To ask what your degree was and what you do now?

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And how much you earn?

One thing that I have learned on MN is that hard work isn't enough and that you need to work smart too. This is something I am really trying to instil in my dc; they are coming up to uni age and I don't think the school are giving them great advice. There is a massive assumption that everyone will go to university, but no.push toward degrees that have better earning potential or are in demand. Our family circumstances have meant that I am a carer for disabled ds, and therefore I can't help the dc much financially in life. I really, really want them to have the best chance at succeeding in life rather than going to uni for 'the experience' and I'm nosy so like to hear what everyone does too.

@Didntwanttochangemyname

"The most misleading idea I picked up at school was that success is the result of intelligence. It’s not: it’s the result of doing things. This seems so obvious now, I can’t believe nobody drummed it into me at school. So I never did an internship or tried to get myself elected to a prestigious student body. I assumed my good grades would transform themselves into a job. I spent three years working in a bookshop. When we think we see intellect what we’re really looking at is energy. The really energetic write pushy emails demanding work. They apply for grants, they go to parties, they network. All this stuff is exhausting and a lot of people who do it are ghastly, but it should be more widely taught that life requires this sort of effort.” James Marriott in The Times

This is spot on.

Self confidence and the ability to chase down all opportunities are more important than grades imo - too many people think life happens and good things will come to them, especially (younger) students who have just graduated.

law + LPC+ training contract + PQE solicitor for 3 years.
Now SAHM.
Didn't get on with working as a solicitor and had pretty much what could be classed as a MH crisis as i couldn't understand why i couldn't get on in day to day legal matters.

Degree in Chemical Engineering and currently working as a Head of Technical (food industry). One has nothing to do with the other 🙄

History, French and Politics as a combined degree. I now walk dogs for a living and earn about £1500-2000 a month.

My degree was honestly a total waste of time and money!

English Lit and Classics. Now work in PR for the charity sector. Pay isn't as much as I'd like (low thirties) but good for the sector I'm in and where I live. I found this job when I was made redundant a few years ago, it was meant to be a stop gap as I was paid more in my previous role and on a promising trajectory. However, I've stayed because I love the work, the people and the creative autonomy I have over what I do. I also had two DC during the time I've been in my current role and both times enjoyed generous maternity leave and huge flexibility with childcare etc on my return. Keep thinking I need to start looking elsewhere but we don't need the money (DH earns well) and I think for this stage of my life, it's perfect.

Also a struggling writer. One day I will write that novel...

Loved every bit of my four years at Uni. It really gave me a strong foundation in analytical, reporting and thinking skills. It has also opened the door to every professional job I've had. Don't regret a thing (but I was lucky, I escaped fees by one year. I'd advise my DC to consider all alternative routes now, especially if they aren't academically minded. Times have really changed, sadly).

I studied what I liked although undiagnosed dyspraxia put a real wrench in the works, academically.

Currently get 25k, looking to go up a grade soon though.

French and I'm an assistant head teacher in a primary school. Earn about £57k (Inner London pay scale).

Thinking about my kids' degrees:

Finance and accounting - accountant.
Finance and accounting - accountant (overseas)
Creative writing and critical practice - PR and Media for scientific company
Theatre Studies - Trainer for a charity.

They've all used their degrees in one way or another, and outearn me by a factor of about x2.5

Nursing, Nurse, £46k

Languages and then marketing. Would do a degree apprenticeship if I had my time again, or a more vocational degree.

@Therealjudgejudy ooh I wonder if you write DC Ryan books

Medicine.

Piano teacher

Theology, school administrator 23k...but this is my choice and never been happier

History. Although I spent almost no time studying history and a great deal of time reading psychology books in the library. I'm now a psychologist. Had to do a conversion course to gain graduate membership of the British Psychological Society.

English degree. Business Manager.

Italian.

University manager

Just under £60k

History degree, now a teacher (after PGCE)

BA Hons in Tourism- 20 years ago, from a new Uni, not even an ex poly. Many people laughed at my degree choice. I found it interesting and loved the human geography side.
Account Manager for a software company
Salary- six figures

I loved university, and equally love my job!

Sociology, then ended up doing some Secretarial qualifications cause I had to get on my feet. Secretarial work for 10 years before I had my kids. I now do merchandising/mystery shopping/auditing on a self-employed basis, some ups and downs with it over the last couple of years. It has worked whilst bringing my kids up, but tbh I am sick of the lack of security and ashamed of how little I earn, the best year I had I earned £15k. If I had my time again, I would have done a Marketing/Business degree, hindsight is a great thing

Education.

Senior Director at a University. 70K.

Physics degree followed by Chartered Accountancy. Now a finance director earning 115k plus bonus/benefits if I worked full time (but I don’t so have a good work/life balance)

Languages and History as an undergraduate then theology graduate degrees. I earn £13k working in the church. Have loved all my degrees and love my job. No way I would want to exchange any of them for something more lucrative/'successful'.

Midwifery. Midwife. £34k starting salary

Relax a little.

I did a degree in Chemistry, I now make and sell craft items- earning far more than I would in my science career- £60K profit a year.
My DD is in her last year of a child nursing degree, already decided it is not a career she wants to pursue, although she is keen to qualify, may prefer to teach dance or primary school teaching. DS has mental health problems. and although super clever, I would be happy if he could work two days a week in a low level job.
OH has a degree in history , but has a career in computer networks, lots of Cisco and Microsoft exams has enabled him to carve a well paid job.

Chill out a little.

Experience and effort are far FAR more valuable for your career than a degree. Most degrees are useless (this is excluding those which are essential to the career - eg. Medicine, Law etc)

This.
I pleaded with my dc not to go to university as neither are interested in academic work but they ignored me because they wanted to do what their friends were doing and FOMO.
Really it was waste of time and money (though they thoroughly enjoyed themselves and made lots of friends)
Neither do anything related to their degrees nor have they needed them.