I Need a Career Counselor...Can you help????

[katie79]

Currenty, I am interested in pursuing a degree in Sign Language which I plan on going to school for at night. This will take a while and it's one of those fields where you have to have a full degree for to get a job in it. I already have an Associates and a Bachelor of Arts degree and a full-time job as a recieptionist/administrative assistant. Obviously, since it will take some time to complete my degree, I am still interested in expanding in the corporate world while I work towards something else. The problem is, I don't know what I like. I haven't found "my nitch" in the corporate workplace yet! I feel like such a flake. I really wish one day I would be introduced to an assignment/project at my current workplace of which I'd fall in love with, so this way I can see which careerpath to pursue (in the coprorate environment). I like working/helping people with work/personal (relating/interferring with work) issues, I like the arts and want to learn graphic design (part. interest in cartooning). However, I want a 9-5 office job, I am not a "night or round the clock person". Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I feel so flaky and lost!

[mighty bop]

I need some help in this area too. I am drifting........

 

Chris

[HokeyReligions]

Talk to college counselors about real career counseling.

 

I found that the jobs I like best, pay the least so I have settled for things that I don't like so that I can support my family.

 

Your interests are so varied. As a graphic designer you may need to work a more flexible schedule. I went to school for that (didn't finish that requirement) and then found that I didn't like it as much when I had to do it full-time! I want that as part of a job, not the whole thing. You might look into Human Resources. I actually like the office management area because I get to have my hands in a lot of things! *lol*

 

Some HR, some accounting, some HSE, some clerical, some supervision, some decision making, some budget responsibility, some creativity (writing and doing graphics for newsletters, etc. Right now I'm designing a poster for the DWOP project I'm on and that is kinda cool), some marketing. Unfortunatly, it doesn't always pay a lot and it is strictly middle-management unless I want to devote myself to full-time in only one of those areas. If I were to focus on HR, I could rise higher in the organization ---- but I don't want to do that full-time because the benifits administration gives me a major headache! Same with accounting.

 

Look at different careers from the college course requirements too. You might get some insight on what the different fields require by looking at the course loads, and then talk to people in the different fields. Go to your HR manager and tell him/her that you are looking at new career paths and ask for their insight. Do the same with other departments. Ask them what they like and why, and what they don't like and why, etc.

[katie79]

You're right about the "adminstrative assistant" part. My job title is "Administrative Assistant/Recieptionist" and my job sounds a lot like yours. Now that I'm there longer, I do "diversified duties" for "different departments". I work with accounting, basically I do exactly what an accounts payable clerk does. I work for HR, viewing resumes, setting up interviews, time schedules, and they are going to train me to do vacation/personal days. I help the marketing/sales dept out with some computer work, I do some clerical duties, and some secretrial duties (blah) as well.

 

I don't know. After viewing your reaction, you made me come to a realization about my job: administrative/supportive services might be great for me now. Being I have so many fields of interest, that might be good for me for a while. What I like is that I can help out various dept's and not have my job depend on heavy business decision making. I do have some decisions to make, but they can't overload someone who is entry level with such harsh descions.

 

But I must thank you for helping view things in a different light.