Yet More Learnings

[dreiser]

All right. So I'm considering a return to college, yet again, to obtain a degree for something useful that might get me a better paying job. My BFA in Multimedia & Web Design is essentially useless unless it's for obtaining freelance jobs which I really hate because it's not steady work. On the other hand, my Associates in Paralegal Studies is useful in terms of getting jobs as a legal secretary, court clerk, etc, but those jobs plateau in pay grades.



Plus I really don't want to do that work long term which is something I should have thought about before paying for a degree in it but let's face it, I've shown less than spectacular choices in my educational pursuits. The college I went to for my BFA was private and is... well, if it wasn't criminal, I'd burn the place down. Some petty part of myself is angry at my parents for allowing me to attend such a bullshit school or not warning me against it but it's stupid. You make your own choices, right? It does no use. My brother made the right educational choices and we have the same parents so it's me, not them, and that's just me being petty and bitchy but the feelings are still there. At least I can admit they're douchey so that's something I guess.

Lame as it is, I'm trying to correct those bad educational decisions at a late date in my early thirties. Lame. Super lame. I really don't want to be going back to school again but I don't want to have endless freelance jobs and jobs where I think a big pay grade is 30k a year. Super duper lame.

I'm starting up school again by taking all my math at the community college. My first of this endless barrage of math classes starts August 24th and I'm not exactly looking forward to it but it has to be done. Math is required for whatever I choose to study and I don't have much of it that will be available for transfer at UMSL.

The plan was always to study Computer Science since I have programming experience and an interest in computers but honestly? I've never been particularly enthused about this. I just default chose it since I know computers somewhat and that's a field which has consistent job prospects.

Out of boredom I was going through majors at UMSL and I started reading the information on the Biochemistry & Biotechnology major. From there I read other articles on it and the more I read the more interested I became. I feel it's yet another bout of lameness from me but I'm really intrigued by this major. I've always loved science and the job prospects for this field look about as good as Computer Science and unlike Computer Science I had this instinctive feeling I would like this sort of work.

I don't know. I'm at least going to take the basic science courses for this major at community college now and talk to the person in charge of this department at UMSL but at this point I'm strongly considering this as an option.

Although I can't believe I'm actually going back to school again. Seriously lame.

Comments

[dreiser.livejournal.com]

Everyone says it's never too late but honestly, that's not how it feels to me and I don't particularly like or want to attend college. Still, this seems to be the only way to get where I want. I've consistently had horrible luck and made horrible choices when it comes to this sort of thing so I'm rather pessimistic.

Pay only matters to me in the fact that I can't get raises. I honestly just want a career, not a job. Something that allows for advancement in both in pay and in the company structure itself. Something I've never had. I'm willing to work with a lower salary if I know I'm guaranteed a raise through evaluations.

Return anyway good luck to you too.

[indigo-veil.livejournal.com]

So you don't want to go back to school, and in fact feel like it might not be the best investment... Sorry, then why are you doing it (going back to school), again? Is it not possible to find a firm that does interesting stuff and just get your foot in the door with them and pick up stuff on the way?

My consistent observation has been that if you're going to school for something technology related, by the time you get that piece of paper, your knowledge is most likely going to be already obsolete, unless you're studying only the rudiments...but then, you can always learn the rudiments yourself by picking it up as you go. I'm a BIG advocate of this because you get the best return for time spent: if you feel like something isn't going to be valuable to you, drop the skill, and adjust yourself to learning something that will be, whether that skill is in the realm of development, management or testing (and there are many, many aspects to each one). A lot of these skills you also can't learn in a classroom (like managing the different personalities of people, resolving a crisis, working relationships with vendors and clients, etc.) because they're not static.

Maybe part of the problem is that you're in St. Louis? there are plenty of companies elsewhere that would be happy to hire someone new to the field in return for lower pay and learning on the job. You just need to know what you're good at, and make sure they see it, too, so that your efforts can be rewarded.

In the meantime, contract jobs aren't steady, no. But you know what they DO bring? Contacts. Each job you do that results in a happy client yields someone who can talk positively about you to every person they talk to who needs the skills you offer...and who knows, they could be looking for someone full time. And in the end, the value of those contacts far trumps the money you made doing each individual contract job.

Whatever you decide, best of luck. I'll be rootin' for you. :)

[dreiser.livejournal.com]

I do not want to be in debt again, that's my issue with college. I also do not want to move from St. Louis. I like being here right now and I do not have funds to substantiate another move in the current job market place even if I wanted to leave.

I do not like working in the technology field, I never have. I went into this work for the jobs not for my happiness. I would like to change this. I feel I would enjoy Biochemistry & Biotechnology so that is my focus.

Your advice might be good for someone of a different personality but not for me. Not everyone can do those things you listed even if they seem easy to you. I'm one of them. Thanks for the wish of luck.

[indigo-veil.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. Like I said, I'll be rooting for you either way; so long as you're doing what you wanna, that's what's important.