You make $65,000 (USD 🤢) in a dead end career... (piefed.social)

submitted 4 hours ago by Tooks@piefed.social to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

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You make $65,000 (USD 🤢) in a dead end career doing nothing but showing up sometimes. Guaranteed employment without change in intensity or salary until retirement in 15 years at age 62. You receive 3 weeks paid vacation, reasonably priced medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401k matched at 2.5%, and virtually unlimited sick days as long as you don't call out too often (>3x month). You are given 6 college credits per semester to use at the local university. You're currently working on a PhD.

You live comfortably and have 1 year's salary saved. Zero dependents.

Do you ride it out, or do you seek a career change before it's too late.

I know, infinite unknown variables, but what would you do regardless?

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[-] DagwoodIII@piefed.social 23 points 4 hours ago

Ride it out. No question. You have unlimited opportunities to grow outside the job.

No employer is going to hire a 47 year old. Too old to train and not enough experience in the field to be a good manager.

If you aren't getting enough excitement from the job, go out and start dating or find a hobby.

Heck, the the year's salary you have saved there are dozens of businesses you could start.

[-] RBWells@lemmy.world 2 points 1 hour ago

The fuck? I got my job around that age. And we hired our temp who is at least 65. And a treasury manager over 60 too.

It's harder, I'm sure. But 47 is absolutely NOT too old to change careers, that's nonsense.

[-] Tooks@piefed.social 7 points 3 hours ago

This is more of where I'm leaning, but then I think I'm wasting my potential, without having any idea where to even exhibit potential.

I'm referred to as a "generalist" at work. I'm told that's a good thing.

[-] otacon239@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

We’ve been taught that we need to use all our potential but if you don’t gain from it, even spiritually, I truly don’t see the point.

Do what makes you happy as long as others don’t get hurt. For a lot of people, that conveniently happens to involve helping others. If that isn’t yours, then just keep looking until you find it.

You are the only one in control of what you deem “realized potential”.

[-] meco03211@lemmy.world 7 points 3 hours ago

Your potential doesn't need to be limited to work. You can exhibit that in a multitude of ways with no connection to a job.

[-] DagwoodIII@piefed.social 3 points 2 hours ago

I've worked in the arts and I've worked in public health.

Yes, you can get a certain satisfaction from helping people, or creating something.

In the end, if you're looking for true fulfillment, it's an inside job.

No career is going to guarantee happiness. Look at superstars like Charlie Sheen or Tiger Woods. The both had all the external validation anyone could ask for.

My best advice is to accept that your going to be on this job, and start looking for answers in otehr places.

Have you tried meditation?

I know it sounds corny, but in the end, happiness is a choice not a destination.

[-] TowardsTheFuture@lemmy.zip 2 points 2 hours ago

Yeah potential and job are often mutually exclusive. Unless you’re like a teacher or something where you’re actually helping people and not just a person making boss more money.

Find something you enjoy that can give back to the community. Help establish something cool, or help foster/TNVR cats or dogs, or find something you could do that is fulfilling and helps you not feel like you’ve done nothing. Enjoy yourself.

this post was submitted on 06 Aug 2026

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