Job Suggestions?

[ibanezmonster]

That's how I got hooked up with the gig. I think the Internet can be a really inefficient way to look for "pissant" work.

Excellent suggestion. Thanks very much. 

That's all relative. At $800/month you'd have trouble making ends meet in most places in the US, unless you can live with your parents like Greg. $800/month is below the official US poverty level. Since he isn't looking to move to Romania, your point is moot.

Yeah, and I do still have to pay $180 a month to stay with them. I can't afford much more. To afford staying with a roomate in a one-bedroom apartment, I'd have to work full-time.

It's moot for an American and that was my point all along. If Greg would live the life of most people on earth ---which is waaaay diferent form US / Western Europe life --- he'd realize that he's really blessed and he'd stop complaining about being in a situation that most people on earth his age would be only too happy to find themselves in.

I've heard this strategy a million times in different forms, but unfortunately, it isn't the magic solution to being making me be able to put up with everything. What it does to me is just make me more hopeless about the world. If I've got it good and everyone is below me, it just means there is nothing good to look forward to in life. If there is only poverty, work, and misery, why even live? I try to avoid this thought.

Remind me what is the city where you live?

Urban dictionary explains it all:
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Mount%20Dora

If you think computers is your thing you need to get into a good university (not a vocational school or community college) and major in computer engineering or a related field.  You need to apply for financial aid and on borrow whatever money is required, even if it seems outrageous, because living your entire life as an unskilled worker below the poverty line is not a good "bargain" if you have the ability to do something more.   If my memory is correct and you live in Florida you should start your application to the University of Florida at Gainesville today.  That's the best school in the state, and the only state school where you will have the benefit of in-state tuition.

I'm actually working on the FAFSA and probably will submit it tomorrow. I'll be going to school in August to start a 4-year degree- the school won't be UF, but I'll start at a community college and then transfer to UCF (which is also a very good school).

I'm not saying anything that hasn't been said before, but your life is not going to fix itself.  You have to take decisive action to get yourself out of the rut you've dug yourself into.  It doesn't even matter so much what, because whatever grand scheme you have for yourself will probably not work out, but then you'll do something else, out of necessity, which will be better than doing nothing.   

Yes, exactly. I've thought of a plan... to put it simply, I will work on a couple of the languages that I haven't learned yet (PHP, Perl, SQL, C#) and utilize my network by simply asking a ton of the people I know if they are aware of any jobs or IT departments that happen to be around where they work. There is also a very nice and very huge hospital nearby that I haven't even tried which might have an IT department. Also, Philo's suggestion. And at that, if I get my skills down with PHP and SQL, I can the IT department at the police station again, in case they are hiring. And I'll try the 3 libraries in my area again, since library work isn't that bad at all.


btw, I appreciate the advice, everyone. 

[Tapio Dmitriyevich]

Only? Has it ever crossed your mind that $800 a month is a dream wage for 75% of the world's population?  You should consider yourself fortunate enough for being able to have shelter, clothing and food without ever thinking how you and your family will make it tomorrow.  I invite you to spend one month in Romania as an average unemployed person; I guarantee that you'll stop whining about your present situation instantly.

Yes, only! 800$ is maybe about 560 EUR. That is close to nothing in Germany! Gregs posting really surprises me. And from the perspective of countries like Belgium, Luxemburg, Scandinavian countries, Suisse, we are already a cheap country with low payed citizens.
E.g., I have to pay EUR 330 for health insurance. I pay more than EUR 1000 for my house, a lot of taxes from the state and the city. Fueling the car completely (I do that only twice a month, my wife every 4 days) is ~EUR 80 per fueling. And so forth and so on. I'd say a single person middle class starts at EUR 2500 here.
In germany, I heard, if you work 45 years for less than 7,5 EUR per hour (everyone not self employed is obliged to pay into the pension fund), your pension will be as lower as the "Grundsicherung", the money you receive in any case (must be somewhere at 350 EUR plus the state pays housing, energy, things that are a human right here, like telephone, television...).

[Scarpia]

I'm actually working on the FAFSA and probably will submit it tomorrow. I'll be going to school in August to start a 4-year degree- the school won't be UF, but I'll start at a community college and then transfer to UCF (which is also a very good school).

Don't do it.  If you read and understand me here, it could change your life, and I'm not kidding.

