I need a safe job!

cj504

Hi guys / girls,
Just thought I'd get some opinion on what to do. I'm a graduate chemist who needs to get himself a 'proper' job. But with all this gloom what do you think the best industry/area is to start fresh in? I love cars, bikes and the usual boy things but can't put my finger on anything definite. Any views will be much appreciated:)

ride_whenever

TBH, start a PhD, the current job climate is fairly grim and a PhD will nicely tide you through the recession. Where did you do your undergrad? (BTW I've just started my PhD and am loving it, sort of)

Other than that, repo man or debt collector! In industry I'd look at either fine chemicals or pharmaceuticals, and if you really like boys toys try getting into Formula 1 as a fuel engineer!

hopper1

As long as the price of oil doesn't go to far down, how about a Petroleum Engineer?
Plenty of cash for your toys...

LangerDan

hopper1 wrote:

As long as the price of oil doesn't go to far down, how about a Petroleum Engineer?
Plenty of cash for your toys...

Oil price is (relatively speaking) on the floor, big oil projects are getting cancelled on a daily basis. M8 in the business saw 4 jobs totalling $15 billion investment cancelled in the same week.

markos1963

If you live in York, I would suggest train driver. Very secure, fair pay(35-45K) and shift work means plenty of time for riding.

mmitchell88

ride_whenever wrote:

TBH, start a PhD, the current job climate is fairly grim and a PhD will nicely tide you through the recession. Where did you do your undergrad? (BTW I've just started my PhD and am loving it, sort of)

Other than that, repo man or debt collector! In industry I'd look at either fine chemicals or pharmaceuticals, and if you really like boys toys try getting into Formula 1 as a fuel engineer!

I'm with you on that, ride_whenever. I graduated in chemistry 1993, thought the graduate job market looked decidedly un-brilliant and tried to become...a session musician. Did that for 5 months, ran out of money, sold the bass guitar and returned to a...Chemistry PhD! Best time of my life - no exams (except for the viva), 3 more years being a student, then off to the US for a bit of postgrad work. Returned to the UK, bit more postgrad, a couple of stepping-stone jobs and now work in the City. What was that about 'safe' jobs???

To be honest, I don't think I'd recommend a PhD to everyone, but in the current climate I reckon its a great way to: continue a dossy lifestyle; use your body as a playground while it can withstand the abuse AND end up with a bit more expertise than your chem-grad peers.

Or you could do accounting.

Hooligan Bill

How about becoming an Air Traffic Controller. Training pay is crap but once through you can earn over 80k. As there is a worldwide shortage of controllers at the moment it is a bit of a recession proof career.

Try:-

http://natscareers.co.uk/Vacancies.asp?v=1

wiffachip

undertaker

beverick

There's no such thing as a 'safe' job - basically your destiny is always in somebody elses hands.

Public sector (local authority/central government) is traditionally the most secure area of the economy.

The most secure jobs (and the most rewarding) are those which gove you a career rather than just a job. ie where you have the prospect to develop or vary either yourself or the scope of your job, gain promotion or where your expertise is portable to other employers.

End up in a job where there's no clear development prospects, ie one where you just turn up on a morning, do the same job as yesterday and then go home again and, eventually somebody above you will eventually decide that you're expendable....

Bob

Anonymous

The cops.

Been in 12 years now.

Despite all the negative aspects and whingeing I love it.

There will always be a need for police officers.

There is a well structured career path with specialisms available at every level.

I am a Biology Graduate BTW...

I don't normally write in bullet point.

But it just seemed to happen with this post.

Sorry.

nickcuk

NapoleonD wrote:

The cops.

Been in 12 years now.

Despite all the negative aspects and whingeing I love it.

There will always be a need for police officers.

There is a well structured career path with specialisms available at every level.

I am a Biology Graduate BTW...

I don't normally write in bullet point.

But it just seemed to happen with this post.

Sorry.

Very poetic

Nuggs

Hooligan Bill wrote:

How about becoming an Air Traffic Controller. Training pay is crap but once through you can earn over 80k. As there is a worldwide shortage of controllers at the moment it is a bit of a recession proof career.

Try:-

http://natscareers.co.uk/Vacancies.asp?v=1

Given that the airline industry is expected to be hit hard by the financial crisis and the current environmental focus on air travel, I can't agree with that advice.

spanielsson

Teaching....... Good working terms and conditions, structured pay scales, 13 weeks holiday per year, maybe worth a look?! There is a shortage of teachers I'm told.........

