Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

How do people fall into their jobs

Options
  • 19-05-2018 1:08am
    #1
    dog tired
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 59 ✭✭


    I'm looking around for new work and I don't have a clue where to start. I don't know what I would be good at. I don't have any degrees and can't afford to go back to college. I have read previous posts where people recommend to do an evening course but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of options to get a good degree in the evenings. I'm considering accounting because it's something that can be done part time and it pays good but I have no clue if I'd be up for it. Going to career guidance is pointless because how can ask for help when I have no real idea what I'd like to do.


«1

Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Conservatory
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,194 ✭✭✭Conservatory


    Sure just let life pan out and then vote for Paul Murphy when you don’t like it.


  • Options
    #3
    Samuri Suicide
    Registered Users Posts: 285 ✭✭Samuri Suicide


    Most people that 'fall' into jobs tend to be unhappy and are just racking up the years till retirement whilst worrying about PCP car colour and a loveless mortgage/marriage...in that order.
    Maybe save a bit of money and travel for a while, you won't regret it and could give you a wider perspective. Ireland is a free thinking country but the amount of people that go down the same old trodden path is frightening.


  • Options
    #4
    paleoperson
    Registered Users Posts: 3,522 ✭✭✭paleoperson


    I'm sorry but accounting is a terrible career choice in the age of computers. So much of that can be done now online and by computers.

    Probably the only jobs remaining are from those who are too wealthy/too lazy to be bothered to do their own books. Even then you will have to hope that they don't make it simple enough for them to do all that by computers as well in the near future.


  • Options
    #5
    Donald Trump
    Registered Users Posts: 19,025 ✭✭✭✭Donald Trump


    How do people fall into their jobs?

    Sometimes they run for election for the laugh, not taking things seriously, and gobshites vote them in


  • Options
    #6
    Donald Trump
    Registered Users Posts: 19,025 ✭✭✭✭Donald Trump


    paleoperson wrote: »
    I'm sorry but accounting is a terrible career choice in the age of computers. So much of that can be done now online and by computers.

    Probably the only jobs remaining are from those who are too wealthy/too lazy to be bothered to do their own books. Even then you will have to hope that they don't make it simple enough for them to do all that by computers as well in the near future.
     
    No personal offence meant but that's a silly post

    A lot of accountants go into business and/or management. It seems to be good general training

    It seems like a tough slog for some to get through the exams though.....from people I know they tend to have exemptions from college


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Markx
    Registered Users Posts: 929 ✭✭✭Markx


    In 2012 I worked in a pretty mind-numbing, low-level, poorly-paid yet pressurised I.T. job. Was pretty sure this wasn't something I could continue doing for another 35 or so years until retirement so was thinking how could I change things.

    Incidentally Bought an Android phone, due to the breakage of my reliable old Nokia around that time and despite being against the smart-phone 'fad' thought it would be interesting to see if I could program it. Spent a few months in the evenings learning and practicing, blagged my way into a mobile development job - had a year of absolute torture there - then got into a better company and 5 years later still there enjoying what I'm doing day-to-day.

    It's fair to say that while I didn't change industry or anything (remaining in IT in general), I did indeed fall into this job.


  • Options
    #8
    the_syco
    Registered Users Posts: 37,295 ✭✭✭✭the_syco


    dog tired wrote: »
    I'm looking around for new work and I don't have a clue where to start. I don't know what I would be good at.
    What are your hobbies or interests? Always like computers myself, and I'm now two years into a deskside support job.


  • Options
    #9
    carrollsno1
    Registered Users Posts: 2,187 ✭✭✭carrollsno1


    dog tired wrote: »
    I'm looking around for new work and I don't have a clue where to start. I don't know what I would be good at. I don't have any degrees and can't afford to go back to college. I have read previous posts where people recommend to do an evening course but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of options to get a good degree in the evenings. I'm considering accounting because it's something that can be done part time and it pays good but I have no clue if I'd be up for it. Going to career guidance is pointless because how can ask for help when I have no real idea what I'd like to do.

