Career Choice

[theapprentice]

Guys I am totally lost on picking a major in college. I mean I dont have any specific talents or intrests. I've taken a few personality and career tests but it hasn't helped much at all. I mean I sit here uterly confused from my mind saying that I want to do law, to engineering to being a Jet fighter pilot to a Cia intel analist.

I mean sh*t I have no idea. Sometimes the prospect of having money mean alot and sometimes it doesnt matter at all.

Its wierd.

 

[Rata Blanca]

I'm still deciding where I want to study. But at least I now know what I want to study !
I didn't knew what to study...I thought I should be a doctor or something or anything that gets me a lot of money but then I started to look in myself...what did I actually like...and I remembered the feeling of cooking a dessert and giving it as a gift and I simpled loved it, so I wanted gastronomy then. But Gastronomy is too expensive here on Mexico so I'll start with nutrition, get some money and perhaps go for gastronomy then
Just look at the things you enjoy doing after all, you must choose what do you want to do for 40 years...

 

[theapprentice]

I know

I know, thats the scary thought, but going into law would make me so much money but I dont know if I had to do it everyday, I just dont find it interesting enough. All that paper work would get tiresome, and I would lose my head, I work at a immigration law firm and I cant stand the repetitive process of filing forms. But there are so many diffrent types of law that there I cant apply my work expereince at my current firm in deciding if law is what I want.

I want to become a airforce pilot but there is no money at all, and I want to be able to sustain myself at least at a decent level and not get paid 25k a yr which blows.

I want to do engineering but I dont know if I have the intelligence to do it.

 

[oakraiderz2]

I want to become a airforce pilot but there is no money at all, and I want to be able to sustain myself at least at a decent level and not get paid 25k a yr which blows.

I want to do engineering but I dont know if I have the intelligence to do it.

Airforce pilots dont make money? Officers make a lot. My friends dad was a pilot i think and they were pretty loaded. If you like math and calculus and that sh*t do the engineering thing. Ive been in the same position as you. The average person changes jobs 3 times. Dont focus so much on an income from your job if you want to be rich. Get a passive income and youll be better off....word.

 

[Celadus]

How old are you? Most American colleges are flexible enough that you don't really have to commit to a major until you start your third year of college. If you are just starting college, take a lot of gen ends and maybe sample a few courses in areas you might be interested. Don't worry too much. Most people go through this.

I started out at a military college and wanted to be an infantry officer. I transferred twice and now I'm getting ready to be a proprietary stock trader. The main thing is to have some type of college degree. Once you get some experience in the field you want, the degree doesn't matter as much.

Celadus

 

[Bible_Belt]

fwiw, law school admission is undergrad gpa plus lsat score, and just about nothing else. Take classes where you will get a good grade, and take a few practice lsat tests. 150 is average, 160 is very good, 170 means that you really should go to law school, because you can get into a top school. Some people raise their score 20-30 points with practice. If you can get into one of the top 25 or so law schools in the country, then you should go. If you can only get into one of the lower schools, then you have about a 10% chance of getting the same type of salary out of school as the majority of the top schools' graduates receive. Since gpa + lsat is all that matters, you can start preparing for law school now without painting yourself into a corner. High grades are important to get into any graduate school. Taking practice lsats and maybe enrolling in an lsat prep course will make you a better test-taker.

 

[theapprentice]

Engineers?

How much time do engineers spend studying everyday?


Im looking at Engineer, Lawyer or Airforce Pilot.

Do know what I want, or whether I have the smarts the deication or the passion for which of these three. I know that these three fields excite me the most out of everything else, but which one of these three Idk?

 

[djtdot]

I am doing engineering, electrical to be precise. In my very first semester I got an average of 66% and I studied about 2 hours a day at home. In my second semester I got 77% and I studied about 3 hours a day. Now the lectures + labs + tutorials = 25-30hours/week. Although engineering is good, but if I can maintain an average of more than 77% through the next 4 semesters I am looking at a shot at MBA. And if I do an MBA I can buy a BMW M5 as quickly as possible .

 

[theapprentice]

hmm..

WEll 3 hours a day and a 77% is not bad. Do you need to get more than a 77% to get a good paying job. Well are you planning to change from engineering to an MBA or do an MBA on top of engineering?

I mean I want a job that I love going to in the moring, thats my goal and get paid nicely too.


I want a Bmw m5 too, but I think being stuck in a job and doing a job just to pay for a car, and have a nice car is hell. You'll be spending time at work to pay for your car, the car shouldnt own you, you own the car.

Even though I want a BMW M5, having a job that keeps me happy and excited and motivated is more important than a fancy car.

My unlce is a lawyer he makes 2 million dollars a year net, he owns a law firm that does very well. He drives a Mercedes benz Amg E 500, he lives in a nice apartment isnce he feels a large home is useless because he is not married. He works from home, on his couch, he spends only 4 hours in his office each day and sits and works from his laptop in his home till 8 and then relaxes.

Plus he loves his job so much he hasnt taken a vacation for 10 years. He loves it so much, he sees his work as an extension of himself a part of his integral life. Even though he has more than enough time to take a vacation, he doesnt want to, he wants to work, just for the challenge.

