NTTGPR: How did you choose your career?

ALHickok1 · February 2014

The timeline thread got me thinking about life. I was always more interested in getting married and having babies over having a career. Now that I have H and DS I think a lot about how I should have completed my degree and started an actual career. I started a two year early education degree, but I slacked and H and I end up with DS so I left. I always told myself I would go back, but I've realized that it doesn't pay well at all. Children are what I am passionate about. I know so many people who have their teaching degree and cannot find a job in my area, or any of the surrounding areas. I also know people who started the same degree I did and finished. All of the girls work in a child care center. I have worked in centers before, and the pay difference between having a degree and not having once is very minimal. The pay is so minimal that I could go to a WalMart and make more than they do starting out. I have actually worked at a center who put caps on how much each person is allowed to make, and the caps were crazy low. I know that working with kids is about the kids, not the money, but I feel that it's silly racking up such a large debt for a job wouldn't allow me to pay it off. That being said, I would love to go back to school and start a career, but I don't know what to go for.

So my question is how did you decide to do what you do?

caden1206 · February 2014

My son was born at 25 weeks. I went back to school when he was old enough to go to daycare and became a Respiratory Therapist. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. Plus, it really is a great and flexible profession for me.

MusicFanatic · February 2014

Mine stems from a passion, really.. I'm super lucky in the aspect that going to work is like a daily dream. It's not work to me at all. I'm a ballet teacher, and I wanted to be so since childhood. I've been in ballet since I was a kid, when my mom forced me to do so. (which I complained about as a child, apparently, although I don't remember this far back right now). She wanted me in an activity and pretty much forced that upon me after giving me several choices. Now I thank her for doing so. I loved dancing so much, and found I was good at it. I found it took me to this whole other world, and I felt so pretty in a tutu and on my toes!

A few years after I started dancing, I decided at a very young age it's what I wanted to do when I was an adult. Most people don't typically do what they say they will as a child.. but I never fell out of love with it, and never changed my mind. When I was a teenager, I went across country to go to an exclusive ballet theatre certified institution.. learned all I could, performed in many shows. Went to a normal 4 year college. Went back home and landed in a dance studio

I taught adults first (both pro and novice) and then I decided I wanted to move to children. I fondly remember the teacher who taught me and showed me love for dance, and I wanted to teach kids who might remember me in the same way in the future.. so I'm currently teaching 5-6 year olds.

Probably not the highest paying job I could have picked

And I'm part time right now. But it's worth it.. because every day I enter the studio and have a group of 10 little girls and boys who are dancing with me, I realize how happy I am in that place and wouldn't want to do ANYTHING else. I hope someday they all love dance as much as I do. And a lot of kids don't continue it as they get older, but you always get that 1-2 kids who do every so often.. into their adult lives,like I have. And I hope to teach that love and passion so they do!

... and I could talk about it all day, as you can see.

/end book. Sorry.

ALHickok1 · February 2014

It's awesome that so many ladies here love their jobs. I'm to the point that loving my job is all I want out of a job. I've only had one job that I really enjoyed, and after I had DS it was no longer realistic. I think I just have to sit down at the drawing board and do a lot of thinking.

catahoulatte · February 2014

I'm stuck where I am now because H is getting a different degree, but after getting my BS I went into a HR type position.

I only decided what I want to do with my life after I had DS. I'm going to go back to school for nursing and want to work at a birth center. Possibly someday become a CNM?

mmb248 · February 2014

Originally I wanted to be an attorney focusing on international tax law. That was when I was 10. While in college I majored in accounting, french, and international studies, but I worked in my university's development office and grew to love estate planning. After I graduated, I started looking for jobs in development that utilized my accounting degree. I got a job working in research grant accounting and moved up to the university's research development office. Now, I work in a department and focus on post award administration. It has nothing to do with international business, taxes, or development, but I love it.

We have a lot of foreign faculty and we host even more international scholars each year, so I get to use my otherwise useless knowledge of foreign customs and ability to pronounce any name correctly. I still love tax, but I get to use my love of understanding and applying federal regulations on federal research grants. Administering a research grant that involves millions of dollars, hundreds of participants, dozens of faculty/staff/GAs, and making all of those components work in the maze of federal regulations and University policies combines all the complexity of tax law and numbers that I loved.

