What career would you go for at 27 years of age?

[Leicesterdave]

At the ripe old age of 27 I am totally lost. I have no idea what to do with my life, but the idea of going to university and studying appeals to me. Life seems so tough with no proper qualifications- I have a few A levels, I started uni at the age of 19 but left due to health reasons. The health reasons are still there- but I cannot put off things any longer.
Starting your own business is so risky- and scares me. Yet working in an unfulfilling job being paid peanuts for the rest of my life is certainly not something I'd want either.
Trouble is- I don't know what to study either. Law, medicine etc pays a lot but sadly doesn't interest me. Possibly studying business could, marketing, or economics? Another one I found was automotive design- but not sure on job prospects on that one. I want to make sure what I do decide to study has a fair chance of leading to a good job.
My gf graduated in French and cannot find a job paying more than £16k which for a graduate is on the low side. She's disappointed- and I wouldn't want to feel the same.
I know this is the wrong section to ask this question but couldn't quite figure out where else to put it. Seeing that I mentioned automotive design, maybe it will be ok?!

[Diabolik]

To give you an opinion from somebody on the other side of the fence - I am in my first year at Uni, wondering if I have done the right thing! Incidentally I am doing BSc Business Management. The reason I partially regret coming to Uni is partly due to the fact that I wish I had travelled instead and experienced the real world...

Edited by Diabolik on Monday 3rd January 17:08

[mrmr96]

Generally speaking the good (read fun) jobs don't pay as well as the boring ones. For example someone who loves the outdoors and works in a national park or similar won't earn the same as a lawyer. But there are exceptions, like being a cleaner sucks and also pays badly, but being a racing driver pays loads and is awesome.

If you can find a job you really enjoy you may have to settle for less money, or you may be able to earn more doing something you don't enjoy. The 'holy grail' of course is something you enjoy which also pays well and given you're looking at a change in direction then maybe now would be a chance to find something right up your street.

But the potential problem is that the cool/interesting well paid jobs will be popular and therefore have a lot of candidates. I would imagine that the automotive design industry will be similar to the auto racing industry - very competitive. So if you want a cool&well paid job, you need to be really good at it.

[Taita]

Military?

[Chris944_S2]

If you feel like doing something such as automotive design, in my opinion you're better off doing a degree in Mechanical Engineering with modules relating to the automotive field. All automotive companies take on mechanical engineers, no need to narrow it down to something very specific while you are learning. If you do a degree in Automotive Design then you might come stuck if there are no jobs in that sector once you graduate, but there will always be loads of jobs for mechanical engineers.

[ewenm]

What are you good at?
What do you enjoy doing?
What aren't you good at?
What do you dislike doing?

[Gwagon111]

I'd say forget the uni idea at 27 years old. The tuition fees are about to go ballistic, you'd have next to no chance of recouping the costs before you hit the employment grey area age. If you've got no attachments or responsibilities, I'd say sell up and go off travelling the world. You'll never get another opportunity, and anyone who chooses the wage slave option, without good reason, needs their head read IMHO.

[tonym911]

I would definitely go for getting out there on the road. The world is an awesome place, there's so much of it and the variety is huge. Your parameters are currently only based on what you know. Expand your mind through travel and you'll see a hell of a lot more options out there. One thing's for sure: if you don't do it, you'll be forever wondering 'what if' - especially if you stick to the narrow (and shrinking) UK landscape. Like somebody said earlier, and it's worth saying again even though it sounds ridiculously simplistic: the better a job is, the harder it is to get. Opt out of that depressing race and drive your own life.

Edited by tonym911 on Monday 3rd January 17:20

[brianthemagical]

What do you think the prospects of the need for car designers disapearing?
The main focus of car design may alter slightly, and this is where you need to focus. At the interview for my current (graduate) job (large, well known vehicle mnufaturer design engineer) i was asked my opinions on electric, emissions, that kind of thing. I focused on the good points, torque, tax, that kind of thing and how saving fuel is always a good idea. Whether or not i belived it is another matter but it's better than working for a roller ball manufacturers.

