Not Smart Enough for a Job

[Lexika]

I just feel like I've hit my dead end, and I'm only 21. I've accomplished absolutely nothing, there's nothing I'm proud of myself for, and I feel like I could achieve if I was given a chance. But all the opportunities are going to the preexisting achievers.

Am I aiming too high in life? Is it too late for me? Are some people just meant to be relegated permanently to low-pay, low-advancement positions?

I don't think that at 21 you're supposed to accomplish much. You're also giving up to early. If you can't have a career you want by the time you're 40-45 that would be a cause of concern. In 20s you're supposed to just try out different things, get life experience, etc. Plus the economy sucks right now, unemployment is high, lots of students your age cannot find work. It's not that you're dumb or don't have talent - the job spots aren't there.

 

[James]

Hang in there and knock on more doors. Don't see every set back as a judgement on yourself. You are young that is a BIG plus most employers don't tell you. Winston Churchill said "find a job you love and you'll never work again".

When you do that or at least something you can tolerate, things will be better. Best advice I've ever had was to focus on the positive actions you can take. It works. Good luck.

 

[jrun83]

I'm looking at all these posts and I hope I don't sound repetitive. Scorpio, you're being really hard on yourself. You're 21 and you went to college. That already gives you a leg up and you went as far as to teach yourself some of the skills required for a position. Although you've taught yourself, it's still way different than what you'll experience out in the field. Sometimes companies look for multiple skills - someone who can fill multiple roles if necessary.

And they look for personality. The place you work becomes where you spend most of your time, so if you can't get along with other people it'll be hard. I went through two rounds of interviews at the company I work for now. We spent some time talking about the neighboring city and my favorite bar. It just felt right. Sometimes these things matters. If you're not comfortable in an interview it can be a signal of other things.

Maybe you should try doing some temp work? It gets your foot in the door and if someone likes you and your skill set they'll try to make sure you get hired. Also just from my perspective, if you're aiming for a sales position then the interview would seem like it matters a lot. As Billy says, schmoozing is a little bit of what a sales team does. They have to be quite charming in order to sell their product. It might be better to enter from a different department and then gain the required knowledge to sell what it is your selling.

You just never know. At the last tech company I worked for there was some big hotshot from Microsoft in sales. He was supposedly really good at what he did, but I wouldn't have known it. He just seemed like another regular guy.

Don't be discouraged and just keep trying.