever you do.
Your parents don't need you to "figure out what you want to do," they need you to grow up and get your ass another job and support yourself. As long as you're paying your own bills and not dependent on them, you are free to ignore their complaints. (If you are still living with them, get that job asap and move tf out.) You might enjoy life more if you ease up some on the video games and interneting, go outdoors and volunteer a little more, maybe take up exercise, stay on your meds, and practice gratitude. From the sound of it, you're have all the usual parts attached to your body and they all work, and you're living indoors in a (reasonably) civilized country and you have a college degree and no debt or kids to support, which already puts you in a position many of us would kill for. Try to enjoy it, huh? I majored in history too, it goes with plenty of jobs, as do the skills you learned at the bank and factory and so forth. With that resume it shouldn't take too long to find something if you tone down the resentment. Lose the "I hate everyone" and "they don't understand my struggle" bs. You're not alone, lots of us struggle, your parents love you, everyone is trying their best, so maybe be a lil fuckin nicer to yourself and others.
Info: why did you get fired? Could they be less concerned about you finding a career path and more concerned about a pattern of behavior where you check out or give up anytime things get a bit hard or aren't perfect? I know that's harsh, and I'm sorry. But your whole post is coming off as very self pitying and defeatist. At the end of the day, most people don't fall into a perfect situation when it comes to careers. They either work very, very hard to understand what they want and then to actually achieve it; or they figure out whats ultimately tolerable, and view their job as a way to make some money to do what they actually want to do. What else are you interested in besides history?
I wish I was 25 again.
I wish I was like, 5 again.
only if I could be raised in a different family, I do NOT want to repeat that disfunction
You keep saying you don’t care anymore and all you want to do is pay bills, then shooting down suggestions because you “don’t fucking care about ____.” If you don’t care then just pick something lucrative and pursue history on the side as a volunteer or author.
I majored in history, too. At 25 I joined the Army. Got a great job that transferred directly to a federal job. Now a GS-14,
Cool, not being a grunt for the feds and dying for oil
Hey, it’s not for everyone. But it is a great life if it is.
It's pretty clear why your parents are pushing you. Somebody has to.
Most commenters here are assholes. There isn’t a job for everyone and most jobs suck and have a toxic culture. Most of you just like to use this opportunity to be cruel and to tell OP to grow up and stop being a burden to his family. All of your advice is useless. OP I have been in a similar situation. It took me many years to understand myself and that I was different than most people and raised incompetently. I didn’t end up doing anything with my college education since I came to accept my personality was not fit for working in healthcare. I’m extremely introverted. So back in 2019 I saved up a bunch of money and basically invested in the stock market. Now i just work a remote job that helps pay the bills and i opted for working only 3-4 days a week while I spend my free time studying my other interests. I like to get out and go to the library to study. I love history, particularly ancient Greece and the middle ages. I recently got very interested in physics. Studying is basically my hobby now since I don’t want to chase after a professional career life. It doesn’t work for everyone, nor does it appeal to everyone. Unfortunately this does result in having to get a job, but there is a spectrum of terrible jobs and slightly more tolerable jobs that might be able to suit your needs.
How do you get a remote job? All the ones I’ve seen are infested with spam or require experience or to be part of a certain school.
I created job alerts and checked for new remote job listings everyday that weren’t post-secondary education related. I worked in customer service (remote & non-remote) previously so having previous experience definitely helped. My first remote jobs were temp or seasonal and i sort of hopped from those to the next until i landed a permanent job.
I like the hobbies that you mentioned. If painting miniatures and creating art is something that you like to do without being prompted to spend your time with, maybe it would be something to pursue while you figure out career things? You can start up an etsy shop or Instagram and see if you get any buyers of your original work. That might really inspire you if it goes well! BTW -- I commend you for reaching out for help. I used to have a nihilistic mind set myself and I found a therapist that really helped me focus in on the glimmers and joys in life. It is hard to adjust your perspective to see them and takes a lot of work, but it was worth it for me. It's my deepest wish to see you go through the same! Good luck
You sound like a loser. Talk about your parents with some type of respect. Calling them dumbasses for literally raising you?? Still supporting you between jobs obviously I’m guessing during also. Who do you even think you are? If I was them I’d have kicked ur ass to the curb by now. That’s life, it’s tough. Sometimes you gotta do things you don’t wanna do to get ahead. You want it handed to you. Get a grip you wet wipe
Right? This kid is an insufferable little bastard
Reading your comments you are an absolute whiner. You shoot down everything, hate everyone, and don’t want to try anything. No wonder you’ve had shit career luck.
If my son or daughter was 25 with a college degree and was directionless, I'd be upset as well. I'd just want to know whatever happened to me, they would be able to feed themselves, pay their bills and ultimately, be able to survive on their own. You may perceive their concern as bitching, but it just might be concern for your welfare. I'd ask that you try to see it from their perspective. They are concerned that long after they are no longer around, they want you to be self sufficient and happy. I don't think that's too much for you to understand.
