Degree and career advice

[gicts]

I work way too hard for way too little and there's no end in site, so I've come to the conclusion it's time to go back to school.

Right now I do web dev for a large company and I'm at the end of my rope. It's just data entry and I come home everyday exhausted and frustrated. I've been applying to other jobs for 2 years without success, and I'm not in love with the career.

Myers Briggs pegs me as an ISTP. I enjoy creative or constructive skills on a freelance basis and am very weak on long-term planning abilities. I'm the guy who doesn't plan and gets a thrill out of improvising.

If I had a mulligan, I would have tried to get into a mechanical engineering program. I daydream of doing something with my hands and being outdoors. Lately it has been carpentry, but it is always changing. I used to be a paramedic and enjoyed it, but the paychecks wouldn't cut it.

My heart says to quit and learn a trade, but my head says I'll be disappointed like I was when I was a paramedic. I've tried to start several businesses, but have trouble keeping things going.

Ideally, I guess I'm hoping there is an advanced degree that could help position me to do consulting or freelance work that would pay the bills and get me out from behind this 9-5 cubicle every day. I get a kick out of permaculture (sustainable lifestyles), so I've been looking for an inexpensive online Masters in Sustainability. I've also contemplated law school or trying to do prereqs for a DO application, and even archaeology (childhood hobby)

I know I'm a bit of a scattered mess, but any suggestions or resources would be greatly appreciated.

Background
29 years old
BS Justice Administration (2009, 2.2?GPA) ... after going to 4 colleges
AAS Emergency Management (2010, 4.0 GPA)
5 years experience as a Paramedic
3 years experience in web dev/digital marketing

[davewill]

Skilled carpenters make good money, and never have to work in a cubicle. Mechanical engineers mostly work in cubicles...using CAD programs. They don't build things with their hands as a general rule.

[rebel100]

I work way too hard for way too little and there's no end in site, so I've come to the conclusion it's time to go back to school.

Right now I do web dev for a large company and I'm at the end of my rope. It's just data entry and I come home everyday exhausted and frustrated. I've been applying to other jobs for 2 years without success, and I'm not in love with the career.

Myers Briggs pegs me as an ISTP. I enjoy creative or constructive skills on a freelance basis and am very weak on long-term planning abilities. I'm the guy who doesn't plan and gets a thrill out of improvising.

If I had a mulligan, I would have tried to get into a mechanical engineering program. I daydream of doing something with my hands and being outdoors. Lately it has been carpentry, but it is always changing. I used to be a paramedic and enjoyed it, but the paychecks wouldn't cut it.

My heart says to quit and learn a trade, but my head says I'll be disappointed like I was when I was a paramedic. I've tried to start several businesses, but have trouble keeping things going.

Ideally, I guess I'm hoping there is an advanced degree that could help position me to do consulting or freelance work that would pay the bills and get me out from behind this 9-5 cubicle every day. I get a kick out of permaculture (sustainable lifestyles), so I've been looking for an inexpensive online Masters in Sustainability. I've also contemplated law school or trying to do prereqs for a DO application, and even archaeology (childhood hobby)

I know I'm a bit of a scattered mess, but any suggestions or resources would be greatly appreciated.

Background
29 years old
BS Justice Administration (2009, 2.2?GPA) ... after going to 4 colleges
AAS Emergency Management (2010, 4.0 GPA)
5 years experience as a Paramedic
3 years experience in web dev/digital marketing

You sound an awful lot like me except you arrived at these conclusions before I did (I was 37), and ,presumably, you like your computer (I only like what it does).

The kicker for me was the approaching college time for both of my kids. I managed to get ahead of that by just a little bit and managed to open up opportunities for all of us with a better and more stable job.

Thing is I'm not sure what to tell you. My MBA made it possible to move up in administration, but that didn't happen for me until I built a small network of people who would hold the door open. There is no advanced degree that will give you what your asking for...there is more to it than that. You can get a sustainability certificate (maybe a degree too) from Harvard Extension...but you will still have to make yourself know and sell your services to make a go of freelance work. The degree is actually the easy part.

There are a couple of writers out there that have influenced me. Not that I've followed every piece of advice, but I like the way they make me challenge my assumptions Josh Kaufman https://joshkaufman.net/essays/
and Tim Ferris Timothy Ferriss - The 4-Hour Workweek - Home (click the blog link).