Milagros315 · February 2014

I guess I ended up here by default. I switched my major 7 or 8 times, so by the time I was a junior I was running out of time to finish a program in 4 years. I took Geology to fill my science required and I loved it so I stuck with it since I could complete the degree on time.

Then throughout grad school I just hopped on projects that interested me until I realized that I didn't want to continue working on independent research. So now I'm a teacher. I still get to focus on science and the topics that interest me, but there's a lot less pressure then there was in the lab.

ETA: I did always love science as a kid. I had mineral collections and a telescope and stuff, but I never considered a career in science.

CrazyCupcake52 · February 2014

My first degree, chemistry, I chose because I thought it would make my parents proud. I enjoyed working in the laboratory but I wasn't good with theory so I never had the drive to pursue it as a career.

Oh careers...has anyone ever taken the Myers-Briggs test? I am an ISFP and those people tend to have many jobs over their lifetime unless they find something they absolutely love doing. Funny enough, it wasn't until I took the test that I was able come to terms with what I really want in life. I want to SAH, run a household and work for myself. I decided to go back to school for accounting because it gives me something I could do full time if we needed the money or, at the very least, helps me with my pursuits in self-employment.

icaughtfire · February 2014

I fell into my job, and don't particularly care for it. Looking for something else is hard because I would have to take a major pay cut. I feel stuck in a sense that I'm too qualified or not qualified enough for EVERYTHING.

Lizbeth2462 · February 2014

I took an AP Psychology class my senior year of High School and was hooked. I majored in it in college, and initially thought I wanted to pursue a Ph.D. and be a researcher/college professor in psychology. I took a year off after graduating and applied to Ph.D. programs while I worked in two different labs as a research assistant. By the time I got an acceptance letter to my top choice program, I had realized that I HATED research (sorry @Joy2611 ! ). What I liked was actually meeting with participants, talking to them in interviews, and thinking about how to directly help them rather than study them. While research definitely helps further the field and identify the best treatment methods, I wanted to be more hands-on by carrying out the treatment instead of studying and writing about it.

I declined the acceptance to the Ph.D. program and spent the next year applying to Master's Degree programs in Mental Health Counseling. I am now working at an addictions/mental health clinic and will be done with my degree in August. I may eventually go back to get a Psy.D. (doctor of psychology-- more of the practitioner degree than the Ph.D., which is a research-focused degree), but for now I just want to continue working and hopefully open my own counseling practice in the next 5 years or so.

cf101009 · February 2014

I always wanted to be a doctor. Once I got to college and learned what the lifestyle of a doctor is really like, I decided it was not for me. So I started exploring other health professions and landed on physical therapy. I thought I'd do sports rehab or something, but I am now a PT for a school district working with kids age 3-14 with developmental disabilities. It's very rewarding.

YellowBag · February 2014

As a freshman in high school I joined the debate team and realized I loved formulating both sides of an argument and public speaking. I have wanted to be a trial lawyer ever since.

LadyXaverian · February 2014

I first decided I wanted to be a teacher when I was in 5th grade. I had a short stint in middle school when I thought I might want to be a social worker of some kind, but it didn't last long. All through HS and my undergrad degree, that's what I worked towards. Thankfully, I got into the teacher education program I wanted, and it's worked out for me.

abbyful · February 2014

I'm not a big career person, I'm more of a "work to live, not live to work" type. I would love to be a SAHM, but that isn't in the cards financially right now.

I didn't know what I wanted to do in college. I started college in 2001, when the internet was really exploding, so I majored in Computer Science. So now I'm a programmer. I like the problem solving aspect, and there's always something to learn. But I wouldn't say it's my "passion". I'm good at it and it pays fairly well.