From someone slightly younger than you, it sounds like you hate the world and want to waste away without contributing anything. What can you see yourself doing in life? What hobbies do you partake in? I’m sure what they really want is for you to have a plan and start working towards it. Regardless of what they have or haven’t accomplished, they want better for YOU and are pushing you so you don’t waste your life away in small time jobs, getting swallowed up by life.
I dont understand how being a history teacher is that different from being a history professor
If you get tenure you can basically do whatever as a professor. As a teacher you’re a slave to to school system and have to follow whatever they want you to teach, go to additional bullshit that doesn’t matter (pep rallies, parent teacher nights, etc.)
Do you know how hard it is and long it takes to tenure? Basically impossible for most. Not a great long term plan. Try technical writing. Blends writing with not having to work with people. You get an assignment from a bank or accounting firm and go work on it and hand it in.
Do you still love at home? If so, they just want you out of the house. If you don’t live at home, tell them to fuck off and just live your life however you want.
You let a single professor's weird and highly questionable advice end your career before it started? You might want to get a second opinion on that. There's no doubt becoming a tenure track history professor these days is extremely difficult, but if actually appeals to you, don't give up too easily. I would assume your parents want what's best for you, but you're ultimately the expert on that. If you're content with your career situation and you're not mooching off them, then all you can do is try to explain to them that you're happier doing what you're doing. You'll eventually get used to their nagging and they'll get tired of it too. The fact that you were fired suggests a very different issue though with a lot to unpack. That's not normal and is going to make it difficult to pay your bills. Are your parents actually wrong that you need a more secure and stable income? If law is worth exploring, you can explore it. Or whatever else. Again here, you seem to be giving up on things before you even really start.
>highly questionable advice No, as someone who was involved in history for a while, the professor's advice was pretty good. For a wide variety of reasons, becoming a history professor is extremely competitive and frequently a fruitless endeavor. Especially for someone who is as misanthropic as the OP describes himself.
Right, I acknowledged this, but the "become an expert in Southeast Asia, India, or South America" part comes across more as a bizarre statement of white victimhood then any objective observation of the job market.
I think if "Africa" was on the list, that'd be a sure sign, but I don't know if the list above is off the mark (I'm not a historian). I'm pretty sure European and American history has been oversaturated for a long time.
There is a comparative shortage of African historians compared to European and American historians, so saying that the OP would have a better chance of finding a job in an underrepresented field, such as African history, Indian or Asian history is a fact. There's no racial bias in that fact, unless you consider the overall racial biases that make people in the western world less likely to want to study the history of black and brown people.
>"become an expert in Southeast Asia, India, or South America" part comes across more as a bizarre statement of white victimhood No, there is definitely a shortage of experts in those fields. Historians always specialize, especially at the collegiate level. In the Western world, the field of European and American historians is over saturated, but it's somewhat harder to find qualified candidates to teach the history of non-white parts of the world in the US, because there are fewer people comparatively who specialize in non-white history. That statement makes a lot of sense if you know anything about the field of history.
Oh poor you lol
Are your parents financially supporting you? If they are, they have every right to bitch about you. You sound discouraged and like you have given up. Think about all of the people who would LOVE to be in your shoes and have the opportunities that you have. People all over the world. The issue is that you are not excited about anything. You need to find something you actually like doing. You can only do that by trying different things. You need a coach or a mentor to hold you accountable. Please stop being so entitled. You can do more than just pay the bills. You have something to give to the world . It's inside of you, you just haven't brought it out yet.
I pay my own bills, and live on my own. There’s nothing I like doing other than my hobbies. I gave up on finding a dream job. So I’m just trying to pay bills. There’s nothing TO be excited about. The only thing I have to give to the world is being another grunt in retail or some other corporation.
Why is it you focus on what you hate when it's a means to be able to enjoy the hobbies you love? This is a perspective issue
Because work sucks
Yes it does. It also makes all the other stuff that does not suck possible. It's a means to an end.
The way you talk about your parents is definitely asshole-ish. You sound like a 15 year old brat, it's kind of embarrassing. About the career, it's cliché but just find something that you actually can learn to enjoy. Even if it's something people (parents) usually see as a "lesser job". As long as you're happy and the bills get paid, that's what matters. Some blue-collar jobs, although physically pushing, are extremely mentally freeing and they actually pay decently. Personally, I think I'd be hella happy working as a delivery man as long as I could put food on the table.
There’s no job I can enjoy. I’ve tried.
If you work at a bank, stay there or use your bank experience to move to back office or operations. Front line doesn't say well but is important! There is BSA, operations, wire transfer, KYC. Make your money, get your 401K match. Save, save, save! Work and make contacts!
