Am I ***ting myself?

[ShadowArmy]

I am going to finish up community college next May with my associate's in business (accounting, specifically) and probably transfer to get my bachelor's. However, there is a chance that the only school that I'm getting a decent transfer-credit deal at either won't accept me, be too expensive for my parents to afford (my dad was laid off last July and still hasn't found work), or the work will be too challenging. And in my thoughts of what I would want to go in, I know that job security will be one of the most important factors; the thought of getting fired/layed off in the private sector because I "don't quite fit in with the company culture" or some other crap reason, or no reason, pertaining to at-will employment, irritates me. That is why I've considered working for the government within the realm of possibility. I understand that job security is a + there.

But I have to wonder. Is it possible to get a secure job, be making at least 30K a year, with no more than an associate's degree?

I'm in the New England btw.

 

[Rizzo]

***ting yourself?

the **** does that mean?

 

[Acepilotf14]

Better than not having a degree, bro.

 

[Tollbooth Willie]

***ting yourself?

the **** does that mean?

C*nting, bro.

 

[ShadowArmy]

***ting yourself?

the **** does that mean?

brown

 

[MiccyNarc]

I'm getting a BS in Aeronautical Science with professional flight that's costing me $100,000. I'm getting an AS in air traffic control that's costing me $~5000 on top of that. Guess which will be getting me $37,000 a year straight out of school and easily $100,000 a year after that?
The AS. :-\

 

[ShadowArmy]

hehe, yeah. I also heard that you can make 175k a year as a radiologist with only an associate's degree. But I'm sure there are other factors that keep lots of people out of it.

 

[MiccyNarc]

Let me tell you, **** how much money the job will earn you. Find something you enjoy and pursue it. Don't work a job you hate just because it earns you money.

 

[ShadowArmy]

Fair enough. But I don't like anything. So my choice of job/career paths is mainly based on personal ability/aptitude and whether or not I will be making enough to LIVE off of. I was a factory worker before I went to college, and the while the work was quite boring, it was tolerable. But the main reason I left and went to college is because the pay isn't adequate and we kept having slow weeks.

I don't aim to make six figures. Nowhere close to that. I just need to be able to pass a certain threshold before money stops becoming a driving factor in my decision.

 

[ComradeBadger]

I would suggest actually trying to transfer, if you don't get accepted you don't get accepted - and what makes you think the work will be too challenging?

Anyway, don't worry too much about a career - the recession has meant that myself (and most of my friends, all recent graduates) have had to put our careers on hold for the time being, and just get jobs that pay the rent, as it were

 

[ShadowArmy]

I rarely read the textbook, take notes, or study. And most of my term papers are well below the required page length. But I'm breezing through Community college with mostly A's and a few B's. But I wonder if the demands of a university will be any greater?

 

[Dog--]

Guess which will be getting me $37,000 a year straight out of school and easily $100,000 a year after that?
The AS. :-\

I was gonna say prostitution

Let me tell you, **** how much money the job will earn you. Find something you enjoy and pursue it. Don't work a job you hate just because it earns you money.

You could also say don't do something you love as work, because it will turn into just that: Work.

 

[MiccyNarc]

I rarely read the textbook, take notes, or study. And most of my term papers are well below the required page length. But I'm breezing through Community college with mostly A's and a few B's. But I wonder if the demands of a university will be any greater?

Did the same thing in community college and had a 3.5. Did the same thing at uni and got a 1.8 first semester.

 

[ShadowArmy]

I was afraid something like that could happen

Was it the studying, reading the books, note taking, or meeting page requirements with papers that had the greatest increase in the demand in the transition? or something else?

I just want to be prepared, but NOT over-prepared.

 

[MiccyNarc]

I was afraid something like that could happen

Was it the studying, reading the books, note taking, or meeting page requirements with papers that had the greatest increase in the demand in the transition? or something else?

I just want to be prepared, but NOT over-prepared.

It was mostly slacking off on homework and assignments (either not turning them in, turning them in late, or not meeting the requirements) that did me in.
I've gone through most of college without taking any notes (they really only help for tests and profs usually provide study guides).
barely scraping by doesn't work.

 

[MorganFreeman911]

I am going to finish up community college next May

Well, there's your problem.
Also, make ****ing notes you lazy mother ****er.

 

[Dog--]

Good memory > tedious note taking.

 

[The Monkey]

Since when did Badger return?

 

[Danimal]

I would suggest actually trying to transfer, if you don't get accepted you don't get accepted - and what makes you think the work will be too challenging?

Anyway, don't worry too much about a career - the recession has meant that myself (and most of my friends, all recent graduates) have had to put our careers on hold for the time being, and just get jobs that pay the rent, as it were

C-C-Comrade's back?!

