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March 2002
Posts: 15683
Location: SoCal | I've been at my work now for over 21 years, self employed for the last 18. Where the hell does time go..... |
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Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 122
Location: Tucson, AZ | ...as an ex-Fender tech who went back to college, got his degree and then spent 30+ years in aerospace/defense electronics...gotta be the "numbers/math" kinda job for me! |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | I've always believed that success starts at the bottom, and not to be afraid to get ones hands dirty. I got my first job as a gardener. What started as a once-a-week assignment at the home for a couple of senior citizens, I ended working on three more homes by the end of the summer.
Then I went to college ... although, I graduated with a degree in journalism, it's not what I did in the beginning. I took several temp jobs for quite some time and went on backpacking trips with a beat up guitar whenever possible. This was the time where I traveled to many great places that I might not be able to in the present due to my circumstances and responsibilities. Unfortunately, this was also the time when I was often referred to as a bum or freeloader, in addition to the numerous pressures to clean up my act, and get a real job from family members.
So I somewhat did, and earned a decent wage as a journalist with the Associated Press. I also enjoyed the traveling part of the job for a while there, but then I had to quit when I was appointed to cover the news in Bosnia -- we were bombing the heck out of Milosevic and his army at that time, and I was fearing for my life.
Just when I thought I got it so good, I found myself back to square one, and without any alternatives in mind. I spent the next two years providing humanitarian service and support. The first year in South Asia with the Peace Corps, and the second year in our own backyard with AmeriCorps. It was also then that I found my calling in life to make a difference in the lives of individuals with disabilities.
After serving, I immediately went back to college and got my degree in Special Education. I'd been teaching, assisting, supporting, and guiding individuals with developmental disabilities ever since [e.g. Autism, Down Syndrome, mild to profound MR, Traumatic Brain Injury, etc.]. When an individual overcomes an obstacle, despite his/her disabling condition, it means the whole world to him/her. That's enough for me to stand back and say, "today is a good day" to myself, and tomorrow will be another exciting day in the world of learning. |
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Joined:
January 2007
Posts: 672
Location: New South Wales, Australia | Started out as a journalist with a small newspaper and then worked for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation doing radio and TV news...hated it.
Became a warehouse storeman, delivery driver, whitegoods installer, industrial trouble shooter for the Australian Journalists' Association, labourer in a steel plant, blast furnace operator, forklife driver, converyor belt operator, steelworker, frozen food delivery, owner/manager of small post office, parcel courier, weed control operator and now unemployed again.
I'm sure one day I'll wake up and know what I want to do. |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Why don't we all become musicians? |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | Originally posted by ozwatto:
I'm sure one day I'll wake up and know what I want to do. In the meantime, you can:
a) travel extensively. I did a lot of "soul-searching" during my backpacking trips around the country. Whether I was looking at countless stars on a clear night after pitching my tent at a campsite in Arizona, or staring aimlessly out the window as the Amtrak train roared through its tracks tirelessly, it was definitely a great experience.
or
b) serve in the Peace Corps or its equivalent. It was during this time that I learned to appreciate the little things that most individuals normally take for granted and treat like it's nothing.
Perhaps, it just "might" lead you to the path that you'd like to do ... |
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Joined:
January 2007
Posts: 672
Location: New South Wales, Australia | Thanks Gil....a bit of soul searching wouldn't go astray.
Back to Brad's original question of an alternate universe -- a lighthouse keeper wouldn't be bad where I could flick the switch at night and turn it off again in the morning. That would leave me with plenty of spare time to follow cwk2's advice and become a muso |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Hmmm, Been a reporter, plumber, logger, fisherman, heavy equipment operator, carpet salesman, greengrocer, pet store owner, radio station manager, restauranteur (ouch!), advertising genius, and I still don't know what I want to be when/if I grow up. (though this advertising gig seems to be sticking.)
Actually, I'm a songwriter who dreams of running off to Nashville....
To drive cab or sell string ties. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15683
Location: SoCal | Why don't we all become musicians?
