Where are you on your career path?

[Mugen]

been doing some soul searching the last couple of days, i'm just curious as to where everyone is in their plans wether you're just starting, or have already gotten there

[Nadouku]

I decided that letting life have its way with me is not the best option, so I had to move myself to find one, and decided that it's too hard to retain that path. I have no idea what to do anymore...

[Buffalobiian]

I'm half way through my Pharmacy degree at University. I'm not entirely sure if it's what I want to do. I don't have a dream, or something I really want to do as a job in particular. What made me pick this after highschool is the projected job stability regarding hours and employment due to the aging baby-boomers and their babies. I also wanted to do something in the health sciences field because......well, frankly speaking, I don't know. I think it might be because they're generally respected.

I don't really like community pharmacy all that much, from my experiences at placement. Maybe it's because I'm a noob and felt kind of useless, or it might be because of the age difference, and I've got no one to talk to.

Starting this year, I'll be taking Medical School Graduate Entry tests annually to keep my options open. If by my fourth year I like pharmacy enough, or am simply sick of studying, or for some reason really want some cash, I'll take the path of a pharmacist. If I'm not satisfied with were I am, chances are I'll try out a medicine degree.

Funny thing is, in high school, I took the subjects English/Maths C (most advanced/abstract maths course offered here for senior high students)/Maths B (second most advanced maths course)/Physics/Chemistry and Economics. No biology in there at all - which indicates I was more of a numbers/physics guy. Besides career paths like Pharmacy, Optometry, Dentistry and Medicine, I also listed things like Aerospace Engineering and Civil Engineering. Sometimes I do wonder if I'd be better off choosing those. Maths is, after all, my strongest point. But a bit of ego gets to me, and choosing one of the health sciences more or less was affected by the highly regarded profession factor. Having high standards for selection also made seem highly valued. After all, being hard to obtain only makes humans desire them more.

But after completing half of my course with the intention of going all the way, I can say that engineering was an opportunity cost. I'd never travel back to try it out.

Sound familiar? Probably because you've read this before:

The Road Not Taken


TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

[The Heretic Azazel]

I started school again today after taking 2 years off, my grades went to shit because of family issues and my hatred of pursuing journalism was pissing me off too. So I'm currently working toward a business associates in computer information and technology, and I should have that done by November. With all hope, I'll have my bachelors a year after that.

[Animeniax]

You're asking the wrong crowd. Most of the folks here still live in their parents' basement and dream of playing video games professionally for a living.

[Assertn]

Every year's better than the previous year...and soon my company will be publicly launching a product that will hopefully be very successful

[Death BOO Z]

I'm currently studying to improve my math grades from high school, and after that (next month, actually) I'll be starting to study for the PYSCHOMETRIE [the Israel equivalent of SATs test, the higher learning exam]...

after that? no idea. I should probably go and study something, since I have no real talent that will allow me to make a living, but I don't know what I want to do with my life...


meanwhile, I work in a school supplies store, selling crap products to crap people.

[Assertn]

So Mugen....how about yourself?

[David75]

followed one of the said to be most difficult school/studies path.
I finished that, then got to work only to experience that people there sucked big time.
Changed path, had lots of personal/health problems. So I'm pretty much stuck, no energy to move for the moment.
Problem is I really never had any plans of my own, if you don't have a place to go, you end up nowhere, exactly where I am.
My problem for now is to find the cause for my lack of energy, the physical one. Once I'm clear with that, I can somehow think of a goal and try to start moving again.

[DB_Hunter]

I have a degree in engineering.

First job in IT security.

Second job in IT.

Third job in Project Management.

Now I want to be a doctor.

[Mugen]

So Mugen....how about yourself?

well for the past 2 years i've been working towards getting into animation school, i have a portfolio review in 6 weeks and it's pretty overwhelming (spelling?). The program is hard to get into. Thousands of aplicants, only about 100-200 seats. Before i set my mind on animation, my other choice was auto-mechanic. Auto-mechanic is more stable and easier to get a job. It's only 2 years, then after that i can start working and earning a salary. Animation is 4 years, and after that I have to fight for a job cause it's again, pretty competitive. I'd much rather earn a living off of doing art, I hate doing repetitive tasks, but I'm 22 now and If i don't get in for september that means i'll have to wait till 2010 to apply again. I don't want to lose another year... Right now I'm considering what to do if i don't get accepted this year.

