Careers...something new?

[Mandarine]

Hi everyone!!!

I was just wondering how many of you have ventured into something new and how it went (career wise). I am happy at my current job now but I do plan to start a family at some point (not right now) and would like to have something more flexible and something where I can use mroe creativity!.

I am currently a Manager in a large Financial Company....great benefits, great team, great boss...and I can work from home! I really can''t complain! My background is in Industrial Engineer and my main function is to manage projects.

Anywho. I feel like there has to be more out there. My DH LOVES what he does...I *like* what I do...but I would love to actually LOVE what I do.

So looking for something new while I am content and like my job is a great position to be in...but it also makes me less effective into actually doing something else. There is always something else more time consuming that I feel I need to concentrate on....but it is always in the back of my mind.

I am very crafty, good with computers and love working/helping others. I would love working with children, or working in some sort of design/creative area (I loved teh entire weddign planning and creatign all of our stationary stuff), or maybe even tutoring (kids). I also love cooking and have had all these ideas on things I could sell that are homemade. Everytime I go to a fresh market I wonder if maybe that''s something I should look into (like maybe Mandarine''s special guacamole...or something...lol)

So...have you done it? where did you start? what did you do? do you LOVE it?

M~

 

[Pandora II]

I have done it several times... in fact I have the strangest CV that most people have seen.

The main changes I have done:

Was a Designer in the silk industry designing ties for major luxury brands

Became a Business Manager running an 2 staff office with a 63 million euro/pa turnover producing men's suiting for over 10 countries.

Became Creative Director for a big Italian jewellery company - and then became their diamond and coloured stone buying (sadly having to buy crap)

Became Head of Fundraising for a major political party in the UK.

Also got myself elected as a Politician for my area of London.

Am now planning on changing career again and I'm working on that right now, but in a slow and controlled way this time

, hopefully taking off over the next couple of years.


I love changing jobs - I get bored if I'm not learning new things.

I do tend to switch from very creative to very celebral and back again - I miss designing when I'm not and miss the business side when I'm designing...

Now that I am becoming an old married lady, I would like a career that I am passionate about, that allows me to work from home if we have kids and that can provide me with an income at least equal to my current one.

 

[Haven]

Hey married lady!

I did most of my changing VERY early on after college, so I certainly wasn''t deep into a career at any point, but here''s what I''ve done:

- Worked in the corporate world for an outsourcing firm immediately after college. Hated it. I worked with an actuarial team doing manual calculations, and then discussed our findings with clients. GREAT use of that literature degree, right? But there weren''t many jobs so I was grateful to have that one.
- Left the corporate job after one year to attend law school. Hated it.
- Left law school after one semester to become a teacher. While I was attending graduate school I had many jobs, just to make sure that I actually wanted to teach.
- F/T School administrator for a small private religious school (LOVED it)
- P/T Recreation programs coordinator for a private community center (it was okay)
- P/T Personal Trainer at Bally''s and on my own (LOVED it)
- Adjunct instructor at a community college (LOVED it)
- Teacher in a university program for gifted children (Saturdays only) (LOVE it, still do it)

Basically, I was going to go one of two directions: recreation and fitness or literature and education. In the end I chose education for many of the reasons you discussed. My schedule, though inflexible, works great with children once they''re in school, and I have summers and other school breaks off. And I LOVE teaching, of course. But I really did love the fitness and recreation industry, too. In the end I looked at the long-term benefits of each job and chose education because I want to have a family, and a steady income and teacher''s schedule work well for that.

I was given two great pieces of advice when I was trying to find my next career. 1) Try little bits of work in the industries you''re considering. 2) Don''t look at ANYTHING and try to decide if you can do it for the rest of your life. Instead, try to decide if you can do it for the next five years. A lifetime of fulfillment is a lot of pressure to put on a job.

Of course, I know myself, and I''m nothing if not a dillitente. So one day, probably in the next five years or so, I''m going to be on a search for a new career, too. But I have this little dream I''ve been cooking up with my mother and sisters, and if that works out, we''ll be starting our own enterprise in five years or so, anyway. I love the fact that we live in a world where we don''t need to feel stuck in one career, it''s so liberating.

I often do searches for "cool jobs" or "interesting careers" on google just to see what pops up. There are some really amazing careers out there. If I was better at science I''d try to become a nose for a perfumerie or a flavor maker for Jelly Belly or something.

Good luck, Mandarine. I can''t wait to hear what you find!

