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Did I make the right decision??

Discussion in 'General' started by madboosties, Dec 15, 2009.

  1. ChemGuy

    ChemGuy Harden The F%@# Up!

    Good call. There are still jobs out there for people with Chem. degrees. Its not as good as it used to be, but what is. I know several peopel who did "take the job" and spent many years trying to finish later on. The problem is if you ever want to switch jobs, you have no degree to go with your experience and that is a turn off to some employers.
     
  2. Ian178

    Ian178 Well-Known Member

    Wow, sorry to hear that. I'm a ME major, and I hate hearing stuff like this especially because I don't believe the economy will get better.
     
  3. VintageWannabe

    VintageWannabe Diggin Deep

    You don't think our 'conomy's ever gonna get better? Oh no, we're sooo hosed.
     
  4. dickie doo

    dickie doo Well-Known Member

    Good call.

    Millionaires, assuming you want to be one someday always think long term. Nice work!
     
  5. paistes5

    paistes5 Well-Known Member

    The job market has been tough this year, that's for sure. Sounds like a lot of us have been out of work looking. I found out about layoffs at my company in March, told me in May, left in August and didn't find a new job until December. I have noticed though that in the past month or so things seem to be picking up quite a bit.
     
  6. stickman

    stickman crash free since 5/6/07

    Chemist jobs aren't what they used to be, in fact many of my friends jobs have been sent to labs overseas. I have a BS in Chem and I've been out of work since last June, although I haven't been looking because I'm pursuing my Masters in Education, I'm leaving the labs for teaching. Lab work is fine, but be prepared to be someones bitch unless you have a PhD. And making 70k-80k a year aint going to happen until you've been in the biz for at least 5-10 years. Starting salaries just out of school with a BS in chem will get you in the low to mid 40's.

    Will that company pay for your education? What if you worked there now, had them pay for your school, and finish your degree part time at night? I would look into that if I were in your shoes. If they won't pay for your school, forget them and just get your degree now.

    And in fact, I wouldn't stop with a BS, I would go straight into a Masters program. Having a Masters is like having 5 years experience when you start looking for work, it's a good bargain since it only will take you two years full time to complete. And you'll get a little more respect. Most BS chemists are really just lab techs, you need advanced degrees if you want to be in charge.
     
  7. madboosties

    madboosties Well-Known Member

    Anywhere from 25k to 60k, some are still students. Most of their main arguments were "you don't know what the market is going to be like when you graduate so you might as well take w/e you can get."
     
  8. Outsider V6 V7

    Outsider V6 V7 Well-Known Member

    I agree with Fred K. Find out if they offer tuition reimbursement and factor that into your annual pay. Everything in life is negotiable. Find out what the average starting pay is for someone with a comparable degree. Add 10% for the 2 years it will take you finish your degree then present that to HR to match at the completion of your degree. If they will do it then you know what your worth to them. If not, you're a cost savings reduction for the company.
     
  9. madboosties

    madboosties Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the insight! I've started to notice that people in higher positions have either been working in the field for 10+ years or have an advanced degree. The CSU system isn't really at its best right now, and the classes that I have left aren't classes that are usually offered at night (very few people have to take them) so that kind of influenced my decision as well. It also makes me weary about getting an advanced degree because tuition keeps rising and the quality of the education isn't (tuition went up 44% this year). I don't see things changing in the near future, but we'll see what happens.

    Several chemistry jobs are being outsourced, but that's happening with almost every other field too (kinda scary). That's why I'm really considering environmental work. Maybe get into water treatment, or compliance testing. Those jobs have to stay in the states because there are several test in which the sample must be analyzed within 48 hours, and it wouldn't be feasible (from an economical standpoint) to overnight these samples out of the country.

    I knew companies would pay for you to get an advanced degree, but I thought that was more for financial type jobs where the employee would get a MBA or something along those lines. I will definitely look more into that. Thanks fellas!
     
  10. bEeR

    bEeR Hookers & Blow

    My tuition raised 200% in the four years that I was there. I continued to work full time while going to school. It made it hard, but having the experience plus the degree looks great to potential employers. The company I work for really promotes educational development. They offer tuition reimbursement as long as you're taking classes. The classes don't have to even pertain to your job. Just look into those things before you make your final decision. What about switching to second shift so that you can take the classes you need whenever they're offered? You're not always going to be working first shift in life, you might as well get used to that. Try to adjust your work schedule if they'll let you and continue to work there. Like I said, I worked 50 to 60 hours a week and went to school full time. You just have to stay motivated, plus you're only doing it for a 1 1/2.
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2009
  11. stickman

    stickman crash free since 5/6/07

    Interesting article about the devaluation of a college degree.

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20091209/us_time/08599194608800

    Which is why I think an advanced degree is very important these days, especially if pursuing a career in the sciences. And if you can get a company to pay your way, you have it made in the shade.

    Pretty much any company I've worked for as a chemist over the years had tuition reimbursement for under/graduate degrees, but usually had to be within the field.
     
  12. kangasj

    kangasj Banned

    Hey Boz,Still in the porn business?
     
  13. cNYnCArvr

    cNYnCArvr A little bit of this...


    FYI, I was looking at a website for govt jobs and under the state of california a few water treatment positions were there. It seemed hard to decipher what was a civil position and what was military but they were there.
     
  14. Dr. GoFast

    Dr. GoFast Well-Known Member

    depends on how much room for growth there is, how soon that growth could be realized, and how probable that upward movement is.
     
  15. Outsider V6 V7

    Outsider V6 V7 Well-Known Member

    Kangas, of course I'm still in the business. There's always room for growth if you know what I mean.
     
  16. Gigantic

    Gigantic Maverick Moto Media

    :stupid: $18 an hour is stupid money for a college student, but crap pay for an adult. finish school. however, if they'll pay for your education, take the job and take night classes, keep in mind, you won't have a life until you get your degree...
     
  17. ToddClark

    ToddClark f'n know it all

    yep, i say finish the degree too. Hell, $18/hour aint THAT good money in GA, if CA still has the cost of living it did last time i looked, $18/hour aint SHIT out there, equivalent to about $10/hour here.
     
  18. madboosties

    madboosties Well-Known Member

    You guys help put it in better perspective. 18/hr really isn't enough money to put school on standby and I (luckily) get some financial aid (gov't & parents lol) so tuition reimbursement really isn't too enticing for me. The internship is paid and they actually started training me on the analysis I would be performing if I took the job, so I can still add stuff on my resume. The chemist is moving back to Hong Kong so they are looking to replace his spot, and since I'm on xmas break I'll be working full time until they hire someone else.

    Hopefully the work experience helps when I graduate (If I don't do grad school). By then Ill have over a year of experience there and over 2 years experience in a "pharmaceutical setting", I was a pharmacy technician my first couple of years of college.
     
    Last edited: Dec 16, 2009
  19. wingsonwheels

    wingsonwheels Well-Known Member

    You made the right decision to stay in school. For some perspective:

    My wife and I are the same age (28 days apart). She dropped out of college for work and I stayed in. She has been working in her particular field since HS. My first job right out of college I was making 20K more than her. I now make 35K more than her yet she has more relevent experience (I have had a regular job of some sort since I was 13, but not in this field).

    Get the education - it is worth it in the long run. It is VERY hard to go back to school once you stop. At least get the BS first and then work and do you MS at the same time.
     

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