Are you happy?

I've been going to school full time for the past two years and it's time for me to choose a major. Suddenly I'm faced with the same question I had 16 years ago when I graduated high school, "What do I want to be when I grow up." Sure I can keep doing IT and make good money, but it does nothing to stroke my creative side and frankly I'm tired of doing the same job (IT in the Maritime Industry) for 16 years. So I'm going to go look around an maybe find something new. I'm looking at corporate communications or project management consulting... anything where I don't have to answer stupid questions about e-mail sizes or active directory structures.

How many of you are 100% satisfied with your career path? Am I the only 34 year old that is hitting a mid-life crisis early? Have any of you done a 180 job change?

Personally, that leaf blower guy that I see outside of my office every morning looks like he's got the best job. MP3 player and the great outdoors. Sweet.

(BTW, miss you guys. Haven't played online in about a month of more. Is everyone still in WoW?)

I go through phases where I'm either really happy with my career decisions or go into a throe of depression and wonder if I want to spend the rest of my life between 4 cubicle walls staring at a CRT.

If I could do it all over again I would have been a teacher. I enjoy working with kids and I think I have a real aptitude for teaching.

My problem is that you become trapped in your standard of living. Any radical change in job usually means a radical change in pay-scale (i.e. lower). With a family, house and many bills to pay it's just not economically feasible to quit what I'm doing and go to school to be a teacher where I'd start out making a base teachers salary.

Maybe once the kids college is paid for and the wife is back working full-time I'll have more options.

So, Nuts, yeah, I know where you are coming from.

I am 33 working as a project team lead in the corporate IT industry and feel the same way. The guy with the leaf blower and MP3 player looks like he has it pretty good.

I have been working here for 6 years now. Previously, I was a Movie Theatre Manager and loved my job, but Corporate screwed with me and I got burned out. From what I can tell...no matter what job you have, it is the same crap...different place/day.

It seems the happiest people are those who are in business for themselves. It looks like an aweful lot of work though...assuming you know enough to keep a business afloat. Might be worth looking into if you have the drive to do it.

Personally, I am looking into commercial diving school to be an underwater welder. Does that sound crazy or what? There is about a 3% chance I will actually do it. One thing I do know...no matter what job you end up doing, you will always end up having to answer stupid questions.

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Originally Posted by Vaxschulah

Personally, I am looking into commercial diving school to be an underwater welder. Does that sound crazy or what? There is about a 3% chance I will actually do it. One thing I do know...no matter what job you end up doing, you will always end up having to answer stupid questions.

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Commercial diving pays well from what I hear, but it it's dangerous. Sort of like those crab-fishermen. Hard, dark, cold, and dangerous, but well compensated.

Me, I'd like to own and operate a neighborhood bar. That's about my speed.

I've been happy for a couple of years now. My job with the bank has been the most rewarding in my life. I've learned and have grown so much as a computer tech and application engineer.
In my personal life i've been happy for a while now. Since I started Yoga and lost the bulk of weight a while back. It has made me feel like a new person, and I think god and my family every day.
In about another 8 to 10 years I'll be ready to retire from the computer life and invest in the Pizza place that I've had in my life goal plan since I was in my early 20's. I'm 32 now and I figure I'll be even more mature and ready to start and run my own business when I hit 40.
Whenever I start to worry or feel down I say W.W.S.D. "What Would Squidly Do?" And then I smile and keep on trucking. :)

Im self employed and I still hate my job. I mean its WORK your not suppose to like it.

If I liked it I would probably do more of it and we all know that isnt a good thing.

Do what pays well suck it up and enjoy life outside of work.

Hey Nuts.. been there.

I've been here at the Credit Union now for 11 years. Pretty much right out of college after a 9 month stint with Household Finance. (Ack!)

I've taken several of the routes you've looked at. I'm a member of PMI and looked at Project Management at one time myself. I'm also a member of ACFE (Association of Certified Fraud Examiners) and thought about a career in fighting white collar crime as well. I thought I'd figure it out after I finished my Masters, well I finished that two years ago and that didn't help clear things up either. ;)

Although my job isn't "bad" by any means, I do at times get extremely bored. Yeah, I have alot of friends tell me they wish they were bored at work - but until you've been bored for a few years, you don't realize how bad it is. Although the last 5 months have been extremely busy as I worked on several projects and currently working on opening a new branch. It has actually felt productive which is a nice change.

It's a tough decision. Every since I first decided to go to college when I was 20 - 21 years old (No, I was not ready for college at 18) I've always thought I wanted to be in financial planning, but I've never taken the jump mainly, as Bribo pointed out, the initial financial hurdles. Plus, too many "financial planners" are just sales reps and not truly the designation.

I don't know if I could answer the "what I want to do now" even if I was given the opportunity on a silver platter... outside of being a professional race driver of course. But I've thought about teaching on the side. Unlike Bribo, I'll stick with the older students. I may have an opportunity to teach a graduate MBA class this spring for my current Boss, who has been teaching for like 16 or more years part-time. I have no idea if I will like it or not, but I'd like to give it a shot.

If you figure anything out, please share do share!!

Chemical Engineer here. This is tough question to answer really. I've had some really high times with my job, and some pretty low ones.

MP3-player and leaf blower may look cool, but it's brainless work. I like to think from time to time. Continued growth is heathly, though I'll be the first to admit it's also painful at times.

And yes, every mid-30's person has a lot of life questions they start asking themselves.

Nuts,

Am I 100% satisfied with my career path? No way. Currently I am a research scientist at a small institution and that makes doing the type of research that I like impossible.

However, I am now interviewing for jobs "off the bench" a definite 180 degree change for this lab rat. I find that I am excited about the prospect of using my knowledge in a fresh way.

