Careers, Professions, and Degrees

[Skysurfer_Rob 0]

I am about to complete my associates in Logistics (military degree...mostly for promotion), and am finally trying to decide what I want my BA/S in. I'm not really sure what interests me. I have no idea what I would do if I were to separate from the military right now.

I am curious as to what you all have your degrees in? What are the positive aspects of your profession, and what are the negative?

I'm hoping to maybe find some inspiration somewhere. I have another semester before my associates is completed, but I want to get a plan down, and follow through with it. I have wasted enough time as it is.

Thanks to anyone that replies.

"Though I Fly Through the Valley of Death, I Shall Fear No Evil...For I am at 80,000 Feet and Climbing."
SR-71 hangar entrance sign at Kadena AFB, Japan

[Zeppo 0]

I'm an accountant. One of my primary reasons for that line of profession is the money. All of the richest people in the world are business and corporate leaders.

Accountants/Business skills have a broad base that can be applied to any industry. I have worked in manufacturing, marketing, and now in the Airline industry. All requiring the same basic skills, but making it seem like significantly different work.

Basically, that means you can get a job in pretty much any industry, and everyone needs an accountant.

The only specific negative I have is taxes. I hate taxes. However, I can negate this by simply having a basic understanding of corporate taxes, and just send the financials off to an accounting firm (quite common) and have them do the taxes.

It comes down to the type of environment that you work in. If you don't like the people you work with, then you won't like your job.

What goes up, must come DOWN!!!

[wildcard451 0]

I am a professional monkey rodeo clown.

Pros: I get to play with monkeys and the midgets that ride them.

Cons: Dodging monkey poo all day.

[DougH 270]

I am an accountant as well, pre CPA though!!!

The biggest pro is the insane job market. With the new Sarbanes Ox. legislation there is an insane deman for auditors. There is great job security, and you can find a job any where.

The benifits are good especially for the big four.

The cons are the hours. It is a very demmanding job that takes a lot of time during the busy season. Burn out is high, upwards of 20% a year in some firms I think.

I like it, and I can't leave until I pay of my loans, but we will see where I turn out in 10 years.

"The restraining order says you're only allowed to touch me in freefall"
=P

[LisaM 0]

My degree is in computer science.

Pros: Good Money. Good hours with the right job.
Cons: Desk jobs can be boring at times.....

~ Lisa
~ Do you Rigminder?

[freeflir29 0]

Haven't finished it yet but I am in an American Military University program for Intelligence studies. Don't know exactly what I'm going to do with that but I figure terrorist threats to the West aren't going anywhere anytime soon. With my life experience and this degree...........someone will pay me well as a consultant one of these days. Check out AMU. It's 100% online and they try hard to make it convenient for the military.

[StreetScooby 5]

I would expect that FedEx (or similar) would hire you in a heart beat, if you actually have experience using the degree in the military.

We are all engines of karma

[chanti 0]

I'm an optometrist

Pros: I sometimes get to be alone in dark room with a really hot guy

Cons: I sometimes get to be alone in a dark room with a really creepy crusty old fuddy-duddy

-Chanti-

[freeflir29 0]

Quote

I sometimes get to be alone in a dark room with a really creepy crusty old fuddy-duddy

Look at the bright side. You could have gone into proctology instead.

[skybytch 259]

School's fun!

I'm 23 units into my first two degrees - AA in History and AA in Anthropology. Once I get those the plan is to transfer to a 4 year university for a BA in History, then a Masters in Public History. I may even go for a PhD... not sure about that though, I'll be pushin' 50 by the time I get the Masters...

I'm hoping to eventually work in a museum (like the skydiving one that will be built next to USPA headquarters) or maybe even teach.

[LyraM45 0]

I'll have an Aviation Meteorology degree in May.

Pros: I get to say that I'm a weather girl!! There are deskjobs which can be boring, but with meteorology stuff its changing all the time so you're always on your toes-- especially when forecasting for an airline or something.

Cons: a meteorologists schedule is similar to a doctors schedule. We're 24 hours a day 7 days a week-- weather never stops. So, have to work day shifts and all night shifts when forecasting.

Apologies for the spelling (and grammar).... I got a B.S, not a B.A. :)

[unformed 0]

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Pros: I get to say that I'm a weather girl!! There are deskjobs which can be boring, but with meteorology stuff its changing all the time so you're always on your toes-- especially when forecasting for an airline or something.

And besides, if you're in Florida.....

you'll never be wrong!!

This ad space for sale.

[karenmeal 0]

I will have a degree in Speech and Hearing Sciences in June. I love the study of speech and language, really fascinating stuff. This major really makes you appreciate the brain!

I'll be going on to get my masters to become a certified speech language pathologist. Then I'll probably work in the field for a little bit and I'm thinking I'll end up getting my PhD. Maybe in neurology or speech/language.

Pros of this field: Really fascinating stuff, people really need and appreciate the help that SLP's can give, great hours; there is never a speech therapy emergency, great benefits, good pay (average around 50k), very high job satisfaction rates. (+85% of SLP's rated their career satisfaction as high.) You can find a job anywhere, even rural areas. You can work in schools, in private clinics, in hospitals/acute care settings, at universities on research...

Cons: Some therapy methods aren't terrible effective (rehabbing people who acquired severe language impairments from a stroke) and much more research is needed. This field is in a bit of a transitional state where insurance companies are demanding a lot more data about therapy efficacy, but we just don't have the woman (or man) power to provide data as quick as they want. In the next few years the requirement to become an SLP will probably change to a clinical doctorate.

