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Unless careers advisor = headhunter that can hook you up with jobs you can't otherwise find, I can't think of a single thing such a person could provide you that you can't figure out on your own via the internet and networking/informational interviews. So I wouldn't spend money on something like that.

Have you tried to find anyone who does stuff that you're interested in to ask about their field? Go take someone who does linguisitcs work out for lunch/coffee. Ask them about how they got their position, what else they could do with their experience, what things you could do to break in, etc. This is how you find out about positions you weren't previously aware of, and as a bonus, these people are generally willing to help you out.

I can talk forever about networking and job hunting stuff as I just completed a job search of my own!

Hmm well can't see the first happening so I'll go for the second and kiss some ass.

I'm shocked but I actually agree with dire on a what-to-do-with-my-life type thread. Linguistics seems like a pretty bad idea but I will offer you a little ray of light.

Teaching English abroad doesn't require any knowledge of the native tongue. I taught English in Laos for over a year and could barely speak a word. You do need to be able to teach though, so think about doing a CELTA or equivalent teaching course. They're short, focus on the skills you'll need and are the qualifications employers look for if you want to teach abroad.

Do you have a LinkedIn account? If not, get on there right away. It won't cost you anything to join, and is the largest networking site for business professionals in the world. I have been offered two jobs (and taken one of them) in the few years I have been on this site. The targeted groups and Q&A sections are full of professionals willing to answer and discuss almost any question imaginable...again, for free. Plus, the more you ask questions and interact, the more potential employers or partners will check out your resume (your profile is your resume).

This is 2012, my friend. This is the information age, and possibilities are endless. Just 20 years ago, a person didn't have 1/100th of the opportunities that we have in this day an age. Resources that once cost thousands are now a trivial cost or free. You can learn as much in internet forums as at a community college.

Whatever you decide to do, don't forget that almost anything is possible with the resources at our fingertips in this glorious internet age.

+1 to linkedin being huge

This is 2012, my friend. This is the information age, and possibilities are endless. Just 20 years ago, a person didn't have 1/100th of the opportunities that we have in this day an age. Resources that once cost thousands are now a trivial cost or free. You can learn as much in internet forums as at a community college.

The possibilities are endless indeed, nowadays anyone can become anything. It also makes it very hard to choose something. I have completed a degree but im still not really sure what to do.

Ive read somewhere that we should rely more on our gut feeling while making career decisions because they are too complex. Our concious mind isnt able to reason what we really want

Unless careers advisor = headhunter that can hook you up with jobs you can't otherwise find, I can't think of a single thing such a person could provide you that you can't figure out on your own via the internet and networking/informational interviews. So I wouldn't spend money on something like that.

So, you can't see the value in counseling? I mean, people could easily find out how to diet properly, still their are dietist. Its the same as all kinds of slightly overweighted people telling another fat dude on a party what to eat to lose weight. "Oh you love sports right? You should probably do something with sports, i know this guy..." "Oh, you are always so great with talking with other people, have you thought about becoming a counselor?" That's not advise, that is telling somebody what to do. How do you coach a poker player? "He man, this is the session, from now on, you are going to play this hand like this, because hey... thats profitable"

There is value in paying for a good advisor (no matter what section he advises in, diet, sports, carreers etc) because he knows what to ask to get the aha-moments with the person he has the conversation with. Probably the same as poker coaching.... you could watch poker videos all day long and still don't get it, until you have a poker coach who is able to ask you certain questions until the click comes.

Can't you also not think of any single thing a poker coach can provide a person? Would you spend money on that? By saying you don't see value in carreer advisors/coaches you shoot yourself in the foot by being a poker coach. It's the same thing, different section. Altho for a poker coach it's normal to ask prices like 100+, in the Netherlands you can get 3 good sessions from an advisor for 100$, 45$ if you are related to a school.

So, you can't see the value in counseling? I mean, people could easily find out how to diet properly, still their are dietist. Its the same as all kinds of slightly overweighted people telling another fat dude on a party what to eat to lose weight. "Oh you love sports right? You should probably do something with sports, i know this guy..." "Oh, you are always so great with talking with other people, have you thought about becoming a counselor?" That's not advise, that is telling somebody what to do. How do you coach a poker player? "He man, this is the session, from now on, you are going to play this hand like this, because hey... thats profitable"

There is value in paying for a good advisor (no matter what section he advises in, diet, sports, carreers etc) because he knows what to ask to get the aha-moments with the person he has the conversation with. Probably the same as poker coaching.... you could watch poker videos all day long and still don't get it, until you have a poker coach who is able to ask you certain questions until the click comes.

Can't you also not think of any single thing a poker coach can provide a person? Would you spend money on that? By saying you don't see value in carreer advisors/coaches you shoot yourself in the foot by being a poker coach. It's the same thing, different section. Altho for a poker coach it's normal to ask prices like 100+, in the Netherlands you can get 3 good sessions from an advisor for 100$, 45$ if you are related to a school.

Short answer: no to basically everything you say.

Longer answer: In the OP's place, no, I can't really see the value of paid counseling. The diet example is poor because people who would want to see a dietician have tried tons of methods for losing weight. Most everyone tries a ton of different things before they see a professional about it. This is how these things should work - if a task is beyond your capabilities, then go get some help about it.

