The Student Room Group

A slight worry - advice please...

Hello all,

please keep annon - I know people who frequent TSR.

Well, do you guys think a 25 year old who has average GCSE's and ALevels but doesn't have a degree and only worked once in his life for 2 months will ever get anywhere in life? uni is not option (no need to go into details...) but really, any chance? can he ever have a decent comfortable life? what do you guys think?
need to get a job, being 25 without one is very impressive, i thought me being almost 20 without one was bad
and it wont be comfortable and easy the whole way, it isnt for anyone, need to knuckle down and do something with your life
nicest way i could think of answering this :smile:
Reply 2
OP you must be joking...
Mate expect to be stacking shelves until your old. Have you any idea what the job market is like at the moment? We don't need unskilled, low qualified, zero experienced workers.

I advise you get a job as a postman or something, and stick with it. You need to accept your life is going to be mediocre now otherwise you'll be setting yourself up for a fall later in life.
Reply 3
I was thinking of joining the Police Force/Fire brigade/paramadics ... I worry so much about my future if i ever will be poor (which isn't bad, but makes a joke out of you in today's society!)
Reply 4
Is there no way you can get a degree at all? Even if you got a lower second/third, you can go into teaching, and their salaries start at 24K+ which is nice. A degree will give you a boost in whatever career path you may want.

That being said, one of my friends works in the Government (MI5 or Mi6 I think), and started with a salary of 18k, with purely just A-levels and GCSE's to show for it. There are numerous occasions where people can be successful, I mean Peter Jones, Alan Sugar, Duncan Bannantyne and the majority of those business tycoons don't have anything past GCSE (or 'O' Levels back then)
(edited 13 years ago)
Reply 5
why have you only worked for two months? Personal Illness, full-time career etc?
Reply 6
joey11223
why have you only worked for two months? Personal Illness, full-time career etc?


OCD has affected me so much since I was 16/17. I'm talking sever OCD and I have yet to see someone about it. They have this thing set up here near where I live for these things and I have an appointment to see someone in the next month or so (Huge waiting list...)

I worry about letting people close to me down, looking like a failure front of "society" and about being a bum/chav when I'm older... lost sleep many times over it and it's just eating me up.
Reply 7
Anonymous
OCD has affected me so much since I was 16/17. I'm talking sever OCD and I have yet to see someone about it. They have this thing set up here near where I live for these things and I have an appointment to see someone in the next month or so (Huge waiting list...)

I worry about letting people close to me down, looking like a failure front of "society" and about being a bum/chav when I'm older... lost sleep many times over it and it's just eating me up.


well at least you care, that's something eh?

So what happened about work, could you not manage it, did you lose your job etc?
Reply 8
joey11223
well at least you care, that's something eh?

So what happened about work, could you not manage it, did you lose your job etc?


Oh no I just left because I was covering for someone. The manager was happy with me always being on time and getting things done quickly, so I expect a good reference from her when I start sorting my life out.
Reply 9
Anonymous
Oh no I just left because I was covering for someone. The manager was happy with me always being on time and getting things done quickly, so I expect a good reference from her when I start sorting my life out.


so there was no opportunity for you to stay on? Unfortunate...

so what are your plans? I mean clearly you know you have an issue, lets say as an example a local shop had a vacancy for a full-time member of staff, you did well at your last job, is there a reason you wouldn't go for it?
Reply 10
joey11223
so there was no opportunity for you to stay on? Unfortunate...

so what are your plans? I mean clearly you know you have an issue, lets say as an example a local shop had a vacancy for a full-time member of staff, you did well at your last job, is there a reason you wouldn't go for it?


I don't want people to look down on me, and if I get a job at a supermarket/store, I will worry and imagine that I will stay on it forever... :frown:
Anonymous
I don't want people to look down on me, and if I get a job at a supermarket/store, I will worry and imagine that I will stay on it forever... :frown:


ah right. Is it your GCSE and A-level grades which prevent Uni? Have you considered other qualification which are of a higher then then A-level but don't require the same entry grades?

