Education Advice Needed

Hi All,
I wand to further my education but I don't know what direction to go in!
I qualified seven years ago with a pass degree in Marketing. I have worked in various sales jobs since then in property finance and various recruitment related jobs. I also have some experience running my own business but unfortunately that didn't work out.

I am in a senior sales role at the moment which I enjoy but I do not see sales as a long term career option for me - Not for monetry reasons I just feel I have gone as far as I can / personally want to go down this path. I do not get any satisfaction out it any more.

There are many things I would like to do but I know I also have to be realistic in setting personal objectives. Like everyone I have overheads such as a mortgage and car loan therefore I cannot study full time.

I want to study an area of business that will be relevent in the future but i'm not really sure what options are available to me. I also feel I am limited by the fact that my degree is only as pass degree.

Please feel to share similar situations and solutions you have encountered with me. I would also like to here some course suggestions.

Let me know if you need more information.

Thanks in advance.

Hi Stephen - if you really dont know which direction to go in, i think the first step should be some career guidance.. either with a trained professional.. or with books and online research (if you're able to be objective etc).. once you see what you're suited to, it should be easier to work out the steps to get you there

alternatively, try finding some volunteer work or new hobbies that might expand your outlook and give you some ideas (gardening? working with children? web design?) there really are so many options! good luck

You could try getting a copy of What Colour is your Parachute - you should find it on Amazon or similar

I think after 7 years real life experience any college would overlook the pass degree.
The business failure is also an important positive experience in your CV.
Most entrepreneurs experience business failure at some point in their careers.
its what you learn from it that is important.

What interests you??

www.qualifax.ie is a very useful web site.

2 key considerations are

1 aptitudes
2 interests

aptitudes are more or less fixed - this is however an objective measure of your potential to perform differnt tasks like use of laguage and scientific abilitity etc

interests are self report and not so solid as peoples interests change with life

there is a psychometric test called the 16pf test and it would offer fairly good overview of where u r at right now in terms of aptitudes and interests - it also gives data on your personality and when taken as a whole it would offer valuable input for u if u are trying to get some career direction. these tests may be available online but as people are far more complex it wud b better to meet with a good career guidance professional as there may b other important issues that can b explored in any career exploration meeting.

most school career guidance teachers would be glad to help a past pupil out so maybe make an appointment with your career guidance teacher from your school. they would have some test materials but wud generally not have the 16pf - ect consult on leeson street offer a career guidance service.

I agree on the point mentioned above that your work experence would greatly enhance your pass degree and many educational institutes would happily consider you for a post grad.

open university may also be worth a look and oscail the irish version...

best of luck in your quest....