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Thread: Hexus.Careers Advice...

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    radix lecti dave87's Avatar
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    Hexus.Careers Advice...

    Just wondering what those on Hexus (as I know you lot come from all walks of life) could offer in regards advice/insights into possible careers ahead.

    Basically my trouble is this, I get far too easily lured by the prospects of big £ signs, and often don't see the possible side effects (ie very long hours, few holidays etc).

    I'm currently studying Modern History & Politics, and according to most, (bearing in mind this is my first year) on target for a 2:1, possibly higher if I put my backside into gear. I would class myself as a reasonably enthusiastic guy, with the ability to learn new skills pretty rapidly, and the ability to commit myself to the long term. The question is, where do I go from my degree...

    Two options seem to have presented themselves, one being a career in the legal profession (probably a Solicitor, as I don't have the confidence and public speaking abilities required to be a (good) barrister), the other a career in finance (Investment Banking, Equities, Fixed Incomes). Both would probably entail working in London (which I don't mind, and could conceivably enjoy), and both would entail long hours, at least in the first years. Having read the the info available to me (admittedly I haven't had a careers interview), it seems a History degree would allow me to go anywhere, but some areas would need additional training (eg Medical Profession, or even Law - I would have to do an extra years study and then a conversion course).

    I'm currently applying to spend some time on an internship with Credit Suisse amongst others, and have spent time with Lawyers in the past, but I haven't got anything to compare it with (apart from the repetitive tasks of my time as a lowly IT tech - mainly rebuilding PCs with restore disks, a monkey could do that).

    Which brings me on to my next question. I have skills in IT which I probably wouldn't use. The problem is, to earn the big money you have to be bloody good, which, unfortunately, I'm not. I'm good with the hardware and networking side, but software (where the money can be) I can't write for rubbish. Admittedly give me Windows Server and I can configure it, XP and I can set it up, which seems impressive to some, but not to those who I'd need to impress. I'd be willing to learn, but having spoken to a mate who left Bristol Uni with a First in Computer Science, specialising in web design & mobile applets, I'd be stuffed as I have no experience, the same hurdle he has.

    So that leaves me back at the door of the professions where everyone (in theory at least) starts on a level playing field. Without sounding too much like I'm reciting the 'Great American Dream' it seems to be the most meritocratic system, where if you make money you are a success, if you don't, you are out on your backside. This, primarily is the Financial sector, though it equally applies to Law. The other thing is how long until I'm actually working - Law would require a further 2 years - and whether the potential rewards are worth it.

    So, and I apologise for my ramblings, this is why I need suggestions, what professions I should look into, and if anyone has similar experiences, what advice they would offer (what they would do differently, for instance).

    Dave

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    Agent of the System ikonia's Avatar
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    seek a professional careers adviser.
    It is Inevitable.....


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    radix lecti dave87's Avatar
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    Was my plan when I return to uni, was just when I was filling out the form for Credit Suisse, these questions popped into my head, thought I better find a place to release them - in this case it happened to be Hexus.

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    You've got two choices, go with what you're good at, or go with what you love. I went with what I was good at and got sick of it very fast, then again, I didn't even know what I loved so there wasn't much choice

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    IBM
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    Choose something you think you might enjoy, but something which has definate career prospects, and then work bloody hard for the first ten years. After that, if you've really really applied yourself, you'll be well up the career ladder and able to relax and take it a little easier.

    If I had to do it over I'd have gone into banking or retail, probably the latter as it's fairly interesting stuff when you get to management level. It'll be hard work, but you're sure to meet a lot of interesting people (most will be berks, but there's got to be a few decent ones) and if you keep yourself fairly mobile, you could really go somewhere.

    Money and success are not everything, but I've seen both sides of the fence, and I'll opt for money and success every time. So you have to work hard to get it? That's life....
    sig removed by Zak33

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    Yeah you gotta do what you love. At a certain financial level, the money becomes a distant second.

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    Metier9
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    I only know one person who worked in the financial market. He was an international student from Italy. He got head hunted by a firm in london, but he had to work 7am to 7pm monday to friday doing calculations on the stock market. It doesnt take much to guess he had to do weekend work as well.

    About 5 people i know from uni went to work for oracle. They get 30 or 35k a year (i forgot which one) and a bmw 3 series(?) for a company car. Sounds good doenst it? I dont think they ever have any 'real' time off.

