Change of career but need some advice
Discussion
I normally don't post much but this one might be long.
I'm currently training to become a pharmacist, I've done my masters in pharmacy and to be brutally honest I've found it boring and frustrating. Despite losing interest in the degree less than half way I still managed to come out with a 2:1
The job itself does not interest me at all and the salary and work conditions are getting worse, many pharmacists have told me to rethink doing the profession since I'm under 25 and not tied down.
The only problem is that I don't know what else, I've invested the last 5 years on this career but now I've got no idea about other careers.
Three careers that I've been researching are;
1.) Actuary
2.) chartered accountancy
3.) patent attorney
Can't afford to go back to university unless the employer can support me.
I've always had an interest in finance and programming/IT. Was also thinking computer science or software engineering but I'm guessing an employer would not fund the degree?
As you can tell I'm a bit lost at the moment and any advice or recommendations would be appreciated
I'm currently training to become a pharmacist, I've done my masters in pharmacy and to be brutally honest I've found it boring and frustrating. Despite losing interest in the degree less than half way I still managed to come out with a 2:1
The job itself does not interest me at all and the salary and work conditions are getting worse, many pharmacists have told me to rethink doing the profession since I'm under 25 and not tied down.
The only problem is that I don't know what else, I've invested the last 5 years on this career but now I've got no idea about other careers.
Three careers that I've been researching are;
1.) Actuary
2.) chartered accountancy
3.) patent attorney
Can't afford to go back to university unless the employer can support me.
I've always had an interest in finance and programming/IT. Was also thinking computer science or software engineering but I'm guessing an employer would not fund the degree?
As you can tell I'm a bit lost at the moment and any advice or recommendations would be appreciated
As it happens my B-i-L felt the same about pharmacy and went into accountancy very successfully.
My nephew has just done the same after 4 years on a civil engineering course.
It seems one of the easiest career changes available, if you can stick being an accountant.
and yes you're right very few companies would sponsor a degree to learn IT, although not every IT career requires an IT degree, if you're prepared to start at the bottom.
My nephew has just done the same after 4 years on a civil engineering course.
It seems one of the easiest career changes available, if you can stick being an accountant.
and yes you're right very few companies would sponsor a degree to learn IT, although not every IT career requires an IT degree, if you're prepared to start at the bottom.
flibbage0 said:
I normally don't post much but this one might be long.
I'm currently training to become a pharmacist, I've done my masters in pharmacy and to be brutally honest I've found it boring and frustrating. Despite losing interest in the degree less than half way I still managed to come out with a 2:1
The job itself does not interest me at all and the salary and work conditions are getting worse, many pharmacists have told me to rethink doing the profession since I'm under 25 and not tied down.
The only problem is that I don't know what else, I've invested the last 5 years on this career but now I've got no idea about other careers.
Three careers that I've been researching are;
1.) Actuary
2.) chartered accountancy
3.) patent attorney
Can't afford to go back to university unless the employer can support me.
I've always had an interest in finance and programming/IT. Was also thinking computer science or software engineering but I'm guessing an employer would not fund the degree?
As you can tell I'm a bit lost at the moment and any advice or recommendations would be appreciated
Pharmaceutical Sales. Big ££££ and with your qualifications you would probably get promoted fairly rapidly. Nice car, private healthcare, travel all over the world good pension and benefits.I'm currently training to become a pharmacist, I've done my masters in pharmacy and to be brutally honest I've found it boring and frustrating. Despite losing interest in the degree less than half way I still managed to come out with a 2:1
The job itself does not interest me at all and the salary and work conditions are getting worse, many pharmacists have told me to rethink doing the profession since I'm under 25 and not tied down.
The only problem is that I don't know what else, I've invested the last 5 years on this career but now I've got no idea about other careers.
Three careers that I've been researching are;
1.) Actuary
2.) chartered accountancy
3.) patent attorney
Can't afford to go back to university unless the employer can support me.
I've always had an interest in finance and programming/IT. Was also thinking computer science or software engineering but I'm guessing an employer would not fund the degree?
As you can tell I'm a bit lost at the moment and any advice or recommendations would be appreciated
Vron said:
Pharmaceutical Sales. Big ££££ and with your qualifications you would probably get promoted fairly rapidly. Nice car, private healthcare, travel all over the world good pension and benefits.
Maybe not necessarily the sales side but the pharmaceutical industry would provide you with many different options, medical affairs and R&D being two different avenues. If you're a qualified pharmacist, you would be able to get to a Final Signatory position in med affairs too. Other possibilities within the industry are health economics, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, medical information, compliance, and many more. Most companies will also pay for higher training and additional qualifications if you're worth it.As an aside, the sales reps don't do much international travelling.
