Career hindsight - What would you have done?

[ElectricSoup]

I'd get plastic surgery, a personality transplant and marry some money.

[rastapasta]

I'd have stuck to my guns, stayed away from the sauce and became a National Hunt Jockey.

[toppstuff]

OP - if you want to be a pilot then do it !

There is a considerable shortage of commercial aviation pilots globally.

If I was in my 20s and knowing what I know now I would go after being a pilot with determination. It is a great job with great prospects and opportunities. Do a few years and work your way up then cross over to airline management or finance and leasing. Good money and lots of options present themselves.

[Muzzer79]

I don't regret the career path I've chosen - it suits me, the benefits are good and I enjoy it most of the time.

I would however have pushed for more diversity in my time. It's a big company and I should have explored more of it.

I thought about a move abroad at one point, I guess I regret not pursuing that a bit more as it would have been great experience.

But, I'm a firm believer that the choices I've made have led to the happy life I have now, so I'll not regret those choices.

[Cass63]

Looking back I should have tried harder at school. I skived and messed about far too much. I was always good working with my hands and got into the motor trade as a mechanic, still doing it now but in my own little workshop.
It’s payed for 2 houses and 5 kids.
music would be my vocation of choice, sound engineer or that type of role.
All these years on I’ve found out my maths especially mental maths is pretty good, if I’d have used that knowledge while at school I’d have had a much better career path
Heh ho.

[Steve91]

Walked out of an electrician apprenticeship to go and work in a machine shop because it was a few miles closer and was slightly better money.

8 years later I'm still in the machine shop on 28k, and the other apprentice I was with is now self employed and earning bank.

[oldbanger]

ElectricSoup said:

I'd get plastic surgery, a personality transplant and marry some money.

Lol I should probably have dove this too

For me, I got pushed down a route (being a doctor) and even once I transferred out of med school I kept on trying to be a doctor (academic) without really thinking why it mattered, or examining if I actually enjoyed what I was doing

In reality I should have travelled a lot more and got into my current line of work early on (not the IT project stuff but data analytics)

At 23 you are young yet. Your cerebral cortex won’t even be fully formed for another couple of years and you have plenty of time to change careers. I am on my 3rd or possibly 4th career now, and keep an open mind on where I might go next

Also I should have totally avoided my first marriage. What a disaster that was.

Edited by oldbanger on Saturday 24th November 00:41

[227bhp]

A fireman. Flapped a hose around a bit, played some pool, done a bit of keep fit whilst getting paid, pulled some cats from trees etc and probably could have retired by now on £30K PA or whatever.

[RDMcG]

In hindsight it was all great - still is. Made endless mistakes, but have loved the whole thing. At 70 am doing exactly the work I love at this stage.....been a blast. Just keep going
.

[caelite]

I'm 24, I wouldn't have spent as much time fannying about, done wage slave work for several years after school, went to college and changed courses twice. One of the changes I like to think I could blame on bad advice, the other was all me. Hitting that stage in life that it feels like my idleness is having me left behind somewhat, wish I had focused myself sooner. Still not 100% sure on what I'm doing going forward.

[silent ninja]

I would have been less afraid and been bolder in my choices. You're indoctrinated in school to follow rigid paths, to be compliant. In reality, testing your limits, experimenting with new avenues, really establishing a good circle of friends and associates that you can talk to, are much more important to navigating through life.

Today it's more important to be adaptable and agile Vs planning

[anonymous-user]

Focussed on music and made thst my career.

I wouldn't have been rich but I wouldn't have had 35 years in a job I hated.

On the other side if the coin the job I hated I was good at so managed to get out at 56 and now doing the job I really love - stopping the sofa flying away

[g3org3y]

Sycamore said:

Curious as to whether with the benefit of hindsight, what people would like to have done instead.

Dentistry.

[Terzo123]

I'd probably still be in the same job, but instead of wasting 4 years at Uni, I wish I had joined the RAF or Navy, learned a trade and seen a bit of the world.

[renmure]

silent ninja said:

I would have been less afraid and been bolder in my choices. You're indoctrinated in school to follow rigid paths, to be compliant. In reality, testing your limits, experimenting with new avenues, really establishing a good circle of friends and associates that you can talk to, are much more important to navigating through life.

Today it's more important to be adaptable and agile Vs planning

Totally agree.

Personally I’ve never really had a plan and have done well enough drifting along from one thing to another, whether that be university courses or professional work, that I couldn’t really say what I might have done differently.

However it’s only with experience (and unfortunately age I guess) that I want to scream “just do it.. give it a go!” when threads pop up with folk wondering whether it’s too late to go down a different career path or follow a dream in their early 20s or mid 30s or late 40s.

[OldGermanHeaps]

I would have went self employed much sooner, and also been quicker to dismiss bad employees.

[boxst]

I like my job very much, and it has served me well both from a goals and monetary perspective.

However, just a little bit of me would like to have been a doctor. To be able to help people and understand a bit more about the interrelationship of environment, food and health. This has been at the forefront of my mind recently as my daughter started her medical degree in September, so I get to hear about everything she is doing.

[HoHoHo]

At 5 I wanted to be a pilot and I sent a letter to BOAC telling them. They said come back when you’re 18.

At 12 I wanted to be a pilot

At 15 I wanted to be a pilot.

At 16 I found out girls were far more fun than studying so I went down that route.

At 20 I got my first ‘proper’ job, by 23 thought to 28 I was incredibly successful as a salesman for a German computer manager and by 33 I was a sales manager for a large (ish) printing firm.

