I am a SAHM and a part-time paid Sunday school director. I only work 6 hours a week and it's totally flexible. I have school vacations and summers off. It's the PERFECT part time job. I love it.
Post by notoriousmeg on Apr 17, 2019 20:46:41 GMT -5
I sell TV advertising. I like it and am coming up on 20 years. The industry has changed a lot in that time, so I’m not sure what the future holds. I am trying to keep up with the changes and hoping to keep at it as long as I can.
I was in your spot -- 15 years in software QA, no desire to be a project manager (adult babysitter), no desire to be a programmer (ugh, coding). I was lucky to be let go as a contractor (no need for me on the project I was working on, I was easiest to let go).
Did the SAHM thing for the past 4 years, and 2 years ago decided to go back to school for something completely different - Nursing.
I'm about 1/2 way done with my nursing program, but so far I like it. School is tough, but I enjoy clinicals and the time I spend on the floor.
Can you tell me more about this? I would love to be in the medical field but my undergrad is accounting so I don’t even know what I would need to go to nursing school.
It will depend on the schools around you and the hiring market.
But basically, to become a nurse you need an RN license - which you can get with an ADN (usually from a community college) or a BSN (from a 4 year school). If you have a degree, you can go through an Accelerated BSN program (ABSN) which gives you the ability to sit for the NCLEX-RN and also grants you a BSN, but in 18ish months instead of 2-3 years.
Some markets hire exclusively BSN prepared RNs, but many are still hiring ADN/Diploma prepared RNs - provided you agree to get your BSN within x years of hire. Some facilities are ok with ADNs and don't expect you to get a BSN.
Most schools will require prerequisite work, usually consisting of Anatomy & Physiology I/II, Microbiology, Human Lifespan Development, Nutrition and Statistics. Some schools require Chemistry and Medical Terminology, among other courses. And most schools put an expiration date on your science courses - 5 years is pretty common.
I decided to go the ADN route because hospitals in my area still hire ADNs and will pay for you to get your BSN. I took 1 full year of prerequisites before starting my nursing courses (personal preference), so instead of taking 2 years, it's taking me 3 years. But, I would have needed those prerequisites before going to either a traditional BSN program (and transferring in my other non Nursing classes) or an ABSN, so that's a wash. My biggest reason for choosing ADN is cost - it's around $8k total for my degree vs $42k - 50k at the 2 hospital affiliated programs (BSN & ABSN).
The more affordable schools are usually pretty competitive to get in. Most say that their required GPA is 2.5, but you'd be hard pressed to find anyone with a GPA lower than that - most aren't competitive with even a 3.0! My program had 400+ applicants, 300+ had enough 'points' to 'get in', but only the top 90 were offered a spot. Some schools want you to take an exam called the TEAS, and your score on that plays into your acceptance or not as well. Some schools require/strongly recommend you have your CNA license before you apply. It really depends on the school you want to go to. But a strong GPA is key.
I freeze and cut human skin to make pathology slides, specifically skin cancer. I super duper love my job! Before this I did autopsies- I worked for the medical examiner for criminal cases and also worked with a hospital in the surgical path department. I really loved the autopsy job but the county only hires part time, and that didn't work for me, so I had to find full time permanent work elsewhere and I've been working in skin cancer/derm for just over 12 years.
OH! I wanted to do that!! I actually started down the science road 12 years ago because I wanted to apply to Pathologist Assistance school - took Chem 1&2, O-Chem1 and A&P... made it past the first round of applications to get an interview, where they told me in not so many words that I wouldn't ever get in because I hadn't made this my life's choice since I was a fetus... good times.
I’m a nursing professional development specialist.... which is a super fancy way of saying that I’m at a nurse at a hospital, and I work in education. Specifically, I train nurses to work in labor and delivery, maternity, and NICU. I also dabble in a few other random things at the hospital, some of which are not really related to L&D, maternity, or NICU.
