Career Advice

[fattymcbutterpants]

Ok guys so I'm looking for some advice or better yet input. For the past year or two I've wanted to be an accountant. I am good with numbers and all that stuff and I thought that would be a great job with some serious money to be made. Well in the back of my mind for the past year I've been thinking I just dont really see myself enjoying waking up every morning and going to sit behind a desk. I went to my advisor today for planning next semesters classes and I told her I had been between accounting or kinesiology.

So she starts looking over some stuff and trying to help me figure out what classes I should take that would work towards both. So then I told her well you know, theres some things other than those two that I can honestly say I think I would love doing and would be so much fun to me. And I told her either being a Police Officer, or a Nurse/EMT/Firefighter.

Well she said her son did the exact same thing with the nursing and was telling me he absolutely loves it. I almost am at the point of being dead set on that. I have a family of accountants lol and I dont want to just be following in their foot steps to something I don't really enjoy.

But anyways just looking on some feedback on anyone that has gone the nursing/EMT/firefighter route? She told me her son works in the emergency room about 3 days out of the week and then does the other stuff the rest. And I've had some friends(I met while injured multiple times in the ER) that all did that and was just looking for some input..

Fatty

[fattymcbutterpants]

nobody?

[Dr.Roidz]

Nursing is a great choice. Im assuming your young and you have got to work the next 30-40 years of your life you might as well enjoy what your doing. Money dont mean shit if your not enjoying your life. Do what YOU want to do and dont listen to what anybody else says.

[fattymcbutterpants]

Yea thats what I'm thinking man is I want something I'm going to enjoy doing. And I enjoy medical type things but I also like being in the action. As a kid (well 10-now lol) I wanted to be a CIA Field Opperative haha, I love being in the middle of the action. I feel like it would be a good choice just wondering if anyone on here had gone a similar path

[Dr.Roidz]

I switched from nursing to medical school for the reasons i posted above.

[fattymcbutterpants]

anybody else have any experience or input?

[TopDogUK]

I would say do what you want and what your going to enjoy, But you have to realistic at the same time. If you can make more being an account then that means if/when you have children you can provide better and live better, Im guessing your not too old. So go for what you want to do, If its not working out change to something else.

[DSM4Life]

Nursing is OK. Wanna give me a physical ?

[run_n_fool]

My $.02, accounting may sound boring, but it will give you many more opportunities in the long run than nursing, police, EMT, etc. As any of these later 3, what is your potential career path? Basically, once you are a cop you are always a cop, maybe you can progress to be in management but your job will not change significantly.

In accounting or finance, you will have opportunities to move around a lot more, do different things, etc. Accountants work in ever industry from manufacturing to health care to high tech, etc. Additionally, a lot of accountants move on after a few years into general management positions, and the very successful into C level positions (CEO, CFO, CIO, etc.) Accounting is a good background for any position in business.

And of course there is the money. As a nurse, cop, etc. you will always make a decent buck but you will never be wealthy. Every job sucks on some level and making better money makes it a lot easier to deal with a job that sucks.

Anyway, that is my opinion. If you are someone who gets bored easily, a job in business is probably better long term than the other options you mention.

[Times Roman]

I am a certified public accountant (CPA) and typically work in manufacturing as a Controller. There is a wide variety of disciplines for accountants. A cost accountant typically requires you to get out from behind your desk and gain an understanding of the manufacturing process and the operations. You work with a variety of operational managers and plant employees.
The days of the stereotypical accountant have been gone for a generation. Very advanced software has eliminated a typical "debit and credit" guy. Instead, accountants are now "think outside the box" types, and interact at all levels within the organization.

If you need additional insight, PM me. This is just the tip of the iceburg.

[fattymcbutterpants]

As far as salary goes I looked it up and the average RN in Tennessee makes about 65,000 and average firefighter salary was like 50. I wasnt sure like if I worked in the ER maybe 3 days a week, and then possibly worked as a firefighter or something like that how I would do salary wise?

