# Anyone change careers?



## Winona (Mar 29, 2020)

So, looking for real life stories as I re-examine my career choice and help my kids choose. Has anyone drastically changed careers? What career did you have and then change to and why? Any regrets? 

I was a veterinary technician and worked at both animal hospitals and a zoo. It was a lot of fun, but very little $. I then went into nursing and became a nurse practitioner. I do like my job and love the $, but my love is still animals and nature and feel I have very little time for either. I hate sitting in an office all day and my back is feeling the effects. Looking to retire early.


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## dxqcanada (Mar 29, 2020)

I started working a a Camera store in my late teens after leaving High School. I never made it to University due to life choices that I erroneously made, so I never did pursue the goals that I had laid out for myself.
I landed a job as a salesperson for a camera store. I worked for that photo company for 10+ years, and eventually made it up the chain to managing one of their prime stores ... but this is not what I liked to do, as I was best (and happiest) in product procurement ... it was the money that made me do it. Anyway, I got tired of managing people so I fired myself ... I told them I wanted to be demoted to a part-time salesperson.
I went back to school part-time to study computer programming ... which was something I was doing at school before all of this (and also was still playing around with at home). I did land a job doing technical support for a network/communication hardware manufacturer ... and I still work for them today (though not doing exactly that job).
Again I did go up the money chain and work for the Sales group, but I am not happy with that ... my best (happiest) skills are in "fixing" things, physical or logical. I am lucky that due to my experience, I do enough work with our Engineering group to keep me staying.
I am too old to change again ... but I would go sideways, if given the opportunity.

An interesting point ... after I started working in Tech Support the camera company offered me a job as their Buyer, which I turned down as it did not pay as much as I was making and also I knew that the end of the "Camera Store" era was over (due to the rise of digital and ecommerce).


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## Original katomi (Mar 29, 2020)

I left school determined not to follow the family tradition of plasterers went into marine engineering making tanks rails for leasure yachts the collapse in the late 70s saw me go into the building trade and yep become 3 rd gen plasterer. Went on to become site manager 80s collapse saw me become humble stores man at well known fridge maker, that folded. Plus lots of odd jobs in between  these finally became school caretaker from which I was retired
So yep a lot of changes, loved some like working with dad and g dad hated others stores man 
took all the different skills into school caretaker, had 20 years of good days hard days wet and cold days but loved the job


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## 480sparky (Mar 29, 2020)

I started out as a photographer.  Got sick of the rat race.  Reinvented myself in the construction trade and have been an electrician for 31 years now.  Now using a camera is a joy, not a job.


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## Original katomi (Mar 29, 2020)

Hiya sparks, I was one of the “nice” chaps that filled all your wall boxes and cut off the tails that you left too long
As a caretaker I did not do gas or electric had to go on a local gov course to get a “ticket” to wire a plug and change a fuse, and  the rule for working out what size fuse to use


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## Winona (Mar 29, 2020)

Interesting stories!


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## Designer (Mar 29, 2020)

Don't do it like I did.  I've had so many different jobs, and changed "careers" more times than I'd like to admit.  Got me exactly nowhere.


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## 480sparky (Mar 29, 2020)

Original katomi said:


> Hiya sparks, I was one of the “nice” chaps that filled all your wall boxes and cut off the tails that you left too long........



I won't tell you what I did to your boxes of screws then.....


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## SquarePeg (Mar 29, 2020)

When I was young I bounced around a lot. Bartender, waitress, RMV clerk(!), office temp, mortgage processor... At age 30 a friend got me a job in a customer service call center at a communications company.  I worked my way up and I’ve been there 25 years.  Went back to school nights and got my degree, which they paid for.  About 10 years ago I started thinking about what do I WANT to do? Mid life crisis maybe?  I really had no idea.  My work is not world changing but the pay and benefits are top notch, the people are great and I work from home.  

Being a single parent, I decided to forego a job that was personally “fulfilling” in favor of financial stability and security for myself and my daughter.  No regrets.  I have plenty of joy in my personal life and from my hobbies.


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## hokies2379 (Mar 29, 2020)

Went from retail to banking. Managed branches for years.  Finally built up enough photography business to match my bank income if I went full time.....that was January 2020.  Unfortunately it appears I'll be going back to banking after two really, really good months.


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## Winona (Apr 11, 2020)

Thanks for all the stories and info. Hokies-sorry about the photography business. Hope it restarts after all this is over.