 

[Mandarine]

wow Pandora!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is great! You are so courageous!!! I wish I had some of that in me

Besides being open to change (which is already a major strength IMO) you also sound like you are very smart and talented!!!

So did you go to school or did you just make the change and learn as you went?. I think maybe if I take some baby steps towards something (anything( then maybe that would make me see it''s not the end of the world and it is good to take those risks. In my mind, I know it is good and gratifying...but I guess it takes me away from my comfort zone since I enjoy and (if I may say so myself) I''m successful at what I do now. I just don''t have a passion for it.

Every time I hear someone that is doing what the love to do, I just get so happy for them...not everyone gets to do that (some because of financial constraints)....and some do have the chance but don''t take the risk (which I think is where I''m at).

Thanks for sharing your story! I''m very impressed!

M~

 

[Haven]

I should also share my FI''s story.

He went to graduate school to become an Occupational Therapist, but never really felt that the techniques were helping people as well as they could. Then he went to a conference and met a man doing something called Muscle Activation Techniques, which was a newer therapy at the time, and observed a little and was intrigued.

After spending some time learning the theory behind MAT he committed to becoming a certified practitioner. SO, he went through the entire internship, and has been working as an MAT Specialist for over five years now. He LOVES his job, and he works for himself which is a huge bonus, too. (As a teacher I have something like six bosses at any given time!)

So it''s very possible to find something you love. And if you try and realize you just found something new but not something you love, switch again. You''ll get it right eventually.

 

[Sha]

I did both Mass Communications and Psychology at University, but worked in Human Resources/Public Relations for about 5 years after graduating, since it was easier to find a job in that field. I realized after a while that Psychology was what I really wanted to do, so I started my Masters in that field. two years ago. Last year, I also made the career switch from H.R to Counselling. It''s what I always wanted to do so I''m happy...plus the hours are SO much better! That was one of the reason''s behind the switch as well ... my last H.R job was extremely stressful, and the hours were terrible! Counselling is a lot more family-friendly, in that I can organize my own day/set my own appointments etc. The hours are very regular as well - 8.30 - 4.30. And my supervisor believes firmly in work=life balance. So it works out all around! I''m very happy I made the change.

 

[Mandarine]

wow Haven!!!

I am so impressed with you too!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for sharing!!!!!. Reading these things make me want to get up and "just do it!"...haha

I love teaching as well....or I think I would anyway I used to tutor when I was in high school and enjoyed it so much!!. In once looked into a business that involved teaching, cooking and kids!...it was a franchise and required a lot of money, but I loved the idea! all my favorite things in one spot!

Thank you for the tips too!!!...You hit the spot with the 5 year thing. That makes it less "scary"...or intimidating might be the right word.

My sister is moving to my area very soon (from overseas) and she would love to go into some sort of business with me...so that''s also something that excites me. I am thrilled to hear you have something in the works with your family, sounds great!!!

So where should I start?...any tips? I like the google idea. I once started a sheet with a matrix (yep, the engineer at work! lol). Once side of the matrix had what I was good at, and the other once what I loved. Maybe I should take a look at that again...

So for example, I am good at:

Math/Statistics
Project Management
Process Improvement
Working on large projects/organization, etc
Computers

I love:

Cooking
Crafts
Kids
Dogs

Organizing events

So if I could find something where I could take some baby steps that utilizes what I''m good at and is related to something I love...then in my mind, that would be great!!!

Thank you both! I loved reading both your stories and I''m so impressed with you guys!!!

M~

 

[Mandarine]

Sha that sounds great!!! I am happy to hear you also moved to doing what you love!!...that is just so great and it must be so gratifying!!! So you went back to school while you still had your other job? That''s one of the things that worries me, starting a new career where I need to get a full bachelor''s...if I have to work and study I would graduate in 20 years...lol. Ok, not 20, but it will take a while

Thanks for sharing too!!

M~

 

[Haven]

Thanks Mandarine! Really, though, there's nothing to be impressed about--my ex used to call me a Jackass of All Trades because I could never settle on one thing I wanted to do!
I just refuse to spend the majority of my time doing something I don't love, so I can be a bit of a career nomad.

ANYWAY, what you do with your talents and interests? I think you would really love working as a coordinator for an event planning company, or even a fine arts or community center that offers a lot of different classes/experiences. It sounds like you'd be great at organizing events and classes, and then doing some PR and working with clients to drum up business and keep everyone happy.

