Shrimpscampi,

First, what type of work would you like to do.

Let me ask it this way....

Imagine we live in a world where everyone gets paid the same. You could be the CEO of a large corporation, or a janitor at a local school. Having this in mind what would you see yourself doing?

I have used this question in interviews and had some amazing responses, especially when the answers had nothing to do with what I was offering in the form of employment.

So, now you have an idea, if you answered it.

Next, let's assume you'd like to be a manager at a best buy store. Well, go to the local best buy and talk to the manager, tell him, look some day I want to be a manager of a store, like this one that you manage. Tell me, what would you recommend I do to prepare myself for this type of position? Ask him, are there any positions that you could apply for now?

You are young, my advice would be, is do your work there, but reach out to better positions elsewhere.

In closing, I remember when I first started my practice as a financial advisor 25 years ago. I said to myself, I want to be an excellent advisor, a top producer, what should I do?

I realized that I should go to the "top producers" of the company I affiliated with and asked them this question....

If you knew then, what you know now, what would you do differently?

They responded, I wouldn't get a big fancy office to impress people. I would focus on retirees, because that is where the money is. I got a variety of great responses. My thinking was, why reinvent the wheel, ask questions, record answers and increase my knowledge base so I wouldn't make the same mistakes that they did when they first started.

The one thing I did do, that turned out to not be what was right for me, was I did start focusing on retirees. Yet, in reality, my past experience and comfort level was working with business owners and entrepreneurs. Those are who my target clientele are today. It's a right fit, I'm an entrepreneur and business owner, so we can relate. Yes, I do have retirees that were referred to me, and I enjoy helping them as well. It's been a good life.

If I knew then (at age 15) what I know now, is I would educate myself to get as much knowledge as I could and act on that knowledge. I wouldn't worry about what people say, or get caught up in the little drama's that you seem to be experiencing at work. I'd do my work, knowing I had greater plans and that my focus would be improving upon myself day by day, and not worry about the masses. Let them worry about themselves. I have to get my stuff together and the sooner the better. Oh, and don't buy crap or be someone you aren't trying to be accepted or be someone who you aren't. Be yourself and everything will work out for the best.

Best of success to you shrimpscampi!