Help me think of a "career track"

[nonameo]

OK, well I currently am in school and working at a big box retailer. I don't want to do this forever, but I don't really know what careers would work well for me. I I don't really have any burning passions, so I feel kind of lost.

1. I don't need to make super $$$ moolah, but if I could make 30k or better in a small/med town with low cost of living, that would be fine.

2. I don't fall for the salaried 60 hours a week bullcrap. IOW, 40 hour work weeks.

3. reasonably low stress levels are important to me.

4. I want to be able to use ALL of my vacation without people pissing and moaning, and I want enough vacation time(at least eventually) to actually go on vacation.

5. of course, needs to have health benefits and the like.

6. If it requires a degree or not matters not to me. But I need to know what kind of degree I should pursue to get a job like this.

7. Oh yeah, I'd like to have stuff to do so the day doesn't crawl by.

So, where can I find this? Do I have unreasonable expectations?

 

[BrownTown]

As for your statement on the money you would like to make, $30,000/yr doesn't go very far at all. Even with a 2 yr degree you can do much better then that. A little more work now can make your life much easier later on.

 

[xSauronx]

do what you love if you really dont care that much about money. if you dont know what you love, start trying things to figure it out.

 

[SludgeFactory]

government job

 

[TruePaige]

Originally posted by: BrownTown
As for your statement on the money you would like to make, $30,000/yr doesn't go very far at all. Even with a 2 yr degree you can do much better then that. A little more work now can make your life much easier later on.

30,000 a year goes pretty far in some markets...

Where do you live?

If you look at some real numbers, a whole lot of the country doesn't make more than 40k.

 

[Slew Foot]

Nurse

 

[nonameo]

Originally posted by: Slew Foot
Nurse

I have thought of this, but pretty much everything in medical (save a few positions) would be high stress. I've thought about doing something like dietitian though.

 

[aceO07]

You should definitely find out what you like to do. You can do what you enjoy as work or after work. I know a few programmers who are musicians in a band or tutors on the side. They seem to excel at both.

 

[ballmode]

Teacher

 

[TruePaige]

Originally posted by: ballmode
Teacher

High stress...maybe. Depends on your class.

 

[FleshLight]

Miner

 

[pontifex]

figure it out now while you're still in school or get a degree that can get you into different fields.
I'm 28 and can't decide wtf I want to do as a career.

 

[BrownTown]

Originally posted by: TruePaige

Originally posted by: BrownTown
As for your statement on the money you would like to make, $30,000/yr doesn't go very far at all. Even with a 2 yr degree you can do much better then that. A little more work now can make your life much easier later on.

30,000 a year goes pretty far in some markets...

Where do you live?

If you look at some real numbers, a whole lot of the country doesn't make more than 40k.

I live in the southeast. Maybe 1 person can live on $30,000, but would have a real problem trying to raise a family on that sort of money (I would never have kids if I only made that much because I couldn't give them the quality of life they deserve).

 

[Glavinsolo]

Teacher, take Vaca during the summer break, I assume they make 30k

Edit:

Ok so you think being a teacher/nurse is too high stress.

How about specialized contractor that takes 3-6month contracts.

It can be stressful if you don't know the work you are doing and different bosses means different attitudes towards timelines.

but it can be very rewarding as far as control over your time. You could essentially take a 3month contract that paid extremely well and live off that money for the next 3 months.

If you are at all creative there are many paths that lead to non-stress, freedom of time.

We are alike in some ways, I have a comp sci degree but find working as a programmer too stressful so I took more of a PM position. I work from home and pace my work to fit into a 40hr work week.

What you want to shoot for is something stable (Vacations + Unstable job = no job at all)

 

[RaistlinZ]

Well, you can start to narrow down possible career choices.

Do you like working face to face with people or would you rather work behind the scenes?

Do you prefer to work inside or outside?

Do you want to travel a lot or work out of one location?

Do you like the income possibilities of a commission based job, or do you prefer a set paycheck every month?

 

[sunzt]

McDonald's Manager

 

[Psynaut]

Chiropracters make good money for the amount of schooling they need. I think it would be boring, but Pharmacists are in demand and make rediculous money for the schooling they need.

 

[nonameo]

Originally posted by: Psynaut
Chiropracters make good money for the amount of schooling they need. I think it would be boring, but Pharmacists are in demand and make rediculous money for the schooling they need.

I have considered pharmacology, but I don't have lots of $$$ to dump into school, so bachelor's degree at a public university is my limit on schooling.

Plus, I don't really know what is involved in that career. Any pharmacists on here?

 

[SampSon]

Originally posted by: sunzt
McDonald's Manager

This should be taken as a serious response. McD's managers are well compensated.

OP, no one on here is going to be able to even begin to provide you with any sort of guidance on what you want to do with your life. If you want ideas on craeer tracks, then pick up your local college catelog or go to a career fair.

No one can tell you how to step through life.

 

[HardcoreRobot]

here's my career:

work, save, work, save, work, save, save, save

retire

 

[CanOWorms]

Originally posted by: nonameo

Originally posted by: Psynaut
Chiropracters make good money for the amount of schooling they need. I think it would be boring, but Pharmacists are in demand and make rediculous money for the schooling they need.

I have considered pharmacology, but I don't have lots of $$$ to dump into school, so bachelor's degree at a public university is my limit on schooling.

Plus, I don't really know what is involved in that career. Any pharmacists on here?

Nobody has the money to dump into school, that's why we all get loans.