If you could change your career

[ByronBlack]

I'm still having issues with my career, really need a change, but can't for the life of me think of a way out or a new career to get into, so in the spirit of that, being nosey, if you could change your career, what would you change it to and why? (woodworking excluded, as that would be an obvious one

 

[davy_owen_88]

I currently build guitars and I love it, I can't really imagine wanting to change careers but since I'm still quite young and I don't have that many bills to pay. All that could change though since its not really a big money earner

I recently did some electrical work around the house and thought to myself 'I could do this - its quite interesting' but becoming registered to certify your own work actually costs you money, not to mention the numerous qualifications you need and the yearly fee just to be 'part of the group' so that idea lost its charm... but if I really needed a new career it would have to be a hands-on sort. I never could see myself sitting behind a computer for a living, I prefer doing that in my spare time :lol:

In all honesty, I just hope I can build up enough of a good-name building guitars before I need the regular income so I can keep doing what I love. There will always be a market for better quality things than you can get mass-produced, I just hope Ibanez don't sort out their quality control issues

 

[chiba]

P-rnstar. 8)

OK, OK, something like a warden in a national park; UK, New Zealand, Canada... pretty much anywhere that's not too hot really.

 

[garywayne]

I had a stint as a Film extra back in the 90s. 8) rubbish hours. I had to travel from Portsmouth to a different part of London every morning to be on site for 7:00 AM to do at least a 12 hour day. That's the bad bit aside. The job itself was brilliant. I had so much fun, and met so many different people, excellent. The pay was good to. I only wish that I could have done it full time.

 

[RogerS]

Air-crash investigator.

I like all aspects regarding flying plus I've an engineering type of brain and like puzzles. The added bonus of maybe identifying the cause and so preventing a similar catastrophe is another plus.

 

[Jorden]

Believe me Roger as an ex BGA Safety Officer visiting many airfields for many years you don't want to be an air accident investigator, it can be very messy. Having said that it was only when a good friend of mine and fellow committee member passed away from an illness that I resigned.

Dennis

 

[Steve Maskery]

BB
You have my sympathies!

I embarked on a career-changing process in 1992. The first part, getting rid of the old career (we did Cat5 cabling and PCs, mainly) was easy. I spent a lot of money and worked my doo-dahs off earning an MBA, and now I find that few people know what an MBA is and even fewer care. 3 years after graduating I'm still job-hunting. Oh, I get interviews, even second interviews, but there are a lot of well-qualified and able people out there and simply not enough quality jobs to go round. Until recently, my friend with whom I did my MBA was operating a machine which squirts jelly into pork pies, but it doesn't give me any satisfaction to know that I'm not alone.

I'm lucky in that I enjoy a nice middle-class lifestyle, despite not earning it. And I'm thoroughly enjoying what I'm doing at the moment. This DVD lark is occupying my every waking moment, but I'm loving it, and wish I'd been doing it 20 years ago!

And a quick plug - for some exciting (to me, at least) news, check out my DVD blog

But to answer your question...

If I had my time again I'd study ophthalmology. I've had two cornea grafts and I'm mega-grateful not only to the donors but to all the eye-professionals who have kept me going these last 30 years. It's too late to do that now, but I am trying to get a job as a General Practice Manager. I can't sell the skills I wish I had, I have to sell the skills I do have. I could do this, given the chance, and it would be a way of putting something back into the NHS from which I have so greatly benefited.

In the meantime, I'll have to be content with being Steve Maskery, Internationally Renowned Woodworking and Media Superstar.

(It sounds better than it really is, I assure you).

 

[Nick W]

I've recently come to the conclusion that what I should have done in life is architecture. But its too late for that now. If only the careers advisor at school hadn't been so blinkered ...

 

[Alf]

Hmm... archivist for the Hawley Collection I think...

Cheers, Alf

 

[Vormulac]

Chief oiler and tweaker for Playboy magazine?

Seriously though, with the little one being six months old now and SWMBO into the unpaid portion of her maternity leave, I am under considerable pressure to find a different job. Being a civil servant, the pay sucks, but there is a degree of flexibility and camaraderie here that I've not experienced in other industries so I'm not exactly over the moon about having to find something else, especially when SWMBO earns three times what I do when she's working!

I guess to answer the question I would love to do something practical like working with wood or possibly as a mechanic, but I don't have the expertise to do either for a living.

V.

 

[wizer]

The term 'Can of Worms' springs to mind Byron. I'll try to keep a lid on it for now

As you know I am in pretty much the same boat as you mate and I just don't know the solution. In an absolute ideal world i'd actually like to do all of my hobbies as a job. It's a bit of a 'Good Life' dream but I'd like to have a small farm whereby I earn a bit of money off the produce, I do a bit of woodworking for money, a little photography and some sort of catering venture. The idea is to do a little of each thing so as nothing becomes a chore. Yes, much like Mr River Cottage. The first problem with his of course is that I am only fully skilled in catering, the other hobbies are still in the (very) fledgling stages. Whilst buying a farm isn't out of our reach, it will be much harder for the missus to take the initial wage drop and as such I can't sell her on the idea just yet. Despite the fact that she is also miserable with her job.

If your talking about re-training or going back and altering my career path. Hmm lots of things interest me now that didn't when I was at school. Unfortunately I left school with no qualifications at all. This was all my fault, however I do feel that back then we was not really encouraged to think about what we want to do with our careers. The options then seemed utterly boring. Either go to uni or get a job in an office. Going to uni, at the time, seemed pointless. I ended up in an office doing IT and i'm still here.