 

[MiccyNarc]

Well, there's your problem.
Also, make ****ing notes you lazy mother ****er.

Most teachers post powerpoints and study guides now, there's no need for note taking.

 

[Shyam]

Most teachers post powerpoints and study guides now, there's no need for note taking.

I still find take notes on the lectures. Some of my lecturers are so boring, I actually take notes to pass the time.

 

[Darkside55]

Is it possible to get a secure job, be making at least 30K a year, with no more than an associate's degree?

Possible, yet not likely.

Let me tell you, **** how much money the job will earn you. Find something you enjoy and pursue it. Don't work a job you hate just because it earns you money.

Oh god, this so much. Let me tell you, I got a degree in business. I didn't know what I wanted to do and figured I could apply a business degree anywhere. I graduated with honors, discovered I was some kind of super-accountant (proved a textbook wrong once; my professor called up the publisher and harangued them about how his student had found a problem impossible to balance); that same professor told me "Darkside, you could make $200 an hour." And I told him back then, "I love money, but I hate accounting."

It's been years since I graduated and I hate this business degree so much. I shoved it in a drawer and I never want to look at it again. Now with the economy as it is it looks like I'll HAVE to get an accounting job. I hate this field. Shit sucks. Make sure you want to do this for a living. Money is no substitute for job satisfaction. If you find something you like and you can make ends meet, even if you can't live extravagantly, take that over something that'll rake in dough but you spend dreading every day having to get up and do.

 

[Krynn72]

Possible, yet not likely.

Oh god, this so much. Let me tell you, I got a degree in business. I didn't know what I wanted to do and figured I could apply a business degree anywhere. I graduated with honors, discovered I was some kind of super-accountant (proved a textbook wrong once; my professor called up the publisher and harangued them about how his student had found a problem impossible to balance); that same professor told me "Darkside, you could make $200 an hour." And I told him back then, "I love money, but I hate accounting."

It's been years since I graduated and I hate this business degree so much. I shoved it in a drawer and I never want to look at it again. Now with the economy as it is it looks like I'll HAVE to get an accounting job. I hate this field. Shit sucks. Make sure you want to do this for a living. Money is no substitute for job satisfaction. If you find something you like and you can make ends meet, even if you can't live extravagantly, take that over something that'll rake in dough but you spend dreading every day having to get up and do.

Start up a video game company. Then hire me.

 

[Darkside55]

I wish I had Gabe Newell money so I could. And then I would do exactly what Gabe does all day: sit around and eat, getting richer and fatter by the minute.

 

[Moto]

Possible, yet not likely.

Oh god, this so much. Let me tell you, I got a degree in business. I didn't know what I wanted to do and figured I could apply a business degree anywhere. I graduated with honors, discovered I was some kind of super-accountant (proved a textbook wrong once; my professor called up the publisher and harangued them about how his student had found a problem impossible to balance); that same professor told me "Darkside, you could make $200 an hour." And I told him back then, "I love money, but I hate accounting."

It's been years since I graduated and I hate this business degree so much. I shoved it in a drawer and I never want to look at it again. Now with the economy as it is it looks like I'll HAVE to get an accounting job. I hate this field. Shit sucks. Make sure you want to do this for a living. Money is no substitute for job satisfaction. If you find something you like and you can make ends meet, even if you can't live extravagantly, take that over something that'll rake in dough but you spend dreading every day having to get up and do.

Excellent post.

Same thing here. I was a business major for a year and a half and I was doing really well, but I grew to hate it. I've been looking for something else ever since without much luck. I'm looking at this coming semester as my last shot to find something I enjoy before I bite the bullet and go back to majoring in business. I really don't want to have to do that.

 

[Danimal]

I was in the same boat as game design.

Now Imma' studying studio music production!

*Dances inspite of how much of a dead end the lives of other's are apparently in*

 

[Sparta]

You could also say don't do something you love as work, because it will turn into just that: Work.

This is wrong. I graduated last year with a bachelor in film and television production and I absolutely love making films. I don't consider it work at all, unless I'm doing a corporate doco. Even in-house corporate promotion videos can be fun if you land at the right place.

My mate landed a corporate video production job at the National Australia Bank. For his first assignment, he spent 5 days work making an in-house promotional video for them about an upcoming employee networking system or some such bullshit. He made $7,000 in a week. He's 22. Mother****er landed the best and easiest job he could and by the end of the year I envision him to be living the life of Scrooge McDuck.

