Career paths

B

B

Cathlete
Hello,

I need some advice...

I am 24 years old, graduated with an Accounting degree, worked for a public accounting firm and obtained my CPA license... Once I'd had enough of public accounting, I took a position in an internal audit department at another company.

I don't know what's going on with me, but I can't stand what I do (accounting, in general). I hate getting up every morning to go to work. It's not the people, or the Company, I'm just not happy and am wondering what do I do now? I've done some soul-searching but can't seem to figure out what it is that I want to do so that I can come up with a plan to get there.. I just know life is way too short to be this miserable - and at the same time I can't just get up and quit because I do have a mortgage.

Has anyone gone through something like this? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
B,
Yes I am going through the same thing now-I am in the process of trying to figure out what I want to do-its not easy!! Do you have time to take a vacation? Not a long one but maybe a long weekend?
I am not sure where you live but maybe going somewhere where there are no people-a cabin? It may give you some time to try sort through it all. Im so sorry I am not much-I wish I had words of wisdom for you-I do wish you the best and will keep you in my prayers.
Take care
Sincerely,
Lisa
 
B,

I am going through this and totally sympathize. I'm so bored with the writing I am doing, even though it has been well received. I've spent most of my adult life working in TV/film and honestly I had this switch where it just hit me as soooo empty. I mean, who cares about Hollywood really right? Anyway, what I have done is first, basically alot of soul-searching until I was comfy with the thought that I want a change, and until I realized what it is I want to do (still writing, just a different focus). I think the hardest part is learning that it's ok to want to change your mind, even though you have invested time and money in accounting.

Second, I've started laying the groundwork. I can't just up and quit what I am doing right now but I have started reading books on what I want to do next, looking into classes, that sort of thing. Getting a loose plan together, so to speak, so that when I make the switch I won't be starting at square one.

When I have the chance to dip my toe in the new waters without it taking too much time away from current obligations, I do.

HTH, good luck!! Sparrow


Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow - what a ride!’ — Peter Sage
 
B,
Sparrow always offers good advice-one more thing I just wanted to add was that someone recently told me that sometimes its easier to stay where you are comfortable "so to speak" rather then taking a leap and trying something new-I also understand you have bills to pay and just cant quit but like Sparrow said when she has the chance to dip her toe in new waters she does-so maybe somthing part time. Best of Luch to you!!
Lisa
 
I have been fighting this my whole life. I can totally sympathize.

I can also totally identify with that state of utter notknowingness, where you'd love to help yourself and do what you really want to do, which is great if you know what that was!!:eek:

Honestly, my whole adult life I have struggled with my "true identity", who I am meant to be, what I am meant to do..heck, even what my TRUE interests are. When I think about it long and hard it now feels like I don't have any other than sleep!! I am not like other people who might not know what they want to do professionally but can make this big list of what they love to do in their free time. I can't even do that!! It has really been frustrating. I have countless posts on this board about my struggle to understand if nursing is really for me. I am in school right now for that. But fortunately, that degree is only going to cost me $5,000 which is less that what I paid for my back deck, so I can live with that. It is the getting up everyday, stuggling through school, never really knowing. That is very hard to deal with.....when you just can't find yourself. Soul searching only works if you have somewhere to begin!!!

These books are great and help a lot, check em out at Amazon!:

"I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was: How to Discover What You Really Want and How to Get It (Paperback)

Do What You Are : Discover the Perfect Career for You Through the Secrets of Personality Type--Revised and Updated Edition Featuring E-careers for the 21st Century (Paperback

I Don't Know What I Want, But I Know It's Not This: A Step-by-Step Guide to Finding Gratifying Work (Paperback)

The Pathfinder: How to Choose or Change Your Career for a Lifetime of Satisfaction and Success (Paperback

Discover What You're Best At (Paperback)

Discover Your Passion : An Intuitive Search to Find Your Purpose in Life (Paperback)

I hope you find what you are looking for!





;-)
 
Hi B -
You sound like me - I did the public thing, I hated auditing and taxes. Kind of hard to do accounting when you hate the two basic parts. The problem I had was that I like accouting in general, I just don't like auditing or taxes. I realized that I enjoyed working with my smaller clients better than my big clients. I like helping them figure out how to run their business. That led to a reaization that big corporate accounting wasn't for me.

