I don't know what I want to do with my life...

I am going into my second year of university. Ever since I was young I have always wanted to be successful, and I have always been very ambitious. I have always wanted to have a job that I enjoys and pays very well. I want to have a high flying career and lifestyle, and I want to travel to many places in the world.

However, I cannot seem to pinpoint what exactly I want to do in terms of a career.

Possible career paths:
Public Relations
Journalism
Media planning/advertising
Political/social/media commentator
Social research
Law

I have done some work experience in journalism and in law. I have been considering a career in PR for a long time, but I cannot do a full-time unpaid internship.

I have a lot of experience in journalism and in blogging. I have been writing since I was 17, and I have my own blog and portfolio, and I have completed short-term work experience placements in the past. I love writing and blogging. I am passionate about writing and I enjoy it. Writing/blogging has always been a hobby of mine.

Now I have been thinking about sacrificing my dream of working in PR and going to work in journalism and the media instead, seeing as I have so much experience in it, but I am worried that being a journalist may not pay so well.

I want a job that pays well, and I want a job lined up for me that pays after I graduate.

So what do I do?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 1

threeportdrift

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by Dee Leigh

.................

Just get on and do one of them. Your working life is a journey, not a destination that is fixed by the first step you take. None of those career options are excluded by taking any one route, there are lots of crossover opportunities among them anyway, apart perhaps from law, but even that now has a non-traditional route into the career.

Think about it this way. I'm guessing you are now about 25, in which case your statutory retirement age is likely to be about 70. So you have 45 years of professional life in front of you. Now think how much you have changed through your remembered life, say from age 4 until now............Thought about it? You've got time to make all those changes TWICE before you reach retirement age. You can spend 10 years being a journalist, start specialising in political commentary for 10 years and then work for a social policy think tank - and still have 15 years of a career left to do something new.

So get on and do something because it is not an irreversable decision, but dithering and changing your mind every couple of years does become professionally damaging.

Reply 2

obaeto

You should consider taking on marketing director. Quite similar to PR and has a higher salary!

Reply 3

username418231

Original post by obaeto

You should consider taking on marketing director. Quite similar to PR and has a higher salary!

What is the best way to get a job like that?

Reply 4

obaeto

Original post by Dee Leigh

What is the best way to get a job like that?

Well, I know not more than you but from some brief research, you'd need qualifications in the field of marketing. For example, business and advertising. Also, training and experience is as crucial.

Bump

If you want to travel the world then Journalism will be perfect! You can work freelance or try and get a job within a website/magazine/newspaper or even TV/radio station. Try and get as much experience as possible and you'll soon see if it is for you or not. Working within the press will give you a good idea about PR too.