What should I be?

[gogatrs]

I like Math, getting a 95% in it. He said in terms of Civil Engineering, its very competitive and jobs are not as easy to find as it seems.

I'm not sure I'd label civil engineering as a field that involves much math.

 

[Beeblebrox237]

How else do you calculate the tension on a beam when designing a building? Engineering is mostly applied physics, which is mostly applied maths. If you enjoy maths, then you may like physics.

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

I have physics next semester. I'll see if I like it then.

I have an idea:

Since a BA is kind of a "universal" certification, should I just get a BA and then see what I can do after that? I mean, there's a lot of opportunities open with a BA, and as I'll get older and learn more, I probably will get an idea of what I enjoy. Maybe my views will change on a career in law, and I could go to law school.

Edit: Don't doctors have it pretty safe and well paid?

 

[Pupik]

There's no guaranteed easy path towards making big money; right out of school, you're 99.999% guaranteed NOT to make six digits, unless you're a college draft pick in one of the major sports that isn't in a lockout right now. Hollywood has perpetuated that bogus myth of the young professional "who has it all" at age 25; most studio writers went to Harvard and Yale, so their view is tilted, big time. Either that, or invent something everyone wants badly or almost can't live without (but not so much that the patent becomes nearly worthless due to near-ubiquity). [Then slowly hand me over the plans...]

Any of the typically high-paying professions like doctor, lawyer, or something that requires a PhD (or equivalent) is going to take more time and more money to pay for; sure, you can get a loan, but you have to pay it back. And you start out on the bottom rung, unless you paid your dues as an intern. I have heard many success stories from those who interned at the right companies (think private sector if you're looking to make money, or public sector if want you think you're going to save the world and/or wish to have your soul crushed into a fine paste).

After that, remember that overnight success usually takes ten years. Some people were also just lucky enough to get rich parents. Some people are complete grifters and are society's parasites, and aren't worth the birth certificate they likely forged. But the good news is, that if you're on this message board right now, you're probably doing alright financially...or at least, your parents are.

Nothing is guaranteed. Nothing is permanent. Nothing is forever. But lots of things are timeless: True success comes from doing what you like to do, but sometimes hard work along unrelated ladder rungs are your pre-payments for getting the job that does both and pays well enough to shelter yourself, feed your gut, keep yourself healthy, have a parachute when things go wrong, and maybe buy toys every so often. No job is perfect, either...every job has its pros and cons, and you have to balance out what you're willing to put up with to keep your account from hitting the red.

 

[slims]

I have an idea:

Since a BA is kind of a "universal" certification, should I just get a BA and then see what I can do after that? I mean, there's a lot of opportunities open with a BA, and as I'll get older and learn more, I probably will get an idea of what I enjoy. Maybe my views will change on a career in law, and I could go to law school.

Seems counterproductive to pursue a four year degree in a field you have no interest in and amass a student-loan debt only to find out what you like doing later on and possibly having to go back to school or undertake additional training and additional debt in order to get into that career.

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

@ Pupik: Good insight. I don't expect to be wealthy as soon as I come out of university, but I also don't want ot be making less than $60K a year. I'm not expecting to be one of those "overnight sucess" stories, but I also want to have some sort of a luxurious life. I really like the private sector idea. What about being self-employed/ opening up a firm/business/office?

As for tuition, its pretty cheap here, $8-10k per year for undergrad, and scholarships are pretty generous (especially with high marks in the 90s%). You don't need student loans until after a bachelor's.

Seems counterproductive to pursue a four year degree in a field you have no interest in and amass a student-loan debt only to find out what you like doing later on and possibly having to go back to school or undertake additional training and additional debt in order to get into that career.

I do have interest in Business, and a BBA is apparently quite useful to have. As for law, there isn't an undergrad for it, so taking a BBA should be ok IMO.

 

[Pupik]

@ Pupik: Good insight. I don't expect to be wealthy as soon as I come out of university, but I also don't want ot be making less than $60K a year. I'm not expecting to be one of those "overnight sucess" stories, but I also want to have some sort of a luxurious life. I really like the private sector idea. What about being self-employed/ opening up a firm/business/office?

I couldn't tell you, to be honest. For one, I don't make a six-digit income! I know a few people that do, and they work hard to be there, or had a lot of help along the way. Either way, maintaining that type of career is usually lots of long hours and/or hard work. But the saying goes, if something is "fun" or "interesting" or "enjoyable", then it isn't really hard work.

My brother-in-law works for a major software company, and he makes $100K a year (so we've heard). But he also graduated with multiple degrees and works 5-6 days a week, 50-65 hours a week. I know service writers that make the same kind of coin that merely graduated high school, but were good at what they did. Same kind of hours, though. But there's also lots that don't make that kind of money, and move on and on to job after job, due to a lack of or deterioration of their skills, emotional drive, enthusiasm, creativity, intelligence, or intuition; you're not going to stay long at high-paying places if you don't produce continual and reliable success.

