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How did you get to your current career? Where did you start?
After graduating with a B.S. in Business Management a little over a year ago, I am still undecided what kind of a career interests me (I am 24). Going back to school might be an option soon. Eventually, I would like to start a business, but what that may be is yet to be determined (thats besides the point). Most of all I want to be happy with what I do.
At this point, future goals seem overwhelming (economy right now doesn't help). Such things as: buying a house, supporting a family, sending kids to college, etc. However, the majority of people are "successful" in life.
I am also amazed at how many unique positions there are in so many companies. Positions that you might not know about unless you worked for the company.
So in a short summary, how did you get to your current career? Where did you start? How many times did you change careers? What tips do you have? I am a optimist, so I am not stressing out or anything. I am just curious as to how you did it?
I graduated from college last year with a degree in Computer Information Systems and currently work as a computer programmer. I managed to get an internship two years ago which turned into a full time job after graduation. I just started studying for the GMAT's and plan on going back for an MBA at night. I am still not sure what I will transition to, but I do know I don't want to be a programmer all my life.
I also have a B.S. in business management and currently work in Finance. I enjoy what I do but there have been times when I've thought about something different. My interest in finance started in college when I had a part-time job in a brokerage firm and was able to land a job during a career fair before I graduated with a large bank. This helped me get a better feel of the industry and what I wanted since I was able to see the different types of roles/jobs that were available and helped me decide where I want to go.
One thing about finance, when people think of it - they think of only the investment bankers that making $100,000+ with big bonuses. But there are thousands of people who make average salaries with no big bonuses like operations, customer service, IT support, etc. My first job paid $35,000 - so it's not all big buck salaries.
I certainly didn't plan to be a tax collector. It just sort of happened, and I don't recommend anyone following my "path to success" (lol). I was a high school drop-out with a GED, and a single parent, who needed a job to support myself and my kids. I got an entry level clerical job with state goverment 32 years ago, realized early on that I could move further up the food chain in the accounting field, took night courses, landed a job as a tax auditor, moved up to a hearing officer in the appeals section, and now will be retiring in May as the Chief Hearing Officer. I manage and supervise a staff of tax attorneys (a number of years ago the qualifications for hearing officer were changed to require admission to the bar). I did all right, but like I said I wouldn't recommend taking my route!
The funny thing is, even to this day I don't really know what I want to be when I grow up. I never really sat down and made a career choice. Maybe now I will. I'm young enough to have a 2nd career, but this one will be doing something I want to do, and not dependent on the economic rewards.
Good luck to you and to all of the current generation just starting out. Things are rough out there. I feel for you.
Thanks, for all the responses. One reason I created this post is because I have talked to so many people who don't know what they want to do in life, this includes both young and old. So I just find it interesting as to where people end up and how they got there. I also wander how many people like what they do. Majority of people I know grind out jobs they hate. As for myself, I just cant live with working my entire life with jobs/careers I hate. I want to be happy in life. I know that everyone has a different view on what makes them "happy", so to each their own. No matter what, the future will always be interesting.
I certainly didn't plan to be a tax collector. It just sort of happened, and I don't recommend anyone following my "path to success" (lol). I was a high school drop-out with a GED, and a single parent, who needed a job to support myself and my kids. I got an entry level clerical job with state goverment 32 years ago, realized early on that I could move further up the food chain in the accounting field, took night courses, landed a job as a tax auditor, moved up to a hearing officer in the appeals section, and now will be retiring in May as the Chief Hearing Officer. I manage and supervise a staff of tax attorneys (a number of years ago the qualifications for hearing officer were changed to require admission to the bar). I did all right, but like I said I wouldn't recommend taking my route!
The funny thing is, even to this day I don't really know what I want to be when I grow up. I never really sat down and made a career choice. Maybe now I will. I'm young enough to have a 2nd career, but this one will be doing something I want to do, and not dependent on the economic rewards.
Good luck to you and to all of the current generation just starting out. Things are rough out there. I feel for you.
Actually, you travelled a traditional route in getting ahead. Most people start at the bottom, before they become president of the company. And most people in the history of America , finished highschool or tradeschool, then got a job, then worked themselves up to managment of the company. It is only recently, that people went to college and expect to be running company within 5 years.
The only misstep you made was not finishing highschool. But you corrected that by finishing the General Equivalency Exam. But then I know people who took this exam, to start college early. And to my knowledge, there is no misstep in working and raisng a family.
I also dropped out of high school, no GED, took courses at a community college in psychology and pre med, transferred to a 4 year universtiy, graduated with a BA in Psyc. Decided against being a doctor, all the while in college I was temping for accounting firms. I started as an accounts payable clerk for a small firm, part time, then they promoted me to Financial Manager. Then I quit, went back to school, to finish the pre med thing, then I changed my mind again, got a job as a staff accountant for the local gov't, stayed 4 years, then went to work for a gov't consulting firm as a financial analyst, got promoted within a year to Financial Manager, quit there, stayed home for about a year, got a job offer as the Finance Director of another local gov't, then quit there, now currently looking for a job as a Fin. Dir. again. I just interviewed last week for one, keeping my fingers crossed.
Went from $9 /hr as a college grad to a salary of over $70K per year as the CFO of small gov't. Not bad for a Mexican HS Drop out I wouldn't recommend this to the kids though
Jesus,,, what does mexican have to do with anything....when there are mexican americans running parts of our government and responsible for millions of americans health and welfare.
Also, a highschool drop out is a person who drops out and stays out.
A person who drops out, gets their equiv. goes to college, gets a degree, then goes for another degree, but doesn't finish,,,is not a dropout,
Jesus,,, what does mexican have to do with anything....when there are mexican americans running parts of our government and responsible for millions of americans health and welfare.
Also, a highschool drop out is a person who drops out and stays out.
A person who drops out, gets their equiv. goes to college, gets a degree, then goes for another degree, but doesn't finish,,,is not a dropout,
but someone who just hated their highschool...
just a thought!
Thanks for pointing that out~~ Yes I DID hate high school it was so boring!! I was a GT student my whole life but it's refreshing to see that not all Mexicans are viewed as dumb people who like siestas (believe me I have encountered a bigot or two in my life, esp. since I am an immigrant)
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. I started as an accounts payable clerk for a small firm, part time, then they promoted me to Financial Manager. Then I quit, went back to school, to finish the pre med thing, then I changed my mind again, got a job as a staff accountant for the local gov't, stayed 4 years, then went to work for a gov't consulting firm as a financial analyst, got promoted within a year to Financial Manager, quit there, stayed home for about a year, got a job offer as the Finance Director of another local gov't, then quit there, now currently looking for a job as a Fin. Dir. again. I just interviewed last week for one, keeping my fingers crossed. 
I was a GT student my whole life but it's refreshing to see that not all Mexicans are viewed as dumb people who like siestas (believe me I have encountered a bigot or two in my life, esp. since I am an immigrant
)
