share your career paths

MelissaMiso · February 2014

I don't know a lot of people that planned on doing one career and stuck with the same thing from the get go. So where has your career paths curved, swerved, u-turned or changed?

I started out as an art major going to college I traded my major the first month of school to American Sign Language. I became and interpreter for years, then went on for psychology. I was an AIDS/Sex educator then eventually went on to grad school for counseling. Currently, I am a substance abuse counselor and have a private practice. Next, I plan on getting a certificate in horticultural therapy.

MommaP12 · February 2014

I started out as a Physical Therapy Major and Spanish Minor. Then the PT classes got so hard (chemistry, physics, ugh) that I just changed my major to Spanish Translation with a Marketing Minor. However, I have worked in some form of Marketing pretty much my entire career and only used my Spanish skills at my first job out of college. So I went and got an MBA since I saw the writing on the wall that I was going to be in Corporate America.

My jobs were;

Account Manager for Telemarketing firm

Account Manager for Direct Mail firm

Account Executive for Ad Agency that did online work

Product Manager for Marketing Direct Mail help products

Product Manager for .com

Product Manager in Mobile space

and now today: Director of Digital Product Development

I want out of corporate america so badly and really wish I'd become a Spanish Teacher or stuck with the Physical Therapy instead of becoming a slave to the man and having student loans at my age from my MBA.

(

Curls218 · February 2014

My career path is very straight forward. I majored in Arts Administration in college, got an internship at an agency after graduation, was hired full time by that company, and worked my way up. Though I did just drop down to the company's part-time bookkeeper to help me balance work and family life (it was not just a 9-5 job, more like 50-60 hours a week with a lot of nighttime obligations). I am lucky that after about a decade with the company my boss was nice enough to offer this compromise instead of forcing me to keep at the crazy work hours.

Tink112011 · February 2014

This is a timely topic for me. It looking like we will be moving across the state for DH's job, which means I'll be job searching again.

I have never known what I want to do "when I grow up". I majored in Business Admin and took a job as a Business Analyst for an insurance company (snore). After 2 years there, I went to a public university where I'm in their Foundation/Fundraising office. I also got my MBA. While I enjoy the non-profit world much more than the insurance world, I'm not sure if I see myself in fundraising for the rest of my career. With DH's job change, it's now up to my to chart the next phase of my career path.

emberlee3 · February 2014

I was a theater major in college, but I really had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I just did it because it was fun. In my 20s, I decided to become a doctor. I started taking pre-med classes at night. 10 years later, I finished my training and started practicing as a hospitalist. I actually love my job and my career now. I think I'll stick with it for a while longer

CarrieB. · February 2014

I went to school for broadcasting and my first job was at a tv station as an associate producer making $8 an hour in the middle of the night. I had to pick up waitressing shifts to pay the bills. I quit after 9 months and went to a temp agency and got an admin job at a big insurance company. I went for my MBA and ended up moving to a couple jobs in compliance at the insurance firm and finally ended up in communications for their investments area. That department was restructured, so after 7 years there, I left to work in operations and compliance at a small insurance agency. I was there for 4 years and it was awful. They demoted me and cut my salary when I was pregnant, so I started job hunting as soon as I was back from leave. Now I work in communications for retirement services at a very large bank and I love it!

WBMom · February 2014

I majored in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resources and a Psychology minor. My first job out of college was a recruiting assistant for an HR dept at a financial services provider then I moved into Recruiting. The job evolved into doing HRIS (Human Resources Information Systems) work - which I loved! Then the company was bought out and my job was eliminated. I stayed with the same company and moved into Software Testing. It is an OK job and I would love to go back to HRIS work. But right now I have so many years with the organization and I love the flexibility my current job/manager offers that I am comfortable right now.

thedash · February 2014

I majored in business and communications in undergrad while working full time in insurance. I wanted to own my own business some day and was considering becoming an insurance agent. After graduation I temped a bit and wound up as an assistant at an investment firm. It was ok but I was not fulfilled. I took the LSAT on a whim and did well so I applied to just one law school that was my top choice. I got in and during first year decided on criminal law. I was a public defender for several years and then started my own law firm with a partner doing almost exclusively criminal defense.

I probably should have become an insurance agent.