Very few jobs with limited/no experience pay that well; after all, pay is usually commensurate with experience, and employers know that someone out of school is willing to jump at one of the first opportunities available. On the other hand, many (but not all) companies do not want inexperienced prospects; they go through cycles of wanting experienced staff, then they want to "mold-from-scratch" with fresh faces and few prior "bad habits".

Basically, work at it, that's all. I'd recommend you choose something you like to do before worrying too much about how good/bad it pays, unless it really is a dead-end career path. Most of my friends, classmates, and co-workers took various paths after high school, some to big name schools, others took lass-famous routes, others went straight to work at the bottom. There's no guarantees in anything; entire industries change and evolve mightily within 5-10 years. Demand fluctuates, or the skills involved become more or less specialized. There's no promise that you'll make more money ten years later, in many cases; lots of people wind up with that problem, when more and more people can learn the same skill, and the available talent pool increases, or is willing to work for less money.

I mentioned doing an internship, and you'll get an idea if that's the career you want to get involved with; you'll hopefully network and meet the right bunch to get you pointed along the right career path. Some people I know were able to use the internship summers as actual "years experience" (Note: I never interned, kind of wished I did...but I've worn a lot of interesting hats over the years).

 

[nick09]

You should be a potato. But joking aside I'd suggest studying business before you start your own business. You will have to account for money and know what rights your business has.

You could join the army. I know a friend who is joining the US Air Force and he's going to earn $24K USD plus benefits and he is refunded for living expenses. It may be less than what he's currently earning but it's less stress for him as he is won't have to do contract work in IT.

It's very hard to find positions that will pay 60K a year that is the lowest position. With some 2 year college you should be able to get a 20K-30K job and you will be lucky to get more at such a low experience.

 

[W3H5]

I don't know how old you are but I'm to be 30 in a few years and I'm still uncertain if I'll stick with my career and I still don't know if I want to change to something else.

What I do makes me good money (relative to location) and is rather low stress. I can get a job in any number of companies without much hassle and there is lots of room for going up the chain.

There is no way I could have known I would be doing this job ten years ago when I was finishing college. When I was at school I had no idea what I wanted to be. I still don't really even now, because there are many possibilities in my situation now but I think I'll just wait to see where chance takes me.

Good luck though deciding. But I'd advise to just make a general aim and go with the flow as specific destinies never plan out like the do in one's ideas.

 

[MarinaDiamandis]

Echoing what others have said, you likely won't know what you want to do in life until you get jobs and begin finding out what you don't want to do. Don't be too specific on what you study otherwise you might get stuck in an industry that you hate.

I'm not too well up on how things work in the U.S or Canada, but here in the U.K it is quite sensible to take a desirable degree (maths or a science) because companies understand that a potential employee with a good physics degree is capable of understanding most things without too much of a struggle.

Also, maths and science are useful in thousands of jobs so it's very unlikely that you'd ever be stuck in one line of work.

 

[Omnis]

If you want to make big money, move to Africa and sell weapons, diamonds, and/or drugs.

 

[Nessy]

Working offshore can be quite lucrative, though i don't know whether it could be deemed as being long-term (finite resource etc), i guess it can be classed (loosely) as engineering.

 

[DEATHSARTHE]

It seems to me that your belief is money is everything. It helps and of course nothing is free... but keep in mind; Master money or slave to it. Goodluck.

 

[Joel]

@ Pupik: Good insight. I don't expect to be wealthy as soon as I come out of university, but I also don't want ot be making less than $60K a year.

60K+ a year is very wealthy right out of university (and in the grand scheme of things is a very very good salary). Putting so much stock in your future salary (and expecting such a high one) is just setting yourself up to be disappointed. I'm not saying you will never have a 6 figure salary, but to go into university expecting "at least" 60K and looking to get to 100K quickly is unrealistic and comes off as rather entitled.

Look for careers that interest you and that you enjoy, you've said you're interested in business, so research some aspects of a business that intrigue you and look into getting into those types of jobs. Being motivated, qualified, competent, a hard worker (or knowing someone influential) is what's important if you want to make the big money.

 

[Exorcet]

60K+ a year is very wealthy right out of university (and in the grand scheme of things is a very very good salary). Putting so much stock in your future salary (and expecting such a high one) is just setting yourself up to be disappointed. I'm not saying you will never have a 6 figure salary, but to go into university expecting "at least" 60K and looking to get to 100K quickly is unrealistic and comes off as rather entitled.

$60,000 was about average starting salary for B.S. engineers according to my school's statistics, so I don't think it's that unrealistic.

 

[Small_Fryz]

You should be a horse.

 

[daan]

Neigh chance.

