Post Education - What did you do?

[Guest ScottyB]

Basically, I'm graduating in the summer and everyone is on at me about my future, and I honestly have no idea if I want to do further study or if I want to enter the "big bad world" properly.

 

Just wondering what you lot did after you finished being educated.

[Guest Jamster26]

I took up an apprenticeship scheme in Business Administration. Been in that job ever since I left School. Never my plan to go to college.

[dsrchris 190]

Got my a*s a job.

 

Good luck with that! :lol

[etz 78]

To be fair, once you've got a degree, if you don't know if you want to study further, you've answered your own question. Post graduate work is all about your passion for the subject.

 

Personally, once I finished tertiary education, I got a job in my field (amazing I know, but then I didn't spend my tertiary education studying a degree in Lady Gaga or whatever the latest bullshit degree is, so I could actually find a job).

[Guest John Hancock]

I went to university in England, then switched to college in America. Whilst I was in college (which I still am), I took part time un-paid internships at various companies to get experience and, most importantly, establish contacts and relationships. I did a bit of charity work too to keep extra busy and to do my bit whilst I have the time and then all the rest of the time was with small time menial jobs for money, then, after I got bored of that lifestyle, I called in some of those connections and started getting some shit together, using those connections to make more connections, and starting build something of a career out of it.

 

Everything about professional adult life is either what you know, or who you know. You're options are;

 

- Get a PHD and a masters in something you LOVE and do that job for the rest of your life, without too much difficulty finding it (what you know)

 

- Get as close as you can to anyone with even the slightest influence in any industry that takes your fancy and make them like you, and make their friends like you, and make their friends friends like you and work your arse off for them until they REALLY like you, and then start making your demands (who you know)

[etz 78]

I find that, overall, life always comes down to being about who you know, rather than what you know. Even in academia, getting ahead is all about who you know. Sure, you've got to have the chops when you get a shot, but you'll never get a shot if you don't know the right people. And if they like you enough, you'll keep getting shots even if you fail.

[Guest BratSan]

Got myself a job through on campus before finishing Uni. Post Uni, joined it and never looked back ever since. Never really yearned for it to be honest, but my folks put me up-to it. Now I am glad they did.

[Guest Phil]

finished Uni, bummed about for a year working in bars and stuff, then went back to uni and did a teaching degree.

 

Whatever you do though nothing's ever as simple as 'get degree=find job=stay in job forever.'

 

I finished my teaching degree in the summer of 2009 and have had 3 jobs since. Having a degree or going into more education does not gaurantee a job anymore.

[dsrchris 190]

Yeah, I'm actually in the position at the moment of not having a degree (or finishing my A-Levels), but having the most experience in our (soon to be teeny tiny) company and the archive bit I work in. That means I've got to teach 10 science based guys (all degreed up to the eyeballs, some of the doctors of this and that) how to do their new job. Which kinda makes me laugh a little.

 

EDIT: Funny thing about me having most experience? I've only been there 3 years. AS A TEMP! But somehow they gave me responsibility for designing the new systems they're planning to use, which essentially means they now have to make me a full-time position and put me in a supervisory capacity over these 10 new guys they've got starting. What kind of company gives a temp that much responsibility? It's kinda laughable when you think I could literally walk out today without batting an eyelid, and they'd be undeniably screwed.

[Maxximus 353]

I did about a year community college before giving up and finding a job. I worked as a custodian for my local school district until 2004. I got married and moved out of town and then worked for one of our many prisons until 2007. I was then contracted through DOC to do transportation and hospital duty(wicked job doing nothing for $800 a week) until my idiot boss(who is also now my brother in law) was caught doctoring our time sheets. We all got fired. = /

 

I then worked telemarketing until my wife passed in 2008 and I had a total nervous breakdown. Now, due to my bad back and mental instability I am a disabled pot smoking internet rabble rouser.

 

Life punched me in the nuts. It's just now that the swellings gone down.