Where would one go with problems of choosing a job

Pekka · February 10, 2007, 05:10

I've made a lot of career threads lately. But I'm having some problems, too many opportunities. Both academic and professional. I won't be taking anything than short fixed term things with good pay, since I'm still studying.

But where would I go to have a serious discussion about what I should do? Are there any professionals? I wouldn't even mind paying a little just to get someone who is an expert to have an extra look at the things going on and telling me what direction would suit me the best.

I've been thinking as of yesterday, since these little consulting type of jobs should be coming to my way, but I can't manage them all, that maybe, just maybe I shouldn't let that money go pass me, even if I'm restricted by time limitations.

What if I was to go around the campus, recruit few smart individuals with potential, set up a small business aside, where I would allocate those things to few people who I would consider great potential? Students, who are about to graduate, because that makes the most sense to me at this point, I could tap on that resource easily, and we could experiment a little. A more forgiving world.

It would make sense to me, since now all the jobs that are not taken will just go to someone else, and they get paid to do it. Why should we let all that money go, when we had the first grabs?

I would need to make myself kind of distant from this, I don't have the time right now. So I'd need few bright students with skills, and allocate some jobs to them, consulting. I figure I'd get one foreign student and one local first. We'd get the language skill benefits from that, as well as choose from the very brightest.

Or should I just forget about this idea? What do you reckon?

VetLegion · February 10, 2007, 05:40

You should reexamine the Randy Berliner thing. It had potential.

Pekka · February 10, 2007, 05:47

You realize what the Randy Berliner thing was about though? I think it's weird you remember it

VetLegion · February 10, 2007, 06:13

Of course I know. It was about consulting too, different branch though.

Pekka · February 10, 2007, 06:15

About consulting? It was?

Provost Harrison · February 10, 2007, 06:19

Pekka, can you stop confusing things with so many threads about the same thing. I posted in one of them and was looking for what the replies may be, but for the life of me I cannot remember which one. Just keep your career stuff to one thread eh...I am reading them but it is hard to keep track with so many threads, especially with your verbose means of presentation

Pekka · February 10, 2007, 06:25

Right, but the thing seems to be changing so much

. I know, it's confusing. I'll keep it in one thread from now on, it's a reasonable request.

It's just that.. OK, here's the deal. I want to win in the Olympics, I don't care what the sport is. Ok? Say, I like half of the sports, but if the other half gives me better opportunities, I choose that.

Back to the half of sports I like, I like them generally, so I don't mind which one it will be, I just want the gold medal. That's all, I want the gold medal. If there's an opportunity to take two, I want to take two gold medals. I want to sweep the table, if there's an opportunity to do it. Anything less would be not satisfying. I wasn't born here to 'do well', you know? I have a gambler's mindset, I don't think about the money I win, I think about the potential money I didn't win, and consider that as a loss.

So I definitely want to be moving free, I don't want to get stuck on one thing, I watn to explore these opportunities as much as possible, so that I could really decide which one has the most potential.

Provost Harrison · February 10, 2007, 06:44

And quite rightly so...sometimes being spoilt for choice can be awkward...it is hard to know which is actually going to be the best direction to head in, and the knowledge that if you choose the wrong one, you'll know about it...

Pekka · February 10, 2007, 06:54

PH, exactly! THat's the problem. Even if the other paths weren't better in reality, and would have turned out to be dry, you still think they might have been the one and you just missed it because of a stupid decision. Of course you have to make a decision though.

But if peopel are going to ask me today, what do you want to be? I don't know. I don't want to be ONE thing. I like many things. I can do few things pretty well. I don't have the.. I don't need to go with one single thing just because it's hte only thing. That would be easy, then you go with the one thing. if it leads to something, good, if not.. well you had to still try it out.

But now? I just don't know. I know what I want. I want a great salary, a position where I can do not one thing but few things, I want to be able to move forward and this is important(!!), and I want to be able to travel around the world doing it, if possible.

I reckon when I get older, I can't be bothered to travel for work. But now? I still want to do it. I don't have a wife or kids, I want to exlpoit this situation to the full, I can move, I can do hard work, I can do a lot of work, I just don't want to do it for nothing.

