Remove this Banner Ad

Career change

  • Thread starter Thread starter we57st
  • Start date Start date
  • Tagged users Tagged users None

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

we57st

we57st

Club Legend
Veteran
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Posts
1,065
Reaction score
8
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
St Kilda
I'd like to hear people's stories about having a change of career, successful or otherwise.

Have you gone to uni straight from school, not knowing what you really wanted to be, and entered the workforce after uni, only for a few years later to have an epiphany or something, which led you to have a total change of career? Did you go back to uni as a mature-age student and study something completely different? Were you then successful in finding employment in your new field? Or did you find you were still not satisfied?
 
we57st said:
I'd like to hear people's stories about having a change of career, successful or otherwise.

Have you gone to uni straight from school, not knowing what you really wanted to be, and entered the workforce after uni, only for a few years later to have an epiphany or something, which led you to have a total change of career? Did you go back to uni as a mature-age student and study something completely different? Were you then successful in finding employment in your new field? Or did you find you were still not satisfied?
Click to expand...

I studied IT and business at University, got a job in IT in a big company in the early 1990's.

Pretty early into it (after a couple of years) I realized that I didn't want to do this forever so switched to work in HR in the same company. I did this pretty well for 13 years in a few different countries, interesting work in interesting locations. Again had the realization that if you are not going to do it for the long run then you might as well find something else...... so I went to "Brewer School" and learnt how to be a professional brewer.

I didn't get a job as a brewer, but rather started my own brewery, where I am the CEO, Chief Brewer, accountant and assistant bottle washer.

I have a little thought sometimes that helps me make these decisions. Imagine you are 65, retired, and sitting on a park bench next to yourself (not someone else, just sitting next to a carbon copy of yourself). Your clone turns to you and asks "so.... what did you do for the last 45 years ?". It doesn't matter what the answer is but you had better be proud of the answer whatever it is. It also doesn't have to be what you did for a job. You might be a security guard for 45 years and hated every minute of it.... but on weekends you did something worthwhile in your eyes and your eyes only.

If you don't have an answer to the question that you are proud to give.... then find something else to do for a job or outside your job.


anyway.......
 

Log in to remove this Banner Ad

The more skills you have the better in my view - even if you study a different field and get a job in something totally different, it is win-win. I am one of those who has a degree and work in a different field. You don't need to use all of your qualifications but the more you have, it can only help.

I say do it - take the chance or you will live to regret it. Even if it doesn't go to plan, there is always work available.
 
Studied and had a job in IT. Realised I didnt want that as a career, wanted to get into the wine industry so have gone back to Uni studying Wine Marketing, moved to the country with my wife and am working at a winery.

So far so good!
 
Macca19 said:
Studied and had a job in IT. Realised I didnt want that as a career, wanted to get into the wine industry so have gone back to Uni studying Wine Marketing, moved to the country with my wife and am working at a winery.

So far so good!
Click to expand...

mate, i'm in the middle of this transition.

probably won't be studying Wine Marketing however....
 
Well, I had a handful of meaningless jobs in which one could have led to a career as a heavy diesel fitter but passed by before settling on becoming a horticulturalist which after a few years I became seriously bored off (not to mention sick of the shit pay) before taking a vast leap into the unknown and working in the exploration drilling industry which whilst was a bit of a culture shock (culture wise drilling and landscaping couldn't be more poles apart) has been an enjoyable ride which I plan on sticking at for a few more years yet at least. The money side of things hasn't hurt things either
 
I have a business degree and have worked in IT for long enough.

But I want to do something else, I just don't know what that something else is.

If I don't become a poker pro, I need to figure out what else I could do :confused:
 
Am going down a sports lawyer path; But if that doesn't quite end up working, I can't see myself enjoying much else besides working in the sporting arena. I'd probably, as some have done in this thread; Start up a business and be my own boss with flexible hours. Greyhound training/breeding and/or create some new sporting product/s much like a mouth guard. Something that many sportsman will have that 'must' instinct with.
 
Borscht Mat said:
I have a little thought sometimes that helps me make these decisions. Imaging you are 65, retired, and sitting on a park bench next to yourself (not someone else, just sitting next to a carbon copy of yourself). Your clone turns to you and asks "so.... what did you do for the last 45 years ?". It doesn't matter what the answer is but you had better be proud of the answer whatever it is. It also doesn't have to be what you did for a job. You might be a security guard for 45 years and hated every minute of it.... but on weekends you did something worthwhile in your eyes and your eyes only.

If you don't have an answer to the question that you are proud to give.... then find something else to do for a job or outside your job.

anyway.......
Click to expand...

