Your Major?

[TheSkaFish]

Business Admin.

Business.

Business Admin

All of you that answered Business Administration, may I ask what jobs you wound up in, if you don't mind?

Did your major help you get any of the jobs you've had, or have all of your jobs been unrelated to your major?

One of the problems I have is that I don't know what a person can do with this major. Anyway, I just thought I'd pick your brains for some ideas, because I'm stumped.

 

[LonelyInAtl]

I received three degrees from Georgia Tech, all in Computer Science. Actually received my last one just a few years ago.

 

[ladyforsaken]

I want to do something in social work though.

You'd be amazing at it.

definitely!!

Thanks! I can only hope so.

I want to do something in social work though.

You'd be amazing at it.

I'd hope so. Thanks!

No honeysuckle, huh?

But, don't worry, you'd be a natural.

Besides, you already listen to people now so you'd only get paid for doing it.

A little advice though…I think psychologists get paid more than social workers. At least, that's how it is in the USA.

Yeah, well the money isn't really a factor for me. I don't mind earning less than psychologists, I'd be more content doing what I like anyway. I'm more interested in getting into the field and having access to do what I can in that area. I've thought a lot about doing volunteer work when I am capable of doing this, but I always felt like this isn't enough and that I am capable of doing more.

Education (and never used it once in my professional career).

Oh I did not mention I also did Education. It was my 2nd qualification that got me to teaching in a secondary school of a subject that was related to Food and Consumer Science. It was never really my idea to do this, at the time I wanted to do Journalism or anything to do with writing. It's all different now though.

 

[Solivagant]

A little advice though…I think psychologists get paid more than social workers. At least, that's how it is in the USA.

That's generally true, but there are advantages to going with social work. The job growth for psychologists is not very good. More and more employers prefer to hire social workers these days so that they don't have to pay a psychologist more for having a Ph.D.

 

[HoodedMonk]

A little advice though…I think psychologists get paid more than social workers. At least, that's how it is in the USA.

That's generally true, but there are advantages to going with social work. The job growth for psychologists is not very good. More and more employers prefer to hire social workers these days so that they don't have to pay a psychologist more for having a Ph.D.

*bitter smile*

Not surprised.

 

[9006]

I went college for around 5 years with the plan of going to university (The last part didn't work out!) and I did a lot of various computer courses and got a lot of qualifications (Including a diploma), then chose a completely different career path. Nice and useful there, lol.

I just want to add that I was too immature at 16 to commit to a career!

 

[LonelySutton]

All of you that answered Business Administration, may I ask what jobs you wound up in, if you don't mind?

Law. I started working in accounting until.. my arrogant jerk boss told me every day that he would fire me if he could. (because he thought accountants were useless) and the lawyers bills got paid asap and in full.

Then I knew. I also became a lawyer so, if I needed to, I could open up my own business. Which I plan to do once I retire from working where I am now (gov't).

 

[TheSkaFish]

All of you that answered Business Administration, may I ask what jobs you wound up in, if you don't mind?

Law. I started working in accounting until.. my arrogant jerk boss told me every day that he would fire me if he could. (because he thought accountants were useless) and the lawyers bills got paid asap and in full.

Then I knew. I also became a lawyer so, if I needed to, I could open up my own business. Which I plan to do once I retire from working where I am now (gov't).

Hmm. I thought that might be the case, because I think I remember you saying you worked as a lawyer on another thread but I wasn't sure. I've heard of people taking that path a couple times before, majoring in business administration and then moving on to law. I never really gave it any thought myself though, because financially, anything past a bachelor's was out of the question so there were a lot of career paths I haven't really given much thought to.

Was it that incident that inspired you to be a lawyer though? Or had it been something you were considering before that?

 

[LonelySutton]

Was it that incident that inspired you to be a lawyer though? Or had it been something you were considering before that?

