|
Take one of the other assistant to happy hours. Find out more about the job. Negotiate based on what you've found out, bonus points if you don't actually care.
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2014 20:33
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 02:30 |
|
|
Ultimate Mango posted:Find a copy of the official HR Policy on sexual harassment and non-retaliation. Print it out. Have a discussion with HR and make sure they are aware that you know the policy. The company has a good ethics on non-retaliation in their policy. The policy also states that they can protect me and be anonymous in reporting. However, there is only one other lady at the office, they will know it was me. Today I reached a breaking point with my manager. He told me " I'll bend you over my knee and spank you"! He said it in front of entire office personnel as he continued to talk down to me and referring to me as his daughter. I can't handle his crude jokes anymore, he takes it to extreme measures and even the guys get annoyed with his comments. I did speak with the HR manager that is located at another location. He's taking it serious and wants to meet in person at his office. I also spoke with a different department manager about a transfer at another location. The interview seemed to go well and I believe it would be a much better opportunity than my secretary position now just based on personal growth. Plus getting away from the harassment would be wonderful too. It seems like a perfect time where I can just transfer out of my office.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2014 03:33
|
|
|
I have been feeling kind of trapped as things are and could use some advice. I barely passed my GCSEs the first time through, then failed every A level I took, got into a three-year business IT course that took 4 years to graduate from due to failing my big project the first time through, and as a result came out of University with a Third (basically a C). The graduation was 4 years ago so any IT skills that I picked up are long out of date, and it isn't helped by the fact that I had no experience at all outside of a paper route that I only stuck with because it was my only income outside of Job Seeker's Allowance. However, after a few failures I found a job that I have so far managed to keep for 1 year and 3 months doing technical support now (previous 'record' was 3 months tech support, fired for incompetence). I have realized a love for the sciences that I never entertained before, so I have decided that I would like to shove my career in that direction. I have applied to a Microbiology Assistant position (basically data entry, which is how I intend to sell myself, as a large amount of the work I currently do is filling out tickets) at my local hospital that I have yet to hear back from, but I'll keep trying if it falls through, and I have retaken my GCSEs in Maths and Science and got As in both. I was hoping to do (and pass well) A levels (or equivalent for non-trad students) in Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Maths eventually but need a B or above in GCSE English first. If all went to plan I was hoping to do a cellular biology degree eventually as the way chemical processes interact in the body fascinates me, but I want to clear the debt from the failed degree first, so I was planning to get a better paying job, save up to clear my debts while doing the GCSE English and requisite A Levels as night/weekend classes online, then try for the degree when financially comfortable. Any advice that you can give that I may not have considered, bearing in mind that the amount I would bring in at any of the thing's that I have applied for already would allow me to clear my debts in 3-4 years? I am currently 26 years old, 27 in October.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2014 20:41
|
|
|
Dreamer101 posted:The company has a good ethics on non-retaliation in their policy. The policy also states that they can protect me and be anonymous in reporting. However, there is only one other lady at the office, they will know it was me. Today I reached a breaking point with my manager. He told me " I'll bend you over my knee and spank you"! He said it in front of entire office personnel as he continued to talk down to me and referring to me as his daughter. I can't handle his crude jokes anymore, he takes it to extreme measures and even the guys get annoyed with his comments. I did speak with the HR manager that is located at another location. He's taking it serious and wants to meet in person at his office. I am horrified reading this. This is so extremely serious and the HR person sure better do what's right. I know it's hard to speak up but you are doing the right thing. Even if you can transfer out, you would do your replacement a favor by making sure everything is documented and the perpetrators of the harassment are dealt with.
|
|
#
?
Sep 11, 2014 05:46
|
|
|
Ultimate Mango posted:I am horrified reading this. This is so extremely serious and the HR person sure better do what's right. I know it's hard to speak up but you are doing the right thing. Even if you can transfer out, you would do your replacement a favor by making sure everything is documented and the perpetrators of the harassment are dealt with. After giving my statement to HR yesterday evening, I feel so much better already. Then I came into work this morning and was bombarded with two similar actions. I wanted to slap him and leave the office. Spoke with HR and they are taking it seriously. They said not to worry about coming into work tomorrow and that they are working out a plan. I'm thinking that they will place me at another near by location temporary during the investigation or just transfer me.
|
|
#
?