    Just do what your happy with

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    Senior Member Tobeman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by dave87 View Post
    Was my plan when I return to uni, was just when I was filling out the form for Credit Suisse, these questions popped into my head, thought I better find a place to release them - in this case it happened to be Hexus.
    How ironic. I recently started a job at PSigma Asset Management in London, I'm sure you've read about most of the press recently about all but one of their Multi Manager guys leaving? The last one that remains is on holiday..

    A good few have joined us from, the rest have gone to Thames River, and my boss was head of Retail Sales (I think?) for many many years at CS, and is working along side Bill Mott our main fund manager. I have a rather large archive of pressing clippings from the last few months. Things are going down hill, quickly, at the moment from what I can see. Many key industry journalists are seriously recommending investors to move their money elsewhere!

    But back on the topic of jobs. I have no degree, Bill Mott has a doctorate in Quantum Physics and my manager has a bachelors in English Literature. I think I know 2 guys in the entire business with a money/mathmatical/financial background!

    The above is true, the commute is crap, and the hours are long. But I'm enjoying what I'm doing, and more importantly, the environment is great.
    Last edited by Tobeman; 19-03-2007 at 11:17 PM.

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    Now with added sobriety Rave's Avatar
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    If your choice is between Finance and Law, I'd go with Law- because IMO worldwide financial markets are nearing the end of a very long bull run, and things will get difficult for the next few years.

    Quote Originally Posted by ibm View Post
    Choose something you think you might enjoy, but something which has definate career prospects, and then work bloody hard for the first ten years. After that, if you've really really applied yourself, you'll be well up the career ladder and able to relax and take it a little easier.
    Yeah, but you've spent the best years of your life working your ass off....

    Money and success are not everything, but I've seen both sides of the fence, and I'll opt for money and success every time. So you have to work hard to get it? That's life....
    Yeah, but....judging by Dave's posts, his parents have a bob or two, so unless they're intent on blowing it all in their retirement, he isn't going to end up poor whatever he does. My parents aren't rich, but they're 'well to do', so although it's a matter of principle to me to make my own way in the world, I don't live in fear of ending up destitute in my retirement. It's a safety net, if you like.

    I flunked my degree, so my choices were limited. More by accident than design, I ended up driving a bus, which pays me a wage that's some way above the national average, although below the average for London. I'm pretty sure the published average wage figures are a mean though, rather than a median, so in practice I probably am on the real average wage or above it. I work long hours, but my job is pretty easy, and not really stressful. I live in a nice house, and have enough time to do what I enjoy, which is get drunk and chat to my friends/ go on the internet.

    Dave, if I were you, I'd get my law qualification and then become a solicitor. You'll still have plenty of money, without any of the serious stress of being a banker or big city lawyer. Life is too short to work 14 hour days; IMO no amount of money is worth risking burnout for.

  10. #10
    Drop it like it's hot Howard's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rave View Post
    If your choice is between Finance and Law, I'd go with Law- because IMO worldwide financial markets are nearing the end of a very long bull run, and things will get difficult for the next few years.



    Yeah, but you've spent the best years of your life working your ass off....



    Yeah, but....judging by Dave's posts, his parents have a bob or two, so unless they're intent on blowing it all in their retirement, he isn't going to end up poor whatever he does. My parents aren't rich, but they're 'well to do', so although it's a matter of principle to me to make my own way in the world, I don't live in fear of ending up destitute in my retirement. It's a safety net, if you like.

    I flunked my degree, so my choices were limited. More by accident than design, I ended up driving a bus, which pays me a wage that's some way above the national average, although below the average for London. I'm pretty sure the published average wage figures are a mean though, rather than a median, so in practice I probably am on the real average wage or above it. I work long hours, but my job is pretty easy, and not really stressful. I live in a nice house, and have enough time to do what I enjoy, which is get drunk and chat to my friends/ go on the internet.

    Dave, if I were you, I'd get my law qualification and then become a solicitor. You'll still have plenty of money, without any of the serious stress of being a banker or big city lawyer. Life is too short to work 14 hour days; IMO no amount of money is worth risking burnout for.
    Rave speak'th the truth. IMO "living to work" as opposed to "working to live" isn't the way to go, unless you really do have no life outside of work. Money does not equal happiness, I'd much rather take a lower wage (within reason) doing something I A) enjoy and/or B) allows me to have some spare time, over one that doesn't allow me these things.

