What Job Would You Do If You Weren't In Finance?
I've been questioning my path recently. I'll be applying for full time positions soon and there's part of me that isn't 100% sold on what I am doing. It feels like it is the right path but I know there are so many other paths out there.
For me, if I hadn't spent so much money on an education, I would work with my hands. Go to trade school and become skilled in a trade. If you weren't doing what you are now, what would you be doing?
I recommend taking 6 or so months off and just work a simple hourly job. This break will give you the opportunity to think about what you want, and some a little less pressure to get a job right away. It'll also give you an opportunity to recharge a little after school. I was advised this and am extremely glad I did take the time off.
Electrician or Carpenter. I did flooring in high school and college. Always envied the electricians as they weren't destroying their bodies.
out of all the possible jobs you could do, you would want to be an electrician? jesus
It's a great job, can turn into a great business and you can coast in your later years
Where I currently live (Honolulu) electricians make a ton of money and always have a backlog of work regardless of economic conditions. Can't run a modern economy without electricity which means somebody has to maintain the infrastructure.
Second this line of thinking. I worked in masonry for a few seasons in high school and after, mainly building patios and retaining walls. At first, it's moving pallets of bricks/pavers from spot to spot but once you get into the design and deeper into the building process, it's fascinating work. I look back on it now and still admire some of the work we did. It's an ultimate team profession. You build trust with those around you, not only that the job will get done, but you are trusting these people with the 12 tons of fill being dumped, the pallet of flagstone being bobcat'd in, or the backhoe digging the foundation while your next to the bucket with your shovel. You learn quickly that everything you work with is hard, extremely hard. Your feelings on indestructability go away quickly as you realize the damage and injury potential of pretty much everything.
It's back breaking work but it fulfills both the physical and creative side of things. I imagine that I could've kept doing it, working my way up to having my own crew, having a few trucks, and made a pretty good living.
Software engineer.
Honestly, I really wish I was life guarding this Summer. Be out in the sun all day + all the hot girls.
sigh
In high school I worked outside everyday - still miss it on nice summer days
Absolutely. I hated my typical high school jobs but looking back I’m pretty damn thankful. Made me develop better as a person, learning how to deal with others, being more social, etc.
I second this. I miss being tan af by the end of the summer and giving swimming lessons to little kids was always fun. Although the pool I was at (5+ years) the boss would sometimes have us out there for 2+ hours... I definitely was ready to leave by the end as I got hella bored just sitting up in the chair.
Probably either a college professor, opening a restaurant or a scalable fast casual chain I've been thinking about, or something related to supply chain operations management maybe.
Definitely Attorney. Took the LSAT and everything.
Thank god that didn't happen.
Why?
Because I couldn't imagine being the person checking to make sure commas are in the right place on documents instead of actually doing the work
What I would've chosen to do as an 18 year old - probably biomedical engineering.
What I would choose to do now - something that's easier / less intense over an entire career. Probably teaching some form of history at a college level.
I have a bunch of friends that are BioMeds. Pretty cool stuff. We always had beef with them since we made fun of them for being "fake ChemEs" haha
If I did not care about money, I would open up a barber shop.
Data Scientist. Normal hours, high pay.
I would be a college professor. Summers off, you can have a student do all your grading for you and the pay can be great if you get a good degree.
Through college, I wanted to be a lobbyist. It’s not that different from my current role in PE BD — both involve managing relationships with high-profile individuals (CEOs v Legislators) and overseeing a long-term sales cycle (M&A v regulatory initiatives).
I chose finance of the two paths in large part because it offers a more defined/structured promotion path, better comp at the junior level, and is seen as more transferable. Not sure what else you’re considering, but I suspect you may come to a similar conclusion.
Money aside, I would cut grass for a living.
A man after my own heart, I fucking love cutting grass.
But if I had a choice - money not an issue, marine biologist or like dive instructor.
I've always wanted to be a cop as a kid. And honestly state troopers are quite well paid (up to 100K a year in some places such as Massachussetts). You work for 20 years and its 50k annual pensions for the rest of your life. Too bad there ain't a lot of exit ops.
Hey man if you're in MA (where im from) you could make up to $300K as a statie so long as youre willing to take part in that corruption scandal that happened last year.
Teach history or money management in high school and coach football at my high school alma mater.
Work in the athletic department at the Univ of Hawaii, my alma mater, and watch games from the sidelines in Aloha Stadium. If not a worker, then a wealthy booster.
Be some kind of strategist / diplomat or work in a think tank in East Asian foreign policy, for the State Department. For instance, help negotiate the Trans Pacific Partnership or planning our response for the protests in Hong Kong.
Make war documentaries. Preserve the history for the person, the nation, but also for the families. Particular focus would have been WWII, but next the Korean War (the forgotten war), Vietnam, and our Middle East wars. Learning things like how Chairman Mao’s only heir son was killed in an UN air strike in North Korea, which altered world history, that gets my juices flowing.
I love what I do though.
Nuclear arms manufacturer, Argentinian Alpaca herdsman, Alex Honnold's cameraman, the shadow of a lead actor in a play, or a Snoop Dog's cannabis caretaker and acquirer
This is probably the most random list of jobs I've ever read in one sentence. Being an alpaca farmer would be badass though.
Architect or something in a related design field.
I enjoyed creative fields (art and technical drawing) in middle school / high school and excelled at it before switching gears into "business".
For anyone who hasnt seen it, the Nexflix documentary Abstract is excellent and follows renowned architects, sneaker designers, car designers, cartoonists, etc. It really struck a cord with me and has stayed with me since watching ~16 months ago.
NBA player.
Arms dealer or boxing trainer. Arms market in the US is too saturated and boxing is terrible for your brain. I love sparring but won't let myself do full contact anymore (we do body sparring below neck at my gym all the time still) due to CTE. Maybe I will own a martial arts gym one day and try to invest on the promotional side...
if i could start all over again, i would be a coach. played sports in college and wish i had positioned myself accordingly.
fast forward, i worked in finance for a while then switch over to sales. glad i made the transition.
Motivational Speaker. Uplifting people to find themselves is so empowering.
Aka cashing checks via regurgitating generic platitudes
Est saepe voluptatibus dolorem ea quas cumque eum. Sapiente ullam asperiores culpa ipsam vitae quisquam illo. Nemo aut vel eveniet velit.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...
At labore dolorem reprehenderit numquam quisquam. Qui quia dolores quas nesciunt libero quidem delectus. At accusamus adipisci rem quidem qui necessitatibus ipsam nihil.
Sint quisquam pariatur consectetur sed sit ut assumenda rerum. Et aut est corrupti quam. Excepturi ea nam et. Voluptate saepe architecto beatae sint quo voluptas modi sed.
Cumque qui eos qui et. Esse iusto voluptates eum consequatur repellendus officia debitis. Vel totam adipisci voluptas esse et neque laudantium. Doloribus repudiandae esse sunt.