College and Jobs

CygnusZ

After four years, I'm starting to look at coming back to the US from Japan. Ultimately there's no real future teaching here, and I feel like I'd just be wasting my time by continuing with a translation career. Also, I'm not so sure Japan itself has much of a future to begin with. If I can return to teaching, I'll do that for another year, but that's pretty much going to be the end for me.

So, I'm in my late twenties with a BA in Political Science, non-native fluency in Japanese, three years of teaching experience and one in translation. What exactly can I do? The thing I'm really look for the most from work is to wake up every morning, work together with people who are intelligent and basically be able to help people. Also, I think career stability is extremely important to me, as I don't have what it takes to keep on looking for a new job every two years.

I'm thinking of going back to college to get a law degree (though my college GPA of 3.0 might make this impossible). I've also considered going all the way back to undergrad to get an Electrical Engineering degree and then go to Law School so I can work as an IP lawyer (the Japanese will then be attractive to employers). Some of family members suggested that I would be a good fit with an International Relations degree, but I'm not really sure how that would make me any more employable. I've thought about doing a hard science as well, but I'm just not good at math and I've never really had a deep interest in the bio, physics or chem.

It's a really broad question, but does anybody have any ideas?

TIFunkalicious

If you think you can fit into law, IP Law is HUUUGE.

You're older than me, so you probably know what kind of environment you like to work in, try finding and interviewing a few individuals in that area?

oldsak

A 3.0 won't keep you out of law school, you just have to do well on the LSAT.

If you're not good at math and you're not interested in bio, physics, or chem, why are you even considering hard science? That would probably just be setting yourself up for failure. The same probably goes for electrical engineering.

Job security is important, but if you pursue a field you're not really interested in or suited for only because of a perceived job security, it's not likely you will succeed.

travathian

Uh, EE is a shitload of math and physics, and by shitload I mean every semester you'll take math. Whatever math you finished at in your BA is likely where you would start in an EE program. Given your distaste for math and science I absolutely would not consider this route at all.

You have a BA and are fluent in Japanese, should be plenty of job opportunities awaiting you on the west coast. Ignore what your BA is in, because unless the field truly requires a specific degree, it really doesn't matter nor does it tie your hands. Find a recruiter and put them to work if needed.

Can you write worth a crap? May be able to do some technical writing dealing with your translating experience, but that would mean knowledge of those fields or at least a good understanding of that portion of the language.

What about working at the Embassy? Or other government work? If you aren't looking to make big bucks right away you could possibly find a non-profit on the west coast that deals with that population and needs good interpreters and translators.

A Bear

If you want to go to law school, take a mock LSAT or two under test conditions and see how you score. A 3.0 GPA wont keep you out of law school by any means. But a 3.0 and so-so LSAT can keep you out of good law schools--and this is important. With the current down state of the legal economy, and the glut of recent law grads and laid off associates, you really want to make sure you are making a good investment in yourself before you commit to the rigors of a law program. IP is big, but everyone knows it, so people are flocking there.

Granted, 3-7 years from now, who knows what the economy is going to be like. Look for people who are in fields you are interested in, get to know how they got there, and see where they think their careers are headed in general. You may find great opportunities that you haven't even considered.

Slider

Tests, tests, tests. Yesterday, I took the Foreign Service Officer test and today I was denied acceptance into graduate school. Good times.

Why are you leaving Japan? I'm trying to move to Japan.

legionofone

I'd say with your BS and Japanese language skills you should see what the State Department is offering.

www.state.gov

Or

www.usajobs.gov and search there under State Department jobs.

I've managed to help a few of my friends get hired in federal jobs, usually secretary or personel clerks, but one guy got hired on as a Park Ranger (Protection) out east. In this economy, you should be willing to have a lot of flexibility to move and what fields you want to work in. I've talked to waaaaay too many people who have a BS in Psych and refuse to consider anything outside of office/retail work.

To wit, you just have to keep an open mind IMHO. If you're looking for your perfect job, prepare to be let down.

Slider, good luck with your FSO test. I know they have it all over their website about no college necessary, just life experience, but it seemed that was a large part of what they were looking for. Needless to say I did not get into State through there.

Scalfin

You could try going into higher academics and translating your favorite literature into English.