Ahh that is sad and messed up. When I was 24 I wanted to move out of my home. I signed a lease and was ready to go. Then I told my parents. They cried. Yes. Cried. I quickly cancelled the apartment and put my tail between my legs. But in thinking about it I realized, they probably would let me move out, IF I was doing something "bigger" and better that they were in support of. So at first I looked at an MBA but while there I saw a few flyers for law which was only 1 year more. Most any job you can get with an MBA you can get with a law degree. I figured they would have to let me move out to go to law school, and I was right. They were happy to let me move out when they felt it was "temporary" and felt it was for something better. But once they let me do that, they couldn't object to staying out.

And that is why I can never become a judge because I have no good story for my investiture.

Aren't you in Michigan? I moved to Michigan for my first year of law school at Cooley. If you get As you get a tuition rebate. I transferred back here to a top, but expensive, law school for my last two years.

 

[TheSkaFish]

Ahh that is sad and messed up. When I was 24 I wanted to move out of my home. I signed a lease and was ready to go. Then I told my parents. They cried. Yes. Cried. I quickly cancelled the apartment and put my tail between my legs. But in thinking about it I realized, they probably would let me move out, IF I was doing something "bigger" and better that they were in support of. So at first I looked at an MBA but while there I saw a few flyers for law which was only 1 year more. Most any job you can get with an MBA you can get with a law degree. I figured they would have to let me move out to go to law school, and I was right. They were happy to let me move out when they felt it was "temporary" and felt it was for something better. But once they let me do that, they couldn't object to staying out.

And that is why I can never become a judge because I have no good story for my investiture.

Ah, well, I'm sorry to hear that. Thank you for sharing but I didn't mean to bring up sad memories for you, Sutton.

Aren't you in Michigan? I moved to Michigan for my first year of law school at Cooley. If you get As you get a tuition rebate. I transferred back here to a top, but expensive, law school for my last two years.

No, I'm in Chicago-ish. I guess of all the places in the world I could be you were kinda close. That tuition rebate idea sounds neat though. I wonder if it's a full or only partial rebate.

But yeah...I just wish I knew exactly what I could do with this degree in business administration. By the end of the year I have to do something, so if nothing pans out as of now, I'm planning to just take loans (which I'd been really hoping to avoid) and try to get either a graduate certificate in copywriting, or do the master's in library science like some of my friends have. It's one of the easier Master's programs supposedly, does not require the GRE exam to enter, only takes a year to complete, and makes you employable right away in libraries, which are a relatively low-stress environment.

But I'm not really passionate about either of those things any more than I am about my major, and I'm REALLY not enticed about loans though, so I'm hoping I can just find a regular full-time benefited job by then, and just get on with my life.

 

[PenDragon]

Physics and Maths. There was once time I was pretty addicted to all equations and all the hard work associated with that but lost the liking after having major in it. Maybe it was no challenging at all or maybe it felt too easy to go on further more.

 

[Solivagant]

Mine were Psychology and English.

Now I'm studying Computer Science, because I can't get a job in Psychology or English, lol. Unfortunately I have absolutely no interest or skill with it. It doesn't fit me at all.

By the end of the year I have to do something, so if nothing pans out as of now, I'm planning to just take loans (which I'd been really hoping to avoid) and try to get either a graduate certificate in copywriting, or do the master's in library science like some of my friends have.

I'm curious, how successful have your friends been with getting jobs in libraries?

I considered Library Science for a good long while. I did an internship in a public library during my senior year. It wasn't a good situation for libraries at the time. There was a hiring freeze, people were being laid off left and right, and others were looking for work elsewhere because they could only get part-time work in a library. Some jobs in the library were disappearing due to becoming computerized or automated. The field was slowing instead of growing. The kicker for me was when I asked about the qualifications I'd need to work in a college library, and was told that employers were looking for academic librarians to have at least two Master's degrees; one in Library Science and one in another field. Two Master's degrees to organize books, really? I don't have the money for one Master's degree, much less two. And even one for that job is a bit ridiculous. I was doing all the same things the "educated" librarians were doing with less than a day of training. On top of that, I was told that even other types of libraries were looking for competitive employees with more than a Master's, since a Master's is now the baseline. I'm extremely hesitant to go into such debt over a vanishing job that doesn't even make that much money. I spoke to a fellow student who had just gotten a job in a library after finishing her Master's, and her starting salary was about $22,000. The others I knew weren't even able to find work in the field.