I ended up taking a position at a small company doing general accounting. What a difference! I spend twelve years there. As company grew, I was offered positions in other departments and took them so I gained a ton of experience in areas like quality, inventory management, logistics, and other things too. Then I took a position at a smaller company and went back to accounting, but because it's so small I'm doing lots of other things - like purchasing, admin, HR. The crazy thing is that I LOVE it. The people are great and I love the variety. I learned that it's not the accouting part, but the small biz environment part that I enjoy

OK so I guess what I'm saying is that maybe it's not accounting that you don't like, it's just the type of accounting that you're doing. Consider which clients you enjoy most, maybe that will lead to some relevations. If it leads to the realization that you HATE accouting, then think about what you enjoy doing most and how you can earn a living doing that. Go ahead and think creatively, you spend most of your waking hours at work - it should be doing something you love.

You've gotten some great advice and resources above so take your time and figure it out. It may not happen overnight, but you'll get there.

Claude

"Age is a question of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Satchel Paige
 
Thank you so much, Ladies.

It's just all so frustrating!!! While I was in school I was so ambitious and knew what I wanted to to do and now to feel so lost and "not knowing"... sigh....

I will definitely look into those books seeing as how I haven't been able to come up with anything on my own.
 
Do any of the rest of you find it interesting that we have so many in-common interests and challenges?? I wonder out loud if we seek a higher level of fitness and health as a symptom of seeking a higher level in our lives in general? Or maybe the seeking is a characteristic in itself?

I currently am an estate planning lawyer, an investment advisor and general counsel/manager of my husband's office furniture business. BUT, I AM SUPPOSED TO BE A COWGIRL. I just know I am supposed to live on a gnarly ranch in New Mexico or Colorado and eat biscuits and drink coffee at 4:00 a.m. then go fix fences and vaccinate some cows. Then build a fire and drink whiskey with my cowboy man.}(

Why does that have to just be a dream??? This is a good thread - I am anxious to hear what others have to say about achieving what makes them happy: or at least escaping that which makes them miserable or - worse - bored.:-(
 
Claude,

Thanks for that.... I realize that all I've done, for the most part, is audit therefore I shouldn't say I hate accounting, in general. Maybe I need to try other areas. As an auditor, I get to see what a lot of employees, in a lot of departments, do and through observation I felt there weren't any accounting positions out there that I'd want to do, but at the same time, I've always worked for big corporations where everyone is just "crunching" to get things done.. Maybe I need to be in a smaller environment. In any case, thanks.
 
<I have been fighting this my whole life. I can totally sympathize.>

ME TOO! And the older I become the more it scares me because even though it's not legal there is alot of "age discrimination" out there in the workforce and people my age (46) face that obstacle when we think about switching career directions. Some days I don't "hate" my job but there are sure times in my life when I wish I'd thought it out more and planned better so I could say now that I'm living my passion.
 
OMG I am loving this thread!!! I have always felt like a big loser because I can't settle into anything career-wise. I have this writing talent so I know I am supposed to be using it but then why am I so restless when doing it?!

Do you guys ever feel like someone is calling your name to bigger and better things, but you just can't locate the direction of the voice?!

And LOL about the cowgirl thing. I too, shoulda been a cowgirl, as well as a forest ranger, a marine, a war reporter, a self-help guru and a tour guide in the grand canyon. :p

Sparrow

Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow - what a ride!’ — Peter Sage
 
B,

I would second a lot of what Claude has to say, because I have had a career path that included internal audit. I found internal audit to be a great way to learn a lot about various areas of the company (I worked in bank internal audit. I ended up specializing and going into the securities industry (regulation not sales). I really enjoy what I do because I don't do a lot of number crunching and I deal with a wide variety of people. I will mention that I am now approaching 40 so I have been at it for a while, and you still may decided to go a totally different direction. You have lots of choices at your age! However, compensation is very good in our industry (not that $$$ is the end all, be all, but still) so you might "stick it out" a while longer to see what develops.

Take care,
Sandra
 
B, you've really gotten some great advice. It's wonderful that you're still so young so you can make a life change early on. I wish you the best of luck!