Irishcurls · February 2014

I was hooked on genetics from Biology freshman year in high school. Those Punnett Squares were just so freaking interesting to me. Got a BS in Molecular Bio, an MS in Forensic Molecular Bio and a job in research. Due to my husband's job, we move a lot so I've been realllly lucky to land jobs in great institutions so far. We'll see what the next 10 years bring though. My fall back is to amp up my pilates/barre instructing.

divinemsbee · February 2014

@MusicFanatic I love the ballet. My husband danced most of his younger life (he was going professional until he was 17 and caught West Nile virus, which ended that career and he ended up in the military to pay for college).

I fell into a lot of things sideways. I went to college wanting to be an actress. As part of my degree, I had to do 2 semesters of tech work, and I chose wardrobe because I liked the woman in charge of it. I fell in love with all of it. So I started doing that full time. I also SAH, which happened because after H and I got serious, we moved 3 times in a year and now it's just become so much easier for both of us for me to take care of things here.

BabyCowbell · February 2014

I was in college and didn't know what to major in, so I started taking some general business classes. I took the first accounting class and after the first test the teacher told several students, myself included, that they did really well and should consider majoring in accounting. It seemed like it might be a good one for being able to get a job pretty easily, and it did come pretty naturally to me, so I took her advice. No regrets so far, although I do sometimes wish that I had been naturally good at something a little more cool.

ngolimento · February 2014

In my infinite wisdom, I majored in Art History in college. Seeing as this is the least marketable degree ever, I had to get a job as a teller in a bank after school.

Since then, I've moved slowly upwards in the banking world. I did go back to school for a business degree too, and I'm hoping that hikes me up farther. I'm currently just recovering from a war with an evil boss, so hopefully I can resume being promoted again.

mockingjay1 · February 2014

I have always been fascinated with pregnancy, babies, the human body. It's just amazing to me. I thought I wanted to be an OB/GYN or a Neonatologist, that is, until I job shadowed both of them. LOTS of school, long hours/call, not really spending much time with patients at the bedside... no thanks.

I didn't realize that nurses do SO MUCH and spend the majority of the time with patients in the hospital. I majored in biology and psychology (like I said planning to go to med school) and at the end of my junior year of college changed my mind. At that point I just finished my last year and did an accelerated (12 month) nursing program to get my BSN.

I am so, so glad I made that decision. I was very lucky in getting the job I wanted right off the bat in mother baby (I knew someone who knew someone that worked there). I then decided I wanted to work in the NICU and transferred within the hospital a few months later. There are politics at work I could definitely live without, but I can't imagine a better job than I have now. I love making a difference in people's lives (both the babies and parents). Very rewarding.

RayRay007 · February 2014

When I was a kid I thought that being a cop would be cool. And then I read a John Grisham novel and thought being a lawyer would be cool. So that's what I did. It is not like the books or the movies! lol. Getting married and having kids was never on the radar when I was a kid and not going to university and not finishing was never an option. I've been lawyering for a few years and am now working on a masters degree in public policy and hope to get into the public service or a non-profit doing policy work.

hullabalou · February 2014

I've changed my major 7 times...I am nearing my last semester of college and feel pretty screwed. As of now I'm majoring in communication studies, but I have NO IDEA what I want to do after graduation. I wish that I would have taken some time off before jumping into college, but I am on a full scholarship and I would have lost that opportunity if I didn't go immediately after high school.

norweigan · February 2014

When I was 16, my parents sent me to get these aptitude tests done so I had some guidance when it came to my future career choices (they did this with both my siblings too). My mom always told me that she thought I would make a great lawyer, and as a result I did not want to be a lawyer (no 16 year old wants to do what their parents think they should). The tester asked what I wanted to be, and I said a doctor or a teacher. By the end of the testing, the tester said the 2 worst careers for me would be a doctor (I don't have the dexterity or the visuospatial skills) or a teacher (I don't have the patience) and that I should be a lawyer. Sigh.

Fast forward a year, when I was at a leadership conference (the high school kind). We were doing these role playing things where we pretended to be Supreme Court justices. I enjoyed it so much that it put being a lawyer back on my mind.

Fast forward another 10 years. Here I am.

Edited: changed inter-spacial to visuospatial. I knew I had the wrong word.

LadyXaverian · February 2014

abbyful said:

I'm not a big career person, I'm more of a "work to live, not live to work" type. I would love to be a SAHM, but that isn't in the cards financially right now.

