<p>So I've posted recently about being an Economics major going into my senior year. Anyway I'm not going to bore you with that.
I'm having real issues with what direction I want to go in my life. I talked to career services at school, and they really weren't any help. I told them I was second guessing a career in finance, and that I didn't want to work in corporate America and they pretty much told me do it anyway.
Here's some background info on me. Any help would be great.
I'm majoring in Economics. I like Math. I may like Science, not really sure. I like Technology. I'm into bodybuilding, nutrition and the body in general. My dad was a doctor and my mom's a nurse. I don't like the idea of working at a company getting someone else rich. Not even sure I really like Finance, which is what I was planning on doing last year. I read the Wall Street Journal and skim over business and investment stuff, finding it mostly boring, but I do it because I'm told to. And this semester since I've had less responsibility outside of class I've been able to bring my GPA up to a 4.0 so far (didn't think I could, but when I actually put the effort in, apparently I can).
I'm really looking for any advice. Which direction to take, who I should talk to, anything.
Thanks so much.</p>
<p>You're thinking too much. I was much like you only a couple years ago. I took a few years off from school because I wasn't sure if finance was for me. I was telling myself, "No way I'm going to be able to work 100-hour weeks in finance. Accounting is too boring. I don't want to be a slave at a corporation." In reality I wanted to go to film school and try to become a director.</p>
<p>Well, growing out of my naivety, I came to the realization that anything you do is going to take a tremendous amount of work. You don't think trying to become the next Steven Spielberg is hard? Or that opening your own business is either? Anything worth doing in life is going to take a tremendous amount of dedication, sometimes to the point where even if it is something you love to do, like bodybuilding/nutrition, you will get sick of at times.</p>
<p>The point of a career is really to sustain yourself. Even people who I know who love finance become frustrated because of the long hours. Be a realist. The money in finance or accounting is solid, and if you have even a decent amount of interest in it, go for it. Graduate, get a job, establish yourself, and if you finally decide after a couple years it's not for you, move onto something else you think you like.</p>
<p>Don't get caught up into "I think I like this, I'm not sure if I like this", especially if you haven't had work experience in the area and don't know what the work is like. My advice is just to do something that is both practical and interesting, and get a job.</p>
<p>Have you considered attending a couple classes in subjects that might interest you? You could even take them as a listener. </p>
<p>Some programming classes could even help you for your career in Finance if you later decide that's what you want to do, and also give you some more concrete idea of whether you like that track or not.</p>
<p>Thank you so much for the advice. A part of me is definitely worrying about the future and everything, and you're right I should just take it easy and stop second guessing myself. Its just reading the Wall Street Journal and being bored of it, I figured it was a telltale sign of this being wrong for me, lol. Also, internship searching was driving me nuts!</p>
<p>I'm also actually looking into taking a computer science class at night this summer, and I already have a little experience with it so we'll see.</p>
<p>Have you considered doing something like the peace corps for a couple of years?</p>
<p>You have to REALLY ask yourself what you want out of life. Honestly, I think it takes some time out of school and some personal life experience to realize that. You have to get away from what parents, friends, etc tell you or expect you to do. You really have to open your mind and explore. I would not listen to what your school or anybody says... Yes, doing anything these days is extremely competitive, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHY YOU BETTER SHOW PASSION FOR WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE. Nobody will hire you if you step into an interview and it shows you just chose this career because you have the degree. If you don't want to do what you're doing, you will be miserable for a long time. Relationships, your health, everything could suffer down the road.</p>
<p>I did an internship in Washington DC last fall. I cost me a FORTUNE and I didn't really gain enough experience to justify the debt i accumulated, but what I did realize was that I REALLY DISLIKE WORKING IN A 9-5 OFFICE ENVIRONMENT. Most of our generation is fed this ideal their whole life. I guarantee you there's people out there that will sit behind a desk for $34,000 a year as opposed to a $70,000 blue collar job, solely because there's still that perceived prestige in being a white collar worker. Some people love it, some don't. The reality is even the most humble of us are still lured by status and society's perception of success. Do you really think ALL those law school students these days truly have a passion for justice and our legal system? or do some just want the title and lifestyle?</p>
<p>Thank you everyone for your responses. I've applied some places, but my resume is so bad. I only have a 3.25 right now, but if I keep my grades up I'll finish around a 3.4+. I have no extracurriculars or anything, so I'm trying to figure out what to do after graduation now. Peace Corps. sounds good, but is a little extreme. Just being honest with myself, I don't think I have what it takes for that. I'm still trying to figure out what to do. The 9-5 office job is less scary to me now. I actually look forward to one, I just don't think I have what it takes to land one right now :-/</p>
<p>What about working for the World Bank? You'd be working to better humanity, not to make someone else rich.</p>
<p>I don't think I have the credentials to get into the World Bank. </p>
<p>I'm really stressing about finding a job right now, still haven't even gotten a call back, and its eating me alive. I feel myself slipping further and further into depression.</p>
<p>This sucks.</p>
<p>I like what KrazyK said. Don't try to kill yourself in finding the "perfect" job that includes all you likes and dislikes. A big part of that first job is just financial freedom (though its to a lesser degrees these days). Find something you think could be interesting to learn about - if not, chalk it up on your board and find something else. </p>
<p>We all have these decisions to make and at your age, you can afford a few mistakes here and there. Don't give up hope - keep at the applications. Just dedicate an hour or two every day to send out resumes and cover letters. Keep working on that resume in the meantime, you never know what might turn it. Good luck!</p>