His attitude is that "We may not be the best firm in the Us but we have the best attitude" He told me that if you brush your teeth make sure you do it to the best of your ability.

I want a job that makes me feel as passionate as he does about his law firm.

 

[theapprentice]

Sterotypes

I know the sterotypes of those who choose engineering, men with poor social skills who play with machines all day.

Is it true that studying and working in the engineering field you become "Afc'd" in a way, or just loose contact with people except with those at work.

 

[djtdot]

Well the thing is that my university has this special program from which a student can finish engg and MBA within 6-7 years. But to get into the MBA program the student needs to have 77% for the last 4 semesters he attended engineering. So by the time he graduates, he will have BASc and MBA degree. Now for me personally engineering is pretty good, tho if I have a chance at MBA I will do that coz I think I am more of a business minded guy than a guy who designs gadgets, tho to be honest I don't mind designing gadgets.

In Canada if I graduate with say 75% marks in electrical I might get a starting salary of C$50,000 tops. And if I don't do my masters/PhD I can only rise to a certain level and would be struck there for pretty much all my life. And masters and PhD would take a long time. Plus the thing is that I luv MBA kinda stuff. Lets see what happens in the next two years of my life .

 

[Bro]

theapprentice,
I think a good idea would be if you take a piece of paper and draw a line in the middle with the positives and negatives of the career you are choosing.
If you could have any job/career in the world what would you pick? What are you most passionate about? What do you see yourself contributing to the world and even to history? What would your obituary say when you have passed?

" theapprentice, he was admired and respected by all. He was a _____( fill in the blank with your career/purpose) genius who loved his work. All who came in contact with theapprentice were inspired by his passion, happiness, enthusiasm for life and his work. The world is a better place because of him. etc. etc."

you said, " I want to do engineering but I dont know if I have the intelligence to do it. "

This is all in your mind. In college, I have met people who hate math and public speaking or they didn't think they were smart or outgoing enough. I believe when one attaches a negative belief to something there is no possiblity of success. For example, I can guarantee you will never win in sports if you think, " I suck, I am going to lose, I am tired, I quit "

Think about when you were a young boy and what you wanted to be. We all wanted to be someone important or big. I believe as children we had strong imaginations and their were no-limits.

You are fortunate to have an inspiring Uncle in your life. He is successful and happy because he is living his passion and purpose in life.

Inside of you is a genius waiting to come out. Who has supreme confidence and complete faith in theapprentice.

best wishes and good luck. Make us proud!!

 

[qweretyuiopas]

Ask yourself, what do you like doing?
Make a list, write it all down, be it hanging out with friends, playing games, reading, cooking, fixing things up, cars, whatever. Make that list and post it here so we can tell you different careers that may have something to do with something on your list. If you like cars be a designer, mechanic etc, if ya like cooking, become a chef, if you like hanging out and having fun, take up a career where you have fun and work with lots of people, maybe advertising or sales or whatever

 

[Titanium]

You should consider studying towards something you feel truly passionate about. Passion should comprise at least 40% of what we do. 70% is more ideal…Otherwise, doing something for hours everyday, week after week, may not be bearable in the long run. At least it wouldn’t be for me…

Before picking a discipline, consider the end result and the type of work you would be doing. Get specific. Do some research on the job, the lifestyle, the role that it would offer you. Imagine yourself doing it. And then decide.

As for deciding what we’re truly passionate about….I like to think that we had that answer back when we were really young. Kids know what they’re passionate about, they know what gets them excited, and they know what they enjoy doing. That’s when most of the key answers to our lives were established. Its only later on that we become confused and muddled and lose sight of that.

A passion isn’t always something specific…it can encompass a general theme that instigates a positive feeling or desire. Like writing. Analyzing. Inventing. Building. Creating.

Here's a funny thought...were you a Lego Kid? A Transformer Kid? Did you tear electronic things apart? Did you prefer to run outside and get physical, or just observe the changes around you? Think about what you enjoyed doing at the best and most natural time of your life, and transpose this into something concrete.

 

[DrMetallica]

How much time do engineers spend studying everyday?


Im looking at Engineer, Lawyer or Airforce Pilot.

Do know what I want, or whether I have the smarts the deication or the passion for which of these three. I know that these three fields excite me the most out of everything else, but which one of these three Idk?

Don't do law. I hate law more than calculus, finance, or any other maths. Cheers to you mice who can stand the tripe.

 

[theapprentice]

Ahhhh.

I was looking at the engineering website at UMD and I saw all the kids that are in the program and there a bunch of dork sh*ts, nothing against Engineers at all, but I dont think I want to be with those kind of people my whole life, in school or the industry because there just going to be the same when I graduate and start working. I mean they scared the sh*t out of me. here is a pic

http://www.enae.umd.edu/ENAE100/Projects2004/index.html

THIS

http://www.enae.umd.edu/ENAE100/Projects2004/Picture 021.jpg

Things that are important to me, are salary, working hours, subject matter, people I work with.

Here are the things I like to do at the age of 20.