I didn't know what I wanted to do in college. I started college in 2001, when the internet was really exploding, so I majored in Computer Science. So now I'm a programmer. I like the problem solving aspect, and there's always something to learn. But I wouldn't say it's my "passion". I'm good at it and it pays fairly well.

I get this. I went into teaching as a career, but now that I have a child, it's become more of a job. I still feel passionate about it. I love what I do, but the amount of effort I can put into the planning and preparation is so much less now, and that makes me feel guilty.

norweigan · February 2014

vcl2008 said:

I really fell into my career by accident. My major in college was political science/international studies and my plan was to go to law school after a small break (one to two years) from academia. My senior year in college, unsure of what I was going to do the next year, I heard about an info session at my college for a national teaching program. I'd heard of the program before and had considered it, but I wasn't sure it was for me or that I would even get in. I decided to go to the info session anyway because the flyer said they were offering free pizza and I am not one to turn down a free pizza. Ever.

Anyway, the pizza was good but the recruiter really piqued my interest so I applied to the program, got in, and started teaching the fall after my college graduation (with only 5 weeks of training over the summer on how to actually be a teacher). As hard as it was to jump into a totally unanticipated career that I had virtually no background in, I absolutely loved it and have been a teacher/administrator ever since (going on 6 years now).

I am so thankful every day that I let my love of pizza convince me to look into a very different and scary option. I know now that I would have hated law school and a career in law and I am so happy with the job I have now. And obviously the free pizza was delicious.

ngolimento · February 2014

slappalicious said:

Peledreamsofrain said:

In my infinite wisdom, I majored in Art History in college. Seeing as this is the least marketable degree ever, I had to get a job as a teller in a bank after school.

Since then, I've moved slowly upwards in the banking world. I did go back to school for a business degree too, and I'm hoping that hikes me up farther. I'm currently just recovering from a war with an evil boss, so hopefully I can resume being promoted again.

John Smith: I never went to MIT. Notre Dame. Art history major.
Jane Smith: Art?
John Smith: History! It's reputable.

Haha I love it! I seriously was passionate about my degree, so it was really disappointing to learn museums don't even look at anyone without a doctorate. I would have loved to restore art as a living.

MusicFanatic · February 2014

jj32 said:

MusicFanatic I loved reading your story, thanks for sharing. My cousin teaches ballet in Boulder CO. Her body is amazing!

@jj32 - it's a PITA to keep up that dancers body at my age

I know 34 isn't "old" by any means, but dancing at the level I do is a lot harder in my 30's verses when I was 15 or even late 20's! Back then I could eat thousands and thousands of calories because I was literally dancing 8 hours a day sometimes. Now just teaching, I have to be so careful. My body is NOT as amazing as it was back then :P (says the girl who is still trying to work off 8 pounds from Christmas time).

snooks721 · February 2014

I kind of just, fell into my job. I'm a case manager at a life insurance agency.

While I was going to college I was working part-time at Subway. I hated school. Absolutely hated it, skipped class all the time. So I'm working at Subway and just taking one night class when my mom tells me that our neighbor (who owns his own insurance company) is hiring for a department that just does clerical work. I ended up getting hired and I was doing filing, copying, faxing, computer input, helping answering phones. Eventually my health insurance was going to be running out so I asked my boss if there was anyway I could go full-time in my department so I could get benefits. They asked me if I would be interested in being a case manager because there was a new position opening up and they like to promote from within. I had no clue the first thing about life insurance but they told me they would train me. So I took the position and here I am 7 years later. I love it. Never thought I would be working in life insurance but I really enjoy it.

Pookieson · February 2014

caden1206 said:

My son was born at 25 weeks. I went back to school when he was old enough to go to daycare and became a Respiratory Therapist. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. Plus, it really is a great and flexible profession for me.

Mine is very similar, but my daughter was born at 28 weeks. I was *thisclose* to my teaching credentials and went back to school to become a RN.

LokiTTGP · February 2014

I was born to rule you all.

GirlOnTheBeach · February 2014

I wanted to be a language teacher since I was a kid. All through middle and high school I worked hard to learn Spanish and French. In college I continued down that path but switched to language arts and Spanish.

