Future Career Question

An MSW degree is much more marketable in these times. You can do so much more in the area of helping people with it. You can always get 3rd party payments where with a Masters in Psych or Sociology you can only get 3rd party payments if you are an LPC. So, if you work in the field and only have a Masters in Psychology you will always have to work under another therapist and deal with them and their office staff, etc...and if they are dishonest in the billing it reflects badly on you and you can lose the ability to receive those 3rd party payments.

So, I vote you go MSW. It is a good program and goes fast.

Here is a link to a college in California that seems to have good info.
http://careers.ucsc.edu/handouts/psychology_programs/ment...

I think this is a question we all face...including myself! Here is my 2 cents for whatever its worth!
- There is ALWAYS a greener side, no matter how green you thought your side was...
- More money is great..but inevitably you will just make more and SPEND more. Americans (including myself) are programed to live outside or on the edge of their means. So making more just means spending more...doesn't neccesarily get you further ahead is what I've found!
- Family...when there is NOTHING else in this world and we are all living in cardboard boxes...you will still have your family...which prooves that it should be #1.
- This economy is devistating to many right now and something none of us have ever seen or lived. I think that if you have a job...stick with it until the economy turns around. Have your new baby and deal with the career in a few years when the economy turns around.

Just know that you are so NOT alone...so many working moms feel your pain and can completely relate...this " mom" that we all are in the 20th century is a tough gig : - )

I can't say what the right path is for you, but I can share my experience. I am 51, and have a 13- and 16-year-old. 14 years ago, I chose to leave my corporate marketing career of 15 years, as my husband was gone 24/5 and I wanted my son (at the time) to have at least one parent besides daycare. I recently went back to school for a post-bachelor's certificate program in a totally different field and am now looking for work. If you've been out of the workforce for more than 2-3 years, I can tell you it is really tough to find something decent. I left my career at an VP level and even at that, after all these years, it's almost like I never worked at all. So, I guess the moral of the story is to keep doing something in the workforce that's related to your career goal. Even if it's a volunteer job. Or school. Maybe take part-time classes. Even with 2 kids, you should be able to handle one or two courses/semester. Just do whatever it takes to keep yourself from becoming "obsolete." And if you can find something even part-time, stay working just for the sake of bringing in your own money. You never want to lose that sense of responsibility for yourself and your well-being. Not to mention the sense of control that goes with it. And as your kids get older, they will see that mom has a value outside the home and is working to make the world a better place.

I'm in the middle of a career crisis myself and probably won't be of much help, but one thing you can consider is this ...there is always online studies for the school thing. You already have your BA so that will make you marketable for either social work or psychology. It's tough now because of the current economic situation. You can always forfeit going back to school, but as you get older, you are getting more riskier to have a baby so if you really want the baby, then you should probably consider getting that going...so you don't "waste time" thinking about it.

I was in a similar situation after the birth of my 1st son, (now 2 ½) I went back to work almost immediately. I was in the middle of a career which I had advanced from the very bottom to the very top and I wanted to be the one that could juggle it all! At the 1 year mark, as I was in Cancun for hitting my national quotas –with a 4 month leave, I might add- I reflected on how much of my sons first year I had missed. I remember how I hated picking him up and hearing the sitter say “He did-____ for the first time today”. So then and there, I made a choice to put my career on hold. I quit my job and picked up part time work 3 days a week. No stress, no after hours, no bringing my work home. 6 months ago, I had my 2nd son. And this time I am not going to put either of them in child care. A month ago, I turned down 2 corporate jobs- which is good to know are there for me- when I am ready to go back. I am now a stay at home mom, who just started working from home with an amazing company that has products that change peoples lives for the better. I am much happier to make a healthy difference in peoples lives, and help other Mamas who want to make a difference in their childrens lives, and stay home with them.

If helping people and making more money is the reason you want to go back to school - consider communication disorders. It's a growing field with a lot of finacial potential. If you have a masters you can name your own price and hours. The benefits are out of this world. My SIL has been in the field just 3 years and has syrocketed her familys lifestyle. My brother jokes that he is a "kept" man. She gets all the warm fuzzy of helping kids and all the $ that social workers don't. Going back to school is a sacrifice for everybody in the family, but it's not forever and it's worth it. If I were going back to school, I would want it to substanitally increase my familys situation. Social work, while rewarding, might not provide any more opportunity than you have now. When I was in school - most all my classmates were "nontraditional" single moms or returning students. Schools know this and have changed to accomodate.

