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Career Options?
#1
Ok, I am currently substitute teaching and I am expected to graduate this December with my BALS degree which opens up grad school for me... The issue is I want to make sure I am making the best decision to become a teacher after I graduate. I have been told by family, and coworkers not to go into it even down to the school psychologist who thinks I am better off in a career like hers. I have considered going into something techy as suggested by my mom who has seen how good I am with it and has wished I had gone into a career like this instead... I was exploring options last night and came across training to become a full stack web engineer it looked like a good fit for me. I also would love a career in cybersecurity and to learn ethical hacking. I am wondering is it too late to learn a career in this field? Also, I am a Business Major too I have 7 courses left for my degree at another University that I plan to finish! Is it a bad call to go into something on the Business side? I live in northern CA from what I have noticed a Business degree out here won't do much for you...
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#2
The teachers I know love teaching, and here in CA especially, it pays well, and you get great benefits. So I'm not sure that I would discourage anyone from doing it. If you're not up to dealing with the problems Common Core presents (LOTS of extra time spent doing non-teaching duties), you can always go to a private school or charter school.

Not sure why a business degree wouldn't do anything for you, I've never seen a problem with it in my years in HR, in Northern CA (both the Bay Area and Sac area).

I would probably spend a lot of time looking at different degrees if you're really unsure as to what you want to do for your career. I certainly would NOT spend money on a Graduate degree if I wasn't certain.
TESU BSBA/HR 2018 - WVNCC BOG AAS 2017 - GGU Cert in Mgmt 2000
EXAMS: TECEP Tech Wrtg, Comp II, LA Math, PR, Computers  DSST Computers, Pers Fin  CLEP Mgmt, Mktg
COURSES: TESU Capstone  Study.com Pers Fin, Microecon, Stats  Ed4Credit Acct 2  PF Fin Mgmt  ALEKS Int & Coll Alg  Sophia Proj Mgmt The Institutes - Ins Ethics  Kaplan PLA
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#3
Thank you for your reply. Actually, until I kept hearing people tell me not to do it I had already been set on becoming a teacher in special education. Everyone I talk to says they could not do it but I love it! Yes, the common core area can be frustrating... I find students bored, acting out, and just not interested at times. I love what I do but sometimes I feel like the expectations to keep these kids sitting is ridiculous. I do not mind the lesson planning and hours of effort. I actually am looking forward to spending countless hours decorating my first classroom. If it were up to me I would be planning both textbook and hands-on activities. I hear I will be told how to teach and that it's not how I am picturing it... just from subbing I already can see how scripted the textbooks are and the problems, I may be in for. I honestly don't mind it right now I am just worried about the long run and if eventually, it will make me miserable like my coworkers are. I think the problem with the business degree is really down to me... I have no idea what to do with it? Like how to get into a field? and what is out there? There are so many areas to chose from... I do not know how to get my foot in the door. I think maybe interning?
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#4
I think there are plenty of teachers who still love it after 20 years. That's a good question though.

Business degrees lead to good paying management jobs for people who have the right personality and enjoy the job. If you wanted to get some IT certification or experience, then you could do IT management.

For long term security, it seems like management or IT are the best routes (or certain jobs in healthcare, but some of them don't have enough jobs anymore). But I think you should do what you love, if you have some backup plans. Like after many years of teaching, maybe you get another degree and go into school administration.

I think there are always options later on, especially if you work PT on a Masters degree over the years, or at least some IT certification or a grad certificate.

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  • cali86
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#5
Did the school psychologist give you a career interest and aptitude test?