I graduated and found work at the start of the school year. I wanted to work with at-risk, inner-city kids and make a difference. So that's what I did. I was one of those teachers who didn't leave until 7-8pm every day. Stayed late to help students, to re-design the Spanish program. Visited all the sports events/school concerts etc to support my students. I LOVED teaching and my students had the highest grades/fluency in the department and our program grew from just having Spanish 1-2 to having Spanish 1-4 honors. I taught the advanced levels and designed all our coursework since our school wouldn't buy any materials.

After 3 years of busting my butt, I realized that I was getting zero support from the administration and their political power games were making my life miserable. So I talked to H and we decided to move to Florida and is try something new. I happily quit my job (none of the administrators ever even came out of their offices or responded to my email when I went to turn in my paperwork) and I took a nanny job for a really well off family who pays pretty close to my old salary and I only work about 15 hours most weeks. It's pretty nice :-)

I don't know what I will do once they don't need me anymore. I doubt I'll bother going back to teaching though. Maybe I'll just keep doing this, maybe I'll run something out if our house if we have kids. I'm just using this time to sort of figure it all out.

carabassa27 · February 2014

Peledreamsofrain said:
Haha I love it! I seriously was passionate about my degree, so it was really disappointing to learn museums don't even look at anyone without a doctorate. I would have loved to restore art as a living.

@Peledreamsofrain - I worked in art restoration for a bit, and I absolutely LOVED that job. On Sunday I couldn't wait to go back into work the next morning to keep working on my projects. It was the perfect combination of artistic dexterity, chemistry, and productive labor.

As for the original question, my decisions regarding my career accumulated as follows:

Age 5: I wanna be an artist! I like painting!

Age 18: Hmm...math or art, for college? Math or art....If I'm going to be up all night working on something, I'd rather it be a painting.

Age 23: Well now I have my BFA, double major in Painting and Spanish. Which to pursue? Guess I'll go to Spain for a year while I figure it out.

Age 24: I gave a presentation in Pamplona on my paintings, and felt a sense of pride and accomplishment in a way I hadn't through all my other teaching/language jobs.

Age 25: Decide to go to graduate school for painting.

Age 27: And here I am. About to get my MFA, and see if I can make it as a practicing artist. It may not be likely, but I know it can be done.

When I was younger, my parents (who both went to school for music) told me that you can always switch career paths towards a more practical, financially sound job. But rarely will you be able to leave a life you've built to go back to the beginning and see if you can make it as an artist, dirt poor. So, be an artist first. If it doesn't work, you'll figure something out. But at least you'll know you tried.

musicalmommy3 · February 2014

I love this!

My career really chose me too... I went to University and majored in music and education. I always wanted to be a teacher. Then I took my coop at a school and was instantly turned off from being a school teacher.

I almost changed majors in 3rd year because of this sudden change of heart, but decided to stick with it as I was almost done. That's when my career started.

Someone asked my Mom if I did private lessons, and for extra money, I decided to give it a shot. Little did I know this would be my life from now on! I now have my own music studio, a couple of employees, and amazing students... I also have camps, and a glee club that I love. I have my dream job!

MusicFanatic · February 2014

musicalmommy3 said:

I love this!

My career really chose me too... I went to University and majored in music and education. I always wanted to be a teacher. Then I took my coop at a school and was instantly turned off from being a school teacher.

I almost changed majors in 3rd year because of this sudden change of heart, but decided to stick with it as I was almost done. That's when my career started.

Someone asked my Mom if I did private lessons, and for extra money, I decided to give it a shot. Little did I know this would be my life from now on! I now have my own music studio, a couple of employees, and amazing students... I also have camps, and a glee club that I love. I have my dream job!

@musicalmommy3 - this would have been my second choice (see screen name)

I've played piano since I was 6, and also play guitar. If I weren't in a dance profession, it would have been something music related.

peggels24 · February 2014

I decided when I was 12 years old that I wanted to be a lawyer. The girls who lived across the street told me that I was too dumb to be a lawyer (they were very very mean to me and used to belittle me all the time - in an attempt to make themselves feel better, I assume) so I decided to become a lawyer. And I did.