PM me if you want to ask anything.
QQ (ex-cardiothoracic surgeon and current medical director in pharma)
I work full time and want a career change.
You mention programming/software which is what I'm trying to learn. Every evening I try to spend 1-2 hours working through the exercises on freecodecamp, although it is focused towards web development which is what interests me anyway.
I've been doing it for a month now. The starting off is horrible as it's all foreign having zero prior knowledge but recently these past couple of days, I look forward to finishing work and spending a bit of time in the evening trying to code.
You mention programming/software which is what I'm trying to learn. Every evening I try to spend 1-2 hours working through the exercises on freecodecamp, although it is focused towards web development which is what interests me anyway.
I've been doing it for a month now. The starting off is horrible as it's all foreign having zero prior knowledge but recently these past couple of days, I look forward to finishing work and spending a bit of time in the evening trying to code.
flibbage0 said:
......The job itself does not interest me at all and the salary and work conditions are getting worse......
.....I've got no idea about other careers.
Three careers that I've been researching are;
1.) Actuary
2.) chartered accountancy
3.) patent attorney
.....I've always had an interest in finance and programming/IT.....
As you can tell I'm a bit lost at the moment and any advice or recommendations would be appreciated
These are the bits that jumped out at me. .....I've got no idea about other careers.
Three careers that I've been researching are;
1.) Actuary
2.) chartered accountancy
3.) patent attorney
.....I've always had an interest in finance and programming/IT.....
As you can tell I'm a bit lost at the moment and any advice or recommendations would be appreciated
You say you find your current path boring and are not interested in it for several reasons and then list 3 options which many would consider far more dull. Have you ever met a happy actuary / chartered accountant?....Most I know are unhappy about their career choice (having gone into it for the money and wished they had done something for the love instead).
you then say you are interested in finance and programming/IT which is nothing like the 3 options you listed...
You definitely are confused.
My advice, - The goal is to be happy - work out what it is you actually want to do as I reckon you don't actually want to do any of the careers you mentioned, you just think they might be less dull / more lucrative than the one you are currently choosing and going into them for those reasons means they probably won't be.
Once you have figured out what excites you, work out the best way into it which probably does require more studying. If so, you have to do it, it will cost you money and time but you can afford to do it because at the end of it you will be qualified to do the career that excites you and a lifetime of that is better than the alternative.
Without knowing you at all, I would be thinking of doing the programming thing and then looking at biotech startups in somewhere nice e.g Cambridge.
Bob
fat80b said:
These are the bits that jumped out at me.
You say you find your current path boring and are not interested in it for several reasons and then list 3 options which many would consider far more dull. Have you ever met a happy actuary / chartered accountant?....Most I know are unhappy about their career choice (having gone into it for the money and wished they had done something for the love instead).
you then say you are interested in finance and programming/IT which is nothing like the 3 options you listed...
You definitely are confused.
My advice, - The goal is to be happy - work out what it is you actually want to do as I reckon you don't actually want to do any of the careers you mentioned, you just think they might be less dull / more lucrative than the one you are currently choosing and going into them for those reasons means they probably won't be.
Once you have figured out what excites you, work out the best way into it which probably does require more studying. If so, you have to do it, it will cost you money and time but you can afford to do it because at the end of it you will be qualified to do the career that excites you and a lifetime of that is better than the alternative.
Without knowing you at all, I would be thinking of doing the programming thing and then looking at biotech startups in somewhere nice e.g Cambridge.
Bob
This sounds like good advice to me.You say you find your current path boring and are not interested in it for several reasons and then list 3 options which many would consider far more dull. Have you ever met a happy actuary / chartered accountant?....Most I know are unhappy about their career choice (having gone into it for the money and wished they had done something for the love instead).
you then say you are interested in finance and programming/IT which is nothing like the 3 options you listed...
You definitely are confused.
My advice, - The goal is to be happy - work out what it is you actually want to do as I reckon you don't actually want to do any of the careers you mentioned, you just think they might be less dull / more lucrative than the one you are currently choosing and going into them for those reasons means they probably won't be.
Once you have figured out what excites you, work out the best way into it which probably does require more studying. If so, you have to do it, it will cost you money and time but you can afford to do it because at the end of it you will be qualified to do the career that excites you and a lifetime of that is better than the alternative.
Without knowing you at all, I would be thinking of doing the programming thing and then looking at biotech startups in somewhere nice e.g Cambridge.
