Career change - ever thought about it?

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15th February 2008, 09:16
Sharingan

Career change - ever thought about it?

This question has been playing on my mind for quite a while now.

I've always worked in the financial sector, and have done fine so far. However, lately I've been thinking that this simply isn't the thing that I want to be doing until my retirement. It's not that my current position pays poorly, or that my colleagues are annoying gnats, or that the department head is a prick ... nothing like that. But, the work I'm doing - it's just not giving me satisfaction anymore.

Now, to be giving up the job I'm doing and have been doing for years for a new job that I have no experience with could be construed as madness. I mean, I would be starting anew, the education I've had and the experience I've acquired will be for naught, I might suffer a salary drop. But, to carry on doing something that I find unappealing for the next 30-40 years just doesn't make sense to me. So, I've made the decision to give up my current post - starting March 20, I will be starting a career in the ICT sector. Quite a turnaround, but I'm positive it will be a good choice.

So, have any of you ever considered a career change? Would you (dare) do it if you had the chance, even if it meant you had to start from scratch? Perhaps some of you have done so already? Share your stories, motivations, experiences. It might spark some interesting discussion!
15th February 2008, 09:26
Buleste

At the moment i'm going through a career change. I'm training to be a systems engineer. For me it's been very painfull on the pocket and hard to find motivation but i'm hoping it'll work out in the end. My father worked all his life in a dead end job and was miserable, forced into early retirement due to ill health and died not long after. Thats not the way i want to go. As far as i can see if you are unhappy in your job then plan your career change make sure that you can afford it. If you can't afford it now then save and do it later, if you can afford it then go for it.
15th February 2008, 10:36
Buleste

Just had a phone call, with the possibility of an interview, so thanks Sharingan. Can you start a post about winning the lottery and see if you can influence that for me as well?
15th February 2008, 11:27
Harrison

The only comment I would make is that the financial sector is about the only secure industry to be working in at the moment. The government and large businesses make a big song and dance about the IT industry and the number of jobs available, but in reality the IT market place is currently flooded and more people are made redundant every year from IT companies going bankrupt compared to the number of new jobs available.

But if you can find the right area of IT to specialise in the opposite is also very true, with people able to earn a lot of money. The only danger there is that if you specialise too much you could end up now finding another job in exactly your field if you had to look for one later.
15th February 2008, 11:48
Sharingan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buleste

Just had a phone call, with the possibility of an interview, so thanks Sharingan. Can you start a post about winning the lottery and see if you can influence that for me as well?

You're welcome, buddy! :thumbs:

@ Harrison

Yeah, I do realise I might be taking a big risk, but hey, if all else fails, I can still go back to the financial sector. I'm not even in it for the money really, but more for doing meaningful work that actually interests me.

Over the past years, I've been asked by my company to take up further financial studies, but I've found that I just couldn't get myself to digest that sort of material anymore. That alone is an indication that something had to change.
15th February 2008, 11:52
Buleste

I wasn't kidding. Start a thread about winning the lottery NOW!!!!!!!
15th February 2008, 12:01
Sharingan

Here

There you go.
15th February 2008, 12:10
Buleste

Thanks. If i win i'll split some with you.;)
15th February 2008, 12:31
Tiago

Well i also thought about changing my job, but....

I am working in IT consulting (banks). It's well payed, and it's a very safe sector, with a lot of companies asking for people. I can actually chose for who i what to work.
I would like to change, but i will not get the same "securty" in other sector... so i'll keep going in same sector.
15th February 2008, 19:00
Buleste

Interview on Monday at 3:30pm at this place. Only a tempory contract but we'll see how it goes.
15th February 2008, 21:13
Harrison

Good luck for Monday, I hope you get it. Even if it is only a short term contract it will be great experience to get your foot in the door of a new career area.

What is the actual job you are going for?

Their website looks nicely made and is easy to use, which is always a good sign.
15th February 2008, 21:13
Stephen Coates

Stone Computers are the people who make all the computers which we have in college.
15th February 2008, 21:30
Buleste

So far the Job title is PC Builder so i assume it's a ronseal job title. So the next time S C goes to college he could be using a computer built by me (You'll know which ones, they'll have tonnes of sellotape in them).

@ S C
What are they like? It'll be good to know about the computers before i go. Also which college as i may name drop it in the interview that way it looks like i've done a bit of research.
15th February 2008, 21:37
Stephen Coates

The college is Rotherham College of Arts and Technology (http://www.rotherham.ac.uk)

The computers are just like, well, computers :unsure:.
Some of them have odd power buttons - the stone computers logo is actually the power button and has a blue LED in it. They always seem to work just as well as any other computers I have used.

College uses LG monitors with them and has Stone branded Microsoft keyboards and mice. I am assuming they like these computers as it seems impossible to go anywhere in college and not see one, although I think they bought a load of new ones a couple of years ago to replace the old ones. I have seem a few old Stone machines around.

Thats about all I can tell you as I don't really know much about them.
15th February 2008, 22:08
Buleste

Any info is good in the war against HR. Like i say if it looks as though i've been doing research into the company it's only going to help in the interview.
15th February 2008, 23:47
Harrison

Any teaching institute tends to have an exclusive contract with a computer supplier, which is probably why your college has all the same make Steve. And often this is a county wide contract, so with a large computer supplier they will be providing systems to a lot of locations. Definitely a good business to own if you can maintain the contracts and provide good quality products.
16th February 2008, 05:48
Sharingan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Buleste

Interview on Monday at 3:30pm at this place. Only a tempory contract but we'll see how it goes.

Congratulations :thumbs:

Hope it goes well for you. Even if it's just a temporary contract, the work experience will still be yours afterwards.
2nd March 2008, 20:58
J T

Quote:

Originally Posted by Harrison

Any teaching institute tends to have an exclusive contract with a computer supplier, which is probably why your college has all the same make Steve. And often this is a county wide contract, so with a large computer supplier they will be providing systems to a lot of locations. Definitely a good business to own if you can maintain the contracts and provide good quality products.

A friend made a fortune (literally - he used the cash to set up a financial business. He has a Ferrari at the ripe old age of 25) buying computers from a source and selling them on to schools.

I've thought about a career change. I like my job but it is very safe, sometimes I get a bit worried about getting too complacent. Plus it's pretty poorly paid. 'Scientist' does sound cool though, but in a geeky way.... :whistle: