CAO HELP!!

xLisaBx

So I have a few idea's of what I'd like to put on my CAO, I'm just wondering what you all think would be the most economically rewarding here. I know it's advised not to choose a career based on the salary, but I genuinely think I'd be happy doing any of these courses. The only way I can decide my CAO order is on earnings I think!

Pharmacy
Occupational Therapy
Physiotherapy
Radiography
Biomedical Science
Midwifery
General Science

I want something that I can work with worldwide!
Please help I'm so confused and almost panicking! :eek:

Rubberchikken

as someone who once worked in a very well paid job but which caused me no end of misery i beg you to make your choice on what you really want to do in your life.
not saying you have to pick a career at 18 that you must stick with forever, but at least pick a course that you will truly think you'll enjoy and which will, hopefully, lead to a career, anywhere in the world, that you will for the most part, enjoy, personally and financially.

xLisaBx

Thank you yeah I understand, I really just want to be happy! It's just I don't want to do a really demanding job if the salary doesn't reflect the work I do on a daily basis, as well as all the work I'd have to do to get there to begin with :rolleyes:

yoho139

Rubberchikken wrote: »

as someone who once worked in a very well paid job but which caused me no end of misery i beg you to make your choice on what you really want to do in your life.

Seems to me that OP is saying they'd be happy with any of the options, so they're picking by earnings. Seems reasonable, so long as they've researched well and would truly be happy with any of the options.

xLisaBx

That's exactly what I mean, so I thought that if you're going to be happy either way, you might as well be happy and rich instead of being happy and poor :cool:

rainbowtrout

It's all well and good choosing by salary and everything you've picked by and large is in the area of the health sciences... but there is a big difference between dispensing drugs and running a chemist's (pharmacy) and delivering babies and providing support and aftercare to new mothers.

They are quite different jobs, requiring different skills and work routines. Could you see yourself doing either of these jobs happily? Same goes for some of the others, some involve hands on work and interaction with patients, others are likely to be behind the scenes in a lab.

Do you want to work with the general public or in a role that requires less contact with patients?

yoho139

A wide spread of interests isn't that inconceivable an idea. I'm gonna be putting CS, Pharmacology, Analytical Chemistry and some sort of entry to teaching on my CAO. I know which I'd prefer, but I still like them all.

xLisaBx

I'm so incredibly confused to be honest! I think I'd be happy behind the scene's in the lab or working with people, I could picture myself happily working in either position

saltyjack silverblade

My only advice would be, do you see yourself doing that job for 40 years?

xLisaBx

To be honest I'm such an odd person. I change my mind 100 times a day and can range between happy, sad and excited in the space of a minute! I could see myself sticking with absolutely nothing for 40 years! :P

5uspect

Do as general a primary degree as possible. if you're technical look at Engineering or Science. You're too young to specialise.
You'll grow into yourself during your undergraduate and then know what you really want to do. By the time you're in your final year you can select suitable electives and projects. Get involved in clubs and socs, find we're your passion is.
Then look at postgraduates or job opportunities from there.

xLisaBx

That's a good idea, not to specialize early yeah! I know someone who did general sciences and found it very hard to get a job afterwards though?

saltyjack silverblade

xLisaBx wrote: »

That's a good idea, not to specialize early yeah! I know someone who did general sciences and found it very hard to get a job afterwards though?

I think the poster means do some kind of postgrad specialism after doing your basic degree. As in a masters or phd or something.

xLisaBx

Oh yeah that's a good idea I guess I don't think I'll get the points for much higher than general science anyway!

5uspect

xLisaBx wrote: »

That's a good idea, not to specialize early yeah! I know someone who did general sciences and found it very hard to get a job afterwards though?

TBH it's difficult to employ most people with just a primary degree nowadays. Just because you have a degree doesn't mean much. They're a dime a dozen and only really show you've passed a few exams. Last week I was going through about a dozen second year undergrad CVs for 9 month internships. Most of them were identical shades of blandness. Mediocre grades, a bit of GAA, and little or no other activity outside that. The ones I selected were involved in a wide variety of activities and related summer jobs. This not only shows initiative but at least a shred of interest in the area they're studying. Don't study a topic because you'll think you can make lots of money. Do something you have an interest in.

We've recently employed a few PhD level engineers and we weren't even to happy with their ability, but they were the best we could find. So here's my advice. Do mare than is required of you. Learn to code. Learn mathematics. Learn to use a computer, and I'm not talking about Microsoft Office! Read the published literature of your area, even if you're an undergrad. Ask questions, if you don't understand ask more. Don't expect to sit through college doing the bare minimum.

xLisaBx

Thank you! I do intend on working extremely hard in college to learn as much as I possibly can! I'm really not going for the parties and craic, I'm so determined to get a good job afterwards, that I enjoy It's shocking to hear so many graduates have difficulty finding jobs after years of work and preparation

manyoung

Some good advice here. However, I'm interested in doing music at college. I do LC Music and while it can be challenging, I love it. I'm not interested in becoming in performing as a central career, just composition or teaching perhaps. I don't know for sure but I know this is where my heart lies. Science? I do find parts of it interesting but it doesn't interest me that much.

I suppose I want some advice. I was thinking of doing Arts with Music and two other subjects. But as you all know music is not like science in terms of employment. I don't know....

Thanks anyway.

5uspect

Well, have a backup. See if the music courses you're looking at offer additional unrelated but useful electives. Would sound engineering be of interest? How is your maths? If teaching is of interest then you're not going to just get to teach music. Do you like languages for example,

xLisaBx

I'd definitely recommend Arts with Music, you have such employment prospects in the teaching sector if you decide to do the hDip afterwards Plus you'd be doing what you love, and earning from it!