When I worked for a community center I coordinated the recreational programs, so I was in charge of the swim program and athletic classes, and all of the instructors. It was A LOT to keep organized, and I'd rather be doing the instructing myself, but someone with your management skills would be killer at a job like that.

I'll send more ideas your way as they come!

ETA: An additional benefit to working in a community center type place is that you're a part of a community, so you get to make a lot of great relationships with people.

 

[FrekeChild]

Hmmm...I''m a career changer at 25.

I started out going to the local state school right out of high school, and had no idea what I wanted to do. Once I was knee deep into it, I started researching culinary schools. My parents wouldn''t send me to the one I wanted to go to because it was so expensive and they wanted to make sure that I would stay in it before they sent me there. They were worried because I''d just started going to the liberal arts Uni and wanted to drop out already. So the deal was that I could go to the local culinary arts school and if I finished that, I could go to the big one. So I went to culinary school with the intent of becoming a chef-and this was in the day when the Food Network consisted of only Emeril and Iron Chef and I didn''t watch either. Anyway, I started and then I fell in love with Baking and pastry. The degree had equal coursework in both, so it didn''t change that at all. I graduated with my associates degree.

From there I took off a year to make $$$ to save for the expensive school. So then I went there for Baking and Pastry, got halfway through and figured out that I was getting frustrated and tired with the food industry in general. So I came home and went to work.

Worked for a year doing odd stuff: waiter, assistant manager at Cold Stone, accounting and payroll for a building company, receptionist and office management for a divorce law firm, probably more that I can think of at the moment.

Then I decided to go back to school to be a psychologist or art curator. ''rents didn''t want me to go back to the state school because it was expensive and I had already dropped out once, so I went to the same community college I got my associates from. Finally I transferred to the state school, and thats kind of where I am now...

Only... I''m majoring in Psychology, minoring in Sociology, have nothing to do with art, and am planning on working doing whatever I can do that will make the most money until BF graduates (hopefully FI or DH by then). Where ever he gets a job, I''m planning on starting my own business (maybe something to do with cupcakes!). It just depends on where we move.

Careers I''ve considered/worked towards in the past 7 years:
Chef/pastry chef
Relationship/marriage/Family therapist
Wedding planner
Divorce attorney
Small business owner
Wedding cake maker (Full time)
Interior designer/decorator
Architect
Artist/art curator
Jewelry designer

And if I could, I would totally design shoes, but I think that might take some of the fun out of it. That would probably be my ultimate dream career.

 

[Mandarine]

Thank you Haven!!! Those are great ideas!!!!!

I will start looking into something like that. I also thought about maybe starting an online store...leraning that business and then maybe starting something to do with stationary?. It''s flexible, but I don''t get the connection with people which is also important for me.

Wow Frekechild! that''s major career changes in a very little period of time!!!. Very good!. I guess after I graduated collegue I sort of went into my field and didn''t really think of ever changing it. Now that I''m comfortable in it, I always feel like I want to do something more!. I don''t know that I would back to get a full Bachelor''s right now because I probably wouldn''t finish it before I start a family!...but at 25 you went to find what you love and that''s very impressive!

Now that the wheels are turning I want to move on it...don''t want to be sitting here 6 months from now and still wonder. Maybe I need to set myself mini goals. Just take a little risk with something and see how it goes.

Thank you all for sharing!! ANyone else, feel free to drop a note...I''d love to know what you love doing and how you got there!

M~

 

[KimberlyH]

I earned my B.A. in English from an average state school and realized there wasn''t a whole lot I could do with it. I contemplated teaching, but I really needed to be independent of my parents, which meant it was time for me to get a full time job in the real world. I''ve worked in admin positions in both HR and public affairs. Those positions allowed me a great glimpse into several worlds, none which I was suited for.

The first time I met my husband he told me I was meant to teach. So here I am, three months away from earning my M.Ed with a focus in elementary school ed. There''s a huge budget crisis in the state where I live so I''ll be substituting for at least another year, which means lots of flexibility, but no classroom of my own.

 

[Sha]

Date: 3/25/2008 6:58:05 PM
Author: Mandarine
Sha that sounds great!!! I am happy to hear you also moved to doing what you love!!...that is just so great and it must be so gratifying!!! So you went back to school while you still had your other job? That''s one of the things that worries me, starting a new career where I need to get a full bachelor''s...if I have to work and study I would graduate in 20 years...lol. Ok, not 20, but it will take a while

Thanks for sharing too!!