[Psyke]

I've been working for about 8 years now, but recently I've been thinking about what I really want to do for the rest of my life. It's not that I'm unhappy, but rather what I can achieve but didn't set out to even attempt. Not everyone can get a job which they enjoy doing on a daily basis, but hopefully I can start planning for something soon. The worst thing is to be on your death bed and having regrets over what you could have accomplished. You only get 1 shot in life, so make it count.

[David75]

I've been working for about 8 years now, but recently I've been thinking about what I really want to do for the rest of my life. It's not that I'm unhappy, but rather what I can achieve but didn't set out to even attempt. Not everyone can get a job which they enjoy doing on a daily basis, but hopefully I can start planning for something soon. The worst thing is to be on your death bed and having regrets over what you could have accomplished. You only get 1 shot in life, so make it count.

I've learned to live with regrets, I think I know a bit of happiness too.

So now I just want to benefit from it a little more. Sure a job you go to, and come back from with a smile is a big plus.

[Buffalobiian]

The best thing that can happen is to have a job you like. But if you don't have such a thing, or simply like doing nothing, then your next best option is something you don't like, but pays well. Hopefully that money will let you do whatever you do like while you're off duty.

That's my take on things anyway. I really do wish I have some sort of aspirations. School was easy; everything was laid our for you. Just climb the ladder. But now, you're on your own. Make your own ladder.

I'm a person who can lead, no doubt about that. But I need someone on top to tell me where I'm leading everybody do. Regarding personal development, no one can do that but you. So yeah, it stumps me.

[David75]

You guys still at school or college should really know something:
These are amongst the best time of your life!

Why's that?
Money isn't a great deal of a problem as it can be after.
You can be quite selfish, and should be: you're creating the one you'll be in the years to come.
You have some free time, with no worries at all.
You can learn a try a lot of new things.

After that, life can be interresting, but everyday life is so much heavier that you feel not as free as the days you were a student.

Never forget that, try to extract the most of those days.

[darkshadow]

I'm halfway through my Game Design & Development masters degree, and I'm currently looking for an internship, preferably in Japan.

[David75]

I'm halfway through my Game Design & Development masters degree, and I'm currently looking for an internship, preferably in Japan.

It is said -for once- that France as got pretty good schools in that domain. I wonder if it's true... but even if it was you probably don't care/don't speak the language.

[darkshadow]

It is said -for once- that France as got pretty good schools in that domain. I wonder if it's true... but even if it was you probably don't care/don't speak the language.

I wouldn't know, I know our school is the 7th best in Europe.
I was also talking about an internship, as in an actual job, not studying abroad

[Kensee]

I'm currently working at a high school math teacher in a charter school. I'm still going to school in order to get my masters degree in mathematics, masters degree in education, and my single subject teaching credential.

Right now I'm working full time and taking 29 units in class. It took me a while to find what I wanted to do, not sure if this is it but right now I'm really enjoying my job.

[complich8]

My brother's a mechanic, and based on his experiences and the experiences of his friends and coworkers, many mechanics don't do so great in the finance department. I dunno about where you're from, but that seems to be how it is here at any rate. If you do go that route, it'd be good to make sure to get all the certifications you can get, and make sure to actually get a degree too... it helps.

That said, if you're mechanically inclined enough to be a competent mechanic, you could probably do as well or better in electrical work or HVAC. If the animation thing doesn't work out, that is. Always good to have a fallback...

As for me, I'm pretty well settled in my career path for at least the next 5 years. Right now I'm doing a job I enjoy (sr. linux sysadmin) at a company I don't feel bad working for with people I mostly get along with. I'm compensated adequately, though with at least some room to improve. I'm planning on going to a couple of relevant conferences this year, and probably doing some certification work either this fiscal year or next, and probably pursuing a master's in another year after that. As long as nothing terrible happens, I think I'm on a long-term track for this job, which I'm totally fine with.