[Omatic]

Since I am paying for it, I will be going to community college for my first two years.

Accounting - Good money, but I really don't think I could sit in a small office every day looking at databases and spreadsheets on a computer. My cousin is an accountant and he likes it, but he has always been a bit on the boring side. I would like to live in Connecticut, but I am not going to get a job I wouldn't like just to live there. I would be unhappy. I will try taking some business classes at my community college but I honestly I am not expecting to enjoy it. Still considering though.

Criminal Justice - Decided it's not for me. I don't want to be a police officer or probation officer, and most forensic type jobs seem to require biology/chemistry degree. I'm not that into science. And yes, CT jobs seem rare to come across currently.

Social Work - I don't know. The low pay doesn't bother me as much as the nature of the work does. I mean seeing kid being abused and suffering, I don't want to bring that home with me. Combine that with low pay and hard to get jobs = Hell. Still considering.

What about Real Estate? Or is that too much of a risky job. Are the hours long/weird? I want some time to spend with family and friends but I think you just work all day, and the other people you work with are mean/competive/catty? Also takes time to build a client list but the pay can be high.

Blahh, guys. I've changed my mind like 7 times. I just wanted to know how the careers are, and what they are like, own experiences, etc. So far everyone has been helpful so thank you!

[jesse_f]

Originally Posted by Omatic

Since I am paying for it, I will be going to community college for my first two years.

Accounting - Good money, but I really don't think I could sit in a small office every day looking at databases and spreadsheets on a computer. My cousin is an accountant and he likes it, but he has always been a bit on the boring side. I would like to live in Connecticut, but I am not going to get a job I wouldn't like just to live there. I would be unhappy. I will try taking some business classes at my community college but I honestly I am not expecting to enjoy it. Still considering though.

What I was trying to get at is that Accounting opens up a whole world of opportunities in the business field - it doesn't mean you have to be a traditional accountant by any means.

Anyway, you're no different than anyone else in that you have no idea what you really want to do with your life, and that's a good thing -- no offense, but you haven't been around long enough to know! The difference I see is that you're motivated and are trying to plan ahead, both obviously admirable qualities that will serve you well.

Take some community college courses, especially in classes that you never thought about before - you'll never again have a cheaper opportunity to learn or the time to enjoy it. Try new things and meet new people, you'll probably end up a million miles away from where you think you're headed. Enjoy it.

[CTartist&musician]

"Accounting - Good money, but I really don't think I could sit in a small office every day looking at databases and spreadsheets on a computer. My cousin is an accountant and he likes it, but he has always been a bit on the boring side."

Lol, I believe you are right about accounting being boring, at least for me it was. My dad would not pay for me to go to art school because he wanted me to go to school for accounting. I had to go to work to get money to pay for art school myself. Ironically I worked in a bank, moved up and became a branch manager. The bank paid for me to take classes in banking and finance and I gladly took the education that was offered to me. I also worked in the mortgage department.

Guess what, it was one of the best things that could have ever happened to my art career. I always ended up being either the Art Director and Assistant Art Director and I was told many times it was because of my accounting/banking and managerial experience. And it also made my accountant dad very happy

BTW, my dad did help me pay for art school after he saw how determined I was.

[Stylo]

So funny how titles can change over industries. "Associate Art Director" was the most entry level position at my last agency.

[Omatic]

Originally Posted by CTartist&musician

"Accounting - Good money, but I really don't think I could sit in a small office every day looking at databases and spreadsheets on a computer. My cousin is an accountant and he likes it, but he has always been a bit on the boring side."

Lol, I believe you are right about accounting being boring, at least for me it was. My dad would not pay for me to go to art school because he wanted me to go to school for accounting. I had to go to work to get money to pay for art school myself. Ironically I worked in a bank, moved up and became a branch manager. The bank paid for me to take classes in banking and finance and I gladly took the education that was offered to me. I also worked in the mortgage department.