At 33 I still wanted to be a pilot.

At 33 and 1/3rd I started my own firm and I’m now 55. I’ve been very lucky and have a great life with limited financial worries, possibly nit the same situation I would find myself in had I actually learnt to fly?

I still want to be a pilot and regret not taking my education seriously enough to be able to drive a plane. Interestingly I have many friends who are pilots, quite a few in very senior positions with BA, Virgin or EasyJet and they earn pretty good money, however they all want to be me and have my life. They suggest it’s not as it used to be and to be honest, well it’s all a bit meh these days. I’m sitting here in a descent hotel in Dubai by the pool having worked a long day yesterday (17 hours) but having two days either side in the sun (well, chucking it down rain this morning!), so life is pretty good, no life is bloody brilliant.

But I still want to be a pilot.....that said, obviously not enough to actually want to work for it but I’d say to you - go for it. If you’re prepared to work hard and have a life where days merge into one another and you’re up early and finish late, deal with typical passengers who believe you owe them something and are rude to your crew. Calm down drunk yobs and chavs on their way to Vegas or Malaga, it’s just the ticket.

Sounds like a bit of a st job.....but I’d still like to give it a go.

That said, my rum and coke is getting a bit warm so I might have a slurp and reconsider my thoughts.....

[slow_poke]

HoHoHo said:

At 5 I wanted to be a pilot and I sent a letter to BOAC telling them. They said come back when you’re 18.

At 12 I wanted to be a pilot

At 15 I wanted to be a pilot.

At 16 I found out girls were far more fun than studying so I went down that route.

At 20 I got my first ‘proper’ job, by 23 thought to 28 I was incredibly successful as a salesman for a German computer manager and by 33 I was a sales manager for a large (ish) printing firm.

At 33 I still wanted to be a pilot.

At 33 and 1/3rd I started my own firm and I’m now 55. I’ve been very lucky and have a great life with limited financial worries, possibly nit the same situation I would find myself in had I actually learnt to fly?

I still want to be a pilot and regret not taking my education seriously enough to be able to drive a plane. Interestingly I have many friends who are pilots, quite a few in very senior positions with BA, Virgin or EasyJet and they earn pretty good money, however they all want to be me and have my life. They suggest it’s not as it used to be and to be honest, well it’s all a bit meh these days. I’m sitting here in a descent hotel in Dubai by the pool having worked a long day yesterday (17 hours) but having two days either side in the sun (well, chucking it down rain this morning!), so life is pretty good, no life is bloody brilliant.

But I still want to be a pilot.....that said, obviously not enough to actually want to work for it but I’d say to you - go for it. If you’re prepared to work hard and have a life where days merge into one another and you’re up early and finish late, deal with typical passengers who believe you owe them something and are rude to your crew. Calm down drunk yobs and chavs on their way to Vegas or Malaga, it’s just the ticket.

Sounds like a bit of a st job.....but I’d still like to give it a go.

That said, my rum and coke is getting a bit warm so I might have a slurp and reconsider my thoughts.....

Are you a pilot? I mean, Fly your own plane for fun type, not commercial?

If not, why not?

[HoHoHo]

slow_poke said:

HoHoHo said:

At 5 I wanted to be a pilot and I sent a letter to BOAC telling them. They said come back when you’re 18.

At 12 I wanted to be a pilot

At 15 I wanted to be a pilot.

At 16 I found out girls were far more fun than studying so I went down that route.

At 20 I got my first ‘proper’ job, by 23 thought to 28 I was incredibly successful as a salesman for a German computer manager and by 33 I was a sales manager for a large (ish) printing firm.

At 33 I still wanted to be a pilot.

At 33 and 1/3rd I started my own firm and I’m now 55. I’ve been very lucky and have a great life with limited financial worries, possibly nit the same situation I would find myself in had I actually learnt to fly?

I still want to be a pilot and regret not taking my education seriously enough to be able to drive a plane. Interestingly I have many friends who are pilots, quite a few in very senior positions with BA, Virgin or EasyJet and they earn pretty good money, however they all want to be me and have my life. They suggest it’s not as it used to be and to be honest, well it’s all a bit meh these days. I’m sitting here in a descent hotel in Dubai by the pool having worked a long day yesterday (17 hours) but having two days either side in the sun (well, chucking it down rain this morning!), so life is pretty good, no life is bloody brilliant.

But I still want to be a pilot.....that said, obviously not enough to actually want to work for it but I’d say to you - go for it. If you’re prepared to work hard and have a life where days merge into one another and you’re up early and finish late, deal with typical passengers who believe you owe them something and are rude to your crew. Calm down drunk yobs and chavs on their way to Vegas or Malaga, it’s just the ticket.

Sounds like a bit of a st job.....but I’d still like to give it a go.

That said, my rum and coke is getting a bit warm so I might have a slurp and reconsider my thoughts.....

Are you a pilot? I mean, Fly your own plane for fun type, not commercial?

If not, why not?

Business to build and run over the last 22 years, 5 children, other hobbies and up until recently simply not enough time or money to keep it going - getting the license is the easy bit (relatively speaking), keeping it up to date is more difficult.

I have flown and had hands on in various simulators, small piston aircraft and many years ago an hour or two in the jump seat of a 747-200 on the way to Rio.

PPL is on my list to do however every year brings something different, helping children buy houses, weddings and now I’m going to be a grandad

One day, one day...