What careers advice did you get at school, and did you follow it ?

[Flick of the Elbow]

Do you want to earn decent money?

Sadly, a key question omitted from not just the questionnaire as I recall but also from any sort of careers advice received from both teachers and parents. Perhaps a reflection that in the 70's there wasn't the same gulf between salaries for otherwise similar jobs as exists now ?

 

[SpokeyDokey]

At 18/19 I was told that, despite being bright, I was lazy and unmotivated.

Best I could hope for was a job "in the civil service" or "some clerical role".

Six years later I was a retail store manager with a team of 450. Another 5 years after that I had progressed to Regional Director in retail/leisure. A couple of career switches and another 8 years down track I was the MD of a company in the legal sector.

Either the careers guy got it wrong or I changed big time.

Whatever, it was a blast and went all too quickly.

 

[Moon bunny]

Shop girl in Woolworths. They would not have me.

 

[Drago]

I want to earn decent money. I just don't want to actually work for it.

 

[flake99please]

I told my careers advice teachers that I wanted to become a Royal Marine. I was equally encouraged and cautioned about the high 'drop out rate' by them. I thoroughly enjoyed my service, and if turning the clock back were possible, I wouldnt have changed a thing.

 

[Drago]

Oh great, a flipping Bootie on the forum

 

[Electric_Andy]

Careers advice was not very good. I wanted to be a policeman but, for reasons I can't remember, I was told I couldn't (it was either eyesight, height or shortage of recruiting centres I think). Basically I enjoyed PE and did Sport Studies at A-level, which was the only subject I passed. I then went to Uni hoping that I'd magically secure a dream job afterwards. Fast forward 17 years and I'm sat at a desk forwarding e-mails all day.

We were all told that the best option was to get a degree, but I really wish someone would have actually asked me what I love doing and tried to give me options based on that, rather than this "go to Uni" rubbish which of course has now backfired. Granted, many people have made good use of their degrees, but I really don't think it's a good choice unless you are sure what you want to do.

 

[LocalLad]

Careers advice was not very good. I wanted to be a policeman but, for reasons I can't remember, I was told I couldn't (it was either eyesight, height or shortage of recruiting centres I think). Basically I enjoyed PE and did Sport Studies at A-level, which was the only subject I passed. I then went to Uni hoping that I'd magically secure a dream job afterwards. Fast forward 17 years and I'm sat at a desk forwarding e-mails all day.

We were all told that the best option was to get a degree, but I really wish someone would have actually asked me what I love doing and tried to give me options based on that, rather than this "go to Uni" rubbish which of course has now backfired. Granted, many people have made good use of their degrees, but I really don't think it's a good choice unless you are sure what you want to do.

the opposite for me...had no idea what i wanted to do so I went to uni to stall having to go and get a job.

I'll let you know if I ever get an idea of what I love doing...