If you've got a passion for something, it'll be much easier finding a job but bear in mind what the jobs are going to be like, i.e. you're not going to turn up, decide on RWD and a big turbo and then get a pay rise.

Edited by brianthemagical on Monday 3rd January 17:23

[SplatSpeed]

porn star!

[Torquey]

If I could do it again I'd train to be a surgeon.

5 years at uni doing IT was quite fun and rewarding at the time, now after 6 years in the same job with little prospect to earn much more is mind numbingly boring.

Being a surgeon would be doing your part for mankind, thus extremely rewarding. Plus I imagine you get to leave the job behind when you go home (moreso than IT). I expect there would be enough vacancies for you pick where you wish to live.

On a lesser note, I've always thought studying anything other than finance, IT or business and it could end up a big waste of time.

Edited by Torquey on Monday 3rd January 17:32

[mrmr96]

I agree with most of what you said, but not this bit:

Torquey said:

Being a surgeon would be doing your part for mankind, thus extremely rewarding. Plus I imagine you get to leave the job behind when you go home (moreso than IT).

I'd imagine it's MUCH easier to sit at home and relax after a hard day doing IT than it is being a surgeon when things haven't gone to plan. I have massive respect for those guys as it's not a lifestyle (not just a job) that I could accept.

[northandy]

Personally I haven't found not going to uni a problem, in fact I don't even have a levels to my name.

The issue is to start with jobs do pay poorly, I studied accountancy at evenings and weekends and was qualified by the time I was 26. I still have someway to go before I get a finance director job, but that's my next move hopefully, it's 10 years since I qualified and I earn a good wage now but the pay initially was garbage.

I don't think uni at 27 is the answer for you personally.

[T84]

I'm 26 with some AS levels and I'm in exactly the same boat as you, I know this will be my last chance to do something awesome with my life and I have to change jobs next year anyway.

I'm thinking of retraining to be a programmer but I feel down at the moment so it's hard to get excited by anything!

Programming can be very rewarding and well paid, I've got a big thread on here about it - have a read!

I'm also toying with Uni or travelling. I wouldnt know where to start with travelling and would probably just end up pissed off!

[torqueofthedevil]

Construction? Can do uni whilst there getting paid. Pays ok. Cam be a laugh. Can go far. Surveying / engineering is best I think. Can go into management with it. Go self employed or travel the world. Site management and QS'ing good too

[Chiswickboy]

mrmr96 said:

I agree with most of what you said, but not this bit:

Torquey said:

Being a surgeon would be doing your part for mankind, thus extremely rewarding. Plus I imagine you get to leave the job behind when you go home (moreso than IT).

I'd imagine it's MUCH easier to sit at home and relax after a hard day doing IT than it is being a surgeon when things haven't gone to plan. I have massive respect for those guys as it's not a lifestyle (not just a job) that I could accept.

This was exactly what I thought reading through this thread.

If you cock up an IT project the worst is that you get sacked. Imagine as a surgeon the stress of having to decide which of your seriously ill patients gets the chance of a life saving operation when there is a restriction on funding and you have to choose who gets turned down. You not only have an individual's life in you hands but also have to explain to their relatives why their wife/father/son/husband/mother cannot have surgery.

Years ago I was advised to choose a career that I would be happy doing even if I was not paid. Job satisfaction is more important than a big income. If you have enough to live on and enjoy your work without clock-watching then you don't constantly feel under valued and frustrated by chasing the money.

[Leicesterdave]

Thanks for the advice so far. The only problem with travelling is cost+ the fact that when you get back you're a year older and possibly still back to square one.
I truly have never been so lost, one day I decide on something the next I'm settled on another. I just wish I could make my mind up and be happy about my decision!

[T84]

I'm in the same boat - you're not alone!

[projectgt]

Traveling is running away in my book, you can see the world (parts of it) on your holiday.

The question you should ask yourself is not what do I want to do, but more so what have I done in the last 9 years since A Levels which I enjoyed (however brief the experience).

[1878]

Study while you work - anything of interest at www.open.ac.uk ?