Anyone changed career?
Discussion
Hello all.
I'm wondering if anyone would care to share stories about changing their career and doing something completely different?
At this moment in time, I am absolutely sick of my job, to the point where it is making me ill. I dread being at work and am utterly fed up.
I want to do something new and completely different. However, I am the sole worker in our house, have a mortgage, a fiancee and a toddler daughter to support. I'm paid ok at the moment, but there has to be more to my career than just waiting for the pay at the end of the month.
Has anyone been in a similar situation and jumped ship? It's something I can't do on a whim, due to my commitments. However, I really cannot stay in my current role for much longer.
Thanks all.
I'm wondering if anyone would care to share stories about changing their career and doing something completely different?
At this moment in time, I am absolutely sick of my job, to the point where it is making me ill. I dread being at work and am utterly fed up.
I want to do something new and completely different. However, I am the sole worker in our house, have a mortgage, a fiancee and a toddler daughter to support. I'm paid ok at the moment, but there has to be more to my career than just waiting for the pay at the end of the month.
Has anyone been in a similar situation and jumped ship? It's something I can't do on a whim, due to my commitments. However, I really cannot stay in my current role for much longer.
Thanks all.
I'd always worked in supermarkets, worked my way up from 9hr a week produce lad up to manager. I was forced to change career as another supermarket took over 'my supermarket' and the new company were (are) disgusting to work for.
I applied to be a train guard, which is safety critical and customer service focused, I did this for 4 years whilst learning what are the attributes needed to be a train driver (as highly competitive to become one), whilst ensuring I 'kept my nose clean' and had a good attitude.
I haven't looked back, took belt tightening at first but I'm now earning way more than I could have in the supermarkets, work less hours, have way better pension and have better perks.
The difficult bit is the shifts and not seeing my family for a week at a time (due to the shifts) then working early shifts and having to go to bed early. My social life has took a kicking, but now I'm older it isn't as important. If I didn't do overtime I would do a 4 day week averaged at 35h pw.
I'd say do it, but, maybe I've been lucky (but you do make your luck too) as originally I had nothing that would have made me a 'pick him' to be a train driver candidate.
All the best in whatever you decide, my supermarket career was making me ill, they gave nil support whatsoever.
I applied to be a train guard, which is safety critical and customer service focused, I did this for 4 years whilst learning what are the attributes needed to be a train driver (as highly competitive to become one), whilst ensuring I 'kept my nose clean' and had a good attitude.
I haven't looked back, took belt tightening at first but I'm now earning way more than I could have in the supermarkets, work less hours, have way better pension and have better perks.
The difficult bit is the shifts and not seeing my family for a week at a time (due to the shifts) then working early shifts and having to go to bed early. My social life has took a kicking, but now I'm older it isn't as important. If I didn't do overtime I would do a 4 day week averaged at 35h pw.
I'd say do it, but, maybe I've been lucky (but you do make your luck too) as originally I had nothing that would have made me a 'pick him' to be a train driver candidate.
All the best in whatever you decide, my supermarket career was making me ill, they gave nil support whatsoever.
Edited by s2rv on Monday 22 February 11:56
Thanks for the responses.
I changed jobs a few years ago as I thought the one I'm in now would be better. It has turned out to be just as bad, but it pays more.
I have to deal with more people directly and I'm the sole person on site. I didn't realise until I got stuck in what this job was about. I'm supposed to have a support network, but that doesn't exist. I've also got an overpowering manager and my company seem to allow abuse.
After thinking about it long and hard (and after breaking down this morning in-front of my fiancee), I've decided that I need to get out. I just need to make sure I have something to get out to as I can't leave my family in the lurch.
I changed jobs a few years ago as I thought the one I'm in now would be better. It has turned out to be just as bad, but it pays more.
I have to deal with more people directly and I'm the sole person on site. I didn't realise until I got stuck in what this job was about. I'm supposed to have a support network, but that doesn't exist. I've also got an overpowering manager and my company seem to allow abuse.
After thinking about it long and hard (and after breaking down this morning in-front of my fiancee), I've decided that I need to get out. I just need to make sure I have something to get out to as I can't leave my family in the lurch.
Went from supermarket management, to car sales, to marketing. I've a mate who went from teaching to train driver. It might be difficult to get into a career completely unrelated, but do a bit of research into the job role and mention what skills you acquired in your current role would be beneficial in your potential new role, if that makes sense?
