Career ideas if low IQ but very hard working?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mechanic? There’s a woman in the SN forum that posts about her son with a low iq that is a mechanic.

That’s me. He has an IQ of about
72. He is quite successful. He has a CDL but the tests are tough. He works the the county so he makes >$70 per year and has good benefits.

I’d also suggest considering something like a custodian for someplace like metro. Lots of companies and government agencies contract out for that kind of work. But for those that don’t you can earn a living wage with health insurance.

What I will say is this. My son is successful because I worked with him to study for the CDL tests and applying for jobs and lots of other things. He went to vo tech in HS which gave him enough foundation to be successful in an auto training program. So if we’re talking about someone who truly low IQ, success doesn’t takes a lot of support.

Does your son have any emotional or physical disabilities? I’m guessing no to the latter.

No to either.

I actually think that is a huge factor in the success of individuals with lower IQs--whether or not they also have emotional and physical disabilities (which often accompany low IQ). There are jobs they can do, but emotional difficulties (Eg, outbursts, inability to observe personal physical boundaries, etc.) create a ton of risk for the employer and physical disabilities limit the types of work they can do (for example, the work your son does on cars definitely requires fine and gross motor skills).

I don’t disagree but the question was about low IQ. My son is very accepting of his limits and that is a great quality to have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see how someone with a truly low IQ could be a mechanic? How do you diagnose and fix a car or other machine with a low IQ? They might as well be geniuses, as far as I'm concerned, and I'm in a profession that requires a degree of intelligence. You're often running your own business as a mechanic as well, which many people can't / won't do. Same thing with the trades.

My son will never run his own business. But so much of being a mechanic is repetitive. There is problem solving involved but there are limited options. And the problems aren’t complex.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't see how someone with a truly low IQ could be a mechanic? How do you diagnose and fix a car or other machine with a low IQ? They might as well be geniuses, as far as I'm concerned, and I'm in a profession that requires a degree of intelligence. You're often running your own business as a mechanic as well, which many people can't / won't do. Same thing with the trades.

There are mechanics who only work on a specific type of problem or issue, and ones that work under the supervision of someone who does more of the diagnostic work and managing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What about sales?

Low IQ and sales do not go together.

LOL! Only people in sales think this.

Sales is the perfect job for someone who isn’t that bright but has a lot of energy. You need someone who doesn’t think very complex thoughts. They have to think they’re smart but they just need to take rejection well, not get bored of repetition, and be motivated by very easy to understand performance metrics and platitudinous inspirational speakers.