I’ve recently turned 25 and I need a way out of my job which is making me completely miserable. I’ve just broken up with my GF cause we’re headed in different directions [She wants to travel and live elsewhere, I want to hook myself up with a career] so I figure now is definately the time to kick my ass in to gear.
I’ve been trying to find a better career for the last year or so with very little success. I was wondering if anyone wants to share their experiences of how they went about changing their line of work, ups and downs and sharing any advice.
I was about your age when I had to change careers from a high-school drop-out machine operator/mechanic helper/grease monkey.
I thought seriously about enlisting but ended up going to college. I started in fine arts and switched to science and ended with a math degree. It took some trial an error to find my aptitude and what I enjoy most while balancing what makes a sensible and income generating career.
What do you enjoy? What are you good at? Hopefully those answers overlap and are useful. Is there someone you admire and you’d like to do what they do?
[quote]HolyMacaroni wrote:
do you have a college degree?
join the army!
even if it’s not to bang-bang. military still needs nerds and supply guys[/quote]
You get to retire after 20 years, right? I have know plenty of guy that do their 20 then another 10 in DoD and double their retirement at a pretty young age. Not bad advice.
I’m in a period of transition myself, and I’d love to give you some free anonymous internet advice.
Go for it.
If you’re miserable now there is no sense in waiting a few years just to make sure. I’ve seen people stagnate for a long time in situations they hate, but for whatever reason they never attempt to change.
Have money.
Because life is expensive, and who knows what your future will hold.
[quote]biglifter wrote: #1 Figure out what you like to do
#2 Do it[/quote]
I’d like to sit home, masturbate to scat porn, while eating nothing but sherbert. Preferably orange, but i’m open to the other flavors as well.
I don’t think my wife would be supportive of my newfound career choice.
Fuck her. I deserve to be happy, right?[/quote]
You sure do.[/quote]
Unfortunately for you guys this world is much too sexist for you to get away with that and have your woman pay the bills. If you’re gay and hot you might be able to work that. Otherwise, not recommended!
Also, what you love to do might not be so much fun as a job. Be realistic. IE) just because you love kayaking, doesn’t mean leading obnoxious Europeans on trips where you pick up their toilet paper and cook for them would not necessarily be fun.
[quote]biglifter wrote: #1 Figure out what you like to do
#2 Do it[/quote]
I’d like to sit home, masturbate to scat porn, while eating nothing but sherbert. Preferably orange, but i’m open to the other flavors as well.
I don’t think my wife would be supportive of my newfound career choice.
Fuck her. I deserve to be happy, right?[/quote]
You sure do.[/quote]
Unfortunately for you guys this world is much too sexist for you to get away with that and have your woman pay the bills. If you’re gay and hot you might be able to work that. Otherwise, not recommended!
Also, what you love to do might not be so much fun as a job. Be realistic. IE) just because you love kayaking, doesn’t mean leading obnoxious Europeans on trips where you pick up their toilet paper and cook for them would not necessarily be fun.[/quote]
And that’s why I said what you LIKE to do. That broadens the scope of potential careers. Also, the topic concerns finding a career, so listing dumb shit that produces zero income doesn’t quite count.
[quote]miloofcroton wrote:
3. Don’t join the Army.
That shit sucks.
[/quote]
the army is what you make of it. no one is going to sit there and hold your hand, but if you’re smart and informed about shit you can get set up pretty well.
I feel the same way about my career. I just got a degree in Kinesiology and was planning on being a personal trainer and maybe more, but got sidetracked shortly after with an illness and disability that might not let me pursue that career. I just went back to work at a grocery store only making $14 an hour and know I don’t want to do this. Honestly I really don’t know what i’m going to do.
OP, in case you haven’t noticed, we are in a recession. Be THANKFUL you have a job…
If you can’t stand it, try to learn a trade. Plumbing, electrical, steam fitting, elevator work, etc… Those are the highest paying trades. Duct work, sprinkler work and carpentry generally don’t pay as much.
You could get into a fast track nursing program and be out in three years, that’s good money.
The Military is a good alternative as well.
With out any data from you, that’s all I got.
I switched from being an electrician to being a loan officer and made enough money to invest and start a few businesses. That opportunity is GONE. The new laws and lending practices are fucking ridiculous. I got in at the beginning of the bubble and rode it out while not being stupid. I’m not even sure how long I’ll continue to do loans with the new regulatory changes coming in April.
I’m not sure what the next bubble is going to be. A year ago, I would have said renewable energy. I even started a renewable energy company. But the business model was based on the the government actually following through on the incentives they promised, which they didn’t. So I sold my interest to my partners. They are in chapter 11 right now with a bunch of inventory they can’t sell.
Be patient and don’t jump the gun. Try and see the good things about the job you have. Things will loosen up eventually. Unless you have a rock solid opportunity, you’d be foolish to switch now. With changing careers, as with ANY aspect of business, TIMING is everything.
It’s pretty hard to find something that you’ll enjoy for a LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
I was a high-school drop-out at age 15. I took whatever job I could get at the time, which turned out to be a baking apprenticeship. As soon as became qualified things started to get extremely boring.
Since that time I’ve had many jobs, including: Retail store manager, sales rep, carpenter/building contractor, and law enforcement officer (current).
Some of these jobs made me extremely good money, but that was never enough to keep me doing something that I didn’t enjoy.
I love my job right now and can see myself doing it for 20+ years. Now it’s kind of middle-of the-road as far as money is concerned, but that doesn’t matter because I love going to work every day. Just keep in mind that no matter what you do, there will always be periods where things will be hard or stressful. Don’t give up too soon.
