O/T College Degree time

[Rude]

ok guys I have a few questions, sorry this is on the main board but leave it for a bit so I can get some responses

I just finished my basics in college and I have no idea which degree to pursue. Right now its between 2 degrees, one as a RN and the other would be business.

I know Rn's make like 40k a year starting but I hear so many stories about the horrible hours they give RN's and etc. So, if I were to get a business degree, what is the average pay for one with that form of degree. I am going to pursue my masters degree regardless of the profession as a RN or in Business.

Any info from those College Grads out there would be appreaciated

 

[Portland Fanatic]

ok guys I have a few questions, sorry this is on the main board but leave it for a bit so I can get some responses

I just finished my basics in college and I have no idea which degree to pursue. Right now its between 2 degrees, one as a RN and the other would be business.

I know Rn's make like 40k a year starting but I hear so many stories about the horrible hours they give RN's and etc. So, if I were to get a business degree, what is the average pay for one with that form of degree. I am going to pursue my masters degree regardless of the profession as a RN or in Business.

Any info from those College Grads out there would be appreaciated

Before you decide ask yourself what your passion is??? I make good money, but sit behind a desk all day. Not my favorite thing and something I swore i'd never do. Four kids later...I do what I have to do to pay the bills and support my family. My job is not bad at all...just not what I had in mind many years ago.

That said...learning some kind of computer language i. e. programmer or software specialist is where good money is. I work with SAP software and EDI Electronic Data Interchange systems...there is money for these skills. I'm in the process of hiring a position where the base is 70K with 15% bonus and is considered low end of pay range....just to give you an idea.

I work for a major (thee major) sporting goods company in the world...

Hope that helps some.

 

[Hostile]

ok guys I have a few questions, sorry this is on the main board but leave it for a bit so I can get some responses

I just finished my basics in college and I have no idea which degree to pursue. Right now its between 2 degrees, one as a RN and the other would be business.

I know Rn's make like 40k a year starting but I hear so many stories about the horrible hours they give RN's and etc. So, if I were to get a business degree, what is the average pay for one with that form of degree. I am going to pursue my masters degree regardless of the profession as a RN or in Business.

Any info from those College Grads out there would be appreaciated

Don't take any job just because of money. Do something you like and enjoy doing.

 

[Rude]

Before you decide ask yourself what your passion is??? I make good money, but sit behind a desk all day. Not my favorite thing and something I swore i'd never do. Four kids later...I do what I have to do to pay the bills and support my family. My job is not bad at all...just not what I had in mind many years ago.

That said...learning some kind of computer language i. e. programmer or software specialist is where good money is. I work with SAP software and EDI Electronic Data Interchange systems...there is money for these skills. I'm in the process of hiring a position where the base is 70K with 15% bonus and is considered low end of pay range....just to give you an idea.

I work for a major (thee major) sporting goods company in the world...

Hope that helps some.

Thanks advice always helps

My passion is in the human body, I enjoy learning about the body and medicines. Thats why being a RN is an option, however I cant picture myself sponge bathing people and cleaning out urinals for the rest of my life, I want something more then that. My other passion is business, im always intrigued on how business operate and etc.

Computer stuff is great pay (a friend is pursing stuff like that) however it doesnt intereste me compared to the other 2 options.

 

[Rude]

Don't take any job just because of money. Do something you like and enjoy doing.

of course

 

[calico]

Don't turn into me.

I just graduated from Texas with a BA in Communication. I have a job but I am not happy and wish I could do college all over again. I really want to go back or go to grad school.

I should have done something in history or graphic design.

 

[Rude]

Don't turn into me.

I just graduated from Texas with a BA in Communication. I have a job but I am not happy and wish I could do college all over again. I really want to go back or go to grad school.

Eek, thats one of my worst fears, to invest so much time and effort into something and then dislike it.

Curious question if you dont mind, why dont you like having a BA in communication? Pay? Hours? Type of Work? Etc?

 

[SALADIN]

ok guys I have a few questions, sorry this is on the main board but leave it for a bit so I can get some responses

I just finished my basics in college and I have no idea which degree to pursue. Right now its between 2 degrees, one as a RN and the other would be business.

I know Rn's make like 40k a year starting but I hear so many stories about the horrible hours they give RN's and etc. So, if I were to get a business degree, what is the average pay for one with that form of degree. I am going to pursue my masters degree regardless of the profession as a RN or in Business.

Any info from those College Grads out there would be appreaciated

I've been a recruiter here in the Bay Area for the last 6-7 years and unfortunately the degree you have has little to do with your salary comming out of college. Especially if its something as general as a Business Degree.

Emplyers want experience and unless you're doing something specific in technology of science what you degree is of little relavince.

Having your degree is always a plus but try to get something to get your foot in the door. There are 1000's of graduates coming out of B schools around the nation and even with their education many of them still struggle to catch on someplace with out real world experience.

