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When your job is not what you majored in

PintoBean

Ideal_Rock
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I really don't work in a field that lines up exactly with what I studied. Yes, if you take a thousand mile view of what I've studied in total, you can see how everything I've learned is valuable to what I do now. I'm interested in knowing what you studied, and what field you work in now. Bonus points if it's radically different :lol: !

BA in Philosophy, minor in Mathematics - yeah... I just wanted to graduate as soon as possible after dropping out of electrical engineering track my junior year :lol:

MS-Eng in electrical and computer engineering - I've never worked as an engineer :naughty:

JD - i graduated by the skin of my teeth working full time and going to school at night. I didn't sit for the bar. My loans scared the crap out of me, so I took the next job that came along that paid me MORE!

So, after all that education, I'm not a philosopher, engineer, or lawyer. I'm a project manager in tech. :???: Oh yes, and a trainer of cats - my proudest accomplishment to date! Kitty #1 sits, shake hands and begs. Kitty #2 goes to her spot, sits, shake hands, other hand, and begs. Kitty #3 is still a baby, but she sits and begs. :lol: :lol: :lol:
 

random_thought

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DH has a degree in archaeology. He works as a home delivery manager because apparently archaeology jobs don't pay that much :lol:

I got my degree in graphic design, couldn't find a job during the recession, and was offered a job testing software. I did that for a good 4/5 years and got pretty good at it. I was doing qa work at my current company when the position for a graphic designer opened up in the marketing department. I got lucky in that working as a qa analyst pays more than a graphic designer (20k more annually) and they gave me a lateral promotion, meaning I got to keep my previous salary. I'm probably one of the highest paid designers in the area because I'm so sneaky :naughty: I'm also in the middle of earning my masters degree in marketing so that I can hopefully take my boss's job someday :bigsmile:
 

stracci2000

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I have a BA in Advertising Design and illustration but now work for a food brokerage. Sad!
 

Dee*Jay

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I have an English degree. I do speak the language every day! :cheeky:

After three miserable semesters in law school I left and got a masters degree in finance. Now I work at the compliance officer at a private equity firm. I'm also a real estate agent, which I could do without any degree. And I'm a CPA, which I decided would just be "fun." Yes, I have a strange sense of fun...
 

PintoBean

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random_thought|1459350495|4013097 said:
DH has a degree in archaeology. He works as a home delivery manager because apparently archaeology jobs don't pay that much :lol:

I got my degree in graphic design, couldn't find a job during the recession, and was offered a job testing software. I did that for a good 4/5 years and got pretty good at it. I was doing qa work at my current company when the position for a graphic designer opened up in the marketing department. I got lucky in that working as a qa analyst pays more than a graphic designer (20k more annually) and they gave me a lateral promotion, meaning I got to keep my previous salary. I'm probably one of the highest paid designers in the area because I'm so sneaky :naughty: I'm also in the middle of earning my masters degree in marketing so that I can hopefully take my boss's job someday :bigsmile:
:appl: :appl: :appl: YES! props!!! :appl: :appl: :appl: I :love: your drive, and strategic maneuvering!!!!
stracci2000 said:
I have a BA in Advertising Design and illustration but now work for a food brokerage. Sad!
Maybe Stracci2000 and Random_thought can get together and start a business! :dance:

Dee*Jay said:
I have an English degree. I do speak the language every day! :cheeky:

After three miserable semesters in law school I left and got a masters degree in finance. Now I work at the compliance officer at a private equity firm. I'm also a real estate agent, which I could do without any degree. And I'm a CPA, which I decided would just be "fun." Yes, I have a strange sense of fun...
Hmmm... I sometimes wonder if American English is English anymore :lol: . Law school was 4 miserable years for me. ;(

I call my CPA friend a "certified pain in the arse"! :naughty: Dee*Jay - you always come across as quite intelligent and man, you have quite the background to confirm this! :clap:
 

Niel

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I have a natural resources BS and work in insurance.

:read: :wall: :read:
 

jaysonsmom

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BS in Biology
MS in Human Nutrition
Work in Regulatory Affairs
 

girlyglam

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I have a BS in magazine journalism, and my dream at the time was to work in beauty editorial at a national teen magazine. When I graduated undergrad, I first worked in beauty PR for almost a year and then worked in magazine editorial (shelter magazines) for a year before I was laid off (it was 2008 :| ). So, I kind of did what I had wanted to do upon graduation, but not completely.

After I was laid off, I went back to school to get my MA in TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages), and I was on the K-12 track. It was a 2-year program with student teaching in the second year. Student teaching quickly taught me that I didn't actually want to be a classroom teacher. I finished the program and graduated, worked at a trapeze/circus school for about a year and a half, and eventually got a job in higher education administration, which is where I've been for the past several years now. Right now, I feel like I'll probably stay in the field of higher ed, but honestly, who knows!
 

amc80

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I'm boring. Undergrad double major of Econ and PoliSci. MA in Econ. First job out of grad school was for an economics litigation consulting firm. Did that for a few years, then sort of wanted to be more mainstream. I've been some sort of Financial Analyst ever since.