Sep 12, 2014 01:22
|
|
|
Dreamer101 posted:After giving my statement to HR yesterday evening, I feel so much better already. Then I came into work this morning and was bombarded with two similar actions. I wanted to slap him and leave the office. Spoke with HR and they are taking it seriously. They said not to worry about coming into work tomorrow and that they are working out a plan. I'm thinking that they will place me at another near by location temporary during the investigation or just transfer me. Well done, very well done. Even if you don't end up staying long term at that company, you will be in a better situation for this, and have a good interview story for handling a hard situation professionally.
|
|
#
?
Sep 12, 2014 06:17
|
|
|
After years at a job I hate I finally got an analyst job at a bank through a temp agency. It's a 6 month contract at one of the major Canadian banks with the possibility for an extension or chance to move to perm(no guarantee obviously). I'm very excited for the job as it's in the department and location I wanted and I accepted. The thing is that a day after I singed the contract I got calls from two other banks for the same job at a permanent position. I looked through the contract and can't see any requirements or restrictions for leaving early except for giving two weeks notice. Depending on the hiring process I may only be a week or two into my contract before I get a job offer. I guess my question is do I stick with the contract and see what happens or do I risk burning some bridges with the first bank and the agency for a shot at a permanent job? I won't be violating the contract by leaving early, but I can't imagine hiring and training someone else that soon will sit well with some people.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2014 20:26
|
|
|
Ultimate Mango posted:Well done, very well done. Even if you don't end up staying long term at that company, you will be in a better situation for this, and have a good interview story for handling a hard situation professionally. Yeah, you're doing the right thing, even if it's super hard. You'll hopefully save others in the future some part of that horse poo poo.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2014 23:14
|
|
|
Porkins posted:Depending on the hiring process I may only be a week or two into my contract before I get a job offer. I guess my question is do I stick with the contract and see what happens or do I risk burning some bridges with the first bank and the agency for a shot at a permanent job? I won't be violating the contract by leaving early, but I can't imagine hiring and training someone else that soon will sit well with some people.
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2014 02:19
|
|
|
Ultimate Mango posted:Well done, very well done. Even if you don't end up staying long term at that company, you will be in a better situation for this, and have a good interview story for handling a hard situation professionally. Thanks for the advice. I knew I had to do it after putting up with it my entire first year with company. Still nervous about what HR is going to do. I told them I'm at the point where I don't want to be at that office. They told me not to worry about going into work tomorrow and that they are working on a plan. I'm thinking they will place me at another location while they investigate. Better yet, it would be great if I could just transfer into the position I was looking into at the other location a little closer to my home. I hope they take good care of placing me into something for my best interest and pay! I was getting great pay with overtime as a secretary since it's in a remote location in the oil field service industry. However, I was extremely bored doing basic paperwork and I want to progress into a career that I enjoy doing. I'm hoping this experience doesn't hold me down trying to advance.
