I've Never Had A Job ...

[Anti]

There are lots of people in the US who do work and arent' going to have shit even if social security still exists by the time they retire.

If you are making a living now, no reason you can't start planning for your own version of retirement.

 

[Hazyfontazy]

working is way overated ,keep hustling but do it in a way so u at least look legit on paper and remember only fools and horses work

 

[heady blunts]

Don't under estimate us old heads, internships aren't nothing new. Personally though I can't see advocating someone working for free. The closest I can say is acceptable is working as part of a college program where you don't get paid but you earn credits toward your degree. Which can be a big savings because of not having to take other purely academic classes to accumulate enough credits. Plus such programs usually transition immediately into jobs if your work is good. I know a number of people from my generation that started out this way and now make 5 and 6 figure incomes as programmers and Computer Engineers.

Back on point though that doesn't apply here since he's got a degree already and as I said I don't condone working for free. You do realize that crap only exists because people are so desperate to get work they'll do that. No small wonder though we crank out college grads every year saddled with debt equivilent to buying a single family home. You young people should stop making it so easy for these companies to take advantage of you. Over the past decade or two average incomes have declined, benefits have disappeared and you're being expected basically to be more productive for less compensation. In some fields it's become so fierce that people have allowed themselves to be tethered to their jobs with thier Crackberries and such almost as effectively as if they were under house arrest because their employers are expecting them to be productive for the company, even when they're at home. At a bare minimum internships should at least pay minimum wage. When companies start giving people at least that much respect, then I'll reccommend internships.

don't get me wrong, i think unpaid internships are the devil's work.

it's a completely fucked up system, and it's designed to keep us in life-long debt.

it's exactly becasue so many people are desperate for a job that people are willing to take these unpaid internships.

i think i might be one of the last of my generation to manage to get my foot in the door of my chosen career without having to resign myself to working for free.

you are also correct that if you work hard in these positions, they will often lead to getting hired as a paid employee.

i dont' know what industry the OP is interested in working in, but i'll tell you as soon as the RE bubble popped in '08, jobs in my line of work evaporated. everyone who had a mid-level job with 5-10 years of experience suddenly got downsized, and they began to snatch up the entry level jobs that are normally filled by freshly graduated degree-holders. no way to compete with those folks when they're willing to work for minimum wage and they've got years of experience on you.

10 years ago if you couldn't find work in your field, you could always muscle up and get a construction job that paid well and had consistant work.

now the equivalent fall back job is a minimum wage part time gig doing retail or counter work at a coffee franchise.

most of us have multiple part time jobs to cover the rent and pay for food. no benefits, no insurance, no retirement plan, NADA.

i think the suggestion to get a job in a nursery was a good one, esp if the OP's degree is in english or art or something totally useless like that. many of our generation were falsely promised a better life if we went to college and followed the career path. well the path was blown to smithereens, and college costs more than most of us will make in total before taxes over the next 5 years.

follow whatever path that makes you the most money with the least misery.

just watch out for those IRS demons if you keep living that cash only lifestyle.

 

[oldgrayhair]

Do what makes you and yours safe and happy. You never need to prove anything to anyone, the ones saying you do only say that because thats what everyone says Other people have no right to any information on you. They will lie and convince you that you need to be like everyone else, you don't

 

[Dank99]

More power to you man...you are not alone. The smart ballers I know use this as a means to an better end. You have an oppurtunity to find something you like to do instead of being forced to take the first crappy job you can find out of neccessity. I would imagine you have other interests in life you would like to pursue. You can do both. No one said you have to quit if you don't want to. Do what makes you happy, you never know what could happen tomorrow, but yeah it does help as far as the irs and credit goes to have something to show.

 

[heady blunts]

retirement and land ownership are not realities for the vast majority of my peers.

 

[jahrastafareye]

well , you could die tomorrow , so the important thing is that you're satisfied with the life you're living.

 

[187020]

i heard craven pays well

40/80

 

[GoldCountryGuy]

Haters gonna hate. Young money baby.