Guess what, it was one of the best things that could have ever happened to my art career. I always ended up being either the Art Director and Assistant Art Director and I was told many times it was because of my accounting/banking and managerial experience. And it also made my accountant dad very happy

BTW, my dad did help me pay for art school after he saw how determined I was.

Wow, how cool! That's great that you ended up where you wanted to be. Honestly, I'd love to major in film/video production but I know that's unrealistic.

[Meglion]

Originally Posted by Omatic

Since I am paying for it, I will be going to community college for my first two years.

Social Work - I don't know. The low pay doesn't bother me as much as the nature of the work does. I mean seeing kid being abused and suffering, I don't want to bring that home with me. Combine that with low pay and hard to get jobs = Hell. Still considering.

What about Real Estate? Or is that too much of a risky job. Are the hours long/weird? I want some time to spend with family and friends but I think you just work all day, and the other people you work with are mean/competive/catty? Also takes time to build a client list but the pay can be high.

Blahh, guys. I've changed my mind like 7 times. I just wanted to know how the careers are, and what they are like, own experiences, etc. So far everyone has been helpful so thank you!

Fyi, social work does NOT equate child protective services!!!! Many people in that field do not have advanced degrees and are not social workers, even though that's what they call myself and what the field has come to be associated with. In no way am I trying to talk you into social work as a profession, but an MSW can open up any number of career paths: my students have gone on to work in school settings, hospital settings, international settings, for-profit agencies as part of HR, lobbyists for political issues...for me, at least, the question was, what do I want to do in this world? Do I want to help people in some way? Do I want to work with numbers? Do I want to work with animals? Do I like technology? The $$ will usually come if you follow your interests and are good at what you do, and we are generally good at doing things that really interest us.

All this being said, some will argue that "following your bliss" is a privilege given only to the well-off, so if immediate financial security/amassing of wealth is your foremost goal, something like accounting could be more secure and steady.

and p.s., Norwalk Community College is fantastic. The have really good professors, interesting courses, and it is highly respected academically, especially for a community college.

[Stylo]

I have heard good things about Gateway too. Not so much for Naugatuck though. YMMV.

[CTartist&musician]

Originally Posted by Stylo

So funny how titles can change over industries. "Associate Art Director" was the most entry level position at my last agency.

I wrote Art Director and Assitant* Art Director. The Assistant Art Director is right under the Art Director or the person who is second in command of the Art Department or Creative Department.

* Not Associate.

[CTartist&musician]

"Wow, how cool! That's great that you ended up where you wanted to be. Honestly, I'd love to major in film/video production but I know that's unrealistic."

Why do you think that is unrealistic?

I went to the Pratt Institute in Manhattan. It is a 2 year college geared toward adults. They have classes during the day, nights and on the weekends. I am pretty sure they have film/video production there. If you go to Pratt in Manhattan you get great computer skills to get you started in a career. You should check it out. You can take courses ala cart or get into an Associates program. The teachers at Pratt Manhattan are all working in their fields. If you are good at what you are doing you get offered jobs by the teachers. It might not be starting at the top but it gets you in the door of many creative companies.

I am pretty sure you can take courses in Manhattan for film/video but I am not positive. You might have to go to the Pratt Brooklyn (4 yr) campus. I also believe the NYU Film School is the best in the country but NYU is very expensive. It never hurts to dream (I did) and check out the Film/Art schools either. At the very least you will have a fun day in NYC.

Academics | School of Art & Design | Undergraduate School of Art & Design | The Film/Video Department at Pratt

http://filmtv.tisch.nyu.edu/page/program.html

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by CTartist&musician

I wrote Art Director and Assitant* Art Director. The Assistant Art Director is right under the Art Director or the person who is second in command of the Art Department or Creative Department.

* Not Associate.

I saw what you wrote. It means the same thing. Most larger modern agencies have more levels than that anyway on the visual side. Typically Associate Art Director/Designer, Art Director, Senior Art Director, Associate Creative Director, Creative Director, Group Creative Director/VP, SVP/EVP/ Executive Creative Director, Chief Creative Officer.