@Mature men: need some advice on how to decide my future profession

[Credos]

(I know I'm not supposed to post here yet, but the people who can advice me on this are mature men only - so I hope this post can stay here a little while)

So maybe in a few months or maybe next year, I'm going to start working, but I haven't been able to decide what profession I should do. How did you guys figure it out?

A little background information on me:
(I'm belgian so the educational system isen't the same, but according to friends of mine, our material is very equal to the american educational material)
- high school diploma with special focus on computertechnology (programming, webdesign, etc)
- got a diploma accounting during high school (so I'm allowed to start a business)
- got a 3 year education in mechanical design and productiontechnology (everything about mechanics)
- currently am studying an extra program, which is an upgrade to my previous diploma to electromechanical engineering. (I've lost intrest in this though in the last years)

I've alwayse worked as much as I'm legaly allowed to, doing handyman stuff. Last year I went to Oman with Jan De Nul, one of the worlds biggest dredging companies, doing an internship on their biggest ship (I had to do the same job as the engineer - planning repairs, maintance, getting parts shipped, etc)
That journey to Oman was great and to be honest at the time I could see myself doing that job for atleast 5 years. The pay is great and it's a fun job, even though it kinda meant giving up my social life.

This year I worked in a design bureau and after 1 weeks work they fired the current designer and asked me to start working on constant basis there. The offer was really nice, considering it was more than what the average engineer gets payed (+ car, + cellphone, + fuel, + laptop)...
I thought about it but even though the offers great, being a full time designer is not in my blood. And following other peoples orders is even less in my blood... I started thinking back on all the things I did in the past and it was clear that somehow I alwayse took the lead... Even in my fraternaty when other people asked me to help organise some activity, I just took the lead...

So I've decided that somewhere in the future (before I turn 30) I wanna start a business. But before that I need to get some experiance, particularly in sales and some other skill which I could sell.

Now I know that in my country there's an extreme lack of people who do plumbing, carpenting, etc... Everybody goes to college here... There are almost no people left who use their hands... Now I'm pretty handy, I think I'm pretty clever (not smart - clever as in figuring this out quickly) and I'm good at counting (as in how to make 2+2 equal whatever the boss wants to...) so I was thinking doing something along these lines...

2 years in a construction company learning how to do something specific (get a skill)
after that 2 years in a salescompany and start my own business in construction during the weekends.
and after that 4 years of building up and getting more people in my company
Once I got some companies doing specific things of construction I was thinking of perhaps starting manufacturing parts for my construction company which by then could be doing decently on its own.

I'm thinking big here, I wanna start with one small company and build more and more of them...

What do you guys think about this?
What do you guys suggest I do and any tips on how to achieve my goals?
Any input is welcome because I've been thinking about this stuff for 3 months now and still haven't fully figured out what to do (Doing exams atm, so I haven't been sitting on my butt doing nothing )

 

[scrouds]

I've alwayse worked as much as I'm legaly allowed to, doing handyman stuff. Last year I went to Oman with Jan De Nul, one of the worlds biggest dredging companies, doing an internship on their biggest ship (I had to do the same job as the engineer - planning repairs, maintance, getting parts shipped, etc)
That journey to Oman was great and to be honest at the time I could see myself doing that job for atleast 5 years. The pay is great and it's a fun job, even though it kinda meant giving up my social life.

I stopped here. You're looking wayy too far into the future. Do that, save some cash, stay in contact with friends however you can. Party it up when you get home and have fun.

When you tire of that "good paying, exciting" job, take that hoarded kitty from your highly paid, low expenses job, and start that business.

 

[sodbuster]

Agree, take the job for 5 years and get some CASH saved up. BEFORE you start running a business, take a look at all the regulations and hoops you'll have to jump through. Sales training would be great before you start your own.

As far as not liking to take orders...get that sh1t out of your head right now! your banker,your customers, and your government will all tell you what to do; you need to learn to deal with it. You can minimize it,but never eliminate it[at least I've never figured out how in 26 years of Dentistry]

 

[SgtSplacker]

Best thing to focus on now is networking and meeting people that may support your professional endeavors in the future. It sucks starting a company cold turkey, much easier if for example you know a guy that needs500 computers a month built. Awesome, start your company with that nice juicy money maker already going then expand from there. Rather than opening your doors and waiting for business to walk in twiddling your thumbs in the meantime. Have some business cards made, and just start networking with people in a very professional manner so they know you are serious. By the time you are ready, maybe your present opportunities can help shape the decisions you make in the future. You obviously have some design skills, offer to help these people now, give them good prices, build a relationship. There may come a time when you can start making big bucks off of them business to business.

 

[Credos]

Thanks scrouds and sodbuster you both make a valid point on taking that job with JDN. As for the order taking, I know I can't eliminate the whole thing but I think it would be reduced to a minimum when doing business on my own. But before I can do that I gotta earn some cash and get some improved skills...

And thanks for the Great tip SgtSplacker!

 

[Alle_Gory]

Moved to The Mature Man section.

 

[countermart]

There is only one rule both for your career and women:

Do what you love and are passionate about.

Have fun!
Countermart

 

[AAAgent]

I used to be in your position Credos. Uncertain of my future and where to take it but if you think hard and ask around, the majority of people are in the same shoes. Just because their doing something at the moment doesn't mean they love or like what they do, they do it to survive.

Everyone needs to do that and so do you. If you have the luxury of not working and figuring out what you want to do, then do it.

For me i started working and saving up money and living like a dog. I really wanted to visit the country where my dad was born. I did it and loved it. Next i really thought i'd like to do Sales and make money, so i worked hard and moved in the sales department at my company and i realized that i can do it but i don't want to. I'm still here but i've already planned the next step in my career.

I also wanted to be an archaeologist since i was 10 years old. After 14 years of struggling back and forth whether or not to do it, i applied for a volunteer program where i got to experience underwater archaeology in a 3rd world country and see ancient shipwrecks and artifacts. I also at the same time realized although it was pretty cool that it wasn't something i wanted to do. I didn't want to be out sweating living out of a backpack and have no home. I also got to travel alot during my job and vacations and realized that the place i want to be is my fathers home country, so i've decided to find a job and move there.

So this whole time i kept doing things that i thought i would like and determining whether or not i really wanted to do them. It was either yes or no. The more NO's i get out of the way now, the closer i am to finding the Yes, like moving to my fathers home country.

So get a job that you either like or can accept. Use the job to develop skills while also at the same time narrow down the things you want to do in life while you can. Although my job now isn't what i want to do, it will provide me with invaluable skills that employers are looking for.

I started as an analyst and developed analytical skills and attention to detail.
Next i went into sales/account management. Here i am developing relationship building and management skills as well as how to be aggressive and resourceful.

Now i want to move into a role which encompasses both analytical and relationship skills which makes even more money. Will i stop here, probably not as i want to make more and more money which i will use to find what i truly want to do and then passionately pursue it.