How did you choose your career?
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Category: General Chat
Forum Name: General Chat
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=35326
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Topic: How did you choose your career?
Posted By: kebakat
Subject: How did you choose your career?
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 5:32pm
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This is something I've been thinking about lately. If this baby is cruisey I'm gonna start studying again next year, if not it will be 2012.
DH chose his career based on his interest but its not ultimately what he wanted to do with his life. But he can't do what his dream is because of his eyesight (pilot). I don't wanna start studying just to change my mind as I have already done this once. I jumped into uni straight ouf of high school and figured out 2 years into a 5 year degree that it wasn't something I wanted to do with my life. I did 2 papers towards a teaching degree to prove that I was all good to study, as it had been a while, since I've had Daniel and got good marks. |
Replies:
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 6:08pm
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I finished college a couple of years ago and was dead set I would go down the Architecture route however I didn't want to spend 5k to discover I couldn't take the work load etc so I did a uni prep course where I sampled a few papers and thought maybe psyc or nursing then got UTD so now it's a toss up between nursing or midwifery!
I think it's the career services website, they have a survey you can do and based on your answers it tells you what careers might be suitable. Other wise do something you enjoy. Do you want a career for the money or something you enjoy? (ETA: I studied the right subjects at school to do architecture and really enjoyed it, except I tend to procrastinate which equaled many late nights although I got fab marks! I often joke that the sleepless nights prepared me for motherhood!) ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 6:12pm
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Its the job I got when I left school been doing it ever since. Have thought of changing a couple of times but always end up back in the same line of work cause I'm good at it.
When it comes down to it the main reason for me to go to work is to earn money, if I didn't need the money I wouldn't work. My passions are outside of work, I think if I did them for a living I wouldn't enjoy them as much. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">   [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 6:13pm
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Those surveys always come up with medical type stuff, psych and teaching. Theres no way I wanna be a nurse or mw.
For me I wanna enjoy it. I don't want to get into a career just for the money and spend the majority of my day hating what i'm doing |
Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 6:20pm
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Yeah that's a deciding factor for me to I want to enjoy my job not hate it and only do it for the money. I really liked nursing but after having a baby I think being a midwife could be more ideal but I am still at a loss as to which I would prefer...
I always get psyc and teaching too and while I don't mind doing psyc, I don't know if I would enjoy it as much. Teaching was on my list too but Vic changed their teaching degrees so I crossed it off my list. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 6:20pm
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What skills and experience do you currently have?
I've used my skills to work in different industries which has helped work out what I like and what I don't like. There is a lot more to medical, psych and teaching than nursing or mw though. Either talk to a careers advisor at one of the Uni's or polytechs. Or if healthcare is of interest then someone who works in the industry. Other thing I looked at were the job vacancies and what type of jobs were out there that interested me and what was involved to work in them. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 6:22pm
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I started out studying psychology, then did an accounting paper (loved it) simply cause my friend was repeating her paper. Then managed to do part of a management diploma before I though how the hell did I end up here & went and worked a while, ended up in an office & then went back and cross credited my papers & started an accounting degree.
Sooooo I'm going to do my last couple of papers & then do a vet nursing course cause I love animals & then hopefully get a job doing both office & vet nursing work. Should have just done the papers I wanted at school & gone where my heart has been the whole time! ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: amme_eilyk
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 6:41pm
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At uni I went for the papers that I loved at school. I am close to getting an accounting and a science degree so could go down either career path.
The other option you could consider is just doing the one year graduate diploma in education after doing a degree in something you love. |
Posted By: fairy1
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 7:01pm
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threadjack for a minute sorry. Lil-Nic, I am a nurse and I wouldnt recommend it with children. Once you've completed the degree you need to complete a new grad program and thats very hard to do with childcare as you have to do a certain amount of hours and will have to work rostered and rotating shifts. Nursing is not family friendly in my experience (and the people I have worked with) especially when you are first starting out. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: High9
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 7:59pm
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Melissa thanks, yeah I had discussed that about nursing, unfortunately Massey which is the only place in Wellington which offered Midwifery recently cut the degree permanently which left nursing unless I look back into the psyc degree. Architecture would be a nightmare to do now with a family!
