A simple question, but what's the answer?

I broke it by saying to myself, okay, let me change industries here. Instead of retail, retail, retail for instance, I thought about:
-temping to work at different places: I never made minimum wage with temp placements.
-security or emergency dialing dispatch
-call centre: landline, cable, or cellular services
They might turn out to be more stress for you, but certainly they won't be minimum wage.

Beyond that, you can find out the qualifications for a job posting you are interested in, FIND OUT WHAT THAT JOB EARNS, then decide if it is worth investing in education/training towards it. I see so many people blindly deciding "I should go to school for that, I bet they make way more" then find out there is no real demand for that line of work or the wage is still low.

I could find you an opening at Wayne Industries

Learn the service industry, wait tables at a place that serves booze and learn how to bartend.

Cinnie said:

Those are some good suggestions.

I do have most of a general Associate of Arts degree completed, but I'm wary of taking my post-secondary education farther than that. Most of the people I knew in high school have completed Bachelor's and Master's degrees now, and they're back to slinging lattes at coffee shops or flipping burgers at McJobs because that's all they can get. It's troubling, really.

lazycrockett said:

I thought about that. It seems fun and there's some really good money to be had. But there are two notable problems with me personally taking up bartending.

a) I can't even hear myself speak in a noisy bar or club, so I'm not sure I'd be able to interpret what anyone else said. I'd be screwing up people's drink orders all night.
b) I'm four feet, eleven inches tall. Trying to reach the alcohol and glasses could be quite problematic.

^ Its all bout the personality. Plus when you are behind the bar youre away from the noise, and trust drunks aren't quiet. N where the hell are they keeping the bottles at the places you go? on the ceiling? Most bars keep their booze in the railings right behind the service station.

I will say you have to have the right temperment to bartend, but if you can pretty much just roll with the flow you can make serious coin.

kpowers said:

I appreciate the offer, Mr. Wayne, but a fictional career may not be of much use to me.

lazycrockett said:

A lot of the bars and clubs around here keep their liquor and glasses on shelves or racks. I thought that was common?

What about a trade? It's the most basic "fuck you pay me" service one can offer.

Try getting a State or Federal Job, could lead you to other job opportunities. If not, Starfleet

kpowers said:

Fuck yes! I want to be a starship commander!




Seriously, if Starfleet were real, I'd enlist. That not being an option, I've got to keep looking.

Cinnie said:

good advice!

You have to find a job where there's room to move up and around. Even in retail, the most you can hope for is management, and unless it's a swanky shop, you're not getting much more than minimum.

Find an entry level position in a larger company. Work hard and get to know EVERYBODY there. It's totally true that it's more about who you know than what you know.

meow85 said:

education, the acquisition of more skills and credentials.

fake tits.

whistle said:

leave your comfort zone and think outside the box...think of jobs that are not typical for your gender or age...

one example I know of is industrial work (thats a pretty generic term for a wide variety of jobs, I know)

it's hard work, sometimes dirty work, male dominated...but pays very well and generally tons of room for advancement for people willing to perform...

I worked in the industrial field for over 13 years and it was rewarding financially & personally...I traveled, saw places I wouldn't have seen otherwise and met some really great people along the way...and from my experience, women advanced and fared well...

meow85 said:

I'm 4'11" also and I've been a bartender. We've been short our whole lives right? we know how to access things beyond our reach.

I think it s important to find out what one loves to do and then going out and doing it.

ConsciousContact said:

find a drum beat
put on a leotard
sing some crappy ass songs in an operatic voice

....oh wait, that only works for Beyonce LOL.

BklynBabe said:

Seems that role is filled.

Maybe I should starting wearing a lot of Alexander McQueen and give myself a goofy stage name. That's sure to make me rich, AND have me considered the great white hope of dance pop!


Shit, Lady GaGa did that already...

Not that I want to go back to earning minimum wage but my daughter told me yesterday that I should work at McDonalds so she can get their free toys..

Fat chance.

You break the cycle (in part) by demonstrating a willingness to work. That means staying at the same job (even a minimum wage job) for more than 2.7 seconds.

CarrieMpls said:

Totally agree. Get your foot in the door anyway you can in the type of industry you're interested in and work hard.
This approach worked for me.

I know it's not one of your favorite subjects, but unfortunately a certain amount of compromise will probably be required to break this cycle. Depending on the industry you want to move up in.

What do you have to offer that others don't? What are you exceptionally good at? Or love doing and do it well or with a unique approach that might help you stand out from the rest?

I think a clear knowledge of these things can definitely prove helpful in putting together a plan.
[Edited 2/5/10 12:36pm]

Genesia said:

And we're off...
You can't help yourself can you?

Cinnie said:

Excellent post.