Unemployed For A Year-Considering Going Into Finance (work, hearing, program)

[Hudlander]

I'll try and be as concise as I can.

Background:
I am 27 years old. 4 years ago, I graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice and a Minor in Business. GPA 3.7.
I co-oped for six months at a financial insurance company.
My original plan was to try and go into corporate and white collar crime.

However, my passion always was geography, specifically human geography/demography and planning (transportation and environmental conservation).
I could not do much with my undergrad and decided to go back to school.
My choice was either MS/MBA and go for accounting and see if I can mix that with Criminal Justice for FBI/corporate crime.
The other choice was Geography so I could be a planner or do research on environmental conservation/sprawl/or be a transportation planner.

I graduated last year with an MA in Geography and have yet to get a job.
Why? Because Urban Planning is dead, while studying the I-95 corridor and working on plans to revitalize downtown and study the demography of central Jersey is really my passion, you can't earn a stable, well paying living in the field, as I have realized.

Had I known what it would be like, I would have instead of Geography gotten an MS or MBA and done either accounting to see if I could get into the Feds doing white collar crime, or more likely, studied Finance so I could be a financial analyst doing research on stocks/bonds for pension plan and group fund investments.


Current:
OK...now that brings me to my current dilemma. What do I do?
I am convinced I cannot earn a stable living and have a successful career in Urban/Transportation Planning. It pays too little, there are too few jobs, and is an unstable field. This whole "Green Jobs wave" that Obama (yes I like him) was supposed to create is baloney.

So since I can't do my true, number one passion, I want a career (not a job) that I can earn a good living, that will use my brain and my solid grades, and that I am competent enough to do.
I cannot afford to go back to school on my own dime...I am too old.


Goal:
I would like to know how I can about getting a job with a firm where I can get exposed and put on a career track to be a financial analyst who helps research and invest in group funds (like pension plans).
I know this likely will require an MS or MBA in finance (fine), but I would need to have help in paying tuition.

My parents are nagging me to go to a temp agency, but that is just $10 hour work as a secretary, it is not career track work, which at 27, I need. I want to be a somebody.


Questions:
1) So what should I do?
-Is it too late for me to go on another track all together, or is there a way I can get on a path that leads to career as a financial analyst, if so, how and what should I do?

2) Please keep mind, I live in Northern VA, I hate northern VA. I want to get out of this area (prefer to go to the Northeast like NY or down to FL).
-So does anybody have a plan/idea that gets me from being an unemployed Geography Major with a useless MA to being on track to be a financial analyst OUTSIDE Nova?
-How long (years) would it take? How do I latch on?


Thanks!

[Hudlander]

??????????

[Z3N1TH 0N3]

So we know what your passion was, but what are you strengths today?

Are you good at math? Do you like building things? Maybe some kind of engineering field would be suitable. Pay is good and you should definitely use your brain.

Do you like technology and computers and constantly learning new industry standards? Maybe a career in IT would be good. Entry-level sucks, from what I hear, but once you find your niche, you should have a decent career.

Do you like helping people and don't mind the occasional biological mess? Maybe a career in nursing would suitable. I'm not sure which region you're in, but I am hearing/reading more stories about how this field is becoming saturated.

Accounting, IMO, would be kind of dull. I did a little accounting work while in school and I hated it. It's mostly redundant work, but it's a bread and butter career that can lead to a steady paycheck.

One thing I think you need to be aware of is that starting out in most fields, you will likely be making a little less than desired. Not until you gain some experience will you see a bump in earnings. I'd be prepared to make anywhere between $30k - $40k starting out. After a 3-5 years, I think you can expect to make significantly more in most fields. That's just based on my experience.

[marklbucla]

I'm in a similar situation. Ph.D. Applied Statistics, been looking for a job for a year. Some definite leads, but nothing's materialized. I've been thinking about looking for something in finance now and was considering doing a M.S. at the local U.

Based on my experiences in looking for a job and from questioning my relatives in finance, I believe that a M.S. isn't really necessary to get into the financial field. There's probably certain jobs that you'd be blocked from without the right degrees/certifications, but in general, it's doable without having a full major in the area.

The big thing right now is experience. It trumps education for the most part. Yes, it's a catch-22. To get a job, you need to have experience. To get experience, you need a job. The industry's preference in experience over education does speak volumes about how difficult the work is though.

The thought has crossed my mind to just be underemployed and do a temp job to get my foot in the door of the industry I wanted to work in. Maybe you'll meet some people and ask to take on more responsibilities. Let that be your opening to see what it's like and if this is something you'd want to pursue further. Maybe do a M.S. program part time after you've settled in a bit.

[Hudlander]

Z3:
-My field (Planning/Geography) is dead. I am prepared to do what it takes to pursue something else which will lead to stable, steady career which I can be proud of and have high potential in.
This is the antithesis of planning.
-I suck at computers/technology. I hate it! If I was decent, I would have specializied in GIS and been working by now.
-I have taken business classes before and did well (B+ and A).

Mark:
-HOW, HOW on earth can you be unemployed for 1 year with your degree? As far as I can tell, people with a degree in math/stats are in HIGH demand and can easily find work.