I love my job. I was burned out working bedside and it’s a great change of pace for me. When I started undergrad, I was initially an education major. I then changed majors to a health-related track and immediately enrolled in an accelerated nursing program after I graduated, so to me it feels like everything has just come back full circle.
I wish I had gotten to spend more time in L&D, postpartum and the Special Care Nursery. We only got 3 days there, the first day was just orientation and the 2nd & 3rd days I didn't get to see much besides an epidural and getting laboring Moms apple juice (important, but not particularly educational).
I’m an educational consultant — I train teachers and principals in best practice, curriculum, special ed, etc. I absolutely love my job and it was the perfect move for me after I burnt out in school administration. Like others have mentioned, I had no idea this was a job until I got it.
I'm a licensed veterinary technician and assistant manager at a ridiculously busy small animal hospital. I absolutely love it and honestly always knew this is what I wanted to do. Well, at first I wanted to be a veterinarian but in high school I realized I could do all of the fascinating things without the 6 figure SL debt.
The good days are amazing and leave me feeling recharged. The bad days end with me in tears on the drive home (there are a lot of shit people in the world with pets). The pay is well, not great. But in my area it's finally crossing the $20/hr range (it's about damn time!).
While my passion is animal care I've begun to flourish in management. After years of seeing staff treated terribly by management and not having the proper education/training I jumped in and started fixing these issues myself. Our job is hard enough without all that added stress and I had to do something about it. Thankfully when my current manager came on board 4yrs ago he saw something in me and has let me grow in this new position. I will be forever grateful because now I can really mentor new staff.
I am a proposal manager for an industrial construction company (we build large manufacturing plants, power plants, etc.). This is a second career. I fell into this when I took a job as an executive assistant with the company after wanting to get out of restaurant management. They needed someone in this position and offered it to me after a few months.
I really, really like my job. It is essentially project management, which I excel at. I review RFPs, manage our proposal process, and write/compile proposals. I enjoy the routine of it even though no two proposals are the same. My coworkers are great for the most part. I am almost 4 years in and am still fascinated by the plants we build. It's crazy cool to me to see a proposal I helped build and submit turn into a working power plant or manufacturing facility that churns out product.
Every so often, I contemplate leaving to do the same work for another company. I have a potential opportunity to interview with an engineering firm now and am trying to decide if I want to bother with it. In the end, I think it's more likely I'll stay where I am. My boss is fantastic and gives me a lot of autonomy. I feel like I have a lot of job security and am confident that my boss and coworkers appreciate what I do. I am also given a lot of leeway to pursue additional education and have gained certifications in my field, started coursework to advance my knowledge, and will be going back to a national conference this year specifically for people in my field. My boss/company spends a lot of money for me to get better at my job and I really appreciate that.
I freeze and cut human skin to make pathology slides, specifically skin cancer. I super duper love my job! Before this I did autopsies- I worked for the medical examiner for criminal cases and also worked with a hospital in the surgical path department. I really loved the autopsy job but the county only hires part time, and that didn't work for me, so I had to find full time permanent work elsewhere and I've been working in skin cancer/derm for just over 12 years.
Would you mind telling me about the education requirements? I have a BS in Biology and after next year I plan on looking for a new career. I am 100% lost and have no idea what I want to do. I would obviously prefer to not go back to school and would love to find something with just my bachelors. I’m worried I’ll get a masters and still not know what to do. I’m worried I will waste all my time and money because I got my masters in an area that won’t benefit me much.
I have a BS in Anatomic Laboratory Science (fancy way to say I took a ton of biology, chemistry and genetics but no specialized track). The problem I found with getting a job out of college were many medical positions, that weren't nursing, were looking for some kind of certificate or license. You could look into histology, cytology, or med tech programs near you- usually 1-2 year programs that would get you a certificate/license. A Master's or nursing license would be necessary if you wanted to pursue management, usually.