I think we are all musicians who just do other stuff on the side to support our musician habits..... |
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Joined:
July 2002
Posts: 280
Location: Waterloo, IL | The long and varied road:
2 years at DQ while in high school.
2 years in college, with time at a nursing home, fast food joint, steak house.
1 year as a welder's helper.
4 years as a diesel/heavy equipment mechanic.
21 years in the Navy: Radio and computer communications, crypto, instructor (twice). Two submarines, two targets (surface ships), time in Korea, plus visits to many other countries.
2 years in video retail.
Next stop looks like driving an 18 wheeler for a while. |
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Joined:
November 2005
Posts: 4833
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by Chuck (Retired Navy):
Next stop looks like driving an 18 wheeler for a while. How to make a guy jealous!
East bound and down
Loaded up and truckin'
We gonna do what they say
Can't be done..... |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | Interesting thread. I recently went through what may or may not have been a career change. It was at least a major lifestyle change.
When I was 18, playing in a band and preparing to be a "rock star" I took "graphic arts" classes, to have something constructive to do during the day. Also, in the unlikely event that I didn't become a rock star, I'd have something to fall back on. When my girlfriend got pregnant, we speeded up plans to get married "someday" and I was married with a daughter at 19. I quit the band and got a real gig, testing and repairing street lights. After getting the sh!t shocked out of me a couple of times, I got a job at a magazine doing layout. Then I ended up doing some sign painting and silk screening for a year or so.
I settled down and spent the Reagan years in an art dept in a major defense industry contractor. Good times for the defense industry! I had fun and learned a lot at that job. There were lots of old farts who had been there for 20+ years ready to show a kid the right way to be an illustrator or designer or calligrapher or whatever. I watched my industry make the transition to computers. I got into it early and loved it. I ended up running a small group. During this time, I still played guitar and considered myself a musician.
I finally left and freelanced for a year, until my wife got pregnant with child number four, and once again I started looking for a "real job". I spent 6 years a small aerospace company, that grew fast. After a few years I was running a nice art dept of 7 people. I started playing less and less guitar and considered myself a graphic designer not a musician.
That company was too successful, was sold and became a lousy environment. So I freelanced for the next 10 years. The early days things were tough and I sold a couple of guitars I no longer played. I had a great time freelancing, had some great clients, did some good work and my hours were flexible enough to drive kids to school or have lunch with my wife. I was making a good living for the last few years. My wife convinced me to start playing guitar again to relieve stress and encouraged me to buy some more guitars so she could "decorate" my office.
In January 2006 I had a massive heart attack. I missed a lot of work and racked up a bunch of medical bills. The stress that used to drive me became my enemy. I sent out a few resumes. I wasn't really interested in getting a "real job" but got a great offer I couldn't refuse. In October 2006, I started my new gig managing a creative services dept in a huge, global company. Surprisingly enough, I love it! There were some really big projects (a corporate rebranding for one) they were waiting to dump on the new guy. It's weird being back in the corporate world, but we do so many different types of work, it is always interesting. My wife and I are actually able to plan a vacation now and I actually take weekends off. l picked up my #47 reissue and my long sought after Breadwinner since I started this job so I must be doing something right.
Oh and by the way Brad, my Gremlin was a "73. My wife hated it, but I loved that car. It was amazing how much musical gear I could cram into it! |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | Cool thread Brad.
My first job was swamping Christmas trees at local farms and then I became a Bouncer at a Disco. OK, ticket taker, garbage dumber and ejector.
Then it was Laborer, Tank Cleaner, Rigger, Nuclear Inspector, Planner, Supervisor and now Contracts Planner.
I chose the role that Kathy has; do your part for an interesting company and then clock out and do what you really want. Too much of one or the other can get a little tedious. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 5332
Location: Bluffton, SC | Ok, I'll throw in as well...Sold advertising for the local daily newspaper for about six years and found that I was much better at strategy than sales so went back to school for business and accounting. The job I had the (unfortunate) foresight to take right out of school was a leasing company that was, unbeknownst to me, behind what is now known as the largest Ponzi scheme in US history. You have no idea how much you can learn when you're sitting next to federal and SEC agents every day. I learned, rather quickly, that I didn't like forensic accounting at all but was asked to stay by the Trustee that was brought in to oversee the mess. He made it relatively worthwhile for me and a few others to stay and help "clean up" so we did.