Edit: spelling

RachieTK · February 2014

I majored in elementary Ed and minored in science. Education licensing rules were changing in NY when I was in college, and my advisor encouraged me t graduate a semester early to earn a permanent certification ether than one that must be renewed every 5 years. I did that, and therefore graduated in December. My first job was in a terrible charter school. The following year, I go my masters half paid for by taking a job in a gross ne'er city school (managed to make it the gross school my mom was at too), then 3 years later got an a amazing job in a great suburban school where I've been for 7years now.

iverske9 · February 2014

Thought I wanted to be a doctor and loved science so I have a bachelors in biology. Realized by senior years not really into the doctor thing so went to graduate school and got my masters in Genetics while working as a bartender at night. Worked as a research scientist at graduate school to pay bills

First job out of granduate school was at a biotech company doing quality which I hated (lots of statistics and chemistry) then I got a job in pharma sales and loved it. Now I work at a Life Science company selling genetic reagents and instruments to scientist and I love it! I get to do two things I love TALK and science.

cecilyandgautam · February 2014

I started out interested in history and social justice which manifested itself as a BA in social work & African studies. I studied, lived, and worked in two different parts of Africa and then realized I was missing the hard quantitative skills to be employable so went to grad school, focused on econ & stats. Now I work in trade & development with a focus on Africa. I love what I do and I'm really lucky to have found my position. I'm feeling unappreciated this week (see my Monday rant from last week - still going on) but I think this will be all wrapped up and water under the bridge in a couple weeks, hopefully.

mrslucid · February 2014

I started out as an elementary education/special education major. I switched my sophomore year to a journalism major/english minor. I did an internship after my junior year at the New Jersey State Aquarium in the marketing department and loved it. Unfortunatly they were closing shortly after I graduated to remodel so I couldn't get a job there. I waitressed for a bit after college, while looking for something in my field. Never had much luck and took a job with the government. Been here almost seven years now and enjoy it.

rubber_chicken · February 2014

MommaP12 said:

My jobs were;
Account Manager for Telemarketing firm
Account Manager for Direct Mail firm
Account Executive for Ad Agency that did online work
Product Manager for Marketing Direct Mail help products
Product Manager for .com
Product Manager in Mobile space
and now today: Director of Digital Product Development

I'd love to become a Product Manager! But even at my current co they require an MBA, and I'm 34 and just can't see going back to school at this point. Never thought a bachelor's degree (which I'm still paying off) would leave me stuck.

scruggsa · February 2014

I got my BSN and work at a Children's Hospital in the pediatric ICU. I started on night shift, but quickly move to day shift. I have been there 7 years. I have have a few certifications and have taken on the charge nurse roll for a little over a year. There are a few more certifications I would like to get and other ways to move around within the unit.

At this point I do not plan to go back to get my masters anytime soon. I love what I do and want to be certain that going back to school will put me in a position that I will enjoy.

jlaOK · February 2014

Mine is pretty boring. BS in civil engineering. Went to work for the state DOT right after graduation but only stayed there 8 months. Worked for a local municipality for almost 5 years. Now I WFH PT for a small consulting firm doing mostly hydraulic engineering. I don't make tons but I love what I do, have complete flexibility, and do see room for advancement.

UnexpectedlyExpected · February 2014

Double majored in Psychology and Communications, then battled between wanting to be an LPC or a school counselor. Started my M.Ed program to become a school counselor and half way through was told I wouldn’t be able to complete it (original staff provided wrong info) so I had to change my degree. They refused to switch my degree over to the Master of Psychology program(even though every class I took was on degree plan) so I ended up getting a M.Ed in C&I even though 90% of the classes I took are for counseling. I got a job at a decent company in the oil and gas industry while I was in undergrad and 7 years later I am still here. I like what I do and get to incorporate my educational background; however my title isn’t even related to my job responsibilities and the pay is completely off. In the near future I will be looking for Organizational Development jobs or getting a teaching certification. Outside of the office I am a crisis counselor and do life coaching so maybe I’ll start my own life coaching practice one day.

Sorry if it sounds like a rant, my M.Ed drama is still a sore spot.

justjinny · February 2014

I've pretty much stayed on one track since high school and don't plan on switching anytime soon. I went to college for 6 years straight to get my undergrad & grad degrees in Architecture. I got a TAship throughout grad school that paid the full tuition and also picked up some part-time jobs drafting at a small residential design company and then later doing healthcare design at a really large architecture firm.

MH & I quit our jobs and moved in 2008 to be closer to family - right when everything went downhill with the design/construction industry. Luckily I got an entry level position at a really small design firm where I was very quickly thrown into managing projects. Last year I made a move to a mid-size company and couldn't be happier with the people I get to work with and all the variety of projects I am involved with now.

mae0111 · February 2014

Undergrad degree in pure Mathematics. Signed up for the first actuarial exam, and had to miss it due to an illness in the family. Decided I could never be an actuary anyway.