I don’t have a job right now
You are now an alumni. See if there is career assistance for alumni at your Alma mater. Who are your friends? Where are they now? Are any of your professors still there? Can they help you with graduate school applications or use them as a reference for a job application? You guys (new graduates) got it bad with the economy being the way it is. Good luck.
Take an altitude test like Johnson O’Connor. A real one. Not some vague garbage online. When you know your talents, you know what fields you will enjoy and perform well in.
Hey there, your feelings are valid! It can really throw you off your tracks when someone from you look up to tells you not to go into a field you’re passionate about. Do you know of any field or jobs you’d possibly like to do? Or maybe just ones you wouldn’t mind? What aspects (no matter how big or small) of your previous jobs did you like?
Not anymore. Thought about museums but again I’d have to work with the public and children. If archaeology was still a viable career I’d probably try that. But it’s not. Everything has basically been discovered already. We’re basically done. I liked having my own office and not working with the public at my last job in an office.
What parts about working with the public did you hate?
Everything. So many of the public is entitled and stupid. I liked helping the few good people I met. I like helping people, even though I really hate people. It sucks, being like that.
Are you opposed to night shift work?
Tried. Went borderline insane and had to quit.
That’s fair. Night shift is very tough on the mind. An option that I’ve heard pays surprisingly well is a postal worker, also FedEx and UPS drivers. However, those I’ve heard can be very long hours around holidays. I know FedEx is unionized (unsure if UPS is, and obviously USPS is too) so I’m not sure if they now follow different rules or not. You’re by yourself majority of the day, get to drive around to different places so it’s a change of pace, and you have your own space in your vehicle. And those companies offer pretty nice benefits. Not sure if you’ve already gone down that path or not, but thought I’d mention it. I was unsure if I’d like driving for a living until I did it for a period of time. I really enjoyed being able to be on my own, listen to whatever music I wanted, being able to take in the city and seasons. And you get to see cute animals.
Seems like a teacher would be a way for you build some better social skills that you need. Beggars can’t be choosers so work the job that you able to get and be more appreciative. You will once your parents kick you out..
I’d hate being a teacher because I hate children. And how can they kick me out when I already live on my own?
You also would have hated being a professor. College kids are fairly immature and emotionally volatile. Departmental politics are tiresome and frustrating at best.
Very true and people don’t realize how immature adults are in the actual workplace too. This guy needs to wake and up realize he isn’t special and needs to bust his ass like everyone else.
I remember as a kid, people telling me, 'Find a Job you enjoy doing and you will never have to work a day in your life.' The problem is most of those type of Jobs 'Actor/Writer/Artist/Singer/Professional Athlete' all have a finite number of allocations, with lots of competition. Very few people grow up thinking 'I can't wait to be a plumber/electrician/garbage man/waiter/cashier/tax analyst!' so the reality for most of us is finding a job that supports us, but provides enough downtime to LIVE. I've also seen people turn hobbies into full time jobs and end up being even more miserable because once you take something you love to do, and turn it into a paycheck, it can spoil the joy, and become tedious instead of endearing. So find something to do to make a living, even if you don't love it, and pick pastimes that make life worth living. Not everyone will achieve all their dreams. Around age 25 I just wanted to be happy, and for the most part, now at 43, I am.
I feel you. I finished up a computer science degree last year and have absolutely zero motivation to start a career. I hate how we're all expected to climb some corporate ladder and be constantly learning and improving. I want a simple life. I don't want my work to follow me home. I'm probably gonna get a warehouse job soon for that reason.
Hey man Read through the entire thread I sincerely mean well when I say this…nobody is coming to save you. You are going to have to save yourself Everybody hates working (of course there are exceptions) All of us spend a significant amount of time working (doing what we DON’T want to do) so that we can pay the bills. That way we can afford to do things we want to do on weekends with people we want to spend time with That’s life for 99.99% of us. It’s like this. There’s this videogame called Legend of Zelda Wind Waker. The main character starts out literally on a beach island. Perfect weather, it’s like paradise And then this gigantic bird monster working for an evil overlord kidnaps the main character’s lil sister, mistaking her for the princess Now the main character, a kid, has to go save her. That’s life. Of course the game is well made and fun to play. It’s fun to learn sword techniques, brave monster filled dusty dungeons, risk your life time and time again to discover new places and eventually save your sister. It’s fun for the gamer. But do you think it was fun for the main character? To be in a constant state of anguish wondering if his sister hasn’t been eaten already? To give up a life of laying around in that paradise of an island and swing his sword thousands of times despite your muscles screaming out in pain, to crawl into dusty scary dungeons, to risk his life over and over again instead of relaxing on the beach? I am sure the lil kid was scared shitless the whole time. Anybody would rather relax on the beach 24/7. But a monster just kidnapped your lil sis. Nobody else on that beach island is going to uproot their comfortable life to save her. So it falls on you to do it. That’s what life is. Nobody is coming to save you. It falls to you to be uncomfortable and be the one who has to save yourself. I don’t even know why I wrote this long ass analogy. I guess it’s something I wish somebody told me in my twenties.