I also teach an econ course for MBA students.

BUT, I do own a travel agency and do that on the (very) side.
 

Haven

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I have a BA in English and technical theatre. I have multiple grad degrees in reading and literacy, higher education, and developmental education. I'm English faculty at a community college. Total bore over here, but truth be told I always thought I would be a novelist after college, so the fact that I had to get an actual paying job came as a real letdown. ;-)
 

azstonie

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My bachelor's is in Clarinet Performance. It was my passion, playing the clarinet, and my job goal was to play in a major symphony orchestra. I went to the top school for clarinet players at the time (USC) and the program was rigorous. I learned to not only play the clarinet at a professional level but to think critically and write and speak well.

I moved to Alaska 9 years after graduation to be married. I took a job with the state, started out as a Clerk and within 2 years I had quintupled my salary level working my way through the ranks at the Dept of Env Conservation, first as a regulations writer (drinking water and then contaminated sites regs) then a project manager of a $450 M Superfund Site. Because I was a good writer and speaker, I was noticed during my clerk days and further trained and promoted.

I used to laff when expensive consultants would meet with me and sprinkle sugar all over their crappy product in an effort to get my blessing and I would tell them to make their sales pitch one that a clarinet major could understand, bwahahahaha.

It was my experience that an undergraduate degree is not *vocational training* and results in good critical thinkers and good writers. You would be good quality clay ready for molding by an employer or profession. When I was hiring, I didn't care so much what someone's degree was in, but I did take note of their writing on their resume and cover letter and how they spoke to me and presented themselves verbally. I also noted where they got their degree, was it a rigorous university/college or a pay-for-diploma mill.
 

ame

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I don't work in my field anymore either. I basically decided I was sick of starving lol
 

NewEnglandLady

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azstonie, I had no idea that you were a clarinet performance major! I played the clarinet through high school and had planned to be a music major, but was so burnt out by my senior year in high school that I completely changed my mind. A couple of my clarinet-playing high school friends went on to become clarinet performance majors and are now college professors teaching clarinet studies. My best friend was a piano performance major, but after developing bad tendonitis she had to quit performing and has been a financial planner for about 10 years. She still gives lessons twice a week because she loves it. My husband started as a music major in college, but switched to mathematics after his freshman year. He still plays (the piano) every day and we do duets for our kids pretty often because they seem to enjoy it (our 4-year-old has been playing piano for about a year and our younger daughter is about to start the cello).

I ended up majoring in communications, economics and political science...I have no idea what I was thinking with that last one. I manage the mobile platform for a major retailer (after working in analytics for a decade), so not too far away from my major. My husband was a math major and is now an actuary, so that is about as similar as you can get.
 

Arcadian

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Econ major, and I did finance and hated it. Worked at a brokerage right out of college...Series 7 and 6, and when I got sick of it, chucked it all the climb cellphone towers. Ah those were the days were they just wanted you to not be scared of falling, they'd teach you the rest :lol:

These days I do application development with a healthy side order of Accessibility.
 

azstonie

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NewEnglandLady|1459437706|4013676 said:
azstonie, I had no idea that you were a clarinet performance major! I played the clarinet through high school and had planned to be a music major, but was so burnt out by my senior year in high school that I completely changed my mind. A couple of my clarinet-playing high school friends went on to become clarinet performance majors and are now college professors teaching clarinet studies. My best friend was a piano performance major, but after developing bad tendonitis she had to quit performing and has been a financial planner for about 10 years. She still gives lessons twice a week because she loves it. My husband started as a music major in college, but switched to mathematics after his freshman year. He still plays (the piano) every day and we do duets for our kids pretty often because they seem to enjoy it (our 4-year-old has been playing piano for about a year and our younger daughter is about to start the cello).

I ended up majoring in communications, economics and political science...I have no idea what I was thinking with that last one. I manage the mobile platform for a major retailer (after working in analytics for a decade), so not too far away from my major. My husband was a math major and is now an actuary, so that is about as similar as you can get.

Hey, cool!! Musicians are my peeps and definitely clarinetists!! :wavey: :appl: I did a lot of studio work (I also play flute, sax and bass/E-flat clarinet) and pit work. I still hear jingles I played on and crack up :lol: High 5s to you and your hubs!!
 

mochiko42

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Undergrad in French. (Yeah my parents were happy about all that wasted Ivy League tuition..If I did it again, I would definitely choose a more practical subject. :roll:)
Masters in International/Public Affairs.

I work in administration in the China office of an American nonprofit that works on corporate and US govt contracts.
 

jordyonbass

Ideal_Rock
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I didn't exactly major in it but after spending years building my hours for a captain's ticket, it took me all of a month to learn that as much as I love the water I couldn't do liveaboard work on vessels. So my time spent through my youth doing hours for a Captain's ticket was basically wasted time in relation to my career (not that it was a waste of time, I have learned a lot that keeps myself and people on boats safe).