-Party Late night, being around cool people/Hang out with friends and partake in witty banter. (Dont get to do enough sadly enough or so I feel)
-Tweak my Computer around to make it go faster.
-Playing video games
-Drink with my friends
-Listen to music
-Driving Fast at night (My friend is a way better driver so he pulls tight turns)
-Reading certain books
-Sosuave.com
-I love to make out with women (Way not enough 4or 5 times only)
-Watching Movies
-Bbq's
-Camping
-Canoieng
-Trail hiking
-Following the Stock Market from time to time (looking for oppurtunites)
-Buying Clothes
-Eating good home cooking
-Watching Tv
-Going on road trips
-Seeing New places (Love this, hate to stay in one place)
-I love making new friends (I am not outgoing but if I get a new friend I feel great)
-Fighting Fear (Even though I hate it in the begining, I love it when I just do something I was afraid off and I manage to make it through ie. approaching, rollercoasters, giving somebody the evil eye)
-Sitting at the beach
-Walking through very nice natural places
-jogging (It takes alot to get me up, but when I get running I feel great)
-Reading Economics for fun, Mutual Funds or stock options etc.
-Building My computer
-Playing pool
-Entertaining a Crowd, being the center of attention when I have something cool to say or I am on a roll (I always want to be the center of attention, but I dont know what to say)
-Going to Downtown NYC to see the people, and sights for fun (Not ENough)
-Hookah Bar
-Always thinking about ways to make money (business or enterprising thoughts plague me. I used to stay up nights as a kind and think of business ideas.)
-Playing with my younger brother being stupid and saying stupid things that make no sense.
-Having deep conversations with my good friends
-Paintball
-Watching the Military Channel and History Channel and Discovery channel most of the time or Band of Brothers or Sopraos
-Playing Strategy computer games along with FPS's. My favorite game is a Lock On Modern Air Combat.
-

Thats all about I do....

I was a lego kid AND a Gi Joe guy, I used to use legos to make huge military bases with toy jets and missles, and then I built a aircraft carier model and made a whole army base.

I used to make airplanes out of legos, or submarines or jet fighters. Or Id make whole cities out of them.

I used to tear electronic things apart, and see what was inside and try and figure out what part did what.

As a youngster I used to love to go to new places not neccessairly be physical though, but go to new places and see what was there.

When I was younger when I hadnt started school, I loved to make little caves out of sofa coushin's and pretend it was my home or army base. Or I would get into a box and pretend I was in a spaceship.

I used to break alot of electronics for fun when I was 4-5, I would like just breaking things like pots or pull the bed sheets off.

I had ALOT of miltary figures and trucks and planes and I used play with legos alot. I was never much physical thorugh elementary or middle or high school.

I never fought anyone, in Hs, maybe I was scared since I was skinny.

I can say as a youngster I liked to create/Build. If I could have any job I wanted to I would want to be a CEO, or Military General, positions of power or wealth.

At my most natural and best part of my life I enjoyed it when relatives came over and talked and we went around town and showed them new things and traveled to new places i had never been to before.



Thats all I can think off.

 

[Lovesorrow]

Airforce pilots dont make money? Officers make a lot. My friends dad was a pilot i think and they were pretty loaded. If you like math and calculus and that sh*t do the engineering thing. Ive been in the same position as you. The average person changes jobs 3 times. Dont focus so much on an income from your job if you want to be rich. Get a passive income and youll be better off....word.

How do you call a soldier from the airforce?

 

[qweretyuiopas]

Here are the things I like to do at the age of 20.

-Tweak my Computer around to make it go faster.
-Bbq's
-Camping
-Canoieng
-Trail hiking
-Following the Stock Market from time to time (looking for oppurtunites)
-Buying Clothes
-Reading Economics for fun, Mutual Funds or stock options etc.
-Building My computer
-Entertaining a Crowd, being the center of attention when I have something cool to say or I am on a roll (I always want to be the center of attention, but I dont know what to say)

I used to make airplanes out of legos, or submarines or jet fighters. Or Id make whole cities out of them.

I used to tear electronic things apart, and see what was inside and try and figure out what part did what.

When I was younger when I hadnt started school, I loved to make little caves out of sofa coushin's and pretend it was my home or army base. Or I would get into a box and pretend I was in a spaceship.

I can say as a youngster I liked to create/Build. If I could have any job I wanted to I would want to be a CEO, or Military General, positions of power or wealth.

Everything in this quote you wrote you can use something from them to have a career. I will list the diff things later, i got a date. :rockon: the building comp and taking apart electronics 2 see whats inside are really good ones.

 

[djtdot]

You said you like playing with legos and taking stuff apart. Hey I used to do that too *AND* I am intrested in military. Cool we are alike. You can become an engineer and work with the big defence companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing Raytheon and what not or you can directly work for the military of your country as an engineer or a technician. I am pretty sure those guys make loads of money especially with a $450 billion budget .

 

[theapprentice]

see

See the link in my last post and you will see the type of people that I will have to work with for the rest of my life. Since at work, you will deal with your co-workers, I dont want to have to deal with such fu*ckin afcs and geeks just look at them.

http://www.enae.umd.edu/ENAE100/Projects2004/Picture 021.jpg