What would you like to do realistically?
Reply 12
Keep trying and you'll succeed to find a job. And when you'll have you life together you could write a book about how you survived the pressure and kept going or smth and bam you're a best selling self-help author. And yeah I'm serious
Reply 13
My uncle is 31. His highest qualification is A levels. Since I can remember he has had a new job every year or two, just because he never really settles in. This has included a pub, delivery, a wholesaler, a bank...
And in the past year or two, he decided he wanted to chase his dream of being a police officer. In the next six months he'll start training.

Never give up. It's never too late.
Reply 14
joey11223
ah right. Is it your GCSE and A-level grades which prevent Uni? Have you considered other qualification which are of a higher then then A-level but don't require the same entry grades?

What would you like to do realistically?


A job that matters and helps - which is why I went with the emergency type of job, which would be great.

I already tried uni and failed because of running away from exams, too scared so I ran back home. and because I've already tried I won't be eligible for grants/loans and I'm way too poor to support my self. So uni = a no no
Anonymous
A job that matters and helps - which is why I went with the emergency type of job, which would be great.

I already tried uni and failed because of running away from exams, too scared so I ran back home. and because I've already tried I won't be eligible for grants/loans and I'm way too poor to support my self. So uni = a no no


do you have a local college which offers other qualifications, or have you considered doing a degree via the open University? So you could do it slightly more at your pace(though still deadlines are deadlines) and in the comfort of your own environment? They are recognised and a respected establishment.

I know getting into the police force is incredibly tough, you'd want to enquiry as to what is needed, but it is a long winded process.

How about working for some sort of aid or support group? You'd be making a difference then? If you can't find paid work maybe you could volunteer for such organisations, Oxfam, Barnados, Childline etc?
Reply 16
Of course you can still make something of yourself! If you want something badly enough, you'll find a way to get it. You have A levels, which is more than a lot of people have and you now have a good reference from an employer which will count for a lot when you're applying for jobs. As long as on your CV you can write something interesting about yourself, such as hobbies, interests, anything that you care passionately about, it'll stand out against other very boring, generic ones. There's no reason why you can't get a very decent job in your current circumstances and have that decent, comfortable life.
Reply 17
I think you worry to much bro, get a job and build yourself up.

My cousin used to sell drugs, lived 3 months on the street now he works in insurance and earns big money in Switzerland. Forget your past, get any job, and start from there. Ever heard of promotions? By the time your 35 you will be a manager atleast. Stop worrying about society, you got **** to do.
Reply 18
joey11223
do you have a local college which offers other qualifications, or have you considered doing a degree via the open University? So you could do it slightly more at your pace(though still deadlines are deadlines) and in the comfort of your own environment? They are recognised and a respected establishment.

I know getting into the police force is incredibly tough, you'd want to enquiry as to what is needed, but it is a long winded process.

How about working for some sort of aid or support group? You'd be making a difference then? If you can't find paid work maybe you could volunteer for such organisations, Oxfam, Barnados, Childline etc?


Yes I think I will have to look at my local college and find something to do. Doing volunteering work sounds amazing and I would love to.

Worst part is that I know im better off than, literally, billions of other people on this planet lol, I just cant seem to stop feeling down and upset. Oh well, I'll have to look life in the face and, as one would say, "murk it yo" ....
Anonymous
Yes I think I will have to look at my local college and find something to do. Doing volunteering work sounds amazing and I would love to.

Worst part is that I know im better off than, literally, billions of other people on this planet lol, I just cant seem to stop feeling down and upset. Oh well, I'll have to look life in the face and, as one would say, "murk it yo" ....


Everything is relative, I don't think it's necessary horrible when people complain about life issues on here when kids are starving to death in Africa, fact is they still have a problem, just what is trivial there and here, are different, people can't help that unless they're very good at taking a step back.

I suppose I do. Though I'm more one to stare up at an office block, or a large bridge, or a car, or my phone..anything, and just think how incredible it is we have made such things...people used to ask me about drugs sometimes, "hey Joe mate how much as an 1/8th usually?", I mean I could answer them, but I'm not some drugged up hippy despite stealing a tiara when I was wasted and going around saying "I am Jesus Christ and I have come to judge you..."

Anyway good luck with your life. Certainly look into a college course and see if anything takes your fancy, you may as well if your job prospects aren't great. In fact since college is usually part-time, maybe you could find an organisation which would let you volunteer on your days off? Two birds with one stone there.
(edited 13 years ago)

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