I am a 37 year old single mother of two.How do you know what you want to do career wise? I need direction!?
952659
You have 2 children.  When you consider a career you should consider how it effects them.  Your career should be focused around your family.  What works for your kids?  Once the kids are grown and gone, you can do what ever else you want.  Find something that has some flexability too it.  You need to take a day off because one of the kids is sick or in the school play, what happens if your empoyeer disaproves?  You need to be there for the kids first.  Job second.  Like I said once they are grown and gone, do anything you like.\n\nI quit a great paying job because it was impossible to raise my kids while working shift work.  Their mom saw more of them than I did and she only had them every other weekend.  So I quite.  I had no other jobs up my sleeve.  Just turned in my 2 weeks notice and started hitting the doors of other companies that my offer better hours.  I lost a almost half of my pay.  We may have been poor but at least dad was home when needed.  Now they are older and more independant.  So I have moved back up the pay scale just a little.  Once they are gone I'll go back to working more hours and in places that are going to yield better pay.  In the mean time however I have worked at home and done very well.  I'm getting better at it all the time.  By the time the kids move out I'll be doing what I love and when i love to do it.  I doubt I'l ever really go "back to work".  Good luck in your efforts to support your family.  Finding a balance between supporting them and being home for them is hard when you have to do it solo.
257434
I wanted to be many different things as I was growing up, including actress and attorney.  However, at the time of my youth, women were encouraged to only be sales person, secretaries, hairdressers, a wife/mother, or elementary teachers.  I then wanted to be a hairdresser, but at the time, the schools only accepted students who had taken chemistry in high school, and that let me out . . . so I became a secretary and a wife/mother and I am still a secretary and wife/mother.  I am still not there because even though I am an adult, I am still not "grown up".  I still have dreams and hopes and want to be something else . . . this time an owner/manager of my own little company.  Will I succeed?  Only time will tell.  My job as a wife/mother has been very rewarding even though the pay is lousy.  My jobs throughout the year in offices have been very interesting, and I have learned many skills.  I don't want to ever "grow up" so I guess I will never be what I want to be when I grow up.
783461
You should really take stock and figure it out soon, especially if you are going to have to go back to school.  The older you get, the harder it will be to change careers.  \n\nSee if there is anything on the net or if a career counseling center can help.
534645
Why don't you go to a career counseling service, or something like Workforce, which is free, and do a survey which will show you areas you have strengths in, and what area of work you would best fit in. Make a list of all the things you would really like to do. \nAlso, why are you afraid of failing? Who in your life makes you feel fear if you DO fail? \nI went through this as well...turned out, after some soul searching, i realized that I needed my mother to validate my life choices. When i realized that, while i value her opinion, my choices are ultimately that, MY choices, and that each time you make a major life change people are going to give you crap, initially, and while you can respect and value their opinion, you certainly don't need it to make you feel like a whole person. Good luck to you!
878347
have you thought about working online?\nas a stay at home mom i do and i love it check out http://atafolla.qhealthbeauty.com/Default.aspx then click on opportunity they also rated great with the www.bbb.org \nhope this helps
953250
have you thought about working online?\ni am a stay at home mom and i work online and i love it check out http://atafolla.qhealthbeauty.com/Default.aspx then click on opportunity they also rated great with the www.bbb.org \nhope this helps
223774
I'm 28 and just became a mom - my goals haved changed a bit - but I'm more motivated - I want to run my own bussiness selling baby items that I make - and I plan to write children's books and get back into singing and writing songs - I also have a ton of ideas for some inventions I'd like to get out there- I've been sort of a slacker and party-er in my twenties - now its time to get serious - I have a daughter, a step-son and Fiance' to think about - I want us to be able to live life to the fullest and that's exactly what I'm going to do -I dont want to have to struggle like my folks had to from time to time and niether does my Fiance'- I know my family (not just me ) will be a success. And I plan on becoming the most amazing ,loving and fun mommy ever
757542
Well aren't you a challenge??Let's not get depressed yet.You are at the best part of your life.Have you heard of eons.com? Try there for a community uplift.Age 50 is now like 35 was in the fifties.First of all what are your passions?I mean besides the previous jobs that have failed you??Why not give yourself some time to find that passion.I typed in, "printing jobs" on yahoo several came up.Monster.com has some.I mean for now.Lift up  your head and shout "I'm not going to take this anymore" real loud.It will make you feel better.Find a 45 year old and hang out have a Starbucks coffee.Ask whats going on in your business world.Find a common link with society give back,while you mentor someone younger. Get your eyes off of yourself, help some else.Opportunity comes when you help others.
900441
yeah time for her get a career cuz another country kids already start a career when they was 8 year old! but i realized one man i met from russian  he told me his experience as age 8 now he is 23 year old and i work as pizza delievery also i am 23 year old that i wish i can made decision when i was 13 year not undecide very late right now i am still at college and still dont know what i want that really bullshit but i got low paid not good sign good example look at him he already had decision very younger and right path and successfully life and rich . he had a manison house can you imagine now he is rich as website designer .\n\nHe told me that now he is still go to college do whatever he want to do that also he felt that he had alot freedom, alot choice at college and spend time with his family and friends no conflict his work or anything cuz he had money and freedom less stress, less problem. I think better for her get a career let her had new experience career than sex or drugs experience. i believe and sure she will be learning something from real world as career and life is all about let her learn quickly better than sorry in the future who know!