I can't encourage you to go grab a degree, you have to figure out what's important for you and what will work. I was finally pushed into action when the ambulance service I worked for sold their assets to RM and gave their 911 business back to the city/county. I suddenly needed a job and used the fact that i was about to finish my BS as a catalyst to sneak my way into the hospital. My pay was cut in half but I didn't have to run 12-16 calls every 24 hours and I haven't slept in an ambulance on the street corner at 3am in years now. That hospital paid for my MBA and they keep giving me little advances now and then, I'm well over my old medic pay and the work is challenging enough...heck, I even get to treat patients now and then and that is satisfying.

I think the best advice is to say keep plugging along, try things, tomorrow doesn't have to look like today and probably won't no matter what you do. Plan anyway, what can you do today to make you better prepared?

[gicts]

Skilled carpenters make good money, and never have to work in a cubicle. Mechanical engineers mostly work in cubicles...using CAD programs. They don't build things with their hands as a general rule.

Good point!

You sound an awful lot like me except you arrived at these conclusions before I did (I was 37), and ,presumably, you like your computer (I only like what it does).

The kicker for me was the approaching college time for both of my kids. I managed to get ahead of that by just a little bit and managed to open up opportunities for all of us with a better and more stable job.

Thing is I'm not sure what to tell you. My MBA made it possible to move up in administration, but that didn't happen for me until I built a small network of people who would hold the door open. There is no advanced degree that will give you what your asking for...there is more to it than that. You can get a sustainability certificate (maybe a degree too) from Harvard Extension...but you will still have to make yourself know and sell your services to make a go of freelance work. The degree is actually the easy part.

There are a couple of writers out there that have influenced me. Not that I've followed every piece of advice, but I like the way they make me challenge my assumptions Josh Kaufman https://joshkaufman.net/essays/
and Tim Ferris Timothy Ferriss - The 4-Hour Workweek - Home (click the blog link).

I can't encourage you to go grab a degree, you have to figure out what's important for you and what will work. I was finally pushed into action when the ambulance service I worked for sold their assets to RM and gave their 911 business back to the city/county. I suddenly needed a job and used the fact that i was about to finish my BS as a catalyst to sneak my way into the hospital. My pay was cut in half but I didn't have to run 12-16 calls every 24 hours and I haven't slept in an ambulance on the street corner at 3am in years now. That hospital paid for my MBA and they keep giving me little advances now and then, I'm well over my old medic pay and the work is challenging enough...heck, I even get to treat patients now and then and that is satisfying.

I think the best advice is to say keep plugging along, try things, tomorrow doesn't have to look like today and probably won't no matter what you do. Plan anyway, what can you do today to make you better prepared?

What a small world. I worked for RM for 3 years. All the while I was listening to entrepreneurial podcasts like Tim's and many he influenced. The thought of passive income is what lead me to permaculture and sustainable systems to begin with I left RM to start a small leather company. It felt amazing jumping into the unknown, but I was a bit too wet behind the ears. I fell into web dev since I had free time during my 24's at RM. I played with affiliate sales and landed the corporate gig. I haven't adjusted going from those 24's to sitting in rush hour five days a week.



I'm starting to plan for a family and when I look around there's no way I can provide the same quality of life for my kids that I had as a youngster. I'm definitely motivated to invest in myself, and that's why I'm drawn to this site. Half of my issues with college previously was the blatant waste of my time and money.

Drawing back on my childhood, my dad and I would go on bona fide archaeology digs for fun. I've been kicking around getting a masters in anthropology/archaeology for that very reason. It'd be a good mix of hands on and critical thinking along with a changing environment.

[rebel100]

Good point!



What a small world. I worked for RM for 3 years. All the while I was listening to entrepreneurial podcasts like Tim's and many he influenced. The thought of passive income is what lead me to permaculture and sustainable systems to begin with I left RM to start a small leather company. It felt amazing jumping into the unknown, but I was a bit too wet behind the ears.

I'm starting to plan for a family and when I look around there's no way I can provide the same quality of life for my kids that I had as a youngster. I'm definitely motivated to invest in myself, and that's why I'm drawn to this site. Half of my issues with college previously was the blatant waste of my time and money.

Drawing back on my childhood, my dad and I would go on bona fide archaeology digs for fun. I've been kicking around getting a masters in anthropology/archaeology for that very reason. It'd be a good mix of hands on and critical thinking along with a changing environment.

