Career guidance

[chrisms]

I am currently going to a community college and will probably get accepted to the University of Washington for next fall. The problem is I really dislike college and want to get started on my career. My dream has always been to be a journalist, but I'm just not sure I have the skills for it.

Most career guidance websites suck and are for-profit, if you know of a good one I'd like to hear it.

What are some good careers that don't require a college education? I was thinking pilot or firefighter, but both have their downsides. Firefighters can't smoke and I do, so I'd have to quit, and they see brains splattered on the highway. Pilots are held back without college, and it seems only those with a strong dedication to aviation become successful. I like the idea of flying but can't call myself an enthusiast.

Any other ideas would be appreciated. A key to my choice is a job I can respect. I wouldn't mind ideas for technical college programs either.

 

[upsciLLion]

Go into wedding photography.

 

[Chaotic42]

Unless you work for a really big paper/station at a decent position, you aren't going to make much money as a journalist.

<---Former radio news director

 

[wfbberzerker]

hmm.... firefighter? pilot? FIGHTER PILOT!

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: chrisms
what could I do without college.

Pump gas? Sling hash? Work for the Bush administration? *Ba-zing!*

 

[chrisms]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Unless you work for a really big paper/station at a decent position, you aren't going to make much money as a journalist.

<---Former radio news director

Money isn't a concern to me. The thing that pisses me off about college is it's full of people who want to get the highest salary they can in a deskjob career of shuffling paperwork.

 

[bradruth]

Originally posted by: chrisms

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Unless you work for a really big paper/station at a decent position, you aren't going to make much money as a journalist.

<---Former radio news director

Money isn't a concern to me. The thing that pisses me off about college is it's full of people who want to get the highest salary they can in a deskjob career of shuffling paperwork.

I'm in college and I won't be working behind a desk anytime soon, nor will I have what is considered a "high" salary.

 

[chrisms]

You are the exception

 

[Siva]

Do you have any interests or areas of expertice? Apply to a temp agency if you have absolutely no ideas. You need to start with more than just a desire for some sort of career. Why are you even going to college if you don't know what you're going to do with it? You must have to pick a major for University of Washington.

 

[Colt45]

You could have it your way at burger king.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: chrisms
Money isn't a concern to me. The thing that pisses me off about college is it's full of people who want to get the highest salary they can in a deskjob career of shuffling paperwork.

I was the highest paid on air person at the radio station when I worked there. I now make more than 33% more than that, and I could still only barely afford to live by myself. Even in small towns, you need to be making ~$18-20/hr, which probably isn't going to happen.

I'm not trying to discourage you at all, I'm just giving you some of my experiences.

 

[SpunkyJones]

Originally posted by: chrisms

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Unless you work for a really big paper/station at a decent position, you aren't going to make much money as a journalist.

<---Former radio news director

Money isn't a concern to me. The thing that pisses me off about college is it's full of people who want to get the highest salary they can in a deskjob career of shuffling paperwork.

Ignore those idiots and work toward your goal of journalism. There's no reason to let them bother you. You'll be better served doing some thing you want than spend your life working a filler career.

 

[StageLeft]

Pretty much you have two choices:

1) Suck it up and go to college now, then have a decent chance at a career.
2) Take the lazy way out now and have a minimal chance at a good career.

It's an indisputable not-worth-arguing fact that people with degrees have far more options open to them. You don't like school? Tough sh*t. I didn't either. I put my four years in (which, by the way were actually fun, not including the school part), and now I'm incomporably beyond where I'd be if I wussed out because I was lazy. And that's really what it's all about: laziness. I dislike school more than most people I know but without it I'd have been crap.

Look at you already you're trying to think of career paths that don't require a degree. You're willing to pigeon hole your entire future simply to shave off a few years now?

I don't mean this personally but not going to college because a person doesn't like it,a nd then taking some other lame career path that doesn't require college is a loser thing to do. For every ten people who said college was a waste of time for them nine will say they're glad they did it. So Bill Gates doesn't have a degree. Neither does the bum begging for cash on the side of the road or the people working cashier at walmart. Look at the stats and you'll realize that without a degree you're seriously closing some doors on your future.

Ignore those idiots and work toward your goal of journalism. There's no reason to let them bother you. You'll be better served doing some thing you want than spend your life working a filler career.

"Hi, time magazine, can I be a journalist? Oh, you want to know where I went to school? Well, I don't have a degree. I hated school. Oh, you're not interested? OK, bye " If his dream is journalism he sure as sh*t needs to get a degree.

Why is it that younger people are more encouraging to take the non-degree course than older? It's not because older have lost their will to live and are slaves under the boot of The Man. Older people realize that the romantic view of making $12/hour for the rest of your life doing "something you love" is not reality. That money sucks, and it's hard to love anything that can't afford you more than an 89 honda civic.

 

[Valhalla1]

professional gambler

 

[SpunkyJones]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Pretty much you have two choices:

1) Suck it up and go to college now, then have a decent chance at a career.
2) Take the lazy way out now and have a minimal chance at a good career.

It's an indisputable not-worth-arguing fact that people with degrees have far more options open to them. You don't like school? Tough sh*t. I didn't either. I put my four years in (which, by the way were actually fun, not including the school part), and now I'm incomporably beyond where I'd be if I wussed out because I was lazy. And that's really what it's all about: laziness. I dislike school more than most people I know but without it I'd have been crap.

