Serious questions for people with careers

[JuniorAnalyst]

Hey guys I'm 18 and I starting gambling when I was 16. I have had limited success and understand gambling is a horrible source of income. I have worked in restaurants since I was 15 and work 50+ hr weeks all year round. I understand the importNce of having a solid job and am think about my work in the future. I graduated in june of 2011 and have been working nonstop since 60+ hr weeks. I love restaurants and work great in the industry but I want to have a more high profile job and living. I'm stuck in a crisis thinking about a career and really would like some opinions. I'm great with math and statistical analysis. Obviously I'm interested in sports and follow alot of sports closely. What would be a good career choice for me opinions are welcome but please be serious I'm not posting here as an immature teenager looking to make a quick buck this is a serious discussion that I would like some input and other views on.
Some jobs that seem to inspire me are stock broker, entrepreneur of some sort, real estate, any type of investment such work. please stay on topic and help out an sbr friend! Thanks a million!

[ttwarrior1]

18 and on sbr , roll eyes, just leave already

If you want to rip people off then go ahead and be a stock broker, real estate and investor

[hels]

Whatever you do, do not listen to lakerboy. He's 38yo and an assistant night manager at McDonalds.

[JuniorAnalyst]

Lol thanks for the input but I'm really looking for. Mature conversation here no hate or arguments please.

[JuniorAnalyst]

Thanks ttw but not what I'm looking for.

[NYSportsGuy210]

Go to school study and network. Never stop learning and see what you have a passion for.

[hels]

Lol thanks for the input but I'm really looking for. Mature conversation here no hate or arguments please.

This is SBR. You might get 1 or 2 useful responses per page. Just be happy that some posters are making posts and creating interest. The longer it stays near the top the more likely you are to get some serious answers.

[Dirty Sanchez]

Hey guys I'm 18 and I starting gambling when I was 16. I have had limited success and understand gambling is a horrible source of income. I have worked in restaurants since I was 15 and work 50+ hr weeks all year round. I understand the importNce of having a solid job and am think about my work in the future. I graduated in june of 2011 and have been working nonstop since 60+ hr weeks. I love restaurants and work great in the industry but I want to have a more high profile job and living. I'm stuck in a crisis thinking about a career and really would like some opinions. I'm great with math and statistical analysis. Obviously I'm interested in sports and follow alot of sports closely. What would be a good career choice for me opinions are welcome but please be serious I'm not posting here as an immature teenager looking to make a quick buck this is a serious discussion that I would like some input and other views on.
Some jobs that seem to inspire me are stock broker, entrepreneur of some sort, real estate, any type of investment such work. please stay on topic and help out an sbr friend! Thanks a million!

You're 18...no such thing as a serious discussion. If you want a serious reply...stop gambling and walk away from this forum as you're too young to even be discussing it

[Sam Odom]

Own your own business !

Get a one man Hotdog stand/cart

Then buy a small restaurant

[griz]

call opie and see if u can get ur foot in the door by carrying all the materials to the job site and then going to pick up coffee and lunch for everyone. if u work hard he will promote u.

[Iced]

Some jobs that seem to inspire me are stock broker, entrepreneur of some sort, real estate, any type of investment such work.

You're not getting even an interview for jobs like this without a college degree.

[JuniorAnalyst]

Lol hels guess I see your point lol thanks nysportsguy I guess I'm not really looking to spend forever in school. Stock trading seems good because it has some similarities to sports "investing" and you can teach yourself slot of the basics

[BIGDAY]

Insurance industry is +EV. I call it risk management.

[darkhat]

It's a question that you will probably go over for years and years. I'm really into sports, but my job requires me to work long hours. I haven't been able to watch the superbowl in two years. If you work in the entertainment industry, expect missing out on most of the joys in life. It's generally 6 days a week, 12 hour days if you are lucky. Everything has trade offs, and that's something to look into when picking a specific job obviously.

You mentioned a stock broker.. research the stress and harassment associated with it. Obviously you like restuarants, but if you meet a girl at a bar and tell her your a waiter, it's not "high profile." You could always pursue becoming a GM of a big restaurant you can still watch sports while you work.

[zam77]

Dude if you have that much experience in the restaurant industry, put it to good use. Think about a catering business or fast casual dining/takeout. I started a catering biz 8 years ago and do pretty well for myself. I think it's wise to seriously consider working for yourself before you spend money on college not having a clue what you want to do. Control your own destiny... you already have a passion for food it sounds like so make something more out of it. GL.

[KingJD31]

Lol hels guess I see your point lol thanks nysportsguy I guess I'm not really looking to spend forever in school. Stock trading seems good because it has some similarities to sports "investing" and you can teach yourself slot of the basics

u need money you can afford to lose to invest and to be gambling I'll go out on a limb and say you don't Im young to not that young but get a job that pays atleast 40k a year and come back next year

[paranoyd androyd]

stop gambling. keep studying.

[JuniorAnalyst]

I live in Canada so 18 is the legal gambling age. I do it for fun mostly bit realized I'm putting to much into something that has no real major return. I don't want to work the long long days needed to own a restaurant cause I play to have a family and kids and be around and shit. School is and option not a requirement for life in my opinion. I love working with numbers and money and such which is why sports investing caught my attention. I knowni should quit gambling duh we all should but we all do it for the thrill to make a couple bucks here and there even though we end up most of the time paying bookies but whatever just limit that and play within your means. Just looking for some opinions and if anyone has some story's to tell to build some inspiration of some sort because I don't want to spend my life going paycheck to paycheck working all day to enjoy so little of life. Thanks to all the contributors.

