part 1
Welcome, and Happy New Year. One of my New Year's resolutions is to blog- occasionally, as it is not my intention to spam my readers -hopefully I have a few.
I would like to know your views on careers :
How did you chose your career (or how do you intend to, if you have not yet) ?
How did you or will you go about making it happen ?
I have delayed my response, as I want to know your opinions first, and will combine them with my previous research
thank you
Robin
Interesting question.
ReplyDeleteI had an idea from when I was about 13 that I was going to study maths, physics and german at A-Level then go on to do maths or maths and german at Uni. There was never any plan about what I was going to do with it or what I wanted to do afterwards. I should have made my plans as each step, or at least reconsidered as I reached each decision point, but it was easier to just go with what was already there. I am lucky that I don't regret it, but I might well have done.
After a Maths with German BSc and a Pure Maths MSc I fell into a series of stop-gap jobs, then marriage and kids. It was what I wanted and I still had no thoughts about a career. Management and career progression does not appeal to me at all.
I started studying with the OU to keep my brain cells intact with small children in the house and after a gap of a few years came back to the OU again with two level 3 courses before starting with my masters. At the first spring weekend meeting for the masters I spoke to fellow students and to tutors and it was at this weekend that I decided (finally, in my mid thirties) that I wanted to have a career in HE teaching and maybe research as well.
Since then I've applied for and been given a job as a tutor with the OU (I am now up to 3 courses) and I have recently started my PhD part time as well, which should make it easier for me to find a job either with the OU or in a conventional University in due course.
You could say that my career presented itself to me once I was in a life place to be receptive to it, but I have had to work hard to get here, and there is still quite a way to go.
Ugh, sorry, longer comment than the post it is in reply to. I hope it helps.
Ah I'm glad at least one person found it interesting
ReplyDeleteIMHO:
Particularly at that age, it is best to start with a hunch of an idea, to find one's interest/s -infact I recommend for everyone to prioritise working on things they enjoy as much as possible.
There is not necessarily a need to make too many plans at each step, though that is subjective and very much depends on exact circumstances, so the best approach is achieved by personal coaching and mentoring.
Oh, that is very interesting, "but it was easier to just go with what was already there." it seems a stark contrast to choosing and successfully completing two degrees in Maths, considered one of the most difficult subjects, and certainly not the most popular option. By working on what is the right decision for you, and not necessarily what is most popular (the latter is usually decided by superficial things and by people who know nothing about careers XD) one achieves their best.
-Great to see you have no regrets on it.
Ah I agree regarding the type of management that is over the top, restrictive and and, well frankly based on myths and dull paradigms -I favour post 90s style management styles of inquiry, paradigm shifts (hope to write more on that in future :)!)
Studying continually is an excellent way of giving balance in life - I am a proponent of lifelong learning, and of course part time study gives the flexibility to help with having a family.
Good to see you are working in a job you clearly enjoy.
Ah, a PhD can help in such regard, but does not necessarily, so I would advise doing one only if one is committed to such learning and research even if it doesn't - which you seem to be.
Indeed, life presents spontaneity, which is not to be managed out of the way -great careers coaching recognises this, and instead favours finding careers based on ideal interests to be discovered and developed.
Though here is the huge benefit -it eliminates the hard work of getting one's ideal career by focusing on what one enjoys, such that it never feels like work at all and is entirely suited to one's circumstances :)
not at all, thank you for the 'long comment' and hopefully there will be more from yourself and others
thanks in advance for sharing these posts and subscribing, people