That is probably the best post I have seen on here in my years of being on Bigfooty, well done.

Really great idea and I know will be copying it from now on. :thumbsu:
 

Remove this Banner Ad

i got through my first year of uni doing a commerce/econs degree thinking second year would be better cos i can choose more what i am going to do. it isnt so i immidiately dropped my maths unit and am swapping to a journalism and commerce degree. sports writer is the goal
 
tazlgnd said:
i got through my first year of uni doing a commerce/econs degree thinking second year would be better cos i can choose more what i am going to do. it isnt so i immidiately dropped my maths unit and am swapping to a journalism and commerce degree. sports writer is the goal
Click to expand...

Having been a sports writer i can tell you that it is a fast paced and interesting occupation but you better have thick skin because you are paid for your opinion and you can't please everyone all the time. Your words are out there for everyone to judge and it is very rare that someone would actually ring you up and say "I really enjoyed that piece you wrote on....blah blah"..... however, if you write something controversial or something that rubs a section of the public up the wrong way, you will be inundated with phone calls from crackpots that want to take your head off. I copped a lot of grief in my 3 and half years in the industry. Also, get used to weekend work and attending all types of medal counts and presentations. If you work at a regional paper, you have to cover everything from Lawn Bowls and Darts to the things you really want to write about like Football, Cricket etc. Everyone thinks their sport is the most important, and everyone believes they are not getting the coverage they deserve.
Also, you can not go anywhere in town without someone wanting to talk sport or get in your ear about an article you should write. This definitely had an impact on my social life and I know my girlfriend hated it when we'd go for dinner and someone would interrupt to hassle me about an article or try and talk work. Similarly, head to the pub for a drink and people want to dribble in your ear about footy, or are guarded about what they say around you in case in ends up in the paper the next day. :thumbsd:
One more thing, if you are a sporty person yourself, you might be lucky enough to be able to play in some of the games you then have to write about. :rolleyes: That sucks, trust me! This was a weekly battle for me with cricket and football and I know i definitely got hit harder and few more bouncers at times because of players I had previously ragged on in the paper, or had mentioned they were out of form or inconsistent. I remember once I stated that <player> was a sharp bowler but tended to be wayward at times with the new cherry. We played his side a week later and I was an opening batsman. He hit me square in the helmet with the second ball on the day, got in my face and said "how's that for wayward ya ****!" lol. I deserved it and learnt a lesson there... don't rag on teams/players you face within the 2 week cooling off period. :D
In footy, I played in a winning reserves grand final, and instead of celebrating it fully with my teammates, I had to watch the A-grade and report on that, as well as get articles assembled for our game and the Under 18s. Not the best way to celebrate a flag, especially when they are so hard to come by.
Anyway, you still want to be a sports writer? :D
I'm out of it now and work 9-5 in the education sector. Much less stress i tell you.
 
Some interesting response in here. For the people that did change careers, did they know that the career they changed to was what they wanted to do forever, or was it more of a lucky guess?

The reason I started the topic is because I have a close friend who went to uni and studied physio, worked in the field for the past 6 years or so, but has now realized she hates it, and is seriously considering going back to uni to study Commerce and become an economist. I personally find the situation extremely hard to relate to (and therefore give advice on), as even though I hated my uni course, I love the career that it has resulted in and could not imagine hating my job so much that I would go back to uni and do something completely different.

I actually know of quite a few people my age (late 20s) who are currently feeling restless and unsatisfied about the careers they chose when they were 18 (surprise surprise), and most of them are trying to do something about it. It is such an unrealistic expectation to place on 18 year olds, to choose a career for life. And especially when you choose a career such as physio which really narrows down your options if you do feel unsatisfied down the track.
 