Provost Harrison · February 10, 2007, 07:10

That, my friend, is the story of my life so far...I really couldn't tell you what I want to be, I have become far more pragmatic that that

Provost Harrison · February 10, 2007, 07:11

I always wanted to be a scientist from being a small child, but as a career choice caused me far more distress than happiness.

Pekka · February 10, 2007, 07:17

PH, right. I can understand that. Listen, I haven't even yet graduated, but since I'm involved and employeed at the same time in research, I mean.. I don't think this is something I want to do for the rest of my life. The money isn't good, the process is usually long and quite boring, and then there's the results, well whoopdidoo. Write few articles, pitch them to journals, get wasted for job completed, and apply funding for new research.

That's not for me. I want to move around, I want to do all kinds of things AND I want to get paid doing it. It's a lot to ask for sure, but then again, why settle for anything less if you can at least try to have that..

Oh well, we'll see. I think it'll turn out good at the end. For both of us.

It's all about making the right decisions at this point when you can push hard for something and you have opportunities. I guess that's why it's double as hard, because you know you could make it, but then again if you make a bad decision.. well, at least you wasted a good amount of time.

Provost Harrison · February 10, 2007, 07:19

Yeah, it is certainly a thankless task...it is why I will never, ever implore someone to go into science as a career. For some people the calling is very strong, but in the end mine just wasn't that strong. It is definitely a labour of love. By all means do a degree in a scientific discipline, hell, even do a PhD if you are that way inclined and enjoy it. But my advice is, if you are anything like me, leave it there!

Pekka · February 10, 2007, 07:30

I agree

. But I'm lucky to have been part of a research (and still am), it just teaches you the methods of research, and kidn of puts some practice in theories. It has given some perspective, and you get a strong sense of what is science and what is quite not, even if it claims to be. And of course, you can add that stuff to your resume, so it has been benefitial, however, as a career choice? I don't think so.

And you're stuck in some small room alone, I need some interraction. I mean.. it's like there's no one to talk crap with, or go to have a lunch or nothing. And it seems you have to help everyone who needs your knowledge, that can take up a lot of time. Of course you get support back, but.. the point is, it's a very isolated career, you're kind of by yourself. The process itself is not fascinating to me in our field, and sometimes I have to say I don't give a damn about what is happening, it's too boring. It feels like a waste of time. Sure it's important but.. just not for me, and I guess not for you either. It's not like were curing cancer here anyway.

And I don't like the fact, that most of the days I can complete my tasks in less than an hour, and anyone else would complete it fast too. Then what do I do? Sit around for 7 hours? The diffecene is, I don't stay to sit around

I'll just do something else, or go home. But if I had the sense of feelign guilty, I'd stay, like the rest of them. I just do my thing and leave. It's not like there's great company to spend your time, so there's no need to stay.

Pekka · February 10, 2007, 07:52

PH, let me ask you something.. does your hunger grow as you eat? as in.. you do a job, you wanted that job, it is good, but then you soon figure out you can do it and it is easy? It's like, I could do a job that's much more upscale than this. In fact I could do this or this, and if this is so easy, I bet I can do that as well.. And then you kind of grow out of your current job and think why the hell aren't you doing the other job, a job you thought required so much more?

Provost Harrison · February 10, 2007, 08:16

Oh yeah! All the damn time. At the risk of sounding arrogant, there is nothing I am not capable of (well, from a technical perspective, I doubt I would have the talent for ballet dancing for example

). So yeah, I will get to grips with the job quickly, damn quickly, I learn by doing and messing around in the system - and rapidly up to a high level of expertise - I am perceived as an expert at what I do now although I have been in the job for only 5 months! Means I then want to take it to the next level (ie, the interest in consultancy) and continue to move up and beyond.

See I'm just looking to hit the right track...once I do, the sky's the limit. And I am patient too...all you need to do is keep me challenged and give me plenty to do and you have a model employee. This has been the problem in the past for me with academia - if you don't keep me occupied or challenged, or you try and educate me in a more traditional 'academic' format (droning lectures, for example), I will rapidly lose interest...

Pekka · February 10, 2007, 08:31

I'm kind of the same way. I mean, if I'm contracted to do something, I'll do it, no problem, but if it was boring as hell, I might not sign that one again.