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2014 05:30
|
|
|
This seems like the best a thread as any to post my question to. I'm 31 years old, I've been with the same company since I graduated college - actually specifically in the same group. I've been here a little over 8 years now. I've been promoted a whole bunch - started as a coordinator, then promoted to lead coordinator, then to analyst, now a Sr. Analyst. I've been in that Sr. Analyst role for about 2.5 years now. I was talking with someone the other day and they told me that it's time I leave my group, preferably leave my company. They told me future employers will see me as stagnant, lazy, adverse to change, and unable to be molded because I've spent so much time in the same group. Is this true? I don't particularly want to leave my position. I've done really well in it, helping grow it from a little over $1.5M in savings to over $6M. I really like my manager, she's a great leader to work for. She supports her employees and is extremely fair. I don't feel like I'm stagnating since we're constantly evolving and taking on new and different projects and pulling new kinds of work into the fold. The group today is completely different than it was 8 years ago when I started. Is it true that I should be looking to move on though? I'm not averse to moving on, I just don't feel compelled to right now. I'm wondering though if there's truth to the advice I was given or if it was just BS. There seems to be a bit of wisdom behind it and doesn't seem completely off base, but I didn't know if corporate management truly feels that way. Just looking for some info from some folks who might have more knowledge on this topic than I do. Git Mah Belt Son fucked around with this message at 23:50 on Sep 15, 2014 |
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2014 23:48
|
|
|
There's nothing wrong with staying at the same company as long as you're happy there and feel like you're growing. It sounds like you've been promoted quite a bit since you started, which is good. That being said, there's also nothing wrong with passively exploring other opportunities to see if there's anything interesting out there. You might be surprised. The only thing I'd say is that if you're interested in management at some point, you should consider leaving for another company, based on your previous promotions, it doesn't sound like that's going to happen at your current company. edit: You didn't mention salary at all, so I assume you're satisfied with it, but that is also one thing that you can definitely get more of moving to a new company.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2014 00:01
|
|
|
Thanks for the reply. I'm currently making a little over $71k/yr + bonus (which hasn't amounted to much lately, corporate hasn't hit necessary goals), so I'm not exactly hurting for more money. Would it be nice? Sure, but I'm pretty comfortable with where I am with regards to that. It's not a sole deciding factor, I'll put it that way. As far as management, I think I'd prefer to be a single contributor. I'm not against managing people but I think I work better being responsible for my own work. I'm good at coaching and supervising but actually being responsible for people doesn't seem like my cup of tea. I'm sure if the right opportunity presented itself though I'd welcome the challenge. I've risen to every challenge and new project I've faced so far so I'm sure that would be no different. It just wouldn't be my first preference.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2014 00:38
|
|
|
Git Mah Belt Son posted:This seems like the best a thread as any to post my question to. On a tangential note, the biggest problem with corporate management is that they're all a bunch of individuals. Your next manager might have the same impression as the idiot who said your employment history is bad. On the other hand, your next manager might think anyone who changes jobs every 3-4 years is an opportunist rear end in a top hat. It's a total crapshoot.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2014 00:57
|
|
|
Okay, so I have some questions. Background info: I'm a Quality Assurance Engineer in the tech field in Atlanta, GA. I made it to the in-person interview stage at Prospective Employer, and they want some information before they fly me out. They're asking for: 1. My current salary 2. My desired salary 3. Current references My problems are thus: I don't want to give them my current salary since that hands the salary negotiation advantage to Prospective Employer. My current salary is $45,000 and I feel like I could definitely make more, since taking this job would entail moving across the country from Atlanta to Seattle. Should I tell them my true salary, or should I inflate it? As far as I know, they're not allowed to ask your current/former employer what your salary is, but I may be mistaken. If it's a good idea, I'd like to inflate my current salary so I can get more at the negotiating table if given a job offer. This leads to my second question: How much should I ask for? I know a poster in this thread told me that he pays his Quality Assurance Engineers around $60,000 in the Washington, DC area. Should I go off an inflated (I was thinking telling them I currently get about $53,000) salary and ask for $60,000-$65,000? I've never really had the opportunity to negotiate for salaries before; all of my previous positions have been a very firm "This is what we're willing to hire you for and if you try to negotiate, we'll go to the next applicant. There's a recession going on, you know." 3. How do I handle the references? I feel like I have to be extremely careful with this, as if I tell my current employers that I'm interviewing, I either have to get the new job or be unemployed. I doubt many employers will be willing to put up with an employee whom they then know is actively looking for other employment. Should I ask them at what stage they'll be contacting references? This is a very big name in the tech field, so they WILL contact references at some point. And if they want to contact references before flying me out for an interview, what should I do? I'd love to give my heavy hitting references (Director of Quality Assurance, a tech lead, and a Senior QA Engineer) but not at the expense of my current employment, since then I'll be homeless. How should I play this out? This is a major thing for me - this will catapult me into firmly middle class, which is something that no one in my family has ever done. I need to make sure I do this right.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2014 02:12