In college I interned with a crime scene unit for a county sheriff office. I did all of the evidence collection, evidence processing and paperwork. One thing I got really interested in during this job was going to the medical examiner after a scene involving a death where I would collect any evidence that needed to go back to the lab for processing. I would be involved in the autopsy without having to do all of the work, which was nice at that time but I found I was really interested in that role after school. Unfortunately when I graduated, the law enforcement field was crumbling in my state and officers were being cross trained into different roles, so the field was saturated and hard to find a job if you weren't already in the field.
The hospital job I had was named pathology assistant- I went around the hospital and collected all of the surgical specimens from each department then logged them into the computer and divided the work between 3 Pathologists' Assistants. They accessioned the tissue and put it in blocks that had to be run through a processor to make wax blocks for histology- I would load and run the processors. I would also assist the Pathologist during an autopsy - in the hospital there are not many autopsies, so I maybe did 8 a year here. I was also overqualified for this job, but it paid appropriately for my degree/experience.
My current job is in a Mohs clinic. I make frozen sections of tissue taken from anywhere on the body and process them for the physician to read at the microscope. This job was all on the job training, and I am actually over qualified with my Bachelors. But, it pays well and it really interesting even though it is repetitive. If I could do it again, I would get my certificate in histology and probably work in a hospital.
I'm an in-house (but work at home) translator for an international translation company. I love it. I get to do stimulating work, learn new things on a wide variety of subjects and don't have to directly deal with clients. It's a really cutthroat and constantly evolving industry so I'm super happy to be in-house and to benefit from training and development opportunities while still WAH and being a hermit. Sometimes I miss the flexibility of freelancing, but when I get nostalgic I just remind myself about my steady paycheck and not having to send payment reminder letters lol. Eta: somehow in the last year or so I've become the renewable energies expert on the team and it's been really cool translating/proofreading work on hundreds of different types of initiatives and learning the cost/benefits/risks/science of each.
Would you mind telling me about the education requirements? I have a BS in Biology and after next year I plan on looking for a new career. I am 100% lost and have no idea what I want to do. I would obviously prefer to not go back to school and would love to find something with just my bachelors. I’m worried I’ll get a masters and still not know what to do. I’m worried I will waste all my time and money because I got my masters in an area that won’t benefit me much.
I have a BS in Anatomic Laboratory Science (fancy way to say I took a ton of biology, chemistry and genetics but no specialized track). The problem I found with getting a job out of college were many medical positions, that weren't nursing, were looking for some kind of certificate or license. You could look into histology, cytology, or med tech programs near you- usually 1-2 year programs that would get you a certificate/license. A Master's or nursing license would be necessary if you wanted to pursue management, usually.
In college I interned with a crime scene unit for a county sheriff office. I did all of the evidence collection, evidence processing and paperwork. One thing I got really interested in during this job was going to the medical examiner after a scene involving a death where I would collect any evidence that needed to go back to the lab for processing. I would be involved in the autopsy without having to do all of the work, which was nice at that time but I found I was really interested in that role after school. Unfortunately when I graduated, the law enforcement field was crumbling in my state and officers were being cross trained into different roles, so the field was saturated and hard to find a job if you weren't already in the field.
The hospital job I had was named pathology assistant- I went around the hospital and collected all of the surgical specimens from each department then logged them into the computer and divided the work between 3 Pathologists' Assistants. They accessioned the tissue and put it in blocks that had to be run through a processor to make wax blocks for histology- I would load and run the processors. I would also assist the Pathologist during an autopsy - in the hospital there are not many autopsies, so I maybe did 8 a year here. I was also overqualified for this job, but it paid appropriately for my degree/experience.
My current job is in a Mohs clinic. I make frozen sections of tissue taken from anywhere on the body and process them for the physician to read at the microscope. This job was all on the job training, and I am actually over qualified with my Bachelors. But, it pays well and it really interesting even though it is repetitive. If I could do it again, I would get my certificate in histology and probably work in a hospital.
I am a journalist, and I write for a small, niche trade news website. I cover the wireless industry -- all the technologies and testing that make cellular networks and Wi-Fi work, the companies involved, some of the policy related to it, etc.