<p>I also agree and now I understand that anything I do is going to take hard work. The thing is... I'm struggling even finding a job. I know that when I find a job I'm going to work hard, but I've also come to the realization that my 1st job is probably going to suck due to the mediocre statistics I have from college. I'm now looking at B-School, and I'm hoping I can get in to a Top 10 school so that I have new better opportunities open to me. I know work experience is necessary before applying, but what sort of work experience? What would be good work experience that could get me in? I'm looking at an MBA to open doors to me that weren't open from undergrad. I'm obviously not getting into Investment Banking (nor do I want to anymore), nor am I getting into any prestigious consulting firms. I'm not an engineer, and I've done nothing extraordinary. I am studying for my GMAT and will probably do great on it this summer. So as of now I'm more worried about the work experience for top B-Schools. I haven't landed an interview, but I think its partly because I don't even know what I should be looking for as a career. Like what field of work would someone with my credentials look as a first job? I'm sort of just rambling on now so I'll stop, lol.</p>
<p>Wait... you are only a junior now, and you are looking for a full-time job? That's probably why you haven't got any interviews yet. I don't think they start interviewing until the fall of your graduation year. Also, I'm guessing that getting into a top 10 business school is a little bit tougher than finding a full time job. So, I don't think you should turn to b-school just because you are worried about finding a job. It seems like you change your mind a lot. And once you actually have a job, you'll have a better idea of what you want.</p>
<p>Forget finance. If you read the journal and find what you're reading boring, a finance job will not make you happy and you therefore probably won't be very good at it.</p>
<p>Given that you're generation will probably live considerably longer than mine, you'll be working for 60 years or so in some cases! Do something you enjoy. Sure jobs are about sustaining yourself and family, but folks who love their work are much more successful at doing that.</p>
<p>Does your career center do any career aptitude testing? Often finding out what careers make sense with your skill set is a good start. You have some real interests--there are good careers to be had in technology, the sciences and nutrition/weight/body building. Movie stars and rich housewives pay big bucks to those who counsel them and help the sculpt perfect bodies.</p>
<p>In science, the biotech industry will explode in the next couple of decades. Engineering related careers also have a very bright outlook. There are lots of options! You're way too young to pursue something you don't enjoy for security.</p>
<p>I agree, forget finance. Why don't you go into something you enjoy? If you like bodybuilding and fitness, perhaps you'd entertain a career in nutrition or trainer.</p>
<p>Well I enjoy economics, that's why I figured I could get more interested in finance. And I want to be successful, which is the main reason I don't choose fitness and nutrition, lol. If I was fine with making 60k for the rest of my life it would be at the top of my list, but I want to give my kids everything my parents gave me, I just can't figure out what the hell I'm good at.</p>
<p>Have you heard of Bob Green, best selling author and fitness guru to the stars? We always remind our kids you don't have to chase investment banking to get rich. If money is what you want, follow your interests and do what you do best. There are people making fortunes with their interest in fitness and nutrition. Are you kidding? These things are a global obsession. Any smart person with a business orientation can make a career for themselves in this arena. </p>
<p>You need to think outside of the box.</p>
<p>
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If money is what you want, follow your interests and do what you do best.
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</p>
<p>This is the only piece of advice you need.</p>
<p>Follow your passions in life and the money will come.</p>
<p>Fitness and nutrition is an easy place to make money.</p>
<p>You can become a personal trainer or nutritionist, both which people pay a lot for that attention/expertise because everyone wants to lose weight and be healthy.</p>
<p>You can write a book, produce some type of workout video, and so on.</p>
<p>It's a craze in today's society that isn't going down and you could tap into it.</p>
<p>I personally dislike the Wall Street stuff also. Here and there it's okay, but most of it is meaningless to me. It's why I didn't bother with finance. I'd agree with others and say, maybe forget finance if you don't like it. It'd suck to fake it or force yourself to read/learn more about something you want nothing to do with. </p>
<p>However, sometimes you do have to take what you can get, especially now, so do think about that. Since it's only something in more current times that people really decided to "do what they love." Past generations often weren't so lucky, yet still enjoyed life.</p>
<p>But regardless, it's not like the job you get outta college is something you are stuck in at all. You can easily leave after 1 year or a few years and get on to something else.</p>
<p>Well when it comes to fitness and nutrition, I really do enjoy it, but I will probably keep it as a hobby. Working out is just something I do for an hour a day and enjoy it for that hour, but I do it for me, not to train others. I do have some ideas for businesses and other fitness related things that I might get off the ground in the future, but I suppose we'll see. </p>
<p>Initially I think I looked to fitness/nutrition because I was scared of never finding a job after graduation. Probably for the same reason I looked into another degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Law School, etc. haha. Finance may not be for me, I'm still not sure. I've recently looked into Consulting and it sounds like a great career out of school, but my grades aren't where they should be for that. I also don't think I'm extremely smart, which makes career searching more difficult. When I learned about Ibanking, consulting, and other careers I just though, "well those are careers for intelligent people, I should look elsewhere." I've more or less completely stopped looking towards IBanking because I just couldn't do the 100 hour weeks, but I am not going to stop putting in all my hard work. I'm just going to continue my career and soul searching and see where I get...</p>
<p>I agree that sport medicine and nutrition might be areas that appeal to you, based on your stated interests. Check out this one offering:
Sports</a> Medicine & Nutrition - University of Pittsburgh</p>
<p>Another option if you want to keep more to the business end is health management:
Sports</a> Medicine & Nutrition - University of Pittsburgh</p>
<p>Of course, there are lots of colleges that offer these majors. I just chose Pitt because I am familiar with it.</p>