What careers make the most money per year?

How does a 23 year old make a man of himself?

• I'll cut to the chase - I'm 23 years old. I live at home. I worked for 4 years but then gave up cuz I hated my internship with Social Security. I'm mooching off my parents. They pay for car. They pay for gas. They pay for health insurance that I get through SSA's version of Cobra. I used to be SO self-sufficient and never asked for money, but now I'm broke and can't even afford to have a drink at a bar. I've realized that my 4 year BS degree in Lib Arts will be useless, although I have a 2-year in Info. Systems from a reputable comm. college. I've studied film production for a year, but know that's SOOO hard to break into even if you're the best in your county. I used to have dreams of Hollywood and N.Y. but reality has set in. Time to move out and stop being a baby. Most kids I went to HS with are 2 years into their careers of working (for the man, I should say). Most girls don't want to know me after a while cuz they can't respect a non-worker. Most male friends (even heroin addicts who work to support their habit) are disgusted by me that I don't work. In my defense, I am somewhat bright and would kill myself if I have to go pick up peanuts at Camden Yards. Getting a Bachelor's in Lib Arts was a 5 year waste of time. I have no skills other than fixing computers. I am as low as one could possibly be, recently begging my mother to go to a concert with me of a group that we had gone to when I was 14. Nine years later and I'm just a child with a bigger brain. What do I do? Where do I start? I've heard learning skills is good...dedicating some time to immersing yourself in books at the library or an apprenticeship to become good at SOMETHING - something people need. I've heard others who say just do what you love- your passion...for me that's filmmaking, but I also love girls, and if I can't find a place or get money thru my passion of making videos, then it'll have to go on the backburner until I settle into a steady stream of income... Which leads me to starting a business- any advice of you guys that have made it? Do I join a startup? What does a guy like me start...I haven't even ever taken a business course. Do I buy a strip club with a loan from the bank, I'm pretty good at visiting those when I had money...Do I do some online, Ebay thing that everyone's doing these days. Is being your own boss the only way to make it in life in this economy? Who can help me out? How do I become a man? I'm already 2 years behind....

• Answer:

  The first step to fixing a problem is to recognize there is one - well done, you have taken the first step which is often a hard one. What's more, you have written down your concerns which is a good way to consolidate them. I must say, on the plus side, you have done this very well which just goes to prove that you have some good communication skills! So how do you move on? First of all, don't feel disadvantaged by your position of being "2 years behind". You are still SO young with your whole life ahead of you. You even have the advantage of maturity which the guy 2 years younger than you does not have. In 5 or 10 years, it won't matter. Second, just do something. It may not be the job you want but you need to get started. So apply for some jobs, even if it is only a part time job initially. It is easier to get a job when you are in a job, so get a job, any job. Then look for a better job. You seem like an intelligent guy and I do not agree that your degrees have been wasted. Your better job might come from working up the ranks. If you show initiative, reliability and enthusiasm, you will stand out from the crowd and be given further opportunities within the company. If these opportunities do not exist or it is not what you want then you are still more employable. More importantly, that first job will help you understand business and more about what you might want to do longer term. It will also give you the confidence which you are lacking as well as give you your dignity back. Once you have your first job, if you really want to work in 'the movies' then look for and apply for jobs connected with the film industry or work in a voluntary capacity in your spare time. You might have to take the lowest paid job making coffee, but if that initiative, enthusiasm and reliability is there, you will get a better job and work your way up. Within a few years you will understand the film industry, have contacts within it and understand what you have to do to get your dream. Or you may decide your dream changes once you have had experience of that industry. But you won't know until you get started and most of the people who work in the film industry all started on the first peg. I have a friend who went to typing school, got a job working for a radio station doing general office work and 10 years later was Producing documentaries for TV. So get going - make a start and then keep moving forward and in a few years you will look back at this time and see what a good job you did.