    No real qualifications myself, but i just always was tipping away doing bits here there and everywhere. Go out and make a name for yourself im at the other end f the world now and most work ive got was through word of mouth.

    Better living everyone



  • Options
    #10
    nkav86
    Registered Users Posts: 714 ✭✭✭nkav86


    I definitely fell into my job, in a way. I was the same as yourself, never knew what I wanted to do and frankly despise study so I felt hopeless. I was out of work and a bit torn down from retail type jobs, never thought I'd amount to anything beyond them.

    I had a stroke of luck signing on one day, the local college were in the dole office handing out flyers on their upcoming back to work scheme courses, no fees, get the scratcher still and a little extra with a full time FETAC course. I couldn't bring myself to turn it down, when would I ever get such a chance again?! So I started a business course that included payroll. Turns out I quite enjoyed that and was good at it.

    Had some family illness that knocked back any plans of taking things further, life took another downturn and I needed help again. I was recommended a CE scheme, best thing I've ever done. It got me experience in an office environment, gave me back my confidence and from there I did a night course in bookkeeping. I'm now working full time in finance, nothing lofty but I'm happy and more secure in most ways than I've ever been.

    Sorry about the ramble, but my point is, you won't know what you're good at or enjoy until you try things. If you're on the dole, go to the office and ask for help in finding work/experience that's what I did. If not, save all you can and start an affordable course, online even, and give yourself a chance to get some experience and skills.


  • Options
    #11
    ChikiChiki
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,950 ✭✭✭ChikiChiki


    Donald Trump wrote: »
     
    No personal offence meant but that's a silly post

    A lot of accountants go into business and/or management. It seems to be good general training

    It seems like a tough slog for some to get through the exams though.....from people I know they tend to have exemptions from college

    Yeah but as a start not a good career choice. Its ripe for full automation in next 5-10 years


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    Donald Trump
    Registered Users Posts: 19,025 ✭✭✭✭Donald Trump


    ChikiChiki wrote: »
    Donald Trump wrote: »
     
    No personal offence meant but that's a silly post

    A lot of accountants go into business and/or management. It seems to be good general training

    It seems like a tough slog for some to get through the exams though.....from people I know they tend to have exemptions from college

    Yeah but as a start not a good career choice. Its ripe for full automation in next 5-10 years

    It's far more likely that the basic IT grunt jobs would be automated to be fair


  • Options
    #13
    kaymin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,478 ✭✭✭kaymin


    ChikiChiki wrote: »
    Yeah but as a start not a good career choice. Its ripe for full automation in next 5-10 years

    You have little knowledge of what fully qualified accountants do in the real world of you believe that. Even at the most basic level, credit control, customers will always need to be chased for payment. Many accountants work in M&A - how is an area like that going to be automated?

    Yes basic book keeping will become streamlined with systems talking to eachother to avoid re-entry of data (eg fund administration is already heavily automated yet employment numbers in the Irish funds industry continue to grow) but how many accountants are responsible for entering data anyway in this day and age? Interpretation of the numbers is not going to be automated any time soon.


  • Options
    #14
    Graces7
    Registered Users Posts: 32,634 ✭✭✭✭Graces7


    dog tired wrote: »
    I'm looking around for new work and I don't have a clue where to start. I don't know what I would be good at. I don't have any degrees and can't afford to go back to college. I have read previous posts where people recommend to do an evening course but there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of options to get a good degree in the evenings. I'm considering accounting because it's something that can be done part time and it pays good but I have no clue if I'd be up for it. Going to career guidance is pointless because how can ask for help when I have no real idea what I'd like to do.


    This is exactly the reason to GO for career guidance.. It is there for those who,like you, do not have a clear idea

    Not for those who are already set on a course of work/action

    And they are skilled at listening and guiding .

    Good luck!


  • Options
    #15
    Hector Bellend
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,667 ✭✭✭Hector Bellend


    Porn actor.