J-Train said:
Having been a sports writer i can tell you that it is a fast paced and interesting occupation but you better have thick skin because you are paid for your opinion and you can't please everyone all the time. Your words are out there for everyone to judge and it is very rare that someone would actually ring you up and say "I really enjoyed that piece you wrote on....blah blah"..... however, if you write something controversial or something that rubs a section of the public up the wrong way, you will be inundated with phone calls from crackpots that want to take your head off. I copped a lot of grief in my 3 and half years in the industry. Also, get used to weekend work and attending all types of medal counts and presentations. If you work at a regional paper, you have to cover everything from Lawn Bowls and Darts to the things you really want to write about like Football, Cricket etc. Everyone thinks their sport is the most important, and everyone believes they are not getting the coverage they deserve.
Also, you can not go anywhere in town without someone wanting to talk sport or get in your ear about an article you should write. This definitely had an impact on my social life and I know my girlfriend hated it when we'd go for dinner and someone would interrupt to hassle me about an article or try and talk work. Similarly, head to the pub for a drink and people want to dribble in your ear about footy, or are guarded about what they say around you in case in ends up in the paper the next day. :thumbsd:
One more thing, if you are a sporty person yourself, you might be lucky enough to be able to play in some of the games you then have to write about. :rolleyes: That sucks, trust me! This was a weekly battle for me with cricket and football and I know i definitely got hit harder and few more bouncers at times because of players I had previously ragged on in the paper, or had mentioned they were out of form or inconsistent. I remember once I stated that <player> was a sharp bowler but tended to be wayward at times with the new cherry. We played his side a week later and I was an opening batsman. He hit me square in the helmet with the second ball on the day, got in my face and said "how's that for wayward ya ****!" lol. I deserved it and learnt a lesson there... don't rag on teams/players you face within the 2 week cooling off period. :D
In footy, I played in a winning reserves grand final, and instead of celebrating it fully with my teammates, I had to watch the A-grade and report on that, as well as get articles assembled for our game and the Under 18s. Not the best way to celebrate a flag, especially when they are so hard to come by.
Anyway, you still want to be a sports writer? :D
I'm out of it now and work 9-5 in the education sector. Much less stress i tell you.
Click to expand...

What did the editors think of you? :D
 

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Abba Lonie said:
What did the editors think of you? :D
Click to expand...

I was fortunate that my editor was a great friend and also had previously held the post of Sports Editor himself, so he was very much in tune with the expectations of the public and the strains of the job. We have both since moved on from that particular newspaper and are still friends, albeit we live in different states now. :)
 
Excellent post by Borscht Mat! The only thing that I would add is that in addition to being proud of what you did, you should also enjoy it but I guess that goes hand in hand.

I completed an Economics & Finance degree and worked in the industry for about 5 or 6 years and can not say I enjoyed any aspect of it other than some friendships that I formed. The actual work itself I found boring as bat shit and I felt I was in the doldrums cause I could not for the life of me, motivate myself to enjoy it.

I now run my own business selling tiles and bathroom products BUT my transition was a lot easier than it might be for some people as it is a family business. All I did was open up a new store. The groundwork had been laid years ago.

Not sure how proud I am of my occupation as in effect I make money by putting my salesman hat on :D. I guess you could say I'm proud that I play a small hand in people building their first home or their dream home. But in terms of enjoyment, I love it! Flexible hours, nobody to answer to, out on the road a lot etc. Having said that, there is a fair bit of stress involved, mainly to do with slack suppliers :mad:
 
Excellent thread people. My journey has taken me from working in a screenprinting factory, to a restarant kitchen, to a call centre (shit job, but met my missus), and now working for a software house training clients on full project'ed systems. Not sure where to go next, but pretty sure it will be different.

Any kid shitting himself in year 10 on, not knowing what to do is just going to be naff. Get the pencils out of the nose and go find what's out there.
 
Good thread.

I have had a varied career path, including (but not limited to);

mining/exploration geologist, earth science researcher/teacher, retail catering manager (at Docklands stadium), finance analyst, Tax Officer (Small Business and Debt Management), environmental geoscientist/project manager, secondary school teacher.

I've enjoyed parts of every job, but realised when I got to 30 years old that I enjoyed science and teaching the most and didn't want to live in the city (i.e. Melbourne). So I started my career as a teacher, and now teach senior science (TCE) in Tassie and couldn't be happier. I could do work that makes me more money, but I find that job satisfaction is much more important.

It takes time to work out what gives you the most enjoyment, so don't be afraid to try out some different types of work when the opportunity arises. I learned something valuable from every one of my jobs and don't regret doing any of them. :thumbsu:
 
Finished year 12, didn't go to uni and had shitty little jobs over about 18 months until I got into the disability industry where I currently work as a job coordinator. Huge room for growth and under the new government expansion there's going to be hundreds of new jobs created in our sector but can't see myself doing it for life .. would love to get into something sport related but not sure what.
 
I finished Yr 12 with NFI what i wanted to do, and I tried and dropped out of a couple of degrees (Nursing/Marketing) and various jobs. Could never find anything that i could see myself doing/enjoying even medium-term, let alone long-term. After spending most of my 20's in a drug-haze, I finally got my shit together, and did the best thing I've ever done, went back to TAFE and did a counselling diploma. Am now working as a drug & alcohol counsellor, and have continued studying (now doing a double degree- Psychology/Social Work). Really enjoy both the study and my job.
 

Remove this Banner Ad

Remove this Banner Ad

🥰 Love BigFooty? Join now for free.

Back
Top Bottom