How to get an easy job

buyaodanxin

Salary survey backs up what I am saying - google salary survey asset management - 2nd link down p14

countingstars

BillJones wrote: »

No, that doesn't really work. You really don't get to make it all the way to Graduation at Oxford without having some serious drive, and this is not a personality trait that just evaporates.

You've either had brain damage, or have been infected by a parasite. In either case, get to your doctor's sharpish and find out what's retired your personality so seriously.

I agree.

.... I think we have a case of Invasion of the Body Snatchers here. And you're that one silly ET that's giving us humans a clue that it's actually happening! :rotfl:

But seriously? To each their own. I just can't work out how an Oxford grad's drive and inspiration can disappear so fast. It makes me wonder whether you even wanted to attend that university or whether you felt like you had to? With all due respect, pushy parents, maybe?

How about a part time retail role? If you choose a boutique small and obscure enough, hardly anyone comes in. They just pay you minimum wage to sit in the shop and make sure everything's okay.

chinesedeli

Hi Op,

This is a really interesting post and an eye opener to me as it shows that life can be just as hard at the other end of the scale. The course that you did at uni, was it something that you really wanted to do and was passionate about?
You sound as though you are a bit down at the moment and really do not know which way to go and what to do. I am not sure if this also has anyhting to do with past relationships and/or family.....

I think that you have done really well to get into the position that you are in, at the age of 34. You do not have to explain yourself to anyone as I can tell that this is a genuine concern of yours and you are not a bad person asking for advice. I am sorry that I do not have any good advice here as my background is in health care and I am no way near as clever as you are. I just wanted to say that if you can possibly take some time off and maybe do some thing's that are out of your comfort zone, that you may have a clearer mind about what sort of job that you can try next.

Take care and good luck x

FBaby

I did get into Oxford but I was miserable, it damaged my health, and ultimately I wasted what should have been some of the happiest years of my life - and for what ?

How can you say that when it took you to a job in the city that allowed you to invest and now to at least half live off these investments? I think you are forgetting where you could be if it wasn't for this past you seem to belittle.

As to what you can do to continue working with as little effort as possible? Well, you could start any self-employment type activity doing as little as is necessary?

In the end, all this is not so much about the job but where you are mentally and psychologically. Can see how your past worn you out and how you could crave a bit of peace and quiet, but forever? You clearly have high capacities and things you can do to give you a sense of self-worth. You are still so young.

Horace

You could set up a business quite easily, however, it is by no means easy and when working for yourself the hours are long - far longer than working a normal 9-5 job.

Your definition of easy may not be the same as someone else's so I guess it depends on what you really want to do. In some respects it would be a shame not to use the degree that you worked so hard for. If you want to progress up the tree then you have to expect that you will be given more responsibility to earn the extra salary - this is the same in all jobs. Your managers may not seem interested because you don't want to progress and that is weird when there is someone in their midst who is smart (you have to be pretty smart to attend Oxford in the first place) who doesn't want to progress or push themselves.

If you want something fulfilling to do then you could always volunteers as there are many charities and Friends groups out there who welcome new volunteers. So you could do something like planting trees etc - something a bit menial but necessary and when you are outdoors can be enjoyable too. It is a great way to meet new people and being outdoors will improve your mental wellbeing. Or if you are good with figures - then volunteering to be a Treasurer is also helpful plus you can do the outdoor stuff too. You can easily do this in your free time. Giving something back to your local community can be quite fulfilling.

Hope you find something that you are really passionate about. No-one wants a job that is boring and tedious that you dread getting out of bed for every morning.

Somerset

buy, what do you enjoy/love ? What do you do for fun when you aren't working ? If you can figure that out, find a job somewhere in that 'field' and just play things by ear.


The travelling is a good idea too. Give yourself some breathing space before the next challenge.

Nebulous2

It depends what you mean by not working.

What do you feel about physical work? Have you read any George Orwell? Down and out in Paris and London, for example.

I haven't a degree, have a professional qualification which unfortunately doesn't lead to very high earnings. I have never made a huge amount of money. I have shied away from and tried to avoid spending my whole life in an office. The best I can get with a moderate income is about half-and-half, fieldwork versus office based. I'm not afraid to put hours in though and have always done more hours than I am nominally paid for.

I'd be looking at seasonal work on farms if I was in your place. Spend a few weeks working hard physically then live off the income and repeat. Flit about, don't stay long enough for anyone to feel the need to promote you.

Lots and lots of physical work available; delivery driver, care worker, shelf stacker, fish farm worker, forestry worker, beater.

BillJones

buyaodanxin wrote: »

No not quite - when I started as a grad (in asset management - so not quite the city....

I am an Oxford graduate, after a few years in the city

Hmmm.

You may well be telling the truth, but I doubt it. If you are, though, it's the most pathetic query I've ever seen, so I'll leave you to it.

buyaodanxin

Hi Counting Stars
"But seriously? To each their own. I just can't work out how an Oxford grad's drive and inspiration can disappear so fast. It makes me wonder whether you even wanted to attend that university or whether you felt like you had to? With all due respect, pushy parents, maybe?"

I had a horrendous first year - not my parents fault - I wanted to leave and very nearly did, they didnt facilitate this, despite the collapse in my health which has made me very bitter / angry. I can see where they were coming from, no-one else from my family went to Oxbridge or was even close to getting in.

The drive to get me there was all me. I never wanted to go to university at all (though it was expected) - I thought I may as well go to the best one I could, I had no other ideas - what I really wanted to do was trade the stock markets (how I make a few quid now). Unfortunately then I didnt have the background / experience / balls to do it and wasnt encouraged, at all...

buyaodanxin

Quizzical_Squirrel wrote: »

Do you have a high level skill that's in demand for freelance work?

With this type of work you don't usually get promoted, you're there purely as a drone for a single skill set and you can fairly easily move elsewhere if you can't hack one particular contract.

Plenty of downsides of course but I won't get into that.

I can do Excel / SQL / Reporting Services techy work to quite a high standard. Might be worth looking at freelance.

Problem is I tend to think of freelance as very volatile - which I get from my income / capital gains from investments already - whole point of me having a job is to stabilize that volatile income with something slow and steady.