I think I'd find building surveying very interesting but again re-training is just not financially viable at this time of my life. We are getting married next year and then hope to start a family.

I am thinking of doing my GCSE's and A-Levels at night school actually. It seems that, even to further my career in IT, I'm going to need them.

Ok, didn't quite keep the lid on it, but you did ask

 

[woodbloke]

I'm still having issues with my career, really need a change, but can't for the life of me think of a way out or a new career to get into, so in the spirit of that, being nosey, if you could change your career, what would you change it to and why? (woodworking excluded, as that would be an obvious one

Whatever you do, my advice is don't teach - Rob

 

[StevieB]

I have been through this cycle as well. Do I change, do I stick at it and look for promotion etc etc. It can be very depressing and debilitating at times. In the end I applied to be a copper in the Met, sailed through the interviews but then failed the eyesight test (despite an opticians certificate that I met the grade). I also looked at going to medical school (I am a scientist and teach med students) but figured the cost was not worth it for my circumstances at the time. I thus stayed where I was and went hell for leather for a promotion - got it with a job change (still in science) and am now priced out of changing careers forever - couldnt afford to start at the bottom of any other career.

My ideal job though - design draftsman or architect. Wanted to do it ever since school but never had the opportunity to take it any further.

Keep plugging away BB, take as much satisfaction as you can from your hobbies and count the years to retirement! Hope you get sorted soon,

Steve.

 

[ByronBlack]

Hey guy's, thanks for your experiences, i'm quite surprised so many of you are in the same boat, does this say something about our country? I just find almost everything I look into a blocked route unless your an immigrant or benefit seeker (to get all the training) or a young person to get onto the training schemes/work placements. It seems if your a british citizan over the age of 23 you are left out in the cold to battle for yourself.

Steve - Funny you mention being an Optom (optician) That is actually my main career, apart from the few years I spent freelancing as a web developer. It's where I am currently - at Optical Express (no one go there, it's a shambles!!)

For me to study to become an optom would take about 7 years due to me not being able to support myself while fulltime training, I have however started early negotiations with a well known brand to setup a joint venture, as ive been in the industry for nearly 8 years I've got a good set of contacts, BUT i hate the job, so its a no win situation

The missus and I have also currently been looking into franchises, Subway, and iSold it are a couple that have interested us, but again the route is difficult unless you have atleast 30% of the cost upfront in cash.

My other option i'm looking into at the moment is Journalism or professional writing - anyone here done that?

 

[promhandicam]

. . . . especially when SWMBO earns three times what I do when she's working! I guess to answer the question I would love to do something practical like working with wood or possibly as a mechanic, but I don't have the expertise to do either for a living. V.

Stupid question but here goes, why don't you chuck in the day job, let SWMBO go back to her high paying job and, while keeping half an eye on the nipper, get some practical experience in on the woodwork or mechanics?

Steve

 

[Vormulac]

Stupid question but here goes, why don't you chuck in the day job, let SWMBO go back to her high paying job and, while keeping half an eye on the nipper, get some practical experience in on the woodwork or mechanics?

Steve

Not stupid at all, Steve! In many ways the most logical and appropriate solution, but sadly there are other factors at work in our situation, most of which make me want to spit, but it's not something that I can do very much about.

 

[promhandicam]

. . . Funny you mention being an Optom (optician) That is actually my main career . . . . It's where I am currently - at Optical Express

Hi BB.
Is it working as an optomotrist / optician that you hate or the company / environment that you don't like? As I said in a previous post there are plenty of opportunities in the field of low vision / optical services in developing countries that may be more rewarding than what you are doing presently. Just a thought :-k


Steve

 

[RogerS]

Believe me Roger as an ex BGA Safety Officer visiting many airfields for many years you don't want to be an air accident investigator, it can be very messy. Having said that it was only when a good friend of mine and fellow committee member passed away from an illness that I resigned.

Dennis

Hi Dennis, I can understand where you're coming from but that still wouldn't put me off. Even been in two gliding accidents myself....one down to the CFI and the other all by myself

 

[beech1948]

Hi all,

It is both a simple thing and a very difficult thing....to change careers. I have made the change from Teacher of math/science to Local Gov to IT with IBM based in Brussels and then via various IT companies to Product Manager, Marketing Manager, Marketing Director and finally 10 years ago I was made redundant for the second time and said "sod it" to employment and now work for myself as a consultant initially in IT but now in Change Management and Organisational Design as well as an Executive Coach/ NLP Coaching.

I mentioned that merely to give some credibility to what I want to say next.

I have learnt that staying in a job I disliked made me withdrawn and bitter.

I found that changing jobs was moderately easy provided I could show some little credibility and also a lot of bullshit and sheer cheekiness. I am very competitive and I guess it shows. In the last 5 years I have spent about £8k on leaning to become an NLP Coach...damned expensive...but good for my soul and good for other people. After 36 years of work I now seem to be able to enjoy my coaching and change management.

The hard part is to decide "What do you want to do" not in terms of a job title but in terms of what that chosen approach to earning a living will give you back.

So ask two questions, alternately and possible 5 or 6 times.
1) What do I want
2) When I've got it what will I have
Repeat 6 times.

best regards
Alan

 

[Jorden]

Even been in two gliding accidents myself....

That's why your name is familiar to me

I think most of us has had a scrape at one time or another that made us interested in air accidents, I had to land a Puchacz with only half a tail once. I had to read all the accident reports as they came in and comment on them. The vast majority were silly things, a few were pretty nasty and some made us chuckle - like the chap who wrote " I couldn't decide whether the North South runway was landable so I crashed onto it " (from the West)!

Dennis