Need some advice on college/jobs

[Indigo]

So last summer I switched from Art ed major/English minor to English ed major/art minor (already had the credits, required no extra effort for the minor). This school year I have finally begun taking education classes and having internships in a local high school English class. Problem is I'm wondering if I really want to teach at all anymore. I enjoyed it while I was a Teacher Cadet in high school, but that was different. Then I was working in a middle school, only there for one period, and I knew most of the students' parents so they all behaved. Now I'm realizing that if I go through with this, I'll be dealing with high schoolers all day, every day. What put it in perspective is when I realized that I'd basically be teaching my teenage brothers and people like my old classmates and I'm not so sure I want to deal with that. And that's if I get a job. Right now only one of the nine closest counties to me has a position open for an English teacher. My state is cutting teachers, not hiring them.

In order for me to get my licensure and graduate by next Spring, I will have to obtain special permission (because of my switching majors) which is going to be a pain. If I don't get that special permission I'm basically stuck for another year meaning I'll graduate Spring 2013. If I do get it, I will have 9 credits over the summer, then I will be juggling 18 credit hours, a 25 hour internship, a 50 hour internship, and my part time job next fall. Then I will do my student teaching in the Spring. I'm doing alright now with 19 hours, a 25 hour internship, and my job; but I'm always tired and I'm getting burnt out.

If I drop the teaching licensure and just go for my BA in English, I will have 6 credits over the summer, 15 next fall, and then I will graduate at the end of Fall 2011. I've looked around at the local job openings and there's a good handful for administrative assistants and clerical positions, all of which require a 4 year degree. I'm really good in an office and have lots of experience in running offices. Going this route would get me out in the workforce earlier and enable my fiance and I to get our own place earlier as well. But I still worry about finding a job. However the retail job I have is actually a really good one and they would be happy to put me at 36-38 hours a week since I'm trained in three different departments.

Only thing is that I'm not sure how my Mom is going to take this possible switch. I know she wants me to go further than being an office clerk, but I don't plan on doing that forever. I've thought about possibly going back and getting my Masters degree after 2-3 years in the workforce. I know my fiance will support me no matter what I want to do, so that's not an issue.

I pretty much have to figure this out this semester due to having to get that special permission ASAP. I guess I just want to know what you guys think, y'all usually give out pretty good advice from what I've seen.

[42_42_42]

I have an English degree from an Ivy league calibre school and I've found it next to useless as far as finding office work. I, too, had office experience when I graduated, but, even so, I've constantly been told that I'm "over educated and under experienced."

I'm going back to school to get my RN.

[Kheldarson]

Considering my experience...if you're already second-guessing yourself, just drop it. I'm in a teaching job, and I hate it. But that's because I'm teaching the wrong age. I knew that, but decided to take the job anyway to essentially possibly prove myself wrong. Yeah...no.

So if you're already thinking that that isn't an age group you want to deal with, want to be around, want to teach, then I wouldn't stick with teaching.

[Indigo]

So I had a nice long talk with the teacher I've been interning with over this semester and basically she echoed what Kheldarson said.

42_42_42 - How much office experience did you have before you started looking? All of the jobs I'm seeing want a BA (in anything) and at least 4+ years working in an office. I worked 4 years as a legal assistant, about 3 years running the office at a test prep company (including training my supervisor), and about a year now doing banking and office work at my retail job. That gives me about 8 years of experience in office tasks and I have great customer service skills to boot as well.

I mean the economy sucks and it may be a struggle to get a job either route I take so why not get out in the workforce earlier?

[42_42_42]

Admittedly, I only had a year of office experience out of college. Then I taught school for a year and then I started trying to find a corporate type job. Luckily ended up in a call-center based job that I actually liked and was very good at (worked for a co that administered 401(k) and pension plans for other companies), but I left that job to get married and move 2 states away. It's been since then (8 years) that I've had a hard time finding a good job. And I live 20 minutes from Atlanta. It's not for having bad reviews from past employers, either, the market has just been flooded (and is even worse now) with peopel looking for that kind of work. There's simply more prospective employees than office jobs.

[Indigo]

Admittedly, I only had a year of office experience out of college. Then I taught school for a year and then I started trying to find a corporate type job. Luckily ended up in a call-center based job that I actually liked and was very good at (worked for a co that administered 401(k) and pension plans for other companies), but I left that job to get married and move 2 states away. It's been since then (8 years) that I've had a hard time finding a good job. And I live 20 minutes from Atlanta. It's not for having bad reviews from past employers, either, the market has just been flooded (and is even worse now) with peopel looking for that kind of work. There's simply more prospective employees than office jobs.

Yea, more job-seekers than available jobs is my concern. My issue is that I want to stay rather local, but all the teaching jobs seem to be 3-4 hours away from where I'm at now. My fiance is a commercial electrician so if he quits his job to follow me, it'll take him forever to find another job with the way the construction industry is now. I'm up in NC, but I do have three major cities within an easy drive from where I'm at so it at least widens my options. I'm hoping having a 4-year degree and about 8 years experience will help when it comes time to finding a job. I am also childless, so I can always point out that I have less distractions and obligations outside of work. I know that shouldn't be a deciding point in being hired, but it can't hurt either.

I've pretty much have figured out what I want to do. I really am tired of school and the thought of graduating in December makes me so happy. Then I can go work, save up some money, and get out on my own. My fiance will support me no matter what I choose, so its down to convincing my mother this weekend when I go home to visit her.

Convincing her is going to be the hardest part, but there's really nothing she can do to stop me. I know her biggest worry is that I find a job, but today on the phone she told me that all I'd be is a glorified secretary, that getting married earlier is the only reason I'm wanting to graduate early, and when am I going to find time to have kids between work and grad school later on.

[AdminAssistant]

A couple of things:

1) It is illegal for an employer to ask if you have children or if you're planning on having children during a job interview

2) Unless your mother is paying for your education, then she really doesn't have a say. And, honestly, being a "glorified secretary" is at least good, steady work.

[42_42_42]

Right now is an especially hard time to get your foot in the door in teaching as so many of the school's are facing budget cuts, which means reduced staffing.

If you can get your foot in the door in a good company, even if it is, as your mom put it, as "a glorified secretary", you can potentially have a solid career. It IS possible to move from admin to other positions as you learn the company and industry. Had I stayed with the company I was with and not moved to get married, I may still be working for them, as I had already "moved up the ladder" in my short time there.

At least you have a solid direction of what you want to do. When I left school, heck when I picked my major, I didn't. Honeslty, I have had since then, really, either. I know that's been a big part of my problem. Of course, I also thought when I got married that I'd have kids soon and be a stay-at-home mom, but things didn't work out that way for us. You can never really know what life is going to throw at you.

In the end, do what makes YOU happy and everything else will sort itself out.