career suggestions?

[edwardmccaughan]

pretty standard situation here-just graduated from university and promptly realised I need to find something entertaining and profitable to keep myself occupied until the grim reaper turns up...

I have a huge list of plan Bs, but no plan A, as I've realised I'm not hugely fussed on doing a 9 to 5 desk job in electronics/computery stuff and my main problem is I don't really know what interesting careers are out there...

eg: it completely randomly occured to me the other day I could do pyrotechnics and special effects with only a bit more training, but until that random spark of insight, that had never come up on my list of possible options.

I did Robotics at university and have the typical geeky complement of programming and software skills, but over the last few years I've been upping my business, marketing, psychology and social skills, I like climbing, hiking, martial arts, fire juggling

for some examples, some of the plan Bs include

• chef (mmm, food. lot of work though)

• mayor (great, but I'm not enough of a people person yet

• street performer (fun, but I don't actually have any interesting skills yet)

• stunt double

• teacher (interesting, good holidays, but apparently you have to teach kids stuff. I'm not good enought to teach university level yet, but maybe someday)

• gigalo (apparently not much of an industry for straight males unless you're really good)

• sail tall ships

• unitarian ministry (good, but I'm not sure I'm ready or would stick with it once I'd finished training)

• police (awesome, but the UK police is fubared so only about 10% of police time is spent doing actual policing)

• prime minister (overthrowing democracy is on my todo list. might be while before I'm ready though)

• game programmer/designer (tough industry to make money in, plus I need to learn more)

so, I hereby throw myself at the mercy of the crowd and ask the collective wisdom if anyone can think of anything I haven't thought of?

thanks

Edward

[pianoperformer]

• Physicist
• Mathematician
• Programmer
• Pianist
• engeneer
• Lawyer
• Philosopher
• Journalist
• Doctor
• Clown
• Plummer
• CEO
• Lion tamer
• Mechanic

OK seriously. You didn't define any criteria, and I don't know you. How about teling us what you want to do? What do you enjoy?

[JimOfferman]

Originally Posted by edwardmccaughan

game programmer/designer (tough industry to make money in, plus I need to learn more)

I don't think the game industry is particularly "tough to make money in". The industry has been growing year on year, so skilled people are always in high demand (and can thus easily command a decent salary). Good game programmers are especially hard to come by, so if you put in the effort to become good at programming games, you will find work! (speaking from experience here)

What is tough is getting in as a game designer. Short of launching your own studio, you practically don't stand a chance with that. For one thing, everybody and their uncle wants to be a game designer. Yet, truly gifted game designers are hard to come by. Unfortunately, no one is going to believe you'll be the next Cliffy B until after you've shipped your Gears Of War.

If you do aspire to be a game designer, you should consider taking a job in QA, game testing or as a mid level producer. There are no guarantees, of course, but those jobs are generally considered breeding grounds for future game designers.

(note: my experience comes from working on Triple-A titles... the rules may be different in the more casual side of the games industry)

[beautyscientist]

I was impressed to read that early in his career David Bowie simply started acting like he was a hugely successful superstar - even though his record sales were very modest indeed.

For instance, once he invited a set of journalists to meet him briefly in the lobby of a hotel where he was being interviewed by big television interviewers. He explained that he was on a tight schedule but could fit them in between certain times and would have to see them all together. After doing this quick meeting he said good bye to them and flounced up the stairs to the serious business.

Needless to say not only was there no meeting upstairs he hadn't even booked a room and the whole event was done without knowledge of the hotel itself. He hid in the loo for half an hour before escaping. But of course he got the coverage he needed.

So inspired by that, why not cut out the tedious business of creating something or working at something, and simply launch yourself onto the world as a top flight super computer hero? All you need is nerve.

[dwixi]

Originally Posted by edwardmccaughan

pretty standard situation here-just graduated from university and promptly realised I need to find something entertaining and profitable to keep myself occupied until the grim reaper turns up...

I have a huge list of plan Bs, but no plan A, as I've realised I'm not hugely fussed on doing a 9 to 5 desk job in electronics/computery stuff and my main problem is I don't really know what interesting careers are out there...

eg: it completely randomly occured to me the other day I could do pyrotechnics and special effects with only a bit more training, but until that random spark of insight, that had never come up on my list of possible options.

I did Robotics at university and have the typical geeky complement of programming and software skills, but over the last few years I've been upping my business, marketing, psychology and social skills, I like climbing, hiking, martial arts, fire juggling

for some examples, some of the plan Bs include

• chef (mmm, food. lot of work though)

• mayor (great, but I'm not enough of a people person yet

• street performer (fun, but I don't actually have any interesting skills yet)

• stunt double

• teacher (interesting, good holidays, but apparently you have to teach kids stuff. I'm not good enought to teach university level yet, but maybe someday)

• gigalo (apparently not much of an industry for straight males unless you're really good)

• sail tall ships

• unitarian ministry (good, but I'm not sure I'm ready or would stick with it once I'd finished training)

• police (awesome, but the UK police is fubared so only about 10% of police time is spent doing actual policing)

• prime minister (overthrowing democracy is on my todo list. might be while before I'm ready though)

• game programmer/designer (tough industry to make money in, plus I need to learn more)

so, I hereby throw myself at the mercy of the crowd and ask the collective wisdom if anyone can think of anything I haven't thought of?

thanks

Edward

Maybe to find something your more sure about check out steves post
How to Discover Your Life Purpose in About 20 Minutes

[sbdiane]

9-5 computer program jobs aren't quite as dreary as the typical desk job. Most of the programmers I have worked with have been able to go play ping-pong or foosball in the game room or even basketball outside in the sunshine as a way to work through complicated tasks. Some even worked relatively flexibly, coming in late, staying late or coming in very early or working from home. They spend a lot of time hashing out a strategy for their tasks on whiteboards, usually in some kind of excited fashion, like they are mad-men geniuses building some incredible secret thing. Maybe I just knew only really creative and happy programmers, but that seemed to be how they operated.

[Lupe]

Originally Posted by sbdiane

9-5 computer program jobs aren't quite as dreary as the typical desk job. Most of the programmers I have worked with have been able to go play ping-pong or foosball in the game room or even basketball outside in the sunshine as a way to work through complicated tasks. Some even worked relatively flexibly, coming in late, staying late or coming in very early or working from home. They spend a lot of time hashing out a strategy for their tasks on whiteboards, usually in some kind of excited fashion, like they are mad-men geniuses building some incredible secret thing. Maybe I just knew only really creative and happy programmers, but that seemed to be how they operated.

You mean if I get a CS degree and then get a programming job, I can slack at work and even work on online business and still not get fired?

[Brutha]

You mean if I get a CS degree and then get a programming job, I can slack at work and even work on online business and still not get fired?

He didn't say anything about focusing attention on an other intellectual activity but about the ability to relax during pauses from intense intellectual computer work.