    If you like I.T and want to do something along the lines of network admin for example, be prepared to work up from the bottom. That's sort of what I'm doing, although I don't know if I'll stay in I.T forever.
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  11. #11
    Metier9
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    rule of thumb: your first real IT job is gonna suck

    90% of peoples always do.

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    My advice would be to go with what you enjoy\love doing.
    Forget earning mega bucks or busting your gonads for some faceless corporation. Earn enough to live and enjoy life. Work for your soul.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Rave View Post
    Yeah, but....judging by Dave's posts, his parents have a bob or two, so unless they're intent on blowing it all in their retirement, he isn't going to end up poor whatever he does. My parents aren't rich, but they're 'well to do', so although it's a matter of principle to me to make my own way in the world, I don't live in fear of ending up destitute in my retirement. It's a safety net, if you like.
    Counting on your parents leaving you a decent inheritance is overrated. There's an increasing trend amongst people approaching retirement age of blowing everything they have living their later years to the full. I've certainly encouraged it in my parents to go nuts and enjoy themselves. What's the point of working your whole life until retiremement and then not enjoying the fruits of your labour.

    I guess with regards to the wasting the best years of your life bit it's about choices. I'm working hard now so that I can enjoy life later, and can support my kids and allow them a more enjoyable life than I had as a child. Anyway, by working hard and progressing up your career path you'll be better equiped to start working for yourself in a few years, which is better than working for someone else.
    sig removed by Zak33

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    Now with added sobriety Rave's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by ibm View Post
    Counting on your parents leaving you a decent inheritance is overrated. There's an increasing trend amongst people approaching retirement age of blowing everything they have living their later years to the full. I've certainly encouraged it in my parents to go nuts and enjoy themselves. What's the point of working your whole life until retiremement and then not enjoying the fruits of your labour.
    Sure. I'm not counting on anything from my dad, because he's exactly that type. My mum, OTOH, is congenitally stingy- she couldn't possibly blow everything she has, not least the house she owns outright. Although, come to think of it, last week she was talking about leaving it to my dad in her will, on the understanding he then leaves it to us when he croaks. Hmmm....could have problems there, then.

    I guess with regards to the wasting the best years of your life bit it's about choices. I'm working hard now so that I can enjoy life later, and can support my kids and allow them a more enjoyable life than I had as a child.
    Well, we don't have kids and my wife doesn't seem to want them. There's that problem neatly solved. Anyway, with tax credits, benefits etc., having kids seems to be a moneyspinner in this day and age as far as I can tell.

    I didn't have a particularly nice childhood, but it wasn't because my parents didn't have enough money, it was because my dad was a crap father. If he'd spent less time working and more time taking an interest in us rather than seeing us as an irritation I daresay we'd all have had a better time. Again, money isn't everyting....

    Anyway, by working hard and progressing up your career path you'll be better equiped to start working for yourself in a few years, which is better than working for someone else.
    Don't the majority of small businesses fail within their first few years? Working for yourself is better than working for someone else as long as you succeed. If you don't, it's a hell of a lot worse. I know quite a few people who've paid off their mortgage long before they retired and settled down to enjoy the last half of their lives purely by doing the 9-5 for 25 years and managing their cash sensibly. And, having seen it, that's really all I aspire to myself.

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    Senior Member Rack's Avatar
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    I've moved about in the technology sector into 4 different jobs, and I have found that the company environment is a huge factor in your job satisfaction - working with people you like in a positive environment.

    Earning enough money is also very important, but as long as you plan your retirement as early as possible you should be OK. There are so many people who don't even contribute to a private pension! When your employer will match up to 6% of your salary!

    Personally I'm planning on a retirement age of 45 - not that I want to work my ass off now or even that I'll acheive my goal, just I need to think about how much I'm investing in my pension in my 20's and where/how. If I can get a good return now, I'll be able to work in a more relaxed way when i'm 45-50, I won't have to worry about my career at that point and I'll be comfortable enough to travel etc as I want.

    I just got a new job, and it looks like a really good company, lots of young people, really positive, great employee package, flexible hours (based around 9-5 instead of my current 8-6), and a good salary. It takes time to get the experience to be able to choose where you can work though - 4 years ago I wouldn't have got the job.

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