Anyone feel like they're not qualified for anything?

Post Reply New Topic

I have a Bachelor's degree in computer science, but when I read job descriptions, I don't feel like I'm qualified for anything in that field. I look at other fields and don't feel like I'm qualified for them either. I have a very hard time learning from books and need to be able to practice something in order to learn it. This makes it very hard to learn more IT related stuff because I have no means to practice it on my own.

I sometimes feel the same way.

But I do have the means to practice/experiment on my own.

My main fault is that I never finish anything, I have a zillion projects which are all most done but I never finish any of them partly because it's never good enough for me (perfectionist) and partly because I lost interest and to force myself to finish it just takes all my energy.

you'll learn at the job. learning by practise is the best way, you'll learn just the things that you need.

Best thing is to try and get an entry level job in your field, and build up your experience that way

oh hayul yeah... MC-anything for entry-level IT positions, X years of experience in 8 different fields.

You know what I found out? The ones that have a half-page of different qualifications are many times filled by internal employees; they're required by law to post them, but not required by law that anyone could fill them. Someone's already doing the job, they're just complying with the law.

That's just your perfectionist self talking.

Pick an entry-level job where you can do some but not necessarily all of the things.

Tell them that you can do it all.

If you get the job, start learning off the internet before you start working - and grab the technical manuals as soon as you can.

I know I'm qualified, but I can't deal with the interpersonal stuff that would be required to do what I'm qualified. It was too stressful before, and looking back now I understand why. Just don't yet (if ever I will) have the ability to be comfortable with it.

You are probably qualified too. Just get started and build from there. Fortunately, being in computers you are not expected to be as interpersonally skilled as, say, a teacher -- unless you want to get into management and all that. Maybe you don't and things will be fine staying with the tech side.

Yes, I do. :/

That is one of my main faults as well. In the past 2 and a half years I have started 3 courses. One in photography, one in pet care and one in foundation studies. I completed none of them. It's not that I didn't try but that I either found them too difficult and failed or became depressed and lost all motivation to study. I am truly NOT qualified for anything, it's not just a feeling.

Welcome to the new workplace. Your feeling of not being qualified isn't just an Aspie thing; it's about 90% of prospective employees. While I agree with pakled's response about how inflated job descriptions are, I don't share the cynicism that they are all perfunctorily posted only to be filled by internal employees. Aristotle once talked about the ideal horse that existed only in words, but not in reality. Employers are also looking for that "ideal horse" and write job descriptions that no mere mortal could possibly fill. The fluff exists so (1) they have something to measure candidates against and (2) so they sound serious. Speaking to (2), I bet many of the postings you read ("Post-graduate degree preferred, 29 years experience, must be willing to work 90 hours unpaid overtime...") may sound like some serious, large company but in reality probably was posted by some tiny start-up who would be grateful to have a warm body.

You mention you have a degree in IT. Also, seeing your age, I presume you have some kind of meaningful work experience. Both can get you a job in IT, although the reality is you may have to post lots of resumes and be willing to settle for something less than you want - but hopefully something with a chance for career growth. The other posters have excellent advice in that regard and I would pay attention to that.

My question to you is whether you enjoy IT. I'm guessing you got that degree as more of an obligation, or at least (assuming you graduated around 2000) as a surefire way to get a career. When you say you have no means to practice on your own, that tells me you don't have desire to practice. We Aspies have our special interests that we pursue despite economic, familial (etc) limitations. One of my "special" interests is IT and I've found ways to have hands-on practice by availing myself of a lot of cheap or free things, especially from the Internet. Like you, I rather do the hands-on than read a book. I'm not trying to preach to you about how to get practice in IT. My point is simply I believe that if one has a bonafide interest in something, they will naturally pursue it, despite the odds.

I'm sure you an interest that really lights you up, whether it is IT or something else. My experience is that enthusiasm and interest in a job oftentimes compensates for experience. Having sat on interview panels, I can tell you the candidates who impressed me the most were not the ones with direct experience but the ones who showed interest in their growth and development. In fact, one candidate who stood out had no direct experience in the area, but had researched it prior. Responding to a question, he told us he had not handled Situation X, but from what he read and from his other experience, that's what he would do. I'm not trying to give interview advice, but simply making the point that your best bet is to find a career in something you're interested in.