I like it a lot, and I WFH with a flexible schedule and decent pay, so it works really well for both me and my family (I am so grateful to WFH when my kids are sick or we have snow days, or right now, on spring break). I learn something new every day, and it is incredibly satisfying to have built up a broad base of technical knowledge in my field and to be able to ask informed questions because of that. There aren't many reporters who cover wireless telecom specifically, and I'm one of the most experienced at this point. I am a jack of all trades because the company I work for is very, very small and runs close to the bone -- I write multiple stories a day, I edit others' work, and I do multimedia coverage at trade shows, including shooting and simple edits to my own video before posting it online. I write long-form special reports where I go in-depth on a specific topic, host webinars and moderate panels at industry events.
I started off in newspapers, got my masters in journalism and had planned to focus on science & environment writing, but at the time I was looking for a job, a FT in-office job with this publication (which was print at the time, but is now online-only) was what was available. I knew pretty much zero about the industry and it is a steep, steep learning curve, but I truly love going into the weeds on technical topics until I understand them, as much as someone who is a non-engineer/non-computer scientist can. I'm never going to be a "change the world" journalist, and I'm okay with that. I like being a business/tech writer -- the schedule and the emotional demands are a lot easier to deal with than my newspaper job, for sure. The industry has changed radically since I started, and I've survived and managed to always be employed when I want to be, at a living wage -- and that's not easy to come by in journalism these days.
I majored in journalism, but like circa1978, I moved to marketing for skill development and a more stable career, lol.
I manage clients and their strategy at a digital marketing agency. I like it. There are some frustrating parts, it *could* be more lucrative (mostly that's on me for not moving up into larger companies - I work for a small agency that is family-owned). Agency life isn't really known for work-life balance, so I'm lucky in that respect, because my company is big on that. I and a few other people who are more client-facing will often stay latish (we technically are done at 5, but I'm often here until 5:30/6), but that's nothing. My company has a policy of not checking email, etc on weekends or vacation, and their mat leave policy is cool - you can take your 12 weeks of FMLA, then work at home 50% of the time (with your baby) for a year. So while I don't love everything about my current company (which mostly has to do with the quality of work of a few of my coworkers), I'm not looking to move on anytime soon because I have it pretty good.
I like working with so many different companies and industries. There are a few clients who, if I had to work for them full time in house, I'd be bored to tears, but I don't mind working on their accounts or strategy. I work with companies of different sizes and set ups and my contacts are different people with somewhat different goals (although everyone wants more leads so they can get more sales, full stop). I've learned new things about niche industries/companies. Never a dull day, really!
Originally I majored in journalism because I love writing and research, and figured it was more of a career path than a creative writing major could offer. I used to work in content writing/development and social media full time before moving to a more client-facing and strategic role. I don't get to do as much writing these days and I miss it. I also have an MA in US history and considered doing a PhD and teaching college. Not sure if I would have actually liked it. There are times I wish I went into something with more of a defined skill/career path, like medicine, law, a skilled trade. People who train for one type of job, you know? And there are a set number of jobs they can take, sure, but also a small pool of people who can fill them. But I don't think I'd like medicine OR law. I like creativity, but I also like a 9-5 office environment with defined structure.
Software developer. I like it! It can be stressful at times and I am constantly plagued by “imposter syndrome” (I don’t belong in this career, what am I doing, how come I don’t understand this, any moment now everyone is going to realize I’m a fraud..) but overall I find the work to be generally interesting and challenging in a good way.
Also I like that I can make decent money to just sit all day and I rarely need to talk to people
This is exactly me. I'm a computer programmer analyst/software developer and feel the exact same way with the 'imposter syndrome'. Also, that I don't fit the typical programmer stereotype and when someone asks what I do I get the "oh, wow, I never would've guessed" response.
Post by wesleycrusher on Apr 18, 2019 8:49:17 GMT -5
I am psychiatric RN in a large hospital-affiliated outpatient office, specifically for anxiety/mood disorders. I have worked in psychiatry my entire nursing career. I like the work I do- the patients, the coworkers, the doctors, the schedule (I usually work 9:30-4:30 4 days/week). But it doesn't pay well at all.