But that was in early 2009, right at the height of the recession. I don't know if it's changed at all.

 

[ladyforsaken]

Now I'm studying Computer Science, because I can't get a job in Psychology or English, lol. Unfortunately I have absolutely no interest or skill with it. It doesn't fit me at all.

Did you take this up because it was in demand where you are? Since you said you've no interest in it. :\
I always find it very challenging trying to do things that I have no interest in. I hope you're doing all right with it at the very least!

 

[HoodedMonk]

Mine were Psychology and English.

Now I'm studying Computer Science, because I can't get a job in Psychology or English, lol. Unfortunately I have absolutely no interest or skill with it. It doesn't fit me at all.

By the end of the year I have to do something, so if nothing pans out as of now, I'm planning to just take loans (which I'd been really hoping to avoid) and try to get either a graduate certificate in copywriting, or do the master's in library science like some of my friends have.

I'm curious, how successful have your friends been with getting jobs in libraries?

I considered Library Science for a good long while. I did an internship in a public library during my senior year. It wasn't a good situation for libraries at the time. There was a hiring freeze, people were being laid off left and right, and others were looking for work elsewhere because they could only get part-time work in a library. Some jobs in the library were disappearing due to becoming computerized or automated. The field was slowing instead of growing. The kicker for me was when I asked about the qualifications I'd need to work in a college library, and was told that employers were looking for academic librarians to have at least two Master's degrees; one in Library Science and one in another field. Two Master's degrees to organize books, really? I don't have the money for one Master's degree, much less two. And even one for that job is a bit ridiculous. I was doing all the same things the "educated" librarians were doing with less than a day of training. On top of that, I was told that even other types of libraries were looking for competitive employees with more than a Master's, since a Master's is now the baseline. I'm extremely hesitant to go into such debt over a vanishing job that doesn't even make that much money. I spoke to a fellow student who had just gotten a job in a library after finishing her Master's, and her starting salary was about $22,000. The others I knew weren't even able to find work in the field.

But that was in early 2009, right at the height of the recession. I don't know if it's changed at all.

You know personally I wouldn't do library science simply because books are becoming digitized nowadays and it seems to be killing libraries off.

It's not just bookstores that are affected.

 

[Solivagant]

Did you take this up because it was in demand where you are? Since you said you've no interest in it. :\

That's part of the reason. Mostly I was pushed into it. I don't really want to get into it on the forum though. It's depressing, lol.

I always find it very challenging trying to do things that I have no interest in. I hope you're doing all right with it at the very least!

Me too. It's not going very well at all.

You know personally I wouldn't do library science simply because books are becoming digitized nowadays and it seems to be killing libraries off.

Yeah, that's part of what put me off from pursuing it.

 

[dn560]

BSc in Bio and Chem, never made it past the first year ended up dropping out

 

[ladyforsaken]

Did you take this up because it was in demand where you are? Since you said you've no interest in it. :\

That's part of the reason. Mostly I was pushed into it. I don't really want to get into it on the forum though. It's depressing, lol.

I always find it very challenging trying to do things that I have no interest in. I hope you're doing all right with it at the very least!

Me too. It's not going very well at all.

I understand. I hope you'll find the strength to hang in there and see through to it nonetheless. All the best with it, Solivagant.

 

[TheSkaFish]

I'm curious, how successful have your friends been with getting jobs in libraries?