I don't know whats right for you. I might suggest that when faced with your decision, I opted for the cheapest bona-fide MBA I could find...this meant the hospital couldn't discard me with the "doesn't meet minimal qualifications" brush off. I used their money to get the darn thing, learned very little, but put the initials behind my name...then went out to find a promotion, it worked. I sometimes think about completing a history or writing MA just for fun and to maybe one day teach, but the dream isn't strong enough to make me move towards it. I'm a lot better off now..,for whatever that is worth to you. I keep my paramedic and Critical Care from UMUC up as my just in case fall back plan. (actually need to get my CEU hours done before the end of the year).

[cookderosa]

Welcome!

Everyone is a bit of a mess, don't let it bring you down. I have no direct insight into your careers, however, I'll share a little about my experience in consulting. I did consulting a lot in the late-90's. I was about 10 years post-college in my field, had a lot of enthusiasm, and was coming off some really good press that brought them to call on me - I did it on the side since by then I was a stay at home mom and adjunct, so it was gravy.
My 3 biggest and longest clients were large companies that didn't employ chefs, but instead hired "cafeteria ladies" and wanted a chef to come in and magically train their staff to pull a rabbit out of a hat. I was just under 30, but the people in my charge were easily 1 1/2 - 2 times my age. This didn't go well. For starters, people who hire consultants have problems that they don't know how to fix (which is why they call you) but the reason they have problems is because they don't employ the right people. Had any of these companies hired a chef, they wouldn't have needed me because a chef would have done everything I did, but with less friction (because if you're a cook, you're going to do what your chef tells you if you want to keep your job, you can ignore consultants and throw up barriers all day long and there is no one to enforce otherwise)
By about the 6th month, I realized these jobs were all the same- I turned down 2 other much bigger and better paying opportunities because for *me* I need results. If I'm not being effective, I'm bored, and my time is worth more than money. Anyway, somewhere around a year, I got out from under that mess.

Why am I telling you this? Because a new college degree isn't going to land you a consulting job. You need industry experience and the degree. If you have one and not both, you're not going to grasp how to solve the issues facing the company. In my case, they had VERY experienced workers (with poor skills that were deeply ingrained) but no education. On the flip, a new graduate (in my field anyway) lacks the ability to handle problems because he hasn't encountered them yet- you have to handle a hundred disasters before you can avoid the 101st.

So, I think if you head into consulting, you should do it in your current field - you'll have a lot more street cred that way. Maybe a degree to go with it? But if you change fields, you might have a hard time selling yourself to the guys who have the degree AND two decades of experience that you have anything to offer that they hadn't already considered.

[Leedeedee]

Just wanted to add this all sounds so familiar. I am now actually working as an independent IT consultant and it's the best move I ever made. I'm actually angry at myself for putting it off for so long. If you can find your specialty niche and get some experience, then go for it. If you can bear the stress of being a project manager go for it, or get yourself experienced on the systems admin side of a popular piece of software like SAP or Oracle ERPs. Work for someone else for a couple of years and then just go freelance. You'll find experience is far more important than advanced qualifications.

Of course if you enjoyed being a paramedic, have you considered becoming a Physician Assistant? 24 months to train, not bad money, significant amount of autonomy (as paramedics have). Plus with some experience you could work part time and have 2 different jobs for variety, work 12 hour shifts or 24 hour shifts, work in primary care and/or in acute care etc. It's pretty flexible. Just a thought.

[Yanji]

Your background and personality seem to be a great fit for law enforcement to me. Is that not something you are interested in?

[Lindagerr]

Have you thought of doing an interest assessment test? There are several out there from free through $100 dollars. I took one about 10 years ago and that made me go for my science degree. The test did say I would be happier teaching, but that was not what I "wanted" to do. Once I had my AA and decided to substitute while finishing my BA I realized I really do love teaching and took more education credits and pursued a teaching degree. I still love laboratory work but find teaching usually makes me happier. If you are not sure what you really want why put so much effort into something that may just make you more unhappy? You are young and have a long working life ahead of you why not find what you can make money at and be happy doing. I believe the assessment I did was the MAPP . I did take it through a psychologist and he helped interpret it, but you can do it on your own. Just an idea, you did ask for career advice too.

[sanantone]

This list of jobs based on your personality seems to fit your interests.

ISTP Career Success: Choose the Right Job and Put Your ISTP Strengths to Work | Truity