I am in technology and I love it. I focus on competitive analysis but also have a QA background with a performance testing speciality. I get paid a lot to do the work but I also don’t get promoted like the men and have had correction raises in the past due to guys making more than me. The gender stuff with the tech bros is the worst part.
I'm a labor & delivery nurse. Going on 17 years now and I'm getting burned out. It's very stressful at times but of course it can be wonderful. It's really discouraging that everything comes down to the patient's perception of their care and not their actual care. "I'm sorry I didn't get your ice chips fast enough Mrs. Doe but I was busy saving your baby's life."
Patients are getting more and more anxious and the families...don't get me started on that. It gets old defending my education against Dr. Google.
At some point I'll go to the clinic and leave the bedside. Not quite ready for that yet.
Post by sparkythelawyer on Apr 18, 2019 9:17:31 GMT -5
I'm a lawyer for a manufacturing company. I'm the sole lawyer for the entire US, so there are ups and downs. I LOVE that I get to deal with all sorts of different areas of law, to learn new things every day, to be a lawyer with just one client, and to help my company achieve all the things they are trying to do. It has helped me learn that I am actually a decent lawyer.
The downside is that when you are the sole lawyer, there is nobody to bounce ideas off of or to double check your line of thinking on something that doesn't result in a bill. Also, learning new things means that you get a slew of stuff thrown at you that is a bit "Oh, whelp. I know not one damned thing about that." that you have to teach yourself on the fly.
Software developer. I like it! It can be stressful at times and I am constantly plagued by “imposter syndrome” (I don’t belong in this career, what am I doing, how come I don’t understand this, any moment now everyone is going to realize I’m a fraud..) but overall I find the work to be generally interesting and challenging in a good way.
Also I like that I can make decent money to just sit all day and I rarely need to talk to people
This is exactly me. I'm a computer programmer analyst/software developer and feel the exact same way with the 'imposter syndrome'. Also, that I don't fit the typical programmer stereotype and when someone asks what I do I get the "oh, wow, I never would've guessed" response.
Yeah I don’t think I seem like a typical programmer either
The last person I told I got a new job and now work for xyz bank she said “as a teller?” Which I thought was a strange first guess but maybe it’s just that that’s a common bank job. Sometimes I guess I tend to bristle at these things because i feel like because I’m a woman people assume I won’t have a more skilled job or something .. but it’s probably not always anything to do with me being a women.
However I do feel if my H said he just got a job at a bank people would be less likely to say “oh as a teller?”
I work in telecommunications. Specifically I file paperwork with the FCC for call signs/microwave frequencies and deal with communication tower registrations.
It's fine, I don't hate it. It's pretty repetitive but I'm good at it, I'm usually the top biller every month. I work from home full time, theres a lot of flexibility and I have a kid with a lot of issues so it's nice to have that flexibility for his doctors appointments and school issues etc. I'll probably never leave this job at least until DS is in high school, but even then I'm getting a DC area salary and I live in Michigan so...
This is exactly me. I'm a computer programmer analyst/software developer and feel the exact same way with the 'imposter syndrome'. Also, that I don't fit the typical programmer stereotype and when someone asks what I do I get the "oh, wow, I never would've guessed" response.
Yeah I don’t think I seem like a typical programmer either
The last person I told I got a new job and now work for xyz bank she said “as a teller?” Which I thought was a strange first guess but maybe it’s just that that’s a common bank job. Sometimes I guess I tend to bristle at these things because i feel like because I’m a woman people assume I won’t have a more skilled job or something .. but it’s probably not always anything to do with me being a women.
However I do feel if my H said he just got a job at a bank people would be less likely to say “oh as a teller?”
Well typical programmers aren't female so yeah... we aren't typical.