Now that I think about it, I was never given a career interest test in high school. I was only given an aptitude test. I think career interest tests should be mandatory along with a personal finance course that covers funding college.
Graduate of Not VUL or ENEB
MS, MSS and Graduate Cert
AAS, AS, BA, and BS
CLEP
Intro Psych 70, US His I 64, Intro Soc 63, Intro Edu Psych 70, A&I Lit 64, Bio 68, Prin Man 69, Prin Mar 68
DSST
Life Dev Psych 62, Fund Coun 68, Intro Comp 469, Intro Astr 56, Env & Hum 70, HTYH 456, MIS 451, Prin Sup 453, HRM 62, Bus Eth 458
ALEKS
Int Alg, Coll Alg
TEEX
4 credits
TECEP
Fed Inc Tax, Sci of Nutr, Micro, Strat Man, Med Term, Pub Relations
CSU
Sys Analysis & Design, Programming, Cyber
SL
Intro to Comm, Microbio, Acc I
Uexcel
A&P
Davar
Macro, Intro to Fin, Man Acc
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  • jsd
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#6
I think that you should become a teacher.

This is my 19th year as a public school teacher in Michigan. I have taught more than 50 different classes in our high school, middle school and even one year within the elementary school. Prior to that, I was a preschool teacher for five years at the University of Michigan while a student there and I spent one year at the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Illinois.

During my career, I have seen an ostrich bite a student on the hand and I've seen a llama get loose and run down the streets in Ann Arbor. I have attended a funeral for two students in the school gymnasium after they were killed by a drunk driver and left two empty spots in my seating chart. I was in Lansing the day that Michigan passed right to work laws and saw the state police tear gas teachers. There is really no profession like it.

When I started teaching, we had almost 75 teachers in my district and today we are in the mid-40s. Following the right-to-work laws, I had to make a personal decision about whether to fight to save my local union. My wife had just had twins and I decided to fight. I am president of my local association and have negotiated two contracts that delivered a balanced budget for the district and protected health care and included very small pay increases for teachers. It is kind of a guerrilla war, but a guerrilla war for a good cause.

The job market has changed big time recently. Michigan is now graduating half the number of teachers that it once did and districts are finding it more difficult to find any teachers, let alone teachers that are actually good at the job.

If you do go into the profession, be sure to become active in the union because it is the only thing that keeps the profession from complete destruction. It is a good fight.
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#7
(11-17-2017, 05:04 PM)sanantone Wrote: Did the school psychologist give you a career interest and aptitude test?

Now that I think about it, I was never given a career interest test in high school. I was only given an aptitude test. I think career interest tests should be mandatory along with a personal finance course that covers funding college.

I got an aptitude test in HS, and funny enough that I scored highest on accounting.  Which is the profession I started off in once I started working full-time at 19, but which I thought sounded like a TERRIBLE idea when I first heard it!

In addition to the tests/courses you suggest, I think that a Myers-Briggs should be required, along with a "major search" course.

The only thing I would say is that things can change over time.  New testing every 5-10 years can be super helpful.
TESU BSBA/HR 2018 - WVNCC BOG AAS 2017 - GGU Cert in Mgmt 2000
EXAMS: TECEP Tech Wrtg, Comp II, LA Math, PR, Computers  DSST Computers, Pers Fin  CLEP Mgmt, Mktg
COURSES: TESU Capstone  Study.com Pers Fin, Microecon, Stats  Ed4Credit Acct 2  PF Fin Mgmt  ALEKS Int & Coll Alg  Sophia Proj Mgmt The Institutes - Ins Ethics  Kaplan PLA
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#8
(11-17-2017, 07:04 PM)dfrecore Wrote:
(11-17-2017, 05:04 PM)sanantone Wrote: Did the school psychologist give you a career interest and aptitude test?

Now that I think about it, I was never given a career interest test in high school. I was only given an aptitude test. I think career interest tests should be mandatory along with a personal finance course that covers funding college.

I got an aptitude test in HS, and funny enough that I scored highest on accounting.  Which is the profession I started off in once I started working full-time at 19, but which I thought sounded like a TERRIBLE idea when I first heard it!

In addition to the tests/courses you suggest, I think that a Myers-Briggs should be required, along with a "major search" course.