Greetings LEP, As the mother of 5 I can honestly say that we were military and had we waited until I thought it was affordable we'd still be waiting 40 years later!!! I have daughters in laws that are wonderful examples of womanhood and motherhood. They have gone to school one is a CPA and the other is going to Nurseing school , they have children to care for, real home things going on and problems ans they are in school much of the day.Did I mention they have grants or work as well. Even if you only take 2 classes at a time you will accomplish the goal. Have you given real thought that in Social Work it is demanding,emotionally taxing, and you deal with all the unexpected at the time you'd have to pick up the children. Have family that does this. But I don't see how you can use this child you have or the one you desire as an excuse to not accomplish the goal of the other. There are 2 many ways on line, by video and in class that is out thier for you to have to stop from any goal.
My husband taught for 2 years for the U of Phenoix from a hospital bed so the only one to stop you is you. BY the way of these women 1 just had a baby and the other is waiting to find out the test results.

Have you ever considered a home based business? You can make money out of your home and share with others and make enough money to afford a child down the road and or go to school. It doesn't take away from what you presently do.

I have one I have been involved with and there are many opportunities they offer.

It is something to consider.

Good luck.

N. Marie

Last spring I began to pursue a paralegal certificate at a local school. I have not worked in 10 years and before that was in non-profit. I have a BA. While I enjoy the paralegal classes I was hesitant to start at the bottom as a paralegal, especially being 48. My latest decision is to try to get a volunteer position at a non-profit to update my skills and perhaps learn an new skill in non-profit that I might find more enjoyable. Therefore I would be building on my last employment. I would love to pursue a MA but the time and expense would probably not result in a career...I feel it's harder as you get older to re-enter a new field. For me, I don't really want to work but my husband would like me to bring in money. I think I'm a little afraid to go back to work because I've been out for so long. School has been enjoyable but classes do require studying - I spend about 3-4 hours per class per week. Fortunately my daughter's are in school so I can study during the day. I guess it's a work in progress. I am so happy that I have 2 kids - it made our family complete. Good-luck!

Which do you want the most - another child or a career? Can you work on a degree online or at night? Right now you have a job that you enjoy but see no future advancement and want to change. But you do have a job. Many people are searching for a job and if you get out of the workforce you may not get back in it again when you want. Also what you think is a good salary may not be the same when you get finished with your MA. Is there a way you could create a job that uses what you have? I know think outside the box. I am not trying to dampen your desire just give you some other things to think about. I too would love to get my degree but I don't know in what and when I do get it I would be over 66, who is hiring anyone that age? So do think and keep us posted. Going back to school is harder when you are older as to how you learn and how they teach in the new world and it takes longer for the information to sink in.

The other S.

I agree that volunteering in some capacity related to your desired field can help. I have had interviewers say that it makes a difference, and also it can give you good professional contacts/references!
My #1 advice, aside from that, is to make sure you try to do what you honestly WANT to do---people just cannot be successful at work they hate.

Hi,
I saw your post and feel like I'm constantly in the same conundrum - I work for a nonprofit and actually run our internship program so I talk to a lot of psych/social work folks- and I have a 16 month old and my partner just went back to school this fall. First, I'd like to say you
d be amazed by what you can make work as a parent in trying circumstances - we had no idea how going back to school would work, and now she's at a preschool on campus having the time of her life - for $9/day, but she had to be 1 year to enroll. Second, if your concern really is grad school, I'd talk to folks with either of those degrees, and find out what career possibilities really exist. I know a lot of folks with grad degrees in Psych and social work, and to me social work (licensed) has more direct job possibilities that you could get experience in while in school - and I would see a direct salary benefit in the long term with that choice. I also think that if you decide what kind of social work appeals to you before grad school (ie kids, elderly etc) I think you'd be able to focus your grad program in ways that will lead to employment sooner rather than later. and I've seen social work programs that really emphasize getting experience.
I think you should go for it!! and figure out baby #2 when you see the possibility, I think you'll be able to succeed at both if you really plan for it all!!

Good luck!
D.

If you don't want to invest 3 more years of school (and I wouldn't blame you at all), why don't you look into a career that you can obtain in less than a year, and that would offer decent pay? For example, what about massage therapy? They have classes that you can take and complete the course in a few months. What about becoming a medical assistant? I think that is a year program. Or there is medical billing and coding (I think 9 months). Look into things like that - just a suggestion.