GAAAAAAHHHHH help me decide

[green]

Poll #4191 greenie's future

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 19

View Respondents

when greenie grows up, she should be...

View Answers

graphic designer
12 (63.2%)

high school english teacher
2 (10.5%)

editor
3 (15.8%)

writer
1 (5.3%)

something else, which I will tell you about in comments
1 (5.3%)

Comments

[flaming_muse]

You should be whatever you want to be, honey! What does your heart say?

[green]

I have no idea! Hence the poll. /o\

[calystarose]

I think that the graphic designer has the most flexibility (work from home) and the best chances for employment.

However, the most important thing is that it's something that you can see yourself doing even on days when you don't want to be doing anything but have to anyway.

[green]

Heh, that's good advice. *hugs* (34 days smoke free!)

[calystarose]

You ROCK SO HARD! *hugs*

[schemingreader]

I think you might get too intimidated by having to stand up in front of a class. You also sometimes complain of writer's block--though I think you should still write. (It's also hard to make a living as a writer.) Editing, though it does have the advantage of being mostly solitary, is less lucrative than graphic design, and you have a talent for graphic design. So I picked that.

Are you going back to school?

[green]

Yes, in the spring I'm going back to school (hopefully). I'm in therapy now to help me go back.

[schemingreader]

You are a smart cookie.

[crypto]

I chose 'something else' because I think you'll know when you know.

In the meantime, you could try 'secret agent' or 'con artist' :)

[green]

I've been trying to figure out what career I want for fifteen years. :\

[crypto]

:(

Then I guess I'll switch my vote to graphic artist!

[green]

lol thanks

[snuffkin]

I chose english teacher because a.) that's what I want to be lol and b.) it gives you the skills for two of the other jobs (editor and writer) you put on there.

I don't know about graphic designer and editor. Someone in the comments was saying that you'd easily get a job as designer or editor but I'd be careful. I wouldn't do editor since there are already too many unemployed editors looking for work and the same might soon be true for graphic design since there are a lot of people already studying graphic design. It sounds easy but I actually think you do have to do a lot of internships etc to actually get enough jobs to make a decent living out of it.

[green]

Good choice! I'm leaning towards English teacher myself. :)

[snuffkin]

yay. And don't be scared about insecurities and stuff. I'm very shy and I don't like people but I don't mind standing in front of a class!

Also, I think I went through the same phase. I'm good with graphics and I love writing (I don't do it nearly enough anymore) and since being a writer does not pay well for most writers I thought about becoming and editor, but yeah, too many people want to become editors as well. So now I'm studying english and history and found out that teaching can actually be fun :D (especially teaching older students)

[green]

yay! thank you, bb.

[aberrant1]

The only one of these I can offer any perspective on is editing.

- It doesn't usually pay well.
- There are actually a lot of different editing jobs, and for a small company, editing and graphic design might get mashed up together. My boss at NCCER was in charge of both editors and the layout person, and she did the art herself.
- You might not need a degree. It helps when you're trying to get your first job, but experience counts for a lot more.
- How should I put this? It's tedious. I thought, going in, that I had a really high tolerance for tedium, but by the time that four years was up my attention span was shot. (This could have something to do with going on, then off, then on, then off antidepressants, but also, the job was just plain boring.)
- The company I worked for was really obnoxious about being in the office, on time, in business-casual clothes, with a reasonably organized desk. I think a lot of companies are more flexible and will let you work from home or work odd hours.


I would think there's some sort of "media" or "communication" degree where you could combine tech writing and graphic design classes. That would give you some flexibility re: editing, writing, graphic design, so if you decided you liked one better, you could move in that direction without much extra training.

And... actually, most English teachers I know were English majors in college, not education majors. Sooo... you don't have to make up your mind until close to the end if you start out just going for a general English major and taking classes that relate to all of the above.

[green]

Thank you! I think I'm definitely leaning towards English teacher. But an English degree would be best, I think.