Is it possible for such a career to exist?
October 3, 2022 1:12 PM   Subscribe

Sometimes, rather than assume something is impossible, it doesn't hurt to ask if an improbable thing exists. In this case, it's the existence of a career that checks all the desirable boxes. Getting to the point, I mean a career that fulfills all the following criteria:

1. Has a good healthy work/life balance

2. Isn't too stressful (and before you say it, I know that what is and isn't stressful is super subjective and relies upon if the glove of the job fits the hand of the person's personality, as well as a number of other factors.

3. Low barrier to entry (sidestepping the catch-22 of "you need experience to get your first job and you need your first job to get experience)

4. Enough job openings to go around, thus low competition

5. Good paying (60k or over a year)

6. Only requires a Bachelors degree (I have a 5 year old Bachelors of Science in Psychology)

7. Doesn't require relocating (I live in Austin and would like to stay here due to family obligations)

I already looked into becoming an electrician, but I'm afraid of the dangers of getting electrocuted or accidentally causing a coworker to get electrocuted. I've also looked into becoming a plumber, but, and this may sound like I'm being juvenile, I can't stand gross stuff... like I actually have a physical involuntary reaction around gross stuff.

I'm not really looking for something that requires constantly being on my feet, moving around, and being physically active all the time. A little bit of that is fine, but mostly, I like just sitting down and dialing in to, say, a computer task. Also, I'm about 60% introverted, 40% extroverted, I'm not exactly shy but not exactly super talkative (I'm more of a listener), and honestly feel more comfortable following procedures than being a maverick leader.

My background is humble. I graduated college with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology in May of 2017. I attended a UX bootcamp in 2018 and briefly got a part time entry level job doing UX in 2019, but was let go after 8 months and really got the sense that my lack of creativity and lack of design training really held me back (I looked for other UX jobs and went to meetups for about half a year after but to no avail).

I got a gig with my Dad's fledgling remodeling business (which has now been put on hold due to the unstable economy and inflation) where I entered info into Excel (prices, customers, contact info, etc) as well as created new Excel templates. I really enjoyed this. I know it's simple and there's not much skill to it, but I enjoyed it maybe only a little less than doing UX work (however, I felt more confident, competent, and proud of my work). Something like this, but more evolved, is something I'm thinking about and wishing existed. My only lead thus far is working with a company doing CRM work (maybe Salesforce?) but I don't know if this would still be in my wheelhouse or if it would be too complex (would it require me to be a major leader, a business manager, an out of the box creative powerhouse like UX, a slick winer and diner? Would I even be good or enjoy those roles? I don't know... if only there were some simpler jobs in the same vein to fall back on if I don't turn out to be a good fit for something like Salesforce)

In conclusion, I seriously doubt that such a career exists. But there's no harm in asking. And I hope I don't come off as entitled or like a jackass for asking for too much.
posted by ggp88 to Work & Money (20 answers total) 11 users marked this as a favorite
 
Clinical research coordinator (e.g.).
posted by headnsouth at 1:19 PM on October 3, 2022 [5 favorites]


not an expert — but perhaps operations manager or product manager (esp. in tech)? the UX background would probably be a plus for landing product manager jobs in tech
posted by icosahedron at 1:40 PM on October 3, 2022 [2 favorites]


I'm back to once again plug the insurance industry! There are a variety of career paths in insurance that I think would work for you. The higher-earning jobs (specific, being an agent) will probably have a little less work-life balance and require a little more extraversion, but there's a pathway to becoming an agent that doesn't require going full commission-sales. Get a job at an agency as a CSR and then get the agency to pay for your license and gradually take on clients.
posted by kevinbelt at 1:51 PM on October 3, 2022 [4 favorites]


Best answer: Postsecondary admin work such as Student Advising may fit the bill but you'd need to look at your local institutions to be sure. But I would say my job all the relevant markers and a BSc Psych is a nice background to have for advising. As far as stress goes, it's extremely cyclical so there are periods with higher work loads such as convocation season and during final exams and you need to have some comfort level with supporting mental health and active listening, but if you're good with that, you're golden.
posted by Sweetchrysanthemum at 1:54 PM on October 3, 2022 [4 favorites]


I feel like a lot of generic office jobs/ manager roles at a small company could fit these criteria. Maybe you could try temping via a temp agency to try out a couple places?
posted by emd3737 at 2:04 PM on October 3, 2022 [1 favorite]


How about becoming an accountant? You'd maybe need to complete a post-bac certification, but they appear to be quick/lean, and with this much-valued set of skills you could apply at a variety of scales and to a range of positions (you could be an independent accountant for a number of small businesses, for example, or work in-house at a small or larger company).