I don't know if you have the grades and test scores, but if you can get into the University of Florida, Gainesville you should go to the University of Florida, Gainesville, period.  Do not go to the University of Central Florida if you can get into the University of Florida.  At the University of Florida you can find yourself doing undergraduate research in a real research lab.  The companies that have the best jobs for programmers--Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft--will recruit students from the flagship state universities, not from the second rank campuses.  You will be in a much better position if you are at Gainesville.  And DO NOT try to save money by doing the first two years at a community college.  When you get to the real University you will find yourself way behind the students who did their full 4 years there.  You will struggle just to graduate and it will take you longer.  To get a good job you will need to get A's, struggling to graduate won't cut it.  I worked with a very bright computer science major, and he got recruited by Amazon, and now he has a job at Amazon electronic media and an apartment that overlooks Puget sound.

Yes, exactly. I've thought of a plan... to put it simply, I will work on a couple of the languages that I haven't learned yet (PHP, Perl, SQL, C#) and utilize my network by simply asking a ton of the people I know if they are aware of any jobs or IT departments that happen to be around where they work. There is also a very nice and very huge hospital nearby that I haven't even tried which might have an IT department. Also, Philo's suggestion. And at that, if I get my skills down with PHP and SQL, I can the IT department at the police station again, in case they are hiring. And I'll try the 3 libraries in my area again, since library work isn't that bad at all.

You are thinking about this all wrong.  Languages are nothing.  Being a "programmer" is a rather low level job.  When you study computers at a real University you will learn about algorithms, and higher concepts in computer science.  You don't want to end up the "programmer" you want to end up the person who designs that software and assigns jobs to the programmers.  For that you will need a degree from a real institution of higher learning.

[Florestan]

I've heard this strategy a million times in different forms, but unfortunately, it isn't the magic solution to being making me be able to put up with everything.

Of course not, but it's not unfortunately, it's just the way the world works: there are no magic solutions period.

What it does to me is just make me more hopeless about the world. If I've got it good and everyone is below me, it just means there is nothing good to look forward to in life.

Some twisted thinking you have, Greg! 

First, knowing that many (but certainly not everyone) are below you helps putting things into perspective: your situation is much less bad than you think or imagine.

Second, whose life are you looking forward to good things in: yours or other's? Whose situation are you going to do something to change for better: yours or the world's? Long answer: [insert whatever rationalization you might think of for doing nothing about yourself]. Short answer: better yourself and the world will be better too.

If there is only poverty, work, and misery, why even live?

Who said that? Poverty and misery exists, but there is a striking difference between most people living in poverty and you: they struggle to improve their condition.

There you are: a guy in all probability physically healthy and reasonably intelligent, living in the most affluent society the world has ever known; getting the basic necessities of life, such as shelter, food and clothing pose no problem for you; you can afford "luxuries" like classical music, playing guitar, computer games and internet; you live in a state which offers excellent educational opportunities; you have all the prerequisites to embark upon an interesting, rewarding and productive life --- yet all you do all day long is either whining and complaining about how miserable and not worth living life is or wasting your time with games and internet. When it comes about jobs, all you can think of is underskilled and underpaid positions. When it comes about going to college, you procrastinate submitting the applications no end ("probably tomorrow" seems to be your motto).

Now honestly, were you a chick, would you date such a guy?   

BTW, do you have any friends? I mean, not Facebook "friends"but real, flesh-and-blood friends, the sort of people you can get away with, have a beer, chat about whatever, play sports or go to cinema?

Oh, and that advice you received, to stay away from girls: I'm not sure it is the wisest. Many an impulse for bettering one man's life have come from women. 

Scarpia made excellent suggestions --- if only you'd move in the right direction TODAY!

All that being said with the best intentions.  0:)

[MishaK]

Of course not, but it's not unfortunately, it's just the way the world works: there are no magic solutions period.

Some twisted thinking you have, Greg! 

You don't know much about psychology, do you? You're discouraging the guy instead of motivating him. Let Scarpia handle this.

I don't know anything about the computer science field, though I have a number of friends who majored in CS and now hold good jobs as software designers etc. (and Scarpia is right, they all graduated from "real" schools, in this case Northwestern). In the meantime, Greg, if you really are looking for part time data entry like stuff to do, so you can earn some $$$ on the side while getting your college applications in order, there seem to be no shortage of part time data entry openings in the Orlando area that don't require college degrees:
http://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=part+time+data+entry&l=Orlando%2C+FL

[Florestan]

You don't know much about psychology, do you?

