Author Topic: Career suggestions for a friend?  (Read 2790 times)

frugaldrummer

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 846
Career suggestions for a friend?
« on: January 06, 2014, 07:24:03 PM »
Have a friend who is having real trouble getting back on his feet, looking for job idea suggestions out there:

50 yrs old, male, very (VERY) fit, attractive, well-dressed.  College educated but has bad dyslexia (so jobs requiring filling out a lot of precise forms or lots of written communication would not be his forte).

Excellent interpersonal skills, charismatic.  He used to make very good money in inside sales (although, looking back, I suspect some of those jobs were not so ethical - think Wolf of Wall Street). He also had a drug and alcohol problem so spent it all, and acquired a criminal record (all drug-use--related convictions, no thefts or assaults.)

He got out of sales several years ago when he was living with a girlfriend and built up her vending-machine business into a very successful concern.  That relationship ended badly and he was left with nothing.

He's been sober now for 3 1/2 years and has been trying to get back into sales but finds the industry has changed, plus he's not willing to work for any unethical companies anymore.  Plus many jobs are closed to him because of his criminal record.  (For instance, he would not be able to get a license to sell insurance or real estate).  He also cannot take a job right now that requires driving.

The sad thing is, he's a fine upstanding citizen now, a very fit, energetic worker, well-spoken, intelligent, a good salesman and someone who would be great working with the public.  Before knowing him, I had not thought about how difficult re-entry into society could be.

So - I guess I'm asking, what ideas do people have for his employment?  He lives in a high-cost-of-living city where a minimum wage job would not cover food and rent. Plus, he has a lot of ground to make up in his remaining work years, so he needs to get into something that pays reasonably well.






Woodreaux

  • 5 O'Clock Shadow
  • *
  • Posts: 20
  • Location: Southwest Louisiana
Re: Career suggestions for a friend?
« Reply #1 on: January 06, 2014, 07:51:24 PM »
New car sales? 

frugaldrummer

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 846
Re: Career suggestions for a friend?
« Reply #2 on: January 06, 2014, 08:04:49 PM »
He would be good at that, but 1) cannot drive right now (still trying to clear up a very old DUI which was cleared at the time but is not showing up in the DMV database as cleared - waiting on Dept of Justice records which is taking for freakin' ever.)  Also 2) as I recall from my last car purchase, there was an awful lot of paperwork to fill out and sign - with his dyslexia, that may be a challenge.  (Or does that get filled out by the person above him?).  I do have a friend who runs the sales dept of a local dealership, I could ask him. 


imustachemystash

  • Bristles
  • ***
  • Posts: 407
  • Age: 43
  • Location: Seattle
Re: Career suggestions for a friend?
« Reply #3 on: January 06, 2014, 08:33:17 PM »
Fitness instructor?  Something that has to do with being physically active.

frugaldrummer

  • Pencil Stache
  • ****
  • Posts: 846
Re: Career suggestions for a friend?
« Reply #4 on: January 06, 2014, 09:36:43 PM »
He has applied for a job selling gym memberships, but those are pretty entry-level jobs and I think they thought he was over-qualified.  I have thought that perhaps he should get certified to be a personal trainer - he certainly looks the part, and his AA experience sponsoring people would translate into the coaching aspect.  There are an awful lot of personal trainers in our area though.