Career Choices and Regrets..

[Muta]

I went to University and started off initially with a Communications degree, but switched into Business in my second year and graduated with a BComm and a minor in Geopgraphy from the U of C.

While I'm not currently doing what I want to do, or what I envisioned myself doing by my current age (27), it could be alot worse. But... I am grateful I put in the extra effort to get my business degree. There's tons of room for advancement, and where others have been dropped in my industry (architecture) during the recession I've remained; mainly due to the fact that I'm one of the very, very few that have a business background.

I feel as if there's alot of doors open because of the educational route I went. Maybe it's just me, but it's just the way I feel. A commerce degree was such a great decision for me.

I'm starting my graduate studies (MA) in Sports Management in the United States next January. I figured if I don't do it now, it'll get harder and harder to do so. Better do it now while I'm single and have a flexible lifestyle.

The only thing I regret is not doing a co-op program in University. I pretty much did my classes and got the hell outta there. I loved university, but I probably could have made more of an effort to enjoy it.

[TylerSVT]

Originally Posted by WilsonFourTwo

Although my decision has been a long while coming, this thread has played a role in today's choice......I've stopped pursuing a Management degree, and opted to work towards a BA instead. There are a few credits that won't transfer, but that's a pretty minor inconvenience in the long run.

Hearing other people voice the same thoughts I've had in my head was extremely valuable. It clarified that I'm not "Over thinking it" and that my desire/rationale was entirely valid. Thanks CP, much appreciated.

A BA is good for those that like outside the box problem solving and understanding mechanics, like how the economy works or how people work etc.

I imagine you will like it, a lot of people switch from Bcomm to BA in Econ just because its more interesting, they are both held in high regard in the professional world, Bcomm slightly more so though.

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by TylerSVT

I imagine you will like it, a lot of people switch from Bcomm to BA in Econ just because its more interesting, they are both held in high regard in the professional world, Bcomm slightly more so though.

I earned both a BComm and a BA (in Political Science). I have found my BA path to be infinitely more interesting, and I will be pursuing a career based on this particular focus.

That said, my BComm has opened the doors for me to be taken seriously and to garner the needed work experience. Everyone and their dog seem to have a BA these days, so any way you can stand out more than your peers will help do wonders when employers look at applicants with a BA degree.

[Leon]

This time next year I will be graduating with a BSc in Economics. Last September I decided to enroll in the "Work Experience Co-op" program they have here. It allows students further along in their degree to participate in a co-op term.

Some of the jobs listed through the University present quite good opportunities to get a foot into government work or a private firm. It is my hope that I can do this and stick with the firm after my graduation. That little spiel was with regard to the co-op comment previously made in the thread.

That being said, sending out cover letters and CV's to these firms is a long, tedious and soul crushing exercise. No one has shown any interest in what I have to offer - perhaps another summer of line cooking for me!

To actually address the OP in particular, my initial career choice was Aviation. Due to academic irresponsibility and a heart that wasn't quite in it, I find myself a year away from an Economics degree and a healthier conscience knowing I'll have some papers in my hand saying I accomplished something. I have light pangs of regret here and there but to be truly honest, I still don't know what could make me happy.

It's been a pleasure to read your experiences in this thread. You all seem to speak of switching careers as if it happened overnight. I'm assuming these switches necessitated some schooling of sorts? Either that or your existing education allowed for transparent movement between industries.

[Pinner]

Somebody smart has obviously hacked TylerSVT's account


One a serious note, Ozy, what kind of work would you be doing for who w/ a BA in Political Science ?

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I earned both a BComm and a BA (in Political Science).

[Ozy_Flame]

Originally Posted by Pinner

One a serious note, Ozy, what kind of work would you be doing for who w/ a BA in Political Science ?

I should clarify, I am completing a Master of Strategic Studies, which is generally a defense-oriented political science graduate program. With that said, you can probably see where I'm going with a degree like this - one of a few public and private organizations where defense is a focus.

[Keselke]

Originally Posted by HockeyPuck

I graduated with an engineering degree from school in the States, with full intention of getting a masters degree. Too much debt so I moved back home and I decided to go to SAIT for the Petroleum degree.

I worked a field job after that for about 6 mos and moved over into a government position for 3 years - what a waste of 3 years! After getting out of that position, I was able to move on to an Oil and Gas producer - great pay and work-life balance. I started out as a technologist, and my supervisors have given me more responsibilties. It's been good.

Thing is though, I think I have a great idea for a business, but getting off this path is very scary. Especially with a 1 year old and another on the way, plus a good sized mortgage to boot. I know if I don't go forward with this business, I'll always wonder, "what if", but taking the actual step and moving forward would be a definite leap of faith.

