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The job that I have right now is in IT, and has NOTHING to do with public policy or research, the kinds of stuff that I'd like to do. I'm still applying and stuff, hoping to get my foot in the door in nonprofit, but in the mean time, I'm dreaming of that beautiful start to my political nonprofit career.
I'm just 21, so I know I still have plenty of time.
How old were some of you when you started your career, and what was it in? I need some hope that I'm not falling behind or something, cuz it feels that way.
Location: Sometimes Maryland, sometimes NoVA. Depends on the day of the week
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My first career-type job was at age 21, but then went back to school. For the career I've been in for the past 8 years (and plan to stick with), age 27
How old were some of you when you started your career, and what was it in?
Started my career at age 23, which was 3 years ago.
I studied structural engineering in undergrad, but never worked in it ever... Currently in civil/water resources engineering.
But then, I graduated with a 'professional' degree*--i.e. one in which the field of study prepared me for a particular occupation (engineering, accounting, law, medicine, veterinary science, physical therapy, etc).
As opposed to non-professional degrees* that do not directly relate to a specific occupation like history, political science, music, business, literature, agronomy, ethnic or gender studies, etc.
Professional degrees pretty much have one career path for graduates. An employer pretty much knows you've got the proper education for the job based on your degree, so it makes it easier to get your foot in the door. Non-professional degrees give you many career paths, but because of that, I think it makes it harder to convince an employer that you have the necessary skills to do the job.
*Just to clarify, 'professional degree' is not my terminology, it is a term used in academics to distinguish one type of degree from another. It isn't meant as a judgement to say that people with other types of degrees are unprofessional. Professional Degree definition
I enlisted in the military to retire some years ago. That was a career. Since then, I've changed careers about every 3 years or so. I take college courses and would like to teach someday. At least the school that hires me won't have to worry about tenure. I'll be ready for senior citizens discounts. Age has nothing to do with careers, except that employers are now younger than me and look at me as a dinosaur, or their parent (often one and the same). At 21, you have plenty of opportunities to try several careers.
Which career?
At age 20, I lucked into a great job in journalism. (Two years of college and aced a qualifying test). Which I dumped four years later to be an idiot hippie dip.
In 1981, I got the first of many psych RN jobs after RN school. I was 28 when I finished RN school. I have come and gone from RN jobs ever since. I consider it a technical professional job, not a career.
I was 34 when I took the first of two tech writing jobs after getting a certificate in that. Hated it and went back to the RN.
At age 46, I accepted that I was going to make any big job/career changes and went back to the major psych RN job and have been doing so for ten years now (fourth time on staff here). I expect to retire from here. Am currently posting on company time on third shift. (Did I say job, not career?)
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