Spinoff: Did you see yourself in the job you have now?

plainjane0415

Kind of a spin off from the do you like your job thread, looking back, did you predict that your job now is what you would be doing today?  I can honestly say that when I graduated college I wouldn't have thought that I would be doing what I'm doing now. I really expected to be using my degree more so in the financial analysis realm or banking realm, but now I'm in insurance. That's mostly because banking jobs in a small town are extremely hard to come by, but I don't know, I just saw myself doing something totally different. What about you?

lyndausvi

Fuck no.

I didn't see myself in my favorite job either.  Damn I miss that boat.

But this job gives me a great quality of life.  Which is so important.  This job allows me to do the fun stuff like RVing, hiking, skiing, traveling.

mikenberger

I have a history degree. The work I'm doing and have been for the last 3 years is software QA... 

Definitely not in the same career path.

anrforanr

I graduated a year ago, and had no idea what I wanted to do. Still don't. But never saw myself doing what I'm doing.

However, I think I am realizing I want to go into event planning of some sort. Whether it's working for an event planning company, being an event coordinator at a venue/museum/etc, or something else with event planning, I think that's what I want to do.

Maggie0829

Not at all.  I don't know what I really ever saw myself doing because I was too busy wishing that I didn't have to work at all.  I got my job because my Dad knew someone who knew someone.  Yeah I am one of those people.  And truthfully at this point I think my Business degree with a concentration in marketing is probably way out of date.  I mean when I graduated college FB was just getting to be a big thing so I am sure the way I was taught about marketing has completely changed.  But I don't use my degree anyways.  I just got a degree because I knew that it would look better then not having one on my resume.

NowIAmSyp

I graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice, and ended up in hospitality & event planning, lol!

Quite the jump- but I love it.

flutteringinfl

Growing up, I never had this one thing that I really wanted to do, except I always wanted to write. I got a degree in creative writing, and from day one I knew the chances of me making a living as a writer, especially right after graduation, were slim. I think for awhile I really saw myself working in publishing, until I realized that is an incredibly difficult field to get into, and after that I thought I wanted to go into Art History and be a professor. But right after college I decided instead that I wanted to pursue my MFA, and I became very flexible regarding what kind of job I wanted and where I would live. I sent out resumes to lots of different places for different kinds of jobs I thought I would be qualified for, and ended up getting a job running a Writing Center at a college in Florida, which was at the time clear across the country from me. I've now worked full time in higher education for five years.

thisismynickname2

I wanted to be an on-air reporter. Nope, didn't happen!

But I feel like my current work is meaningful so it's all good. 

Edit: spelling

littlepep

In school I really wanted to do journalism, but by the time I went to grad school, I knew I wanted to switch to marketing. 

In all honesty, this job is my dream job. It's everything I wanted in a job and a company so I consider myself very lucky. 

anrforanr

soontobesyp said:

I graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice, and ended up in hospitality & event planning, lol!

Quite the jump- but I love it.

I'd love to pick your brain about your career, if you'd be willing!

lovegood90

Definitely not!

I went for a degree in English, thinking I'd be the next J.K Rowling or a high powered lawyer or some shit (yeah I was pretty naïve).

Lo and behold I work in finance. I do enjoy it though, and I don't think I would feel secure going down the writing/journalism route because job security/pay isn't as great. And I didn't end up pursuing law because I just couldn't picture myself being in school right away for another 4 years.  

It would be nice to get back into writing as a hobby though.

flbride2015

Definitely not. I didn't think I would ever be "good enough" to be hired by my company. I always assumed they only hired Harvard grads or something like that. I still feel lIke I fooled them somehow into hiring me. Lol.

On a side note, these threads have been good for me though. Seeing people talk about the plus sides of the jobs they hate has definitely prompted me to try and change my perspective a bit.

LadyMillil

I wanted to be a medical doctor before going to university. Once I got there I started to question if that was what I wanted to do because I really liked lab research. I'm getting a PhD in medical research and am hoping to get a scientist job when I graduate. If I had known that scientist was an actual job before going to university I probably wouldn't have considered being a physician. 

plainjane0415

flbride2015 said:

Definitely not. I didn't think I would ever be "good enough" to be hired by my company. I always assumed they only hired Harvard grads or something like that. I still feel lIke I fooled them somehow into hiring me. Lol.