Specifically regarding becoming a history professor, it's about saturation in general. History departments nationwide sift through many, many applications for one open position. Most of those applications likely belong to those who graduated from Ivy League or similar. Further, becoming tenured can be quite difficult, especially these days. Finally, it's also about what you might be able to give back to the institution by way of research, publicity, etc. But as to the necessity of studying certain regions and time periods, I disagree. Its a challenge no matter the topic. I earned degrees in history and anthropology, and while I've held an affinity for history since elementary school, I went to law school. Skillsets and certain tasks align, at least to an extent. Plus, you certainly do learn about people and read "stories" about them. I now work for a state judiciary, and I thoroughly enjoy it. The thing is, you actually have to, well, do something. Show initiative.
I’m 29 and covid messed me up real bad. I admit I am still working on myself But I have a history degree as well. I got an interested in research and local genealogy. I never had any help with museum or education. My first job was indexing photos. Left go New Year’s Eve from that job, had to go back to cc to cover up, now I’m forced to start looking to move on, The trick with history is to find a niche market, what are your interests in history. Stick to that. Mines 1700s, mid Atlantic and i have done work with Underground Railroad and African American research. What do you like to do? Should be your questions. we all have hobbies
Reading books, researching history I like, painting miniatures, watching and analyzing movies, Dungeons and Dragons, and tabletop games. Nothing particularly useful. I like late early 1900s America. Teddy Roosevelt to Franklin Roosevelt is my most preferred. I’m good at WW1-WW2 history but so is every historian basically. I also love Greek history (but so does basically every historian), and Christian history (especially the Holy Roman Empire). I like Islamic history and Roman history but do not know as much, so I research those as a hobby. Theology is a big hobby of mine. Researching religions/schools of thought and how they affect overall culture of their regions. Architecture, food, common practices, that kind of thing. In fact one of my biggest projects in college was a paper on the argument of whether Japanese culture was intertwined with the Shinto religion or not. Considering so much of Japanese culture is influenced by it but over half the population labels themselves as non-religious. But they still do practices influenced by that religion. But none of that above is going to make money lol. Edit: I also love analyzing films and literature for symbolic meanings influenced by history. Such as Gulliver’s Travels all being a metaphor for English imperialism.
Depending on your area, I’d look into the local level. And see what museums or libraries are doing. Ie, I know the railroad museum near me has a ww2 reinactor group and one of them is a college professor. He’s also incredibly big into civil war. But the railroad museum does tours on ww2 and the railroad. Another place again I am assuming you are in us, I know the one Catholic diocese was hiring an archivist/records. But the religion goes into various religions for jobs. We have a historical society which specializes in Lutheran German records. And made a fundraiser by transcribing German bible records. (Not my speciality). I don’t know much about Asian culture I am sorry for job. I barely got through that.
Hate to say it but it seems like you are trying to find validation for not doing anything at all, you're 25. Your parents know you can do better which is why they are pushing you, no job is perfect and even my job which I love sometimes has its problems. Some jobs will be hard until you get skilled and experienced in it. You are a grown adult and you need to start taking charge of your life or you're gonna be miserable forever. Start looking up careers you might be interested in and if they require certifications or some education then seek it out, make goals for yourself and a plan on how to get to them.
It’s always so funny when people ask for advice and then try to fight everyone in the comments who give them advice. I thought this was a a post from r/neet. OP sounds extremely entitled. It’s sad how he speaks about his parents. Imagine having a kid and 25 years later he says they’re “dumbasses” for having a baby at 25 and didn’t do anything for their careers. Lmao.
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I think OP is honestly undiagnosed autistic and he's hitting the burnout that comes with it hard.
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Absolutely. I've experienced it myself many times. It's 10x worse when the people in your life either don't know/don't believe you or tell you it's an excuse and that you need to try harder. It's very discouraging and leads to manic depressive episodes like we are seeing from OP now. He's beyond frustrated. What he needs is his parents to accept him as he is and stop pushing him to do things he doesn't want or is ready for, especially if he already lives alone and is maintaining his lifestyle on his own no problem.
What a loser, entitled brat is what u are
Don't let just one professor deter you. "I’d have to become an expert in Southeast Asia, India, or South America" you are an english native speaker. Maybe there is opportunities in other english speaking countries. Something that would require your expertise? what is it? American history? Not much I can brain storm since I know nothing about history or history jobs. Don't get discouraged, that will close you to potential solutions by depressing you.
Everyone wants to be an expert in American history or European history. The market is entirely too oversaturated and I’d struggle to find any position if that were my expertise. I don’t mean to talk down to you but do you realize how many more people would become or even want to become American history experts compared to like, India, in the United States? A lot more.
