Career & Degree Dilemma

joilin SG · 2007-12-08T18:57:01+00:00

Many teachers started out immediately after graduating from university. For me, got interest no interest never mind. As long as got job, get paid, work can...

joilin SG

I have graduated few months back.... now doing some monotonous administrative job, I find working life a bore.Thinking of going back to school getting another degree which I realized I am more interested in and this means spending another good 4 years again.

I actually do not mind studying since i enjoy it. But I afraid how others view me in another 4 years time. I really wonder if I will be disadvantaged if I want to find a job few years later.

How do you guys view someone with lots of paper qualifications but no good and stable career?

The problem is I lose my interest in working already. Have worked in other jobs before but still no interest.

kramnave SG

how about finding a job in the industry that you like and actually study part-time while working ?

stevephua SG

u have lots of paper qualifications also no use... the company employ u, but u have no interest aft some time... den u keep changing jobs... den the next employer will ask u y u change so many jobs... hw expect the manager to trust you to work in his company when ur passion to stay in the company dies so easily??

studying another degree is a good idea... as long as wad u study is related to wad u wan to do in the company, and u scored quite high grades for it, who wud dare to pin-point at u??

jojobeach SG

Joilin,

Are you talking about pursuing a higher qualification or another lateral level paper ?

What is the purpose of you getting a paper qualification ?
It is to find yourself a good job, isn't it ?

Will getting more paper qualification lands you a job you will actually be interested in ?

Perhaps you may want to pursue a career in the research field.

You cannot be a full time student forever.

<Precious> SG

Education should be a means to an end, not an end in itself. Razz

A person with lots of academic paper qualifications without real life job experience is not nearly as valuable as another person with some paper qualifications but has a number of years of working experience in the eyes of most employers.

However, if you plan to etch a career as an academic- tutor/lecturer, pursuing your furthr studies in obtaining your masters/phD should be in line with your career goals.......... Wink

gerrykoh SG

Too highly educated, might have a problem getting a bf esp when u can't stay in a job for long- guys now look for a partner who can earn $$$ & help contribute to family income.

Don't get desk bound jobs if too boring, try sales, get to network & meet more people + more lucrative!

JerryYan SG

Working is always boring, but you got to learn how to enjoy & make it interesting Embarassed
Most of us once working will study part time to pursue better paper (like ACCA) Razz
Once you got married no time to study as there r lots of chores u need to do for the family Crying or Very sad

798 SG

i say... WHY NOT?

how old r u n what degree u obtained in the past?

it seems like u enjoy studying n not get used to working life. it's the same as most fresh grads dislike their job becos they r not related to the course they learnt.

how bout opting for NIE degree? Teaching is a enriching career.

aHGer^83 SG

i tink most graduates have this kinda prob... study alot, but no aim in REAL life....
as in, lost interest and everything.

but wad i advise is, just do wad u want lor... since u like to study, how abt work in the day and study at night?
i tink it wld be better den u go take up teaching job... as in full time teaching...
TS, for ur case, maybe u will enjoy being a part time lecturer... Wink

eagle SG

Actually if u plan to further your studies and not getting another degree, u could go for PhD studies

PhD in NUS is mostly sponsored, which mean free. In addition, there is a monthly allowance of 3000 for foreigners, 3500 for singaporeans, if I'm not wrong.

After you come out, you can use this money to start your own business somemore...

mistyblue SG

Everyone enjoy studying as long as there's no responsibility and someone else is paying for it.

What do you expect in your working life? What do you expect in your life?

FireAndHell SG

Yea!! go get another degree and get another monotonous admin job!! ahahahha!! Wink

joilin SG

Thank you to those offering constructive feedback.

Graduated with a Degree in Econs. But found interest in other fields.

Maybe i have not found the right career. By the way, I am not cut for sales & markteting because I am quite a straight forward person, do not know how to sweet talk my way.Perhaps thats why I ended up in an administrative job.

Teaching sounds a good option. But not much working experience , how to share knowledge and practical experience with students?

The problem I do see, is a trade-off. If I work now, I deny myself a chance to pursue the degree I really want. If I go back to studies, I am giving away another 4 years of my prime time which can be invested in building career.

That is why I am in a dilemma.

798 SG

i heard dat u will automatically offer a job once u graduate from NIE, hence it is much better than any degree actually.

since u have an econ degree, it is better not to do anything degree which is related to it so dat u have more option in ur future career.

storywolf SG

Work = labor !!! if it is something that you totally enjoy - then that is fun , not work.

Not a lot of people will find the job that they like. So have to bare with it as long as it clothes you, feed your family.

4 years + course fees ? + time + things you have to give up ? not really worth it . By then new people already come out - and bosses only willing to pay so much - does not matter you have 1 degree or 2 !

Chinese saying " talking soldier on paper " which is just talkcock in real it may be useless.

Also you degree here and degree there -- rojak !!! No use . You may as well carry on get a master in econ using the 4 years to add on which is of more value then start all over.

TTRules SG

moral of the story:

for the rest of you reading this and has yet to be stuck with something you dont like, PURSUE YOUR INTEREST!

live life without regrets. never give yourself the chance to regret not doing something you should have done.

passion can dang fan chi...

Gedanken SG

It all depends on whether there's method to the madness. While I was at univeristy I worked through a number of part-time jobs, making sure each one was different from the last, and for a short period after graduating I continued the strategy to widen my breadth of experience. It's worked in my favour because the potential employers that I wanted to work with all had a focus on developing their staff, and because of their development focus, they recognised my strategy when reviewing my work history. As such, it became a self-sorting process because I wasn't interested in working for someone who was going to pigeonhole me.

fymk SG

Just advice for you . I had a basic degree in nursing - nursing is all good and nice and caring but not where I see myself in. However I did not ditch the whole thing - a basic degree opens doors.

Instead of doing another bachelors, I choose to do a masters which will build on my nursing experience and then I specialised in a major . So now I have 2 sets of skills which can be used separately or together as value added qualifications.

You did an economics degree. Economics can be used everywhere. Health, finance , social etc. You have to think out of the box - economics does not mean you have to go into business or finance. Don't push your degree to the side. Use it as a base to build towards your interest. It is an investment and you build on that investment.

Tell me what is your field of interest and I might give you some pointers.

Rod1984 SG

Wah ...Studying freaks.. I used up 1 and half years for my degree..

Studying is juz about..getting it fast and quick..especially for a DEGREE..

Since you have been working as an admin for a few months and maybe a few year.. you know alot of candidates with a degree cant even find a job. This is so true. Almost everyone in the 20s and 30s are degree holders.

AND WHAT MAKES YOU DIFFERENT from others. ! is your experience and your hardworkingness.. your hardworkingness will WIN the day!

Q.C.Pak SG

Noone said working is interesting... Laughing