On a side note, these threads have been good for me though. Seeing people talk about the plus sides of the jobs they hate has definitely prompted me to try and change my perspective a bit.

I totally agree here!

NowIAmSyp

anrforanr said:

soontobesyp said:

I graduated with a degree in Criminal Justice, and ended up in hospitality & event planning, lol!

Quite the jump- but I love it.

I'd love to pick your brain about your career, if you'd be willing!

anrforanr   shoot me a PM anytime!

AlexisA01

I actually went to school to study design for fashion and interior decorating. But because I went to a college and graduated in an early college for gifted minors program, I wasn't able to do much. I did dabble in science and math classes but I decided to go into a program that I wouldn't have an issue getting in. So I applied to medical school after passing my tests and then that is how I ended up in the career program.

kvruns

I don't think I really now that compliance/regulatory affairs work even existed so I certainly didn't see myself in it. 

I always hoped I'd end up in a sports marketing type of job or at least in a marketing position.  Fell into compliance work and here I am.

emmaaa

In high school I wanted to teach high school history, so I would have never thought I'd be in the job I am now. But I changed my major half way through college to Recreation and Parks Management concentrated in Community Programs and Special Events. 

I currently work for a town as the Senior Programs and Special Events Coordinator so I would say that I'm exactly where I wanted to be less than two years out from graduation.However, it's not where I want to stay.

wandajune6

Not really. I was doing similar work and loved it until the company was sold. I hated the parent company and the next job I had and started to think I hated healthcare. I went to grad school so I could avoid dealing with any of this crap again.

I spent a year applying for competitive MBA programs and spent 2 years working towards a consumer marketing degree. I got the dream internship then the dream job. I hated both. When an old boss started a company, I reached out and begged for a job (My version of the story. She claims that she hounded me until I agreed to work for her. Regardless, it works).

Now I'm back to doing what I did before grad school but I came in earlier. It's everything I loved about the old company but nothing like what I went to grad school for. However, I would never have the title, responsibility, or power that I have now without the university degree.

ShesSoCold

I've never had a dream job. Except maybe a mattress tester. Or a Jimmy Buffett backup singer. I played "office" as a kid and always pictured myself in an office environment, so I guess kinda. I never went to college because I didn't want to spend my time and money when I didn't have an end goal or career in mind. Still don't. My career goal is to be a stay at home dog mom. 

Jells2dot0

I interned in college for the company I am currently employed with. So, I have been here for my entire career. I set a goal for myself way back when (14 years ago. GULP!) and I have been making progress toward that goal every year that passes. When I start my new job in June, I'm one step closer, as I will have partially achieved my goal by joining a specific line of business within the company. Realistically, it will take another 10-15 years to reach my goal, just because it takes that long to reach that job title within the company.

Cookie Pusher

I am in the exact field I wanted to be in when I was in college. I'm not doing the exact thing I thought I would be doing, but I have the career trajectory that I had wanted - to be running the show by the time I'm 45.

southernbelle0915

Nope. I didn't have very much direction in college, TBH. I wound up in health care after a friend turned me on to her company. I've just grown in the career path from there. 

It fits my ENTJ personality, but I do have a creative side that I don't get use very often. I channel that at home via house projects, gardening, DIYing stuff and cooking. It works out.

amelisha

I wanted to do translation, but getting something full-time and not just piecemeal freelance stuff is pretty tough where I'm from so I honestly didn't really even look for it when the time came to get a job. So I guess the answer is no, but I'm happy with what I ended up doing.

thespeshulestsnowflake

No I did not. Growing up I jumped around with "what I wanted to do when I grew up." I ended up with degrees in marketing and international business. I am now in market research. I hated my market research classes in college, so I did not think I would end up in it. I do like, but it is not my dream job. But I know there is a chance for my dream job.

cupcait927

I majored in English & Textual Studies and Political Science in college. I had dreams that I was goign to be a lawyer some day and make bank. By my senior of college I was so burnt out on school that, like @lovegood90, I couldn't imagine continuing for another 3, 4, or 5 years. Plus I was already massively in debt and couldn't stomach adding on anymore. I figured I'd take a break and go back in a few years.

