Changing Careers

I've mentioned my plans to change careers.

When I graduated HS I really had no specific career in mind, but I'd though about Law. Engineering was out because I found math incomprehensible. I knew I was going to college but that was about it. And the college plan was 2 years at community college to get some cheap, transferable credits.

My father had done a few jobs, blue and white collar, and owned his own business. He decided that I should get a business degree. So I looked around for a school that would give me a bachelor’s degree without the need for calculus. I found one and off I went. My plan was to get a marketing degree and go into outside sales. Pharmaceuticals looked pretty good back then.

I got the degree, got an inside sales job, eventually an outside sales job and then a couple more jobs. The upside of outside sales, especially if you're single and working for a small company, is the freedom and the travel.

I would see my boss once a month or so, turn in a weekly report and otherwise live a pretty relaxed, semi-retired life on the company dime. I would spend about 120 nights a year on the road. I went to some of the worlds great cities and had experiences not available to most people. But it was impossible to have much of a life when you're never home.

That company got swallowed up in a merger and I ended up as an outside rep again. This time it was a different industry that required no overnight travel. The pay and benefits were great. I had few bills, lots of money and plenty of time.

The tough thing about this job was the monthly quota. Don't hit your quota, or have your average drop below a certain percentage for any 3 month period and you're gone. Most of the people who were there 5 years ago are gone now. The turnover numbers don't look high because of a merger. They simply don't fill the jobs that people leave. When I started there were 19 people with my title in the office. There are 8 now. I've been put on probation for not hitting my numbers at least 5 times and have come within days of being terminated.

On the other hand, when I've had good years I've made a great deal of money. There are doctors out there who made less than me. The really successful reps make over $150 K. The top rep in our office (who was to 20 out of 400 in the company) made a quarter million. This year she went on probation for not hitting her numbers.

There are other stresses and the usually office BS, but I figure you get that no matter where you go. The biggest problem I have with all sales jobs is the uncertainty. I know there's no such thing as job security anymore, but trust me, there's even less with sales.

So my wife and I talked and we came up with a plan. I'd go back to school and get a nursing degree. Unless you go around killing people regularly, a nurse can always find a job. In addition, there's a shortage of male nurses. They're in demand for ER and OR especially.

There are a number of schools that will give you Bachelors in nursing in a year if you already have any other Bachelors. They don't care if it's in marketing, or engineering or English. Do the science pre-reqs and you're in. The programs basically teach you how not to kill someone. So I've got a couple of pre-reqs left and have been accepted into a program that starts in early 2009.

All I have to do is get a B in 2 more classes and stay employed in 2008.

If figure that after a year or two as a clinical nurse I'll have some more options. First, administration, since I have a business degree and I'm a guy. Second, back to sales, but in high end medical equipment or devices. None of that drug rep stuff. Third, flight nurse on the medevac helicopter, just because it looks cool.

The thing that concerns me is whether or not I can make as much money as I want. If I go into the medical sales thing the answer is yes. There's no doubt about that. Administration? Maybe. Actual patient care? I fear possibly not.

Am I doing the right thing? Or should I have chosen another path? So many questions.

Tell me what you think. Please.