Did you take a different eng discipline in the states?
Just curious why you went from Peng to Technologist

I am currently in Civil, but I always think about mechanical/petroleum route due to how lucrative oil and gas is

I guess I dont want to graduate and regret my discipline choice

[Delthefunky]

I've been a laborer in the oil and gas field since I was 18. Now I'm turning 28 and I realize I'll never be happy unless I go back to school. The only problem is I don't really know what I want to take.

[TylerSVT]

Originally Posted by Ozy_Flame

I earned both a BComm and a BA (in Political Science). I have found my BA path to be infinitely more interesting, and I will be pursuing a career based on this particular focus.

That said, my BComm has opened the doors for me to be taken seriously and to garner the needed work experience. Everyone and their dog seem to have a BA these days, so any way you can stand out more than your peers will help do wonders when employers look at applicants with a BA degree.

Yea, lost of Econ majors complain that its a BA and not a Bcomm like it should be.

BA's are popular because its the largest faculty and has designations like Sociology and Psychology, I find most people see Econ and assume its a Bcomm degree because its business and math related.

Originally Posted by noel

This time next year I will be graduating with a BSc in Economics. Last September I decided to enroll in the "Work Experience Co-op" program they have here. It allows students further along in their degree to participate in a co-op term.

.

You will have a BA in Economics.

[TylerSVT]

Originally Posted by Delthefunky

I've been a laborer in the oil and gas field since I was 18. Now I'm turning 28 and I realize I'll never be happy unless I go back to school. The only problem is I don't really know what I want to take.

You can always take open studies. Most Faculties dont require you to designate a major until after your 2nd year. Might be useful to take different courses and figure out where your interest lay.


A good thing to do is look at what interests you outside of work (not Flames or Cars or stuff) and see what potential jobs there are for that kind of position. You also have to take into account the job market where you live. You wont be an automotive engineer in Calgary working for Ford... just wont happen.

[AFireInside]

Originally Posted by TylerSVT

Yea, lost of Econ majors complain that its a BA and not a Bcomm like it should be.

BA's are popular because its the largest faculty and has designations like Sociology and Psychology, I find most people see Econ and assume its a Bcomm degree because its business and math related.



You will have a BA in Economics.

I'm sure you can get a Bsc in Econ as well as a B.A.

I have a B.A. in Econ and Soci and I'm sure while I was there I remember people mentioning getting a bsc in Econ. I could be mistaken though.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

I've been a music geek my whole life. Obsessed is more the right word. Through school I took as much music as I could, practiced my ass off, and managed to get to see a lot of the world. Then I went to post-secondary for Music Education and absolutely hated it. It was really crushing, because all I had ever dreamed of being was a band teacher and when I realized what the four years would entail (listening to pompus windbags ejaculating their divine wisdom in my face) I left. Stopped playing altogether for a couple years and did nothing but party.

At 21 I went to audio school in Toronto and it was freaking awesome! I loved everything. Recording, MIDI and synthesizers, live sound...oh wow! So I came back to Calgary, got a loan, and purchased a killer PA system. Since then I've done probably 500+ shows as an engineer as well as produced demos for lots of different local artists. I own a killer home studio, and probably about $15,000 in software alone, let alone the microphones, instruments, etc etc. If you ever go to the Blind Beggar, most of the T-shirts in the rafters are shows I engineered there.

About three years ago I had simply had enough of starving. It's really cool driving all over the province to play shows and getting paid for it but the money was never anything more than pitiful, so I got a day job building custom battery packs for a whole schwack of applications. Medical equipment, oil-field, etc etc etc. It's like I can't believe there's guys in this thread who went to Uni to be draftspeople and they only make $15/hr and so that kind of makes me feel a bit better!

The problem, or blessing, is that this company is so awesome to me. Boss loves me like a son, I work with great people and we have a blast. They also give me all the time off I need to do music. I've been here three years now. With that in mind, I now find myself completely unmotivated to drag out truck-loads of gear to do shows! Aside from one-offs here and there, I haven't engineered in over a year. Didn't see this coming.

So, as of now I am almost out of debt and rather than engineer shows I find myself practicing 2+ hours a day again and taking lessons from a master. Ironic that at 28, after everything, it's all come full circle and it's like being eight years old again. I can't make it in teaching, and I don't want to do engineering anymore, so I guess it means I'm going to have to become a professional player. I haven't taken playing all that seriously since I was in high school, but since I started so young I have always been decent enough to participate in jams without embarassing myself but I am not a true pro player yet. Its been 2+ hours a day for about six months now and I am starting to show some serious skill yet there is still lots to go. But it's a waste in Calgary.