 

[HempKat]

Well if you continue in this route, which is a viable option, you gotta make sure you really plan it out. If you're anywhere in the US you're illegal and if you're illegal then there is always the risk of being busted. The thing most people overlook is setting up a solid safe plan of action and stash of money for when they get busted. If you get busted at home you got to assume everything there is gone, so you're safety net has to be somewhere else probably the smartest way would be a good lawyer on retainer with an account somewhere he can access on your behalf. Beyond your safety net you just gotta run a super tight ship and maintain a very low profile. Be the good neighbor that's always quiet and never distubs anyone and that nobody would ever expect was dealing. That's to cover your growing mostly though to cover your dealing you really want to get yourself where you got just a few customers buying large amounts. Preferably somewhere other then your home. Standing on a corner somewhere or having lots of people come in and out is asking for trouble eventually imho. Better to let someone else assume that kind of risk and you sell to them.

If you're successful then maybe invest in some real estate or something and earn a living renting it or something along those lines, that would give you a good cover for how you're making it and there are ways to build credit even without a traditional job. Also with real estate when it comes time to retire you'll always have a place to stay or if the economy is okay you can sell those rentals for retirement income.

 

[whodare]

young money is right...

without too much detail im under 25, no college(even with a 31 ACT), only ever had one job through nepotism(maybe 18 months work over 4 years).

im currently close to paying my first house off (four words; land contract, land trust), after this ones payed it will be rented for income then on to the next one...

the more land the better and you can get amazing deals on slightly rural homes which serve as good privacy too.



keep hustling, but dont be a dummy with your money, plan for that early retirement(45-50) that is entirely possible doin what we do...

 

[zymos]

There's an unstated assumption in many comments here that a college degree is only valuable if it gets you a job.

But what do I know, cause my liberal arts education also included a biology degree which turned out to be very useful for my two careers so far (winemaking, medical coding).

Still, you don't have to wind up in debt for the rest of your life for the chance to go to school and learn stuff, even stuff that may not seem "usefull"....

 

[HempKat]

don't get me wrong, i think unpaid internships are the devil's work.

it's a completely fucked up system, and it's designed to keep us in life-long debt.

it's exactly becasue so many people are desperate for a job that people are willing to take these unpaid internships.

i think i might be one of the last of my generation to manage to get my foot in the door of my chosen career without having to resign myself to working for free.

you are also correct that if you work hard in these positions, they will often lead to getting hired as a paid employee.

i dont' know what industry the OP is interested in working in, but i'll tell you as soon as the RE bubble popped in '08, jobs in my line of work evaporated. everyone who had a mid-level job with 5-10 years of experience suddenly got downsized, and they began to snatch up the entry level jobs that are normally filled by freshly graduated degree-holders. no way to compete with those folks when they're willing to work for minimum wage and they've got years of experience on you.

10 years ago if you couldn't find work in your field, you could always muscle up and get a construction job that paid well and had consistant work.

now the equivalent fall back job is a minimum wage part time gig doing retail or counter work at a coffee franchise.

most of us have multiple part time jobs to cover the rent and pay for food. no benefits, no insurance, no retirement plan, NADA.

i think the suggestion to get a job in a nursery was a good one, esp if the OP's degree is in english or art or something totally useless like that. many of our generation were falsely promised a better life if we went to college and followed the career path. well the path was blown to smithereens, and college costs more than most of us will make in total before taxes over the next 5 years.

follow whatever path that makes you the most money with the least misery.

just watch out for those IRS demons if you keep living that cash only lifestyle.

Yeah I know, it is tough and the employers have the upper hand with the desperation that's out there. Along with the college students most everyone in the country was lured into easy credit and spending the equity of thier inflated homes to the point where they'll put up with less pay and allowing thier experience to benefit them none. They have to, they have families depending on them. Employers have been handed the luxury of being able to carefully select the best blend of skill and experience for the least amount of money. Which is pure insanity because eventually the very consumers most companies depend on to survive, are losing their ability to consume and even if we move everything offshore that we can most American companies will never compete well in the world market, not when we give all these foreign countries the technology when we move there to make more money and in turn allow them to become our competitors. They'll always be able to undercut us. So ultimately the greed of American companies will lead to their very ruin. Government bailouts aren't gonna happen again, there's not enough people working and the ones that are don't pay enough taxes because they make so little. That and the rich don't want to pick up the slack.

 

[ClosetAdvocate]

As long as you can pay the bills and set some money aside for a rainy day/retirement.