Bob
I'm not in the industry so perhaps I'm wrong, but my understanding is that even if prospects in pharma were to decline, it'd still be a highly lucrative career. There also seems to be quite a wide variety of careers you can go into within the umbrella of pharma. I'm sure you've considered all that though.
I agree with Bob. I've never met someone who finds accountancy a thoroughly invigorating and exciting career... It seems like you're just thinking the grass is greener. I'd recommend taking a step back and thinking about what you enjoy, detached from any specific job or career path. What do you like doing? What do you want to learn? Then choose your career based on that. Your qualifications should get you far in many different kinds of careers, in my opinion.
What Bob said!
A friend's dad is a pharmacist. He has his own chemist in a stunning coastal town. Doesn't work too hard. Earns good money, plays his guitar and does his books when it is quiet.
Pharma has loads of career options, lots of money on sales, lots of Interesting stuff if research. Don't believe the jaded cynical middle aged grumpy.
Those are the three choices I wouldn't choose for emotional or interest reward! If you want to go down a different route, look at what you enjoy, and work out how to earn from it.
A friend's dad is a pharmacist. He has his own chemist in a stunning coastal town. Doesn't work too hard. Earns good money, plays his guitar and does his books when it is quiet.
Pharma has loads of career options, lots of money on sales, lots of Interesting stuff if research. Don't believe the jaded cynical middle aged grumpy.
Those are the three choices I wouldn't choose for emotional or interest reward! If you want to go down a different route, look at what you enjoy, and work out how to earn from it.
flibbage0 said:
UPDATE: Currently working as a community/retail pharmacist and I'm not enjoying it at all. Tried applying for a graduate scheme for industry however got rejected, seems like getting your foot in the door is the hardest part in industry.
Graduate scheme doing what ???It's the same with everything, getting your foot in the door is the most difficult part. Have a look at the various affiliated professional bodies for the pharma industry. I'm in Reg Affairs, main EU body is TOPRA, but also look at DIA and RAPS (if this interests you). PVG, Med Writing, Clinical Operations, Data Management, etc... will all have their own.
Similar (ish) to you. Did my degree in physiology/pharmacology, all it taught me was I didn't want to work in a lab. But I'd spent 4 yrs at uni getting the degree and wanted to do something with it.
I'd no idea of the non-R&D roles (never mentioned in the course and careers service had zilch idea either), sort of fell into Regulatory Affairs, been enjoying it ever since for the last 20 odd years.
Get to use my science background, satisfaction in helping bring innovative products to patients, regular(ish) office hours with some home working, some business travel, good level of remuneration.
I'm an accountant and often wonder why so many people that want a career change think accountancy is the way forward.
It pays fairly well, but I don't know any accountants that are truly happy in what they do for a living!
To get to anywhere near the top the hours and stress can be ridiculous.
It pays fairly well, but I don't know any accountants that are truly happy in what they do for a living!
To get to anywhere near the top the hours and stress can be ridiculous.
Pinkie15 said:
Graduate scheme doing what ???
It's the same with everything, getting your foot in the door is the most difficult part. Have a look at the various affiliated professional bodies for the pharma industry. I'm in Reg Affairs, main EU body is TOPRA, but also look at DIA and RAPS (if this interests you). PVG, Med Writing, Clinical Operations, Data Management, etc... will all have their own.
Similar (ish) to you. Did my degree in physiology/pharmacology, all it taught me was I didn't want to work in a lab. But I'd spent 4 yrs at uni getting the degree and wanted to do something with it.
I'd no idea of the non-R&D roles (never mentioned in the course and careers service had zilch idea either), sort of fell into Regulatory Affairs, been enjoying it ever since for the last 20 odd years.
Get to use my science background, satisfaction in helping bring innovative products to patients, regular(ish) office hours with some home working, some business travel, good level of remuneration.
Pharmaceutical industry.It's the same with everything, getting your foot in the door is the most difficult part. Have a look at the various affiliated professional bodies for the pharma industry. I'm in Reg Affairs, main EU body is TOPRA, but also look at DIA and RAPS (if this interests you). PVG, Med Writing, Clinical Operations, Data Management, etc... will all have their own.
Similar (ish) to you. Did my degree in physiology/pharmacology, all it taught me was I didn't want to work in a lab. But I'd spent 4 yrs at uni getting the degree and wanted to do something with it.
I'd no idea of the non-R&D roles (never mentioned in the course and careers service had zilch idea either), sort of fell into Regulatory Affairs, been enjoying it ever since for the last 20 odd years.
Get to use my science background, satisfaction in helping bring innovative products to patients, regular(ish) office hours with some home working, some business travel, good level of remuneration.
