Any chemist on here?

[thor'svr4]

Just wondering since its my major. I’m not sure what I want to do with it though, or what field I would like to get into. Does anyone on here have a field they would not recommend? Or a specific part of the job that they hate? Any advice on what you would have done differently? Ect.

[RL7]

You can do "pre-med," and work toward being a doctor, stay in school indefinitely and become a professor, or use the degree to work in a lab somewhere. To really do real "chemistry stuff," you almost need to have a doctorate or at least a masters and a real interest in the field. I got majors in chemistry and microbiology, but I hated school work and can't say I was terribly interested in either. I only liked the lab classes, and only really liked the actual work part, the reports sucked. I worked in a lab for a few years and I run it now, but I'm looking to do something else because I like hands-on work and hate doing paperwork, talking on the phone, and being inside all day. I like lab work, but it can get old pretty fast, certain jobs are almost like working on an assembly line- that may not be a bad thing. Most starting jobs requiring a BS Chem do not pay well, but that may depend on the particular job market. Pharmaceuticals is always an option. A BS in Chemistry is not a particularly useful degree though. I would highly recommend trying to get another degree at the same time. I should have also done Civil Engineering or Building Construction.

Try to find something you genuinely have an interest in (I was not able to do this while in school) and make a real effort to learn and excel. Even if that means starting from scratch, now is the time to do it. If you like something and are good at it, you will generally do well. If necessary, don't be afraid to spend another couple years in school, provided you can afford it. When I was in school, I was all about getting out and working, but now I'm considering going back.