 

[irobot sd]

Its hard to find someone who pays you more than you pay yourself, that could be a reason to keep doing what you do. Whats a bachelors degree in whatever if you have a PHD in growing?? I find the guys who don't become DADS can keep this hustle if they choose

 

[Shcrews]

good replies everyone,

You must pay cash for everything, and that will ultimately leave you bereft of a few of the niceties in life. Not to mention, if the tax man gets a whiff of you, forget about having any life at all.

What's the degree, and why haven't you made it work for you?

My degree is in Sociology. I know, totally worth it right?

i'm not worried about IRS, I dont buy anything but food and i always pay cash.

as long as you feel comfortable with that kind of lifestyle, and it makes you happy, i guess you doin well... BUT, do you really feel like doing this for the rest of your life?

Hell no, not doing this for life, just for money until something better comes along. Honestly i want to be a pro musician someday (drums), been playing for 11 years now.

actually for my that's a shame..........one of the true highlight's of my life was my Well rounded and fruitful CAREER.... that offered so much, and gave such satisfaction
yes it's hard that's why it's called WORK....
.

I love working, and do it often, i make more money than most of my friends, and you may even call it a career. but it's not a "job".

If you can already make ends meet, go get a job at the mall, or anywhere there is a ton of females (if your single, and male) or work at a music store, ice cream stand, anything easy part time. Build legit income, and save it all in an IRA, and get some social security behind you early.

Work is much better when you don't NEED to be there. If the place isn't cool you can just quit anytime.

this may be the best post so far^^

Have you even tried to get a job?

no, never. made money as a kid by hustling weed mushrooms and coke, now i just sell my own harvests and make oil/sell clones etc...

 

[Shcrews]

you should have been bussing tables, delivering pizzas, flipping burgers, etc while you were a teenager. a totally blank work history is going to ensure you never get a job.

hell even "not real" jobs (which are the new labor jobs, only without benefits and unions and raises and pensions) like being a barista at starbucks are going to hesitate to hire you.

it sounds like your parents have some money if you never felt it necessary to work in high school. if that is the case, swallow your pride and ask them to do some networking and see if they can't get you an interview or two.

I'm glad i spent my teenage years getting high and fucking, sounds much more fun. I dont give a shit about my employability, most people i know who did everything right still can't get jobs now anyway.

My parents never supported me after i moved out at 17, except for helping with rent when i was in college. i doubt they could do much for me now.

the internship idea is decent, but i'm not sure what kind of internship i would want to do for free.

 

[megayields]

Your hustle is top notch my friend....I know 3 PHD's wh cannot get work flipping burgers, two are pushing 50 and live with their parents...you seem to be happy and enjoy your life, what more could you ask.....and I'm going to get you some almost BRAND NEW adjustable-wings so do the happy dance my brother from a different mutha!

here is a HUGE hint to 1) how to find very fine , fit females and 2) they have a LOT of money (sometimes).....wish I knew this at your age....think Horses and especially women, girls whatever that ride With English tack...jumpers have the most money usually, then Dressage riders, eventers are always hurt so forget them, then you can move to,Arabs or Thourobreds...shows, stables etc YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE HOW HOT some of these chicks are...and to be able to live in Santa Cruz AND have horses ='big dollars ...think " pool,boy" lmao!

 

[ClosetAdvocate]

BTW, I talk to people with Bachelors/Masters Degrees and they still can't get work. Heck I don't even want to hire them because (my feeling) they don't want to do the hard work to make money. They often want to rely on their degree and get an "easy" job that pays them regardless of their effort.

I'll take 2 high school grads over 1 Master's degree any day.

 

[Snagglepuss]

I often think about this when visiting with my dealers.....I know 3 different bruthers that are like this.One is in his late 30's ,dreadlocks ,tattoos..the gold bling.Spends all day everyday (for years and years),,driving from one place to another selling coke/crack..Has money in the bank ,,,has a wallet so fat he can't even close it..Recently bought a brand new tahoe paid in cash......

Ive often thought ...what will this dude do in 10-20 yrs.If he hasn't gotten in trouble.Then i put myself in their shoes....Diversify...The most important thing would be to "save your money",and not at home or where it could be taken from a bank...Just for shits invest in something and create a nice safety net ,cause eventually the time will come for sure when you need it....Find something ..anything...you could do on the side,that would give you one more option..Hell if your doing well you could quit the side job/project anytime cause your not dependent on it...That would be positive forward thinking...