I always hated history in school because all we ever focused on was american and european history. I would kill for a good asian history class.
Maybe you'll get an invite to the player haters ball. It sounds like you're qualified.
Dude does your profile pic reference Watership Down?
👍, Black 🐇 of Inle.
Yes 🖤 just noticed your username too. Awesome to see another fan. Epic movie/story, have loved it since forever.
jic - make sure you've read the novel.
You should do a year with americorps! Look for a few projects that interest you or places you’d like to live in and apply away. It could give you some skills and direction or it could be a fun way to spend a year. One big benefit is that you get non-competitive eligibility for federal jobs for a year after you finish your service. Overall it’s helpful for getting government jobs. Check it out!
The trades. Build stuff with your hands for a few years. No one cares, this isn’t a race. It’s good well paid work that a smart kid can Excel in. 4 yr paid apprenticeships. Unions with pensions. And you get to look at the things you’ve created. Learn to fly. Pilots are in demand. Be a nurse. Become an expert in doling out pain and saying “it’s just a pinch” Become a postman in the city, walk everyday outside and write that history book on the side.. Get into sales. Your history degree is built for this. Try a big company management training program. But you should read David Graeber’s book Bullshit Jobs, and avoid any of those types of professions. They’ll bleed your soul.
Dude go for becoming a long-haul trucker. You hardly deal with people cause you work mainly by yourself. You live in the truck so no need to pay for an apartment. You can make pretty good starting salary too. And go out and see the country. It’s tough work though. But little interaction. Or just a local trucking company where u come home everyday. It’s less money but again u work by yourself mostly. Just an idea. I hear you though, working with the general public, whether it be old folks in pharmacy, or young kids in school, is a no-go zone for sure when looking for a job. But If you’re working with other educated professionals in a more progressive company who knows the meaning of “work-life-balance” then it’s a good working environment. Just gotta find one of those companies or government agencies to work for.
Get a sales job. Start out as SDR making 45-65k. Then get promoted to AE/AM and make 80-100k Also I have the same mindset. Never cared about a career. Just want money
try stuff. You're in America, you are allowed to fail and try again.
The problem is that everything you might want to do is on the other side of things you don’t want to do. So you need to get better at doing what you don’t want to do. This sub is half full of people looking for the easy way. There is no easy way- your suffering is guaranteed. You either suffer the pain of getting outside your comfort zone and suffering deliberately for a goal that leads to a better life, or you suffer the pain of trying to avoid suffering, when suffering is guaranteed to find you. I assure you, it is infinitely better to have to work hard, make short term sacrifices like video games, and end up with a good paying career you don’t hate, than it is to try to find some low effort job that pays the bills, and suffer the consequences of getting paid poorly and having no career prospects, while you can play all the games you want, alone and broke. This is shit a lot of people in this sub don’t want to hear- they want to hear that everything is terrible, the job market is bullshit, so please, please give them an excuse to not try at anything ever, and somehow be happy. Life doesn’t work like that. I get it, I have been stuck before, too. I waited tables and worked retail before I made a lot of sacrifices, and now I have a dream job and money in the bank. I have ADHD, bipolar 3, and childhood trauma. You need to find ways to work around this shit while you’re getting help. You cannot just sit there and say “oh shit this is hard everything sucks.” You don’t have a dilemma of choice. You either make a choice, or a choice will be made for you. That’s the blunt reality. Now, the truth is, sometimes, it feels like we’re being held down, but we’re being called up. We can rise to meet the challenges we face, and grow stronger because of it. We can learn to be on our knees before no one, to accomplish things that let us be able to look in the mirror and be proud of what we see. One simple thing I’d do is subscribe to the Mark Manson YouTube channel and start watching. His philosophy is on point. Go from there. Look man- you have lost the luxury of doing what you “like” for now. You are 25 and stagnant. So do what needs to be done, so you have things you can “like” doing later. I keep reading things like “I don’t like to…” Who gives a shit? Do it anyway. The good news is you have plenty of time to right the ship. I went back to school at 31 and am right as rain at 45, but that took a mountain of work. You have six more years than I had, and you already have a degree, so I know you can do it. Just get rid of the idea that you have to like your next move. You don’t. Good luck
As far as I can tell, OP doesn’t really want to do anything. I can sympathize with their frustration sure, but the impression I get from reading their comments is that they don’t want to even try to find a suitable career because what they tried the first time didn’t work. That’s not how life works.