  • Options
    #16
    tabby aspreme
    Registered Users Posts: 3,850 ✭✭✭tabby aspreme


    When I finished school in the 80s, people fell into jobs through knowing someone or political party allegiance


  • Options
    #17
    Avatar MIA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,750 ✭✭✭Avatar MIA


    paleoperson wrote: »
    I'm sorry but accounting is a terrible career choice in the age of computers. So much of that can be done now online and by computers.

    Probably the only jobs remaining are from those who are too wealthy/too lazy to be bothered to do their own books. Even then you will have to hope that they don't make it simple enough for them to do all that by computers as well in the near future.

    And here we have a little knowledge being a dangerous thing i.e. someone confusing bookkeeping with an accountancy career.

    Not sure if accounting is your thing OP, but accounting and the profession are here to stay.


  • Options
    #18
    Frynge
    Registered Users Posts: 1,667 ✭✭✭Frynge


    Interviewer: You have absolutely no relevant experience or qualification.

    Interviewee: I played intercounty football.

    Interviewer: Your hired.


  • Options
    #19
    mr_edge_to_you
    Registered Users Posts: 3,020 ✭✭✭mr_edge_to_you


    paleoperson wrote: »
    I'm sorry but accounting is a terrible career choice in the age of computers. So much of that can be done now online and by computers.

    You’re so far off the mark there it’s unbelievable! There’s plenty of need for accountants and will be for a long time to come.

    Accounting is a fantastic skill to have and it’s a accessible for mature students. You can start off as an accounting technician doing a 2 year p/t course and go from there.

    It is a career that offers amazing opportunities. It’s transferrable across all industries and sectors. There’s no limit to what level you can get to in a progressive organisation.

    I do accept that’s it not the most exciting and vibrant sector but it’s generally well rewarded and that brings its own satisfaction in terms of giving me financial stability and allowing me to give my wife and children a life that I never thought was possible. I was never the most talented individual - struggle through college and it took me 8 years to qualify as an accountant and it has paid off in abundance.


  • Options
    #20
    mr_edge_to_you
    Registered Users Posts: 3,020 ✭✭✭mr_edge_to_you


    In relation to the OP, I left college in 2003 with an accounting and finance degree and ended up working as trainee accountant in a pig factory.

    After that I just progressed up through different companies and 7 years ago I got into a really exciting company on a maternity contract and a contact made through that role got me into the industry I’m in now which is going well.

    Some people just seem to breeze through college, life, work with amazing results. Unfortunately not me. In my experience some good luck has opened the doors, my demeanor/experience gets me in the door (interviews) and hard work and attitude let’s me stay there (experience).


  • Options
    #21
    dog tired
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 59 ✭✭dog tired


    mr_edge_to_you wrote: »
    You’re so far off the mark there it’s unbelievable! There’s plenty of need for accountants and will be for a long time to come.

    Accounting is a fantastic skill to have and it’s a accessible for mature students. You can start off as an accounting technician doing a 2 year p/t course and go from there.

    It is a career that offers amazing opportunities. It’s transferrable across all industries and sectors. There’s no limit to what level you can get to in a progressive organisation.

    I do accept that’s it not the most exciting and vibrant sector but it’s generally well rewarded and that brings its own satisfaction in terms of giving me financial stability and allowing me to give my wife and children a life that I never thought was possible. I was never the most talented individual - struggle through college and it took me 8 years to qualify as an accountant and it has paid off in abundance.

    How do you go about finding the work to start the part time course? Or would the college or course provider help you with finding work. I'm looking at a part time accounting technician course where you spend one day a week in college and four days in work.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    ChikiChiki
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,950 ✭✭✭ChikiChiki


    kaymin wrote: »
    You have little knowledge of what fully qualified accountants do in the real world of you believe that. Even at the most basic level, credit control, customers will always need to be chased for payment. Many accountants work in M&A - how is an area like that going to be automated?

    Yes basic book keeping will become streamlined with systems talking to eachother to avoid re-entry of data (eg fund administration is already heavily automated yet employment numbers in the Irish funds industry continue to grow) but how many accountants are responsible for entering data anyway in this day and age? Interpretation of the numbers is not going to be automated any time soon.

