The Collective Quarter-Life Crisis

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1. 
   

   Cadi
   Cadi · Aug 11, 2017

   @Meshugenah - nice! That sounds a lot like my friend - she works as a data analyst, but is picking up SQL and general computing concepts from our friend group (which is largely software engineers), just enough so far to start bugging her IT department about things that are wrong Databases are actually one of my least favourite bits of my job, because I am not very good at SQL (by comparison to C# and JavaScript, which are what I play with most of the time), but they're sort of inevitable when you have a lot of data that needs to be kept somewhere.
   
   (Also, uh-oh, @beckiw got power! )
2. 
   

   StellaThomas Creator
   StellaThomas · Sep 7, 2017

   Okay I'm actually intrigued now, if you guys need training or professional exams for your jobs, what's the protocol?
   
   I just ask because Boy is facing up to pay 2,600 euro in the next two years to *sit* his exams, without having to account for study materials etc. And that's kind of standard for us, but I understand that for other jobs (ie. accountancy) that all of your exams are funded by your employer.
   
   These aren't a choice - they're integral to training and to career progression - you can not progress to the next grade without them, it's not just to make your CV look better. So it does feel, to me, dreadfully unfair that we have to fund them ourselves (and get little by way of study leave etc for them).
   
   What's it like for other people?
3. 
   

   Lumos
   Lumos · Sep 7, 2017

   I work in public accounting and although it's highly recommended, it's not necessary to get your CPA (they really push you to get it though). Without the CPA, you can advance a little bit you'll never be partner or manager. You could leave for a private firm and work your way up, but it would be more difficult and you would earn less.
   
   My firm reimburses all the costs of the exam, but they don't reimburse any study materials. This seems to be normal in the public accounting industry from my experience.
   
   I worked for a payroll company and we had a client that was requiring certain licenses and exams for employees and making them pay for it. There's actually a law (at least in the US) that makes it illegal - if the employer requires it, then they must reimburse it. The logic behind it is the employee won't get this license because they want to and it's to mainly benefit the company.
   
   It does seem a bit unfair that your company won't reimburse the exam fees since it's necessary. Hopefully the advancement after you pass would be well worth the costs.
4. 
   

   StellaThomas Creator
   StellaThomas · Mar 13, 2018

   *revives*
   
   I'm delighted to say that I got onto a training scheme to become a general practitioner! I'm very happy. It gives me stable employment for the next four years on the scheme - for which I know I'm either in Dublin (where I live) or a commutable distance (except for a possible four month stint in Westmeath which is a two-hour drive into the countryside). It also means that by the end of it I'll be a fully-registered GP! And that gives me flexibility to work almost anywhere in the world - which will be great as Boy will probably want to go abroad for a few years for his own training.
   
   So overall I'm delighted.
   
   The only thing is that I'll be on four-month rotations for the next two years - that is, moving hospitals every four months. Which is going to be exhausting.
5. 
   

   Cadi
   Cadi · Mar 13, 2018

   Congratulations, Stella! That sounds really good!

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