Gosh, thanks for starting this thread! It's nice to know I'm not the only one! I'm 38, married with 2 kids and have been a SAHM for the past 13 years. I can now go to school for any career I want but for several years haven't been able to think of a single thing I want to do. Isn't that ridiculous? I started nursing school this past Summer and I'm not even sure I want to do that.
 
Sandra,

I know what you mean about the $$$. In fact, that coupled with the fact that the chances of me NOT being able to find a job are slim were the reasons I chose to go into accounting. So, I am proud of the accomplishments I've achieved in my career thus far, and I am very well compensated. But I'm not content. And it's not even that I want more money or anything like that.. I just don't want to do this anymore.

I hate complaining and whining but, believe me, I'm trying my best to figure out what it is that will make me content. Thanks to all for your posts and advice. I really appreciate it.
 
Hey, sorry to butt-in, but...
I have been feeling this way for quite a while now. I'm almost relieved that others are going through the same thing. I'm going to check out those books mentioned, but I'm interested in how everyone copes with it day to day. My story is alot like everyone else's that have already posted. I dread getting up in the morning and going to work- and it's not that I hate my job or the people there, I'm just SO over it... It's hard to explain, but I'm sure you guys know what I'm talking about. I'll be interested to see how this all unfolds; please keep posting and let us know how you are feeling and what you are thinking about- like I said before, it's nice to hear that it's not just me having the career delema!
Calee
 
B,
When I was in the tail end of undergrad (studying for a degree in commuication), I realized that as much as I loved writing, I didn't enjoy office work very much. At the time, I was working PT at an elementary-age after school program, where parents and the principal continually asked me why I wasn't going into the field of education. I had to admit that I really LOVED working with the kids. But it seemed too late to make a change -- I was so close to my degree, I felt like I was locked into it, so-to-speak. At any rate, I decided to finish the degree & explore other avenues into teaching. After graduation, I considered the alternate route program, but ultimately I decided to obtain post-bac certification. I worked FT as a legislative aide in a government office while going back to school PT. It took me a long five years, and in the end, I took a huge risk by having to quit my job, student teach, and live off of savings, but eventually, I landed my dream job. I am now in my sixth year of teaching, and I have absolutely no regrets about my decisions. This is what I feel I was meant to do. I love my job and still can't believe sometimes that I get paid for it. I think the key is to find your passion and then go for it - even if it's scary as hell and you have to make some sacrifices. The books mentioned are probably a good place to start. Good luck!
 
I also have struggled with this...

I confided in a professor of mine at the nearby university. He empathized and said it happens to everyone...

The next day in class, he gave a small lecture on just that topic, and felt it was important enough that everyone had a good starting point in their lives, and life is too short to be stuck in a job you're unhappy with and instructed everyone to go to the site MAPP (Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential):

http://www.assessment.com/MAPPMembers/Welcome.asp?accnum=06-5570-000.00

It's indepth about your natural abilities, motivations, interests and talents. The nearby leadership development assessment center also uses this...It's definately worth a look...I took it and found my way...Good luck and I hope this helps.

Carrie

http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/bar072/slider-but5/lb/209/145/191/.png[/image][/link]:) :) :)
 
Wow, great thread. I've struggled with this issue ever since I went back to working for companies 8 years ago. Before that I was a freelance writer for 10 years--I loved the freedom, but couldn't pay my bills. Working for companies gives me security, a steady paycheck and health insurance--all really important to me. But no matter what company I work for, I'm never happy. I hate spending my days trapped at a desk, sitting and not getting outdoors, but I don't know how to change things around to get back to being freelance *and* make enough money to not be anxious every month.
 
Amber,

If it is any consolation, even though I am not sure about whether nursing is for me, I have sure learned a lot about myself just in the short time I have been in school. I have grown as a person and nursing school in general has made me a much more compassionate and empathetic person. I put myself in others' shoes much more now. I step outside of myself and try to see what another person may be feeling. I never did that much before. Seeing the things you do in the hospital, well, they make you much more thankful for what you do have, including your health!!

That said, working in the ER has made me a bit more jaded, but that is a whole nother story, lol}(

Just know that education is never wasted. Nursing school will make you a better person, even if you don't end up making a career of it. Good luck in school!:D
 
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