    It will still greatly reduce the number of accountants required in the industry. Interpretation of the numbers and updated accounting standards, thats where machine learning components comes into play.

    Bad debtors will be weeded out by end of audit insights and shared data so that problem will be vastly reduced over time.


  • Options
    #23
    Avatar MIA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,750 ✭✭✭Avatar MIA


    ChikiChiki wrote: »
    It will still greatly reduce the number of accountants required in the industry. Interpretation of the numbers and updated accounting standards, thats where machine learning components comes into play.

    Bad debtors will be weeded out by end of audit insights and shared data so that problem will be vastly reduced over time.

    The day when accountancy becomes a bad career choice is the day when humanity pretty much gives up everything to automation and sits back and become like the occupants of the spaceship on Wall e - either that or you haven't a fcuking clue what accountants actually do. And there's significantly more people working in accountancy roles now than there were 5, 10 or any years ago.


  • Options
    #24
    The J Stands for Jay
    Registered Users Posts: 5,650 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    ChikiChiki wrote: »
    Yeah but as a start not a good career choice. Its ripe for full automation in next 5-10 years

    Seems like a lot of people are mixing up the roles of bookkeeper and accountant.


  • Options
    #25
    Avatar MIA
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,750 ✭✭✭Avatar MIA


    McGaggs wrote: »
    Seems like a lot of people are mixing up the roles of bookkeeper and accountant.

    Paper doesn't refuse ink. Keyboards don't refuse key strokes.


  • Options
    #26
    eeguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,478 ✭✭✭eeguy


    Look into Springboard courses.


  • Options
    #27
    FizzleSticks
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,172 ✭✭✭FizzleSticks


    This post has been deleted.


  • Options
    #28
    dog tired
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 59 ✭✭dog tired


    eeguy wrote: »
    Look into Springboard courses.

    I'm not unemployed. So I'm looking at doing an evening course. But really don't know where to start. I saw another course I liked the sound of but not so sure as it's worth 10 ECTS credits and was an introduction so not sure if it would stand to me because a full year in college is worth 60 credits and it's something I probably won't be able to progress in because courses seem to be full time. But I do know of places where a degree isn't necessary so at least it would show my interest.


  • Options
    #29
    gerryR
    Registered Users Posts: 190 ✭✭gerryR


    dog tired wrote: »
    I'm not unemployed. So I'm looking at doing an evening course. But really don't know where to start. I saw another course I liked the sound of but not so sure as it's worth 10 ECTS credits and was an introduction so not sure if it would stand to me because a full year in college is worth 60 credits and it's something I probably won't be able to progress in because courses seem to be full time. But I do know of places where a degree isn't necessary so at least it would show my interest.

    Springboard+ courses are available to those in employment


  • Options
    #30
    eeguy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,478 ✭✭✭eeguy


    dog tired wrote: »
    I'm not unemployed. So I'm looking at doing an evening course. But really don't know where to start. I saw another course I liked the sound of but not so sure as it's worth 10 ECTS credits and was an introduction so not sure if it would stand to me because a full year in college is worth 60 credits and it's something I probably won't be able to progress in because courses seem to be full time. But I do know of places where a degree isn't necessary so at least it would show my interest.

    The paid courses are under Bluebrick.

    Not sure how much you're not happy in your job, but it may be an option to become unemployed, to qualify for a free course, to get into a field you're interested in.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #31
    dog tired
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 59 ✭✭dog tired


    eeguy wrote: »
    The paid courses are under Bluebrick.

    Not sure how much you're not happy in your job, but it may be an option to become unemployed, to qualify for a free course, to get into a field you're interested in.

    Becoming unemployed is not an option. There's a 9 week wait to get unemployment assistance if I leave work. Then I'm not sure what I'm interested in to begin with. Browsed through springboard and saw a course that I would be interested in. It's 60 credits. Does that mean it will cost 6 times as much as the course that's worth 10 credits which as far as I know is around €2000. I won't be able to do it if that's the case because it's too expensive.


Advertisement