This post is a little different than the others on this site. On Friday I told some people at work that I had a personal finance website and thought that I should disclose some to you as well!
To that I will let you into why I chose to pursue the finance path. I went to a liberal arts college in NY and initially had hopes and dreams of becoming a chemist. Well as I dove head first into Chemistry my freshman year of college I began to think more and more about a career path. Chemistry was great, I enjoyed learning about all periodic table and all the labs that went along with it, but I just didn’t find my calling. I always had an affinity for numbers.
I enjoy accounting and finance because there is a definite answer, whereas chemistry and the natural sciences there is not necessarily an answer and you may have to prove something. Finance is pretty cut and dry, sure there is some grey area but for the most part it is what it is. What about you, are you more into theory or cut and dry? My brain enjoys the cut and dry!
I am very happy I made the switch to finance/accounting and I have never looked back!
Well it has been an exciting few weeks and here are a few of the places that you can find my work!
I want to thank everyone for the inclusion. It means a lot that there are others reading! Cheers to this week! Possible record highs in temp here today!
Haha, my sister was exactly the opposite, as I remember. She started going into math, but didn’t appreciate that it was so black-and-white. So she ended up in biology where there are all these unknowns and hypotheses and more creative thinking to prove/disprove something… it’s funny that you did the exact opposite as her! Personally, I like both, whcih is why blue collar work is perfect for me. What needs to be done to complete certain jobs is very clear and black-and-white, but sometimes there are jobs that require a little iimagination and creativity to solve because the site isn’t ideal!
@ TB – You must be the blue collar mcgyver? lol
What a great question! Personally, I like cut-and-dry. Any piece of information where facts can be found to back it up, helps me to make educated and worthwhile life decisions. However, I think that there’s a lot to be said for theory as well. Sometimes, it’s important to do a bit of abstract thinking merely for the sake of exercising mental acuity, and improving brainpower.
@ Anthony – Exactly, I like knowing when I have the right answer. Theory leaves me wondering if there is some other answer out there that I may not have stumbled across.
I disagree about personal finance being cut and dry! And that’s why I like it. Every decision, big and small, have an impact.
@ Frugal – hmmm I didnt look at it that way. I guess when you put it that way it is theory too because we think one thing will happen say in the stock market and the opposite happens. All the fundamental analysis we perform still cant explain some things. 🙂
I pursued Chemical Engineering because it combined two things I was interested in: chemistry and applied math. I figured it was a great way to combine my two interests, and it would be a good field for job security.
… but as far as applied math goes, I always knew I was more interested in calculating finances than heat exchangers or what not. I don’t know why I didn’t take the leap like you did and switch majors! I think after the wedding, I’m going to look into graduate programs in finance or business so I can steer my career more in that direction 🙂
@ GB – Wow that is quite a change from chemical engineering to discussing personal finance. Do you work in chemical engineering?
Yeah, I do. I worked in a physically demanding manufacturing role after I graduated, but now I’m scaling up manufacturing processes and equipment in the same industry (for a lot less money, haha). It’s a lot of fun sometimes, but often my heart’s not really in it.
Looking at a lot of PF blogging profiles though, I feel like a ton of bloggers are currently current or former engineers! At least, it seems that way for all the blogs I read 🙂
@ GB – Very nice. I just found that in our region that there would really be no jobs in chemistry unless I wanted to sell pharmaceuticals. My wife is from around here and we didn’t want to move. I love that I made the change, if your heart isn’t in it you should consider making a change too!!
I really like the thought of theory but I’m much more of a cut and dry type person. And oddly enough I’m not that great with math type of things–but I love personal finance so I’m getting much better. Of course, it helps that I let a calculator do most of my work 🙂
@ Bogofdebt – I know what you mean with the calculator. Ever since having excel at work, even basic math sometimes stumps me now.. We rely on technology so much that we fail to think of simple math.
Chemistry huh? My wife has microbiology and biochemistry majors – yes she is a nerd! lol. I don’t know how she enjoys running lab tests all day on urine, feces, and whatever else they come across but she loves it.
I’m with you though: I love number and I love facts. Numbers don’t lie and I enjoy the definitive nature that the finance industry is.
@ Jason – I sure did. I realized that it was the wrong career path when I liked calculating the formulas rather than doing the experiments. I also didn’t like the 8 am courses in college, but that is def not the reason I changed! Right on i love numbers as well.
Sounds like you made the right decision with the switch from chemistry to finance. Some people just stick with whatever career path they chose early on in life. If their heart isn’t really into that chosen career path, they can just end up unhappy.
@ Jeremy – I agree, if you do not like what you are doing it makes for some long days and a miserable life. You basically just exist.
Hi Chris,
Chemistry= Mystery to me always..
Great post and Keep it up 🙂
Jonny
@ Jonny – Calculus was the mystery to me, no matter how much I studied I just couldn’t do it.