Just out of interest how did you get into regulatory affairs?
Is there really a grad scheme called 'Pharmaceutical Industry'?!
Anyway, my two penneth:
- How many grad schemes have you applied for?
- How many companies have you talked to?
- How many people in the industry have you talked to?
- How many people in the alternative industries have you talked to?
- What personal introspection have you done to really work out what you can offer a company?
Work can be hard work, and at times it can be boring. Accept that, but the trick is to use these experiences to refine your choices for the next step. If the next step is more training, then act now and do it. Then get more experience, refine again and review the next step.
You've done a good job getting a masters, that's no mean feat... don't discard it and think that because you don't want to be a pharmacist forever that it's worthless. Even if you change paths you will have valuable, transferrable skills that will bridge a gap that someone, somewhere needs.
You need to carve your own career out of the infinite possibilities available. I don't believe there is, in any "career", a defined stairway to job heaven, and that's because everyone is different. Your career is what YOU make it, and you have an excellent foundation to build from.
Anyway, my two penneth:
- How many grad schemes have you applied for?
- How many companies have you talked to?
- How many people in the industry have you talked to?
- How many people in the alternative industries have you talked to?
- What personal introspection have you done to really work out what you can offer a company?
Work can be hard work, and at times it can be boring. Accept that, but the trick is to use these experiences to refine your choices for the next step. If the next step is more training, then act now and do it. Then get more experience, refine again and review the next step.
You've done a good job getting a masters, that's no mean feat... don't discard it and think that because you don't want to be a pharmacist forever that it's worthless. Even if you change paths you will have valuable, transferrable skills that will bridge a gap that someone, somewhere needs.
You need to carve your own career out of the infinite possibilities available. I don't believe there is, in any "career", a defined stairway to job heaven, and that's because everyone is different. Your career is what YOU make it, and you have an excellent foundation to build from.
utgjon said:
Is there really a grad scheme called 'Pharmaceutical Industry'?!
Anyway, my two penneth:
- How many grad schemes have you applied for?
- How many companies have you talked to?
- How many people in the industry have you talked to?
- How many people in the alternative industries have you talked to?
- What personal introspection have you done to really work out what you can offer a company?
Work can be hard work, and at times it can be boring. Accept that, but the trick is to use these experiences to refine your choices for the next step. If the next step is more training, then act now and do it. Then get more experience, refine again and review the next step.
You've done a good job getting a masters, that's no mean feat... don't discard it and think that because you don't want to be a pharmacist forever that it's worthless. Even if you change paths you will have valuable, transferrable skills that will bridge a gap that someone, somewhere needs.
You need to carve your own career out of the infinite possibilities available. I don't believe there is, in any "career", a defined stairway to job heaven, and that's because everyone is different. Your career is what YOU make it, and you have an excellent foundation to build from.
I've only managed to find three industry graduate schemes, one of them is at Bayer for product supply and also for Medical Affairs –Specialty Medicine. Anyway, my two penneth:
- How many grad schemes have you applied for?
- How many companies have you talked to?
- How many people in the industry have you talked to?
- How many people in the alternative industries have you talked to?
- What personal introspection have you done to really work out what you can offer a company?
Work can be hard work, and at times it can be boring. Accept that, but the trick is to use these experiences to refine your choices for the next step. If the next step is more training, then act now and do it. Then get more experience, refine again and review the next step.
You've done a good job getting a masters, that's no mean feat... don't discard it and think that because you don't want to be a pharmacist forever that it's worthless. Even if you change paths you will have valuable, transferrable skills that will bridge a gap that someone, somewhere needs.
You need to carve your own career out of the infinite possibilities available. I don't believe there is, in any "career", a defined stairway to job heaven, and that's because everyone is different. Your career is what YOU make it, and you have an excellent foundation to build from.
The other was for AstraZeneca for Pharmaceutical technology and development.
I've spoken to two people that have done industry in the past and they regret leaving and going into retail, the main reason was usually due to family commitments.
I know I need to apply to more programmes and speak to more people in industry. Finding the programmes and the people who I need to talk to or what extra training I need to pursue a career in industry is what I am struggling with.
Have you considering seeking out a good recruiter on linkedin or a specialist firm for that industry?
Yes you probably will get a lower salary at first as company is paying them a %age but one with decent contacts may be good to help you get the initial industrial experience.
Would have to check they do know the industry, especially with anything technical/scientific but a good one could help you out.
Yes you probably will get a lower salary at first as company is paying them a %age but one with decent contacts may be good to help you get the initial industrial experience.
Would have to check they do know the industry, especially with anything technical/scientific but a good one could help you out.
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