Hey everyone :]
So. I'm 19. I have a one and a half year old son.
I want to start going to school because I'd like a job that pays well enough to support my son and I, seeing as how I'm going to be a single mama coming up here pretty soon.
Originally, everyone said "Be a nurse!" and I figured, yeah, good plan. I love helping people. I'm fantastic under high-pressure situations, I'm not bothered by the sight of blood...let's do it!
...
But everyone is going to school to be a nurse. Recent graduates have told me that it's nearly impossible to get a job because SO many RNs are popping up.
I wanted to be a teacher originally, but my mom had a masters degree in teaching and couldn't get a job and now she makes minimum wage working at a factory. So I'm not going to do that.
I'm scared. I don't have time to go to school for a few years just to not be able to get a job, and pay back a huge student loan. I need to figure out what I want to do soon, because retail doesn't pay the bills.
And as for what I like doing...I like people. I'm organized and friendly and I want whatever I'm doing to be helping people in some way or another. But that doesn't really narrow things down, does it :/
almost any job can be used to help people...for example, i helped people stay up to date on the local news when i worked for a local newspaper and to me, that was an important job that i was very proud of...now i help children by managing a childcare program....my husband used to help people by bringing them medical supplies when he worked in inventory control/delivery for a medical supply company in town....now he helps people earn their correct wages and stay safe on construction sites by working as a labor investigator and wage enforcer
think about what your natural skills are or arent....for example i totally suck at math and science and, although ive always wanted to be both a nurse and a meteorologist, those careers involve WAYYYY too much math and science for me to excel at....i first focused on my love of language, writing, and communications to study in college with the aim of a journalism degree
there are SO MANY different types of jobs out there....do you like to be active all day? or would a desk job be okay with you? either one is fine...my DH loves his desk job while sitting at a desk all day would drive me totally nuts
As far as the amount of students becomming RNs goes, I wouldn't worry too much about it, especially if you're willing to relocate. It seems as though there are always jobs in the medical field somewhere.
Why not start going part-time and take some general education credits? It might help you to decide what your major area of study should be if you explore some classes. You may be surprised by what you do and don't enjoy! Also know that it's ok to change your mind a few times, most people do
That's one of the things I worried about too a while back. It feels like it doesn't matter what you go with, there's not gonna be a job in that field at the end because of the economy.
So, you can either stick with what you planned, or go for something that interests you. In the long run, it'll probably be easier on you too, because you won't be doing something you end up not enjoying.
Oh, and good luck with what you decide to do, and I hope it goes well.
Oh gosh.. I hear ya.. I actually made a thread freaking out about school just a few days ago. Here is my take on the matter: choose whatever career you're passionate about. I realized that the most successful people in college are the ones that are involved and are not just there for a degree. Network, volunteer, do internships, somewhere along the road, an opportunity will present itself. And I don't know about your school, but my school has internship and job fairs ALL the time. Connect with the people in the department you're majoring in and I'm sure they can help you!
I would speak to an adviser. And I agree with Missy. Take some gen. ed credits and see how it works out. It took me 2 years in college to realize what I wanted to do, and I only found out by taking a career planning class that my university offered. Also, besides asking other people and hearing from word of mouth, you need to research about the jobs you're interested in on different websites (be careful as I know a lot of websites contain misinformation). Look at the statistics about employment and all of that good stuff.
If you want to be a nurse, be a nurse. I'm sure that in your circle and maybe other people's circles there are some nurses having a hard time finding jobs as new grads, but all sources and predictions point to a gigantic nursing shortage. I graduated with my BSN with people who had a hard time finding jobs, although they all eventually found jobs. I interviewed at just 2 places and was offered a job at both, and I walked right into L&D nursing.
Stack your deck in your favor. I wanted to be an L&D nurse. I found an additional 6 wk didactic training from a hospital for L&D nurses that I completed while I was still in nursing school. I took NRP and fetal monitoring certification courses. I did an unpaid internship on an L&D floor while I was still a student. Whatever type of nursing you want to do, take the initiative to learn and put things on your resume to show future employers that you are serious and professional.
But everyone is going to school to be a nurse. Recent graduates have told me that it's nearly impossible to get a job because SO many RNs are popping up.
Take what others say "with a grain of salt". Those people may or may not be looking for employment the same way you would or in the same "field". What I mean is that a person could go to school to be a widget engineer and won't consider a job for a whatchamacallit engineer, even though they would qualify.
Trust me, going to a job that you love is vastly different than going to one everyday that you hate and knowing that you have to go back again the next day for an undetermined number of months/years.
I agree with others that if you truly want to be a nurse, do it. In my area, the job sites are lit up with nursing positions of all levels from LVNs to RNs in all areas from hospital, corrections to clinics.
Just do as much research as possible to make sure it's what you WANT to do then go for it.
Nursing is a wonderful profession to aspire to! If you want enter the health care field in a shorter time frame though you could also consider medical assisting. The program only takes nine months and many employers will pay for your continuing education if you want to go on in nursing.
I understand how you feel in regards to being a mom. I , myself , have a daughter who is 2 and i am just going back to school for the first time because i need to be able to get a career to support my family.
A famous person once said: Find a job you love and you will never work a day in your life again.
In other words: Go after what you love. Go for what your passionate about doing. There are two main reasons we often dont go after what we are passionate about : Fear and Distraction. Your'e fearful that you wont be able to get a job after school and you are distracted by others who tell their story to you.
Do not compare your situation or yourself to anyone else. You are you. Uniquely created to do something in this world. Often what we love doing, is what we are also very good at. So go after what you love and do it! and Succeed!
Regarding teaching, some fields are in higher demand than others. Math, science, special education, and some languages always seem to be in demand in my area, whereas elementary, English and social studies teachers are a dime-a-dozen.
It seems like teaching would be a good career for a single mom, as the time-off and hours seem more in alignment with child-rearing than the schedule a new nurse might get assigned. You could always look into your state's department of education page and look at what positions, especially right now, are still unfilled. More than likely, those are the positions that fewer people pursue/are qualified for and might be a good option for you.
If you want to be a nurse (I'm assuming RN) the job outlook is good. I worked in a medical staffing agency and there was always a shortage of nurses. I can't post links yet but go to bls dot gov/ooh and search the handbook for "registered nurses" to get a better idea of the job outlook.
I would think that any job in the medical industry/field would always have openings. As my mom told me when I was deciding to choose my major "people get sick everyday." If only I listened back then *sigh*
I'm sort of freaking out about school.
