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Original poster

Which ££££ career for my daughter?!

102 replies

HBGKC · 26/04/2023 14:16

Hi all,

Off the back of all the recent high-salary threads on MN, I thought I'd ask for some suggestions for a job/career for my DD.

She's about to graduate from a Russell Group Uni with (probably) a 2:1 in Biomedical Sciences.

Her top priority is earning potential, particularly in the short-term (ie next 10 years) as she'd also like marriage and kids one day.

She's likely on the 'lighter' end of the autistic spectrum; she's very black-and-white, not what I'd call a people-person! She's professional, but not particularly emotionally aware, IYSWIM.

She did 3 sciences for A-level (not Maths).

She doesn't really mind what she does, so long as it pays well. She is extremely disciplined, self-motivated, organised, reliable, hard-working... in many ways the ideal employee. If she doesn't know how to do something, she'll work it out; in fact, she's independent to a fault!

She wouldn't mind travelling for work if necessary.

Any ideas (or further questions), throw them my way! TIA

OP posts:

UnsureSchool32 · 29/04/2023 08:21

ZenNudist · 26/04/2023 14:37

I did chartered accountant in big 5 now 4.

I would say choosing a job based on salary is a bad idea. You need to enjoy what you do. I did it and it made me miserable for most of my 20s. Lots of people like me who got stuck in finance (or law) for the good money. I'm trying to teach my own kids to go a different way.

If you have no natural talent for people skills then accountancy is not a good choice. You can't easily climb the ladder to the higher paid roles if you aren't good with people and client service is all about communication.

Maybe a data role would be better but generally the communication skills is really important to get to senior level .

I love accountancy as a career and would recommend it for NT women as its good for working part time on good wage later in life. I've not worked with many ND people to be honest.

I bet you’ve worked with a tonne of ND people. They’re not going to tell you they are and your black and white comment tells me you may have an element of ND.

My BIL is a Partner in a big 4, his son is ND. It’s pretty obvious he’s just like his dad.

Lampzade · 29/04/2023 08:42

Pluvia · 29/04/2023 08:18

I'd caution against the law. Of all the professions, I know more people who've given up law than any other. And I suspect that to thrive in accountancy you've got to be a certain sort of person, too. Only she will know whether she's prepared to endure years of boredom and frustration and lack of autonomy (if that's how it turns out) in order to attain the lifestyle she currently imagines she wants. I say that because after a few years I think lots of people change their minds about their priorities.

One of my accountant friends quit one of the big accountancy firms and is now comfortably ensconced as deputy head of finance at her local NHS health board. Earning half what she once earned working in the City but has a life beyond work and is much happier for it.

I agree with this
I would caution against law, particularly if one is entering the profession for financial reasons. The profession is oversaturated which has meant that there are too many chasing too few jobs. Too many organisations are being accredited to run the professional law courses. Most students will not get a training contract or a pupillage.
This wasn’t the case when I qualified twenty five years ago .
Most lawyers earn average salaries and live average lives .They are not commanding six figures.
However Law is a well respected degree , so is often useful for other careers

Also agree about accountancy. You definitely have to be a certain type of person to succeed in accountancy.
Dh used to work for one of the big four . He is the type of individual who flourishes in that type of environment , but it is not for everyone.
My advice to any student is to take a course which not many people are taking where there is a shortfall in that area. . This would give them a better chance of getting a well paid job.

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