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Career change

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  • 30-12-2014 1:26am
    #1
    fuzzydunlop85
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,861 ✭✭✭


    What's a good qualification to get to give me a better chance of a landing a good job? Trying to turn things around for myself in 2015. If I'm being brutally honest I have no outstanding academic ability and I'm of average intelligence. Please don't post that proverb 'Find something you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life' cuz that's just nonsense. My interests would never provide a decent wage for me. Don't really care what area it's in just want to get a decent job with a decent wage. Seems to be a few fellas that went to school with me who weren't the sharpest but got some civil engineering degrees and they seem to be doing ok. Looking towards accounting also, anyway any input would be appreciated! And ill post rent boy/drug dealer to save someone else the hassle!


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    #2
    berger89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 387 ✭✭berger89


    What about a general Business degree? If you do well, there's endless things you could go into or study further


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    #3
    forgotten password
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,094 ✭✭✭forgotten password


    fuzzydunlop85 wrote: »
    What's a good qualification to get to give me a better chance of a landing a good job? Trying to turn things around for myself in 2015. If I'm being brutally honest I have no outstanding academic ability and I'm of average intelligence. Please don't post that proverb 'Find something you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life' cuz that's just nonsense. My interests would never provide a decent wage for me. Don't really care what area it's in just want to get a decent job with a decent wage. Seems to be a few fellas that went to school with me who weren't the sharpest but got some civil engineering degrees and they seem to be doing ok. Looking towards accounting also, anyway any input would be appreciated! And ill post rent boy/drug dealer to save someone else the hassle!


    hotel/bar manager


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    #4
    Mr_Muffin
    Registered Users Posts: 917 ✭✭✭Mr_Muffin


    Army if you young enough - you won't find easier job in the country.


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    #5
    SEPT 23 1989
    Registered Users Posts: 43,024 ✭✭✭✭SEPT 23 1989


    civil service


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    #6
    strobe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,872 ✭✭✭strobe


    If you think you have the mindset to be an accountant, perhaps look into being an actuary? So actuarial mathematics, or actuarial and financial studies or something like that would be the course of study. It's like an accountant accept you predict the future with numbers or some type of black magic along those lines. Big ass companies grab you by the throat and drag you through their door out of college then line you up against a wall in the office and then just shoot massive wads of cash out of a canon in your general direction and you stuff it into your underwear while laughing hysterically.


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    #7
    The Moldy Gowl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,889 ✭✭✭✭The Moldy Gowl


    strobe wrote: »
    If you think you have the mindset to be an accountant, perhaps look into being an actuary? So actuarial mathematics, or actuarial and financial studies or something like that would be the course of study. It's like an accountant accept you predict the future with numbers or some type of black magic along those lines. Big ass companies grab you by the throat and drag you through their door out of college then line you up against a wall in the office and then just shoot massive wads of cash out of a canon in your general direction and you stuff it into your underwear while laughing hysterically.

    Haha what a fantastic description.


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    #8
    fuzzydunlop85
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,861 ✭✭✭fuzzydunlop85


    strobe wrote: »
    If you think you have the mindset to be an accountant, perhaps look into being an actuary? So actuarial mathematics, or actuarial and financial studies or something like that would be the course of study. It's like an accountant accept you predict the future with numbers or some type of black magic along those lines. Big ass companies grab you by the throat and drag you through their door out of college then line you up against a wall in the office and then just shoot massive wads of cash out of a canon in your general direction and you stuff it into your underwear while laughing hysterically.

    Sounds good, where do I sign up? Seriously though don't you have to be a maths wizard to be an actuary?


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    #9
    The Moldy Gowl
    Closed Accounts Posts: 19,889 ✭✭✭✭The Moldy Gowl


    fuzzydunlop85 wrote: »
    Sounds good, where do I sign up? Seriously though don't you have to be a maths wizard to be an actuary?

    Nah. It's all excell based, copy paste formulas


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    #10
    Poorsaint
    Registered Users Posts: 5 ✭Poorsaint


    If you are good with people - H.R.
    If you are good with maths - Accounting
    If you are good with maths and people - Engineering

    Overall advice - get into a large firm (even at entry level) that has a good training policy, be ambitious and hard working and you will do well. Good luck for 2015, and remember we are held back more by our inhibitions than our inability.


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    #11
    Tilly
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,987 ✭✭✭Tilly


    fuzzydunlop85 wrote: »
    Sounds good, where do I sign up? Seriously though don't you have to be a maths wizard to be an actuary?

    Well you need to have some smarts. Otherwise we'd all be one.


