Career change

[El Zilcho]

Funny you should say that, because I just came back from the York Region Police recruitment information session. lol. Very interesting...

Talk to someone who is a cop, if you know anyone like that. The worst that could happen would be if you were all excited about becoming a police officer, all about making a positive impact and so on, and then discovered that red tape, politics and other BS forced you to be yet another ticket-writing drone. I don't know if that's the case, but I wouldn't be surprised if many ambitions were squashed by the bureaucratic nonsense.

[ybnormal]

The obvious has been posted. Decide what you want to become. Then decide if you have the ability, funds and will to get there.
The post saying save your time on University should be soooooo ignored. Unless you are going for a BFA (Bachelor of F*** All), you can really get ahead this way. My recommendation, keep your day job and do it part time, that way you can still afford to live and don't have to adopt a student life.

I have friends whose Moms went back to University after being at-home moms, who are succesful lawyers, accountants, professionals now. It's never too late. A four year investment puts you ahead of the crowd most of the time. An MBA may be a piece of paper, but that paper is worth lots in terms of salary and career choice. Ask anyone that has one, not those who don't. It's an enviable accomplishment. (No I don't have one, so I'm not tooting my own horn).

If you are into the trades...also a phenomenal choice.

I also heard teaching is a fantastic job...in hindsight wish I took that path in life.

Good luck. It's inpiring to see someone not accept status quo in life.....

[georgy]

The obvious has been posted. Decide what you want to become. Then decide if you have the ability, funds and will to get there.
The post saying save your time on University should be soooooo ignored. Unless you are going for a BFA (Bachelor of F*** All), you can really get ahead this way. My recommendation, keep your day job and do it part time, that way you can still afford to live and don't have to adopt a student life.

I have friends whose Moms went back to University after being at-home moms, who are succesful lawyers, accountants, professionals now. It's never too late. A four year investment puts you ahead of the crowd most of the time. An MBA may be a piece of paper, but that paper is worth lots in terms of salary and career choice. Ask anyone that has one, not those who don't. It's an enviable accomplishment. (No I don't have one, so I'm not tooting my own horn).

If you are into the trades...also a phenomenal choice.

I also heard teaching is a fantastic job...in hindsight wish I took that path in life.

Good luck. It's inpiring to see someone not accept status quo in life.....

Hey, why don't you finish up with high school first, get out in the real world and then give career advice?

Do you know how many jobless MBAs and Masters students there are right now? Schools are full of international students who are applying for jobs that were intended for bachelors a few years ago.

Went to a few info sessions at the Schulich School of Business at York and according to recruiters I spoke to there is a ration of 50:1 of applications to jobs.

Having worked in a few different companies, including banks, consulting and the retail sector, I can tell you that nobody gives a **** about what "piece of paper" you have. They want to know that you will be able to do the job with little or no supervision.

Hence what I said, the OP should focus on connecting with people, finding out what the jobs he's interested in demand and then make an action plan.

He will be a lot more successful by taking an entry level position in a field he likes and building his way up, rather than going to school for 4 more years, coming out with a massive loan and then finding himself in the exact same situation he was in before.

An MBA is A LOT more valuable (if you can call it than at all) after having RELEVANT work experience. Most companies will actually encourage their employees to do it part time and even pay for it to grow in the company only and when they see potential.

[nobbie48]

People tend to be good at things they like and also learn to like things they are good at because they get recognition. To some, recognition is $$$ to others it's more personal.

Recogniton plays a really big part in employee satisfaction and you have to decide what kind and quantity of recognition you need. Can you accept recognition that only comes from within or do you need people to recognize your efforts. Be honest with yourself or it will backfire.

Lots of money working as a drone or lots of attaboys working for peanuts or something in between. Money isn't important until you don't have it.

I started working at something I didn't really like but needed a job. Once I became good at it and got respect and personal satisfaction it became part of me. I love what I do but most people think I'm crazy for doing it.

Once you've resolved what you want out of the job you try to find appropriate catagories.

In general, trades are like many jobs, cyclical

While some degrees aren't worth much for job training, they show you can stick things out and have invested in your future.

While money isn't everything, it's hard to be a dilligent worker when your kids are wearing rags and living on KD in a roach motel.

[murf]

Hey, why don't you finish up with high school first, get out in the real world and then give career advice?

Do you know how many jobless MBAs and Masters students there are right now? Schools are full of international students who are applying for jobs that were intended for bachelors a few years ago.

Went to a few info sessions at the Schulich School of Business at York and according to recruiters I spoke to there is a ration of 50:1 of applications to jobs.

