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I've done the lookback many years ago and don't see that my brilliant career could have been any different. With no guidance from teachers or parents I majored in Theatre in college (self-paid no parental financial support), so very employable haha. After graduation and some semi-pro parts (that means semi-paid) I learned my personality was not suited to be an actress.
I am an artist however who just needed to find the right profession and became a professional photographer. Now retired after a successful career I paint (canvases, oil paint, landscapes and abstracts).
I think we all become who we are unless overwhelming circumstances prevent it.
Those of you who have children--do you influence your children in choosing their career? Support them even if you don't agree with their choice?
My experience talking with friends who have children is they know they don't want them to do what they did careerwise but not too sure what their child should choose as a career except what they hear on the news (STEM, MBA, etc).
I'd have told myself to just major in math and take the actuary exams right away.
Or do Finance.
I'd have told myself to stay away from STEM.
I'd have told myself to work, go to school, start investing early and get out of the workforce asap. Work is stupid. We're here one time in our lives, we should be enjoying freedom, not acting like our job is important to our existence.
We have a winner. Today with the technology available the old concept of retirement is obsolete. Today a person can have an internet business and basically work anywhere. Find that niche and work it.
Something that could be done in most areas. Think of teaching, nursing, pharmacy, etc. I don't care for where I live a bit, but it is an employment center for now
Unfortunately, those are the jobs that are in the cross-hairs of imported guest workers. It will be very difficult for ordinary Americans to get work in those fields over the next few years.
When I say I don't care about $, it means I don't care about competing against other people in terms of my salary. I've got no problem whatsoever with being a 50 year old man who makes 40K a year as long as it is something I enjoy/has meaning. Anybody who doesn't like it can blow me.
For me, the amount that I need to live my current lifestyle is ~50K a year. But I spend a lot of money on dinners and alcohol and am not that frugal. I could easily take that down to maybe 40K. And I have multiple degrees. I think I'd be able to get a FT job that pays 40K, even in a do-gooder profession.
I don't have kids, if I did it would be different. As far as retirement, I doubt I'll be alive past 70.
We're all such slaves to our salaries. Even people who don't spend anywhere up to their salary.
$40K a year is livable, but of the teenagers who want to become professional, how many do you think are making $40K a year or more? Most of the musicians I know are making far less, and that's only because most of them quit rather than try to live on a pittance.
I have a BA in Economics, enrolled in graduate school, but dropped out of my MBA program as I got a great job in Silicon Valley. If I could do things over again, would have attended law school and gotten my JD.
When I was in second grade I wanted to be an archaeologist. People used to laugh and say, "Isn't that cute?" At that time women usually became secretaries, nurses or teachers.
No one ever made any encouraging noises or said that it was a possibility. By the time I was in high school the nation was crying for more of my generation to go into teaching and I had long forgotten my first aspiration as anything but a whim.
I have, however, had a lifelong interest in the history of cultures and discovery of artifacts. In my travels I've visited a lot of interesting digs and museums. So it's become a side interest.
When I think of all the skills and characteristics an archaeologist must need I think I had a good sense of what would have suited me well. It seems a pity that my mentors hadn't yet moved beyond conventional male/female roles at that time.
Unfortunately, those are the jobs that are in the cross-hairs of imported guest workers. It will be very difficult for ordinary Americans to get work in those fields over the next few years.
It's certainly not as bad as IT. My last employer was probably at least half foreign workers in US offices. Most "professional office jobs" are consolidating in major metros, and frankly, I don't care to live in cities as large as where I'm at.
I'm from small town Tennessee and I doubt you'll see Chinese and Indian guest workers beating down the doors to move there.
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
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