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    #12
    Asarlai
    Registered Users Posts: 512 ✭✭✭Asarlai


    strobe wrote: »
    If you think you have the mindset to be an accountant, perhaps look into being an actuary? So actuarial mathematics, or actuarial and financial studies or something like that would be the course of study. It's like an accountant accept you predict the future with numbers or some type of black magic along those lines. Big ass companies grab you by the throat and drag you through their door out of college then line you up against a wall in the office and then just shoot massive wads of cash out of a canon in your general direction and you stuff it into your underwear while laughing hysterically.

    You're correct about the very high salaries paid to actuaries, but based on what the OP said about being average intelligence, s/he would be wasting time even investigating it. My guess is that actuaries are in the top 1% in terms of general intelligence and analytical skills (the sort of thing that IQ tests measure). For example, most of them would have received almost perfect scores on higher level maths in the LC.

    FWIW, I find it difficult to give advice to the OP without some more details: Does the OP have a leaving cert? some college or a degree? Presumably is in Ireland and wants to stay? Or no?


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    #13
    ewinslet
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 72 ✭✭ewinslet


    Get some kind of IT certification if you can't get a degree in computer science (specifically software engineering). The world is crying out for programmers, even mediocre ones, because it's better than none.


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    #14
    fuzzydunlop85
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,861 ✭✭✭fuzzydunlop85


    Asarlai wrote: »
    You're correct about the very high salaries paid to actuaries, but based on what the OP said about being average intelligence, s/he would be wasting time even investigating it. My guess is that actuaries are in the top 1% in terms of general intelligence and analytical skills (the sort of thing that IQ tests measure). For example, most of them would have received almost perfect scores on higher level maths in the LC.

    FWIW, I find it difficult to give advice to the OP without some more details: Does the OP have a leaving cert? some college or a degree? Presumably is in Ireland and wants to stay? Or no?

    Yeah think that would be out if my league in fairness!have an arts degree(I know!) , done tefl for a few years, was a croupier for a while, worked on building sites and was gonna do an apprenticeship at one stage which I kinda regret not doing now. Am in Ireland now working in a ****ty retail job and am mad to get out of it.


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    #15
    fuzzydunlop85
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,861 ✭✭✭fuzzydunlop85


    berger89 wrote: »
    What about a general Business degree? If you do well, there's endless things you could go into or study further

    Would there be many employment opportunities with a general business degree??


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    #16
    Talib Fiasco
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,428 ✭✭✭Talib Fiasco


    You seem stressed OP. The solution has to be an Arts degree where you'll sail through the three or four years while being on the piss three to four nights a week. Bliss!


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    #17
    berger89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 387 ✭✭berger89


    fuzzydunlop85 wrote: »
    Would there be many employment opportunities with a general business degree??

    I reckon so. well obviously if you're wanting to do more practical job, then maybe not but if you see yourself doing officey work, then Business might be the way. I just think (like Arts), it can lead onto so many different areas. And even management positions.
    Also, IT is a good area too. Great money


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    #18
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    berger89 wrote: »
    I reckon so. well obviously if you're wanting to do more practical job, then maybe not but if you see yourself doing officey work, then Business might be the way. I just think (like Arts), it can lead onto so many different areas. And even management positions.
    Also, IT is a good area too. Great money

    IT is one where you are constantly studying and upskilling if you want to make money and the hours can be horrendous.

    As for Actuary you need an A in Honours Maths


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    #19
    Steve_Carella
    Registered Users Posts: 172 ✭✭Steve_Carella


    Batman.


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    #20
    alistair spuds
    Closed Accounts Posts: 62 ✭✭alistair spuds


    Poorsaint wrote: »
    If you are good with people - H.R.

    lol.


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    #21
    smcgiff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,943 ✭✭✭smcgiff


    +1 for the programmer suggestions.

    -1 for actuary


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    #22
    alistair spuds
    Closed Accounts Posts: 62 ✭✭alistair spuds


    smcgiff wrote: »
    +1 for the programmer suggestions.

    -1

    I hear this extremely bad advice all the time, you need a prior intrest and passion for IT, or you will not stick it.


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    #23
    smcgiff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,943 ✭✭✭smcgiff


    Steve_Carella wrote: »
    Batman.

    Think Ben Affleck Bruce Wayne has that market cornered.


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    #24
    berger89
    Closed Accounts Posts: 387 ✭✭berger89


    alistair spuds wrote: »
    -1

    I hear this extremely bad advice all the time, you need a prior intrest and passion for IT, or you will not stick it.