|
|
|
HonorableTB posted:How should I play this out? This is a major thing for me - this will catapult me into firmly middle class, which is something that no one in my family has ever done. I need to make sure I do this right. 1. Don't give them your current salary 2. Don't be dishonest 3. Don't use your current employer as a reference. All this is covered in great detail in that thread. Pay special attention to Dwight Eisenhower and Kalenn Istarion's advice.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2014 03:25
|
|
|
Amazon in Seattle? Ask for 80k and see what they offer.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2014 05:47
|
|
|
MrKatharsis posted:Amazon in Seattle? Ask for 80k and see what they offer. Wouldn't that just get them to hang the gently caress up on me? That seems incredibly unreasonable given that it's basically doubling my salary 
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2014 14:25
|
|
|
They don't know what you make and it's none of their business. 80k in Seattle isn't as much as it sounds. It's basically the entry point to middle class. http://www.glassdoor.com/Salary/Amazon-com-Quality-Assurance-Engineer-I-Seattle-Salaries-EJI_IE6036.0,10_KO11,39_IL.40,47_IM781.htm
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2014 14:31
|
|
|
HonorableTB posted:Wouldn't that just get them to hang the gently caress up on me? That seems incredibly unreasonable given that it's basically doubling my salary Last I heard, Amazon's offering 100k+ for entry positions with signing bonus and yearly stock grants. Don't ask for 80k, jeeze. If you have no leverage, just let them offer you. They won't let you negotiate once they offer if they know you have no leverage.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2014 14:31
|
|
|
Rurutia posted:Last I heard, Amazon's offering 100k+ for entry positions with signing bonus and yearly stock grants. Don't ask for 80k, jeeze. If you have no leverage, just let them offer you. They won't let you negotiate once they offer if they know you have no leverage. Holy loving Christ  Edit: I filled out the questions and for salary, I put: Salary: It is at the level where the amount I would want in a new job would be $80,000 And for references, I did list references for my current position but only because Amazon's policy is to only contact references with 1) your permission and 2) after an offer letter has been extended to me. Edit 2: I also highly doubt my current employer would give me a negative reference considering I've been very publicly recognized for excellence twice in the past two months. Unless they decided to do it out of spite and to keep me at my current job 
HonorableTB fucked around with this message at 18:12 on Sep 16, 2014 |
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2014 14:39
|
|
|
HonorableTB posted:Holy loving Christ Have had great success with the following: whenever a form asks for desired salary, enter "1." When they ask you about salary before an offer is provided, say "That's a great question. At this point I am more concerned about determining whether your organization and I will be right for each other." The last time I went down that road, the HR rep paused, told me the salary range for the position, and followed that up with "just to be sure we're not wasting each other's time." I said that was a range I could work with, and away we went.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2014 20:26
|
|
|
Ultimate Mango posted:What is your job history/career experience before this job? How I answer this might depend on your other background and experience. If you were fresh out of school and effectively have a year and a half of experience, you have some resume building to do and don't want to necessarily blow up your boss to their boss. If you have experience and background then maybe there are different levers you can pull. Super busy the past couple weeks, hope this answer isn't too late. This is my first "Office Job", I've worked odd jobs to get through university mostly because they paid decently so my resume is admittedly bare. I did a little bit of recon work the past week, I would definitely say that I'm getting assigned more work and getting more work done. Obviously it is only one week. am I out of line asking my manager to see some numbers of me versus people the next level up?
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2014 03:39
|
|
|
Does anyone have any advice or resources for seeking internships targeted at graduate students? Background: I'm currently in my first semester of a master's program in statistics. Prior to this, I spent two years working as a data analyst for a non-profit. While there, I spent a lot of time working with SAS, R, Tableau and SQL. I'm hoping to pursue a career in data science or statistical consulting when I'm done with my program. From talking to my advisor, there are two typical paths for students like me in the summer: stay on campus and work on research for a thesis or try and find an internship. Prior to coming to graduate school, some of my coworkers told me that I shouldn't leave without doing a thesis. However, now that I'm here and have talked to a career counselor, they are saying that most people on my path focus more on internships. So I guess I have two questions: 1. Does anyone have a perspective on the pros and cons of a thesis versus focusing on work experience and an internship? 2. How do I go about looking for an internship? I've found a lot of stuff that seems to only target undergraduates. The ASA has a list of internship opportunities (last year's: http://stattrak.amstat.org/2013/12/01/2014-internships/) but most of those are for PhD students. Thanks!