I worked for a drainage company and was an 'engineering surveyor', which basically involved surveying various aspects of drainage on people properties and I absolutely hated it. Got made redundant and thought it was time for a change. I'm now training to be an accountant and love it 
Sure, I earn a hell of a lot less for the time being, but the wages will catch up and be a lot better in the long run. But, most importantly, I'm actually happy to go to work!!
Sure, I earn a hell of a lot less for the time being, but the wages will catch up and be a lot better in the long run. But, most importantly, I'm actually happy to go to work!!
Changed in my early 30s from 10+ years in sales to financial analysis/journalism and changed again recently in mid 40s.
If you want to then you should - life's too short to work at soemthing you don't enjoy etc. I took a pay cut of around 30% on the first job change but didn't regret it and ended up enjoying it more and making more money than I think I would have previously.
If you want to then you should - life's too short to work at soemthing you don't enjoy etc. I took a pay cut of around 30% on the first job change but didn't regret it and ended up enjoying it more and making more money than I think I would have previously.
I spent 30 years in the Food Industry ending up as Factory manager. Walked out with no job lined up, then took over a Green King tenancy, was there for 18 months separated and left my now ex wife there, spent 12 months fiddling around then set up my own Chauffeur business which I ran for 14 years then retired.
Gave up a decent career in construction 7 years ago aged 26, retrained as a commercial pilot. Very happy with the decision decent pay and a lot of spare time which brought me to this part of the forum looking for a side business, I would make sure its something you enjoy more than anything.
Graphic Designer to Electrical Engineer.
Involved me quitting my job, taking a £20k paycut for 4 years whilst i was at uni.
Fast forward 7 years, now fully qualified, working in a job i thoroughly enjoy, travel the world with and earn far more than I ever would have as a graphic designer.
Was a tight and tough few years but i wouldn't change a thing. (Other than tick the electrical engineering box instead of the graphic design one when i was 17...)
Involved me quitting my job, taking a £20k paycut for 4 years whilst i was at uni.
Fast forward 7 years, now fully qualified, working in a job i thoroughly enjoy, travel the world with and earn far more than I ever would have as a graphic designer.
Was a tight and tough few years but i wouldn't change a thing. (Other than tick the electrical engineering box instead of the graphic design one when i was 17...)
rog007 said:
What do you do now?
What three things make you dislike it?
What would you enjoy doing?
What three things about it make you want to do it?
Are you qualified/competent for this new rolle?
If yes, move now. If not, could you train/get qualified for this new role?
I am an IT manager.What three things make you dislike it?
What would you enjoy doing?
What three things about it make you want to do it?
Are you qualified/competent for this new rolle?
If yes, move now. If not, could you train/get qualified for this new role?
1. I dislike the fact that I'm the only person on site dealing with 70 odd users and devices. Despite calls and recommendations for some help, I'm expected to run things on my own. We utilise a lot of external companies for support and they are terrible. I'm technically in call from 6am to 10pm every working day.
2. I dislike my overbearing manager. He doesn't let me take control of things, he pussy foots around the staff (when I have to be stern and assertive, he takes over and tries to be their friend), and he wants to be involved in everything. It's got to the point where people don't listen to me because of the way he takes over.
3. I'm fed up with the attitudes of people. It's so difficult to get anything done where I work. People are rude and they get so angry if something isn't fixed in literally 1 second. Just a few weeks ago, I was hounded in the toilets because I went for the loo and someone got annoyed that I wasn't at my desk.
I enjoy astronomy and sciences. I would love to work in a role related to that field. I'm also quite interested in engineering and cars. Something along them lines would be good.
Unfortunately, I have spent my life working on and around computers and systems. There isn't much else I'm trained in, so I would have to re-train.
Your reflections match my experience of why people want to leave their jobs, often dissatisfied, bored or angry.
It's mainly the working hours that are affecting them or their spouse because they’re always late home. A really good boss knows that people have lives outside of their work and by respecting that, staff can actually become more not less productive.
The next big reason in my experience why someone leaves is because of their boss, but that’s often a failure in the hiring process whereby the employee didn’t get enough exposure to their boss during the process; always meet the hiring manager at least twice before you say yes to any job offer. Of course, if there’s a history of people leaving, then their boss was the bad hire!