If I was already graduate it's what I'd be looking at right now.

chuckcork

Always the TA.

Mithras

NapoleonD wrote:

The cops.

Been in 12 years now.

Despite all the negative aspects and whingeing I love it.

There will always be a need for police officers.

There is a well structured career path with specialisms available at every level.

I am a Biology Graduate BTW...

I don't normally write in bullet point.

But it just seemed to happen with this post.

Sorry.

I'll second that, I have done 5 years now. Great job!

And I have no qualifications whatsoever!

Play your cards right and you could end up doing the job on a bike!

Brains

If you want a Safe Job "Fingers" and I are doing one tonight, bring your own jemmy and mask.

PS - You many need to cycle like Chris Hoy

Hooligan Bill

Nuggs wrote:

Hooligan Bill wrote:

How about becoming an Air Traffic Controller. Training pay is crap but once through you can earn over 80k. As there is a worldwide shortage of controllers at the moment it is a bit of a recession proof career.

Try:-

http://natscareers.co.uk/Vacancies.asp?v=1

Given that the airline industry is expected to be hit hard by the financial crisis and the current environmental focus on air travel, I can't agree with that advice.

I got taken on during the recession of the early 90's and in the 18 odd years I have been doing the job I do not know of one Controller that has been made redundant, and that includes the huge down turn after 9/11.

Fact is while the people who sit at the pointy end may suffer during harder times, you need a controller for a specific part of airspace be there 1 or 100 flights an hour going through it.

As for environmental concerns, someone should tell out Arab cousins who are at the moment building the world's biggest airport at Jebel Ali in Dubai. The amount of controllers required to man it are not going to help the worldwide shortage.

feel

spanielsson wrote:

Teaching....... Good working terms and conditions, structured pay scales, 13 weeks holiday per year, maybe worth a look?! There is a shortage of teachers I'm told.........

If I was already graduate it's what I'd be looking at right now.

Ah ha ha haha, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Ah ha ha ha ha ha haha haha
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Guess why there is a shortage of teachers and there is a huge exodus of new recruits in the first few years. That's right - its a crap job!

don't...

toshmund

Whoever suggested Train driver. Highest rate of days off with stress and depression. People chaining themselves to the line and staring into your eyes for the final act...not clever.

Sports Management is the line I would suggest. We have little manufacturing industry left (even less British owned manufacturing...) the country is going obese and leisure is the new industry. Beasting the "Evan's chicks" on the treadmills followed with a round of Golf in the afternoon, with the rich retired policeman who will be on a great pension.

Everyone else...It looks more than likely that we will be asking for personal holiday at work, for our 70th birthday party!?

No, I am not a train driver...possibly just a bit too pragmatic for my own good. lol

McBain_v1

Town planner in local government - you can stay there for years working flexi time and amassing vast amounts of holidays, getting your Unison guaranteed pay rise every year, safe in the knowledge that your pension will never go tits up :shock:

Anonymous

Toshmund wrote:

followed with a round of Golf in the afternoon, with the rich retired policeman who will be on a great pension.

I rest my case...

Stewie Griffin

McBain_v1 wrote:

Town planner in local government - you can stay there for years working flexi time and amassing vast amounts of holidays, getting your Unison guaranteed pay rise every year, safe in the knowledge that your pension will never go tits up :shock:

Apparently there are moves afoot to ensure that you all wont be propping me up during my retirement

If I was a town planner I would arrange new housing to say Fick Off when seen from an aeroplane

feel

Stewie Griffin wrote:

If I was a town planner I would arrange new housing to say Fick Off when seen from an aeroplane

cj504

Thanks very much for all your thoughts, they've really helped. My back wheel's currently at the bike shop getting a new freehub so I'm getting lots of time to look and apply for things The air traffic control does sound good, and am 'gathering' info atm.

For now, I bid you a good afternoon

hammerite

feel wrote:

spanielsson wrote:

Teaching....... Good working terms and conditions, structured pay scales, 13 weeks holiday per year, maybe worth a look?! There is a shortage of teachers I'm told.........

If I was already graduate it's what I'd be looking at right now.

Ah ha ha haha, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha
Ah ha ha ha ha ha haha haha
ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Guess why there is a shortage of teachers and there is a huge exodus of new recruits in the first few years. That's right - its a crap job!

don't...

Teaching isn't that bad!!!! I wonder what the percentage of new graduates cum teachers leaving the profession is compared to those that have gone into teaching later in life?