|
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2014 20:11
|
|
|
swenblack posted:On the other hand, your next manager might think anyone who changes jobs every 3-4 years is an opportunist rear end in a top hat. Ugh. This makes me feel really bad about the state of my CV. At 26: three 1-year positions, a bunch of 3+-month project-based positions, and then my current job which I am doubting if I can stick out past the 1-year mark. Maybe I should smooth the curve a little to make it seem less scattered, but I would hate to be dishonest  . For the quoted reasoning, it is such a red mark against me though.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2014 10:32
|
|
|
It's 2014, people changing jobs every 3-4 years isn't unusual, it's the norm.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2014 11:48
|
|
|
Jossos posted:Ugh. This makes me feel really bad about the state of my CV.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2014 12:19
|
|
|
Some background: I worked a couple summers during school doing standard system admin work for a small business. Then I interned at a large insurance company where I gained some SQL experience. I graduated with a degree in Management Information Systems and started at a large technology company which I've been at for 3+ years now. After a few promotions, I now specialize in supporting their healthcare interface engine. I assist with new implementation projects, participate in a small on-call rotation, and represent my functional area in PLM meetings. Currently making about $75k in the Philadelphia area. I'm happy with my spot, but my expertise is fairly niche and a lot of my knowledge is proprietary. To improve hireability, I want to emphasize my SQL skills and start pushing for leadership roles and project management positions. I'm just having trouble with how I should frame my profile. Here's what I came up with: "5+ years of success in the technology field, possessing leadership experience and highly-recognized industry certifications" Any suggestions? jromano fucked around with this message at 21:34 on Sep 23, 2014 |
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2014 21:15
|
|
|
I'm 26 years old and I've been working my first full time job that's not a contract position for the last four months or so. Although I have only been at this company for four months, I'm fortunate enough to say that I really love my job and believe that it utilizes my skills very well. I have received great reviews from my manager and my monthly stats have been comparable to other analysts who have been working there for 2 years. The team was recently told that they are planning on opening an office in Europe and even though I have only been working there for four months, I have been considering asking to be relocated there. It would be a great new experience and I believe that this potential opportunity is something that I cannot just let pass. The position in Europe would be completely identical in terms of requirements/qualifications. Also, I can only think of two other people on the 35 person team that would just be able to pack everything and go so I believe I have a good chance.... But before I start dreaming more, do you believe that this is even something I should pursue and talk to my manager about relocating? Busy Bee fucked around with this message at 10:36 on Sep 24, 2014 |
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2014 10:26
|
|
|
Busy Bee posted:I'm 26 years old and I've been working my first full time job that's not a contract position for the last four months or so. Although I have only been at this company for four months, I'm fortunate enough to say that I really love my job and believe that it utilizes my skills very well. I have received great reviews from my manager and my monthly stats have been comparable to other analysts who have been working there for 2 years. The team was recently told that they are planning on opening an office in Europe and even though I have only been working there for four months, I have been considering asking to be relocated there. It would be a great new experience and I believe that this potential opportunity is something that I cannot just let pass. The position in Europe would be completely identical in terms of requirements/qualifications. Also, I can only think of two other people on the 35 person team that would just be able to pack everything and go so I believe I have a good chance.... But before I start dreaming more, do you believe that this is even something I should pursue and talk to my manager about relocating? Are you going to be fired if you ask about it? If not, what's the harm? Most likely, the worst case scenario is going to be a no.