 

[hool10]

Well....right now things have gone so much downhill, I pray for the whole 2012 thing to actually happen. I got an Associate last May in Welding Technology. When I saw a teacher welding, I wanted to do that so I joined his class. Turns out I was the best welder of the class too. I just really love the profession.

So after that I was all like "I don't need college, I'm gonna be a welder". So I tried to do just that, find a job. Well after a few months I couldn't find a job. My parents pushed me into a college and it was actually a very good thing. I learned many things and just became a better welder. So I met a guy in college who was a manager of a corporation. Turns out I would have a at-will temporary employment at his company. It seemed like I aced everything with my life over a year ago.

Well it turns out I was screwed over which may permanently disable me from ever finding another welding job. They had a major project that needed to get done. They raised the overtime to 66 hours a week. They employed many at-will temporary people who they paid very cheap. The majority of workers were Cambodian who couldn't speak English very well, got paid practically minimum wage, and sometimes worked from 6AM to 7AM the next day.

Eventually after 8 months I was exhausted from working 6AM to 5PM. I even had to somewhat sacrifice a content writer position here. Yeah the money was grand, but not that grand with no benefits and no full employment. So I started working 40 hour weeks and then I was laid off/fired. Not really sure if I was fired, I think it was laid off. My foreman didn't want to do it and said laid off anyways.

So I applied at unemployment, it ran out, I live with my parents, and I have no girlfriend. I have applied at 50 various companies from MA, NH, SC, TX. My life consists of playing video games and looking up jobs. I have got 5 interviews and everybody said I didn't have enough experience. It doesn't matter if you have an Associate, they just care about work experience. Almost all my friends in college are in the same boat as me. I know I have developed IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) because I'm a pessimistic guy so my stomach gives me huge cramps. So now I have to kinda starve myself to feel good.

This whole unemployment thing started a year ago from today. Around this time, I was called into the office to be laid off as well.

Now my other friends are having a blast in Cancun because they are going for a Bachelors since 2006. They are going into criminal justice, psychiatrists, and business. It's going to be interesting what happens to them.

 

[Dog--]

This is wrong. I graduated last year with a bachelor in film and television production and I absolutely love making films. I don't consider it work at all, unless I'm doing a corporate doco. Even in-house corporate promotion videos can be fun if you land at the right place.

My mate landed a corporate video production job at the National Australia Bank. For his first assignment, he spent 5 days work making an in-house promotional video for them about an upcoming employee networking system or some such bullshit. He made $7,000 in a week. He's 22. Mother****er landed the best and easiest job he could and by the end of the year I envision him to be living the life of Scrooge McDuck.

Your basing that on one year of work? Get to me after you've been doing it for 10 or 15, I'm not saying you'll hate it right away but eventually it will become work to you.

 

[repiV]

I can't say it loudly enough - don't make your decisions based on money. Let salary play a part in the decision-making process, absolutely, but never base your choice on it. There isn't much that's more depressing than doing a tedious grind for the better part of your working day, every day, five days a week, with never an end in sight and the only thing to keep you going is weekends and holidays.

If you don't like what you do, you're unlikely to be very good at it either - at least for any length of time. Equally, if you love your work, you will succeed one way or another.

If you don't know what to do, do anything that sounds interesting and which is easy to get into. Just get some work experience under your belt and you'll eventually figure out what it is you want to do. Go with your gut...your instincts, that voice inside your head, that's what will let you know what you really want to do. But don't dedicate years of your life to working towards something you're unsure about. You'll get trapped into that path for life and you'll regret it until the day you die.

I didn't go to uni at all, had no interest in it and didn't know what I wanted to do (why dedicate years of my life to something I don't really want, and pay for the privilege?). I spent a couple of years floating around various temp jobs, while I figured out what I want to do. I've made something of a career for myself out of telesales (business to business), but low-end sales roles like that get repetitive and tedious after a while...especially in a recession. It wasn't quite right for me.

I've finally found my niche as a headhunter and I love it. I've never worked harder or longer but the time has never passed so quickly. I was in the office from 8:15 until 7 today (not at all unusual) and was working flat out almost constantly but it just flew by. I look forward to work every day.

If you keep an open mind and see what's out there, you too will end up in the same position. Your calling will probably be something you've never even considered and currently know very little about. But it is out there.

 

[ShadowArmy]

The only kind of job that would sound truly appealing is anything that is a total gravy-train, pays well, and allows me to have my mind on other things all day and then completely forget about work as soon as I punch out. I'm not sure that there are many jobs out there like that.

And whatever kind of work I do, I CANNOT be self-employed (too complicated and intimidating; I want something more routine) and I would NEVER want to be a manager (of people). Those kinds of things would absolutely make me hate waking up in the morning.

