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Question regarding my career choice. Here is my life. Please help. Long read maybe. asked earlier but nothing!

Ok I finished school in Aug 2007 with a degree in Business Geography with emphasis in Marketing/GIS and a minor in International business. I am also becoming fluent in Chinese. So here it is Feb 08, and I have two paths to choose from. Currently I am working as a Customer Service Rep at T-mobile. I sell phones and listen to peoples complaints all day long. I am a failure in every turn when it comes to my professional life because I absolutely hate it. I had the job when I was in school, and have been trying to escape ever since I graduated. I hate sales, I want a desk job. Thats the kind of thing I want right now. I want a challenge, a computer and a schedule that is not like T-Mobile's. Now my goal for my wife and I is to work overseas one day. SO this is where my choice comes up and I need some advice. I am being offered to different jobs with two different companies with two different atmospheres. The first is being a data analyst with Baker Hughes. 9-5 job sitting at the desk analyzing data all day. No one messes with me, and I am good with that. There is some travel involved and I don’t like that as I am married and don’t want to leave my wife. She cannot come along. The guy said it would not be that much traveling, but I think he was trying to dress it up as well. And the real bad thing is, I live in Houston right now but eventually want to live on the east coast again, where I am from. The thing with the baker Hughes job is that it specializes in oil and pipeline. I was trying to kid myself and say if I can be a data analyst there I can be a data analyst anywhere. But it seems as though if I do that then I may be sticking myself in the oilfield and I don’t want to be there forever. Is it feasible to say if I can analyze data for baker Hughes, bank of America could hire me for the same thing? On of the things I do like about baker Hughes is though, that they are international, but I don’t think a data analyst gets to do anything with the overseas market starting off. My second choice is Wachovia Bank. As a Financial Representative. In other words Sales. I had a interview with them and they stated it is a lot more sales then most banks. Making 50 sales calls a day trying to get people to buy bank products. I hate sales and helping the general public. But that’s in my current job. I don’t think anyone wants to make 50 calls a day, but I really don’t like sales. But that bank is the biggest bank on the east coast, particularly in north Carolina, where I want to live or Pennsylvania where I am originally from. Now the bank job is sitting at the desk, no travel, and better pay I believe plus commissions. Overall, which path would you choose in my situation? The financial sector has more to do with my degree, but it is sales. Baker Hughes specializes and may close doors for me (or maybe not) for the future. I want to go overseas eventually to. I noticed HSBC is located in Singapore and if I can 10 gain enough knowledge here I could be noticed then overseas with those banks as I am becoming fluent in Mandarin. Thanks guys. Sorry for the long read. PS also if moving overseas is several years away, our intention is to move to north carolina where wachoiva;s head quarters are and me work for corporate. And not in sales.

Public Comments

1. lol my eyes hurt from reading now. I think being a data analyst with Baker Hughes sounds great.Or, you could join the Military. My husband is and we live in Japan now.. What ever you do. Good luck and I hope you make the right choice.
2. Only you can truly decide what you want most. From your post sounds like you are leaning towards the bank job for growth potential. Stick with your long term goals and go with the bank.
3. I would take job #1. I have done financial sales, cold calls, referrals, and it's a pain. Great for someone who enjoys it, horrid for those who don't. You also have to decide how much responsibility you are willing to take for other people - when you are doing financial sales, there is a possibility that you will direct people into a losing investment. You can do the data job for a year or two and then transfer. Business travel can be a pain - my husband used to travel one or two weeks a year - but he was earning valuable experience and chalking up enough bonus miles to take our family to Australia for free.
4. I think you should take the first job, since the one at the bank involves sales and you state that you hate sales, you would be changing a job you hate to another one you will also hate, even if you want to move and work corporate that would be hard and it would probably take time, time you will spend in a job you know you hate.
5. Go for the Wachovia Bank. Yes it will be sales to start but it will get your foot in the door. If you do that you have to make the most of it and sell like there is no tomorrow. Most banks will promote their achievers not just the people who are floating along. If your goal is to move east you need to make your mark. The good thing about the Bank job is that even if you hate it you are building a good base in the financial industry that will make you marketable to other companies. It sounds like if you take the Baker Hughes job you will be limiting your future opportunities.
6. I would choose the sales. If it is commission, then you have potential of making serious money, save, then get out of sales and have a small business (like a franchise, small coffee place, etc) one day. Sitting in a desk is not fun. I am in sales and i love it.
7. This looks like a choice between two evils. I'd stay where you are until something you really want comes up. Why not focus on your goal of working overseas and make that happen. This might be romanticized but save your money and go overseas. I can't be anymore helpful. You know in your gut what you have to do. Good luck ♥
8. that's really hard. the baker hughes seems like a really good job i can see where ur getting at about the traveling. that is always hard on a marriage