Unsure what to pursue

[SolarKat]

The grad cert, in my opinion, isn't going to do much of anything for you alongside CIS. The cert is operations and risk decision-making coursework, so without academic/resume items in those areas as a foundation, it's random theory stuck on top of CIS. Further, without doing the foundation work for the classes (at least covering the undergrad Optimization class, either within the TESU degree, as a standalone class, or mastering the material independently, and maybe an operations management class, or finance, or whatevs), plus having some ability in data visualization (which is beyond the scope of these grad classes) as a bare minimum, I don't see the path to grad-level functioning in operations or finance...particularly if the BSBA is in neither ops nor finance.

The value of a data scientist is not in understanding a how to use a software package. Anyone can plug-n-pray data at the bottom salary tier, in data entry. The value of a data scientist is their understanding of the area/market under analysis, and the relationships between the many components they're observing. It's akin to a tech taking a page of medical lab results and reading "in range" and "out of range" and announcing what they just read off the paper, versus the doctor/PA/nurse practitioner understanding the biochemistry behind the results, why if one result is wonky, an entirely different-but-related panel needs to be run, how it all works together, and the complex analysis/algorithm that winds up finding a brain tumor from the starting point of a kidney stone. People pay the big bucks for the depth of knowledge underneath the analysis skills...so I'm not sure there's a quickie masters that's going to help move the income needle without foundation work in whatever market interests you.

I'd search your local job boards for "data analyst", "data scientist", "data research"...that sort of thing, and see what's out there for actual jobs right now in your area. That might give you an idea for direction. A lot of companies are jumping on the Big Data bandwagon without really understanding what it is, what it can do for them, and how they're going to implement "it". So scour the ads and see what skills they *think* they want, and who is offering what opportunities. Without a portfolio/references in the field, I don't see how you get remote work in this field...which means taking a close look at the on-site jobs on offer, as an initial guide. Also, hit Glassdoor to see what companies in your area are actually paying for each of these job titles. That may give you some direction if you desire not-entry-level wages.

AND.

You keep using the term "interesting", that your job must be "interesting", and listing many things which do not interest you. If I was into gambling, I'd put money on you not liking data much. Why? Because for even the top tier scientist who handles data, the overwhelming majority of time is spent on the very ugly, dry, frustrating, and critical task of data cleaning. (Yes, it's as sucky as it sounds. Fork-through-the-skull sucky for many people.)

Further, it's *all* numbers, in any sector. It's not theoretical math like doing proofs, but it's definitely developing mathematical relationships between variables. Understanding what algorithm was used to develop results, and why a different algorithm is more appropriate for that particular data set. (Software will have many/most of them...it's up to you to learn why and how to use them, vs the basics of running the analysis to get a results file.)

I believe you're capable of working in data, absolutely. But I don't get the sense that you'd enjoy it. Having said that, some logistics:

Payment plan: For the TESU student, covers the 8 required classes and 4 electives (from the list of 8 electives). It's possible to do the 10-course Stats.com Analytics for Data Science certificate (8 required, not identical to TESU but close, plus 2 electives...and still includes the Intro Stats for free, or did at the time of my enrollment)...but you'll want to choose electives carefully. I have some outside credits that fit TESU AOS electives, so option B worked better for me. For most people, it's going to be much easier to just sign up for the TESU plan and go with it.

Textbooks: Included for Intro Stats, but not for anything else. The classes often use texts written by the instructors, which is a mixed blessing. They can be found for $20-30 to $200...it's not a negligible line item on the program budget.

Time: Be prepared to do random hurried background work. (Like Machine Learning last week: "Now's a good time to learn Tableau or Spotfire. Go for it, then show us your images. It's graded." Besides working on the theory behind the visualizations, we had a week to learn and become at least somewhat proficient with a specific data viz package...which bumped study hours required *way* up. And that's the only week we need Tableau (or Spotfire), for this class. And there are no late assignment submissions. So...drinking from the firehose. Social Network Analysis was similar, with Gephi...kind of a "here, go play with this and get competent before your final project in 4 weeks."

