I should have stuck with math...

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Hi everyone,

I just graduated with a Bachelors in Business Administration and I can't find work -- except in sales. There's no WAY I can do a sales job. I don't have to tell you guys that! Anyway, I changed majors a couple of times and had originally considered mathematics or chemical engineering. I dropped out of engineering school because I was going through a nasty divorce and couldn't focus or handle the added stress. After that, I didn't want to go back to engineering school for a 5 year degree so instead completed a business degree in 2 years.

Now I feel that I made a mistake. It's true that I could not have handled 3 more years of University. I am very burned out. In addition, I seriously need money as my bank account is about to run dry. I have a degree that requires me to be extremely social and feel miserable. If I could have it my way, my boss would give me a problem to solve, I'd take it back to my desk and apply my genius, give it back to my boss, get a pat on the back (figuratively), go home, be happy, repeat next day.

So I'm considering going BACK to Uni (grumble) to finish my mathematics degree. It would take about a year. The goal would be to use as a compliment to my current degree and seek out a job as a statistician or something along those lines.

Would I be wasting my time and money or are there business careers that are suited towards aspies? I tried accounting jobs, but they want a degree specifically in accounting, not general business. To be honest, I'd rather just start working now. And an MBA does not sound appealing to me whatsoever.

*sigh*

One year is not long at all and it will fly. Go for it. You don't want to regret not doing it later on.

You're probably right, oceandrop. I need to find out how to live and take classes at the same time. I have rheumatoid arthritis so I suffer from chronic fatigue. I have never gone to school and worked full time so it will be a challenge. Of course, I'll never know unless I try.

I'm just so frustrated and overwhelmed. I thought things would start looking up after graduation. I am 30 years old and would like to get on with my life.

30 is young. We had a 60-something year old grad student in our department recently. Do you have kids or a mortgage that forces you to work full time? I guess switching to both part-time could help. Or perhaps study full time with a loan?

Or perhaps there are jobs related to business that don't emphasize being social so much? I can totally understand your aversion to sales. but perhaps business consultancy type jobs -- which as I understand it are heavily geared towards problem solving, may be an option? I remember a few years ago watching The Apprentice and there was a lady on it who was a freelance business consultant; I can remember looking up websites for such jobs and they had problem solving questions as part of the job application process that I think an Aspie would love.

Well good luck with whatever you decide to do! You sound very bright and I'm sure you'll work it out =) Also you mention being burned out and fatigued, which I think can contribute to feelings of discontent and uncertainty -- maybe addressing this somehow (yoga? or whatever you think may help) will help bring clarity to the choices before you. Best of luck...

Thank you for all of your suggestions, oceandrop.

I am going to be patient with the job search and in the meantime, make a Plan B just in case things don't work out. Even if I get a job I will likely take at least one class that will lead towards another degree. One step at a time...

I don't have kids or a mortgage, but I do have to support myself. I don't have family that can help me out. I am reaching out to everyone who can give advice. My only friend's father also happens to have a degree in mathematics. I'm going to talk with him for starters. I have also reached out to some of my old professors. We'll see what happens.

Watching my bank account dwindle makes me feel so much pressure.

As a bridge to the Mathematics and Business World I suggest you look into Quantitative Analysis. Books like Fabozzi's Fixed Income Mathematics, Hulls Options, Futures and Other Derivatives and Jorion's Value at Risk meld math and business/finance. Or, as an alternative to the further schooling you could look into something like the Global Association of Risk Professionals Financial Risk Manager certification and see if that would help you out. It is tough to do both it and work at the same time but not impossible.

Global Association of Risk Professionals link

Thank you. It's interesting that you suggest Risk Analysis because someone else told me to look into being an actuary.