LA--
My story for background purposes--its a bit long but hopefully it helps.
Growing up I had a fascination with Hotels (this doesn't make any sense to me now but it did then, something about the sights and smells I think) so I actually went to college to get an Assoc Degree in Hotel Rest Mgmt (middlesex county college). While pursuing the degree I took lots of hotel/rest jobs--waiter, barback, bartender, front desk clerk etc. I definately liked hotels better than standalone restaraunts so I stuck with them. About the time I completed the degree I figured out that very few people in the hotel industry make good $$, and most work their as%es off with less than adequate reward. I was also in a committed relationship and talking about marriage so I wanted something a bit more conventional from an hours perspective. I decided I would pursue a different career with something that came easily to me--Accounting (that may not sound easy but it always has been for me--note---I didn't love accounting but it seemed like a way to make a good living doing something I had some talent for.
I got an entry level job at a car dealer doing really basic bookkeeping work (mostly depositing cash from drug dealers from Staten Island who bought throw-away mule cars) and went to school at night at Rutgers to get a BS in accounting. Almost none of my MCC credits counted at RU because of the big difference in majors but I went for it anyway. I hated the car dealer job and moved on to other entry level stuff and was lucky enough to get an accounting clerk job at a reputable, large company---note----it wasn't the degree I had in Hotel/Rest that helped me land this gig it was that I was working towards one in accounting so it isn't always about what you already have accomplished. I ended up being with that company for 5 years in a total of about 5 different positions because of departmental transfers and promotions. In the middle of my time there I landed in a department that did a mix of accounting and computer stuff (they called it financial systems services) and my love for computers and networking was launched (you may be able to see where I'm headed). I became torn because pure accounting was too boring for me and I really liked the computer stuff. I managed to do some of each up until this company closed at the 5 year mark I mentioned which then began my 10+ year financial system/computer infrastructure consulting career. This was a case of a carreer that I didn't know existed which allowed me to use both my skills in accounting and to play with PC's and networks which I loved. There was no way you could have told me when I started with that accounting clerk job that I would catch on with systems and go on to have the career I've had. The---note---here is that sometimes you just can't know what opportunities will present themselves and you just have to go experience things and see.
I'm now the GM for a website company and a small business owner and very happy with how things have worked out for me. You can be too. I suggest that you work in an area that fits your skills because you are more likely to be successful at it. It doesn't have to be what you love as long as you don't hate it. As another poster mentioned, you can always do the things you love as hobbies or in your non-work time. You didn't tell us much about what you are good at but I'm sure you can figure that out.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
