I am all for having a job you love, working with super people. However, when you become a dread-locked surfing instructor at 30, living the dream, try to imagine being a 65 year old surfing instructor, with not enough money to retire. There has to be some balance. No job is perfect, and managers and co workers can be a PIA. Money isn't the end all, but financial security to some degree is a must. Unless you want to have nothing but memories when you're older. Kinda the middle ground could be don't work excessive hours, and play hard after work and weekends. Make of the most of your vacations.
Do you ever think about changing careers?
- Thread starter Steamfitter
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Bigshankhank
New member
Uh, if I were a 65 year old surfing instructor, I would already be living where people go to retire so I'd be pretty well set up, retirement would come naturally when the sea was ready to take me :clap2:
Seriously I get what you're saying, and it is what keeps me from tossing it all and working as a bike mechanic. I am approaching 45 and basically had to start my finances all over with $0.00 in savings after the economic collapse 8 years ago, so my retirement is on my mind quite a bit. Nevertheless, there's something to be said for not killing yourself throughout your career in order to get to retirement age in the 1st place.
Exactly. You have to pace yourself. One day, in my office, my boss and I were discussing a guy who was not known for his hard work, and he had just been made an executive. My boss said, "you know, I have worked very hard my whole career. Boy, was that ever a mistake!".
Kudos guys, this is a great thread with a lot of insight. I have been immeasurably blessed with my wife being financially secure, and I have been a stay at home dad for coming on 3 years. It made sense to quit my work in the moving industry to stay home, as my income would have just gone to childcare as someone else raised my child.
That being said, she'll be starting school soon, and I will find more time on my hands, so I'm again looking at this equation of a career path. Do I go back into the old industry that has no future except manual labor? Back to school? I aspire to be productive and fruitful, and my modus operandi is to always give more than I receive. That's going to require more striving now, as I have received much.
Anyways, thank you guys. I look forward to more posts as I nurture my question of "What's next?".
That being said, she'll be starting school soon, and I will find more time on my hands, so I'm again looking at this equation of a career path. Do I go back into the old industry that has no future except manual labor? Back to school? I aspire to be productive and fruitful, and my modus operandi is to always give more than I receive. That's going to require more striving now, as I have received much.
Anyways, thank you guys. I look forward to more posts as I nurture my question of "What's next?".
Ausumm
New member
I worked at the same job, same business for 33 years.
Started when I was 17, they laid me off in 2014.
I loved the job, so I NEVER thought about changing careers.
After a year of unemployment, and several months of school to train me for a new career...
I finally ended up doing the SAME JOB for a different company.
Conveniently, it's the old company's direct competition...
and they are kicking the old company's a**!
Sucky part was, I was very devoted and quite attached to the old place.
Every important moment in my life happened when I worked there.
But, they changed ownership several times, and the current owners got way into debt, laid off about 80% of the staff, and treats those who are still around like crap.
All while the exec's keep getting raises, bonuses, and promotions.
In the end, it was getting so bad...I'm glad they laid me off!
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Started when I was 17, they laid me off in 2014.
I loved the job, so I NEVER thought about changing careers.
After a year of unemployment, and several months of school to train me for a new career...
I finally ended up doing the SAME JOB for a different company.
Conveniently, it's the old company's direct competition...
and they are kicking the old company's a**!
Sucky part was, I was very devoted and quite attached to the old place.
Every important moment in my life happened when I worked there.
But, they changed ownership several times, and the current owners got way into debt, laid off about 80% of the staff, and treats those who are still around like crap.
All while the exec's keep getting raises, bonuses, and promotions.
In the end, it was getting so bad...I'm glad they laid me off!
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fwak1234
New member
For what it's worth I do happen to love my job, I am an aviation mechanic in the VA Army National Guard. I have been through a lot of schools through the military to further my career in the military. In doing so it made me realize that I want to further my education, mainly because I have seen the glass ceiling at my current place of employment. I love what I do and my first line supervisor but after him it really starts to get bad. We have a constant power battle with the main maintenance hub located 30 minutes away. My boss sent me to the FAA A&P (Airframe and Powerplant) school which is very expensive and could open a lot of doors for me in the civilian world. I have seen a lot of turn around of employees because of the way the management treats people at the other facility. I fear that we will eventually loose in the power battle and have to fall back under the previously mentioned management. So with being 27 (soon 28) I realized it would be in my best interest to go back to school full time on top of working full time. It is a perk to go to school as well since I get GI Bill from my deployment, so I get payed to attend. While this may not make me switch careers once I am done with school; it will however leave me the new option to make more money, be easier on my body, and be in a field that will not be going anywhere. It would be a hard switch for me to work full time in the IT field (field of study) since I have done manual labor since I was 15. Then again I have certain things from my military career that would be a great key in the field in which I want to focus on (cyber security). Another thing that has been hard for me was that my line of work played a large part into many relationships ending because I work 50-60 hours a week between maintenance, flying, and flight instruction.
