What career do you wish you had pursued?

[Kai]

Perfumer/Chemist

 

[phantom23]

Musician...not a lot of money, but you can do what you love!

 

[clee1982]

Not really a career thing, but I wish I had done more math and CS (not that I haven't by any normal people standard, but just wished... more!).

 

[Excalibuitar]

My answer: Anything. I dropped out of college in my freshman year so I could go back to my randomly scheduled full time job as a caregiver (not a very lucrative position despite two promotions, but can't survive on student loans alone.) I'm only 24, but feel quite stuck where I'm at due to financial obligations. The worst part is I still have no idea what I should do, or what a decently paying yet enjoyable career would look like to me. I just haven't figured out how to turn what I like into monetary success, so I've been hesitant to dedicate myself to anything for fear of becoming even more locked into something I hate and deeper in debt.

 

[nocarsgo]

I became a doctor.

Here in the UK it's primarily an undergraduate 5 year degree so at age 24 I'm into my second year of the job.

I sometimes regret it and wish I'd done something like Economics or Chemical Engineering. It's common amongst my peers too; probably as a result of many of being too young when we made the choice to go into Medicine. Those coming into it later on in life seem far more assured that they made the right choice.

 

[CBrown85]



this thread is kinda depressing...

Maybe, but there's a lot of insincere humble-bragging in here.

 

[CodyNC]

I wish I had done something in international business, I started to minor in that but switched and minored in finance and entrepreneurship along with my major in marketing. Don't get me wrong I love sales and I am very good at and had the biggest year in my district for a position that has been last for 8 years. It makes me happy and pays for me to afford weekend getaways to Europe whenever I feel like it. But there is just something that draws me to the international business side. I've always been one who can go months without seeing friends or family, not saying I don't love them or love seeing them. I dunno this was sort of a vent session and a realization I'm at crossroads in my life and career.

 

[globetrotter]



I wish I had done something in international business, I started to minor in that but switched and minored in finance and entrepreneurship along with my major in marketing. Don't get me wrong I love sales and I am very good at and had the biggest year in my district for a position that has been last for 8 years. It makes me happy and pays for me to afford weekend getaways to Europe whenever I feel like it. But there is just something that draws me to the international business side. I've always been one who can go months without seeing friends or family, not saying I don't love them or love seeing them. I dunno this was sort of a vent session and a realization I'm at crossroads in my life and career.

most people (not myself) in international sales started in domsetic sales. if you are good, talk to your boss/his boss about a path that would give you a cahnce to try your hand at international sales. meanwhile, work on making yourself an asset for international sales - learn a language, learn something about a culture, learn about the mechanics of international trade

 

[CodyNC]



most people (not myself) in international sales started in domsetic sales. if you are good, talk to your boss/his boss about a path that would give you a cahnce to try your hand at international sales. meanwhile, work on making yourself an asset for international sales - learn a language, learn something about a culture, learn about the mechanics of international trade

I'm really glad you responded, as I have been looking into learning a language. I've been looking at Portuguese as well as others. I have a friend wanting me to learn mandarin, but I'm not too sure about that language. The company I work for is rather large and constantly buying international businesses, just bought comex. Most of it is political when wanting to move outside of your district by they know there losing an asset, not every case but a lot. I've tried to talk to my boss about it but I keeping getting the back burner treatment.

 

[ShoeShopperJ]

I love what I do, ironically. I really do. It is far more satisfying than I ever anticipated. I love the intellectual challenge of it. The lifestyle and pay, however, are atrocious when I consider the (1) complexity of the work, (2) hours, and (3) restraints on trade and barriers to entry (high costs).

Law is a great field, but it is extremely expensive to obtain and subsequently maintain a license.

Prior to entering law school, I earned an MBA and worked in real estate making great money in my early twenties. If I could go back, I would pursue at least two different careers to law practice.


1. TEACHING
I have always loved to teach, and I was a tutor in college. I would have finished my MBA program and then pursued a second master's degree in education. Finished the certifications. And applied like crazy to teaching jobs.

The intellectual vigor of teaching, the fun, and the lifestyle (holidays, summers, consistent schedule, etc.) make it a great career.

2. ACCOUNTANCY
I could have sat for and obtained the CPA instead of a law license. Accountants that handle sophisticated estate planning and trustee work of irrevocable trusts make excellent money. Accountants that I have worked with in mergers and accountants---and even to a certain extent commercial leasing---charge hourly rates that are HIGHER than lawyers' hourly rates.

The income, lifestyle, and prestige of an MBA + CPA is probably what I wanted more than a law degree + law license (but I did not realize that until after working in law).


BONUS: LAW ENFORCEMENT
State troopers in my state make over 6 figures, have MANY days off, and GET TRIPLE OVERTIME FOR COURT. Many and varied perks to the job. The overtime pay also goes to PENSION. Many police officers retire with a high pension and then join another dept. and retire with TWO PENSIONS.

I think law enforcement would have provided me enough exposure to some of the sophisticated and complex sides of the law to satisfy me, and the income, lifestyle, benefits, perks, etc. really make it a worthwhile career.

You are also pretty much immune to getting a ticket or DUI ("professional courtesy"). I forget to mention that many work side jobs on their many and varied days off to supplement income. And, if something should happen, when you are called in for shortages, disaster, etc., you get paid OVERTIME.

I have never seen or heard of such a career with such HIGH income, benefits, bonuses, etc.

ONE MORE BONUS: REAL ESTATE AGENT
The commissions that real estate agents make - wow! If I were in it for the money, I would do commercial real estate. Most, the majority of commercial real estate agents that I work with on leasing and closings are in fact J.D.s but non-practicing attorneys.

If I were just in it for the just the money, I would do commercial real estate.

EDIT: I am still considering going back to school for a master's degree in education. I even obtained the GRE Princeton Review, but I literally do not have spare time to finish it.

 

[amathew]

I'm a statistician at a marketing company. Being South Asian (India), my parents wanted me to become a pharmacist or doctor. I really wish I had
listed to them and pursued something relating to pharmacy, cardiology, or nutrition. I'm still young (27) but I don't see myself going back to school ever as the opportunity cost is too high. With that said, I could see myself going back to school to be a nutritionist assuming hell froze over or I became rich.

 

[Levator Superioris]

I spent a year in pharmacy school... it was NOT worth the aggravation. Pay is good 120k+ but the profession takes alot out of men psychologically. Enjoy your career path and I think you will excel at whatever you chose to do. I am also 27 and have advanced very fast in my career path because I enjoy it. I am also rewarded decently well financially.

 

[frankinaug]

I spent 2 years in law enforcement before leaving for the finance world. I am actually still a reserve police officer and LOVE the work but I just can't make the type of $ that I want to make in law enforcement. I made my yearly LEO salary in 3 months in finace (factoring in bonus/commissions).

 

[forStyle]

I would still be in business strategy. I studied engineering back in college. I liked creating ideas with imagination and seeing its impact. Business strategy accentuates this part of engineering and strips away the difficult math and inconvenient physics. Nothing else compares on the ability of one's imagination to create real measurable change.

That said, most people in business strategy stick with buzzwords and frameworks. But that is misuse of their jobs.

 

[afton1]

Being Mick Jagger.