What do I do when I cannot hold down a job?

[ForevrLonely29]

Society seems to operate on this concept of money. An individual human needs this "money" to obtain food, shelter, and status. But we don't automatically have it upon existence. It is given to us by another entity with money.

People can earn this money by working something called a "job".

Here is the problem... I cannot hold down a job in order to keep a consistent flow of this money. I have held 25+ jobs since age 15. The issue comes into play when I experience long unemployment gaps between jobs. Unemployment gaps = no money obtained. Bills do not stop when someone becomes unemployed. So why I may obtain this money when I work, my bank account becomes drained when I lose a job. It is like I get ahead when I pick up momentum at a job, but then get kicked back many notches when I have job loss. Therefore, I can never get ahead.

Updates

6 mo

To add, working hard and accomplishing tasks is not enough to keep a job anymore. Hard skills are not enough. Now, you have to be a "cultural fit", have adequate social skills, and have good overall "soft skills".

[SugarSugarplum]

Money is just a way of abstracting value. That way you don't have to work on a farm for food, work at a gas station for gas, and code for Google to do searches. Your problem is not with money.

Ask yourself *why* you can't hold a job. Clearly you can't think "it's those stupid bosses". You must know the problem is you. Do you have a bad attitude, do you resent being told what to do? Are you rage quitting the jobs or getting fired?

The good news is that knowing you are the problem means that you are also the solution. Ultimately you are in charge of your attitudes, your energy, your effort, and your skills.

[ForevrLonely29]

I am on the Autistic Spectrum with severe mental illness. My hard skills are off the charts. I am extremely intelligent and multi-faceted. My social skills, emotional intelligence, and the ability to navigate through teams and workplace politics lack.

[SugarSugarplum]

Kodak used to hire blind people to work in their dark rooms developing film. There must be something for a man of your skill set. Something with more attention to detail and less office politics.

[ForevrLonely29]

You would have thought being a work-from-home software engineer would have been a well-suited role for me. Sadly, even that has not been the case.

[CupcakeTheDestroyer]

If your issue is that you lack “soft skills” AKA nobody enjoys working with you and you drive away customers/clients then you’re going to have to learn to reel it in.

[WindAtMyBack]

If you lose 1-2 jobs, then maybe you got unlucky and worked at crappy companies. If you are really unlucky, maybe that happened at 3-4 companies. But 25 jobs? The problem is obviously you. Stop blaming the companies and "money". Start learning from your mistakes and do better. If you don't learn from your mistakes, this will continue.

[AI Opinion]

Your situation is challenging, but there are ways to address these difficulties. First, it's crucial to understand the reasons behind the frequent job changes, such as skills mismatch, work environment, or lack of interest. Consider career counseling or mentorship to explore roles that align better with your strengths and interests. Upskill yourself in areas that are in demand, possibly through online courses or certifications. Building a professional network can also provide support and open new opportunities. Additionally, managing finances, even during employment gaps, through budgeting and savings is key to maintaining stability. Perseverance and strategic planning will help you move forward.

[jahaims]

Conform or starve