Career Change and Budgeting

[NoraG]

I'm hoping I can get some responses from people who have some experience with this as I don't have family to ask. I'm 23 and I have an M.A. I currently work an office job, which is not a good fit for me and has led me to question the field I'm in. Based on the careers of other folks that graduated from the same program I did, it appears that even with an M.A., I can't do much more than secretarial work. There is nothing wrong with that, but I don't find it fulfilling. I'm finding it impractical to go back to school because I would have to leave my current job and likely start an hourly job, plus another program would take 2-3 years (full-time, longer if part-time due to working). On top of it just being difficult to support myself, I couldn't really pay for that much additional schooling.

I'm discovering that in order to change fields, I'll need to start at the bottom. I have no problem doing that, I'm just concerned about the budget aspect. Based on current minimum wage, I likely would make about $8/hr, making my monthly income about $1400. It's really tough to live on that without a spouse or roommate and I have neither. I'm very hestitant to room with a stranger because my previous experiences in that area have been poor. I do have some substantial savings, so I'd have to borrow from myself to make this work. My question is, should I take the plunge and find what makes me happy, even if it means dipping into my savings or keep a job that isn't a good fit just for the income (keep in mind it's not riches, but enough to live independently and increase my savings). I'm young, so perhaps saving money shouldn't be the number one concern for me now. Do you think I have enough time to save money later?

Feel free to ask questions if you need to. I'll do my best to provide a response without getting to specific. Thanks. I've made some hasty decisions in the past and am really trying to think this through.

 

[kamik86]

What is your degree in and what are you moving to?

I know many people who are not doing exactly what their degree is in. Including myself (I have a masters in Computer science and am currently doing systems engineering work on a hardware project.

However most that I know that did this either switched within the same company or did so when the economy was good and employers were trying to find qualified applicants so were more likely to take people they had to train if they were willing to learn. It may be more difficult now.

 

[NoraG]

My degree is in Political Science and I'm thinking of moving into hospitality management or marketing. I'll need to start at the bottom due to my lack of experience in a new field and I understand that. My long-term goal is get into the travel industry. I'd really love to be in trip development and perhaps, eventually (like in 15-25 years) have my own travel company. That's what I'm really passionate about-and I have a lot of travel experience, but as a guest.

 

[PatriciaH]

How about working for a tour company like Adventures By Disney, Cosmos/Globus or Tauck? Do you speak any other languages? What about a travel agency that will train you like Liberty Travel?

 

[Karabee]

I'm in marketing and it's a HUGE field. There is so much that you don't even think about. Every single day you read hundreds of ads without even knowing it, you have your favorite brands (ahem...Disney lol) and the work behind it is amazing. If you decide marketing might be for you feel free to PM me. It's amazing how talking to people can help figure out the craziness that is the job world!

 

[littlebit0863]

Would you be interested in teaching? Some states have a huge shortage.

 

[mdsoccermom]

My degree is in Political Science and I'm thinking of moving into hospitality management or marketing. I'll need to start at the bottom due to my lack of experience in a new field and I understand that. My long-term goal is get into the travel industry. I'd really love to be in trip development and perhaps, eventually (like in 15-25 years) have my own travel company. That's what I'm really passionate about-and I have a lot of travel experience, but as a guest.

I see you have stolen my life, LOL! I have an M.A. in Political Science and now have my own travel business.

You're at a good age and stage to transition. I spent 10 years in government relations and then several years at home with my kids before getting into the travel industry.

 

[NoraG]

I've looked into some of the travel companies, but I cannot afford to move outside of Florida. My mom is my only family and I am not willing to leave. Age wise we're about two generations apart and I know she won't be around forever, so it's really important to me for us to spend as much time together as possible. It helps that we're already very close-and this is partially due to the fact that the rest of our family is deceased. I know this limits my choices, but this is not something I'm willing to compromise on at the moment. I don't expect to stay close forever, but for now, this is something that I value highly.

My experience has been that I just don't have enough experience in any other field to do anything else. Every employer wants 3-8 years experience. Without a chance, I can't gain any experience in a new field. By the way, I do have work experience. I've worked since I was 14. Oh, and when I was 10, I started my own tutoring business. I had business cards and everything!

I have thought about teaching, but I don't have a teaching certificate and you need one in FL, unless you want to be a sub, which isn't stable enough to pay my bills. Since I work full-time it would be pretty tough to get the teaching certificate and would take 3 semesters. I'm looking to make a change sooner than that.

As for school, I'd really love to get the training, but I just cannot afford to go back for another B.A. Any opinions on how odd it would look to go for a certificate or a A.A. or A.S. degree. It would show my seriousness about a new field without breaking the bank, as it would only be a few additional classes.

I know this is a bit complicated and I really appreciate all your help. Right now, I need to make about $15/hr to pay my bills, so I'm not asking that much, in my opinion. However, the market is flooded right now. From postings I've seen, you can get entry-level minimum wage or President/Director type positions. I'm looking for something in between, but a lot of middle management jobs have been cut.