Author Topic: Career Advice  (Read 1902 times)

davsey27

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Career Advice
« on: October 06, 2017, 12:18:45 PM »
I am 31 years old and have made some mistakes since i graduated from college in 2010.I only have around 4,000 saved up with about 5,000 in student loans and am looking for a career change.I have a BS in Health Sciences and wouldn't mind finding an entry level 9-5 job that pays 30k a year.Recreational Therapists make about 40 k a year and i was looking into online programs which would run me 15-20k and was wondering if it is worth it in my financial situation since that would put me into further debt. After working minimum wage jobs i realized that i don't want to be on my feet for 8-12 hours.Something meaningful 32-40 hours a week that involves helping people and doesn't leave me drained at the end of the day.I don't even mind walking dogs.I also thought about becoming a health coach but am a little worried about the risk of getting clients.I am having some difficulties focusing in on one area.Any input would be appreciated.

freemonk

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Re: Career Advice
« Reply #1 on: October 07, 2017, 05:43:20 AM »
What are you making now?
I wouldn't take out 20k for that starting point.
Have you considered something more lucrative?
Get that debt paid off, it's been 7.5 years!

Best of luck.

Cubist

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Re: Career Advice
« Reply #2 on: October 07, 2017, 08:11:06 AM »
I am 31 years old and have made some mistakes since i graduated from college in 2010.I only have around 4,000 saved up with about 5,000 in student loans and am looking for a career change.I have a BS in Health Sciences and wouldn't mind finding an entry level 9-5 job that pays 30k a year.Recreational Therapists make about 40 k a year and i was looking into online programs which would run me 15-20k and was wondering if it is worth it in my financial situation since that would put me into further debt. After working minimum wage jobs i realized that i don't want to be on my feet for 8-12 hours.Something meaningful 32-40 hours a week that involves helping people and doesn't leave me drained at the end of the day.I don't even mind walking dogs.I also thought about becoming a health coach but am a little worried about the risk of getting clients.I am having some difficulties focusing in on one area.Any input would be appreciated.

FYI All the jobs I've had that centered around helping people left me the most drained at the end of the day. It's a good exhaustion, but helping people tends to make you want to work harder and go the extra mile.

Jobs that pay 30-40k a year can definitely be had without a college degree. (MMM did a post on jobs that make 50k a year without a degree that might be worth looking into.) As an example from my experience, I started my accounting career at a local mid-size health food store that had people making 30-50k for a variety of jobs like cashiering, baking, barista, etc with exceptional benefits. I think the type of job you're looking for is absolutely out there, and I would recommend pouring some energy into finding and applying for jobs rather than take on more debt for a job you think you might like. If you're willing to put in the time and possible move, I think you can find exactly what you're looking for.

Good luck!

Hargrove

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Re: Career Advice
« Reply #3 on: October 07, 2017, 08:12:23 AM »
You have two useful options.

Figure out what you want to do, flame the passion, and let that power you to a career.

-or-

If, like many, you have had it drilled into you that there's this perilous task called "choosing a career" which could ruin ALL THE THINGS FOREVER, avoid the panic of infinite options by just making the call based on your best current info - in that case, remind yourself that the MORE crucial and involved step than making a decision is that you THEN pour yourself into it. Take a day off and schedule literally the ENTIRE day to introspection. Wake up early, like you have work, because you do. Think about it in the shower. Take an aptitude test after you brush your teeth. Take notes on the results. Have breakfast while on Facebook networking any available opportunities with friends in fields you would consider, but ask each of them for specific jobs and if they're available. Price your program vs programs in other areas (find out if moving a state over could save you half the program cost, for example). Look at (significantly cheaper) CNA certification or health administration in offices or hospitals, maybe. Call a recreational therapist's office in your area and offer to buy the therapist lunch if you could do an informational interview about the field. By noon, pick 3 opportunities if you can, fields if you can't, that you'll pursue until the end of the day - applications in, connections called, Linkedin profile made, best available program investigated. Then... never stop doing that until you land a job. Before the end of the week, be asking everyone you know for a specific job - they'll remember the one job but not "something in health," and you'll get more recommendations that way.

When you get home from work thereafter, your new job is bettering your life.

Any number of things could happen. Maybe there's a training program an office will sponsor but only if the dream candidate shows up. Maybe you could work in a health office for a while and network that way. Maybe a friend is hiring for this thing you hadn't considered but they know you would be good at it. Maybe you get lucky on Craigslist. Maybe it just didn't occur to you that CNA training is only about 1k. Maybe, like Cubist suggested, looking leads you to something else entirely with no debt-load required for entry.

But beat the hesitation and uncertainty. Everyone gets told how they can horribly screw up their careers, how you gotta make all the "right" decisions. The truth is - you don't. Many of us wind up in jobs that surprize us. You have to make the best decisions you can right now if you're just waiting for a path. Many successful people landed success for being the right person in the right place at the right time. Don't cultivate picking the one right job. Cultivate being the right person and keep showing up (that's 2/3 - the rest is luck!). Throw yourself at a narrow list of your best ideas. 20k in training for a 40k job is something some people here might question, for sure - but CHOOSING that may be far better than spending another year not making a decision!

Don't wring your hands so much about choosing the right road when your problem is not having a road. Choose one. It could be a mistake. We almost all change careers. You'll feel much better with a plan. I knew someone in a very similar position. He moved halfway across the country to do training and become an x-ray tech with good pay, great benefits, and a perfectly stable career. There is 0 chance he knew long before that he would "want to be" an x-ray technician.
« Last Edit: October 07, 2017, 08:13:58 AM by Hargrove »

Cubist

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Re: Career Advice
« Reply #4 on: October 07, 2017, 08:22:01 AM »
Don't wring your hands so much about choosing the right road when your problem is not having a road. Choose one. It could be a mistake. We almost all change careers. You'll feel much better with a plan. I knew someone in a very similar position. He moved halfway across the country to do training and become an x-ray tech with good pay, great benefits, and a perfectly stable career. There is 0 chance he knew long before that he would "want to be" an x-ray technician.
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I think that's excellent advice and I absolutely agree. It's something I wish I would have internalized while I was still in college! It probably would have saved me from switching majors about 4 times and helped me graduate a couple semesters early :)