Career Changers -

[VaBusa]

Anyone here been down one road, forever, then walked away when you'd had enough? I know I hear about this mythical reinvention, but seriously, who successfully does it?

Pretty sure I'm there, but the thought of college again, or learning new tricks (that's all do every day anyway) seems insurmountable. I'm in a place with zero direction, zero fulfillment, zero management, you name it, we don't have it anymore.

Why can't people get paid just for sitting around and watching Maury? Oh wait......

 

[RedBull]

Anyone here been down one road,
forever, then walked away when you'd had enough ?

I know I hear about this mythical reinvention,
but seriously, who successfully does it ?

Pretty sure I'm there,
but the thought of college again,
or learning new tricks ( that's all do every day anyway )
seems insurmountable .

I'm in a place with zero direction,
zero fulfillment, zero management,
you name it, we don't have it anymore .

Why can't people get paid
just for sitting around
and watching Maury ?

Oh wait . . . . . .

Worked with chassis building & the RV industry most of my life . . .

Then fuel prices went through the roof above $2 !

Never imagined that happening ?

After the 70's gas crunch .

RetiRed with medical .

It's well worth it .

Red, *<(;{)-

 

[VaBusa]

Believe it or not, I remember the gas crunch and seeing those lines as a kid...

I can't retire...got a senior in high school, another coming up fast, 3 step-kids, concerts to attend.........

 

[busabobh]

It would take a lot of money to get me to watch Maury!!!’

 

[VaBusa]

It would take a lot of money to get me to watch Maury!!!’

I agree with that...just poking fun at those that get the, errrrr, luxury

 

[VIPER]

I totally switched myself. I used to be a 1st grade engineer. I ran boilers and chillers for a living. I did boiler making as well. I got sick and tired of it. Tired of the burns, chemical smells, extreme temp changes and working conditions. I went to school and now i am an IT individual. Around that same time i got a divorce as well. So yes, i did completely remake myself, my family, and my life. It doable, and i am way way happier now.

 

[FlatlandBusa]

I did this 7 years ago. I had been an automotive technician, did it in highschool to help pay for college, gone to school for it, worked professionally at it for 10 years. I got everything on my end lined up to buy a shop that I was the lead tech/shop foreman at,, then the 75 year old owner decided he wanted to wait a few more years before selling. This was after he had made promises that he would sell at a certain date (it was my mistake not getting anything in writing)..

I ended up getting a job driving a coal dozer for the local utilities. It wasn't my first choice but it was a foot in the door. Now 7 years later I have a very unique position and I am responsible for over 800 million in equipment.
It helped to have a supportive spouse through all of it.

 

[Twobrothersbusa]

Jump, you'll never regret leaving a crap job. We got called crazy when I left the Air Force at 10 years in to finish school. Linked In is your friend and the job market is very good right now.

 

[TallTom]

I was in Classified Comm support for my first career. Peace broke out all over and I went to the Space Shuttle program. I was getting pretty burned out of bouncing all over the world by suitcase. So I thought the Shuttle Program would be awesome. It was very boring to me. Left that and started my own company. Sold that and retired young. Divorce ended that. Got a scholarship to med school. Made it thru 2 years and realized I was in over my head. Left that. Was not loving a bad economy and no good jobs. Finally took. COI position in Dallas in a Waste to Energy Company. Finally having fun again. 4 different paths. Better than being in a job I hate and just have to bring thru for years.

They weren't all easy or wonderful transistions. But it is worth doing instead of dying in a job you hate

 

[twotonevert]

I stayed in the same trade, but moved. I know you guys just built a house and have a lot going on, but sometimes you have to relocate.

 

[Twobrothersbusa]

If this isn't a testimony of career changes I don't know what is! Wow!

I was in Classified Comm support for my first career. Peace broke out all over and I went to the Space Shuttle program. I was getting pretty burned out of bouncing all over the world by suitcase. So I thought the Shuttle Program would be awesome. It was very boring to me. Left that and started my own company. Sold that and retired young. Divorce ended that. Got a scholarship to med school. Made it thru 2 years and realized I was in over my head. Left that. Was not loving a bad economy and no good jobs. Finally took. COI position in Dallas in a Waste to Energy Company. Finally having fun again. 4 different paths. Better than being in a job I hate and just have to bring thru for years.

