Options after a degree

[rrfgvdsfsd]

Just finishing up an Arts degree, with subjects that do not directly relate to any particular career path.
My options, include teaching.
Where do I go in that respect, if you have an honours degree how long will it take to work as a teacher?
Perhaps, I'm wrong but is it reasonably easy to pick up work on a temporary basis as a primary or secondary teacher?
Do you have to go to UL?
My second line of thought relates to accounting, as has been well documented it's a bloody lucrative career.
Is there such thing as an accounting masters onto which you can progress after completing an honours degree in an unrelated field.
Also , Civil servant salaries where can I find out information about them? Say, council/corporation etc.

 

[lynchtp]

Arts degree's.
2 options.

1st. Dole Scum
2nd McDonalds (most likely Junior Management Position)

I recommend doing a proper masters/doc or HDip
You should have noticed something was up when the party lasted your entire uni career

 

[Janet]

You'll need to do a H Dip to get into teaching (secondary) as far as I know. That takes a year I think. A longer or more intensive course is required for teaching primary. It may be possible to get work as a substitute teacher without doing this I'm not sure you'd be able to get any permanent work.

Accounting can be lucrative for the top earners but involves putting in a lot of work at not great rates for a few years first as well as studying and completing your exams. If any of your degree subjects are related to business/law you may be able to get exemptions from one or two of the accounting exam subjects. I wouldn't recommend getting into it just for the sake of the money - like teaching it's the kind of job that you really need to enjoy doing imho.

The Civil Service jobs website is

An Arts degree teaches you (or is supposed to) how to think, research etc. and I think it's good to have done a degree in subjects that interest you rather than trying to take subjects on the basis of what may/may not be employable. Would you care to share what you have studied? Perhaps someone here would have other suggestions as to what career path you might follow. If you have a careers guidance counsellor in college use that service too.

 

[sherman]

lynchtp, I know it is against AAM policy to correct the spelling of other contributors, but perhaps if you re-read your post you'll understand why arts degrees are so valued by employers...

Arts degree's.

Indeed.

Unless you have done a vocational degree such as engineering or medicine, most degrees are merely 'badges' proving to an employer that you have the brains, the focus, and the work ethic to succeed.

I know many people who for instance studied science, who now work as teachers, IT professionals, ski instructors, and yes, even scientists.

Similarly, I know many arts graduates who work in law, business, teaching, IT, management consulting etc. etc.

If you go and see a career guidance expert, you can do some aptitude testing etc. and they will be able to give you some good advice. I presume your university has a careers service - use it, the advice can be very useful.

 

[Dr Moriarty]

is it reasonably easy to pick up work on a temporary basis as a primary or secondary teacher?

Yes. But don't get caught in that loop. You'll sub/part-time for years and think you're on a career path, whereas in fact you're just providing cheap 'no-commitment' cover for a harassed principal somewhere who has to find a bod to replace Ms X who's off work on full pay with her back pain (again). I teach in a third-level institution that has a one-year work placement programme built in to its Arts degree, and I'm gobsmacked at the number of 'quality' local schools that are queuing up to take on completely unqualified students at the end of their second year in Arts (average age 19, never stood in front of a class in their life... :rolleyes )

If you want to teach, do a H.Dip (one year, for secondary) or a Grad.Dip (18 months, for primary). St. Pats or Mary I for the latter, any university for the former.

Wherever you're studying, call in to your Careers Office(r) and talk to them about it. They're paid for that kind of thing, so don't be fobbed off with a handfull of leaflets (get them and read them first, 'though, and don't be wasting the poor (wo)man's time...!)

P.S. You could do with brushing up on your own punctuation too, before you go submitting applications/CVs anywhere...