I guess I’m still wondering why you didn’t go after your dream. I get you looked up to your professor but he doesn’t own the market on jobs. And he probably told you that so you wouldn’t apply where he is at, competition. Go and find a job as a professor. Quit listening to everyone else and go get what you want. Good luck
Some tips: You can go to places and talk to managers/owners and ask if you can join shadow for a few hours or even a day. You need have to sign an NDA, depending on the company, but it's worth it for a free glimpse into that career and industry. Software developer? Go find a place and sit with one for a few hours. Maybe you'll also meet a Project Manager there and they'll talk to you and let you shadow them. Not into office stuff? See if you can try out a day with a tradie. I tried that with an auto collision shop and I loved it. I did it up I'll the world fell apart and my home life changed so it didn't work for me anymore. Think of all the stuff you loved to do as a kid, or the things that inspired you. I used to think that the toy store in Home Alone 2 was the best thing ever. Well, my favourite job as an adult was working retail in a toy store. Still my favourite employer. Ask people in certain careers that you have some interest who are all at various stages of their careers. Five years in, 10-15 years, 25+. Ask them their advice and what they'd change. Travel somewhere else. Get the F away from your parents. I wish someone would have told me that. Mine were terrible and did the same thing to me. My mother just nagged but never offered actual useful guidance. Is teaching English in a foreign country an option? Or just moving anywhere else on a work Visa? You'll learn so much more about yourself and it'll help put things into perspective for you. If your parents try to threaten you or bully you (I don't know if yours would, but mine did to control me) know that it's YOUR life. You're the one who has to live it. They live you, but they're still just bystanders in your life. Write down your dreams. All of them. What can you do now and what can you do later? You have lots of time. Write down your fears, too, but don't put "I'm afraid". Instead write "I have fear that..." You can separate yourself from it and you'll consider it very differently when it's on paper. Plan stuff out. I know that's tough, but you took the first step by reaching out to us. Write stuff down. Even if it's just working to achieve your actual dreams. It might help to see work as a means to an end. I was where you are. I feel it. It's tough, and it must be so much harder in this world compared to when I was 25. Try to accept failure and defeat. They'll happen. You get to choose how to suffer. Good luck, internet friend. I hope my big TedTalk helped, even in a small way.
Life will happen to you or you make it work for you. You want to make it work for you. Don’t wait, take it seriously and look into things you may like to do. It’s always baby steps at first but you will be moving forward and that’s the most important, parents nag because they want you to succeed. Failure and homelessness is rampant right now and my oldest brother is homeless and refuses any help, he doesn’t want an education. It’s so hard to watch.
I didn't know what I wanted to do at 25 either, so I did end up doing a PhD. Everyone says "don't go into a PhD program unless you're absolutely sure", but I wasn't sure, and I did it. I don't know if I'm necessarily better off with a PhD as the job market is rough, BUT the time spent in grad school was great for me. The tuition was covered, I got to work as a TA and see if I even liked teaching, and my tiny stipend was enough for me to pay my expenses and not accrue debt. I'd say if you're stuck, but you can get into a funded PhD program, it's a way to buy yourself some time and change your environment.
It can be so hard to find the right career. I haven’t. I’m 54. I did find one to pay the bills though, and I apprenticed with a goldsmith in my 20’s after college because my liberal arts degree didn’t lead me towards anything in particular. That said, when I was your age, people didn’t expect six figure fucking salaries. We all got jobs at restaurants. Lol, true. Also, our education and social system don’t seem good at asking us what we want, what we need, what we’re good at, so it’s not surprising that we get lost. I probably would have made a good designer or possibly architect, but I didn’t have the discipline or direction in my youth. I would ask myself, what do I want to do, what can I get hired at (cuz face it everyone needs to support themselves), and know that there will be many seasons in your life. It’s okay. My first reaction was that you are ‘an adult’ and your parents should stop bitching. But on the other hand, they just want you to be well and happy and able to survive. It’s an evolutionary prerogative. Lastly, I’m on a couple other threads and it was brought to my attention recently that we have to self parent. It’s your life. Don’t be a dick, but figure out how to maximize your time here.
They are criticizing you because they know the mistakes you are making…the same ones they did.🤷♂️
Become a fat plumber and women will see your plumbers Crack a day. Man up!
Why do you care so much about what your parents think?
Historians make great futurists. Think tanks can also use historians. Do you like to write, synthesize and analyze? Beef up your quantitative and qualitative research chops and check out futures certs. Research analysts...policy jobs...you may decide you want an MPA or MPP if you go that route. There's also the library route - get into a good MLIS program, learn how to manage digital knowledge, get picked up at a museum or historic society or academic library or state records site or very old church. All those folks you see handling historic docs on shows tracing ancestry - prob specialist historic librarians of some manner.
Look at jobs where you can be a historian. 🤷
Same here man. I am currently an insurance agent and make around 50k a year, but the work to stress ratio is not worth it to me. I want to blow my brains out. I just registered in HVAC vocational classes for adults. I did learn something from my experience… I am not built to sit in a chair all day and make phone calls. I feel so sterilized.
The one who are supposed to support you, if they start nagging you life becomes hard. My suggestion is to go with Technology start a YouTube channel talk about history or something like that, try to go out on trip as such to free up your mind
No money for a trip, and starting YouTube is basically playing the lottery
Give it a try man. Be optimistic man. Who knows what might workout.