That being said I don't think I would change the career decisions I have made so far every one has allowed me to grow and change so the path is very different than I imagined it to be but worth it so far.

The good thing about making a career change is that your old skills don't disappear. If you chose to try something else and found it unsatisfactory you still know all about e-mail file sizes and could do that again :)

One of my professors gave me the best advice. You need to look forward to Monday morning. Looking forward to Friday is wonderful too but you have to want to come in on Monday.

As for the leaf blower guy, you'll be bored and frustrated in a week because customer A wants the leaves blown to the left, customer B wants them parted down the center, customer C won't pay but still wants you to do the work......... :)

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Originally Posted by [AK]Nuts

(BTW, miss you guys. Haven't played online in about a month of more. Is everyone still in WoW?)

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I believe so Nuts. I also haven't played online in about a month. Things here seem to have slowed lately and if there are new posts it still all WoW. So I have actually stopped checking here daily and now just check once or twice a week in hopes of death to WoW lol...

As for Jobs, I have had many crazy jobs but the one I hold now as a Conductor for UP railroad I have to say I enjoy allot. I tell my friends all the time that my feet are on the desk and my office window is the country side. I get to see many cool things. I saw it in the paper one day and figured what the hell and applied. Best decision I ever made. It was a big decision as being a environmental consultant payed very well. Now my pay is about the same and I enjoy it much more... Its just scary but you can always go back...

(Play Company of Heroes today, Mac!)

Bribo described my feelings exactly. I'm 28 and there just seems to be a constant ebb and flow of cubicle related melancholy for me. The mid life crisis isn't just for you "old" guys anymore.

Hmm,,, At 45 not sure I can help u guys, since with 2 kids in college (2 more in the wings) there is only one focus. Get the bills paid. Hey ,work is work, playing is playing. Its tough not to be happy with your job since it hits you every single day. Too me its the people I work with that make or break work. Good People makes working easier, Bad people makes work horrible.

Not sure I would change my job at this point, since learning a new skill would be to much Work.... Dont get me wrong, I love learning new things, but not at the expense of reduce pay. I work for pay, I use my pay to play (whats left over). Thou I will admit if you to work at something u like, then work goes by faster, but Work equals work. I do like bribo;s idea of helping people learn and advance, but that can be done outside and inside any job.


Again to me, if u can find a company that veiws u as family, it goes a long way. (I think that is what Self employeed folks get and want)

2 cents

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Originally Posted by [AK]Hylander

I may have an opportunity to teach a graduate MBA class this spring for my current Boss, who has been teaching for like 16 or more years part-time. I have no idea if I will like it or not, but I'd like to give it a shot.

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This is your chance to single-handedly reverse the tide of liberalism in our educational system! ;)

BillB

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Originally Posted by [AK]FiGHT*CLuB

As for Jobs, I have had many crazy jobs but the one I hold now as a Conductor for UP railroad I have to say I enjoy allot. I tell my friends all the time that my feet are on the desk and my office window is the country side.

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Wow that is cool... what kind of training did that entail? Does that job take you away from home for long periods of time?

Do you get to wear cool conductor hats?

http://www.visitsedaliamo.com/images..._leftimage.jpg

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Originally Posted by [AK]Squidly

This is your chance to single-handedly reverse the tide of liberalism in our educational system! ;)

BillB

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I think that would be Bribos job.. you need to get them while their young before they become the mindless liberal mainstream media fed sheeple we know and love. ;)

In my case, the best I can hope for is flunking someone for their political views. :lol2:

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Originally Posted by [AK]Squidly

Wow that is cool... what kind of training did that entail? Does that job take you away from home for long periods of time?

Do you get to wear cool conductor hats?

http://www.visitsedaliamo.com/images..._leftimage.jpg

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That is pretty cool... I didn't think there were that many conductors left in this day and age. I thought 99% of America's shipping happened on Route 78 between PA and NJ during commuting hours...

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Originally Posted by [AK]FiGHT*CLuB

As for Jobs, I have had many crazy jobs but the one I hold now as a Conductor for UP railroad I have to say I enjoy allot.

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Small world. My dad works in some big UP office in Omaha, NE. He has been trying to get me to apply for a conductor job since 1995. Sounds like it may be worth looking into after all :)

If you aren't happy, change. I stumbled into IT 10 years ago, and have made it a long way since. Currently, I work for a Defense Contractor doing research for government entities, and while it is enjoyable, and requires a lot of brainwork, it's socially void. The perks are the free Masters and PhD, plus the fact that what I create will save American lives.

Honestly, I've been looking to make a possible change into something completely different. I'd thought about Electrical Engineering, driving trucks, ironic, but the railroad too. Anything that would allow me to work outdoors. I could join the Marines I guess......

Anyway, the point is, you aren't alone... :)

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Originally Posted by [AK]Squidly

Wow that is cool... what kind of training did that entail? Does that job take you away from home for long periods of time?

Do you get to wear cool conductor hats?

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Training was about 3 weeks of rules classes and about 2 months on the job training (your paid the entire time). Then your a conductor. Most trips are overnight which isn't bad. You can work in your local yard or local runs and be home every night if you choose to. Zero labor unless you consider walking labor.

My first year I made $73,000 Ill beat that this year and benefits are great. I just had twins and no out of pocket expenses.

No one wears conductor hats.. jeans and t shirts. I cant believe how many people actually ask that :p

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Originally Posted by Vaxschulah

Small world. My dad works in some big UP office in Omaha, NE. He has been trying to get me to apply for a conductor job since 1995. Sounds like it may be worth looking into after all :)

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Who's your father? I have to deal with Omaha every day. I work Sparks NV
rv185 under p5 and usually dispatcher 57 who controls Sparks from Omaha. If he is in timekeeping than I want to be his new best friend lol.

He will know what I'm talking about :p