OP needs to spend some quality time on the internet and in life talking to people that he knows/knows through other people FIRST. It's almost a guarantee the he knows someone who knows someone that might do something he's interested in or has experience in the field or whatever. Once he finds that person, a whole world of possibilities can open up, and all he has to do is take some person out for coffee and ask him/her to talk about him/herself. Sure, there's a bit of strategy involved, but it's plenty easy to accomplish with not a lot of research. If he exhausts all of his networking options, has thoroughly researched his possibilities online and still has no idea of what to do or where to go, then I can see the value of talking to a professional about this sort of thing. But unless you do your own homework first and have some sense of what you do and don't know, seeing a professional with such vague ideas isn't going to help anyone. This is also my stance on poker coaching, and it's very similar to what WoT (Haj School) and many other coaches on this site have said previously. So what I said in my earlier post is consistent with how I feel about poker coaching, not shooting myself in the foot.

BTW, poker and trying to find a job are so completely different that equating them in terms of approach and getting help with them is completely ridiculous. There are complete step by step guides with email scripts and everything for getting someone to an informational interview. Every decision from start to finish is completely laid out for you. How many such guides exist for poker?

I'm shocked but I actually agree with dire on a what-to-do-with-my-life type thread. Linguistics seems like a pretty bad idea but I will offer you a little ray of light.

Teaching English abroad doesn't require any knowledge of the native tongue. I taught English in Laos for over a year and could barely speak a word. You do need to be able to teach though, so think about doing a CELTA or equivalent teaching course. They're short, focus on the skills you'll need and are the qualifications employers look for if you want to teach abroad.

Yeah thanks that's a good thing about it. I'm about to start an equivalent course next week. But about 1/2 of schools around the world these days require teachers to have a degree...... even if you can speak 3 languages fluently and have had to go through the learning process for the other 2 languages, a degree in maths or biology makes you a better applicant....

That's not to mention visa requirements.

Do you have a LinkedIn account? If not, get on there right away. It won't cost you anything to join, and is the largest networking site for business professionals in the world. I have been offered two jobs (and taken one of them) in the few years I have been on this site. The targeted groups and Q&A sections are full of professionals willing to answer and discuss almost any question imaginable...again, for free. Plus, the more you ask questions and interact, the more potential employers or partners will check out your resume (your profile is your resume).

This is 2012, my friend. This is the information age, and possibilities are endless. Just 20 years ago, a person didn't have 1/100th of the opportunities that we have in this day an age. Resources that once cost thousands are now a trivial cost or free. You can learn as much in internet forums as at a community college.

Whatever you decide to do, don't forget that almost anything is possible with the resources at our fingertips in this glorious internet age.

Thanks I did not know about the Q&A section. I don't know about the possibilities being endless given how much importance is placed on having a degree, even if it is in a totally unrelated field from what you're looking at from a uni near the bottom of the league table. It's way over the top now imo, and there should be a lot more on the job training and shorter term access courses to new professions.

This and the two other reasons - visas overseas and TEFL teaching were other reasons for doing a degree although I already knew that it does not help me be competitive against people purely in terms of ability to speak languages.

So I basically thought I was probably screwed before the thread now I think almost certainly screwed given my interests. On the scrapheap at 30 like people say. Almost everything requires a degree now and further training, which puts me off other things like physiotherapy and any psychology related careers.

I'll look at following the tips in the thread though just in case.

So I basically thought I was probably screwed before the thread now I think almost certainly screwed given my interests. On the scrapheap at 30 like people say. Almost everything requires a degree now and further training, which puts me of other things like physiotherapy and any psychology related careers.

I'll look at following the tips in the thread though just in case.

Didn't you mention coming into $3.2 million worth of property assets at some point in the near future? I understand wanting a degree to go toward a career that interests you, but careers are for two reasons: money and job satisfaction. Sounds like you may have a solid source of income soon; it may not be the most exciting, but take advantage of that and dedicate yourself toward making those assets grow.

No a tenth of that, which isn't much in the South of England, and not enough for a decent one bedroom flat in London (and not enough for a deposit on the best ones). I would still need a reasonable salary for any reasonable standard of living.

I meant screwed generally careers wise not to be overaly dramatic the TEFL is the one outstanding option, which isn't the strongest. I at least know I could get voluntary experience work easily in that line of work so there's at least some way to get experience for that.

I will do what research I can and talk to who I can. At the moment I'm going through a long A-Z list and considering everything long and short term. I do get hung up though on all the interesting professions I could have gone into medicine, physiotherapy, psychology if I had any idea what I was interested in when I was in my early-mid 20s.

I do get hung up though on all the interesting professions I could have gone into medicine, physiotherapy, psychology if I had any idea what I was interested in when I was in my early-mid 20s.

I have the same thing I wish I've would have studied math. At 18 I hated all the stuff Im interested now.

BTW doesn't it take the same amount of time to become a physiotherapist or psychologist as it does to become a linguistics professional?

I have the same thing I wish I've would have studied math. At 18 I hated all the stuff Im interested now.

BTW doesn't it take the same amount of time to become a physiotherapist or psychologist as it does to become a linguistics professional?

Physiotherapist maybe, psychologist no, years of further training and more study for anything after a degree, how much depends on the type of work.

I would need to do another course before training as a physio/doing degree in physiotherapy and that's a profession with a big problem of oversupply of graduates for the work, and it was so even before the financial crisis.