|
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2014 17:24
|
|
|
|Ziggy| posted:Are you going to be fired if you ask about it? If not, what's the harm? Most likely, the worst case scenario is going to be a no. This is true, there's no harm in asking, but you should be realistic, the answer is quite likely to be no. I assume you're in America, my suspicion is they'll send in some senior people to run the office and hire locals, it tends to be pretty costly to send people abroad and entry-level people who've been there for four months aren't on top of the list. So definitely ask, particularly if they've indicated they'll be recolating analysts, but don't get your hopes up too much yet. Xandu fucked around with this message at 19:15 on Sep 24, 2014 |
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2014 19:12
|
|
|
Dreamer101 posted:Thanks for the advice. I knew I had to do it after putting up with it my entire first year with company. Still nervous about what HR is going to do. I told them I'm at the point where I don't want to be at that office. They told me not to worry about going into work tomorrow and that they are working on a plan. I'm thinking they will place me at another location while they investigate. Better yet, it would be great if I could just transfer into the position I was looking into at the other location a little closer to my home. Did things turn out okay? 1500quidporsche posted:Super busy the past couple weeks, hope this answer isn't too late. Don't ask for that. Ask about detailed role descriptions for your role and the job one level up. Seek out and quantify the differences. Prove that you quantifiably meet the qualifications of the job the next level up already.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2014 06:35
|
|
|
Xandu posted:This is true, there's no harm in asking, but you should be realistic, the answer is quite likely to be no. I assume you're in America, my suspicion is they'll send in some senior people to run the office and hire locals, it tends to be pretty costly to send people abroad and entry-level people who've been there for four months aren't on top of the list. This is the most likely outcome. I had a similar situation, except I had a few years of experience I would be doing there literally the same thing but they still went with a local. Definitely do ask though, at the very least it'll show that you've got some ambitions.
|
|
#
?
Sep 27, 2014 17:54
|
|
|
Ok, after reading just about every post in this thread I figure it's finally time to ask what I should do with my life. Background: BS in Mathematics w/ Honors from very good liberal arts school in 2007 and managed to get my name on a published paper upon graduation. I'm a Teach for America alum, got my MA in Secondary Education, and taught math for 5 years at high schools in New Mexico. I decided I hated high school and moved into a part-time gig at the community college and because of declining enrollment I've had to pick up other part-time work (i.e. tutoring) to make ends meet. Cut to now: I really don't want to teach anymore. I like the idea of maybe an analyst position from what I've read in this thread, but I don't feel like I know enough to get a job like that right away. I've been learning some SQL on my own, but I'm not sure if I'm at a functional level. I also want to move to Colorado, Utah, or maybe Arizona as soon as possible. Question: What types of jobs could I be qualified for without going back to school? Are there jobs like those in the locations in which I'm interested in living? Thanks! ConspicuousEvil fucked around with this message at 01:05 on Sep 30, 2014 |
|
#
?
Sep 30, 2014 00:36
|
|
|
I'm not sure where to go with regard to my career. I have a BA in Music which is pretty useless given that I don't have the passion to try to make my living by performing. I am currently working as an office clerk but the chances of moving up are pretty slim. I am considering picking up a masters degree, since my BA almost looks useless on a resume it seems like it might become more worthwhile if I use my BA to access a masters program. Some possible ideas are Business of Environmental Studies, Health Administration, or Masters of IT (I don't have much programming experience but it seems like many IT jobs just involves setting up printers and getting overpaid for it). Any suggestions? Are my ideas way off base here? Can I even get into these masters programs with a Music BA? My priorities are: to move into a field that is in high demand, has good job security, and pays well. I don't care what the job is beyond that except for the fact that I'm a good writer and am good with computers but I'm not too good at math or science.
denzelcurrypower fucked around with this message at 02:59 on Oct 3, 2014 |
|
#
?
Oct 3, 2014 02:56
|
|
|
MoosetheMooche posted:I'm not sure where to go with regard to my career. I have a BA in Music which is pretty useless given that I don't have the passion to try to make my living by performing. I am currently working as an office clerk but the chances of moving up are pretty slim. I am considering picking up a masters degree, since my BA almost looks useless on a resume it seems like it might become more worthwhile if I use my BA to access a masters program. Some possible ideas are Business of Environmental Studies, Health Administration, or Masters of IT (I don't have much programming experience but it seems like many IT jobs just involves setting up printers and getting overpaid for it). Any suggestions? Are my ideas way off base here? Can I even get into these masters programs with a Music BA? My priorities are: to move into a field that is in high demand, has good job security, and pays well. I don't care what the job is beyond that except for the fact that I'm a good writer and am good with computers but I'm not too good at math or science. How many years of experience do you have? What do you actually enjoy doing? Are you in a metropolitan area or in a cave on June side of a mountain three hours from civilization? Getting an advanced degree and finding a new job are also divergent paths in a lot of ways... Right now it looks like you feel as if you are in a dead end job with a degree that may not be relevant to anything and you want something *different*. Maybe go back to school. Maybe a new job. Maybe join the peace corps. Oh but you want to have job security and make a lot of money. Get humble. Get real. Focus on your strengths. Find a job other people maybe don't like so much, figure out how to do it really really well and get filthy stinking rich from it.
|
|
#
?