Post by PennyCandy on Apr 18, 2019 11:39:21 GMT -5
I'm a public health nurse in immunizations. I do a lot of clinics and outreach with child care centers, providers, and schools along with other misc. projects that come my way. I like it. It's something I'm passionate about. The agency is pretty family friendly. I can't see myself ever going back to 12 hour shifts and working weekends and holidays especially with two small children. As far as nursing goes, it's pretty cushy, but the pay and benefits are just ok. Prior to this I was a school nurse and we couldn't survive off of that salary. Prior to that I had BS in biology I was doing nothing with and going from entry level job to entry level job making peanuts.
I'm an interior designer, self employed. I also have a small retail business (pop up concept market stalls in larger retail stores, venues and events). I love what I do now; I left the corporate/retail career behind and started from scratch in a new place so that was an evolution.
My H invested in a bar; I have suddenly found myself there most nights telling people what to do, which I also love to do, and now I'm starting to do some contract work in restaurant/bar design. It turns out I'm a killer bartender and am fascinated with cocktail science.
Basically I make my own hours, am home when my kid is home, and am fulfilling myself creatively and socially at work every day. It's pretty good. I have other issues impeding my overall happiness lol, work just isn't one of them.
Post by mrsukyankee on Apr 18, 2019 11:49:14 GMT -5
I'm a psychotherapist trained in CBT and ACT. I used to be a school counsellor in private schools but now I work at a university in their counselling centre a few times a week for a few hours, at a girl's private school (ages 10-18) as an in-school psychotherapist (instead of referring out they refer in) and I have a private practice where I work with young adults for the most part. I love what I do as I have lots of time to do other things as well as my work which is amazing. I feel like I help young people make sense of their lives and help them develop better coping skills. I don't like that I have to work nights at least 2x a week but it's part of the job.
I am an operations manager in a customer service setting for a large healthcare company. Is this a dream job? No, but I do enjoy it most days and the benefits and pay are pretty darn good. I spend my time working on projects and strategic initiatives (sometimes outside of my lane, so I can learn more) while also getting to spend a good chunk of time on development of my team. That is what I get the most fulfillment out of, seeing someone develop the skills to do something better, move to the next level, work a project they couldn't do last year, and being able to help with that in some way. I also have to put out fires sometimes which is the suckier part of the job. I have only worked for two places in the last 10 years, and I have been very targeted about the intentional culture of a company I will work with. Enjoying the people I work around is the biggest plus for me.
I always love hearing about jobs that I never knew existed. As my two kids enter college it is also comforting to realize that there are SO MANY ways to make a nice, productive living.
I’ve had a very unconventional career path and I grapple a lot with the What Comes Next question. But I have to remind myself that my current job didn’t even exist when I went to college and my next job might not exist at the moment either.
I was at a conference last month and one of the speakers made this very point. Gives pause for sure!
Post by amandakisser on Apr 18, 2019 13:43:48 GMT -5
I work as an email consultant for a nationwide pharmaceutical retailer. I absolutely love my job - the actual ins and outs of my job are pretty repetitive and I do get bored, but it also gives me the chance to take on other projects and professional development courses during down times. I've worked in email marketing for about 8 years, but only in retail for the past 9 months. So I'm also learning retail marketing, how inventory and sales work alongside it, and understanding the different types of services my company provides.
I am extremely calm and patient in stressful situations, which works well in my role because many of my internal business partners are...not good at planning/project management, so I often am the one who needs to pick up the slack. I also love working on multiple projects at once and managing multiple deadlines, as well as process improvement, so I get to flex those muscles as well. I also am currently working for the best boss I've ever had, and I get to work from home as needed and can basically do my job from anywhere.
Post by simpsongal on Apr 18, 2019 18:46:29 GMT -5
I’m a procurement and fiscal law attorney (govt side). I manage a team of attorneys. I like the practice area and transactional work, jury is still out on whether I like managing.... Hours, pay, and most coworkers are good too.
I'm a 5th-grade teacher. Most of the time I love it. Today I feel beaten down. It comes with the job, but there are some aspects that make it hard to find the joy.
That, and with testing and the politics of contract negotiations letting me know that we and our students are set up to fail.