7 years later, I'm working for a health and life insurance broker. Totally NOT what I expected to be doing. I only ended up on this path because I was broke a year after college graduation and desperate for a full time job. I had worked on a state senate race and ended up unemployed after our candidate lost. I didn't want to keep doing that work because you never knew when you could be out of a job, plus the pay sucked, even though I loved doing it. A friend of mine worked at an insurance broker who was hiring for entry level positions and I've been in this field ever since. Luckily, I love my current job and I'm quite good at it, just got promoted, and my pay and benefits are pretty great. I have job security, our bills are paid and we have plenty of fun money leftover every month.

 

H went to school for history and ended up working for the local bank. He's now a personal banker working on getting his CFP certification. So neither of us is doing anything with our degrees and paying LOTS every month in student loans.

kvruns

cupcait927 said:

7 years later, I'm working for a health and life insurance broker. Totally NOT what I expected to be doing. I only ended up on this path because I was broke a year after college graduation and desperate for a full time job. I had worked on a state senate race and ended up unemployed after our candidate lost. I didn't want to keep doing that work because you never knew when you could be out of a job, plus the pay sucked, even though I loved doing it. A friend of mine worked at an insurance broker who was hiring for entry level positions and I've been in this field ever since. Luckily, I love my current job and I'm quite good at it, just got promoted, and my pay and benefits are pretty great. I have job security, our bills are paid and we have plenty of fun money leftover every month.

me too! what kind of stuff do you do there?  I do compliance work so answering legal questions, ACA stuff, required reporting, client education, etc.

NowIamMrsKlein

I went to college for theatre arts. I always knew going into acting, no matter what I would need a 'real job' to pay the bills. After 2 years of college I knew that it wasn't for me so I took a year course in Arts Administration.

Sadly I could never find a job in the field but my administration training allowed me to get a decent job.

So no, initially when I was a fresh faced young thang, I never saw myself in Administration but knew I would probably have some sort of side job to pay the bills.

But that being said, while this route may not have been one I thought I would take (a desk job! Blah!), it has afforded me the work-life balance that I always craved. I am off at 4:30 every day. I never work weekends or overtime. I get paid above average and get 3 weeks of holidays a year + 6 personal days and great health benefits. So while this may not have been what I envisioned, I love what it has afford me. I can't see myself going back to school or anything. 

southernbelle0915

kvruns said:

cupcait927 said:

7 years later, I'm working for a health and life insurance broker. Totally NOT what I expected to be doing. I only ended up on this path because I was broke a year after college graduation and desperate for a full time job. I had worked on a state senate race and ended up unemployed after our candidate lost. I didn't want to keep doing that work because you never knew when you could be out of a job, plus the pay sucked, even though I loved doing it. A friend of mine worked at an insurance broker who was hiring for entry level positions and I've been in this field ever since. Luckily, I love my current job and I'm quite good at it, just got promoted, and my pay and benefits are pretty great. I have job security, our bills are paid and we have plenty of fun money leftover every month.

me too! what kind of stuff do you do there?  I do compliance work so answering legal questions, ACA stuff, required reporting, client education, etc.

I do health care compliance, too! 

knottie9c5ed33df4bbd226

Nope. I got my BA in history thinking I wanted to be a lawyer and then bombed the LSAT twice and thought, hmm ok what do I do now. Some experience in college made me lean towards higher education and so I went to get my Masters and then after 2 years of applying to ALL local colleges and universities, I got a job in Residence Life. I lasted 3 months and hated it which led me to my current job, which is something I never thought I would be doing (recruiting truck drivers). 

mklam

No way! I studied politics in college and got a job in finance at a Wealth Management firm. On my way to becoming a full financial planner now. I absolutely love my job, no doubt, but did I see myself here when I was a freshman? NOPE.