I love this field! Last night I was studying for a final by explaining to my boyfriend all of the really cool stuff that I've learned. I can babble all night long about the fascinating aspects of speech, language, and hearing.

"Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham

[lawrocket 3]

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I'll be going on to get my masters to become a certified speech language pathologist.

A good field where there aren't that many non-surgical practitioners is treatment of spasmodic dysphonia. There are almost unlimited opportunities, and some people who have figured out effective treatments.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[moodyskydiver 0]

I'm alittle over half-way through the credits needed for a BS in Criminal Justice.I'm taking a break from college right now b/c of alot of family issues and no $$.

I was going to have a Photography minor but the fucking college here shut down the photo development lab and its now limited to a very few senior classes and 1 junior level silver film class.Apparently the college is dropping all the film classes all together and is going all digital. WTF? Yes I know the photog. world is going mainstream digital for everything but what about the art of film and its development?ok..stopping rant.

Anyway, pros for my degree: big job market..there will always be criminals and therefore there will always be need of someone to be on the other end stopping them.This could include law enforcement,security,corrections,investigation,victim's services like CPA,APA,or CASA(victim's advocacy), groundwork for a law degree,lab work(not exactly CSI you have to have a chemistry/physics degree for that) etc.Ofcourse there are always the big 3 that every new CJ student has their eyes on:CIA,FBI and ATF.That bubble is quickly burst though b/c its harder to get into those 3 than a military academy.Or if you REALLY want to have lofty goals: Secret Service and/or INTERPOL.But on the other hand,whatever field you go into,you will be serving your community and in some ways making it a safer place.No matter what is said, you'll make a difference,even if its that one crackhead you got off the street.(yes I'm idealistic..sue me)

cons:First off, to get any 'good' CJ job you have to have atleast a Master's degree.So look forward to alot of school.The biggest part of the job is that you have to deal with the scum of society.It will be your job to catch,process,and babysit the assholes.You have to have a very strong mental constitution and stomach to do it.To have to put up with some asshole who likes to get off by molesting his 4yr old daughter,or those who sell heroine to kids in junior high,maybe a mom who killed her children b/c her new boyfriend didnt want to be tied down with kids...and all the other evils that are the lowest of society.You have to hear their lies and develope a strong sense of when things are truth and what is deception..its hard.Not only that,but most if not all of the CJ jobs will require you to put yourself in harms way whether it be as a cop with a armed suspect, or a correctional officer trying to subdue a riot on the rec yard or chow hall or just stopping an inmate on inmate fight.Also, its mostly govt jobs and unless you're way up on the totem pole..they pay isnt that good.Average correctional officers and LEOs might make the same as a school teacher.

"...just an earthbound misfit, I."

[mailin 0]

I've got a computer science degree, programming concentration.

Career prospects are pretty good up here in the north east. I currently work as a .NET developer but I really like JAVA too. JAVA is in high demand and .NET is a close second (although ADO and ASP are higher, and I'm just learning them now).

Positives: I can work from home. This really depends on the company though. My little girl has been sick alot this fall and I've been able to work from home.

Negatives: I sit at a desk all day long... and as of late I've been doing the same boring debugging stuff to the same boring programming we've been developing for 2 years. But again, this is more to do with the company than anything. I want to last with this company for 18 more months and then see about a change.

Good luck! Having a degree is always good, no matter what it is in. My husband works for the biggest investment company in the US and one of the fund managers has a degree (his masters) in French Literature. What can do you with a masters degree in French Literature? Become a multi-million dollar fund manager and drive a paid-in-cash BMW SUV


Jen

Arianna Frances

[AggieDave 6]

HA! He surrendered to the Germans (automobile industry)...that's a very french thing to do.

Ok, bad joke, but it was sitting right there.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[mailin 0]

Good one

Arianna Frances

[Skysurfer_Rob 0]

Thank you to everyone that replied. I think I have decided what to start working towards...but who knows how it will end. I have researched local colleges and online, and found that Park University (which teaches on base) is probably my best option. They offer classes for $166 per credit hour for military (nine classes a year, paid for by the Air Force) in eight week accelerated semesters. I believe I will work towards Business Administration. From what most people say, that degree can be applied pretty much anywhere, and it will be a good backup in case I am ever force shaped out of the Air Force.

Who knows...maybe I will even be able to go officer, once the Air Force figures out just how many people they want around.

"Though I Fly Through the Valley of Death, I Shall Fear No Evil...For I am at 80,000 Feet and Climbing."
SR-71 hangar entrance sign at Kadena AFB, Japan

[cocheese 0]

Business? It's a saturated environment. Aviation my man. Aviation and space is where it's at. You're half way there.

[bertusgeert 1]

Economics/Finance/International Business student.

Although I am considering a (very well paid) academic career in finance, i plan to end up in a private equity/venture capital role. Take your supergood financial analysis skills, work hard, negotiate, work harder, make a deal, break a deal, make it again, produce a HUGE return, and take home some, QUIT (because you have/had! no life) buy a little yacht, sail around oceania. well, maybe, if I can get the grade I want on this monetary economics final in an few hours.

Quit tempting me into cuncation.

---------------------------------------------
As jy dom is moet jy bloei!

[bloody_trauma 2]

currently working towards my BA in science nursing, dunno if i want a commision or not but the military has great bonus's for officers, but still not sure about being commissioned, theres so much money in the civilian medical industry i cant decide, love the military but damn that money is sweet

Fly it like you stole it