Essentially, I'm happy the company is expanding into Toronto, so I get to move there and hopefully am skilly enough to land some real gigs there as a player, make a reputation, and get picked up for some high-end gigs. Luckily though, I will have the 9-5 M-F to keep the music fun. Some people can handle it as a job even in the beginning when you're a nobody and get paid s***. I can't do it. The music isn't fun when you're starving.

I envy this career path. It really is hard to make a good living as amateur muscian/sound engineer/dj type. You're lucky to find a good replacement/support profession. It's nice to have something to fall back on. Myself, I've given up on music even though it is my first love. I will never be good enough at it.

[Pinner]

Originally Posted by Delthefunky

I've been a laborer in the oil and gas field since I was 18. Now I'm turning 28 and I realize I'll never be happy unless I go back to school. The only problem is I don't really know what I want to take.

Where do you live or want to live ?

[Delthefunky]

I was born in Sweden and have always wanted to see what its like to live there. University is free but will end up costing a little bit with costs of living etc.

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Delthefunky

I was born in Sweden and have always wanted to see what its like to live there. University is free but will end up costing a little bit with costs of living etc.

You are lucky to have that. What I wouldn't do for EU citizenship and the free education that comes with many Scandinavian countries.

[Finner]

Originally Posted by Titan

Do NOT go to law school unless you know what a lawyer actually does and you have a burning passion to do that. Do not do it just because you don't know what else to do.

The jobs have been okay but the work to money ratio is just not there. After 10 years if you do it right you can have a good life but you have to bust your a$$ to get out of debt and then you can start to make choices for different reasons. Many people get the golden handcuffs and end up hating their lives.

I would not do it again.

If you have any sales acumen at all a career as a financial advisor can be very profitable with a higher than average degree of flexibility. The barriers to entry are also relatively low. The Canadian Securities Course is one you can do on your own at your own speed and it opens up a lot of jobs in the financial services industry that are not necessarily involved in selling. I know people in the compliance field, with the right industry courses, are highly sought after.

Would definitely agree with this.

I work for one of the major banks in Canada. Our district VP started as a teller 8 years ago and worked his way up.

One great thing about working for a company this large is you have a pile of options. Even if you walk in as a teller, if you're good you can move up to a basic sales person within 6 months. If you hate sales you can do management, commercial banking, small business, investment advice/planning, work in a call center, become a foreign exchange/gold silver bullion trader, Financial Analyst, Estate Planner, Fraud/Money Laundering, Complianceetc. Also because of the size you get great benefits (pension/health wellness account/4 weeks paid vacation/37 hours a week-no OT) and the ability to transfer anywhere in Canada, and in some cases internationally (US/Europe).

Tons of opportunity. I've been here 4 years and have moved jobs 3 times all in different areas of the bank, some moves lateral, some promotions, with another move hopefully upcoming in the next few months. When i don't like what i'm doing i look for another posting i may have interest in.

In terms of regrets, i wish i'd finished my degree all at once. I was broke after 2nd year and pretty disheartened with education, and got a great offer from the above company. Now i'm barely doing a course per year and trying to find the motivation to do more, with about 15 left to finish my Bcomm in Accounting.

[vtec260]

I wanted to become an auto mechanic since I enjoyed driving and working on cars. However, I ended up going into health care field. Came out of university at 22 with no debt (tuition was only $2-3000/year back in early 90's and lived at home), traveled a little and have been working for a same company for past 17 years. Working as a middle manager, you get crap from bottom and top, but at the end of the day, I go home happy and content.

My wife went to university and got the same degree as myself after our both kids started school, giving up her nursing job (no debt also upon graduation) and ironically, is working for same company as me. Not too late to start a new career, but financially, it can be tight at times.

[Oil Stain]

Originally Posted by Keselke

Did you take a different eng discipline in the states?
Just curious why you went from Peng to Technologist

I am currently in Civil, but I always think about mechanical/petroleum route due to how lucrative oil and gas is

I guess I dont want to graduate and regret my discipline choice

I know at least one of our managers at the large refinery where I work is an electrical engineer by trade so it's not impossible to get in with a major outside of chemical/petroleum engineering.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by TylerSVT

You will have a BA in Economics.

We've been through this...

http://web.uvic.ca/calendar2010/FACS...DoEc/PrRe.html

Scroll down to 'BSc Major'

[TylerSVT]

Originally Posted by AFireInside

I'm sure you can get a Bsc in Econ as well as a B.A.

I have a B.A. in Econ and Soci and I'm sure while I was there I remember people mentioning getting a bsc in Econ. I could be mistaken though.

At the University of Calgary the economics program is within the faculty of arts. That's all i know.