Health Informatics is basically "medical records" (how data is organized, stored, secured, shared). Bioinformatics = computational biology. CS, math, statistics, and even engineering. Statistics.com offers 10-course certificates in Biostatistics and in Social Science Statistics. They offer payment plans, and a credential, though many (most?) classes are not ACE accredited so there's not a lot of transfer credit available & a hiring manager may/may not be interested in these without an academic "explanation" (like a biology/biochem/psych degree, for example).

Sorry this is so disjointed - I have a close family member going active on the Boston lung transplant list imminently (the committee has voted, they're getting the allocation score now), so it has been a little nutty here. My best advice to you is to research the h#ll out of the jobs/opportunities and plan accordingly, and be very cautious about how you spend your education $...be sure it gets you where you want.

[tesu-acct-student]

I just thought I'd throw an idea out there. I realize it is probably outside the realm of what you would really like to do, but just in case there are others reading for whom it may apply...

Freelance and virtual bookkeeping has a lot of the perks you seek. Remote work is possible. Flexible hours. Decent to very high hourly rate (depends on your experience, marketing skills, and if you're self employed or not). No degree required to get started, but a BSBA/accounting would be useful if you wanted to work for somebody else and climb their ladder.

Here are a couple of sites so you can see what I mean:

http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/
Virtual Accounting and Bookkeeping Careers at AccountingDepartment.com

I did this sort of work for many years. It pays well and provides flexibility.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck! eeya:

[Ideas]

Thank you again, SolarKat. I sure hope that your family member is doing well.

I could learn the prereqs on my own if needed, but the other parts do give me doubt. First, that it is all numbers.

Secondly the cert+BSBA won't look so good without experience, especially if my BSBA doesn't have a Finance concentration. Third, that not many jobs would be remote. These both seem to be true for almost all areas of employment

Fourth, that it is not "interesting" in the way I am looking for. I guess it is hard to tell. I have done some other jobs that were very repetitive, but I liked them anyway, because it wasn't completely rote. For each step there was a bit of analysis/decision, placement (design), etc which kept me interested. Or, I have had others that were basically "mindless" (despite needing some skill), but I was able to think about other things while doing the work, so I wasn't bored. On the other hand, would I feel that it was work I wanted to do? I'm not sure.

I'm still not thinking of any options for employment that make sense for my situation. I'm not counting self-employment/freelance. Those are my options that I have explored, and I may need to concede they are the best. However, I would like to keep searching until I find 1 or 2 options that are my best non-self-employment options.

I'm aware that I probably can't have everything I want here. I guess I am looking to get TWO of these three:
1. Feeling that I am helping people or improving the world, by my personal standards. Indirectly is okay, but not very indirectly. Some careers that other people say "help people" might not meet this goal for me personally.
2. Feeling that my work is mentally challenging (but not overly stressful) or interesting. Or, in other words, that the job is helping me grow somehow. I like to solve problems creatively, organize and draw connections, and learn.
3. Good pay.
However, even getting 2 of these may be too difficult, since I already have the health issues limiting me in many ways. So, I figured that if a career was exceptionally good in one of those areas, I might forego both of the others. Especially if the job had other elements (which didn't make my Top 3 list) that I appreciated.

Health Informatics is basically "medical records" (how data is organized, stored, secured, shared). Bioinformatics = computational biology. CS, math, statistics, and even engineering. Statistics.com offers 10-course certificates in Biostatistics and in Social Science Statistics. They offer payment plans, and a credential, though many (most?) classes are not ACE accredited so there's not a lot of transfer credit available & a hiring manager may/may not be interested in these without an academic "explanation" (like a biology/biochem/psych degree, for example).

I appreciate the summary. I feel pressured to decide because of some of the classes being only twice a year, or possibly less.