Oct 5, 2014 06:30
|
|
|
Hey thread. Figured I'd ask about any potential directions I could go. I just turned 27 and have been working at a store selling cd's and dvd's for the past 2.5 years. My husband and I are looking to get a house, a car and start a family in a few years from now, so I need to look at getting a full time job that won't make me want to kill myself. I have a somewhat worthless certificate in Graphic Communications. I was looking at various graphic design jobs, but it seems like I'm massively underqualified for most of them. They tend to want people who can do more web stuff and/or photography or work in programs that I'm unfamiliar with. I would really like to do something creative. I've had a few small comic book colouring jobs here and there, but its not regular work that I can rely on. Should I just look for some kind of receptionist job or something? I generally hate talking on the phone and dealing with people, so I'm somewhat concerned that I would just be terrible and miserable in that sort of job. From what I've seen, even the entry level jobs require a couple years of experience in the field. Things I really like about my current job: I'm in charge of our tv, family, general interest, box set and anime sections, which requires shuffling around a lot of product and making the most efficient use of space in our small store, while still putting the most relevant items on display. I somewhat enjoy the challenge of making everything fit and look good, even though it can take a long time. It can be nice to get lost in the zone of organizing things and I'm usually quite proud of my work. My coworkers have referred to me as a magician. Things I don't like about my current job: It's retail, so I have to deal with plenty of belligerent or otherwise ignorant customers. Some of our regulars just drool on themselves and stare at us when they're short $20. Others tend to mumble to the point of being incomprehensible. I also don't like having to pressure people into buying our rewards cards or the lovely movies of the week. Retail is retail. Things I enjoy doing, but probably couldn't make a living out of: I really enjoy doing crafty things, like painting figures or decorative wooden items. I created and painted a number of decorations for my wedding earlier this year and got a lot of compliments on my design. Some relatives asked what book I got the ideas out of and a couple of my bridesmaids said I should seriously look into interior design. I don't really know if I could handle going back to school for something like that though. I also enjoy doing drawings for kids. When I draw stuff at conventions or for free comic book day, I always put more effort into the ones for kids. I've volunteered a few times to teach kids about making comics and that's always been a lot of fun as well. Any ideas? Maybe there's a career path I haven't thought about? Or maybe I should just keep looking for an entry level design thing? I did actually have an interview for a graphic design job at a printing place a few months ago. It was 2 and a half hours long and the guy mostly talked about why he had to fire all his other employees and how being an artist and caring about your work is a detriment to the job. He was willing to hire me without even seeing my portfolio, but I turned him down, knowing I would just get fired after 2 days. (I actually know someone who was fired from that place on her second day there. Didn't realize it was the same place until I got there though.)
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2014 05:13
|
|
|
For figuring out if you have artsy job potential, maybe ask the career thread in creative convention? http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=2563469
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2014 05:39
|
|
|
Assuming I were accepted, if I were to get an MBA in business from a top 30 school, would there be a big career disadvantage to doing the part-time program so I could continue working as opposed to going full time and focusing more on a specific field? University of Texas, for example, offers a focus in corporate finance and other areas for full-time, but part-time only offers business administration. I'm scared getting a masters wouldn't lead to a better career. I'm sure it would open some doors, but I don't know if it's worth the cost.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2014 18:39
|
|
|
|
| # ? Apr 25, 2024 02:30 |
|
|
|Ziggy| posted:I'm scared getting a masters wouldn't lead to a better career. I'm sure it would open some doors, but I don't know if it's worth the cost. What is your current job situation? Experience? What are you long-term goals? For some people, they can't advance at all without an MBA, some people could go quite a long time without "needing" one. I think a full-time top 30 MBA program can be a positive NPV investment for most people, even accounting for taking the time off from work, but there are some shockingly low-paid grads from top schools, so it's not a sure thing.
|
|
#
?
Oct 6, 2014 19:09
|
|