M~

I''m actually doing the Masters by distance learning. Going to school and holding down a job would be wayyyyy too much for me!! I can barely get anything done right now!!

It is great to love what you do.. I hope you find that something that you really love doing too!

 

[pennquaker09]

I don''t think working for 2 years is considered a career, but after I graduated college, I worked as a Project Manager for a home builder. After working in that capacity for about a year, I took a position as a manager of one of the design centers. However, my original plan was to become a teacher and I ended up leaving my job to attend grad school to get a masters in education. but I''m going to be deferring that for another career, stay at home dad.

Another career that I would possibly like to entertain would be interior design.

 

[Mandarine]

Kimberly, I think I would agree with your husband and you are meant to teach!!! ) Congrats on going for it!!!...and I love your new avatar

Sha, that makes sense...I think it would be to tough for me to do both...specially because I travel a lot with my job...

Penn, CONGRATS!!!...Stay at home dad sounds like a beautiful and gratifying career!!!...Maybe after a while you can go back to school and resume your masters.

I was talking to hubby last night and I he brought a good point. Due to immigration constraints, I *HAD* to work in my fields of work (in order to be eligible for a visa). Now I am finally on the way to become a resident, which means I am free to do something else...I don''t have that constraint holding me back. So I am happy because I built a good career doing what I graduated on...and on the other side I think this is a good time to make some changes, try something new, maybe start something on the side that will hopefully grow and become my career once we decide to have babies

M~

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 3/25/2008 6:28:06 PM
Author: Mandarine
wow Pandora!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That is great! You are so courageous!!! I wish I had some of that in me

Besides being open to change (which is already a major strength IMO) you also sound like you are very smart and talented!!!

So did you go to school or did you just make the change and learn as you went?. I think maybe if I take some baby steps towards something (anything( then maybe that would make me see it''s not the end of the world and it is good to take those risks. In my mind, I know it is good and gratifying...but I guess it takes me away from my comfort zone since I enjoy and (if I may say so myself) I''m successful at what I do now. I just don''t have a passion for it.

Every time I hear someone that is doing what the love to do, I just get so happy for them...not everyone gets to do that (some because of financial constraints)....and some do have the chance but don''t take the risk (which I think is where I''m at).

Thanks for sharing your story! I''m very impressed!

M~

I started out doing a degree in Archaeology and then switched and did a 4 year career in Textiles & Fashion Design.

Textile Design is a very versatile art degree, as you can go in so many directions afterwards - illustration, fashion, product design, graphic design etc etc

I do tend to take a lot of courses - I like to educate myself as much as I can in the next area before I swap. Right now I''m doing my FGA, but I''ve done business management courses, leadership courses, CAD courses etc etc in the past.

I did very academic A levels at school, so that helped with jobs (if you have an art degree, people often treat you as a brainless, talented monkey!)

My father has now given up asking when I''m going to decide what I am going to be - he knows it''s whatever I''m doing at a given point, and probably what I''m thinking I''ll be next. I really feel that since this is the only life I get I am going to cram every possible opportunity into it - I never want to look back at 80 and think I wish I had done x, y, z.

I will admit that it''s actually not the greatest of personality traits to have - I admire people who know what they want to be all their lives and become that. My bipolar disorder means I have a tendency to be very goal driven and always have some fantastical new project on the go. I actually have a signed agreement with my shrink and FI that if I want to do anything new I have to wait for 12 weeks before I can do anything towards it so I can be sure it''s not just some whacko idea.

I''m lucky in that I earn a good salary - but it''s not so good that I can''t change career. If I was some corporate lawyer in the City earning $500k, it would be very hard to suddenly say sod this, I want to be a make-up artist or whatever, when you have to then pay the mortgage.

I am a very passionate person about things I''m interested in and I network a lot - which tends to mean I get the job over people with more experience or more relevant qualifications. Then I learn on the job - which is always 100 times more effective than learning in the classroom anyway.

Basically, skills are skills though and can be applied to any job in any sector within reason - I sew pretty well, but I''m not sure they''d let me be a brain surgeon next week!

I do love to love what I''m doing and to look forward to Monday as much as Friday.

Baby steps are a good idea (she says having learnt from experience), do something on the side to start with and then build it up - you never know where it may lead. I say go for it - you only regret what you don''t do.