[floridagolfer]

Find a career you'll enjoy. There's nothing worse than getting up every day and hating what you do for a living.

[mathdotcom]

I have had limited success and understand gambling is a horrible source of income.
...
I'm great with math and statistical analysis.

I'm not so sure these statements are compatible

[fastball00]

If you a proficient in math and statistics I would recommend procuring a BS in computer engineering. Currently the US is unable to fill available positions. The situation is only going to become more grave as we, globally, transition to technological societies.

http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos303.htm

Good luck in your future endeavours

[Rockets2200]

Houston, Texas is full of 18-21 year olds making 60k to 100k a year working for contractors at refineries and refinery work..........u dont have to have a degree.... I'm still in school and work 60-100 hours a week for a contracting company for all the refineries in houston and I'm doing very well.....moved out of home got my own place, lots of spending $, huge big screen tv, giant fridge and great bbq grill and i still got plenty of $ for fun going out when i can......lot of young people moving out of the costly states and moving to texas where its cheaper to live and economy is rising

[Sam Odom]

Houston, Texas is full of 18-21 year olds making 60k to 100k a year working for contractors at refineries and refinery work..........u dont have to have a degree.... I'm still in school and work 60-100 hours a week for a contracting company for all the refineries in houston and I'm doing very well.....moved out of home got my own place, lots of spending $, huge big screen tv, giant fridge and great bbq grill and i still got plenty of $ for fun going out when i can......lot of young people moving out of the costly states and moving to texas where its cheaper to live and economy is rising

Plus...

it is a 'Red' State

[Emily_Haines]

Jobs are for morons

They are something the establishment uses as a tool to get you in debt and make you a slave for life.

[seaborneq]

If you are already putting in that kind of time at a job and don't want to spend forever in school you should get a "trade" at a technical school and split the cost and commitment of both. Everybody else thinks they are going to have large offices and secretaries, but someone still has to fix the plumbing and dig the ditches. You will make great money and be in a position to own your own biz in due time.

[LolsMcwinsey]

become a cop

[Big Bear]

just keep your eyes open for jobs on craigslist.

nothing wrong with the resturaunt business if u like it. Resturaunt managers in New York make over 100,000

[UntilTheNDofTimE]

If you are already putting in that kind of time at a job and don't want to spend forever in school you should get a "trade" at a technical school and split the cost and commitment of both. Everybody else thinks they are going to have large offices and secretaries, but someone still has to fix the plumbing and dig the ditches. You will make great money and be in a position to own your own biz in due time.

This,*

Ill take a stress free job making $25 a hour with a good union that provides healthcare at no cost and a pension plan.*

Plumber
Pipefitter
Building maintenance
Sheet metal
Hvac tech
Welder

All great money after going through about a 12-24 month apprenticeship program, certification degree at a community college, or classes through a union

[Fa11en]

I looked to poker as a my primary source of income for 6 years and put minimal effort into college. I didn't end up finishing and when poker was no longer profitable for me (2008/09) I found myself in a very precarious situation. I could no longer provide the lifestyle for myself I was accustomed to and had to work 60+ hours a week just to keep from spiraling into debt. I was able to network myself into a cushy spot working for an offshore and making way more than my "qualifications" would suggest. Not a day goes by that I don't wish I made different choices and took a more traditional route to job security and career. I know my current situation won't last forever and when I return to the states I will have to go back to school and likely pursue an accounting or financial analysis career but I get concerned that I'll be too old and not be patient or properly equipped to follow through with finishing school.

Consider a degree and school as a type of opportunity cost that after the work is put in, you get a certain amount of freedom regarding your lifestyle and how important making that money would be. The motivating factor for me was the ability to provide for a family and not be burdened by debt. The unfortunate thing about people your age and your position is that the economy sucks and the cost of getting a degree is so high relative to what you get out of it in the immediate. If you are smart and (more importantly) willing to work hard then you shouldn't have a problem. My issue was that I was used to everything coming so easy based on intellect and talent so I was ill-prepared to adjust to real world responsibilities. I consider myself very lucky that I was given the opportunity to get myself out of debt while working at a job I love and living in the Caribbean. I no longer take such things for granted and despite having a job that 99% of posters would kill for, I would give anything to go back for a redo at 18. Good luck.

[paranoyd androyd]

Jobs are for morons

They are something the establishment uses as a tool to get you in debt and make you a slave for life.

you don't have one do you?

[peeiempee]

Most of these posts are really good advice. Go to school get a real career. Do something relatively recession proof. A nurse or dental hygienist 60-100K per year, 4 years of school. Something in the medical field. Ultra sound tech 50-60K trade school only. Nurse would be best 4 years, medical insurance (wait you're in Canada) good retirement plan. Just my 2 cents.

[peeiempee]

Stock broker, entreprenuer, real estate, all high risk and very difficult to make a good living especially with this recession

[Idioteque]

If you're really against going back to school, go start working an internship or part-time at a real estate agency and work your way up. Otherwise, go to college and get a finance degree. You're not getting hired by any investment firms without a degree.

Better yet, work part time at the real estate agency while going through school. Then you graduate with not just an expensive piece of paper but 2-4 years experience in something fairly relevant to the industry you're trying to get into.

[YouMama]

if you like restaurants, smooze, pay your dues and get a bartending gig ... with the tips it is more than alot of careers make, and it will give you enough money to invest/gamble with ... if you make any capital doing that, by time you are in your golden years, u could own your own retaurant/bar/etc...

[Emily_Haines]

you don't have one do you?

don't need one