Feel free to lecture me, you seem to know much about everything. 

[ibanezmonster]

Don't do it.  If you read and understand me here, it could change your life, and I'm not kidding.

I don't know if you have the grades and test scores, but if you can get into the University of Florida, Gainesville you should go to the University of Florida, Gainesville, period.  Do not go to the University of Central Florida if you can get into the University of Florida.  At the University of Florida you can find yourself doing undergraduate research in a real research lab.  The companies that have the best jobs for programmers--Google, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft--will recruit students from the flagship state universities, not from the second rank campuses.  You will be in a much better position if you are at Gainesville.  And DO NOT try to save money by doing the first two years at a community college.  When you get to the real University you will find yourself way behind the students who did their full 4 years there.  You will struggle just to graduate and it will take you longer.  To get a good job you will need to get A's, struggling to graduate won't cut it.  I worked with a very bright computer science major, and he got recruited by Amazon, and now he has a job at Amazon electronic media and an apartment that overlooks Puget sound.

You are thinking about this all wrong.  Languages are nothing.  Being a "programmer" is a rather low level job.  When you study computers at a real University you will learn about algorithms, and higher concepts in computer science.  You don't want to end up the "programmer" you want to end up the person who designs that software and assigns jobs to the programmers.  For that you will need a degree from a real institution of higher learning.

I would go to UF if I could... I don't have the GPA for that, though. That's why I'd need to go to a community college first. None of those colleges would accept me.

There you are: a guy in all probability physically healthy and reasonably intelligent, living in the most affluent society the world has ever known; getting the basic necessities of life, such as shelter, food and clothing pose no problem for you; you can afford "luxuries" like classical music, playing guitar, computer games and internet; you live in a state which offers excellent educational opportunities; you have all the prerequisites to embark upon an interesting, rewarding and productive life --- yet all you do all day long is either whining and complaining about how miserable and not worth living life is or wasting your time with games and internet. When it comes about jobs, all you can think of is underskilled and underpaid positions. When it comes about going to college, you procrastinate submitting the applications no end ("probably tomorrow" seems to be your motto).

Now honestly, were you a chick, would you date such a guy?   

BTW, do you have any friends? I mean, not Facebook "friends"but real, flesh-and-blood friends, the sort of people you can get away with, have a beer, chat about whatever, play sports or go to cinema?

Oh, and that advice you received, to stay away from girls: I'm not sure it is the wisest. Many an impulse for bettering one man's life have come from women. 

Scarpia made excellent suggestions --- if only you'd move in the right direction TODAY!

All that being said with the best intentions.  0:)

Okay... not much of this here is very accurate. Some of it is, some of it isn't.
I'm trying my best, really. I only have all the stuff I do because my parents still let me live with them- otherwise, I'd be homeless. I take initiative quite a bit- even my almost-employer noted so. I do have friends, though I'm a bit limited right now. I do hang out with one of my friends for a few hours every week.

I just applied to a job which is in Orlando (1 hour 17 minutes away). At $12.15 an hour, full-time, I could actually afford to live there.  The requirements are pretty close to what I have- they said 1 year of experience doing something which I happened to do in school, but I don't know how flexible that is. Well, time to teach myself Excel again just in case... 

[Florestan]

Okay... not much of this here is very accurate. Some of it is, some of it isn't.

My sincerest apologies if I offended you in any way, it's just the impression you left me. I'm even glad I was wrong. 

[Scarpia]

I would go to UF if I could... I don't have the GPA for that, though. That's why I'd need to go to a community college first. None of those colleges would accept me.

Ok, do what you have to do.  But I'd strongly advise you to set your ultimate goal as UF.

[ibanezmonster]

Ok, do what you have to do.  But I'd strongly advise you to set your ultimate goal as UF.

I'll consider this... once I finish community college, I might be able to enter UF. I will definitely keep in mind your recommendation (it is the best college in Florida). 

[Henk]

Greg, I'm just trying to be supportive.

I understand your mind is not about girls now, as your enemy I've given you some tips on this matter. I strongly feel it will work for you, as I know my enemy.