But as far as accounting goes you are right there is alot more room for growth and a good bit higher salary, so i dont know. I just want to make up my mind soon because I'm one of the people that likes to plan and know everything ahead of time. And times new roman i dont have time right now but later I might PM you about it all

[fattymcbutterpants]

Anyways but yea thats a really good point you bring up about there not being room for advancement I was thinking about that and how I wouldnt really be able to climb up the ladder in the other fields. But I'm just trying to decide wether its worth it to do the nursing instead like if I would enjoy doing that enough to justify making less money or if I just need to suck it up and go the accounting path lol decisions decisions... I am also very interested in the stock market but I dont know what jobs I could do with that so much except maybe a stock broker or something so that would just be more of a hobby I guess and way to potentially increase my income

[fattymcbutterpants]

anybody have anymore input on all this? Im registering for classes next semester in a day or two so im trying to figure out what to do

[Nooomoto]

I'd go with accounting. It's a very specific skill that most people don't have. With the job market in the shit state that it's in, many people are turning to trades such as firefighter/EMT. I know there's a waiting list at least 8 months long to get on with the Fire Dept. here in Miami, same thing with the PD.

There are two schools here...there are firefighters and cops that do what they do because they LOVE IT and can't imagine doing anything else, and then there are those who do it because they don't know what else to do or lack the necessary skills/education to do anything else.

I guess I'd ask which one are you? Just because you get a degree in accounting doesn't mean you have to be an accountant. My father had a degree in accounting and ended up at a reasonably high level in the federal law enforcement community, a far cry from accounting. So, you'll have a degree rather than a certificate, which opens more doors in the event you decide you don't like accouting any more.

[bigno5]

firefighter, cousin is one and he works like 8 days a month. Does contracting on the side and fishes pretty much everday he doesnt work. He LOVES his life, been at it 10 years now.

[fattymcbutterpants]

Nooomoto I'm thinking you might be right just based off everyone elses input here, but if I did go the nurse route it wouldnt be because i didnt know what else to do it would be because its something id love to do and would really enjoy doing on a day to day basis

[Times Roman]

almost all companies of any size require accountants. Which means you could work in any industry, anywhere in the US. If you do go that route, to really get a career, I would strongly recommend getting licensed (CPA). It is the gold standard, and if you DON"T have it, many doors of opportunity will not open when you knock. Under different circumstances, I would have liked to have taken my accouting career with the FBI. Could be very exciting.

[fattymcbutterpants]

I talked to a nurse today at school she was older and was telling me one of her kids was going into it as well, but she kinda did stereotype accountants I must say, but she was saying a good route would be to become an RN and get my MBA so that it would be much easier to move up to a management position or something

[Sicko]

I went the other way completely and skipped school after highschool.I started in construction in the summer at 12 yrs old laboring for old time brickayer..Held a few different jobs outside of construction in the last 28 yrs but not for more than 6 months..The only thing I would have changed would be getting a degree in construction management so that I was more viable to my field.Which is commercial/Retail construction.Love my work,it keeps you interested with constant opportunity to learn,as well as new locations and physical work helps you keep fit..Oh yeh and of course the pay is quite good as well..

[thegodfather]

Ok...I'll tell you the things that your advisors dont tell you. Their job is to 'sell' you on a major and keep you there taking classes to make the university money.

First off, VERY FEW Baccalaureate degrees translate directly into a specific job or field. Accounting, Nursing, and a few others are the only degrees which translate into a specific job field directly out of college without a graduate degree.

Second, you are talking about fields which are polar opposites, and which require completely different course work, and skill sets to be successful in.

Kinesiology is a bullshit major. You will be lucky to get a job at LA Fitness as a personal trainer for $12 bucks an hour. Those sorts of degrees require graduate school in order to be worth anything. For instance, perhaps you would go on to DPT school, Doctor of Physical Therapy. Many times, people get undergraduate degrees in obscure things, just to apply to graduate schools, such as Business school (MBA's,MHM's,etc) or to Law school, medical scool, etc,. These are graduate schools which simply require a BA/BS in any concentration and perhaps some additional pre-requesites.

Nursing is not a dead end career, and I can see why some people would think this not knowing the particulars of it. If you obtain your BSN, you can expect to earn $60,000-$80,000 your first year as a floor nurse (overtime adds up). In addition, you can go into the two distinctive branches of nursing, clinical and administrative. Also, "Nurse" and "EMT/Firefighter" are not even in the same category, and shouldn't be listed as such. The education, training, and clinical skills required of a nurse eclipses that of any EMT or Firefighter anywhere, and thats reflected in the income levels and the pre-requesites requires for each respective profession. EMTs earn about $12/hour, Firefighters vary and some are volunteer, nurses earn $30/hr and up.