Nowadays I am working in Emergency services for utilities but I have been going through the interview process with an engineering company for a Junior Surveyor and Geotechnician, before that I was a bar/venue manager. Never thought I would have ended up taking this career path after I figured that I didn't want to work in the maritime industry.
 

mochiko42

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PintoBean|1459350298|4013094 said:
I really don't work in a field that lines up exactly with what I studied. Yes, if you take a thousand mile view of what I've studied in total, you can see how everything I've learned is valuable to what I do now. I'm interested in knowing what you studied, and what field you work in now. Bonus points if it's radically different :lol: !

BA in Philosophy, minor in Mathematics - yeah... I just wanted to graduate as soon as possible after dropping out of electrical engineering track my junior year :lol:

MS-Eng in electrical and computer engineering - I've never worked as an engineer :naughty:

JD - i graduated by the skin of my teeth working full time and going to school at night. I didn't sit for the bar. My loans scared the crap out of me, so I took the next job that came along that paid me MORE!

So, after all that education, I'm not a philosopher, engineer, or lawyer. I'm a project manager in tech. :???: Oh yes, and a trainer of cats - my proudest accomplishment to date! Kitty #1 sits, shake hands and begs. Kitty #2 goes to her spot, sits, shake hands, other hand, and begs. Kitty #3 is still a baby, but she sits and begs. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Funny-- not one of my college friends who majored in engineering became an engineer. Most of them went straight to investment banking. :lol:
 

House Cat

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PintoBean|1459350298|4013094 said:
I really don't work in a field that lines up exactly with what I studied. Yes, if you take a thousand mile view of what I've studied in total, you can see how everything I've learned is valuable to what I do now. I'm interested in knowing what you studied, and what field you work in now. Bonus points if it's radically different :lol: !

BA in Philosophy, minor in Mathematics - yeah... I just wanted to graduate as soon as possible after dropping out of electrical engineering track my junior year :lol:

MS-Eng in electrical and computer engineering - I've never worked as an engineer :naughty:

JD - i graduated by the skin of my teeth working full time and going to school at night. I didn't sit for the bar. My loans scared the crap out of me, so I took the next job that came along that paid me MORE!

So, after all that education, I'm not a philosopher, engineer, or lawyer. I'm a project manager in tech. :???: Oh yes, and a trainer of cats - my proudest accomplishment to date! Kitty #1 sits, shake hands and begs. Kitty #2 goes to her spot, sits, shake hands, other hand, and begs. Kitty #3 is still a baby, but she sits and begs. :lol: :lol: :lol:
I have been trying to find the right way to say this for days.....

Anyone who can train cats.... can rule the world.


Please run for president...STAT. I will vote for you.


:appl: :appl: :appl: :appl:
 

pricescopenewbie

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jaysonsmom|1459358640|4013175 said:
BS in Biology
MS in Human Nutrition
Work in Regulatory Affairs


WOW Jaysonsmom, looks like we share quite a path - me: BS in Biology, PHD in Genetics/Human Nutrition. am trying to get my foot in the Regulatory Affairs field, but haven't seen many openings and looks like it is quite competitive. Any suggestions? would appreciate it a lot for your advice!
 

Modified Brilliant

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B.A. in English (British Literature) & Political Science, but wanted to be a city planner and took grad level courses. But took the easy way out and joined the family jewelry business in 1979 and received my G.G. diploma in 1986.....and "yes".. English has been useful for my career!
 

PintoBean

Ideal_Rock
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House Cat|1459535551|4014244 said:
PintoBean|1459350298|4013094 said:
I really don't work in a field that lines up exactly with what I studied. Yes, if you take a thousand mile view of what I've studied in total, you can see how everything I've learned is valuable to what I do now. I'm interested in knowing what you studied, and what field you work in now. Bonus points if it's radically different :lol: !

BA in Philosophy, minor in Mathematics - yeah... I just wanted to graduate as soon as possible after dropping out of electrical engineering track my junior year :lol:

MS-Eng in electrical and computer engineering - I've never worked as an engineer :naughty:

JD - i graduated by the skin of my teeth working full time and going to school at night. I didn't sit for the bar. My loans scared the crap out of me, so I took the next job that came along that paid me MORE!

So, after all that education, I'm not a philosopher, engineer, or lawyer. I'm a project manager in tech. :???: Oh yes, and a trainer of cats - my proudest accomplishment to date! Kitty #1 sits, shake hands and begs. Kitty #2 goes to her spot, sits, shake hands, other hand, and begs. Kitty #3 is still a baby, but she sits and begs. :lol: :lol: :lol:
I have been trying to find the right way to say this for days.....

Anyone who can train cats.... can rule the world.


Please run for president...STAT. I will vote for you.


:appl: :appl: :appl: :appl:
Ermagherd, I'm in tears! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
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