txblondie 0 #26 July 29, 2003 A career? God, I'm still working on that one. The biggest problem is, as a child, I had the oh so realistic goal of becoming a rich and famous author, perhaps the next Mary Higgins Clark. I was so set on it that I never really got involved in anything else that might have been more practical. The job (NOT career) that I have now is chosen due to convenience, comfort, pay, and benefits. Now, my company is sending me back to school to get certified as a CAD operator, and I really enjoy it, so I think my future is in AutoCAD and CAD programming. How long did it take me to decide that? Well, I'm 23, so about 18 years, I'd say! ***************************************** Blondes do have more fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nuke 0 #27 July 29, 2003 I'm 30 and I'm not dedicated yet. Got myslef a degree though. /M Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kevin922 0 #28 July 29, 2003 I'm a firm believer in doing something you enjoy over money.. if you can have both then awesome! I really enjoy EMS work but I have been working in computers (and really enjoy computers as well) for the past 8 years - I took a job as a part time EMT on an ambulance (which paid less than bagging groceries if I recall correctly) when I was still living in Mississippi, it was great! Able to do one love and get paid decent for it, and was able to do a second love and not worry about the money but just have fun. I don't know what your passions are, but i would strongly advise against going the "oh that profession pays well I'll do it" route. Being a doctor pays great, but I am so not about to go that route.. i hate school. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dragon2 0 #29 July 29, 2003 QuoteAnd, how did you decide? Was it $$ based? Based on what you really wanted to do? I went to university for a while, studying biologie. Never really thought about it, cause I always had animals and stuff this seemed logical. I didn't like the study much tho, and after I found out that my chances of a job after graduation (4 years, by then 5 for me) were like 4%, and after post-graduation (at least another 6 or 7 years for me) the chances would grow to like 24% but the most likely job then, was looking for oil (WTF??), I threw in the towel. Also at that point my boyfriend threw me out, so I didn't have a home, didn't have a job (my parttime job ended then, too), didn't have money, didn't have a degree, nothing. Okay, time for a radical change. Went home to my parents, and looked in the phonebook for computer courses. Computer stuff always was my other hobby, I programmed my first tiny program when I was eight. Anyway the first company I called needed a guinea pig, for this new course. It's a course for university-level people to turn them into programmers. It's free, provided you work for them at least a year for a standard wage, to pay it off. The course was new, I was the first student they ever had who didn't have a finished degree (but I did pass their tests), and AFAIK I'm still the only female there. Course took 3 months, after that I got placed at an insurance company for the year, and I started working for that insurance company after that, and I still work there. ciel bleu, Saskia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlueEyedMonster 0 #30 July 29, 2003 When I grow up, I'm gonna have a real job. But I have 70 years to go before I grow up. I have no degree, I am a contractor working with computers/people. This is my 4th career path. You don't have to decide. Get your degree in something that is flexible, and keep career hopping til you find one you like! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lizzieb 0 #31 July 29, 2003 well...i'm a young one and only started my "career" 2 years ago...but here is my story so far: went to college and spent the first year taking a mix of classes. i was going to be a psych major, then econ, then biology, the italian, then art history...then finally took an engineering class that i *really* liked...as in i wanted to attend each class. and let me tell you, wanting to attend a class was a novel idea for me my freshman year of college. got into the engineering thing and knew that it was something that a) i liked and b) something that i could earn a living doing. when graduation time came, the dot.com boom had just ended and jobs were getting hard to find. all of the dreams i had of "cool" start-up jobs were vanishing quickly, so i sucked it up and applied to a large aerospace/defense company. low and behold i got the job, and even more amazingly really liked it. i NEVER thought that i would be working in this industry, but i have learned a TON of cool things and continue to learn new things every day. that is why i like my job and will continue in this career as long as i am still learning... so basically, i don't know if i really chose my career...it was a result of getting rejected from all the "cool" jobs i thought i really wanted. the best part is that when all was said and done, i ended up with a job way cooler then all the ones i originally applied for. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
