Need desparate help and advice on career!!!

Hi there,


I will try to keep this as short as simple. I am male, in my very early 30s, and I am really stuck and confused on what to do with my life.


I had a few years of my primary education in an International school, so I ended up with almost native American English (both speaking as well as writing). My parents are actually from the China so I could also speak native Mandarin and Cantonese as well.


In my early 20s I did a few dead end jobs, worked as an office assistant for around 2 years, then I worked as a Customer Service Rep for around 2 years, I then went to study, and graduated with a degree in IT in 2008, but that was the worst possible time to graduate, when Lehman went belly up and the economy is in the toilet.


After I graduated I initially was very optimistic and passionate, the first thing I did when I woke up was browse career sites and sending CVs, but as time goes by that passion kind of flatlined, and I ended up selling things on auction sites, in the forms of both face to face and internationally. The money made is alright; I've had some very good months but also a few really lousy months. Until now, this has lasted for almost 5 years.


The biggest issue is I just don't see how I can make it big, I don't want to be stuck with a mediocre paying so called "job" for the rest of my life. Even banks have declined my credit card applications, since I can't produce any job references. Apparently mortages is completely out of the question.


During the time I continued to study, and recently graduating with a Masters in eCommerce.


I eventually got fed up with my nowhere going life, and decided to head back to the game of hunting in the job market.


But I am seriously stuck with what to fill my CV with the 5 year gap. I've seeked the advice of others, who said I should just explain it the way it is. But truthfully speaking, I am sure a lot of employers won't be buying it.


So I am left scratching my head how to fill the gap, I am also really stuck on what career path to take. Although I have graduated in IT, I have realized I am not exactly IT material; I feel I am better in the business side. I can also write very good English, but since I don't have a degree in English so a career in writing won't work for me. Then being overaged in my early 30s isn't helping at all. I do feel the odds are stacked against me...big time.


I am feeling time is running out, and I starting to feel desperate.


Any ideas what I should do? Any suggestion is welcomed.


Thank you.

why wouldnt employers buy it? i think it makes perfect sense, you were an entrepreneur who made a successful living from it (contrary to 9 out of 10 entrepreneurs), so you should flag that. combine that with your IT and eCommerce degrees and you look like a decent candidate for a IT start-up

Hi Cookie09, Cara, and Malka, thanks for the reply. I wasn't expecting replies so soon.


One of the problems I am facing is what I did is pretty much home based; I never bothered to apply for a business registration, as a result there is virtually no records at all of what I did for the past few years.


During the 5 years there were times every few months when I would suddenly become passionate and starting sending CVs, however the vast majority of them never called, and the ones who did call, never worked out. I got discouraged, and I went backed to selling online.


During a few of the interviews I have been told straight up that my so called experience aren't really experience at all, and won't be considered as such, which is particularly painful to digest.


After studying IT, like I said earlier, I realized I am not exactly IT material. It is hard to believe that after all these years of IT education and I still can't grasp some fundamental programming ideas. I do have a rather technical mindset; it only happens I am a terrible coder. (In case you were wondering, when I was doing IT projects in uni I was always the designated report writer; while everyone else worked on the code. I had a well deserved reputation of churning reports that made crappy programs look good)


Eventually I got fed up and decided that I should just look for a different industry; IT is not for me.


I am interested in looking for a job in an MNC, at least I could make good use of my English skills. I browsed a lot of job openings in career sites, but it seems they require several years of "relevant" job experience. Compared with other candidates who have solid and "real" experience from large, reputable companies, and my experience which has no reference and is almost impossible to back, it is a steep battle.


I am just concerned whether is it too late to get back in the game, (I've had an interview from a very well known MNC a few months ago where the interviewer asked me several times whether I would be comfortable with my superior being younger than I am)


And perhaps Cara is right that I need to do a attitude make over...


Thanks again and I look forward to any inputs....