I went to work for a one man shop after law school and the business grew and then he passed away and my partner and I purchased the business from his Estate.

And here I am today.

RazzyRN · February 2014

These were all so fun to read!!!

Senior year of high school I decided I would not go to college.. It has always been a pet peev of mine when people waste money and time on a degree that they don't use (unless they unfortunately can't find a job with to use that degree for). Well we all had to do a senior project and present it to the class.. I don't even remember what mine was on but this girl did one of neonatal nursing and It was love at first sight. I moved out on my own right after I graduated high school so I did my pre Reqs part time and it took me almost 4 years. I am now getting ready to graduate in 79 days!!! And I'm so so excited. I've already started to look into RN to msn programs. Currently I work as a tech at our children's hospital which I love and am pretty sure my boss is saving me a position for when I graduate.

I can't wait to be a nurse! I look up to nurses so much and have the up most respect for what they do!

DLpanda08 · February 2014

I had always wanted to become a teacher since I was a little girl. I would play school with my dolls and practice grading papers all day. I even had pretend conferences. I have very distinct memories of my great great grandma telling me how important it is to learn as much as you can. Then when I went on a few mission trips in middle school and high school and saw just how big of a difference an education can make in a person's life I knew that I was meant to be a teacher.

Once I got to college and was put in a real classroom setting I got scared of all the responsibility entailed in teaching and my ability to meet the challenges in that line of work. My fear of failure has always been crippling. I tried several different career paths (and majors lol) including law and psychology. Then, after finally getting counseling for my anxiety issues and depression that had been running rampant since my first attempt at college but truly came to a head at my last job, I realized that I would never be truly happy unless I was teaching.

Going back to school and getting my degree was one of the hardest things I have ever done. I came home crying so many days just because I was so overwhelmed and drained from facing such a huge fear. But, now that I have graduated and I am doing what I love I am crazy proud of myself. I know the struggle to get to this point was worth it and will help me be a better teacher in the long run.

mrs_tacos · February 2014

It's funny, because in college I very much thought I'd be a career woman. I'd never even really seriously thought about being a mom. Going into college, I thought I'd be an elementary or art teacher, but the program at our college was not a good fit for me, and I was already with DH so I didn't want to transfer. So I became a theatre major, since I love almost every aspect of theatre, but that wasn't a great fit either. I eventually ended up an interdisciplinary major with a primary focus on English, a secondary on journalism. Journalism isn't a great fit for me either, but it helped my writing a lot.

I'm not so career minded these days. I've worked as a freelance writer from home for the last few years, and now I'm writing a novel. I'll always, always write, but I definitely intend to be a SAHM, and we may even homeschool when it comes to it. I actually find as much joy in the homemaker half of my day as I do in my writing.

ETA: The truth is, I probably missed my calling as a teacher. I'm a good writer, but I miss working with kids regularly.

polevaultRN · February 2014

I've always been interested in health and I really enjoy caring for others. When I first became a nurse, I didn't really know what area I wanted to work in. I started out in medical oncology, then medical surgical orthopedic, and then telemetry (cardiac patients). I decided to give OB a try. I did high-risk pregnancies for a bit and then finally moved over to labor & delivery! I really enjoy labor & delivery, but now I'm thinking about doing postpartum

aggiebug · February 2014

Joy2611 said:

The passion part is easier. I decided to do research on HPV when I entered graduate school. I had just been diagnosed with neoplasia, had the LEEP, was on an every three month plan of Pap smears and was shaken by the whole thing. That passion carried me through graduate school.

I lost that passion with the end of my thesis and have dabbled in other areas. My new interest appears to be kidneys. I have kidney problems. Apparently, I inspire myself :-)

I

you. And I totally miss your blogs.

As for me. I told my parents in elementary school I wanted to be a veterinarian and never changed my mind. Everything I did academically from that point on was to better my chances to get in. Then once I got in I doubted I was making the right choice. What if I want to be a SAHM and waste my degree? What if I am not smart enough.... Etc. My now H pushed me and supported me and now I am doing what I always dreamed I would do.

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