Career Change - any advice?

Started by jamus34, July 17, 2018, 04:53:02 PM

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Staggerwing

In my adult life I:

* Went to nursing school (dropped out after 3 1/2 years so no degree)
* Same time as above I also became an ER tech to pay for school
* While also becoming an EMT both full-time paid and also town vollie (burned out on all of it after ten years)
* Worked as a canvasser for Ralph Nader (Really!- though I probably would have gotten more signatures if I had not insisted on wearing my biker jacket all the time)
* Managed several different books stores
* Became an optical fabrication tech, later licensed optician
* Managed several different fabrication labs
* Transferred into ophthalmic sales and dispensing for a major international optical retailer (when my old boss sold his business to them)
* Went to work for an ophthalmologists' office fitting and dispensing optical wares...
    and and a bunch of non-job description stuff like informal IT support and equipment maintenance- always add value, to future proof yourself a little!

Note than none of the above were strategic choices geared toward the whole 'love what you do and you'll never work a day in your life' kind of outcome. They were more or less what I needed to do to get by or to stop and quickly do something else to get by. No happy endings here- I'll be working and working until one day they find my body slumped over my office vertometer.



Vituð ér enn - eða hvat?  -Voluspa

Nothing really rocks and nothing really rolls and nothing's ever worth the cost...

"Don't you look at me that way..." -the Abyss
 
'When searching for a meaningful embrace, sometimes my self respect took second place' -Iggy Pop, Cry for Love

... this will go down on your permanent record... -the Violent Femmes, 'Kiss Off'-

"I'm not just anyone, I'm not just anyone-
I got my time machine, got my 'electronic dream!"
-Sonic Reducer, -Dead Boys

jamus34

So to give some background I've worked in supply chain in what can be considered a fairly specialized field. I'm not really happy with the way things have been going at the place that signs my checks and having been looking elsewhere for quite a while.

I like supply chain work but A) Do not necessarily want to stay in the industry I currently am; B) have had a lot of difficulty getting positive responses on applications; and C) have also been thinking about a career change.

I wouldn't say I'm perfect at what I do or even an expert but I am very good. I've also never been one to be "this is what you owe me" however I have been frustrated by the lack of advancement and opportunities. Even though I wouldn't consider myself a "people person" I'm really good at building professional, respectful relationships with the various entities I work with. I never gone out to someone and been like "what can you do for me" but I've also never had anyone try to pry me away.

I also suck at selling myself, which if some of you have seen some of my other posts in this forum can kind of understand why.

In all honesty I'm creeping up on mid-life and still don't know what I want to do "when I grow up". I have hobbies that I enjoy but I wouldn't necessarily want to do them as a 40/5/365 type deal as then it's no longer a hobby.

One field I'm considering is financial advisement; as I do truly like helping people and I feel that I can use my relationship skills to be able to build that. But it would be a risk and I do have a family to help care for.

Anyway, thanks for the replies. I have about a month but I'm going to start shaking some trees soon and see what falls.
Insert witty comment here.

bayonetbrant

Find a local headhunter/recruiter to talk to. They might have some advice for you
The key to surviving this site is to not say something which ends up as someone's tag line - Steelgrave

"their citizens (all of them counted as such) glorified their mythology of 'rights'...and lost track of their duties. No nation, so constituted, can endure." Robert Heinlein, Starship Troopers

Greybriar

Quote from: jamus34 on July 17, 2018, 04:53:02 PM
Hello fellow Grogs,

I am in the midst of working a job that I really do not care for anymore and am contemplating a career change.

Was wondering if anyone here has gone through it and if they have any specific advice or stories they wish to share.

Thanks for any and all input!

In general, when I was looking for a job that would last me a lifetime, I listed what I wanted out of a job and then tried to find the job that met those criteria. Other than that, the only suggestion I will make is not to quit your old job until you have found a new one.
Regardless of how good a PC game may be it will always have its detractors and no matter how bad a PC game may be it will always have its fans.

Sir Slash

I can honesty say that while I haven't changed careers so much, changing jobs have almost always been an improvement. I start out thinking I am crazy to leave my old job and then about six months in, I wonder why I waited so long. The unknown is a scary bitch sometimes but don't let that stop you from making that change if you need it.
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

BanzaiCat

Jamus, whatever work you're looking into, check and see if there's any support organizations for them.

For me, the ASTD, eLearning Guild, and a few others usually offer local clubs/chapters that can be interacted with. Your line of work or the line of work you're looking into might offer such things, and if they do, I'm willing to bet spending one evening or luncheon would give you a great deal of insight into what you're contemplating.

acctingman

#21
Good luck Jamus

I'm in the same boat. I've been in retail accounting for 13 years and while I'm not "drive into the gully" desperate, I'm truly bored to tears with what I do for a living. I've searched long and hard to find what kind of work I can be passionate about, but I've found nothing that would inspire me. I took up baking a few years ago but just mainly "baking for two" for my wife and I. She's commented several times on how much I look like I enjoy it and take pleasure when someone (mainly her) comments on my scones or pastries. So...there it is. I want to bake. It will be a huge financial hit for us, but we are developing a plan that will take that into account. I think it's all about planning the best you can.

Gusington



слава Україна!

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Silent Disapproval Robot

Don't refuse to make ghey cakes!

acctingman

Quote from: Silent Disapproval Robot on July 23, 2018, 01:14:38 PM
Don't refuse to make ghey cakes!

I don't do cakes. Cakes are too easy. No challenge.

No offense meant to the cake makers here.

Sir Slash

Do you do Buns? I didn't mean that the way it sounded.
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

em2nought

Quote from: trailrunner on July 17, 2018, 09:22:19 PM


I hate my job.

I see reasonably priced liveaboards on craigslist and think about that sometimes.  Do something that my brother always wanted to, but never got to.  :dreamer:
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