This comes to mind because my spouse worked as accountant and then financial manager for a couple small businesses over the years - he started just out of college (he perhaps lucked into that first job given that he had no training in account management at the time). He enjoys working in Excel (as you mention) and gets satisfaction out of keeping a well-maintained set of data (as you mention), and he has found accounting work to be quite satisfying.

I also think that, though accounting jobs are surely stressful in certain contexts (such as large or highly competitive companies), at a local small business level (such as your dad's remodeling company), the work can be much more straightforward and low-key.

Also, in another direction, if you're in Austin, you might browse positions at University of Texas, just to see what is on offer there. This really depends on the university, department, etc., but university admin jobs often pay decently, and are sometimes less stressful than private industry jobs.

Good luck with your exploration!
posted by marlys at 2:22 PM on October 3, 2022 [6 favorites]


Also wrt university work, I second Sweetchrysanthemum's suggestion!
posted by marlys at 2:24 PM on October 3, 2022


there are a lot of entry level software development positions like this that you can get with only a bit of programming knowledge. When I started I had no credentials, nor degree in anything tech related. My first job in the industry I got by bluffing that I knew what I was doing, and while it paid "poorly" for the time and industry (40k about 7.5 years ago), it was the first step to a series of increasingly much better jobs. So, if you can spend a few months self-teaching yourself how to build a webapp, you can probably get an entry level software job.
posted by dis_integration at 2:33 PM on October 3, 2022 [4 favorites]


Just popping in to say electrical and mechanical construction careers are definitely good-paying and fairly available for the right dedicated, hardworking folks, but require (0) a rigorous application process to an apprenticeship, which can take between 2 months to over a year, (1) a 4 to 5-year apprenticeship, during which you're paid but also attend school and need to work very hard to learn and prove yourself, (2) extensive work on your feet (at least for the duration of that apprenticeship, after which you could explore a BIM/drafting computer career, and (3) lots and lots of stress and chaos, especially if you're in BIM/drafting/design. So even without your fear of electrocution or gross things, it's a bad fit for your other desires.

However, I was a plumber for 7 years before transitioning to a scientific career, and in my time in the field, I only did one live tie-in, because I was in construction plumbing, not service. Otherwise I worked with brand new pipe / demolishing dry, old pipe and the grossest things I encountered were lead, asbestos, and concrete slurry -- no human matter. Obviously service folks do deal with gross stuff, but construction plumbers don't ever really, in my experience. (What you do have to deal with is starting work at 5:30am or 6am most days, depending on the jobsite, which personally did NOT fit my natural sleep-wake cycle, or my desire to participate in music/art/dance/creative activities that tend to take place after 7pm in the evening.)
posted by cnidaria at 4:17 PM on October 3, 2022 [1 favorite]


I recommend looking at higher ed too -- but a different area than suggested above. I worked in development for about 5 years (varying titles such as ops/systems/data analyst, not a fundraiser) and have had a few colleagues with UX backgrounds who went on to become curriculum designers or trainers on the same systems or facilitating CRM integrations. However, the pay can vary, especially between public and private.
posted by sm1tten at 5:49 PM on October 3, 2022 [1 favorite]


As an engineer, popping in to say that while tech has a lot going for it, I would not recommend engineering jobs as low stress. Production is down! Deadline is looming! Something is wrong and you don’t know what to do! Etc. It’s not the most stressful gig out there but it is punctuated by times of very high stress for sure.

I also would say a big, ironclad NO to product management. Product managers I have met are, to a person, very stressed and very overworked, and have to spend a ton of time extroverting.
posted by sevensnowflakes at 6:27 PM on October 3, 2022 [3 favorites]


Postal worker.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 6:43 PM on October 3, 2022 [4 favorites]


Several ideas above are great! Here are a few more to consider:

+ HR Analyst/HRIS Manager/HR Technology -- You would probably start down this path with an HR Coordinator or Payroll Coordinator type of job, and over time, as you developed skills in HR Analytics and proficiency with various HR software, you'd move into those other roles. Essentially, you're a behind the scenes person that helps HR run smoothly by keeping employee data up to speed in all the company's systems, advising on and implementing HR systems, and providing reporting and analysis as needed. This is a field that is growing, can be done remotely, and if you can get your foot in the door at a larger company, pays well. Especially as you develop expertise.

