career advice for young high school grads

[Geronimo]

When a kid asks you what the easiest way to make more than 50k a year is and won't admit to any personal interests or aptitudes is there really any answer for such a question?

Are there any careers out there that would virtually guarentee at least 50k a year but which would not require any aptitude or luck or prestigious education credentials to secure?

It seems to me that with this attitude the kid is heading for disappointment. But somehow he doesn't seem at all worried that it will be difficult to find something that will fit his expectations.

Am I being overly pessimistic? Are there sure-thing (slightly) above average pay careers that any average person can be successful at without demonstrating any passionate interest in it at all? Isn't it a bit ominous that this kid will be graduating in a few months and apparently is still at the stage of asking random relatives (who in my case barely even qualifies as having achieved his stated income level) for career advice? Probably just fishing for advice different from what his parents gave him or something?

[Asher]

Are there sure-thing (slightly) above average pay careers that any average person can be successful at without demonstrating any passionate interest in it at all?

Management.

[Pekka]

SUre there are ways but he has to be smart, if he doesn't want to 'work for it'.

If he is not smart and is not reay to work for it, he won't make it, period.

[SlowwHand]

Health care.

[Asher]

Yeah, like nurses.

[Pekka]

Tell him to turn into a poker pro. If he's got game, he'll make it. If not.. well too bad.

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by Pekka
SUre there are ways but he has to be smart, if he doesn't want to 'work for it'.

If he is not smart and is not reay to work for it, he won't make it, period.

I wouldn't say this kid is stupid but when we talked at thanksgiving he definately didn't seem particularly scholarly or driven. More laid back and probably quite average intelligence.

I'm guessing the e-mail was sent to other relatives as well but I'm not sure his career fishing initiative has the slightest chance of giving a meaningful answer.

I'm not sure what to write back.

[SlowwHand]

Nursing would certainly be a good field.

[Lord Avalon]

Can he benefit from nepotism? If not, tell him he shoulda been born into a different family.

[Geronimo]

Originally posted by SlowwHand
Nursing would certainly be a good field.

It does sound hard to imagine a long job search for health care. I wonder how much school this kid would need after high school to pursue that.

[Pekka]

Well, it's difficult to generate that kind of income without any kind of further education, unless you really work for it and then everything is possible.

So he either has to inherit loads of money, become criminal, win in the lottery or become a good investor, as in investing in the market or playing poker or similar.

And without great deal of knowledge, there's no way in hell one would stay lucky for years in order to generate steady income. There must be something he is interested in. He needs to do that. If it's 'there's nothing I'm interested in', well, the money isn't going to drop from the sky so there's no way to generate that income.

[Dinner]

The money is in science and engineering. Failing that becoming a pharmacist is a good option ($75k+ per year) and is much easier then going to medical school, most graduate school graduates make more then $50k, and many police departments pay more then $50k.

[Asher]

How about being a filosofy instructor?

[KrazyHorse]

This is easy.

Male prostitute.

[Asher]

Depends on how hot he is.