Carreer research

[GWashington1732]

This is the most frustrating thing I've ever had to do. Nothing seems good enough. I can only get so far with a general math/science major before I have to come up with a definate direction. The advisors at the college are useless, they ask me about my goals and I don't have a clue, then they just give me these stupid tests that always give me a pretty even spread for everything except computer science which always comes out, "definately do not go for this," so I get stuck sitting there like a doofis trying to pull random careers out of my butt to try to do research and nothing is very helpful there. I mean, I know certain things that I would not be good at, like teaching, I'd loose my job over my tendencies to swear and let offensive terms slip out, I probably wouldn't do well in medical or sedentary fields but beyond that I loose focus. So I'm sitting here slamming my head against the wall trying to find a general direction to go before the advisor at the school asks me about my goals again and tells me I still have plenty of time to decide on a career path. Yeah, I'll have plenty of time until the time that I don't. Does anyone have any GOOD ways to research this kind of thing? Because my way is not working. Also, anyone know of any outdoor careers that I could look at?

 

[gazz98]

I feel your pain. I have a BS in Applied Math with Physics minor. I started as an EE student and didn't like some of the circuit stuff. Most engineers drop out due to a dislike of math, not me, I loved it and switched to Applied math. If I had it to do over again, I'd pick something else. Jobs can be hard to find directly. I worked 9 years in IT before being laid off last year. I currently work at Home Depot while looking for a better job myself (hey that should cheer you up...)

Only good thing about math/science majors. You can't get by with memorization, so we tend to have great problem solving skills and the ability to think things through in a logical fashion. Those skills apply to any job.

What exactly is your degree or program?

Go to the big job websites (monster and careerbuilder for instance) and do a search for "math". That keyword will hit upon a ton of different jobs. Read those job descriptions and see what interests you. If you find something, clink on the link to the Co and see what else they have to offer.

If you like being outdoors, you might be able to get into wind or solar power stuff or alt energy. It's big right now.

Check here too, there is a link for BS grads..
http://www.ams.org/employment

I'll try to post more tomorrow. 3 am...kinda tired...

good luck

 

[Gollnick]

If you like math and science and physics and working with things and stuff but you don't want to persue science as a career (which really requires a Ph.D. after ten or twelve years of study) then think about engineering as an undergrad major. With that degree, you can do all sorts of things: research and new product development if you're inclined, application engineering and design is all sorts of fields, sales (and it's technical sales, so it's not so much of a hard sell) if you like working with people, field support if you like to travel... it's just endless.

Everything around you which isn't straight from nature was designed and engineered... from the building you're in to the car you drive to your computer, even your knife. If you like to play paintball, well someone designs those "marker" guns. Like to watch "monster truck" show? Those machines are sophisticated, engineered products; each team has a group of engineers behind it using sophisticated CAD and analysis tools and some of them will travel with the team to support the product in the field. Do you like going on roller coaster rides? Those are engineered. Like music? Want to be a rock star? Well, the stages and props and light shows and sound systems are all engineered and some of those engineers travel with the shows while others work in labs studying acoustics and optics and all other things involved. Interested in medical technology, saving lives, curing diseases, but not up for eight years of medical school and residency? Well all of the tools that doctors use, from surgical clamps to MRI scanners, are engineered. Like military and tactical stuff? Want to blow things up? Well, from bullets to aircraft carriers to nuclear warheads, that stuff is all engineered and those engineers do everything from test fire missiles on ranges to fly along on live missions all over the world. I have a college buddy who, as an engineer, spends about eight or nine months out of the year "on the road" living out of a suitcase. He doesn't even have a house or appartment, just a storage locker. He loves it because he loves to travel and has been all over the world. He supports a line of military radio equipment for his employeer. Just about every human activity involves things and those things have to be designed, manufactured, sold, supported, and serviced all over the world. And if you want to make some big bucks, you can go back to school and become a patent attorney. So, an engineering degree can take you to a lot of well-paying and interesting places.