The only thing I would say is that things can change over time.  New testing every 5-10 years can be super helpful.

Agree. There should probably be a combination of testing career interest, aptitude, and personality. I take career interest tests every few years or so because that can change based on exposure. Personality and aptitude are pretty stable.
Graduate of Not VUL or ENEB
MS, MSS and Graduate Cert
AAS, AS, BA, and BS
CLEP
Intro Psych 70, US His I 64, Intro Soc 63, Intro Edu Psych 70, A&I Lit 64, Bio 68, Prin Man 69, Prin Mar 68
DSST
Life Dev Psych 62, Fund Coun 68, Intro Comp 469, Intro Astr 56, Env & Hum 70, HTYH 456, MIS 451, Prin Sup 453, HRM 62, Bus Eth 458
ALEKS
Int Alg, Coll Alg
TEEX
4 credits
TECEP
Fed Inc Tax, Sci of Nutr, Micro, Strat Man, Med Term, Pub Relations
CSU
Sys Analysis & Design, Programming, Cyber
SL
Intro to Comm, Microbio, Acc I
Uexcel
A&P
Davar
Macro, Intro to Fin, Man Acc
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#9
Honestly, career-wise I have done a lot. Everyone I know calls me the jack of all trades. I have worked in retail, the office, as a caregiver for developmentally disabled adults, an in-home care provider for the state, CNA, Dental assistant, teachers assistant, preschool teacher and now sub teacher. I cannot do a job with heavy labor work though there is absolutely no way lol. I am definitely the management business type too... I used to own a businesses which I built from the ground up. I spent hours researching and did everything from advertising, marketing, and running it myself. I also am a self-learner I taught myself how to coupon and I have taught others how to coupon, save money, and budget. I think I will try that career aptitude test mentioned on here lol. I was originally planning to teach and move up into Administration eventually. A lot of people who know me agreed it would be a good mix for me when I mentioned it awhile ago so it's interesting to see it was mentioned here as well. Is there any careers where I can work for companies and save them money? lol!
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#10
(11-17-2017, 09:51 PM)cali86 Wrote: Honestly, career-wise I have done a lot. Everyone I know calls me the jack of all trades. I have worked in retail, the office, as a caregiver for developmentally disabled adults, an in-home care provider for the state, CNA, Dental assistant, teachers assistant, preschool teacher and now sub teacher. I cannot do a job with heavy labor work though there is absolutely no way lol. I am definitely the management business type too... I used to own a businesses which I built from the ground up. I spent hours researching and did everything from advertising, marketing, and running it myself. I also am a self-learner I taught myself how to coupon and I have taught others how to coupon, save money, and budget. I think I will try that career aptitude test mentioned on here lol. I was originally planning to teach and move up into Administration eventually. A lot of people who know me agreed it would be a good mix for me when I mentioned it awhile ago so it's interesting to see it was mentioned here as well. Is there any careers where I can work for companies and save them money? lol!

Finance (dealing with budgets) or accounting (finding tax loopholes).
Graduate of Not VUL or ENEB
MS, MSS and Graduate Cert
AAS, AS, BA, and BS
CLEP
Intro Psych 70, US His I 64, Intro Soc 63, Intro Edu Psych 70, A&I Lit 64, Bio 68, Prin Man 69, Prin Mar 68
DSST
Life Dev Psych 62, Fund Coun 68, Intro Comp 469, Intro Astr 56, Env & Hum 70, HTYH 456, MIS 451, Prin Sup 453, HRM 62, Bus Eth 458
ALEKS
Int Alg, Coll Alg
TEEX
4 credits
TECEP
Fed Inc Tax, Sci of Nutr, Micro, Strat Man, Med Term, Pub Relations
CSU
Sys Analysis & Design, Programming, Cyber
SL
Intro to Comm, Microbio, Acc I
Uexcel
A&P
Davar
Macro, Intro to Fin, Man Acc
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