Thinking of a career change--ideas?

[DroptopZ]

So I know this is OFF off topic, but I'm looking for a bit of input as to what you guys think I might want to look at. I'll give you a bit of background:

-Graduated from University of Washington 2005 with a bachelor's degree in psychology
-5 years claims adjusting for an auto-insurance company
-Enough English credits to ALMOST squeak out a minor (I've been thinking of going back to finish it)
-Excellent people skills and very customer-service oriented
-Good leadership skills (no managerial experience, but have previously been a department senior/senior adjuster).

I'm also decent with a wrench (albeit slow) and in excellent physical shape so I'm not afraid of a field where I need to do a bit of physical work as well. I'm looking to start a family in the next few years and would like to be making enough to propose to my girlfriend and buy a decent ring. I've currently got a 1br/1ba condo and the sad fact is that I just don't make enough to support a family. I do OK for my little Subaru and my house-payment, but I'm realizing I need a breath of fresh air and a career change, and I'm young enough to still pull it off and not lose too much ground.

I don't mind hard work, but I'm working 50-55+ hours a week (salary) at a desk job, and the salary isn't much more than what I was making out of college. I figured it out, and with all the OT I'm working I'm really NOT making more than I was fresh out of college. Ideally I'd like to find something in the $55-60k range, potentially with upward mobility to around $100k. I know there are a lot of successful members on here, many of them self-made men and women... so I figured what better place to ask? I'm open to any (LEGAL!!) suggestions.

Thanks in advance for the assistance!

[Epitaph]

If you're open to moving, usajobs.gov has a lot of job offerings. I have no idea what kind of job you can look for, because from what I hear, you need a Masters or PhD to make a really good living if you're a Psyc major.

Good luck!

[Hemlawk]

You sound like a smart dude. I recently changed jobs/career, but I don't have a degree. I just got lucky with a good company, and I'm moving up within. I was security for the first 5 years which paid 55k-65k, now I'm a support tech until I get all my quals up, then I'll be a full tech (pays 100k+). I was a Nuclear weapon specialist in the USAF for 8 years prior.

My only advice is to get into an industry that is a cash cow. For me, that's nuclear energy, they have more money than God.

But the top choices are, imo:
-medical/pharmaceutical (Merc)
-oil/fuel (Exxon)
-Energy/ Electric Generation (Exelon)
-super conducting/computer chips (intel)
-government/DOD/DOE (On military bases)

[PAUL SS]

Psychologist?

[Eric's Blue]

Psychology is rather flood market I know... I went from Psychology to my RN licenses. Now I work as a Psychiatric RN. Figure 2 more years of school, but worth it. High demand, NPs can make over 100k now.

[Berean]

You could open your own haberdashery.

[springerpete]

If you can figure out something that you like and can make a decent living you will be ahead of 90% of the people out there.

I am a small business owner. I will say this about that. Owning your own business is fullfilling in that the rewards are directly related and tied to the amount of work and dedication you are willing to put into it.

Education is great but most of the friends that I went to college with are not still working in the fields that they went to school for. I've been out for 20years now. Get your education because of the doors it will open for you.

[springerpete]

Oh! I forgot the best piece of advice that my dad gave me about a career change.

"Son, you can always go back to what you were doing. But you won't know what you can do until you try."

Those are words of wisdom from a self-made man.

["prima"Donna]

Originally Posted by springerpete

If you can figure out something that you like and can make a decent living you will be ahead of 90% of the people out there.

I am a small business owner. I will say this about that. Owning your own business is fullfilling in that the rewards are directly related and tied to the amount of work and dedication you are willing to put into it.

Education is great but most of the friends that I went to college with are not still working in the fields that they went to school for. I've been out for 20years now. Get your education because of the doors it will open for you.

Originally Posted by springerpete

Oh! I forgot the best piece of advice that my dad gave me about a career change.

"Son, you can always go back to what you were doing. But you won't know what you can do until you try."

Those are words of wisdom from a self-made man.

Great advice, Pete!!!...

My dad always said that if you are doing what you enjoy, that it isn't really work after all...the key is to find what you like and get paid to do it...

[ArkySS]

Pimp

[myold88]

Originally Posted by Eric's Blue

Psychology is rather flood market I know... I went from Psychology to my RN licenses. Now I work as a Psychiatric RN. Figure 2 more years of school, but worth it. High demand, NPs can make over 100k now.

A RN is the way to go. My wife is an RN at a large Ct hospital. One of my daughters is also a RN, and a Son-in-law is just finishing his 2 years of school to become an RN.
It's not easy to get the degree, but if you can it's well worth it.

[v6sonoma]

I'd say go back to school and get your masters. That will open doors that will pay off over time. I've seen more experienced and better qualified people get shot down just because they didn't have a piece paper. It makes a difference and it's easier to get while you're young and before you start a family. If you really want to propose to her you can bring it up and discuss it to see how she feels. Clearly if you plan to propose she's not going anywhere anytime soon. Weddings and children are expensive. It's easier to pay for them if you already have a good job.

[Iroczlover]

USAjobs.gov thats where I am looking lol heck handing out tools for $20 a hour lol I CAN DO THAT Lol