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## snowbear (Apr 11, 2020)

Serious jobs:  Police Dispatcher -> Police Dispatcher/Clerk (part-time at community college) -> Programmer/Systems Analyst (COBOL, 9-1-1 support, and some PBX work) -> IT Coordinator (account rep for internal government agencies) -> Systems Support manager (9-1-1 again but it didn't work out well) -> Background Investigator (duty assignment) -> Retirement / college student -> GIS Intern (NOAA then local Fire/EMS Department) -> Contracted GIS Developer (Geo-spatial Analyst / Cartographer).

With the exception of NOAA and the ten months at the community college, all have been with the same county government, though different agencies.  I want my next career (I refuse to fully "retire") to be in the visual/fine arts, unless I drop dead while at this job; then I plan to be the office poltergeist.


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## pendennis (Apr 11, 2020)

I started out in accounting.  My first job was with the finance department in a large southern city.  I worked there a couple of years, and then went to work for a major auto manufacturer, also in accounting.  However, I'd had courses in systems, data processing and programming in business college, so I used those skills to practice in accounting systems, a kind of hybrid area.  When we got word in 1982, that all plant accounting would be ended, I took the opportunity to take those skills and accepted a position transitioning from pure mainframe processing to programming accounting applications onto central mainframes, the original "cloud computing".  I then worked on transitioning some of our applications to the personal computer, then a blend of mainframe and personal computing, and finally moving to servers, with mainframes being used less and less.  During our initial transition in 1982, I had the opportunity to visit every assembly plant in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, to gather information on our centralization.

In the end, I did away with my job in accounting and took a position in infrastructure support in IT.  First, I handled server and network administration; then I took on the job of supplying our building's customers with 1400 new PC's, servers, and fiber optic networks; later I moved over to building and site management.  I finally moved into project management, earning my national project managment certification, and ending up in program management, as a manager for world-wide infrastructure projects.  And along the way, the infrastructure management, knowing I had an accounting background, always managed to snag me for special projects, since I was one of the few in IT who could analyze departmental ledgers - Once an accountant...

I really had a great career, and loved everywhere I worked.  The most important thing though, were the people, and the friendships I made over 40 years.


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## Winona (Apr 20, 2020)

Wow-lots of variety. Thanks.


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## Space Face (Dec 13, 2020)

Yes I have too.


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## petrochemist (Dec 13, 2020)

Not quite careers, but I dropped chemistry when I was 14 (shortly before getting the results on the end of year exams).
Three years later I managed to take it up again, doing both O-level & A-level in a year each & I've been studying/working in Chemistry ever since.


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## Rickbb (Dec 13, 2020)

Have reinvented myself several times, will again in a year or 2 when I retire.


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## AlanKlein (Dec 13, 2020)

I changed careers a few years ago.  I went from working to retired.


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## weepete (Dec 15, 2020)

I took a long route for a sideways move. Started of as an apprentice mechanical enginneer in a workshop, finished that, worked a year and left to study at University which didn't work out for me, so I dropped out. Unfortunatley manufacuring is pretty much dead in Scotland unless I wanted to move to Aberdeen and go into the oil industry. I was keen to stay in the central belt as my daughter was young and my partner was progressing her career there.  Eventually I got a job as a leakage technician in the water industry, so I spent 10 years on the ground in a new industry and eventually started working my way up the ladder a little. I'm currently a designer, though my official job title is project engineer but my job is a bit of a mix between site surveying, project management, anaylisis, design and client engagement. It's taken a long time, but I'm finally in the place I want to be in, doing work I find mostly fun and rewarding and in a team I enjoy working with.


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## RVT1K (Dec 16, 2020)

Very early on, I went from machining to electronics. 

A while back ,in Phoenix, I was between electronics jobs and considered joining the fire department. It was that you had to first be a paramedic that stopped me. I would charge into 100 burning buildings before I would drag on mangled body out of a car wreck. I just can't handle that kind of thing. I spend 1/2 the time watching Dr. Pol with my hands over my eyes...

Although I didn't realize it at the time, the only way I could make the money in machining that I do now would have been to go into management. I'm VERY glad I didn't do that.


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## zombiesniper (Dec 17, 2020)

I Started my first real job as a car detailer and audio installation.
It became repetitive and boring so I joined the Navy. I lasted 22 years there. My last posting was as an instructor at the Fire and CBRN (Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear) Academy. I left the Navy pretty quickly in 2012 when I was going to be posted back on the coast in a useless position. Took a month off and had no real idea what I was going to do.