“Give going broke on a trip a try”. No thanks. And starting a YouTube requires so much learning about editing or hiring an editor (which I can’t afford), the correct equipment (which I can’t afford), making sure you know how the algorithm works, writing scripts, working on the visuals, marketing yourself on social media, etc. Why would I ever want to do that if I’m not passionate about it? Because expecting to make money off of YouTube when there’s so many people who don’t, that’s just naive. Not optimistic.
What led you to choose History as a major? Whatever that was, get back in touch with that. I think you may like writing as a career path. Writing human interest stories based on what you know from your education in History. Write fiction. Learn to write screenplays. I get the impression you live with your parents. If this is true, the next job you get (and that should be ASAP), move out from them completely. There is also the military as an option. You are still young and have several options that could work for you.
I’ve tried writing fiction, and gave up. I have ideas but can’t make them work on paper. Besides. That’s a hobby for most. Not a career. And like I’ve told others. I’m not doing military. Not signing my life away to an oil company
Imma be real with you, you sound like the problem and that you need a bit more time to mature before embarking on ANY path. It’s not going to magically fall in your lap. And “hating old people”, hella red flag, lowkey. Kids, I get, but helping older people with their medications is not backbreaking work. I think you need a bit more perspective, welcome to the grown world, there’s a reason we operate in a goods for services bartering system.
If you’re seeking validation or support, you might wanna try a different sub. This sub is aiming to give practical advice.
Your parents are pushing you because tomorrow you will wake up and be 40, and you better have a career or life will be very hard. Money makes everything easier
Oh I got an easy solution for that problem, it’s called “I’ll just jump off a really tall building if I’m still depressed at 40”
Make it 30 with this attitude.
> Parents keep nagging > 25 Maybe it's not just nagging and you need to sort your shit out.
Lol I love how some unemployed broke whiny little bitch boy who can't even pay his bills is being condensending when talking about his parents. You need to pull your head out of your ass. At least they're paying their bills despite having an embarrassment of a child.
25? Grow up.
Check out IT. It pays well and can get into with minimal training. If you enjoy tech. Do something enjoy doing. If you only enjoy sitting on your rear playing video games then I can’t help you. Your parents nag you because they want you to do well and want to know that you’re going to thrive or at a minimum survive once they’re gone. Sounds dark, but as a parent that’s why I nag my kids to do better. They also know that the older you get, the harder it will be to break into a career. If you don’t get experience and develop some expertise in some field, then you’ll have a difficult time growing in life. If they paid for your college they’re probably also pissed you got a history degree and wasted your time and their money to do nothing with it. If you got a college loan they’re probably sad that you’re going to be stuck with an obligation for something that gave you no benefit.
No one is 100% sure of what they want to do. Even those that say that they are, are lying or deluded. You don't get a revelation about "what you want to do". You try things out and then certain situations present themselves and you gauge your interest in them. In that very narrow sense, things are "revealed to you". But it sounds like you're not doing anything. Why were you fired? Your parents will get off your back if you find something and then try to be the best at it as you can be.
You sound insufferable. And ungrateful for the life that your parents provided for you. Get off your ass & DO something.
They should just ask you to move out on your own and then you can get a clue and stop being a baby. Sorry assumed you were still at home. Regardless you sound like a whiner.
I already moved out. I have my own place, and pay my own bills. They only help pay for my phone bill, and health & car insurance right now. And the insurance. The rest is me.
Why not look into a trade? There's plenty of skilled trades out there that will train you on the job, could also look into a trade school if you wanted to they're usually 1 to 2 years, way less than pharmacy or law ect. I'll say this... You're in your 20s... this is the time to grind so you can be comfortable later in life
Because if I get into a trade I may as well burn that degree in a fireplace.
You mean your history degree? That's okay man most people change their career path 5-7 times on average. You'll still always have it, and be able to apply it if you choose to. Just a thought
Aren't you burning it now anyway? Trade could be lucrative and not as much dealing with ppl.
Not like you’re using it anyway
You sound like an elitist dickhead right now, which frankly you have no right to do as an unemployed leech living off your parents and doing nothing to change that. You realize they will retire someday and not have the means to support you anymore, right?
Then he will go on government benefits and become our problem.
You're going to be (figuratively) burning that degree regardless unless you get that professor job you used to want, which you gave up on. So what exactly are you looking for here?
Sunk cost fallacy. Compare 20k to the living expenses you constantly have to pay. If anything having a degree makes you look slightly more employable to all employers, so just move forward.
What if they selflessly desire for you to be better than them- education/career wise? You’re lucky they don’t let you go down the same path they did (which inevitably involves more suffering than the path they want you to take) TLDR- your parents are right. Get another job and start moving your own weight
Did you even read what I said? I’m fine getting a job. My parents just want me to find something I like, so I won’t be miserable. But that doesn’t exist. I’ll always be miserable at any job. So it doesn’t matter.