Atm we're not in a position to relocate to another part of the country, and midwifery would also be pretty demanding too... But we'll see in a couple of years time! ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: HoneybunsMa
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 8:26pm
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pre baby has been hospitality. I love it, breath it, live it. Now well aside from being a mum I am studying extramurally for a bachelor in communications thinking about editor or function coordinator or something. I've done functions and loved them especially when they aren't stuck up and stiff, the end of a dinner when its dance time is always fun. Oh and school balls stalking the kids and going into the boys toilets when you smell smoke haha thats always a laugh ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: Delli
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 8:50pm
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Always been into science, originally wanted to be a vet. Did Bursary Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Statistics and English. Got to the intermediate semester of vet and found out that Massey Uni just wasn't for me, didn't bother applying for vet and switched uni's, did a BSc in Animal Science instead. First job in an office (vaguely related to science) I hated but second job working as a lab technician in a genetics laboratory - LOVED it. Would go back in a heartbeat except that we have moved locations. Have always known since I was little though - that I would do something science-y. I was the kid that got microscopes and chemistry sets for Christmas and birthday presents. Lol. Have thought about going back to see if I could try vet but not sure I have the commitment it takes. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: HuntersMama
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 8:50pm
I did those online surveys and it always came up as something in the health field. I always wanted to do a degree that gave me a career at the end of it, rather than a generic degree that wouldnt help me get a job and was a waste of time - no offense anyone! So I studied Occupational Therapy and love it  heaps of different options, decent $$ and very supportive employer (DHB) which returning to work with a baby, continuing to breastfeed etc. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Shelt
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 8:56pm
I know this makes me sound like a real nerd  but I always enjoyed working with numbers at school, and english was my best subject. I wanted a job where I would be able to work with numbers, write reports etc (use my writing skills) and earn a reasonable amount of money. I have quite an analytical personality so I did the first year of a business degree through Massey which was basically a broad range of business papers, and then picked the one I liked the most. Hence now after 7 years of study and work experience,and a lot of hard work I am a chartered accountant.
ETA to fix spelling. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: kellie
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 8:59pm
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I wanted to leave school, and I knew I was good with computers. I enrolled with a course, did a degree, and started a career in I.T
TBH now I wish I was doing something more in the field of research, or law.... ------------- 
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Posted By: monikah
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 9:00pm
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i started a nursing degree and changed part way (after working in a hospital) to a sport and exercise degree. i worked as a personalt trainer for a few years and ended up hating it. i went back to uni when i got pg and am now doing bio-medical science and absolutely love it. i dont care bout the good money at the end. i find that once i find the answer to something or learn as much as i can about it i get bored which i why i finally worked out id be a great research scientist :) ------------- 
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Posted By: M2K
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 9:16pm
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I was a receptionist straight out of school and I hated it, well most of it, Hated that dreaded feeling of not wanting to go to work. So decided to study graphic design in my early 20's and was lucky to get a scholarship for it, still do a few jobs here and there but nothing that brings in the big doh (dammit) but I enjoyed my job and I still wouldn't mind going back to study & upskill sometime in the near future.. ------------- 
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Posted By: jaz
Date Posted: 18 August 2010 at 10:27pm
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Originally I got into the Travel Industry because I loved travel. The perks were great but money bad and I loved Science at school but couldn't think of a job I wanted to do in the physical sciences so I did a social science degree. I got hooked on the psychology so did a bachelor then masters degree. Originally I appled for workplace psychologist jobs but there weren't many around so I got work in HR and haven't looked back. Interesting work and good money. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 19 August 2010 at 9:18am
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I ahve a long term goal and that is Midwifery, only because I can't choose to do woman's health nursing other wise I would do that. Its not just becuase I have had children I want to help people go through something I have been through and an understanding with woman when they feel something isn't right I want to get it checked because it is better to get it checked then something bad to happen. What I am currently doing I enjoy (administration), I think I enjoy it because I am in charge of my own things here. When I was at school I was looking at HR/Accounting (I love people and numbers), but didn't continue it to get a degree. I do a lot of number work with my job thou. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 19 August 2010 at 10:34am
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Half the careers around today didn't exist when I finished school in 1990. I've gained most of my skills on the job and have an apptitude for systems and processes, I like to be organised and organise others. I want to utilitse the skills I've developed over the years in IT, marketing, office admin and property when I go back to work. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 19 August 2010 at 11:25am
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I studied geology at uni but when I left there were no jobs out there for people who specialised in volcanology haha! So I then studied GIS which is mapping on computers and really enjoyed the technical side and did some information systems papers and when we came to aussie moved into the database admin side of things in mining which of course related to my geology degree. Loved the work because I am pretty (very?) a*al about data and also love working out how programmes work and how they can be made better. Also love the customer focus side of things which lots of IT people suck at.