I'm not sure the PhD thing is entirely the best route either, if you want to stay in a science based job the majority will have PhDs however, unless you climb the ranks science based jobs don't pay particularly well (my OH has a PhD and has run some big projects for a couple of very well known companies, and still not been paid much more than the national average for a lot of stress and hassle).

She's now a teacher, completed her training year last year (school based PGCE that she was paid to do), and now teaches GCSE/A level chemistry. She really enjoys it, she's quite geeky at heart so loves impressing the kids with experiments, and puts a lot of effort in her lesson plans. She does work bloody hard during term time. But as everyone points out, you do have the bonus of 13 weeks holiday to make up for it (useful for us having a child of school age, no worries about child care now in holidays).

Some of the kids are total arses, and that winds her up, but if you get in a decent enough school those types of kids are in the minority.

There is a shortage of science based teachers, so you should be ok getting in the next intake. Being science you also get a golden handshake when you complete your NQT year, which I think is about £5,000. Pay isn't amazing to start with, but as good as any other new graduate type role, and you can soon top up what you earn by taking on extra responsibilities.

feel

hammerite wrote:

Teaching isn't that bad!!!! I wonder what the percentage of new graduates cum teachers leaving the profession is compared to those that have gone into teaching later in life?

I'm not sure the PhD thing is entirely the best route either, if you want to stay in a science based job the majority will have PhDs however, unless you climb the ranks science based jobs don't pay particularly well (my OH has a PhD and has run some big projects for a couple of very well known companies, and still not been paid much more than the national average for a lot of stress and hassle).

She's now a teacher, completed her training year last year (school based PGCE that she was paid to do), and now teaches GCSE/A level chemistry. She really enjoys it, she's quite geeky at heart so loves impressing the kids with experiments, and puts a lot of effort in her lesson plans. She does work bloody hard during term time. But as everyone points out, you do have the bonus of 13 weeks holiday to make up for it (useful for us having a child of school age, no worries about child care now in holidays).

Some of the kids are total arses, and that winds her up, but if you get in a decent enough school those types of kids are in the minority.

There is a shortage of science based teachers, so you should be ok getting in the next intake. Being science you also get a golden handshake when you complete your NQT year, which I think is about £5,000. Pay isn't amazing to start with, but as good as any other new graduate type role, and you can soon top up what you earn by taking on extra responsibilities.

I know a lot of teachers and people who have left teaching . See how hard your wife is working in 5, 10, 20 years time i suspect you will still find she is working just as hard, if not harder. It will not get any easier. I will also wager that she does not keep working to retirement age which is now 65!!

hammerite

feel wrote:

I know a lot of teachers and people who have left teaching . See how hard your wife is working in 5, 10, 20 years time i suspect you will still find she is working just as hard, if not harder. It will not get any easier. I will also wager that she does not keep working to retirement age which is now 65!!

you are quite correct about the OH, she has no intention of working up to retirement age, she never has (neither have I come to think of it!). We are quite lucky, the OH doesn't need to work, but she wants to. The intention is for her to complete a couple of years full time, then start teaching part time so she can spend more time with the little one. At the moment she's happy to keep working hard during term time and look forward to the extra time off. She probably works a couple of hours per week longer at the moment than she did when in industry, but then she only got 5 weeks holiday per year, now she gets 13!

As for working harder, you could say the same about most jobs. With aims for improving efficiency and effectiveness I would say most people will be working harder. Just ask posties, so much has changed for them in the past few years!

feel

Part - time teaching can still be tough as sometimes your status in the eyes of students can be eroded and/or the school treat you as full-time in terms of work load and you can be playing catch-up for the day/s you were not working. Anyway i wish her and you both good luck and hope that my cynicism for teaching as a career does not become apparent in your partner.

hammerite

feel wrote:

Part - time teaching can still be tough as sometimes your status in the eyes of students can be eroded and/or the school treat you as full-time in terms of work load and you can be playing catch-up for the day/s you were not working. Anyway i wish her and you both good luck and hope that my cynicism for teaching as a career does not become apparent in your partner.

No problem with your cynicism!! I think she's aware that part time won't mean exactly part time, and will lead to more like full time hours. But it will mean that she'll be able to do lesson plans, marking etc.... on her days off, rather than evenings (she has colleagues who work part time who do this) and keep weekends free. She probably works close to 60-70 hours a week, but working part time would hopefully mean she ends up working 40-ish hours.