Question:
1) Unemployed for a year, MA in Geography, giving up on finding work in this field because a career in planning is a horribly unstable, low paying career.
Want to make a career in finance in investment research.
What can I do to get on this path?

[Z3N1TH 0N3]

Originally Posted by Hudlander

Question:
1) Unemployed for a year, MA in Geography, giving up on finding work in this field because a career in planning is a horribly unstable, low paying career.
Want to make a career in finance in investment research.
What can I do to get on this path?

Well, what I'd do may sound counterintuitive. Rather than jump back into school right away, I'd start networking with people who are in this industry. See what they tell you. I just read on another thread that some dude who failed out of Music Theory in college was hired on as an engineer because the engineers he became friends with really liked him. Though it is less likely to happen in a field like engineering, getting into the finance industry is not quite as tedious from my understanding of it. And hey, if it'll save you thousands in tuition, it's worth a try.

I would first find out if there are any professional financial groups that meet in your area. Try Meetup, Facebook or LinkedIn. Do you live in a region with a strong financial industry? That may be your first step; locating to an area with a prominent and growing financial sector. Obviously Omaha, NE will pale in comparison to a Manhattan or Chicago. That's just an example. I have friends who work in the graphic design field where I live, and there's a very small market for them. They'd do much better in areas like NYC or CHI or SF.

Now, something else to keep in mind. Depending on the subfield of finance you decide to pursue, some areas require a pretty strong quantitative skillset. If you're not good in math and quantitative analysis, you will need to brush up on those skills. OTOH, I know several folks who majored in BIS, Marketing, and Finance who admit that they suck at math. Heck, I used to tutor some of these guys back in college. Anyway, just something to keep in mind.

[marklbucla]

Mark:
-HOW, HOW on earth can you be unemployed for 1 year with your degree? As far as I can tell, people with a degree in math/stats are in HIGH demand and can easily find work.

Yes, people who are "qualified" are in high demand. What "qualified" means in different economies will vary. Nowadays, it means 5+ years of FULL TIME experience and the level of the degree is an afterthought. I've been told on several occasions that my part time experience doesn't count, regardless of what it is.

They also don't believe that a Ph.D. is worth any more than a B.S. in a random major.

[FarNorthDallas]

You could get a job with a major bank - any job - and then transfer around until you get into a financial analyst gig or close to it and at the same use company tuition reimbursement benefit to also go to school at night.

[katfzl]

Originally Posted by Hudlander

I'll try and be as concise as I can.

Background:
I am 27 years old. 4 years ago, I graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice and a Minor in Business. GPA 3.7.
I co-oped for six months at a financial insurance company.
My original plan was to try and go into corporate and white collar crime.

However, my passion always was geography, specifically human geography/demography and planning (transportation and environmental conservation).
I could not do much with my undergrad and decided to go back to school.
My choice was either MS/MBA and go for accounting and see if I can mix that with Criminal Justice for FBI/corporate crime.
The other choice was Geography so I could be a planner or do research on environmental conservation/sprawl/or be a transportation planner.

I graduated last year with an MA in Geography and have yet to get a job.
Why? Because Urban Planning is dead, while studying the I-95 corridor and working on plans to revitalize downtown and study the demography of central Jersey is really my passion, you can't earn a stable, well paying living in the field, as I have realized.

Had I known what it would be like, I would have instead of Geography gotten an MS or MBA and done either accounting to see if I could get into the Feds doing white collar crime, or more likely, studied Finance so I could be a financial analyst doing research on stocks/bonds for pension plan and group fund investments.


Current:
OK...now that brings me to my current dilemma. What do I do?
I am convinced I cannot earn a stable living and have a successful career in Urban/Transportation Planning. It pays too little, there are too few jobs, and is an unstable field. This whole "Green Jobs wave" that Obama (yes I like him) was supposed to create is baloney.

So since I can't do my true, number one passion, I want a career (not a job) that I can earn a good living, that will use my brain and my solid grades, and that I am competent enough to do.
I cannot afford to go back to school on my own dime...I am too old.


Goal:
I would like to know how I can about getting a job with a firm where I can get exposed and put on a career track to be a financial analyst who helps research and invest in group funds (like pension plans).
I know this likely will require an MS or MBA in finance (fine), but I would need to have help in paying tuition.

My parents are nagging me to go to a temp agency, but that is just $10 hour work as a secretary, it is not career track work, which at 27, I need. I want to be a somebody.


Questions:
1) So what should I do?
-Is it too late for me to go on another track all together, or is there a way I can get on a path that leads to career as a financial analyst, if so, how and what should I do?

2) Please keep mind, I live in Northern VA, I hate northern VA. I want to get out of this area (prefer to go to the Northeast like NY or down to FL).
-So does anybody have a plan/idea that gets me from being an unemployed Geography Major with a useless MA to being on track to be a financial analyst OUTSIDE Nova?
-How long (years) would it take? How do I latch on?


Thanks!

Have you applied to the FBI, gone to usajobs or looked at military? Just a thought...

[Hudlander]

Yes, USAJOBS SUCKS!! Unless, you are a vet.