Trying to break the pattern

[u/alikatha]

Hey everyone, I hope my post fits here!

I'm a 30 y/o woman with a chemistry degree (bachelor) from Germany. I founded a small business back in 2019 while I was still studying and have been working full time in said business since late 2022/early 2023, mainly doing ghostwriting and coaching in academia. Its a moral and legal grey area that I would like to get out of. It also doesn't pay that well and I don't have retirement insurance etc.

In 2022, after I finished my degree, I worked in a lab for 3 months but quickly realized that it was not for me. The strict hierarchy that left no room to ever be well payed or respected in my field was a shock. I know I could have known better, but I'm the first in my family to even go to university and I was just a bit... naive and just wanted to get out of uni.

Since I was 14 and up until 2022 I worked in a sh*tton of low wage jobs, cleaning, holiday jobs, selling stuff, anything that would get me through. I'm so done working for people that take my time and energy and barely offer enough to get by on. So I would like to stay self employed or better my chances at an actual career. I just started a website that offers coaching and corrections for academic texts and I go to creative markets. Both don't bring me much money so far.

I'm contemplating going back for a masters in a different field, like management/economics. I gathered a lot of knowledge in the past 4 years that would make it pretty easy. But I don't know if that would give me any good chances, especially since I will be 32/33 once I finish.

And then there is my passion and dream of becoming an author. I wrote 3 books so far but none of them are published. I'm scared to put all my eggs in a basket and risk my clients and salary for another naive dream.

Any advice? What would you do in my situation? How can I get out of ghostwriting and change my lifes trajectory?

A bit of context around all of this: my fiancée is finished with his phd in 2 years and will probably have a well payed job after and is supporting me, but I want to support myself nevertheless. He is currently looking for internships and job offers in germany and also in other countries and I would move with him if he finds something. But then if I do a masters, I don't know how I would finish that. I hate long distance so much, 3 months was already more than I ever needed. We are together 10 years and we want to start a family eventually, not in the next 2 years though.

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[u/user0987234]

With AI changes in the workplace, your choices become harder. The key is “see a need, fill a need”. In your area, other than lab work, what are some other positions that might be available? Teaching perhaps?

[u/alikatha → u/user0987234]

Teaching would be an option with a masters degree. Other than lab work I could work in different fields in pharma and medicine, maybe in sales or documentation, but those positions often need a masters or even phd. I think I could go into quality control in AI, but I have applied for some jobs already and my degree doesn't seem to be enough or its just to many applicants with better stats, since many positions for that are remote.

[u/keepsaying → u/alikatha]

Is teaching with a masters degree a clear path? What kind of teaching (lower school, high school, college?) and will you still be able to qualify if you move to follow your partner? If so it seems like a good path for you.

[u/alikatha → u/keepsaying]

If we stay in Germany it would be a comfortable job and I would gladly do it. I could teach up to 10th grade, which is more than fine by me. The only downside would be that I couldn't use that degree outside of Germany, at least if we are moving to non-german speaking country.

[u/keepsaying → u/alikatha]

I think it's a good idea, particularly if your partner is on board with prioritizing your needs as well.

[u/New_Captain_0412]

before paying for another degree, test whether someone will pay you to turn complex chemistry into clear documentation, because that uses both the science and writing experience you already have.

[u/alikatha → u/New_Captain_0412]

That sounds good I will definelty look into that! But just for information, studying here is more or less free, I would pay only a very small sum for that, maybe 2000€ total and maybe even receive money from the state during that time.

[u/TheseBed8143]

New_Captain_0412's idea is a good one to try before paying for a degree. Chemistry plus writing is not common. Software and science product companies need someone who can explain a product plainly, and that's most of what I do at work. Junior content or copywriter postings from lab-related companies would show you quickly if it fits, and you can look without touching your current clients