So in a roundabout way, I ended up working in the field I originally trained in. ------------- 
 Oct 11
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Posted By: ooEvaoo
Date Posted: 19 August 2010 at 12:45pm
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I left school and went straight to uni...my ambition at the time was to become a physiotherapist....always thought I'd do something in the health sector. Life happened and i didn't finish it...but three years later I went into study again...did first year nursing but then decided that it wasn't for me...only because like mentioned earlier it wasn't family friendly....so switched to Occupational Therapy...am in my 2nd year and am glad I made the change....the options are endless. ------------- 
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Posted By: Richie
Date Posted: 19 August 2010 at 1:44pm
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All my life I'd wanted to be a vet...... or something else to do with the care of animals. I am absolutely animal mad. I did a weeks work experience at a vet clinic but decided it wasn't for me. I just got too upset seeing sick animals, and seeing them put down etc. I also did a weeks work experience in a dog groomers. I really enjoyed that but decided I didn't want to be grooming dogs for the rest of my life. I then got into horse racing and did a bit of stable work and then enrolled myself in an equine course as I wanted to become a harness driver, but then ended up getting offered a fulltime job in Sales at Harvey Norman. Was there for a few years and loved dealing with people, but then got told by a friend about a job going at a local Bathroom store so thought I'd go for it. I got the job and fell in love with all the amazing products available. I really enjoyed working with house plans and helping clients choose the right products for their home. Overseeing the job from floorplan to finished room was awesome, and knowing that I'd had input into how it turned out. I've been working in bathrooms for about 5yrs now (altho I have moved to a different employer) and I am now looking a enrolling in an Interior Design course where I can earn a Diploma and hopefully set up my own business one day.
I'd never done that quiz on career services but I just did it and the top jobs that came up for me were Interior Designer (funny that), Interior Decorator, Architect or Lanscape Architect! lol so looks like I'm heading down the right path........ -------------  
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Posted By: SophieD
Date Posted: 19 August 2010 at 5:01pm
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well I started out with a business degree in finance and comercial law...was looking to become an accountant, however somewhere along the way that changed and I worked for a few years in an office (doing the books/admin etc) and then went back to do a primary teaching diploma.
I love teaching, the kids are fantastic and the people you work with (on the whole) are amazing....however at the moment it is a lot of hard work (mostly outside the classroom with paperwork etc) and it just seems to get more and more! I must admit though teaching is a very flexible career, especially with children. Before I studied, I went into a local school for a couple of days per week, volunteered in a classroom just to see what it was really like. Would totally recommend that if you wanted to find out about teaching! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: lostAmber
Date Posted: 19 August 2010 at 5:31pm
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I'm still trying to decide what I want to do at 31yrs old!