 

[Rude]

I've been a recruiter here in the Bay Area for the last 6-7 years and unfortunately the degree you have has little to do with your salary comming out of college. Especially if its something as general as a Business Degree.

Emplyers want experience and unless you're doing something specific in technology of science what you degree is of little relavince.

Having your degree is always a plus but try to get something to get your foot in the door. There are 1000's of graduates coming out of B schools around the nation and even with their education many of them still struggle to catch on someplace with out real world experience.

See thats a problem, I dont have any work experience in that area. I work as a personal trainer (pay is good and quick but not enough for a career). I always see on adds hiring people for business jobs require work experience, so I guess if I did purse that direction, I would have to get a real job soon

 

[StanleySpadowski]

I have a bachelor's in business, (along with one in poli sci and a masters in public admin) and unless your taking business for the sole purpose of starting your own business, I'd suggest against.

If the human body is your passion and you seem to be willing to put in the time for a grad degree, I'd look into a pharmacy if I were you. 6 years, 6 figures after a few years on the job, lots of options (retail, R&D, nuclear).

 

[Dye]

I've been a recruiter here in the Bay Area for the last 6-7 years and unfortunately the degree you have has little to do with your salary comming out of college. Especially if its something as general as a Business Degree.

Emplyers want experience and unless you're doing something specific in technology of science what you degree is of little relavince.

Having your degree is always a plus but try to get something to get your foot in the door. There are 1000's of graduates coming out of B schools around the nation and even with their education many of them still struggle to catch on someplace with out real world experience.

just curious, what company are you recruiting for? i have someone here in southern cal leaving our company and will be relocating in the bay area within the month. how does the employment opportunities compare there to here?

 

[calico]

Eek, thats one of my worst fears, to invest so much time and effort into something and then dislike it.

Curious question if you dont mind, why dont you like having a BA in communication? Pay? Hours? Type of Work? Etc?

Comm is so watered down now. Everyone and their mother has a Comm degree. The starting out pay is not good. I make $28k before taxes, It should be going up soon though. I live in Austin and only got my job by dumb luck. I interned at a local news station in video editing and camera work and they asked me to stay on. It was because of timing. I would never have come close to the job otherwise.

My brother is un employed right now and my roommate is...both Comm majors. They both cannot find a thing.

I just wish I had minored in something else or had a duel major because I have many hobbies (photography, history, writing) that I could find a career in.

Right now I am researching to write a novel in my spare time that I am really excited about. I am already in contact with a publisher...I am getting off topic.

Anyway, nothing is wrong with a Comm degree but finding work in Texas is tough.

An RN would be a good choice though. They are needed badly and you could easily find work anywhere in the nation. My girlfriend is a Medical Assistant in Houston and she is in nursing school right now. The hours can be good and bad. She said they are bad when starting out but they quickly get better.

 

[SALADIN]

See thats a problem, I dont have any work experience in that area. I work as a personal trainer (pay is good and quick but not enough for a career). I always see on adds hiring people for business jobs require work experience, so I guess if I did purse that direction, I would have to get a real job soon

Its probably the first catch 22 that most people experience in life.

You need experience to get the jobs that you're looking for but how can you get that experience if employers won't give you a chance.

An industry that I think you would be interested in is Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology.

Even when the bottom droped out of the market 3-4 years ago companies such as Genentech, Pfizer, Abbott Laboratories, Baxter, Biogen, and Nanospectra Biosciences have hardly been affected by the economy.

The Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical industry isn't going anywhere. You can hardly go 10 minutes without seeing some commercial about a new drug. The industry will also allow you to combine your passion for medical science and business.

Check out some of these companies and again, just try to get your foot in the door in an entry level capacity.

 

[Rude]

Comm is so watered down now. Everyone and their mother has a Comm degree. The starting out pay is not good. I make $28k before taxes, It should be going up soon though. I live in Austin and only got my job by dumb luck. I interned at a local news station in video editing and camera work and they asked me to stay on. It was because of timing. I would never have come close to the job otherwise.

My brother is un employed right now and my roommate is...both Comm majors. They both cannot find a thing.

I just wish I had minored in something else or had a duel major because I have many hobbies (photography, history, writing) that I could find a career in.

Right now I am researching to write a novel in my spare time that I am really excited about. I am already in contact with a publisher...I am getting off topic.

Anyway, nothing is wrong with a Comm degree but finding work in Texas is tough.

An RN would be a good choice though. They are needed badly and you could easily find work anywhere in the nation. My girlfriend is a Medical Assistant in Houston and she is in nursing school right now. The hours can be good and bad. She said they are bad when starting out but they quickly get better.

Interesting, i had a feeling that a lot of people had business degrees in areas like that, thus making the pay less, one of my worries. Eek im from texas too, so work would be hard to get.

Thats pretty cool stuff, the novel idea for you i would be excited as well.

yea, the medical field is full of jobs waiting for the taking and its good to know that nursing hours improve over time

 

[SALADIN]

just curious, what company are you recruiting for? i have someone here in southern cal leaving our company and will be relocating in the bay area within the month. how does the employment opportunities compare there to here?