Also, I could change my CIS concentration to Finance if I made the change soon. (Well, I could make the change later too, but soon I'll be spending time and some money on CIS courses.) Or change the Marketing concentration which I have put some effort into. (I think I have a couple weeks to get a refund on the TECEP.)

[Ideas]

I just thought I'd throw an idea out there. I realize it is probably outside the realm of what you would really like to do, but just in case there are others reading for whom it may apply...

Freelance and virtual bookkeeping has a lot of the perks you seek. Remote work is possible. Flexible hours. Decent to very high hourly rate (depends on your experience, marketing skills, and if you're self employed or not). No degree required to get started, but a BSBA/accounting would be useful if you wanted to work for somebody else and climb their ladder.

Here are a couple of sites so you can see what I mean:

http://thefreelancebookkeeper.com/blog/
Virtual Accounting and Bookkeeping Careers at AccountingDepartment.com

I did this sort of work for many years. It pays well and provides flexibility.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best of luck! eeya:

Thank you! I am ideally looking to be an employee, not freelancer or business owner. However, I don't know if that is possible because of my disabilities, so I'm also trying to evaluate specific freelance/business opportunities.

It's very interesting that you don't need a degree to get started with that. I also have a friend who might be interested.

I will look into this more and consider switching to an Accounting concentration (giving up the CIS concentration, I guess).

Edit: I see that some Accounting jobs are being outsourced overseas. But, I guess there are plenty of firms who want to keep hiring here.

[Ideas]

I'm back to thinking that something in tech will be best. I am thinking there must be a specialization that's in demand remotely, but not being given to foreign companies/freelancers. It seems like there must be something that beats being a CPA in terms of pay and availability of flexible work hours. I would get my Masters, or a grad certificate, or certification(s) in the specialization.

[SolarKat]

I'm back to thinking that something in tech will be best. I am thinking there must be a specialization that's in demand remotely, but not being given to foreign companies/freelancers. It seems like there must be something that beats being a CPA in terms of pay and availability of flexible work hours. I would get my Masters, or a grad certificate, or certification(s) in the specialization.

a) What does the job market in your area tell you? (It's hard to get a well-paying remote tech position without experience/references. So you may wind up doing an internship/co-op/job locally, right?) What jobs are available right now?

b) Do you really want to do something in tech, when you've said repeatedly that it doesn't interest you? Especially if you might only have a little time to actually work in the field, any field? Would you want to invest the time/$ in a masters program for stuff that doesn't make you happy when you think about it, much less happy to be wallowing in it for years to come?

Thanks for your kind wishes - she's at the top of the very short waiting list for her demographics. A typical wait for lungs at this center is 35 days (yes, days), so there's great hope. It's awful to watch a barely 20-something decline. It's also somewhat awful to think that someone currently known but to God is going about his/her daily life, healthy as can be, and this person/family are completely oblivious to the train barreling straight at them. It's a sobering thing, wading through the donor/transplant/recipient data. [Shameless plug: One donor can save up to 8 lives with their solid organs...but if they also choose to donate tissue, they can help an additional 75+(!!!!) with vein grafts, bone grafts, corneas, tendons, heart valves (if the heart wasn't fit for a full transplant)...it's truly humbling to tally the impact of even one donor. And many (perhaps most) deaths will qualify for tissue donation - they don't have the same "minutes-count" urgency as the solid organs like kidneys, hearts, livers, and lungs. Tissues can be collected and preserved for a short while, so they can travel much farther to the recipients. Spread the word!]

[Ideas]

a) What does the job market in your area tell you? (It's hard to get a well-paying remote tech position without experience/references. So you may wind up doing an internship/co-op/job locally, right?) What jobs are available right now?

I figured I should work backwards, so I am looking for anything that's a remote job. Then, yes, since they mostly need 1-3 years experience, I could find an in-person job based on which remote job I want. I see hardly any remote jobs that look like they'd work for me. The only ones I see much of, which seem to be within reach within about 2-3 years of graduating with my Bachelor's, are:

- Online teaching positions (I'd have to start as an adjunct, which could lead to more regular work). Of course this would require completing a Masters degree, with 18 credits in the concentration I want to teach in. This seems pretty nice, if I could get enough classes per year, on average. It's a competitive area for obvious reasons.

