So I've been working as a lab aid for a couple years now and the pay is okay. I earn about $25,000/year. But that salary is not enough for me to move out of my parents' house and I'm getting really desperate for my own place. I'm 27 now and I'm afraid if I remain a lab aid for much longer I'm going to wake up one morning 30 years old and still be here. My dad is trying to persuade me to go back to school and get an Associate's degree in Medical Lab Technology. If I do it and graduate I could have my own place in only two years. The only thing is I only want the job for the money, not really for the job itself. And on top of that, all the medtechs in my department hate their job. They say it's boring and they don't get paid enough for the amount of work they do. I already have a degree in art, but I keep doubting myself so I haven't actively looked for any art jobs in a long time. I know that's silly, but true. I suppose I could pursue art on the side even if I do become a med tech but I wonder if I'll really have enough energy and time for both lines of work. So if you were in my position, what would you do? Stick it out for a job in the art field, go back to school and do something else or do some mixture of art and medical technology? Thanks in advance for any answers I get.
I would personally recommend getting an MLT degree while pursuing your art career. Considering you can get the degree at a 2 year tech school it wont be a huge out of pocket expense and you'll have something to fall back on if you dont find a job in your chosen field. I dated a guy when i was in school who had a med lab degree and he ended up working in a lab for a couple of years then finding a well paid position traveling the country teaching hospitals how to use new lab equipment - so there are other career paths with that degree besides plugging away in a lab. Just another thought - 25k a year isnt enough to live on your own but have you considered roommates?
Create a budget. I'm entering my fourth year in a B.Sc program, make less money than you, and live on my own (albeit, with two roommates). If what you're after is money, a B.A. (or even B.Sc) by itself won't cut it (meaning that a job won't walk up to you and offer itself). You need to be able to sell yourself to an employer. If you know you won't enjoy the job you're after, you better be able to bullshit upper level management into paying you a hefty wage for a job that thousands of people are qualified to do (I wouldn't hold my breath). Figure out what you want to do for the rest of your life. If money is all you want, pick a job that pays a lot and earn the credentials (as well as learn how to actually do something in the field... The credentials are meaningless if you haven't demonstrably proven your ability to do whatever it is you hope to be paid for). Simply put (and I feel like a broken record saying this, as I have to use this line almost once a week): An undergraduate program is no more than an invitation to pay around $10,000 per year. If you plan on entering the work force fresh out of your program, having an actual set of skills will set you apart from the other applicants which can only offer a piece of paper. I know, it sounds ridiculous; actually being able to contribute to the company, but that's what employers are after.
if i were you, i would move out 9 years ago ($25,000 is WAY more than what is needed unless you live in a really expensive city) and pursue whatever potential career actually interests you.
$25,000 a year not enough to move out of a parent's house? i would seriously consider finding someplace less expensive to live. that's more then twice my pension, and i live by myself, in an admittedly humble rental unit. it may not be enough to live high, where you can throw big parties and try and impress everyone, but is that the most important thing in your (op's) life? i'm guessing op lives somewhere that IS expensive to, but just maybe, the same work that he's doing, could be found someplace that is less expensive to.
there are no short cuts...people often get a second or even a third job to achieve financial freedom......you dont have time to spend the money because you are working constantly....
in which case, precisely what would be the point of doing so? unless that's the point you are making, in which case i would agree. by any logic i can imagine, that makes the term "financial freedom" what used to be called an 'oxymoron'. or a sucker game. short cuts? no but real alternatives. these include unions, nor is choosing to live in poverty, an unreasonable alternative to supporting a way of life that is painful to the conscience.
in my case i had 2 jobs for much of my young adult life....i had to pay for cases of baby formula and still be able to maintain my recreational activities. i know lots of people that had night or evening jobs....as a stagehand i would do 8 phantom of the operas a week and still do rigging for concerts and shows in my off hours...... it is the cost of wanting cash....i get it that it isnt everyones cup of tea but i have been hustling for a buck all my life and i still do it
Well.......except a cushy goverment job where you get paid bucket loads and can sit around most of the day surfing the net on your phone Of course everything is about money
unless we create a world in which everyone can enjoy creating and exploring without stress or anxiety, all our oh so vaunted sapience, will have created nothing of any real or lasting value.