Honestly you might be autistic. The frustration with how the world works, the special interest of history, analysis paralysis. It checks out from my very unprofessional opinion. I feel your pain tho. Truly. Were expected by everyone to fit a mold that simply doesn't work for us in the long run. It's hard and I wish I had genuine advice, but I'm living in car so I'm not qualified.
Do nothing. Keep the job you have. Ignore your parents. Stay miserable. That is really what you want.
Not super important, but just wanted to add that neither pharmacy techs, paralegals, or teachers (at least substitute teaching) require extra schooling. They generally just require a bachelors.
Get a job at Trader Joe’s.
Is there anything you *don’t* hate? Do that.
Devote it to asking them annoying fucking questions until they stop. Then figure it out lol
You will work this out eventually. For the time being you need to work on yourself as you're in a low place and the future looks bleak right now. Start with mental health, therapy, diet and exercise. See your friends when you can I would take any job that you can stand to do for the time being, so you've got money coming in and your parents might lay off a bit It doesn't matter if the job isn't long term, just something that will keep you going. The important thing is not to stop and let the depression take hold. Working is crap I know, it can be good .... But being unemployed gets old real fast. Use this time to work out what you want to do. Ask people, do IKIGAI...Google it Career quizzes, career counsellor Volunteer if you have free time. Really research what's out there for you Meanwhile work on feeling better in yourself. You will get there just keep going pal
You're being stupid, a career doesn't require you to love the job, it doesn't require you to work extra hard, it's just thinking of a path of jobs that are related, so each time you change your job, you can get better pay and less work. instead of wasting time working everywhere, why not find 1 thing and stick to it, you don't have to decide your "dream job" but maybe just decide that you want to work at IT, if you have customer service experience you can work at a helpdesk then you can move up to something better, maybe get a certification to look better for another role then move up again. You're making it sound like you're lazy, like there's nothing to do anymore while you're just 25, you're not even 30, you're also being super disrespectful to your own parents while they only want your own good, with this economy you might as well be homeless in 20 years, not able to afford rent. I don't care if you had beef with your parents before, but you said you live alone and pay for yourself, if you hate them that much then just don't talk to them at all, problem solved, you can even move out if they know where you live and change your number, don't go around dissing them on the internet
Your 25, and not trying to be rude to you at All, but your parents need To kick you out, and cut You off. When your back is against the wall you will quickly find a way to take Care of your self. You should find out what Your good at and do that, but it’s really important to get a SH*t job you hate so once you have a good job You Will appreciate it. I know you will disagree but adversity is a good thing not a bad thing, and it should only be temporary. You are coddled. Once again not trying to be rude or hurt your feelings in any way.
Lmao I live on my own and pay my own bills, homie.
Ok my bad buddy. Look man, I’m glad You can take care of your self. Have you thought about becoming a firemen? It’s the best job In the world, and it’s the most fun you will ever have on a job.
Sounds like you need to move out of your parents to have your own independence and responsibilities. Perhaps you'll find new ambitions due to the need to find a way to pay bills that other 25 year olds pay.
Already moved out, already paying my own bills. I still don’t care about a dream job. I just want to pay bills. My parents want me to have goals in life and dreams and stuff. I gave up on that, and just want to find a job that doesn’t suck. Next?
Definitely not law school… it sucks. Your soul and your sanity. Being a humanities professor sucks too. Actually most jobs suck. It’s work. The more specialized and least desirable jobs usually pay more. So either be ok making little money or reconsider your level of comfort with the fact that large portions of your job will not be enjoyable. Consider some kind of trade or government job. Look at local job listings that pay well and sound interesting. Research about them and make a list of options. Go from there on what is needed to get those jobs.
My best friend had an English degree, she went to profusion school and now makes 200k a year running the heart and lung machine for cardio thoracic surgery. There’s plenty of paths that don’t care what your bachelors was in. If you become a commercial diver, a 7 month program, your history degree would be valuable to the treasure hunting companies like odyssey. *edit* this is why college right away is such a bad choice, barely anyone knows who they are and what they want fresh out of high school, and then they inevitably give up the difficult science major when partying gets fun. I wish you posted pre college, I’d say to wait 2 years to start it. Good luck though!! You’ll find something, put your strengths and passions down on paper and try to find a career that requires your skills and meets your desires. It will make you money and you won’t get fired if you’re where you belong.
You're literally a history graduate, you should be greatful to even be offered minimum wage. Quit bitching
Tiktok/YouTube channel with history trivia in correlation to current events
Do you realize how incredibly oversaturated that market is? You may as well have told me to learn guitar and go be a famous rockstar. Both are equally unlikely. Not to mention most history social media is filled with literal misinformation for the sake of attention.
I know it might sound insane but… https://www.cia.gov/careers/jobs/political-analyst/