Having choices are great but Im totally lost

[highonyou]

So Im in the last leg of my Masters degree in bioinformatics, which I took after getting an honours degree in microbiology. I had always hoped that I would end up working as an analyst in a hospital or something along those lines, but thanks to the recession there doesn't seem to be any available unless you have at least 3 years experience.

 

So my dad thought staying on at university might be a good idea, but Im not entirely sure I really want to do that.

 

A Phd would be great but I don't really think I want to go into research anymore or academia.

 

A few of my friends are going back to do nursing and pharmacy which are professional degree which can pretty much guarantee a job at the end.

 

I had thought about going back to do medicine, but 5 years is a long time and gaining entrance to a med school is pretty difficult, I would have to apply to a few around the country but I like the city I am in right now and have just placed a deposit on a new flat. And the interview process is tough from what I've heard.

 

I've looked into a few postgrad positions at the med school here and they look promising, but again, would I really use what I'd learn afterwards? I doubt I'm going to use my masters and regret signing up but for it but I will get through it regardless.

 

Im just feeling a bit lost and out of control. I used to be so sure of things but now all these doubts keep popping into my head.

 

I would hate to be jobless after leaving uni and have started looking at retail positions in the city centre but I feel a bit like a failure for getting a minimum wage job when I have perfectly good degree to use.

 

The recession sucks.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

I thought there would be a high demand for bioinformatics..unless the market is saturated for that right now. Do pharmaceutical companies use people trained in bioinformatics?

[highonyou]

Its is a growing market right now but its just that Im terrible at the computing side of bioinformatics that I do't think I would really cope with getting a job in that field.

[InBruges]

One of my relatives is a self-made millionaire so I've always listened carefully when he gives advice. He told me once, "You won't find your ideal job right away. The key is to get out there, take whatever you can, and network... because the only way to truly be successful in this life is with the help of others"

 

He's right. People have made connections in the strangest of places. One of my cousins found her passion and dream career path while she was working as a hostess in a restaurant. She got to talking to someone she met at her job and that set her on a path to going back to school for something she had never considered before.

 

The most important thing I try to remember is that our feeble brains are absolutely incapable of seeing all the possibilities and paths out there. We may think going for that high-pay job will lead to happiness and stocking shelves at Wal-mart is failure. But things can actually turn out quite the opposite.

 

So my advice is just go out there and grab something, have a positive outlook, and see where it leads... even if it's just making lattes at a coffee shop.

 

Good luck.