Arnold Cornelis: "The world doesn't consist of facts, but of possibilities" You can write this above your bed, when things don't go as you like. That's something better then Eusebius talks about.

[ibanezmonster]

Wait, I thought you said you wanted to stay single... or did you change your mind? 

[Henk]

Wait, I thought you said you wanted to stay single... or did you change your mind? 

Actually, there are some girls at my work I'm having some contact with.

Henk

[karlhenning]

I'll consider this... once I finish community college, I might be able to enter UF. I will definitely keep in mind your recommendation (it is the best college in Florida). 

We're for you.

I've played your music, so if you need a letter of recommendation, let me know.

[ibanezmonster]

Actually, there are some girls at my work I'm having some contact with.

Henk

Good... good luck, man. 

We're for you.

I've played your music, so if you need a letter of recommendation, let me know.

Thanks! I'll keep you in mind. 


I did a job lookup for Bethesda Games, and they have a nice, long list... there's one, though, which I might be able to apply for:
http://jobs.zenimax.com/index.php?a=view_job&jobid=158

...however, I don't have any experience in the game industry at all. Not sure how essential it is, though. It is an internship, so I don't know how much it would pay. And if somehow I got the job and it paid enough, I'd have to move to Maryland, which would be fun.

[Scarpia]

Just asking (a genuine question): do you work in IT?

No.

[ibanezmonster]

Just asking (a genuine question): do you work in IT?

Well, he's right that you would overall get a better education and learn certain things in a better programming course. Definitely something worth getting, if you can.

I was talking to a girl I work with today and now I'm even more glad my parents let me live with them still (I pretty much pay for my stay with money + chores). She works 2 jobs (~52 hours a week) and needs a third job just so she can afford staying in a one-bedroom apartment. I don't know why, but I've always had the impression that it wasn't that extreme. The whole concept of "homeless people are homeless just because they don't want to work" and the whole Shawshank Redemption scene where it shows Morgan Freeman working as a bagger at a grocery store and then going back to his small apartment alone... maybe I've been misled?

I'm gonna have to try Bethesda... maybe I'll call instead of sending an e-mail. I'm sure there are hundreds of people wanting that position, but it's worth a try...

[MishaK]

The whole concept of "homeless people are homeless just because they don't want to work" and the whole Shawshank Redemption scene where it shows Morgan Freeman working as a bagger at a grocery store and then going back to his small apartment alone... maybe I've been misled?

As to the Reagan quote, yes, you've been misled. That was one of the most obnoxiously stupid things he ever said. As to Shawshank redemption, that was the 60s or 70s, I think by the time he got out of prison. Lower income disparities at that time. I do wonder though how much your friend's plight has to do with having to own and drive a car due to the absence of any decent public transport in Florida?

BTW, did you look at the link I posted above?

[ibanezmonster]

 
I should have done this type of searching a long time ago... I see an opening for EA Sports (1 hour drive from here) for a programming intern (paid). No bachelor's needed- just skills in C++. It says that prior experience making your own games on the side will be considered highly... ugh- haven't done much of that. But- forget everything else- I'm going to work on frantically modding Quake so I have something to show them! Maybe I'll even set up a simple game engine so I have something to show.
https://jobs.ea.com/search/view.do?id=a0z50000000lnzxAAA

[ibanezmonster]

As to the Reagan quote, yes, you've been misled. That was one of the most obnoxiously stupid things he ever said. As to Shawshank redemption, that was the 60s or 70s, I think by the time he got out of prison. Lower income disparities at that time. I do wonder though how much your friend's plight has to do with having to own and drive a car due to the absence of any decent public transport in Florida?

BTW, did you look at the link I posted above?

So weird... I didn't even know Reagan said that.

Yes, driving takes up a ton of money. I have super low car insurance ($70 a month) and I don't drive much to any other place besides work and the gym (both 10-15 minutes away), and gas is about $80 a month right now for my fuel-efficient car. That's $150 a month on the car for me, and it doesn't get any cheaper than that. Other people might have higher car insurance because they've been in an accident, or they might make car payments or might drive a truck, which gets bad gas mileage.

I work with one guy who made the dumb decision of buying a nice car, and all he has been working for for over 2 years now is his car payments. His bank account never makes it past $0. Every day when I look at him and think about it, I'm just...  whaaaat?