The clinical routes include things such as MSN, Nurse Practioner, and CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). This requires graduate school nursing. For instance, an NP will require a masters level degree and some residency requirements, and the average NP will make $90-$110,000 per year at a private practice, NP's are able to write prescriptions under the supervision of a physician. CRNA's in contrast, spend 2 years in a masters level program, learning only the field of anesthesia and surgery. They can expect to earn about $150,000 their first year, and up to about $200-$210,000 dollars a year. They work a modest schedule, and some do take call. However, for the relative small investment in their schooling&careers (assuming you didnt goto an Ivy or top 20, and owe a boatload in student loans) you will have put yourself into the upper middle class of society at this income level.

Administrative/Executive nursing is the other area of nursing. Very few people are aware of this field. This is usually for BSN's who hold additional degrees in management, such as MBA's and MHM (Master of Healthcare Management). Additionally they may hold accredidations in other management fields. I am familiar with this field because my mom is an executive who holds a nursing degree. She is a C-Level employee in a publicly traded corporation, and makes well over $200k a year. You can also pursue additional training in nursing in forensics, or you can pursue the degree of DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice). This would make you a much more marketable manager. In a hospital setting, the Vice President of Nursing can expect to make about $175,000 dollars per year.

There are also many freelance areas that nurses can pursue, such as expert witnesses, forensic consultants for prosecutors/criminal&civil defense attorneys, and the list goes on. Nurses can be hired by Pharmaceutical companies to be drug reps, or to run a sales team for a drug company, and many of these positions come with 6 figure salaries, commision, company vehicles, and other perks, such as being able to move up the corporate ladder.

So, whoever gave you the idea that Nursing is a dead end field is sorely mistaken. If you do get a Bachelors of Science in Nursing, you are not solely tied to nursing for the rest of your life. You may choose to do anything else, the doors that are opened for you simply for having a Baccalaureate degree is what is important. So the most versatile degree for you to pursue would probably be the nursing degree, because if you changed your mind after graduation, and wanted to go into upper level law enforcement (such as Federal, DHS, FBI, USSS, etc,etc, and so on) you would be able to do so, but with knowing that you have a career to fall back on which will pay very well. This will not be the case with degrees such as Kinesiology. I also agree with many posters that Accounting is another great major that can set you up for success, you can pursue work as a CPA, you can earn a graduate degree in business (MBA) or goto law school and get your JD. A person with a CPA and a JD/MBA would be highly marketable to any corporation for upper level management.

Good luck.

[Sicko]

Ok...I'll tell you the things that your advisors dont tell you. Their job is to 'sell' you on a major and keep you there taking classes to make the university money.

First off, VERY FEW Baccalaureate degrees translate directly into a specific job or field. Accounting, Nursing, and a few others are the only degrees which translate into a specific job field directly out of college without a graduate degree.

Second, you are talking about fields which are polar opposites, and which require completely different course work, and skill sets to be successful in.

Kinesiology is a bullshit major. You will be lucky to get a job at LA Fitness as a personal trainer for $12 bucks an hour. Those sorts of degrees require graduate school in order to be worth anything. For instance, perhaps you would go on to DPT school, Doctor of Physical Therapy. Many times, people get undergraduate degrees in obscure things, just to apply to graduate schools, such as Business school (MBA's,MHM's,etc) or to Law school, medical scool, etc,. These are graduate schools which simply require a BA/BS in any concentration and perhaps some additional pre-requesites.

Nursing is not a dead end career, and I can see why some people would think this not knowing the particulars of it. If you obtain your BSN, you can expect to earn $60,000-$80,000 your first year as a floor nurse (overtime adds up). In addition, you can go into the two distinctive branches of nursing, clinical and administrative. Also, "Nurse" and "EMT/Firefighter" are not even in the same category, and shouldn't be listed as such. The education, training, and clinical skills required of a nurse eclipses that of any EMT or Firefighter anywhere, and thats reflected in the income levels and the pre-requesites requires for each respective profession. EMTs earn about $12/hour, Firefighters vary and some are volunteer, nurses earn $30/hr and up.

The clinical routes include things such as MSN, Nurse Practioner, and CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist). This requires graduate school nursing. For instance, an NP will require a masters level degree and some residency requirements, and the average NP will make $90-$110,000 per year at a private practice, NP's are able to write prescriptions under the supervision of a physician. CRNA's in contrast, spend 2 years in a masters level program, learning only the field of anesthesia and surgery. They can expect to earn about $150,000 their first year, and up to about $200-$210,000 dollars a year. They work a modest schedule, and some do take call. However, for the relative small investment in their schooling&careers (assuming you didnt goto an Ivy or top 20, and owe a boatload in student loans) you will have put yourself into the upper middle class of society at this income level.