 

[W3H5]

Taking the reigns of a company isn't too hard.

 

[Small_Fryz]

Exactly!! I'm sure he will be able to keep it trotting along nicely!

 

[daan]

Once he goes to college or uni, he'll be saddled with a lot of debt for years to come.

 

[W3H5]

I think uni is the first hurdle to get over.

 

[Small_Fryz]

Being the thoroughbred he is, he will be favourite to rise above such handicaps.

 

[W3H5]

Getting good grades at school is the mane thing though.

 

[NissanSkylineN1]

60K+ a year is very wealthy right out of university (and in the grand scheme of things is a very very good salary). Putting so much stock in your future salary (and expecting such a high one) is just setting yourself up to be disappointed. I'm not saying you will never have a 6 figure salary, but to go into university expecting "at least" 60K and looking to get to 100K quickly is unrealistic and comes off as rather entitled.

The universities say that $60K is something to expect as a starting pay, sometimes they even say $80K. I'm not looking to get 6 figures quickly, but I don't want to finally achieve that when I'm 50.

Starting Pay reports:

York University - Schulich Business School -Students with BBA:
http://www.schulich.yorku.ca/client/schulich/Schulich_LP4W_LND_WebStation.nsf/resources/Documents/$file/2011+BBA+Salary+Survey.pdf

MBA:
http://www.schulich.yorku.ca/client/schulich/Schulich_LP4W_LND_WebStation.nsf/resources/Documents/$file/2011+MBA+Salary+Survey.pdf

University of Toronto - Rotman School of Business - MBA:
http://www-2.rotman.utoronto.ca/career/JobReport/

Queens University - Commerce - BComm (For some reason the starting pays are lower here)
http://business.queensu.ca/ConversionDocs/commerce_annual_report.pdf

Western University - Ivey School of Business - HBA
http://www.ivey.uwo.ca/hba/pdfs/IveyHBA_2009-2010_Employment_Report.pdf


Are they biased/made to look better than they really are?

I'm going to go to counselling and get an appointment with them too today, see what I can do. Thank you all for helping me out so far!

 

[Ibonibo]

I just hope for you that whatever employement you seek your futur boss doesn't find this thread as it seems your just after the money.

Which is not a bad thing but a bit more discretion is advised.

With a good degree and after a few years in the field, wether MBA or Engineering, it should get you 6 figures if you do your job good enough.

That's the point. There are not really a lot of jobs that give you loads of money if you do your work so-so, but if you do your job good there are a lot of jobs that grant you your 6 figures salary.

MBA is a hard battlefield, believe me, lots of people studing it, so you better be sure to be in the top tiers to land a good position, though if you don't care about salary, you can find massive fun jobs with MBA's working for a bit less, But you will have fun doing your job.
Also if you study MBA, don't fall for the max. profit mantra that seems to go out a lot in some countries. Companies don't really like that. Beeing a humble MBA opens doors.

Engineering, or civil Engineering (which is depending on your definition, one of the hardest degree which you can get and needs massive understanding of maths.
Both Engineering are quite in high demand as it had low rate of students in the last decades.

As long as you don't expect to get to your 6 figures in the first 5 years, you should find something.

And if you like your job, you will exel at it and the salaries will follow. That is far more important than directing your life to only one perspective, money.

You can have lots of money and be a depressed little worm, because you don't like your job... All the money won't help.

 

[W3H5]

I just hope for you that whatever employement you seek your futur boss doesn't find this thread as it seems your just after the money.

The company I work for knows I work for the money. I've told them and it's not a problem. What else would one work for if not money?

I've even had to point out to the people who ask "who do you work for?" that I work for nobody except money, and if I did have to work 'for' someone it's my wife.

There's no shame or embarrassment being in a job for the money, but money isn't everything to look for in a job, working environment is just as important in my book.

 

[Blitz187]

I think once you get out of school and start working you'll realise that having a job which you thoroughly enjoy far outweighs the cash aspect. Trust me, no matter how good the money is, if you don't enjoy your work it will get tiresome and irritating very soon. IMO, better to make a little less and have a job that you WANT to go to everyday. Unless of course you start your own business venture... Then its a whole different ball game since youre working and running for your own money.

Edit: Shouldve read the other pages... most of what I said was already said one way or another...

- Another thing that popped in my mind... What about a sales orientated job at a big company. Landing big deals gets you good bonuses and can be very lucrative, if the company has a good commission plan of course.

 

[axletramp]

Porn pays well and the hours are good. Plus you'll never get accused of having a fling on the side with a colleague. Xmas parties must be wild!

 

[Cano]

Drug dealing, 'nuff said. And pretty exciting!

 

[David]

I was also considering Engineering, but apparently landing a job there is hard too.

I don't know where you live but that is not the case at all in most places. You said you hate science though so I'm not sure why you would be considering engineering anyway.