Bottom line: Be on the court getting a job, but pursue one in a career that matches your Aspie interest(s). Good luck to you.

you may start with small things that are non-social (like paining windows in your house or planting a plant) and after several acomplishments advance gradually, i.e. take the easiest course and just concentrate on attending and finishing.
Make long term plans of your schedule i.e. learning from 4-6 pm every day or something like that.

I basically couldn't even attend my classes, got stuck on 2nd year. In the meantime I was attending therapy which lasted for years where I would complain about my issues, my family, world in general. Therapist would suggest a thing or two but nothing really worked. Than suddenly after many years I quit reasoning why some people behave like they do and just start doing things. My brilliant friend couldn't bear to finish school, she got distracted by too many small things and issues, her feelings and now she is pretty much stuck.

Do not give up and concetrate on actions not on distractions (they are always going to be there).

If you want to gain practical "real word" experience, try volunteering. Setup and maintain a non-profits network, or if you want to program try contributing to an open source project. hope this helps.

If you have a bachelor's degree in computer science, you may not actually be qualified for programming/dba/etc type jobs. Further, if you have no actual experience (paid, volunteer, internship, freelance projects) you're going to be at a disadvantage compared to someone who does.

The economy is definitely not helping new, inexperienced/unexperienced grads. HR drones are literally having perfect candidates fall into their laps/talons/maws so it's less likely that inexperienced people are going to get hired when there are people with experience to fill even entry level positions.

Find a way to get experience doing the kind of job you want to do and go from there. I've had this conversation with so many college students I've lost count.

I did noticed recently is that having your (real, legal) name on some good open source projects can help getting a paid position. Let your code do the talking for you so they can for themselves the work you can do by yourself

Most managers would rather have someone who has proven to be able to produce insanely great things without any supervision, instead of someone who can't produce "hello world" without close supervision. (not joking about that one)

Absolutely
Single mom with 3 kids to support and very little help
I'm going to school and interested in Psychology..
I don't finish things either..
I have a horrible memory
I blank out mentally more and more these days
I've been forgetting to do a lot of important things
Of course I've been under a lot of financial stress..
but yeah most days I wonder what the heck I will do..
In menial jobs I've had I always had the stress that I was
not doing a good enough job and pissing someone off..
My good attitude helped out with the Boss's
but coworkers would get aggitated with me
and my absentmindedness..
When I'm set on a specefic task.. I'm on point
but hand me a "list" of things to do and forget it
I'm a lost kid without a map in a candy store..
Ooooo kaaaay yeah...
Perfectionist?
Naayyyy
Just gett'n stuck in the details!! !
Not happy with anything trivial
and everythings a huge deal!! !

I don't want to do IT anymore. I find it completely boring and uninteresting. I can't do programming or database stuff, that kind of logic and my logic just don't mesh. My schooling was more towards network administration and I just don't want to do that. I don't know Linux well enough to get a job and have no way to learn it on my own because I don't have a need for it. Same with Exchange. Anyways, so I don't want to do IT, but when I look at job categories, I don't see anything else either.

Accounting/Finance - Don't know anything about that kind of stuff
Administrative/Office - There are a few jobs here I could do, but I'd hate it, plus I can't wear suits on a regular basis
Aerospace/Aviation - Yeah . . . . right
Architecture /Planning - Don't know the first (or second, third, fourth or fifth) thing about it
Arts/Entertainment/Media - A few things look interesting in these categories, but it's mostly graphic design, of which I don't know anything
Automotive - Due to some physical issues, this isn't an option
Bio-tech/sciences - Don't know anything here
Construction - Don't know the first thing about it plus I have physical issues that would hold me back
Customer Service - I could do it, but I'd suck, and probably have to wear a suit for some reason
.
.
.
.
And you get the idea. When I look for jobs I get the same thoughts on every category. I need to find some obscure, right place in the right time kind of thing, but that's never happened. Growing up, I never knew what I wanted to do. Nothing sounded appealing (still doesn't) so I never really focused on anything. Going back to school is out of the question at this point for me so I guess I'm just screwed.