Worked in accounting through college, came out with offers in fund accounting and teaching. Went with Fund Accounting.

Wanted to kill myself after a year of Fund Accounting, and took a job in Client Service for a group that managed money for pro athletes. Turned out to be the best career move I ever made (and it was a ton of fun). Eventually, I shifted to marketing in that group.

I found another opportunity with new financial services company in their new marketing group. That was almost 13 years ago. I've been working for the same manager ever since, and have eventually come to focus Marketing Ops/Tech. I like it. I'm terrible at the creative side of marketing, and this job allows me to inject some science into what has historically been viewed as kind of a "squishy" field. (Any marketers will disagree with me re: "squishy", but lots of non-marketers will likely agree...)

82Sonia · February 2014

I majored in Spanish and got a federal government job right out of school. I've moved up the ladder over the past 10 years but have stayed with the same agency.

I hate that I majored in Spanish. It was always supposed to be my minor but I just never settled on a major. Now I work in a decently well paying job that does not excite me. I thankfully don't have to do any interpreting anymore but I still get stuck with translations here and there.

I wish that I would have quit my job after a couple of years and tried something new. Now I have a very specific skillset that doesn't translate (no pun intended) to other professions. On the bright side, I make good money, I'm good at my job, and I get to work from home at least once a week.

traveltheworld · February 2014

Hm, I guess I'm the minority then. I always knew I wanted to be a business lawyer. So I did a finance undergrad, law school, and have been practicing M&A and corporate finance law for the past 8 years. I really like my field and my firm and wouldn't leave, but partnership is coming up and I don't know if (a) if I want to make partner; and (b) if I decline partnership, whether or not the firm will still keep me. So I guess a partial career change may be in the future.

MommyAtty · February 2014

I taught English briefly after college and then worked as a market research analyst before deciding to go to law school. After law school, I went to work for a Department of Defense agency since I graduated one semester after 9/11 (I'm dating myself, lol). I spent longer there than I planned, then moved to corporate America. My path here has been fascinating. I started as an environmental attorney, then quickly refocused when the stimulus act hit and we were involved in government-funded projects for the first time since I was the only attorney who had fiscal law experience. From there, I was voluntold that I would be applying for a director-level job where I would be supervising large-scale construction projects (basically being my former clients). I was the only female in North America doing that job in my industry. It was both the scariest and most exhilarating experience I've had in my career, and the lessons were invaluable. Then I went back to being an environmental lawyer but in the environmental department instead of the law department, and my growth potential is in running the environmental department in my company.

sweetsunnyc · February 2014

Mine has a few twists I have my UG in Psychology and originally wanted to pursue the school counseling route...until I decided I wanted to become a certified yoga instructor. When that wasn't cutting it financially, I took a job in sales with Crocs. I loved it for a few years and then decided that I wanted to get my Masters in English to teach at community college. While attending grad school, I ended up getting hired to work at the University as an advisor. I switched my major to a MEd in Adult Education which I just finished. While I have been working in my current position with adult students, I have come to realize that my heart is really in teaching at the kindergarten level....SO- I am starting my Elementary ed program in the Fall Wish I would have just done this in the beginning and saved my self a S**t load in student loans! (At least this degree will be free as it's part of my benefit of working for the University)

mrsseguin · February 2014

I always wanted to be a L&D nurse. I got my LPN and did community nursing for 2 years while I went back to school. Got my associates degree, and worked on a cardiac unit for 2.5 years until I finally got into L&D. Been in L&D for 4.5 years. I want to go back to school for my BSN. Love it

mommaoftrips · February 2014

I thought I wanted to be a doctor, but than decided that it would be too much school. Ironically, I have been in school pretty much ever since than. Finished my UG in science than did my nursing degree - worked 2 years before doing my masters and am debating whether I will pursue my phd in September. I have always had 'teaching-type' nursing positions since graduation and I LOVE to teach and mentor.

MirandaHobbes · February 2014

Mine's a short story: BS in urban studies, law school, started working for the State when I was 24. I highly doubt I'll ever leave to take a different job. If I stay until I'm 64 I'll have 40 years of service which isn't unusual in my line of work. I love it.

skibunny59 · February 2014

BM in music education

MM in piano performance

I always knew I wanted to do something in music. I have been teaching elementary school music (band and general) for about 8 years now. I get tired of it sometimes and wish I could do something else but honestly, the pay is good, the hours are great, the summers off and week long breaks during holidays are priceless. I really don't see myself having another career for as long as I'm a mom. I think teaching is the best job for a mom.

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