To ask what you do for work?

[Biscoffnutellatoast]

I’m early 20’s, and to be honest am a bit stuck on career choices. My dream is to become a forensic psychologist, however the current job market in this subject is terrible, and I’m paranoid about wasting time and money, over several years for a degree/s which I will end up not using!

AIBU to ask what your career is?

bump

Nurse of 35 years. Don’t do it.

Teacher. Ditto.

Academic librarian - I absolutely love it, but it's not a profession you're going to get rich in! (then again, nor are nurses or teachers!)

Marketing manager for a small British manufacturer.

That means I :
run events,
write web site content,
analyse markets,
launch products,
manage PPC & social media
devise and run campaigns,
look after our customer data,
manage photography & video
support tender submissions.

Salary for this role is about £55k but it's within cycling distance of home (home counties). I've earned a lot more in previous international marketing roles or those with a central London commute.

It's interesting, varied and can be fun. It can also be very long hours. It helps if you are willing to have a go at anything.

I used to be a teacher. Don't do that.
I'm now in project management in the civil service and I see it much as a job than a career. It's 100x better than teaching though.

Corporate governance. I’m regional Company Secretary for a large reinsurance business. I enjoy it, in a nebulous sort of way: I have the privilege of knowing the business’s strategic trajectory and being involved in the most senior level decision making right from anything’s inception, and I hear incredibly clever and experienced directors talk candidly and tactically. It’s fairly varied: from supporting Board meetings to undertaking compliance to giving advice on how to most efficiently move capital between group entities and where is most effective to locate a new piece of business. It’s not what I thought I’d be doing when I graduated with a History degree (I don’t think I really even knew my role or my industry existed) but pays very well and I’m pretty much always learning on the job.

Doctor. Really don't do it.

Funeral Operative, you’ll never be out of work, and the clientele don’t argue back.

Prison service.

i enjoy it, very interesting.

theres lots of scope for other jobs within the service which aren’t operational

Project management in a high hazard industry. I do enjoy it but pros and cons like anywhere I think. Decent pay though.

I had quite a long career in pharmaceuticals (sales & marketing). I'm not sure I would recommend it now, for various reasons including the state of the NHS.

Secondary teacher and Head of a core subject department.

I do love lots of things about my job - the students are great, no two days are the same, definitely never bored and it can be good fun.

That said, the hours are long, the workload is huge and the pressure is insane at times, so would only recommend if you really want to do it!

I work in corporate tax. It's well paid, by mid thirties most people are on over £100k. There always seem to be jobs around, especially in London/South East. You can get part time roles as well. I trained as a chartered accountant but you can also train directly in tax (ATT and CTA).

Lawyer. After many years in private practice, now in corporate. Don't do law

Police. I work in a specialist role, the type you see on TV who work in a room thats blacked out planning operations.
I love it. Lots of careers in Policing, I would recommend looking at your forces website.

Welfare rights specialist. Love the work, but the money's pretty shit. Almost all the jobs are in the charity sector, which never pays well. It's a bit better if you work for a council or housing association, but not much.

Mental health nurse.

Been in the job 15 years and have got to a point where a don’t work any long shifts, nights, weekends or bank holidays which I love.

I also love my current role because it’s interesting, varied and I feel I make a difference. My current manager allows me freedom as she trust my decision making which is also nice.

I find the lack of resources for Mental Health care in the NHS soul destroying though. Anyone can suffer from a severe mental health condition given the right conditions but lack of funding is criminal and it’s hard to see people suffer. Especially when we live in the 6th richest country on earth.

Id only recommend my job if you share household income with another. Otherwise you’d be skint!

Novelist, but day job is teaching in a creative writing and literature university department. I love it, but you’re not going to get rich writing literary fiction.

And more seriously, OP, if you’re feeling conflicted and a bit faint hearted about pursuing forensic psychology now, I would think again. It’s brutal to get into.

Marine biologist. At university one of our professors said "I always like meeting this class each year, as I know nobody is in it for the money. ". Its very true, but i get a lot of job satisfaction. The variety is great.

I'm a management consultant in the charity sector after 30 years in the private sector. Very niche but I enjoy it. If I had my time again I'd study economics or accounting and go into data analytics. I've always earned a very good salary.

I am a researcher for health inequality in early years. I love it, pay isn't amazing.

I work in student services in a university. Not a high paying job but I love it.

Teacher of 31 years. Retired early last week. Don't do it. Having a rest then going to.find a part time job

Category Specialist for Cardiac supplies in the NHS. The pay & politics aren't the best. But the job itself is lovely.