739925
Why am i not surprised that most of the answers are trying to sell you something or another.\n\nIf you are thinking of being self employed and run your own business, but do not know what direction to aim for, the typical answer is..... to follow your passions.\n\ndon't ask me what that means, but if you read the books that many business owners have written they will say that you must be passionate about your business, for it to work.\n\nMy question to you then is, what are you passionate about, or asked in a different manner.\n\nIf you had an opportunity to receive a very impressive award and be recognized by your peers and society, in what field would you like it to be in.\n\nFor example, if you said, "helping single mothers to succeed in life, parenting and business" then your focuss would then follow that path, by deciding, \nwho do you need to know, to help single mother to succeed......\nwhat do you need to know, to help...............\n what do you need to do,.... to .......\n and how would I need to sell it.\n\nread books like the emyth by michael gerber, and anything you can get your hands on about starting your own business.\n\nThe web is great as a resource, but I caution you for all the sales pitches with their own agenda and products.\n\nMany years ago, my decision was real estate, after owning a book business, now I also am a part owner in a craft business, train realtors, and manage a real estate office, and invest in real estate. so there are many ways and roads that you can follow, and combine.\n\nIn answering your question, my own light went on, I think I am passionate about making other achieve their dreams,  cool.....\n\nBy the way, I am not selling anything to you, other than the concept, that what ever it is that you want to be proud to known for, is a great way to decide where you want to focuss on.\n\nGood Luck, although luck has little to do with it, hard work, good support (surround yourself with those with the talents you require to succeed), and a great plan.
867348
your career doesn't define who you are.  maybe who you are is restless.  working and careers aren't for everyone, although society places a high priority on them, especially for a 40 yr old.  Try to figure out who you are in other ways, meaning hobbies and what you have to offer to the world
1181076
What do you like to do? Go after that. You want to be happy when you're older and have been working in that job for a while.
864612
i really wanna figure out what i wanna do with my life.
912909
I'm 21 and still don't have a clue. My mom is 49 and she still talks about what she wants to be when she grows up. Just keep going with the flow and eventually you'll figure it out.
674170
I've personally always known that I want my own business from being very young, which is why i'm in a crappy position at the moment after uni to decide what i want to do in the meantime to get the funds to set up my business...i want to be my own boss and not be told what to do and have to hold myself back.\n\nGood for you and good luck if that's what you decide to do.
211302
Some WAHMs provide childcare for other families. Others take a different route - making and/or selling crafts, or setting up home presentations (cosmetics, jewelry, kitchen ware, etc.), or delivering catalogues and products, or similar paid work options. \n\nAll of the above are partial solutions. Money is coming in... \n\nBut you still have deadlines, or quotas to meet, or perhaps a boss to please. You still have the problem of a sick child ruining your plans for the coming week. You still have to leave the house, or have potential clients come to your home. \n\nSometimes coping with a part-time work commitment creates as much havoc as a full time job! \n\nThink about the many work-at-home-moms you know - and maybe you're one of them - who have tried one after another of these work-at-home opportunities ("biz opps") without success. It's dazing. \n\nWhy do those kinds of jobs fail? \n\nBecause that type of income generation does not work for most moms. It doesn't give them what they really want... \ntotal flexibility \na solid, growing, worthwhile income \na place to apply their knowledge, creativity and passion. \nThe pay-back for the time, effort, and disruption to family routines is just not there. \n\n\nSo Where Do You Go For The Right Answer?\nYou're there already... \n\nThe Internet. The Web. Online. \n\nIn fact, for many people, the Internet is a second home. It's the easiest, most flexible, and most convenient tool for finding information now. \n\nThink about your favorites or bookmarks. You probably have a huge list of sites (sorted, if you're lucky, into folders!) about gardening, news, holidays, recipes, shopping, Christmas, family health, games, tips, TV, finance or whatever else catches your fancy. \n\nAnd the reason you bookmarked those sites? They gave you useful information. \n\nNow think about all those other people out there on the Web. Who are they? \n\nMoms, dads... single parents, grannies... sporty types, couch potatoes... teachers, homeschoolers, music freaks, would-be chefs. They all seek the same thing. And that is, of course, quality, relevant information for their kids, gardens, home projects, hobbies, and the list goes on and on. \n\nSurfers love Web sites that reflect the owner's passion about a specific topic (i.e., painting, dogs, travel, scrapbooking, etc.) They are excited to find articles, advice, and ideas that respond to their needs or fuel their dreams. And when they discover a site that appeals to them, they will return frequently. \n\nYou too can become a sought-after communicator on the Net! \n\nWhat is your passion? What information, based on your experiences (life, education, employment), could you share? How could you help someone else? \n\nEverybody knows something about something. Identify it and then write about it! There are thousands and thousands of people who want to read about it - and spend money on it - now. \n\nMy site was created just like this.  A link to it is below.  I make money on my site and so far, I don't sell a thing.  That will come as my site continues to grow.\n\nBelieve me, if a 40 year old mother of two children can do it, you can, too.
1134722
the only way to figure this out is by figuring what YOU want to do in life. It's kind of hard to figure out aftre just finishing college, you have resposibilities now, rent, debts and so on. The key here is to find out what you really enjoy doing. that can come about from many different ways. If you're like me, I found out what I wanted to do in life by.....figuring out what I DIDN'T want to do. Had lots of crappy jobs that lead nowhere. took me awhile to figure out that I didn't know what I wanted and that's why i career hopped to various jobs. Look at what you find interest in, not what makes a lot of money or what your parents would like to see you do but what you find interests in. doesn't have to be in accounting either. I grad with a B.A. in English Writing and I'm now a loan officer. either look for what you want to do or just pick something quick and see if you like it.