re: Need some advice on a career change

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Do you want an analyst-type position?


I would probably be interested in something along those lines.

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I feel like I have the intellectual power to do so much more than is currently required or ever would be required in my current path.

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Then I have a couple of suggestions for you.

First, if you are making $85K I'd think long and hard about going to grad school unless it's a night/weekend "executive" program. That might be right up your alley. The cost of going full-time for two years is basically prohibitive.

A possibility to consider is some of the executive ed programs done (mostly) remotely. For example, Harvard has some certificate programs where you only need to be there for a semester. There's a purely online offering in quantitative finance out there that advertises in the Economist from time to time. Economist has lots of executive ed ads, you may want to buy an issue and check some of them out. Keep in mind that a "certificate" from MIT that involves 5-10 courses may serve your purpose as well as a master's.

But whatever you do, consider of course how to leverage it and transition into something that makes more money. A lot of people go into grad school as a way to "find themselves" and that is generally a waste of time. If you go in with a specific purpose you can probably leverage your sales experience when you get out and do pretty well.

Without knowing anything else about you I think you are well-suited to do the executive ed certificate route if you position yourself in front of other employers. Retail sales is admittedly boring.