- Tech support which is not too good of a job, but not too bad. Overall, it seems not much better or worse than the freelancing/self-employed options I have. This is just a fallback option, like the self-employment.

It's disappointing. There have to be additional options that I've somehow missed. I will keep looking.

(I'm also considering non-remote jobs, mainly if they are PT or flexible and high-paying. Or rewarding/interesting.)

b) Do you really want to do something in tech, when you've said repeatedly that it doesn't interest you? Especially if you might only have a little time to actually work in the field, any field? Would you want to invest the time/$ in a masters program for stuff that doesn't make you happy when you think about it, much less happy to be wallowing in it for years to come?

Well, sadly, my answers are yes, because I seem to have few options. Sure, I would turn down some options, but I guess I am willing to consider a lot of options. Anything that seems better to me than the freelancing/self-employment options I have. Anything that is PT or flexible means I could do some freelancing/business too.

I would strongly prefer a Masters degree that I could get through fast, OR the job would have to pay more if I'm going to really spend years or take out a bigger loan.

Most areas of tech are just "ok" to me, but I feel there are other areas that I'm unaware of that I might enjoy. However, I have looked at long lists of tech freelance jobs, so maybe I am out of options there.

It's awful to watch a barely 20-something decline.

That would be a hard age

It's also somewhat awful to think that someone currently known but to God is going about his/her daily life, healthy as can be, and this person/family are completely oblivious to the train barreling straight at them.

One donor can save up to 8 lives with their solid organs...but if they also choose to donate tissue, they can help an additional 75+(!!!!) with vein grafts, bone grafts, corneas, tendons, heart valves (if the heart wasn't fit for a full transplant)

Wow, that is very cool!

[Mab81]

Hello, I am coming in a bit late to this thread. But I wanted to say, one of my friends had a stroke at a young age (in his 30s) and cannot work in a traditional setting. He has a master's degree in Speech and Communication (which was an 'easy' degree to get compared to some). He did not have a good GPA in undergrad OR grad school. But for the last few years he has worked as an online professor for University of Phoenix and loves it. He makes good money and works from home. I think we will start seeing lots of higher education moving online in the coming years so if you have any interest in that sort of thing it may be something to look into. I saw your post below talking about how you need a master's degree... but from reading on this forum it seems doable. And this is an area of the workforce which will only expand as time goes on.

[Ideas]

Hello, I am coming in a bit late to this thread. But I wanted to say, one of my friends had a stroke at a young age (in his 30s) and cannot work in a traditional setting. He has a master's degree in Speech and Communication (which was an 'easy' degree to get compared to some). He did not have a good GPA in undergrad OR grad school. But for the last few years he has worked as an online professor for University of Phoenix and loves it. He makes good money and works from home. I think we will start seeing lots of higher education moving online in the coming years so if you have any interest in that sort of thing it may be something to look into. I saw your post below talking about how you need a master's degree... but from reading on this forum it seems doable. And this is an area of the workforce which will only expand as time goes on.

I'm glad it's working for him! Some Masters can be done in 6 months or less, if someone works really fast and hard, and those CBE are cheaper too, so I am interested in those. However, most places want 3 years of real-world work experience, not just the Masters + 18 credits.

[Ideas]

To help clarify, I'm thinking about IT jobs so much because (for some of the IT areas) there are more remote positions. Or if I had to work in an office, some of them are very independent and solitary, which is a plus for me. Also for some areas of IT, I believe I could get hired without having years at a formal work position. I know that they will still generally prefer 1-3 years experience, but I think they're much more open to seeing some completed work. For example, if someone had created a very nice app, they might get hired, in my opinion, above someone who had work experience but everything they did was a team effort. I know, it is not that easy, but it seems easier than some industries. In addition, I like how IT has some self-study certifications available.