 

[CptStern]

the thought of getting fired/layed off in the private sector because I "don't quite fit in with the company culture"

morbidly obese?
unsightly facial scars?
forehead penis?

what are we talking about here?

The only kind of job that would sound truly appealing is anything that is a total gravy-train, pays well, and allows me to have my mind on other things all day and then completely forget about work as soon as I punch out.

I see a bold future for you. or rather I see you in the bold red of a mcdonalds uniform sometime in the future. you have exactly the opposite attitude it takes to land a job like that

 

[CyberPitz]

Welcome to setting yourself up for mediocrity, and working in retail/fast food for the rest of your life..

 

[Vigilante]

Did the same thing in community college and had a 3.5. Did the same thing at uni and got a 1.8 first semester.

Same here. (Well, 3.0....not 1.8, but it was still a lot lower than I was used to)

Also...you say that they may be too challenging...colleges and universities are meant to be challenging. Sounds like you're looking for an excuse to not go to school.

 

[Sulkdodds]

Man up and become an artist.

 

[ShadowArmy]

Sounds like you're looking for an excuse to not go to school.

No. I'm bringing it up as a point of consideration. Pursuing education beyond community college is going to put me in debt. And if I find that I fail miserably the first or second semester (not likely) with no hope of things getting better then I'm going to jump ship. No point in accumulating debt so that I can fail again and again.

 

[Shyam]

No. I'm bringing it up as a point of consideration. Pursuing education beyond community college is going to put me in debt. And if I find that I fail miserably the first or second semester (not likely) with no hope of things getting better then I'm going to jump ship. No point in accumulating debt so that I can fail again and again.

But you have to give it a try though. Even if you do a course or land a job you love, you still have to work hard at it. The fact that you love your work or your university course just makes it more likely you will do that. First year of Uni my parents forced me into a course I did not like. Biggest mistake of my life. I got poor grades and I changed course the second year to one I like and I got high grades. You sometimes have to really tough it out. That's what life's all about.

 

[repiV]

The only kind of job that would sound truly appealing is anything that is a total gravy-train, pays well, and allows me to have my mind on other things all day and then completely forget about work as soon as I punch out. I'm not sure that there are many jobs out there like that.

There aren't any jobs out there like that. If all you're willing to do is something so mindless and tedious that you don't even have to realise you're at work then frankly I don't see much of a future for you.

Why on earth would someone pay you well to do something you don't even need to think about? If you want to be well paid, you either have to work damn hard for it, work up to it over the course of your life, or both. Even entry-level jobs that are pretty poorly paid but which have prospects will require you to work hard.

Hard work makes you feel contented. As long as you enjoy the work, that is. You'll regret it if you become a waster and accomplish nothing.

 

[nurizeko]

I'm doing an MA in History, not for any career plan (no-one majors in the humanities with a career plan) but just for something to do.

I'm 24 and I still don't really know what I want to do with my life, but right now uni is working for me to a point. I love the elitist academia of it, I love the thin veneer of intellectual enlightenment that makes you smile when you realise its just another monkey-house full of shit-chucking apes with their own ideas and opinions and yet know that this is still the heart of scientific and intellectual progress.

I love juggling drinking and assignments, the dodgy kebabs with uni mates.

I love the fact that uni is portrayed as the most open minded place ever yet the vast majority of students are ****ing clones of each other, and yet your still going to meet interesting people.

I love feeling utterly frustrated with an assignment and having to deal with books and referencing because at the end of the day its just a more challenging forum argument post but on paper and meeting a word count.

I love the feeling of having used my brain instead of breaking my back. I love the fact that you have so much free time and given such a hands off approach yet students aren't classed as unemployed.

I love the fact no matter the recession or the degree, having that stupid dumbass piece of gilded paper will still suddenly make society respect my intelligence and value at least 10 factors above someone without a qualification to their name, even if they are a genius.

I love the fact my Anthropology lecturer is one of the most disorganised computer illiterate blondes ever yet she has a bloody office on campus.

I love the fact its not 9 to 5 mind numbing work.


I might try and work in a bar, get some cash. But yeah I agree with everyone else here who has said it, do work that you enjoy, if you don't enjoy your job your just going to be miserable.

Anyway networking is more important than qualifications for most jobs so at college or uni get to know people, talk to them, this is how you open doors, in the present or down the road.

 

[repiV]

I love the fact no matter the recession or the degree, having that stupid dumbass piece of gilded paper will still suddenly make society respect my intelligence and value at least 10 factors above someone without a qualification to their name, even if they are a genius.

I think you'll be in for a nasty shock when you graduate.