In terms of future roles; I'm sure there will be a number of great ideas put forward by readers of your post. What immediately came to my mind was teaching; there's a desperate shortage in a number of subjects and in a number of areas of England. There is also a lot of help on offer for those interested.
My only other feedback is around your point that you have to be 'stern and assertive' with staff. This is unusual if it is routine. Have you reflected with those staff why this is? Is it really all their fault? Just as you don't like your boss, how do those staff relate to you; have you ever asked them?
Good luck!
Thanks Rog.
Have considered teaching, but never really looked into it in detail.
The 'stern and assertive' comment is a bit strong. I have been given authority to request time and work from people as we are trying to install a new ERP system. However, what has happened is that people haven't listened to me (when I have been trying to setup sessions, training etc), people haven't done the work they are supposed to do, and it has got to a point now where people just do not respond to me or if they do, they respond with large, petty email arguments.
Instead of informing these people that they need to work with me, my manager sends them a grovelling email and then meets with them separately to talk about things. This means that even though he has told me I need to be sorting things out, people now bypass me and basically use me as a punch bag.
I have been banging my head against the wall since last July trying to get things arranged. However, every time I try to do anything, it's either met with ignorance or arguments. These arguments are not genuine things either (like resource, training needs etc.), they are simple examples of people whining because I have dared to ask them to do something.
For instance, I'm trying to arrange a big end to end test next week. I contacted everyone a while ago and stated what we need to do, what they need to bring etc. This was ignored for a week or so. I chased this up yesterday and one person responded with, yet again, more petty arguments. My manager is on leave at the moment, and people know this.
I know that people could say I am the cause of my own problems. They could say that it's me that is the problem, not the staff. However, I have tried so hard to help people as much as I can and I have been treated like poop.
It isn't a nice situation to be in and is compounded by things like support companies taking the pee, lack of help for me on site, being on call at the times I am.
I do believe that my manager should be more assertive towards people and more helpful to me. However, every time something kicks off, he fails to back me up. I have tried to tell him this too.
Have considered teaching, but never really looked into it in detail.
The 'stern and assertive' comment is a bit strong. I have been given authority to request time and work from people as we are trying to install a new ERP system. However, what has happened is that people haven't listened to me (when I have been trying to setup sessions, training etc), people haven't done the work they are supposed to do, and it has got to a point now where people just do not respond to me or if they do, they respond with large, petty email arguments.
Instead of informing these people that they need to work with me, my manager sends them a grovelling email and then meets with them separately to talk about things. This means that even though he has told me I need to be sorting things out, people now bypass me and basically use me as a punch bag.
I have been banging my head against the wall since last July trying to get things arranged. However, every time I try to do anything, it's either met with ignorance or arguments. These arguments are not genuine things either (like resource, training needs etc.), they are simple examples of people whining because I have dared to ask them to do something.
For instance, I'm trying to arrange a big end to end test next week. I contacted everyone a while ago and stated what we need to do, what they need to bring etc. This was ignored for a week or so. I chased this up yesterday and one person responded with, yet again, more petty arguments. My manager is on leave at the moment, and people know this.
I know that people could say I am the cause of my own problems. They could say that it's me that is the problem, not the staff. However, I have tried so hard to help people as much as I can and I have been treated like poop.
It isn't a nice situation to be in and is compounded by things like support companies taking the pee, lack of help for me on site, being on call at the times I am.
I do believe that my manager should be more assertive towards people and more helpful to me. However, every time something kicks off, he fails to back me up. I have tried to tell him this too.
I worked for a large corporate for quite a few years; hated the job and was very unhappy. It was my first job and I had become institutionalised; the thought of leaving terrified me. When my future wife came along she gave me the strength to leave. I went and did something completely different, earning less money but my wife took a part-time job (we also had a toddler at the time…) to make ends meet. I was trained on the job (paralegal).
Changing employers gave me the confidence to take an even bigger step into the unknown, by leaving to start my own business. Some people will say that self-employment is stressful, but for me being ‘in control’ has actually eliminated the stress that I experienced as an employee.
Good luck.
Changing employers gave me the confidence to take an even bigger step into the unknown, by leaving to start my own business. Some people will say that self-employment is stressful, but for me being ‘in control’ has actually eliminated the stress that I experienced as an employee.
Good luck.
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