I left high school and did a bachelors in sport and exercise science, picked up a few psychology papers and loved it, so went on to get my bachelors in this. Then decided I didn't really want to be a psychologist so went back to my sport degree and did a post-grad diploma, decided I did want to be a psychologist, so started my honours in psyc, then fell pregnant and miscarried, withdrew from uni due to post-natal depression, fell pregnant again at the beginning of this year, so never resumed study, and went back to work as a nanny. As far as jobs go, I have nannyed for a great portion of my post-school years, both here in NZ and the USA. I have worked in a sports development organisation which I loved, but office work itself kind of bored me (need people to talk to!), and worked as an early childhood teacher both in a center and home based. I don't know what I will do after baby is born- I plan on being a stay at home mum but know that I would like to have a career at some stage. Good question Stacey!! ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: MrsMc
Date Posted: 19 August 2010 at 6:22pm
| mine was the natural choice. I have loved kids since i was one myself. I looked into other careers while I was at high school but ECE is what it always came back to, and this was confirmed when i got a job in a centre and loved it. Went and did my diploma in the next intake. never regretted it |
Posted By: lostAmber
Date Posted: 20 August 2010 at 11:39am
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I loved my time spent in a centre too MrsMc but wonder if I will still enjoy it once I have my own children ?? ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: sweetpea
Date Posted: 20 August 2010 at 12:03pm
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I left school went straight to uni and started to do a degree in resource studies didn't do so well in my first year so changed tact and done science i was always good at it at school and specialised in horticulutre and ecology i love being out in the garden. Graduated 2001 and couldn't find any work in my chosen field there is alot of tall poppy sydrom this way. So went to help in dads office and eventuallt took over the running of it. Not what i ever intended on doing but i enjoy the variety and to be honest I would never get the flexibility that i have here working for someone else.
In case you are wondering i do use some of my skills that i gained at uni. I remember being told at graduation that it doesn't really matter what you do your degree in use it as a stepping stone and go wherever the mood takes you or someting to that effect. ------------- http://daisypath.com"> 
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Posted By: Renee & Lauren
Date Posted: 20 August 2010 at 2:10pm
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I've always worked in Admin roles but I really enjoy helping people find jobs etc and want to get into recruitment / hr. I did sign up for a course through Open Poly but I haven't been to school / studied in over 10 yrs that I have forgotten how to write academically and I am just about to give up (lucky I paid via my fly buy pts)...but I really want to do it but I am think that Uni is probably a better option for me. ------------- http://lilyslim.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: caliandjack
Date Posted: 20 August 2010 at 2:12pm
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I've struggled with extramural studies, finding the motivation has been hard. If I decide to continue studying in the future I'll do it in-class. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow"> [/url] Angel June 2012 |
Posted By: Snappy
Date Posted: 20 August 2010 at 7:59pm
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I struggled trying to decide between nursing/teaching and doing something i was good at. I did a bachelor of design, then cross-credited over to bachelor of visual arts. Then went on to work for an insurance company and hated every minute of it, regretting all the study I had done! I remember wishing I could just work from home running a photography business, but because of my financial situation i couldn't afford to leave work to try it all out. Anyway, after Jackson was born i decided not to go back to work, and thought it was a good time to go back to study. I was this close to enrolling into nursing, but found ourselves in yet another financial situation and had to make some money somehow.. So that's how i started my photography business! And I haven't regretted it. ------------- Mummy to two beauties... Formerly Kaiz. |
Posted By: Panda289
Date Posted: 21 August 2010 at 7:26pm
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I went straight to Uni from school with the goal to earn good money and change careers later in life to something that would help others so i studied economics and social policy (the later career was to be a social worker when i was mature enough to cope with it)
Ended up getting close to finishing my degree having a meltdown over studying (was only doing the degree my mum did and had suggested as had no clue what i wanted) and got offered an office job which i promptly took so i could think about what i wanted. Best decision i ever made as i had been nannying all through uni and being in an office for a couple of years made me realise i didnt want to work like that forever and i missed taking care of kids but i did want the structure and routine of working there so now i am finishing my last paper of my degree while working full time and then plan to do a primary school teaching diploma, although it was a messy journey i am glad i have ended up at this point because it wasn't until a year ago that i really felt strongly for a certain career i was more interested in making money. Plus i also will have the degree and my current work experience for if i want to leave teaching later on and do something different. ------------- http://lilypie.com" rel="nofollow">  
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Date Posted: 17 August 2021 at 12:10pm
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