Yes there are always options but you have to weigh what you really want in the end IE: family, body fatigue, career progression, and the list goes on. I have shifted my thinking a lot lately, specifically that I am very happy in my career now but how much will it truly effect my life in the long run. I don't want to have a family I never see because of deployments, schools, or work. I want my family to have the opportunities that I p!$$ed away partying and slacking off when I was younger. To rap it up I have been thinking a lot lately about how in life death is the one thing that is certain so why not make a lasting impression on those that you love while you are here.
Hope all works out for everyone because in the grand view of things one can not achieve without the help of other and the opposite.
Yes there are always options but you have to weigh what you really want in the end IE: family, body fatigue, career progression, and the list goes on. I have shifted my thinking a lot lately, specifically that I am very happy in my career now but how much will it truly effect my life in the long run. I don't want to have a family I never see because of deployments, schools, or work. I want my family to have the opportunities that I p!$$ed away partying and slacking off when I was younger. To rap it up I have been thinking a lot lately about how in life death is the one thing that is certain so why not make a lasting impression on those that you love while you are here.
Hope all works out for everyone because in the grand view of things one can not achieve without the help of other and the opposite.
LockeLamora
New member
I'm 30, have done landscaping, sales, real estate and never really was satisfied. Started training dogs recently and couldn't be happier. You are young, financially stable and seem pretty smart. Save up some money and start really researching different jobs you might want to try. Go talk to people who have done it and see what they think are the worst things about the job, if you think you can live with that then go give it a try! It's the right time to try different things before you get a wife and kids, that way you won't spend your time wondering what if and doing something stupid during your mid life crisis!
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soupkitchen
New member
was working for the same co from the time i was 19 until I was 32...I was burned out, the atmosphere seemed to have changed. I always loved going in until the last year. I was an assistant manager...started at the bottom.
Customers were getting harder to make happy, harder to find good help..and when you did, they ended up leaving because we were understaffed or the customers ran them off. ( I worked at a large tractor trailer repair shop in the parts dept. ) My wife convinced me we would be fine if I left, so I did. Been working for myself the last 4 years and its been great. I often think about going to school for a specialized field but I honestly don't think I can ever work for someone else again.
I've played more ball and rode my bike more in the last 4 years than I did when I was a teenager. I'm home a lot and get to take vacation whenever....if you have something you're passionate about or something you can do on your own you may try dabbling in it for a while and see if its something you can make money doing and be happy doing it. Good luck man! I've been in your shoes....haven't looked back!!
Customers were getting harder to make happy, harder to find good help..and when you did, they ended up leaving because we were understaffed or the customers ran them off. ( I worked at a large tractor trailer repair shop in the parts dept. ) My wife convinced me we would be fine if I left, so I did. Been working for myself the last 4 years and its been great. I often think about going to school for a specialized field but I honestly don't think I can ever work for someone else again.
I've played more ball and rode my bike more in the last 4 years than I did when I was a teenager. I'm home a lot and get to take vacation whenever....if you have something you're passionate about or something you can do on your own you may try dabbling in it for a while and see if its something you can make money doing and be happy doing it. Good luck man! I've been in your shoes....haven't looked back!!
Nervo19
Member
I might be really off about what a steamfitter does but couldn't you make the transition to plumber and stay local? Become a master plumber. They make lots of money. I talked to someone from the Steamfitter's Union at our tech high school a couple of years ago and the pay is great. I can see where the travel would get very old. I wish my younger son would study plumbing but he wants to be a firefighter. He is not the type for an office job at all.
I changed careers about 10 years ago. I was a personal trainer, teacher and a coach. I love teaching/coaching and being a personal trainer, but the educational system started to head towards the shitter and lots funding was cut. I went back to school for a second Masters degree and have been working as a Forensic Scientist since. I started off as a Crime Scene Investigator and have moved into predominantly latent prints as a Certified Latent Print Examiner. I enjoy the work, but some of the people leave a lot to be desired.
Watchdogg
New member
Was laid off July 8th from pharmaceutical co. that I worked for 32 years. Sent everything overseas. We had 5000 people. Liked the people I worked with, the job not so much but it paid very well. Bought me and my wife a couple of houses and all the toys a man could want. Now at 53 years old I'm looking into a career change. Got a job assembling backup batteries. It pays pretty good and only have to look forward to a few more years before retiring. Everyone I talk to from old job is doing good. There is life after current job. Don't fear a career change, just think it through first and weigh the pros and cons. Don't burn any bridges behind you because you never know who you'll be in contact with at new place. I'm seeing that now.
bmecler
New member
I am in IT and think about changing careers frequently. It seems like working in the field has ruined my love for technology. I have no idea what I would peruse outside of Information Technology. I have this half ass plan in my head to quit work, hike the Appalachian Trail, and then figure out life after that.
Watchdogg
New member
Ireland and Puerto Rico.
Watchdogg
New member
I've had thoughts like that myself. Smash my phone and walk. No way for anyone to track me. Wherever I end up whether it's in a good spot or dead on the side of the road so be it.
bmecler
New member
Sometimes I think I want a primitive life like that.. but I feel like I'm to tangled up in the system to break away.. Maybe deep down I'm afraid of missing it