I'm just doing some spot recruiting for a few former colleagues right now (I’m a 1099’er) but have been interviewing pretty heavily for some long-term contracts.

Things are still very competitive here in No Cal but the market is opening up soon. Depending on what this person area of expertise is I could refer them to a few companies. Most of my background is technical but I also have experience recruiting for an array of industries.

 

[Rude]

Its probably the first catch 22 that most people experience in life.

You need experience to get the jobs that you're looking for but how can you get that experience if employers won't give you a chance.

An industry that I think you would be interested in is Pharmaceutical/Biotechnology.

Even when the bottom droped out of the market 3-4 years ago companies such as Genentech, Pfizer, Abbott Laboratories, Baxter, Biogen, and Nanospectra Biosciences have hardly been affected by the economy.

The Biotechnology & Pharmaceutical industry isn't going anywhere. You can hardly go 10 minutes without seeing some commercial about a new drug. The industry will also allow you to combine your passion for medical science and business.

Check out some of these companies and again, just try to get your foot in the door in an entry level capacity.

Thanks that is something I will look into, sounds very interesting

 

[Dye]

Thanks that is something I will look into, sounds very interesting

i know for a fact, when there were lots of cutbacks here in south calif and reduction in employment was in effect, "amgen", a very large pharmaceutical company located in ventura county was one of very few who were continuously hiring. as saladin had posted, these guys aren't going anywhere and from some of what my collegues who used to work there tell me, they pay well but work hard.

another possibility is healthcare. wellpoint and anthems just merged to form the largest healthcare company in the country. this industry also will continue to grow and can obviously use people with background in medicine. they usually start nurses off at $45k or more.

hope this helps and good luck with your career. you can't go wrong in the medicine/health/pharmacy industry.

 

[Duane]

It's hard to find something that you enjoy doing and can make a living. I have a BBA in Finance and MBA and have a pretty good job crunching numbers. No doubt about it that its work. Not that there aren't certain things I like doing at work but the pay offsets any inconvenience.

My brother on the other hand found a job teaching Texas history and he loves it. Sure he makes about half what I do but he enjoys going to work.

My advice is that you can't miss what you never had. If you go into something you enjoy doing and make less at it, go for it because you'll never know the difference. It's a hell of a lot harder to get into a job that pays well that is a job and go into something that pays less later. You'll always be weighing the monetary rewards above your personal happiness, and you shouldn't have to do that.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Comm is so watered down now. Everyone and their mother has a Comm degree. The starting out pay is not good. I make $28k before taxes, It should be going up soon though. I live in Austin and only got my job by dumb luck. I interned at a local news station in video editing and camera work and they asked me to stay on. It was because of timing. I would never have come close to the job otherwise.

My brother is un employed right now and my roommate is...both Comm majors. They both cannot find a thing.

I just wish I had minored in something else or had a duel major because I have many hobbies (photography, history, writing) that I could find a career in.

Right now I am researching to write a novel in my spare time that I am really excited about. I am already in contact with a publisher...I am getting off topic.

Anyway, nothing is wrong with a Comm degree but finding work in Texas is tough.

An RN would be a good choice though. They are needed badly and you could easily find work anywhere in the nation. My girlfriend is a Medical Assistant in Houston and she is in nursing school right now. The hours can be good and bad. She said they are bad when starting out but they quickly get better.

Just thought I'd throw this out there. I actually have a BA in Journalism, but I work as a Technical Writer in Houston. You should look into it, if you want to stay in Communications. You can do so much under the title of Technical Writer and get paid well for doing it. But that's only if you like writing. It's a hard field to get into, but once you're in, you're in. The field is actually moving toward web-based stuff, so that makes the work more interesting. But it's worth looking into.

 

[Danny White]

Whatever you decide to do, I stop and map out where that career path could possibly take you in the next 5 years... in the next 10 years... and in the next 20 years.

You may be perfectly happy with where that career will put you now, but if you aren't thrilled with the prospects of doing that job for the next 20 years, then you'd better be sure that there are paths leading from that field that you'd be happy doing. The last thing you want to do is put yourself on a path that has a dead-end 10-20 years down the line.

One of the things I would recommend in choosing any career path is picking one that has a strong possibility that you could one day go off on your own and start up your own business built upon the knowledge you have gained in your field. You may or may not ever follow that path, but you at least want it to be an option down the line.

There is nothing like working for yourself. You just want to make sure that the field you are in is well-suited for doing that.

Good luck. The medical field sounds like it's what interests you most. I doubt if you want to be an RN for your whole life (no offense) but there are plenty of places to go from there with the knowledge you will gain on the job.

My only other advice is to get into the workplace. Advanced degrees are fine, but I've seen too many friends spend their most energetic working years in school getting more and more credentials.

I went into the workforce right out of my undergraduate in a very low level position. By the time my friends were finishing their PhD's I had started up my own company.

Again, good luck to you.