    Not necessarily. A friend of mine studied architecture for a year, decided she didn't like it so tried computer science "coz nothing else really appealed"…. she's working in microsoft at the mo.

    computer science/IT was never on her radar in school


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    #25
    smcgiff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,943 ✭✭✭smcgiff


    alistair spuds wrote: »
    -1

    I hear this extremely bad advice all the time, you need a prior intrest and passion for IT, or you will not stick it.

    What profession do you think not having a passion for it will allow you to succeed at it?


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    #26
    alistair spuds
    Closed Accounts Posts: 62 ✭✭alistair spuds


    fuzzydunlop85 wrote: »
    What's a good qualification to get to give me a better chance of a landing a good job? Trying to turn things around for myself in 2015. If I'm being brutally honest I have no outstanding academic ability and I'm of average intelligence. Please don't post that proverb 'Find something you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life' cuz that's just nonsense.

    It's very far from nonsense, if you can't think of a way of getting into something you love, then at least get in something as close as possible to your intrests. After doing the study and getting the qualifications, you're are still going to have to be motivated to be able to do this job very well for 40 hours a week, 5-6 days a week, rain, hail or shine. Unless you have more than a passing interest in the subject, you either will not stick it, or be sucessful at it, and at very best you'll not be looking forward to going to work each and every day. Money on its own is not a sucessful long term motivator for anything.


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    #27
    alistair spuds
    Closed Accounts Posts: 62 ✭✭alistair spuds


    smcgiff wrote: »
    What profession do you think not having a passion for it will allow you to succeed at it?

    None, so why advise him to be a programmer, when you nothing about him ?


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    #28
    smcgiff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,943 ✭✭✭smcgiff


    berger89 wrote: »
    Not necessarily. A friend of mine studied architecture for a year, decided she didn't like it so tried computer science "coz nothing else really appealed"…. she's working in microsoft at the mo.

    computer science/IT was never on her radar in school

    Agreed, I know people that did the equivalent of breezing through their first degree, got a wake up call and matured very quickly and returned to study with vigour. Nothing would have stopped them. a break like in the case of the OP helps I think.


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    #29
    smcgiff
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,943 ✭✭✭smcgiff


    alistair spuds wrote: »
    None, so why advise him to be a programmer, when you nothing about him ?

    Same as yourself. At least I gave a suggestion. Care to chip in with something positive yourself?


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    #30
    Grayson
    Registered Users Posts: 16,127 ✭✭✭✭Grayson


    Asarlai wrote: »
    You're correct about the very high salaries paid to actuaries, but based on what the OP said about being average intelligence, s/he would be wasting time even investigating it. My guess is that actuaries are in the top 1% in terms of general intelligence and analytical skills (the sort of thing that IQ tests measure). For example, most of them would have received almost perfect scores on higher level maths in the LC.

    FWIW, I find it difficult to give advice to the OP without some more details: Does the OP have a leaving cert? some college or a degree? Presumably is in Ireland and wants to stay? Or no?

    Honestly, I've met a few actuaries and they weren't the smartest. I'm not saying they're stupid. Well, some were, but most were of "average" intelligence. The one thing I will say is that they worked damn hard to get to the top of their game.

    The poster who mentioned HR is on to something. Fields like HR and management are very people orientated. It doesn't mean that you have to deal with people in the way a therapist would, it just means there's a lot of face time. And they're very generic. There's a huge range from say talent acquisition to people management. And it can vary largely from industry to industry. If the OP has a general degree then he can do a HDip or masters in one of these areas. He can even do something like a masters in IT management with no IT Qualification.

    There's also lots of independent qualifications that can help. I have a friend who has a degree in civil engineering. He started working in a call centre as a top gap when he left college. He became a trainer and got some qualifications. He's now running the training division for a whole site and loves it. He has no intention of doing engineering at any point. The most successful friend I have did a BA and got a crappy support job in IT support as a stop gap (In a call centre again). He's now on 6 figures and running a division for a pharmaceutical firm.

    It would be handy to know where the OP is starting from, qualification wise.


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    #31
    alistair spuds
    Closed Accounts Posts: 62 ✭✭alistair spuds


    berger89 wrote: »
    Not necessarily. A friend of mine studied architecture for a year, decided she didn't like it so tried computer science "coz nothing else really appealed"…. she's working in microsoft at the mo.

    computer science/IT was never on her radar in school

    The dartboard method of career selection ? For every one person that by accident found out they liked the subject, I'll show you a dozen that left their IT course or profession.


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