They weren't all easy or wonderful transistions. But it is worth doing instead of dying in a job you hate

 

[Twobrothersbusa]

I remember that was a big change for you at the time. Beautiful view.

I stayed in the same trade, but moved. I know you guys just built a house and have a lot going on, but sometimes you have to relocate. View attachment 1577642

 

[twotonevert]

I remember that was a big change for you at the time. Beautiful view.

It was, and we are still adjusting. However, my youngest son has moved here permanently with us which has made it easier. But, now I am a grandpa, and I dont get to see my new grand baby as much as I would like.

 

[bigoltool]

Spent nearly 25 years building boats, until the recession hit in 08. Layed off, declined relocation. Rode out severance and got into biogas conditioning, that lasted 6 years until the mental midget running the co. ran it right into the ground. Two years in the wilderness (2D) didn't work out, so now I'm back to 3D CAD design work. Just trying to keep myself employable into my sunset years now. Improvise, overcome, adapt!

 

[faseljd]

Spent 30 years of my life as a carpenter, rough framing residential homes . Was a rough job, very labor intensive, if you weren't running someone was yelling at you. Luckily most of those years I was the foreman on the crew. After the housing market busted several years back I spent several years "off grid" so to say just doing remodel side jobs for cash .Then I decided I better get a job with medical benefits ( getting older) and realized that construction wages had lost about 6-8 $ per hour, too much of a drop for a body this old. Plus its getting to where you really need to speak Spanish in the trades nowadays, and I know I can't do that. Well ended up as a Corrections Officer , pay is not great but OK, benefits are really good, and compared to construction work, I feel as though I am stealing money at this job. Plus it will net me a nice retirement .

 

[mabupa]

Anyone here been down one road, forever, then walked away when you'd had enough? I know I hear about this mythical reinvention, but seriously, who successfully does it?

Pretty sure I'm there, but the thought of college again, or learning new tricks (that's all do every day anyway) seems insurmountable. I'm in a place with zero direction, zero fulfillment, zero management, you name it, we don't have it anymore.

Why can't people get paid just for sitting around and watching Maury? Oh wait......

How long have you been doing the same thing vabs? I know I get tired quick of doing the same. I used to jump around a lot. Eventually I found a job with this company and have been here for 9 years. Can’t believe it’s been that long, but it’s a big company and I just keep switching positions every year or 2 with the department to keep things interesting. Lol

 

[busabobh]

40 years as a Union Ironworker, lots of ups and downs, but it’s been good to me.

 

[Mythos]

It depends a lot on your age and if you have kids. If you're over 40, really what else would you go to school for other than IT? If you have a passion for something other than what you're doing, don't bother to pursue it unless there is a big demand. If you don't have kids, you can do what ever you want and you'll be ok.

 

[VaBusa]

How long have you been doing the same thing vabs? I know I get tired quick of doing the same. I used to jump around a lot. Eventually I found a job with this company and have been here for 9 years. Can’t believe it’s been that long, but it’s a big company and I just keep switching positions every year or 2 with the department to keep things interesting. Lol

I've been in the IT field for 20 years now, fell in to it quite by accident after I graduated from college with a business degree. I've learned a lot, but in local gov't, it's all "baptism by fire", hurry up, make this person or dept happy, move on to the next fire. That offers up challenges that keep the job interesting, but changes in recent years have put me in a really odd place, one deep on supporting every software system we have, every flavor of SQL Server from long deprecated to bleeding edge. I'm tasked with dissecting contracts now, budget, fighting vendors, demo after demo when new software is wanted, then never invited to the table to steer solid decisions.

Not really sure how to describe it anymore other than 52-pickup...our IT shop is imploding from the inside, from the top down. But 20 years in, chaos is as I know, and 20 years in, I'm not sure how relevant those skills translate to other jobs. I'm not alone; several of us realize we don't know what it is we do, no time or budget for training, it's all just chaos.

It's hard to see that reality 20 years later. My resume would say "awesome at herding chaos" but I'm not sure that's a skill

 

[VaBusa]

It depends a lot on your age and if you have kids. If you're over 40, really what else would you go to school for other than IT? If you have a passion for something other than what you're doing, don't bother to pursue it unless there is a big demand. If you don't have kids, you can do what ever you want and you'll be ok.

I've got a senior in high school, heading to college, and a freshman, so yeah, that all weighs on me. And I'm 47, so I also know my age counts against me for career moves...I'm just burned out.