What does a Registered Nurse make on average? I heard it's really hard to be a nurse... and still have to go through med school like doctors do.
They don't go through med school. 45-80K... but they earn their money. I just browse the web all day.
I have friends that really hate their jobs. Some are making awesome money. Others that feel like they are stuck at a job that they can not afford to leave. Bottom line is they all hate their jobs. If you are going to make a career out of something make it something you like doing. I'm a welder and starting to do a little michining. Its something I never thought I would do until I did it. Now almost 20 years later I can honestly say I really like my job. Sure there are a few co-workers I can not stand and wish some really bad things on, but there are always somethings out of your control.
I make in the range supernavt posted. I wouldn't wish nursing school on my worst enemy, but the career itself is another story: it offers money, stability, a zillion different opportunities in every medical field you can't think of (and some you can't), and more opportunity for advancement than you can imagine. And it's 95%+ female, so the odds are really, really good.
I just started my career in Accounting after graduating this past December. The math is simple math, all either done on a computer or easily done with a calculator, so dont get deterred by the numbers (although I'm sure you're a numbers person if you are going this route). The actual hardest part with accounting is just memorizing the vast array of accounts, and which ones get used in certain situations and how each affects the others that are related to it. For everything you do in accounting, something has to offset it. It is a giant equation really and its pretty neat if you are into that kind of thing. The job market for accounting is good right now, and the pay is really solid. You won't see the high end salaries that engineers or other careers of that sort get, but you still get a nice salary and what I would call fairly stable job security as well. One thing to realize is that you are a secondary function is most companies (other than CPA firms), but the fact is that while each company has different positions as their primary functions, every company still needs accountants.
What school did you go to? ^ Did you struggle to find a job? I'm thinking about doing bookkeeping and then go to accountemps see what they can do.
this post made me read up on the field, and i must say, it's super intriguing. i think working at a plant would be kind of fun. i love, love, love, love my job. (administrative assistant in a small office). but advancing here would entail becoming a landman, and although it definitely fits my personality, i just don't think i'm up for being an independant contractor. i'd be stressed out like crazy in between jobs - it doesn't help that every day i have to talk to landmen desperately looking for work, market seems oversaturated. i'm keeping my eye open for any sort of certification or 2 year degree that would help me change career paths. I have an degree, but i'm still making about the same i did right out of school 4 years ago. would mind picking up some new skillz to broaden my horizons.
UTSA. I interned with the company I am at over the summer and got an offer the week after Thanksgiving during my last semester. My girlfriend graduated from the same school in December as well and she has been searching for about a month now and has gotten into about 4 or 5 interviews so far and has one coming up this week as well. However, she is also mainly focusing on applying to grad-schools currently so she isn't full force job hunting. That might be more of a gauge of the market than my path.
There are a lot of good careers. The two things that are the most important, IMHO, are (1) What are you good at? (2) What do you enjoy doing? In that order.
One thing I would watch out is 2year career programs. They pump out too many students and now they want to underpay you. 2year degrees got saturated real fast now. You have to push for 4 year degree nowadays.
I have 150 hours of free school, so i can always do more b4 i even pay a penny myself. I DO want to eventually get a 4 year degree, it's just that i wanted something to get out there as fast as possible.
There's two kinds of people. The people you ask "what do you do?" - and you get a normal answer like doctor, salesman, lawyer, etc... and the people you ask "what do you do?" and you get the same douche answer - oil and gas. Do me a favor, if you get a job in O&G, which has been recommended in this thread, please give a real answer when someone asks you what you do. "oil and gas" just means janitor or oil taster for all I care.
Yes. If I lost my IT job tomorrow I wouldn't think twice about it. I did IT 10+ years ago for Exxon in Baytown, and the guys in the control room always had a blast. Sure work can suck sometimes, but for the most part they're hardworking "good ol' boys" who buy fifty thousand dollar trucks and eat too much. Good times. Also, once you spend a few years as an operator it is VERY easy to move up or to a different position altogether. My brother started loading rail cars full of plastic pellets for 8 bucks an hour. 10 Years later he's making 110K salaried as a planner doing planning logistics in SAP. He could leave tomorrow and find another gig if he wanted to, once you have that on your resume you're set. I was 30 when I started, most people in my classes were mid-20s to mid-30s... people looking for a change. I went to Alvin CC. Not the thing with Process Technology, they are constantly struggling to keep people. Most major plants in Houston have hiring classes of anywhere between 5-50 operators at a time every few months. People get a little experience under their belt and leave to go to a higher paying position with another plant. Once you're in at a plant, you're set for life if you do your work. Process Technology is as one would imagine, very process oriented. There is a rhyme and reason for everything, and you follow the rules to the T. That's the basics of the entire two year degree... they teach you how to follow directions. Being in IT with SOX Compliance it was a natural switch for me.