While finishing up at the leasing compnay, I got a call out of the blue from a local advertising agency who was looking for a CFO. So back into the ad world I went and have been there ever since and, given that I've spent over 20 years in the ad game and I'm mulling over an offer to become a principal now, it's probably where I'm destined to end my career.
And mine was a '73 Maverick. Three speed on the column. Box stereo speakers in the rear dash. You couldn't keep the body on it but you couldn't kill that engine either. Thank God that car couldn't talk. |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Hmmm.. no Alpha males here, eh?
No one wants to be the "top dog".
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Interesting stuff. I'm was having trouble with the "Woody as Bouncer" image. It just didn't fit. Then I factored "disco" into it. That cleared it up. Those guys(?) in the 3" platform heels and satin shirts were pretty easy to intimidate I'm sure.
"Get out now or I'll.. why I'll.... mess up your hair... I mean it!!" |
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Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5576
Location: big island | in my 50 years upon this planet, i have had as many diverse jobs. cook, pharmacy tech, cna, surgical tech, army medic, psychiatric asst, institutional laundry manager, food broker, medical supply sales, mortgage broker, a few mlm businesses, art gallery director, professional musician, video production and stay-at-home dad.
the most fulfilling jobs dealt with ministering health to others.
the most "wild hair" jobs involved traveling all over the united states selling food, medical supplies and mortgages. these jobs were not conducive to a happy home life.
the most fun job and one that actually paid me more money than i ever dreamed of making was in the art gallery business. that job was also the one i spent the most time doing, 7 years.
just after the dot-commers started their descent, 9-11 dealt a mortal blow to the art industry here in hawaii. the silver lining is that i now have a dream job. i make less money than i have ever made in my adult life. my foundations and motivations have been shaken and restructured more securely.
i get to have spontaneous tea parties and play "tent" and horsey and read heartwarming children's stories all day. i get to nurse boo-boos and enjoy butterfly kisses, hugs and every moment of nearly every day in the lives of two little girls. the guitars and ukuleles are always at hand and we have parlor luaus anytime we please. and then, i get to miss a few doo-doo diaper changes and teething pains to play music and get paid for it.
i am so very blessed.
nope, i ain't looking for a career change. just another guitar... :D |
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Joined:
August 2003
Posts: 430
Location: Lebanon, TN | Most excellent thread. I chose the Rick job as its probably the one I’d have most fun at and closest to what I currently do.
Left high school to go do a sponsored degree in Marine Engineering with BP Tankers. After contemplating what 6 months at sea would be like with the same bunch of smelly reprobates, BP accelerated my career thoughts by cutting their fleet by a third and dismissing all these “cadets” they had sponsored.
I spent the next 2 years in and out of work looking for work in technical areas in the west coast of Scotland. Finally I conceded that if I wanted to avoid long term unemployment I would have to change tack. I applied to train as a Registered Nurse in mental health and never looked back.
Greatest move of my life! Loved nursing, met my lovely wife, bought first car (Volvo 240) and started along life’s wacky journey properly.
My darling wife and I on wedding day 1984
Our first car Volvo 240N
After several positions over a 10 year career, finished as General Manager of an ophthalmic hospital before getting involved in a computer system selection that led to the second career. I was frustrated with lack of career progress and with a non-working wife and two little kids wanted to earn more. So I entered the world of IT Sales.
3 years with one company, 1 year with the next, 19 months with the next, 15 months with the next and then became the Managing Director of a Venture capital backed start-up that I loved running for the three years before dot-bomb bubble burst and the money all ran away. That led to the monumental change of looking for a well paying sales job in healthcare IT where my core skills lay that led to the offer to move to the United States in 2002 and settle here in Philadelphia.
