Lost

[Rickster]

I just finished all my exams for my undergraduate course about a week ago and if all goes well I should be on track for graduation. Prior to this semester, I sat down and thought... and thought... and thought a lot about what I wanted to do career wise. I had about 3 months to do that, and I still couldn't come up with a solution I could take wholeheartedly. You see, I studied accounting because I was initially good at it (and am doing well even in my undergraduate course), and everyone advised me it was a good major regardless if I wanted to enter into the accounting profession. After so many years of studying accounting, I despise it for many reasons - just cause of the way it is, how it gave me so many headaches throughout these 3 years and I don't want to join the big four audit firms (or any audit firm for that matter) because of the nightmare stories I've heard about being overworked in return for pennies.

 

I'm getting quite afraid of what I want to do and which direction I want to go. I don't have a goal that I'm heading towards which is scary. I want a job that isn't stressful because I get stressed quite easily, that atleast sustains me, and that I would enjoy going to work everyday. I don't want to go back to my home country. I hate it there, but I have to if I'm unable to find a job in Australia I will have to go back. I don't have a citizenship or permanent residency which makes finding a job here in Australia difficult.

 

I remember about 3 years ago I said to myself that I couldn't wait for university to be over with. But now that it's over, I don't really want it to be over. I love it but hate it at the same time. I'll be moving out of the dorm soon, and I'm going to miss it. It was the only time in my life which I managed to socialise a lot (I'm an introvert). And I really enjoyed this semester. The friendship that I made with some of these people that I stayed with have become quite important to me and I don't want them to leave nor do I want to leave.

 

I've not felt more happy than this, but it just seems like all the good things in life that is finally happening to me are just vanishing before my eyes. There are just so many things running through my mine to think that is making me just as stressful as studying my undergraduate course. I can't even compose this thread properly. All my thoughts are just flowing everywhere.

 

help

[tastytoothpaste]

Ok I need more info. Are you considering going back for a different degree? Or what? What are you thinking as far as a career path--scrap what you have now and start over or just pissed about having to do a job you hate?

 

P.S. Accountants make bank, so I don't know who told you about being overworked in exchange for pennies.

[tastytoothpaste]

K well you're offline, so I'll just make do with what I have. If you really really don't what to be an accountant, don't. You'll be miserable day in and day out. I took a course that was all about career development. We took personality tests, temperament tests, aptitude tests, all that other stuff. I found out a lot about not only what I should major in, but about myself as well. I suggest you to do the same, regardless if you decide to go back for a different degree or not.

 

You're overwhelming yourself. Take things one day at a time. You're wasting so much energy on all this worrying. I understand because I do it too. I'm 20 and sometimes I freak out about "omg, what am I gonna do when I graduate? Where will I work? The economy is so bad, how will I make enough for kids when I want them?" All these thoughts and then I have to go "Southern, STOP. Today I need to workout and I need to get started on that research paper." And that's that.

 

One day at a time.

[Rickster]

Accountants make a lot of money only after they do a professional course (ACCA, CPA, ICAEW, etc). Those courses take about 3 years part-time and there's no such thing as doing them full-time. Before that, you get overworked and get ok, I admit, decent amount of money but not worth it for the amount of work you put in. Sometimes you don't even get paid overtime and I heard with auditing companies, working overtime is the norm. At the moment, I don't know what I like or want to do, but I know for sure I don't want to go into auditing. I've talked to many people about my career path. Many say that although I don't want to go into auditing as a future career, they say work there for a year to 3 years for you to get experience which is useful for whatever other job you may want, and also for the name of those big companies you can put in your resume.

 

I'm not considering for another degree at the time being as I'm just finished with this one and don't plan to study anytime soon. I even considered doing honours or a masters but I scrapped both ideas. Honours just doesn't get me anywhere for the time and money invested. Masters is good but not before I get work experience as what some people say. And then I have to choose between a masters or an accounting professional course (I can't possibly be doing both). As much as I want to take things one day at a time and be as carefree as possible, it's just so difficult and dangerous not having a target to work towards. I know I worry too much, it's just an innate personality of mine.

 

I'm only a year older than you are Southern but yet I'm so confused. I want things they way they are now (well it could be better), but I somehow have to make a drastic step that I don't really want to.