There’s not a clear-cut purpose for this post, other than I need somewhere to jot my thoughts down, stream-of-conscious style. Those thoughts all surround a simple question: What do I want most in life, and how can I achieve it?
Well, the first part is pretty simple: I want autonomy. I want the ability to pick up and leave at a moment’s notice. Whether or not I would actually want to do that doesn’t matter — I simply want the option. I don’t want to have to behold myself to a job simply because I need the money, and I definitely don’t want to have to put off major life events or vacations because “I have to work.”
How is this achieved? Also pretty simple: FIRE. Financial Independence/Retire Early. I’ll need to find a way to invest my income into something that pays me. For this, I’ve chosen investing in real estate and stocks, more so the former than the latter because (1) it seems safer, having tangible real property that is more likely than not to appreciate, and (2) because I actually enjoy real estate.
Regardless of my preferred method of investing, I’ll need money to do it. Which brings me to my next follow-up question, which has three parts:
What will make me the most $$$? Of course, there’s the usual fields. Medicine. Law. Finance. Engineering. IT. Realty. Some labor-intensive jobs come to mind.
What are my likes? History and most things social-science related. Video games. Computers. Personal finance. Writing. Research. Real estate. Film.
What are my dislikes? Talking to people. Physical work. Math. Stress. Being in the public eye with the expectation of being “professional.” Being pressured to be “creative.”
Based on the above mix of my likes and dislikes, while also taking into account what career options will make me the most money for investment purposes, a lot of those options are pretty much kaput. Medicine? I don’t want to have to talk to patients, plus I don’t want to work in a hospital/doctor’s office. Law? Well, I could always specialize in something like real estate law, but that’s still too much publicity for me, not to mention all the work and money I’d have to put into going to law school, only to find out that I might not actually enjoy it. Being a real estate agent is definitely something that sounds super fun, but again, there’s the issue of being in public eye, and having to deal with people all the time. Sure, I can always be a hobby real estate agent (which is definitely a plan) but that’s not going to make me the kind of money I’m looking to make.
I’d like to move into the IT sector, particularly either programming or networking & security. I’d like to go back to school for this, but again, I need to go to school. Sure I can always go the self-taught route, but I’m the kind of person who does better with structure when it comes to learning. Plus, a college program will give me some actual experience to utilize the concepts that I’ll learn. So, IT is basically the plan in the long run, but I need something more immediate.
So far, that answer has come in the form of AML/BSA compliance. I’ve been doing some research on the field and the career progression, salaries, etc. as well as picking the brain of a close friend who works as an AML Analyst. Not having to deal with customer, monitoring financial transactions, good pay, and what seems to be quick and easy promotions and opportunities for advancements? I’m definitely interested.
There’s one little problem though… well, I’ve just recently accepted a new job as a title searcher for a small regional company. Which, by the way, is pretty good so far for the most part — I’ll have to make a post about it soon — but, well, when it comes to pay and career progression, I just can’t say I’m too thrilled. Also, wouldn’t you know that the AML company my friend works for (and I applied to the same I applied to the title company) called me to set up an interview literally, like, a month after I had accepted the title searcher job.
In speaking with the HR person for the AML company, I expressed my interest in potentially coming to work for them in the future (after all, I was working toward an AML-specific certification, ACAMS, while job hunting), although ultimately, I did turn them down. However, they told me to shoot them an email if my job situation ever changed.
Well, I thought about it for a couple of weeks, and… I emailed her Friday. I figured you know what, let me have that interview. I need to make moves to get what I want. And if they do offer me the job, I’ll ask if I can have a later start date, that way my current company has some time to find a replacement for me, because man do I feel bad leaving when they just hired me.
Alright, this post is getting way too long, and I want to play video games.
Later!
Neurotic Finance 