I considered Library Science for a good long while. I did an internship in a public library during my senior year. It wasn't a good situation for libraries at the time. There was a hiring freeze, people were being laid off left and right, and others were looking for work elsewhere because they could only get part-time work in a library. Some jobs in the library were disappearing due to becoming computerized or automated. The field was slowing instead of growing. The kicker for me was when I asked about the qualifications I'd need to work in a college library, and was told that employers were looking for academic librarians to have at least two Master's degrees; one in Library Science and one in another field. Two Master's degrees to organize books, really? I don't have the money for one Master's degree, much less two. And even one for that job is a bit ridiculous. I was doing all the same things the "educated" librarians were doing with less than a day of training. On top of that, I was told that even other types of libraries were looking for competitive employees with more than a Master's, since a Master's is now the baseline. I'm extremely hesitant to go into such debt over a vanishing job that doesn't even make that much money. I spoke to a fellow student who had just gotten a job in a library after finishing her Master's, and her starting salary was about $22,000. The others I knew weren't even able to find work in the field.

But that was in early 2009, right at the height of the recession. I don't know if it's changed at all.

I do understand your feelings of frustration with it all. I personally don't see how a master's degree is required to work in a library, or how all of the job functions can't be taught in training.

Still, my friends have been very successful getting jobs in libraries. Some work at the same university they got their master's from, and are pulling in good five figure salaries (one is above $50K, and I believe the other may be above $60K). They are doing more than just filing books though. They're in some of the more computerized parts of library work. But I believe they only have one master's degree. And of my librarian friends around here, I don't know how much they are making exactly, but they live at a reasonable standard. My main friend of these was able to get work in libraries pretty much right away after he enrolled in the library science master's program.

As far as I know, most of them work on the more computerized side of the library. None of them just shelve books or work at the checkout desk.

I have come across a lot of jobs for those who have a master's in library science that make a fair salary ($50-$60K, even some $70K and up though usually these are management positions) around any of the libraries near me. You can also use the degree to get a job outside of libraries if you want. It can open doors in other research-based careers at places such as law firms, publishers, marketing agencies, and museums.

The reason I don't do it though, at least not just yet, is that I too am reluctant to go into debt, especially for something I am just as indifferent to as business. It's all just watching paint dry, to me. I wish there was a job or career that clicked with me, something I could at least sort of be interested in.

 

[Solivagant]

I understand. I hope you'll find the strength to hang in there and see through to it nonetheless. All the best with it, Solivagant.

Thank you, Lady F.

I do understand your feelings of frustration with it all. I personally don't see how a master's degree is required to work in a library, or how all of the job functions can't be taught in training.

Still, my friends have been very successful getting jobs in libraries. Some work at the same university they got their master's from, and are pulling in good five figure salaries (one is above $50K, and I believe the other may be above $60K). They are doing more than just filing books though. They're in some of the more computerized parts of library work. But I believe they only have one master's degree. And of my librarian friends around here, I don't know how much they are making exactly, but they live at a reasonable standard. My main friend of these was able to get work in libraries pretty much right away after he enrolled in the library science master's program.

As far as I know, most of them work on the more computerized side of the library. None of them just shelve books or work at the checkout desk.

I have come across a lot of jobs for those who have a master's in library science that make a fair salary ($50-$60K, even some $70K and up though usually these are management positions) around any of my local libraries. You can also use the degree to get a job outside of libraries if you want. It can open doors in other research-based careers at places such as law firms, publishers, marketing agencies, and museums.

Well that's encouraging news at least. =] Thanks Ska. I'd like to know what their specialties were. Did they concentrate in Digital Media?

The reason I don't do it though, at least not just yet, is that I too am reluctant to go into debt, especially for something I am just as indifferent to as business. It's all just watching paint dry, to me. I wish there was a job or career that clicked with me, something I could at least sort of be interested in.

I know what that's like. I hope you are able to discover something that suits you.

 

[TheSkaFish]

Well that's encouraging news at least. =] Thanks Ska. I'd like to know what their specialties were. Did they concentrate in Digital Media?

Yeah, no problem. Unfortunately I don't know all of their specialties, though I can tell you that one specialized in e-learning. I think that falls under the Digital Media category.