Advice....

[AndyH]

Ok, i have seen people post these sorts of questions on here before and no one seemed to mind, plus I respect the opinion of alot of people on here having leaned a bit more about them, so here it goes..

Am facing a bit of a cross roads at the minute with regards to what do do with my life for the next few years. I finished uni 1 year ago (aged 26, late starter) and cannot decide what to do next. The main options are as follows..

Become a stockbroker. I love the stock market and think that I would enjoy being a broker and not just for the v good money. My only problem is that is fairly life consuming and due to early starts would have to move to central London at the height of the housing market boom. Renting would not be so costly but cant help feeling that it is throwing money away a bit and have to share house with randoms which feels a bit studenty. Mortgage is fucking expensive (think £700+ pm for a one bed flat minimum) which i should be able to afford but would tie up alot of my money and not sure if would feel a bit trapped due to high cost of living in general. Would love my own place in London but not sure about pros and cons balance..

Do a TEFL (teaching English as a foreign language) course and fuck off around the world teaching english in cool places like Barcelona, Buenos Aires, Asia and Eastern Europe (all quality music scenes except maybe Asia). This would obviously be amazing but cant help feeling like I should be starting to be a bit more 'responsible' and getting my life in order a bit (job, house, long term bird etc etc), mainly due to my age! I should be able to save some money along the way but seems a huge thing to do considering most of my mates now have mortgages and proper jobs and one even had a kid yesterday .

Any thoughts appreciated...

[KinKyJ]

Re: Advice....

Both options have it's pros and cons, so my only advice is: don't force yourself in a certain lifestyle because it's expected of you/your friends are in a particular situation. I know it feels like a bitch when everyone around you seems to have taken the next step, but "panic tactics" will push you even further down. I'm hitting 30 next month and finally the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place. The reason why? I guess I just stopped forcing them together and allowed good things to come to me in due time... And they did. Never been happier!

The TEFL option seems the most attractive to me. If you chose for that, maybe you should check out the South East European University (SEEU) in Macedonia. Erzina told me that foreigners there make a shitload of money (4.000 to 8.000 euro/m) and Macedonia is a beautiful country (plus the women there are hotter than the sun if you're a sucker for brunettes )

[chanty]

Re: Advice....

You're still a young'n. Do the tefl first and see some of the world for a couple of years and save your pennies. Then go home and start your career as a stockbroker. Or just follow your heart and don't give in to societal pressures. Maybe the tefl will lead to other amazing oportunities!

[RiseandShine]

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As Kinky was saying, i don't think it's a good idea to "force" thing in; they either come or don't

in a way, the question you are asking can be split in these:
what do you want to be in 10 years? dont have the answer? then:
what do you really like to see yourself doing? don't have the answer? then
what would make you proud of yourself? don't have the answer? then
what do you really like about the two options?
is there an option in which you can find more of the good stuff of the other?

these are all standard questions but:
1 it's good and the fact that you ask them is a proof of maturity
2 even if you don't have the answer, just thinking about them will get you there
3 you can ask these question to the people around you: they're the one that know you and will give you the best advice

i like the version of fooling around and having fun - the only thing is that i know it's harder to enter markets once you get older

[anonin]

Re: Advice....

You're still a young'n. !

are you serious?! 26 is a young'n, yea right! i'm 20, thats fairly young 26 is getting in the prime of your life 24-32 = prime years for your career

[Huggie Smiles]

Re: Advice....

go around the world - youll regret it if you dont

[chanty]

Re: Advice....

are you serious?! 26 is a young'n, yea right! i'm 20, thats fairly young 26 is getting in the prime of your life 24-32 = prime years for your career

Yup, I'm serious. The average person can expect to make 3 - 6 career changes in his or her lifetime due to many different factors. Also, a large percentage of people near or at retirement age choose to keep working, either at their current job or at something new and challenging. If Andy did decide to retire at 65 that's 39 years of work ahead of him and possibly a few career changes as well. And I highly doubt that a person's prime time in their careers are from 24-32. Most people can't get up the ladder that fast.
With health and science advancing the way it has been, and still is, the prime of someone's life has changed considering our life expectancies have raised from 49 years in 1900 to over 77 now. Many "older" people comment that they felt vigorous and vital in their 40's and 50's. So yes, 26 is young.

[thesightless]

Re: Advice....

dude. what do want to do when ur 60. if living a nice relaxing life without money worries, then hit the market..

if you want to rely on a pension holding out and praying that inflation doesnt ikill it, teaching is a good option. both will be enjoyable, but there is bureocratic BS in teaching, also, you should be able to retire earlier if you are a good broker.

[KinKyJ]

Re: Advice....

are you serious?! 26 is a young'n, yea right! i'm 20, thats fairly young 26 is getting in the prime of your life 24-32 = prime years for your career

Fully agree with Chanty there Brandon: 24 to 32 aren't the prime years of your professional life, but rather the "learning stage".

From when I graduated in 2000 until 2004 when I started my own business, I changed jobs on a yearly basis (first employer went bust, the two other ones I left after serious fights with the management). I planned to go independant on 30, but I was really fed up with job hopping, so it happened a little earlier.

Going full throttle and aiming for the top from day 1 will get you frustrated, bored or burnt out before you'll hit 35. Just live with the tought that you know nothing when you enter the job market and keep your eyes and ears open. Learn from the veterans and take advantage of their experience...

[Huggie Smiles]

Re: Advice....

........ plus I respect the opinion of alot of people on here having leaned a bit more about them, so here it goes.....

oh yea? ! Like who???

[AndyH]

Re: Advice....

Thanks alot for all the replys and advice guys (and girl), really appreciate it. I think that the best option is going to be to try the teaching English abroad for a while and then come back and get a 'proper' job. I think that if I dont do teaching first then I will end up on the way to work at 6.30am in the middle of winter dreaming of tropical climates, hardly any responsibilities and 30 hour weeks and thinking "why didnt I at least try"!

Chanty - enjoy your 'youth' while u can coz u will be over the hill and 26 before you know it!

[Mr.Big]

Re: Advice....

Man im 26 and im heading away next year to travel when im 27.. I dont see where your getting the idea u have to settle down now.. I mean fuck it ur only young once and ull never get these years back.. Ur goin be working for the rest of your life so remember that.

[GregWhelan]

Re: Advice....

Andy I totally know how you are feeling mate. I'm also 26, and it seems that every month another one of my friends is getting married, getting a decent job, having a child, etc. It depresses me, especially when I start to doubt where my life is going.

However, as people have said, don't give in to societal/peer pressure mate. It's not worth it. Let the pieces fall into place. My brother spent all of his teens and twenties going out all the time to clubs, drinking, shagging etc. He couldn't drive, never had savings or even a bank account. Now he is 35 with a partner and child and he doesn't regret a thing. He said he is happy-he has had his fun and now can move onto the next stage of his life, namely fatherhood.

26 is nothing mate, another good point already made is that by trying to aim for the top ect straight away, you'll be bored and burnt out by 35.

Good luck pal

[DancingQueen]

Re: Advice....

Follow your heart...

[speciale]

Re: Advice....

^^^ thats what pedro would do