Need Career Advice

LadyT

LadyT

JPP Modarater
Contributor
I'm at a crossroads.

Do I go the investment route or do I stay in finance/accounting roles.

On the investment side its fast paced, LOTS more $chaching$, however extremely volatile. When there is a down turn, they let those people go by the boat loads. I don't think I'd be some kind of superstar swaps mastermind either. Nor am I connected within the hire ranks.

On the traditional finance accounting side there are plenty of upsides:

I can literally work in any industry, company - the basics are the same. I've got a strong back ground in it, the bonuses aren't nearly as good, however its a very good living, a lot more stable and I've already started on the track. However I'm not crazy about it, but it pays the bills. I've kind of resigned myself to it.
 
You may be getting to the point in your life, where home-ownership, marriage, and kids are on the horizon.

Stability and predictability in employment and income - in my mind anyway - become very important at that stage.

Just my two cents ;)
 
Another option:

this doesn't sound very "romantic", but marry someone who is a professional and capable of pulling down a good salary.

That way, you've got "each other's backs", in case either of you want to change careers throughout life.

My wife and I have a deal, where I'll hold down the fort when and if she wants to get go back to school to get an advanced nursing degree, and she'll hold down the fort if I want to go back to school and get a law degree, teaching degree, whatever.
 
So you think I should be looking more at the stable option? That makes sense. another thing I could do is maybe try out the investment side of the business for a year and if I don't think I want to get my CFA and pursue that path, I could always go back to finance/accounting. But that doesn't make sense.

I don't think I'll have a problem with my future husband not making money. We're actually in the same field. So one of will definitely have a stable job.
 
Cypress said:
Another option:

this doesn't sound very "romantic", but marry someone who is a professional and capable of pulling down a good salary.

That way, you've got "each other's backs", in case either of you want to change careers throughout life.

My wife and I have a deal, where I'll hold down the fort when and if she wants to get go back to school to get an advanced nursing degree, and she'll hold down the fort if I want to go back to school and get a law degree, teaching degree, whatever.
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I agree with the having each other's back thing too. I thinks it wise to plan for at least one you to be out of work for at least 1.5 years if you're able to. Meaning keep your house/car note to a point where one of you could cover things if you really need to.
 
LadyT said:
So you think I should be looking more at the stable option? That makes sense. another thing I could do is maybe try out the investment side of the business for a year and if I don't think I want to get my CFA and pursue that path, I could always go back to finance/accounting. But that doesn't make sense.

I don't think I'll have a problem with my future husband not making money. We're actually in the same field. So one of will definitely have a stable job.
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well, the more you enjoy what you are doing the happier you will be.
 
bob said:
well, the more you enjoy what you are doing the happier you will be.
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Yeah but what if its counter balanced by the misery of being financially strapped?

I've come to the conclusion that I've had delusions of grandeur relating to working. Work is called work for a reason. The more you make the harder you'll probably have to work. I've given up on "enjoying" my job. I'm more $ focused.
 
LadyT said:
Yeah but what if its counter balanced by the misery of being financially strapped?

I've come to the conclusion that I've had delusions of grandeur relating to working. Work is called work for a reason. The more you make the harder you'll probably have to work. I've given up on "enjoying" my job. I'm more $ focused.
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well everyone has diffrent thing that make em happy, i work in computers and i love it.... but yes for the most part the more you make the harder you be working....but i have also found that there is a happy medim... this will sound funny but the more $ you make, the more time will be spent revolving around $$, more $ dosnt always = happiness, or fullfillment... just more work
 
do whichever one you enjoy more. or a different career if you would enjoy that more. do whatever you like the best; screw everything else.
 
Don't go the investment route and stay with security and balance of work and a homelife imho.... the only reason you are at a crossroad is because you have made it one....somewhere inside that brain of yours...you're clock is ticking....you know you have more important things to accomplish other than just work accomplishments.... otherwise you would have chosen to go for the gusto without a thought or crossroad in consideration.

care :)
 
Shit, go for the dough. Roll the dice and do the investment thing. If anything, it will beef up your resume, you can make more money, and like you said, in finance, you can work for just about anyone, so if the shit does hit the fan you have that to fall back on. If I was you, it would be all about the Benjamins, and I'd go for the higher risk, higher return, especially when you have somewhat of a safety net in your finance experience.
 
Go for whatever interests you more. You only get one run at this, don't waste it on a job less interesting than you should...
 
It sounds as if you've given this a lot of serious thought. You have to decide how this career choice fits into the rest of your life and how demanding one or the other will be on what's important in your life, as well as how stable or unstable the position might be. The investment field seems to be more sales-related, and the people who work in that area are as expendable as the products they promote from time to time. You also have to consider how easy it might be to return to the field of finance and accounting once you leave it.

I was in finance too, for a long time. I was good at it too, like you, but it just didn't fit. Even my friends agreed. I was single, no dependents, and wanted to do something professionally that would consume me. I found that in science. It meant giving up a lot, but nobody else was affected, and with encouragement from my professors I went for it. No regrets. That was the right thing for me. You have the rest of your life to live and work, and you have to determine what will be the best thing for you and your life.

Best of luck! :)
 
Care4all said:
Don't go the investment route and stay with security and balance of work and a homelife imho.... the only reason you are at a crossroad is because you have made it one....somewhere inside that brain of yours...you're clock is ticking....you know you have more important things to accomplish other than just work accomplishments.... otherwise you would have chosen to go for the gusto without a thought or crossroad in consideration.
care :)
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I don't know. I don't think I really have any maternal instincts if that's what you were hinting at. Lately I've been more concerned with balancing my portfolio, early retirement strategies, happy hour and fitting in a wedding in.

do whichever one you enjoy more. or a different career if you would enjoy that more. do whatever you like the best; screw everything else.
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As far as moving to the investment side, I've never really actually done it to know for sure, but after talking with people that do it, and hearing what they do, I am pretty sure I'd like it. But I can be a bit of a malcontent, so there is always a risk there.

Go for whatever interests you more. You only get one run at this, don't waste it on a job less interesting than you should...
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That's what I want to do on face value, but if I do eventually fall back into finance, I'll have to start back @ where I am and work my way up. There's also the possibility that I could be horrendous at it and then I'd gain a bad reputation and have an even harder time finding a basic finance job.
 
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