Dear J.T. & Dale: I never took high school seriously, but I managed to graduate. The biggest mistake I ever made was never going on to college. I went straight to work for a factory. That was 10 years ago. I just got let go from my latest dead-end factory job. I need a new direction, but just don’t know where to start. — Van

J.T.: It may not seem like it, Van, but you have actually gotten started in choosing a career direction. In the first 10 years of their careers, people figure out what they don’t want in a job, so you’ve learned a lot.

Dale: And spending years wandering in the career wilderness is as common, or perhaps more common, with college graduates. I point that out because I don’t want Van to reach the wrong conclusion from his work experience, believing that the problem is his lack of college.

J.T.: Education is an advantage, but getting more education doesn’t necessarily mean a college degree. What I’d suggest, Van, is visiting local vocational colleges. Their admissions people probably will offer tests to see if you have an aptitude. Did you know that many vocational schools boast a 90+ percent placement rate? That’s because you learn specific skills that will make you immediately qualified to work in the field you choose.

Dale: The problem is that Van might become qualified to do the next job he’s going to hate. Before he does anything, he has to begin figuring out what sort of work would be rewarding, and it might not require additional schooling. For instance, I have a friend who manages a warehouse, and who has turned it into a lively, creative job. He has made a game of putting up great numbers for the company, and making it a great place for his employees to work. How do you get to be a lively, engaged warehouse manager? By first being a lively and engaged warehouse employee. No one is going to come along and say: “Oh, poor Van is miserable and sulking because his skills aren’t being developed. We need to promote him, pronto!”

J.T.: It’s true that many people in America have “Cinderella syndrome,” the secret belief that someday they’ll win the lottery or someone will fix their situation for them. Don’t let yourself become one of the waiting people, Van.

Dale: You turn things around by finding jobs you want to pursue. And you pursue jobs by talking with everyone you know, including the people you met at those factory jobs. Talk to people who deal with lots of types of businesses and employees — the UPS driver, staffing agencies, real estate agents and so on. You’ve learned enough about what you don’t want to do; it’s time to become an expert in what you do want.