Wasted my college years.
I'm 23, and have a bachelor's degree in chemistry. And I honestly feel like I just wasted my time and it was the worst mistake I ever did.
I'm currently working as a Quality control chemist at a small API (Pharma) plant. I hated working this job since day 1 but I thought I'd get used to it after sometime. But almost a year has passed and my feelings about this job haven't changed. The work involves very strict following of SOPs, handling audits, and has very small room for errors as even the smallest of mistakes are complicated to correct. The work also requires me to work in rotating shifts and work 6 days a week (48-56 hours a week). And on top of that, the pay is quite low even for the experienced people.
I honestly just want to quit working at a factory environment. I hate to work in rotating shifts. I would rather work a single shift than having to change shifts every week. And no chance for WFH (because lab work). I was thinking about office jobs, but I don't have a clue about them. I am not interested or passionate about anything in particular. I have always been competent, but I feel very lost about my career, and I feel like I've failed and wasted my potential by choosing this path. Sorry if this post feels like a rant.
Jobadvisor
First of all, don't apologize for how you feel. It's completely understandable to feel lost and frustrated when a career path you've invested in isn't what you expected. The good news is that you're only 23. You have a bachelor's degree, a year of experience, and a clear understanding of what you don't want in a job, which is a huge step in finding what you do want. You haven't wasted your time—you've just completed the first part of your professional journey and learned a lot about yourself in the process.
Let's explore some potential career paths that could align with your skills and preferences for a single-shift, non-factory environment.
Leveraging Your Chemistry Degree and Experience
Your chemistry degree and experience in an API plant are more versatile than you might think. Many roles in science and healthcare don't involve being in a lab all day. Your background in quality control, SOPs, and compliance is valuable.
Medical Sales Representative: This is a common career transition for people with a science background. You would use your knowledge to sell pharmaceuticals, medical devices, or lab equipment to hospitals, clinics, or research facilities. This role is often client-facing and has a set schedule, a commission structure, and opportunities for growth.
Regulatory Affairs Specialist: With your experience in a regulated environment and handling audits, you could transition into a regulatory affairs role. You would be responsible for ensuring that products meet government regulations and safety standards. This is typically an office-based job with standard hours and a clear path for advancement.
Technical Writer: You're already familiar with the complex documentation and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) common in the chemical industry. A technical writer creates manuals, guides, and other documents for products and services. You could specialize in a scientific or medical field and often work from an office or remotely.
Quality Assurance (QA) Analyst: While you've been in quality control (QC), you could move into quality assurance. QC focuses on testing products, whereas QA focuses on the systems and processes to prevent errors. This role is often less hands-on and more about documentation, compliance, and process improvement, and it's typically an office job.
Exploring Other Career Options
Your skills in competency, critical thinking, and problem-solving are transferable to many fields outside of chemistry. It's important to think about what you enjoy doing, even if it feels unrelated to your degree.
Project Manager: You have a degree that shows you can follow a long-term plan to completion. You're competent and have experience in a process-oriented environment. Project management is a field that involves organizing people and resources to complete a project on time and within budget. This is a skills-based field where a degree in any subject can be a starting point.
Data Analyst: If you have an aptitude for numbers and logic, you could consider a career as a data analyst. Your scientific background has likely given you a strong foundation in data interpretation. Data analysts collect, process, and perform statistical analysis on data. Many companies hire for this role, and it's often an office or remote job.
Human Resources (HR) Specialist: Your experience working with people in a high-stress environment can be a great foundation for a career in HR. This field involves recruiting, training, and managing employees. Many HR roles are in an office setting and offer a standard work week.
Next Steps to Consider
You don't have to jump into a new career path immediately. Take some time to explore these options and see which one resonates with you.
Informational Interviews: Reach out to people on LinkedIn who have jobs that sound interesting to you. Ask them for a 15-minute chat about their career path. This is an excellent way to get an inside look at a job without any commitment.
Online Courses and Certifications: Many of the jobs listed above have certifications that can help you pivot. Websites like Coursera, edX, and Udemy offer courses in project management, data analysis, and technical writing that can give you a feel for the work.
Talk to a Career Counselor: A professional career counselor can help you identify your interests and skills and develop a personalized plan for your career transition.
It's natural to feel lost, but you're not a failure. You're just starting to figure out what you want from your career. Your current job, though difficult, has given you valuable insight and skills that will be useful no matter what you do next.
What do you think? Do any of these options sound more appealing to you than others?
Why would a dress code be secret? [SC]
My coworkers and I recently wanted to consult our company dress code and when we looked through the Sharepoint files, we couldn’t find it. We asked one of the higher ups in the department and she quickly sent it over to us, but then she just as quickly came over and requested that we delete it because she found out that HR policy is apparently that we aren’t allowed to access it. This is a relatively new change as well because I personally consulted the dress code for something about two years ago and at that time, it was freely available to anyone on Sharepoint. Why would HR decide to make the dress code of all things secret? It’s not even all that complex; just business casual with a few examples of what is and is not acceptable
Jobadvisor
Making a dress code policy confidential, or at least less accessible, could be a deliberate strategy by a company's HR department for several reasons. One of the primary motivations is to mitigate legal risks and avoid potential discrimination lawsuits.
Legal and Discrimination Concerns
Historically, dress code policies have sometimes been a source of legal trouble for companies. Specific rules about attire can be seen as discriminatory, particularly if they are applied differently to men and women, or if they disproportionately affect employees based on their religion, gender identity, or other protected characteristics. For example, a policy that requires women to wear high heels but has no equivalent standard for men could be considered discriminatory. Similarly, rules about hairstyles or head coverings may conflict with religious practices. HR departments may choose to make a dress code less accessible to employees to give them more flexibility to address these situations on a case-by-case basis without being tied to a rigid, written policy that could be used against them in court.
Flexibility and Management Discretion
Another reason for a confidential dress code is to give managers more discretion in handling situations as they arise. Instead of having a strict, inflexible policy, a more generalized guideline allows managers to have conversations with employees about their attire if it becomes an issue. This can be more effective than a rigid policy, especially if the company's culture is shifting toward a more relaxed or "business casual" environment where specific rules might seem outdated or overly restrictive. By removing the detailed policy from public view, HR can empower managers to use their best judgment and handle minor dress code issues informally, without having to enforce a specific, and potentially problematic, rule.
This video provides an overview of how HR departments approach dress codes and the reasons behind their policies.
HR Guide to Casual Dress Codes in the Workplace