Administrative/Executive nursing is the other area of nursing. Very few people are aware of this field. This is usually for BSN's who hold additional degrees in management, such as MBA's and MHM (Master of Healthcare Management). Additionally they may hold accredidations in other management fields. I am familiar with this field because my mom is an executive who holds a nursing degree. She is a C-Level employee in a publicly traded corporation, and makes well over $200k a year. You can also pursue additional training in nursing in forensics, or you can pursue the degree of DNP (Doctor of Nursing Practice). This would make you a much more marketable manager. In a hospital setting, the Vice President of Nursing can expect to make about $175,000 dollars per year.

There are also many freelance areas that nurses can pursue, such as expert witnesses, forensic consultants for prosecutors/criminal&civil defense attorneys, and the list goes on. Nurses can be hired by Pharmaceutical companies to be drug reps, or to run a sales team for a drug company, and many of these positions come with 6 figure salaries, commision, company vehicles, and other perks, such as being able to move up the corporate ladder.

So, whoever gave you the idea that Nursing is a dead end field is sorely mistaken. If you do get a Bachelors of Science in Nursing, you are not solely tied to nursing for the rest of your life. You may choose to do anything else, the doors that are opened for you simply for having a Baccalaureate degree is what is important. So the most versatile degree for you to pursue would probably be the nursing degree, because if you changed your mind after graduation, and wanted to go into upper level law enforcement (such as Federal, DHS, FBI, USSS, etc,etc, and so on) you would be able to do so, but with knowing that you have a career to fall back on which will pay very well. This will not be the case with degrees such as Kinesiology. I also agree with many posters that Accounting is another great major that can set you up for success, you can pursue work as a CPA, you can earn a graduate degree in business (MBA) or goto law school and get your JD. A person with a CPA and a JD/MBA would be highly marketable to any corporation for upper level management.

Good luck.

Nice info,makes me want to pay for a babysitter and send the wifey back to school !!!

[fattymcbutterpants]

thanks for that long write up thegodfather. I actually had a really long convo with my dad tonight and I decided to go the nursing route for now. Its only 2 years at the school im out for the prenursing part and then I will go to a nursing school to become an RN. Im going to see how everything works out and possibly look into going into a specific field such as a nurse anesthetist or anything just depending on how everything works out and all of course. I think I would enjoy accounting but I just dont feel like I would enjoy it as much I like a little inconsistency and excitement in the workplace. And I mean working in an emergency room at first will definately keep me away from boredom I'm sure. So thanks for the input guys. Im not saying I cant change my mind or anything but Im pretty set on nursing I feel like I'm gonna love it

[BIGB]

Move to canada our wages for paramedics are 40 an hour and fire the same nurse s are the same but paramedics here have advanced skills chest decompression. Et tubes cardiac drugs, manual Dfib IO/IV skills Crick kits, TNK clot busters on truck, pacing and much more.

[fattymcbutterpants]

TheGodFather I just now I had a chance to read your entire post I wrote the nurse anesthesist before I saw you put that too, so I'm glad you said that. But yea the nurse I talked to today in the health center was recommending becoming an RN but also getting an MBA so I could be on the management side of things but I might rather specialize I'm not sure. I will more than likely decide on all that once I get a little farther along and see how everythings going. Thanks again for that long write up that really helped in pushing me towards nursing a little more

[thegodfather]

TheGodFather I just now I had a chance to read your entire post I wrote the nurse anesthesist before I saw you put that too, so I'm glad you said that. But yea the nurse I talked to today in the health center was recommending becoming an RN but also getting an MBA so I could be on the management side of things but I might rather specialize I'm not sure. I will more than likely decide on all that once I get a little farther along and see how everythings going. Thanks again for that long write up that really helped in pushing me towards nursing a little more

No problem....but you must make sure you are getting a BSN, not just an RN. There is a difference, its possible to get just the Registered Nurse degree, which is considered an "associates nursing degree." You want the 4 year degree for nursing from a 4 year university. You will not be able to advance in nursing without at least a bachelors degree in nursing. In addition, all hospitals are now pushing for magnet status, which means the majority of their nursing staff must have BSN's, not just the associate RN degrees. Are you currently at a 4 year university?

[fattymcbutterpants]

Yea man I'm at one right now but they dont have nursing just prenursing but I think they have some kind of joint program where I will go to a nearby school so I do 2 years here then 2 years there

[SuperLift]

fire dept bro! best job in the world!

[DSM4Life]

fire dept bro! best job in the world!

Good luck trying to get in.