geanky 0 #32 July 29, 2003 inspiring...sounds like the path i hope to take learn to fly in 3d Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #33 July 29, 2003 Career? what Career? i do what ever i enjoy that pays the bills, when i stop enjoying it (or it stops paying the bills) i do something else... you are what you do with your attention & your time, not what you job title says you are...____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whocares 0 #34 July 29, 2003 I was thinking about a career change. Leave my wife and 4 kids; attend a gay high school in NY and sell balloons on the street corner with my pet squirrel. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
sam69 0 #35 July 29, 2003 QuoteCareer? what Career? i do what ever i enjoy that pays the bills, when i stop enjoying it (or it stops paying the bills) i do something else... you are what you do with your attention & your time, not what you job title says you are... have to agree with that 1!!! hey you only live once!!! been a lab tech for 2 years and just found out that we will probably be made redundant next year and i dont have a clue what im going to do, jumping at as many dz's round the world has my vote at the moment!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites BlueEyedMonster 0 #36 July 29, 2003 QuoteCareer? what Career? i do what ever i enjoy that pays the bills, when i stop enjoying it (or it stops paying the bills) i do something else... You better not be a hooker then. Cause that would really suck if you stopped enjoying sex. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Zenister 0 #37 July 29, 2003 actually i dont think i could be a hooker (professionally), since you then have no say over who/when you have sex because you have bills to pay... i'm having the same sort of ambivalence about becoming a skydiving professional, i would hate to see something i love doing become 'just a job'.____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites GARYC24 3 #38 July 29, 2003 QuoteI was thinking about a career change. Leave my wife and 4 kids; attend a gay high school in NY and sell balloons on the street corner with my pet squirrel. hahahah...you're nuttier than a squirrel turd! har har! I thought I wanted a career but decided all I really wanted was a 'paycheck'! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites LadySkyDIve 0 #39 July 29, 2003 I was lost when I went to college so after graduation I ended up going into HR like my dad. It's done me well salary and benefits wise, but I can't stand the field anymore. There's no way I can do this type of work for another 18 years until retirement. So, after 17 years in HR, at the age of 38 I'm quitting my job and going back to school full-time to learn a new field (which believe it or not is accounting/finance). This is a big deal for me because when I finish the program, I'll be close to 40 and looking for a new job in a new field. But, the old field is no longer an option so I have to move on or suffer. Before making this major decision, however, I worked one-on-one with a career coach, did all the vocational testing, and conducted informational interviews in the field. And now I'm really, really excited! Nowadays people may work in several different fields. So, what you choose now might not be what you end up doing for life. My only advice from someone who is making moves to change career fields, is to save money so that you have options if you decide to change. I've been trapped for 9 years because I could not financially afford to make a change. Now I can. Best wishes to you!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites SkydiveNFlorida 0 #40 July 29, 2003 Wow! You all are great! I never really expected so many replies:) I read them all, and some really great advice was given. Honestly, I do not think i'm going to go into Pharmacy. I just can't picture myself doing that. It doesn't interest me, so why bother. There are so many things I like, i'm going to try to figure a way into something else. Maybe even take some courses just to find out if I like things:) Divaskychick, You need to write an autobiography! Awesome life! I don't seem to meet a lot of people, but i'm starting to do more things, and so maybe that will change for me. You sure have had an amazing life! Sunman, that rocks. I could so see myself skydiving and scuba diving forever! That is too cool! My gf is going to go for her PADI soon, i'm thinking of joining her... thing is, there's this skydiving devil on my shoulder who wants all of my $$ and time. haha! Feuergrom, that's really cool. I'm just gonna keep my eyes open like you say. Matter of fact, I love spa days, my girlfriends and I do pedicures and such on each other, it's a lot of fun! I've been giving massages since I was like 7. Guess you never know where you'll end up. Hmm, so, where to go from here? Not into Pharmacy, I think i've answered that. I really like marine life, and i've always wanted to discover some cool thing in the ocean or in plants that helps cure some disease or something. That would rock! I also like surgery. I find myself watching the surgery channel (when I had cable) all the time! I could possibly become a physicians assistant, I think they get to work in surgery. I love speaking in public, that is something else to look into. Why can't I be Eric Borneman? ! This has been a very inspiring thread for me. Thanks to everyone for their help and contributions! Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Prev 1 2 Next Page 2 of 2 Join the conversation You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible. Reply to this topic... × Pasted as rich text. Paste as plain text instead Only 75 emoji are allowed. × Your link has been automatically embedded. Display as a link instead × Your previous content has been restored. Clear editor × You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL. 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BlueEyedMonster 0 #36 July 29, 2003 QuoteCareer? what Career? i do what ever i enjoy that pays the bills, when i stop enjoying it (or it stops paying the bills) i do something else... You better not be a hooker then. Cause that would really suck if you stopped enjoying sex. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zenister 0 #37 July 29, 2003 actually i dont think i could be a hooker (professionally), since you then have no say over who/when you have sex because you have bills to pay... i'm having the same sort of ambivalence about becoming a skydiving professional, i would hate to see something i love doing become 'just a job'.____________________________________ Those who fail to learn from the past are simply Doomed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GARYC24 3 #38 July 29, 2003 QuoteI was thinking about a career change. Leave my wife and 4 kids; attend a gay high school in NY and sell balloons on the street corner with my pet squirrel. hahahah...you're nuttier than a squirrel turd! har har! I thought I wanted a career but decided all I really wanted was a 'paycheck'! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LadySkyDIve 0 #39 July 29, 2003 I was lost when I went to college so after graduation I ended up going into HR like my dad. It's done me well salary and benefits wise, but I can't stand the field anymore. There's no way I can do this type of work for another 18 years until retirement. So, after 17 years in HR, at the age of 38 I'm quitting my job and going back to school full-time to learn a new field (which believe it or not is accounting/finance). This is a big deal for me because when I finish the program, I'll be close to 40 and looking for a new job in a new field. But, the old field is no longer an option so I have to move on or suffer. Before making this major decision, however, I worked one-on-one with a career coach, did all the vocational testing, and conducted informational interviews in the field. And now I'm really, really excited! Nowadays people may work in several different fields. So, what you choose now might not be what you end up doing for life. My only advice from someone who is making moves to change career fields, is to save money so that you have options if you decide to change. I've been trapped for 9 years because I could not financially afford to make a change. Now I can. Best wishes to you!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkydiveNFlorida 0 #40 July 29, 2003 Wow! You all are great! I never really expected so many replies:) I read them all, and some really great advice was given. Honestly, I do not think i'm going to go into Pharmacy. I just can't picture myself doing that. It doesn't interest me, so why bother. There are so many things I like, i'm going to try to figure a way into something else. Maybe even take some courses just to find out if I like things:) Divaskychick, You need to write an autobiography! Awesome life! I don't seem to meet a lot of people, but i'm starting to do more things, and so maybe that will change for me. You sure have had an amazing life! Sunman, that rocks. I could so see myself skydiving and scuba diving forever! That is too cool! My gf is going to go for her PADI soon, i'm thinking of joining her... thing is, there's this skydiving devil on my shoulder who wants all of my $$ and time. haha! Feuergrom, that's really cool. I'm just gonna keep my eyes open like you say. Matter of fact, I love spa days, my girlfriends and I do pedicures and such on each other, it's a lot of fun! I've been giving massages since I was like 7. Guess you never know where you'll end up. Hmm, so, where to go from here? Not into Pharmacy, I think i've answered that. I really like marine life, and i've always wanted to discover some cool thing in the ocean or in plants that helps cure some disease or something. That would rock! I also like surgery. I find myself watching the surgery channel (when I had cable) all the time! I could possibly become a physicians assistant, I think they get to work in surgery. I love speaking in public, that is something else to look into. Why can't I be Eric Borneman? ! This has been a very inspiring thread for me. Thanks to everyone for their help and contributions! Angela. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
