Anyone change careers?

[petrochemist]

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.

 

[Rickbb]

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

 

[AlanKlein]

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

 

[weepete]

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.

 

[RVT1K]

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.

 

[zombiesniper]

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.

 

[Winona]

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.

 

[RVT1K]

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.

 

[AlanKlein]

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.

Belize sounds warmer than Albany, NY.

 

[RVT1K]

Belize sounds warmer than Albany, NY.

Literally 70 degrees warmer right now.

 

[weepete]

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.

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

 

[Gew]

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

 

[paigew]

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!

 

[Rickbb]

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.

 

[Braineack]

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.