Having worked in a few different companies, including banks, consulting and the retail sector, I can tell you that nobody gives a **** about what "piece of paper" you have. They want to know that you will be able to do the job with little or no supervision.

Hence what I said, the OP should focus on connecting with people, finding out what the jobs he's interested in demand and then make an action plan.

He will be a lot more successful by taking an entry level position in a field he likes and building his way up, rather than going to school for 4 more years, coming out with a massive loan and then finding himself in the exact same situation he was in before.

An MBA is A LOT more valuable (if you can call it than at all) after having RELEVANT work experience. Most companies will actually encourage their employees to do it part time and even pay for it to grow in the company only and when they see potential.

Nobody cares about the piece of paper you have? Are you for real? Good luck getting a career in teaching, medical, law, engineering or various trades for that matter w/o one.
This advice is right up there with telling people how to ride their new BMW superbikes. Lol

[georgy]

Nobody cares about the piece of paper you have? Are you for real? Good luck getting a career in teaching, medical, law, engineering or various trades for that matter w/o one.

I don't disagree with this, but keep in mind the OP's situation. Can he really afford to go to school for 4-5 years to become a lawyer, teacher, engineer, etc, while to generating any income in the mean time?

On the reverse side, doing school part-time will take you 6-7 years to finish any graduate program and you'd be lucky if you could find a company that will tolerate your part-time schedule for that long.

Don't like my advice? Don't ****ing take it.

On a different note, how do you know that even if you went through 4 years of full time school, you'd end up in a field that you'd actually enjoy working in?

It makes no sense to go through any more schooling, provided that you have a bachelor degree, before actually having some work experience in the industry.

[RicoChet]

I've been a graphic designer for the past 6 years and have decided to look at a career change.

How does one go about finding a different career path that they may like? Go back to school? I'm totally lost...

Maybe we should switch jobs. I want to persue something outside of the IT field and go into Graphics Design as I've always wanted to since thats the field I graduated in and made a hobby of for more then 10 years... I do it as side work already and enjoy it.

[murf]

[QUOTE=georgy;

On a different note, how do you know that even if you went through 4 years of full time school, you'd end up in a field that you'd actually enjoy working in?

.[/QUOTE]

I think that depends for different people, I always knew what I wanted to do so that's what I went to school for and have been doing as my career since.

[tooslo]

What you first need to consider is what would you like to do? What is the most important factor in a job? Is it benefits? wages? hours? union/non union?

I personally had a fairly decent job....well paid, great benefits, lots of room for development, flexible hours, flexible days off and so on. One day I just couldn't take it anymore, I felt like I couldn't sell **** people do not really need for the rest of my life. I wanted a job that I was actually doing something to benefit others. So now I am finished getting all my required courses and well begin my four year nursing program in Jan.

Just make sure this is what you want to do before you do it.

[Ritchard]

Funny you should say that, because I just came back from the York Region Police recruitment information session. lol. Very interesting...

I think for many people being a copper is a great job. It is not strictly necessary to be an @sshole. The three people close to me - including my own brother - who are cops LOVE their jobs. Sure there's some crap involved, but there are few jobs that don't have some kind of downside.

The best part? Fantastic unions and pension benefits. My younger brother will be ready to retire in just a handful of years with a full indexed pension, he'll be just over 50 years old and can take any other job he feels like. 50 might seem old to some of you young punks, but when it's right around the corner, it doesn't somehow feel all that old. And working the last third of your career in something you really want to do, with no financial pressure? That's gold.

Plus you can carry a gun.

[ybnormal]

Hey, why don't you finish up with high school first, get out in the real world and then give career advice?

Do you know how many jobless MBAs and Masters students there are right now? Schools are full of international students who are applying for jobs that were intended for bachelors a few years ago.

.

....seriously? You don't know me. Highschool????

I'm a white collar worker...after finishing two University degrees. Everyone I work with has at least one University degree, except reception. It is so worth it as long as you have focus....and some idea of the job you have in sight after your education. Everyone one of my friends I knew in University are employed....at jobs they like or pay very well, mostly both. I came out without any debt, I worked part-time, as a waitress, and counted my nickels but made it through.

Starting at the bottom and working your way to the top works too, I've seen it happen. But why not just start at the top or at a level closer to the top?

Like I said before, it needs to be something that is right for you. There are many fantastic options out there, trades, working for yourself, etc...that don't remotely need a degree. Just don't discount a degree as being worthless.

But I'm sure georgy knows better by going to some seminar....I live in the real world btw, where are you?