+ Implementation Specialist at a SAAS company -- In this role, you'd be the point person to onboard new clients to software. Typically, this means that you provide 1:1 overviews of the software (on Zoom), and then you help to train/educate the new customer on all the software features by working through a checklist of tasks with them. It does involve face to face time, but in my experience, it's low pressure, conversational, educational, and just about guiding your customer toward a successful experience. You don't have to sell and you don't have to problem solve or deal with grumpy people too much -- other people have those roles at companies that also have this role!

+ Admin assistant/scheduler/coordinator -- The pay is going to be a bit lower on these type of roles, but they span a lot of different industries and you could put yourself in an environment that feels right to you. Many non-profits have a need for an all-purpose helper person who manages calendars, documents, etc., as do nursing homes, schools, public agencies, and private companies. This type of role could build into an ops manager or business/practice manager over time, but most importantly would allow you to choose the setting you feel most comfortable working in. I'd explore local government job boards and Idealist to find non-profits who are hiring. Private companies might pay more, though, so worth looking at their job listings too. Ultimately, I'd say if you go down this path, look for a business/organization that inspires you and see what they have that you could do, instead of searching for the title.
posted by luzdeluna at 8:27 PM on October 3, 2022 [2 favorites]


data analyst

there's a certification program on coursera
posted by Jacqueline at 9:36 PM on October 3, 2022 [1 favorite]


technical writing. I do not have a degree, and I make very good money doing this work remotely for tech companies. I am never in a high responsibility type role (i.e. high stress), because nobody actually cares about documentation that much.
posted by MiraK at 10:53 PM on October 3, 2022 [5 favorites]


> I also would say a big, ironclad NO to product management. Product managers I have met are, to a person, very stressed and very overworked, and have to spend a ton of time extroverting.

I cannot second this enough.

Given your background and job criteria, though, you might want to take a look at Business Analyst positions in banks or credit unions, where the job description is about gathering requirements and working with the software development team to deliver features. Your UX background will be of great value in this type of role. In particular, look at credit unions set up for state or government employees. I highlight this latter because they tend to follow for employees whatever union policies are in place for the customer population they serve. Pay might not be as good as having a similar role in a tech company or an investment bank, but the pace will be less strenuous and you'll have better work-life balance.
posted by needled at 10:08 AM on October 4, 2022 [1 favorite]


Implementation Specialist at a SAAS company

Highly dependent on the company. In the abstract, I agree. But one of the worst experiences I've had in my career was as an Implementation Specialist. I would frequently pass out from exhaustion in my kid's bed while I was supposed to be putting her to sleep. I'd wake up at like 3am to find a half-read Dr Seuss book on my chest.
posted by kevinbelt at 10:24 AM on October 4, 2022


My current role is along the lines of an Implementation Specialist (and I'm also formerly an HR guy).

Agree with most of what has been said with a few caveats - our software is useful/highly in demand but not mission critical, thus stress is lower than other situations. As in, I wouldn't want to work for a payroll/HRIS company these days. I think HR in general (from what I hear from my peers still in the profession) is off-the-charts stressful, regardless of what discipline you're in.

I had no SAAS experience prior to joining my company but did have a strong background in the type of software we use which helped get me up to speed faster. At my company, there *is* pressure for me to upsell but nothing I'm really held responsible for. I'm more introverted than extroverted and have found the client interaction to be just fine. We're 100% remote other than some light client visits pre-pandemic. If it would be helpful, PM me if you have questions.
posted by Twicketface at 10:45 AM on October 4, 2022


I'm here to +1 data analyst. I think that you would enjoy it a lot and it checks all of your requirements.
posted by mezzanayne at 11:04 AM on October 4, 2022


Look into civil service/government jobs. Local conditions can vary wildly but in general, they are stable, pay decently, and have very good work-life balance. The hiring is often through some sort of exam, and there are lots of roles (with varying degrees of complexity/responsibility) for people who actually know anything about computers.
posted by yeahlikethat at 12:25 PM on October 4, 2022


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