what's up with that gig?

[phredgreen]

okay... so i'm in a situation that i didn't expect to be in for a while. with my latest income tax return, my student loans are going to be almost completely paid off. now i've been in default on those loans for a while since i left school, and default means no financial aid, which to me means no school. now that i'll be free and clear of those loans, i want to get back into school, but i'm not sure what i want to do, which leads to the question posed in my topic:

<b>what led you to your current career/job/gig that you're into now?</b> what influenced your decisions in choosing the career path you've taken, and would you do it all over again? are you happy in the life you've chosen, or are you like me and you want to make a change? tell us about what pays your bills and how that affects your life. in your doing so, i'm hoping to gain a little insight about how to best make my own decision.

[Fly]

hey phred.i'm in my current job now(roofing)been here 12 years.make great money,good people,and hey everyone needs a roof right(security falls in here)the only beef i have is weather.it rains,the less i work.

did my schooling got my ticket and life is good.

oh ya'....the reason i have this job is cuz i couldn't keep my pecker in my pants and got the wife pregnant.

NO regrets

good luck to you dude.

[Johnny Rotten]

These days, a decent education means mountains of debt, unless you're lucky and have parents who make a good amount of money. My ex-GF racked up tens of thousands of dollars in direct loans, on top of her college loans and whatnot, even after working 40 hours a week on top of school.

My advice would be to get an internship. That's about all that's available to people with "entry level" skills, since even entry-level job openings get so much competition that the employer usually has the luxury of picking someone for that position who actually has years of experience.

I've been interning for seven months and counting now, because I haven't even gotten a peep or a callback from the dozens of "entry level" job openings I've applied to.

Whatever the case, don't get a placeholder job. Don't give up and go work for Starbucks or Barnes and Noble. Try to get some real career experience, even if you won't get paid. Having no portfolio is a true deal breaker, because even the entry-level openings say experience in x and y is "highly recommended" or "a definite plus" (read: required).

[gov135]

Phredgreen:
There are resources that are available to show you what field will be in demand in 3 or 4 or however many years you need. I would have a long look at what employers are looking for.

Five years ago I'd have told you to go with your heart. Now, figure out what is needed so you can sell yourself. The job market is really tight.

Personally, I am a class away from my masters degree in accounting. Glamourous, no. Employed, yes.

[clavus]

I buy and sell large, industrial machinery. I have a Liberal Arts degree from a kickass school. I got my frst job because A) my internships B) my school's reputation.

Note: I learned exactly nothing about sales or machinery in school.

My job: I set my own schedule (I work a lot of hours). I am almost completely self-managed. I have a lot of stress and responsibility. One fuck-up and I can ruin our company.

Last year my income tax alone was more than most of my friends' salaries. My six-figure income was entirely from commissions.

Sales - its sink or swim.

Long view: I will probably die early due to the stress of my job. But my family is well cared for.

[gibber71]

Finding out what your passion is in life is the first step.The second is finding or creating a job that caters to that passion.