Look at you already you're trying to think of career paths that don't require a degree. You're willing to pigeon hole your entire future simply to shave off a few years now?

I don't mean this personally but not going to college because a person doesn't like it,a nd then taking some other lame career path that doesn't require college is a loser thing to do. For every ten people who said college was a waste of time for them nine will say they're glad they did it. So Bill Gates doesn't have a degree. Neither does the bum begging for cash on the side of the road or the people working cashier at walmart. Look at the stats and you'll realize that without a degree you're seriously closing some doors on your future.

Ignore those idiots and work toward your goal of journalism. There's no reason to let them bother you. You'll be better served doing some thing you want than spend your life working a filler career.

"Hi, time magazine, can I be a journalist? Oh, you want to know where I went to school? Well, I don't have a degree. I hated school. Oh, you're not interested? OK, bye " If his dream is journalism he sure as sh*t needs to get a degree.

Why is it that younger people are more encouraging to take the non-degree course than older? It's not because older have lost their will to live and are slaves under the boot of The Man. Older people realize that the romantic view of making $12/hour for the rest of your life doing "something you love" is not reality. That money sucks, and it's hard to love anything that can't afford you more than an 89 honda civic.

I actually meant ignore the idiots at the college, suck it up, & get the degree.

 

[Stumps]

work as a computer technican for a chinese owned computer retailer, and get jacked up the butt every day by your boss...oh wait, thats me!

 

[Skyclad1uhm1]

Would require some other talents...

 

[J0hnny]

Hey, go to a 2 year technical school. Become a qualified, overpaid, specialist. You can be a welder, auto mechanic, plumber, any trade union type jobs.

 

[Jack Ryan]

Electric Lineman, they can make 6 figures w/OT and only need high school.

 

[Semidevil]

I figure since you are in community college, you are already halfway done w/ your school career right? if so, why stop now..........


if you feel that some of the responses were rather strong on you........dont take it personally. We are just trying to watch out for a fellow atot-er. I think 99.9% of us will agree that if you quit school now, you really will regret it later, so seriously consider school, unless you have circumstances that dont let you....

usually, when people post a question on atot, they already have the answer in their head, and just want atot to confirm....I hope your answer is to stay in school, and not drop out and try to find a job.

good luck, and if you need someone to talk to, let me know....

 

[NuclearNed]

I can't believe nobody has said "Fluffer" yet.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: chrisms

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
Unless you work for a really big paper/station at a decent position, you aren't going to make much money as a journalist.

<---Former radio news director

Money isn't a concern to me. The thing that pisses me off about college is it's full of people who want to get the highest salary they can in a deskjob career of shuffling paperwork.

Well, I don't know your background, but there's nothing wrong with wanting a good career. What IS wrong, IMO, is people spending years in a discipline they hate solely because they think it'll be a good career or because their parents told them it was a sure path.

College is the next step in higher education, but for most people an undergraduate degree IS the last step for them, and it's simply become a more common asset in the business world. I wouldn't avoid college just because more people are pursuing a four-year degree for career reasons.

 

[Orsorum]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Pretty much you have two choices:

1) Suck it up and go to college now, then have a decent chance at a career.
2) Take the lazy way out now and have a minimal chance at a good career.

It's an indisputable not-worth-arguing fact that people with degrees have far more options open to them. You don't like school? Tough sh*t. I didn't either. I put my four years in (which, by the way were actually fun, not including the school part), and now I'm incomporably beyond where I'd be if I wussed out because I was lazy. And that's really what it's all about: laziness. I dislike school more than most people I know but without it I'd have been crap.

Look at you already you're trying to think of career paths that don't require a degree. You're willing to pigeon hole your entire future simply to shave off a few years now?

I don't mean this personally but not going to college because a person doesn't like it,a nd then taking some other lame career path that doesn't require college is a loser thing to do. For every ten people who said college was a waste of time for them nine will say they're glad they did it. So Bill Gates doesn't have a degree. Neither does the bum begging for cash on the side of the road or the people working cashier at walmart. Look at the stats and you'll realize that without a degree you're seriously closing some doors on your future.

Ignore those idiots and work toward your goal of journalism. There's no reason to let them bother you. You'll be better served doing some thing you want than spend your life working a filler career.

"Hi, time magazine, can I be a journalist? Oh, you want to know where I went to school? Well, I don't have a degree. I hated school. Oh, you're not interested? OK, bye " If his dream is journalism he sure as sh*t needs to get a degree.

Why is it that younger people are more encouraging to take the non-degree course than older? It's not because older have lost their will to live and are slaves under the boot of The Man. Older people realize that the romantic view of making $12/hour for the rest of your life doing "something you love" is not reality. That money sucks, and it's hard to love anything that can't afford you more than an 89 honda civic.

:thumbsup: Thanks Skoorb for saying what I was going to say. Now I don't have to say it!

 

[SilentVixen]

Not sure about your stance on Union and what not, but my dad has worked all his life as a union worker. You could look into a job like that at a factory or something like that.

 

[chrisms]

Goddamnit you're right. My brother was telling me community college sucks like that and when I get to University I'll like it. Even if I don't I guess I have to go. I looked into technical college but the problem is the credits I've already worked towards wouldn't transfer, and so I'd end up spending about 3 years in college anyways for a technical degree.

Thanks for the advice.