Have been in a couple of management positions but now back to being a well paid senior sales guy with designated territory. Love spending time with customers and prospects. Hate the bureaucracy and dumb ass decisions made by less experienced, less educated morons that are running the place now. However I choose to be a wage slave and am trying to max earnings to get my two kids through college. One is started and the other heads out in 18 months time. 5-6 years of good luck and hopefully good earnings should then see the missus and I enter my 50th year with a clear path to do what the heck we want.
So what I’d love to do is have a role where I can consult/work part time using whatever commercial and health related skills I have to help healthcare organizations achieve the things they want to. Not necessarily with IT but perhaps helping Rehab and Behavioural Health organizations get smarter about running what they do.
The rest of the time I want to be a Scottish Troubadour. So many people are interested in the history and culture of my country and I love telling them all about it. Would love to have a touring show where I do a one-man multimedia folksinger show. Especially I would love to explain all about Scottish history and western/Celtic folk music through song. Now that would make me very happy and put me right at the top of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Self-Actualisation).
Sorry for being long-winded :D |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12762
Location: Boise, Idaho | My dad was a hospital administrator, which had an average tenure only slightly longer than college coaches. I promised myself and family I'd find a job and stay as long as I could. We came to Boise with the idea we'd take temporary jobs until we found a place and jobs we liked. I'm still in the same job. Often I think it's only because of stubbornness.
The intellectual challenge is nice, but I'm as tired of the legal system as anyone. Retirement should have been right around the corner, but the stock market and kids in college delayed that.
Back to the original question. In my second life, I could sell Porsches or guitars. I had a standing offer at Guitar Center, but my contact left to go to work for Taylor. I'd rather build stuff, even if it was just as a framer. Any finish work is out of the question. Maybe a car detailer. |
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Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5576
Location: big island | hey stuart,
i'm of the macgregor clan! my paternal grandmother is a gragg, one of the variations of the macgregor name after the clan was booted outta scotland, i think! |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Drapery cutter/installer, billiard hustler/instructor, pizza parlor manager (Village Inn in Phoenix, Dave! They still around?), custom aluminum window/door manufacturer (Mark, the Red Lion you stayed in last year? I built every original window in that building...), convenience store/gas station manager (16 pumps, self-serve - talk about stress...), house framer, selling/installing ceramic tile for Color Tile, book store clerk/purchaser, programmer, system and network administrator, in order.
Oh, and guitar player/songwriter. What I'd really like to do for a living... |
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Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Daily News and New York Post paper routes, Burger King, Beefsteak Charlies (dishwasher - for anyone who remembers this place - all you can eat ribs, chicken, shrimp, salad - LOTS of dishes), construction, phone company summer job doing statewide computer inventory in college, Liquor store, Central Office/Implementation/Equipment/Systems/Sales Engineer, Account Manager.
I'm sure I left out a couple. |
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Joined:
June 2003
Posts: 1792
Location: Rego Park, NY, | Going back that far makes me remember this:
1-Worked one day at Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips(High School)
2-Worked 3 years at Alexander's Dept Store(High School)
3-Worked 1/2 summer at a medical books supplier
4-Worked summer job at Bank of New York -Dreyfus Fund
Crimson,
My family used to go to Beefsteak Charlies for birthday's and other occasions. |
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Joined:
August 2006
Posts: 3145
Location: Marlton, NJ | Phil - my friends and I used to go for alot of occassions... I think it was the all the free beer, wine and sangria that you could drink.
Alexanders - that's a name from the past! |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | So far...
Frank......0%
Rick.......19%
Kim/John...28%
Darren.....28%
Kathy......8%
Al.........17%
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | By the time I could drive, I had spent seven years in show business as a professional tap dancer in and around Hollywood. I then worked at a dairy farm owned by my best friend's father, joined the National Guard at the height of the Viet Nam conflict, continued in school, then starting working for the courts, where I am less than two months away from 35 years. I'm not a judge, but I do run the place. Concurrently, I returned to show business in 1986 as a dancer and choreographer (primarily the latter these days) and in 1991, started teaching at the local university. As long as my jobs remain fun, which they are, I don't see any reason to retire, although I'm vested and could go tomorrow, well, actually, today for that matter. |
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Career change anyone???