I then took a welding job making Napoleon fireplaces and furnaces. 8 months later I was offered a job working back in the CBRN world. I worked there for the last 7 years. This Oct I was told my position was on the short list for termination by my boss and he wanted to let me know in time so I could get the ball rolling on new employment. He's a great guy and really looks out for his people.

So I quit my job last week and have started this week through the process of getting my Group 1 Senior Radiation Surveyors qualification. I really have no formal civilian qualifications or training for this job but CNL (Canadian Nuclear Laboratories) saw some potential and put me into the program anyhow. With this job I've had to relocate without my family. They will follow in the spring/summer when the housing market picks up and the kids are done school. Staying with friends (may as well be my family) until then. Pretty stressful at times but the doubling of pay will make up for it and I get to stay with me favourite people for a while.

So I would say if you are able to, always go for what you want, not what you need. What you need will always be there. If you don't reach how will you ever know what you can obtain in life.
Best of luck with whatever you choose.


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## Winona (Dec 18, 2020)

Good luck to those starting new careers! Zombie Sniper-sorry you’ve had to move and leave your family! Hope it all works out. I like what you said about the job you need will always be there. 

I have twins in 12th. One is pretty much set on teaching, but has a ton of other interests. I told her today you should start with the more exotic/ hard to imagine job/career since it will be impossible with a family. The other twin is all over the place. She does not want to be in an office, but everything I suggest goes out the window. Lol. I think outdoor recreation would be good for her-have fun for 2 years. I would do it in a heartbeat. 

I like my job-kind of. Good hours, pay and benefits. Good people. Can’t complain. But miss working with animals which is what I used to do. Just had no $ while doing it. I am not passionate with what I’m doing now and it is now owned by a big cooperation. I’m a number.  Hope to partly retire early (10 more years?) and do something I enjoy more.   Or win the lottery.


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## RVT1K (Dec 19, 2020)

Winona said:


> Hope to partly retire early (10 more years?) and do something I enjoy more.   Or win the lottery.



I'm setting myself up for an early retirement. 
I'll be able to hit my IRA and 401k without penalty starting in June 2021. Working an extra 4 years will only get me another $40/month from SSI so...no 
I'm doing work on my house (currently renovating the bathroom) to maximize what I can get for it. We're gonna sell and have something modest (2-bed, 2-bath around 1,000 sq/ft) built in Belize.


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## AlanKlein (Dec 19, 2020)

RVT1K said:


> Winona said:
> 
> 
> > Hope to partly retire early (10 more years?) and do something I enjoy more.   Or win the lottery.
> ...


Belize sounds warmer than Albany, NY.


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## RVT1K (Dec 19, 2020)

AlanKlein said:


> Belize sounds warmer than Albany, NY.




Literally 70 degrees warmer right now.


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## weepete (Dec 20, 2020)

RVT1K said:


> Winona said:
> 
> 
> > Hope to partly retire early (10 more years?) and do something I enjoy more.   Or win the lottery.
> ...



I've not got a retirement plan, other than to work till I drop, .


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## Gew (Dec 21, 2020)

I was in sales for ten years. Now and i am home IT technician instead. Same, but different.


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## paigew (Dec 21, 2020)

Do it! YOLO!!!   I am so happy that I was able to focus energies on growing my photography business, I've been full time for about 6 years now!

For your outdoorsy daugher, what about being a park ranger? she could work at national parks!


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## Rickbb (Dec 21, 2020)

paigew said:


> For your outdoorsy daugher, what about being a park ranger? she could work at national parks!



My daughter looked at that, she has 2 BS degrees and a MS. A park ranger told her there are 7,000 applications for every 1 opening and starting pay is less than a night manager at Micky-D's. She's now a environmental science professor at the local university.


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## Braineack (Jul 7, 2021)

Learn to code, get a clearance, move to NoVA, make six figures.

The demand for cleared jobs is *HUGE* here.  Basically if you can breathe and have a clearance, you can get whatever job you want.  Getting a clearance is easy, and actually doesn't take very long right now (maybe 6-12mo).

I was doing UI Design and I taught myself how to code because I was tired of developers telling me they couldn't do things. 

The biggest downside is that I can't currently work from home due to the clearance level of my work, so I'm happy that I'm only 2.5m from the office.


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## zoey (Jul 20, 2021)

I was into programming, but then quit to get into children's writing, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Now I work for a company where I write content for them. It's been fun times!


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