A little lost… career change?

[Mule3006Elk]

I like my job and I find it rewarding. But I don't love it. I'm not sure who does after 23 years. But I get 4 days off a week to NOT think about my job. The time off is enough to keep me in the game. My youngest has 3 years of HS left. My plan is in 5 years to drop down to 2 shifts a week. Enough to keep me sharp but enough time off to enjoy my life.

 

[berretsteve]

my advice is you think long and hard about this.. not just from your point of view but the family also assuming you are married already.. it all comes down to choice you make it and face what comes with.. God guide you through.

 

[kthomas]

Keep in mind, it's a very, very difficult job market right now. Especially so if you are trying to make a transition.

Employers are being incredibly picky right now, which makes transitioning difficult. They are seemingly looking for perfect candidates, if they even intend on hiring at all (look up "ghost jobs").

I'm in the middle of this. I've been looking for a new career for over a year. I have a bachelor's in engineering, and a master's in the field of architecture. 8 years professional experience in progressing roles in complex and major capital projects. I cannot get a job. I'm over 700 job applications now.

Be smart about your transition. Know exactly what you want, and work to obtain the credentials that would make you a desirable candidate. You have to spell out to recruiters exactly why you are a great fit for the company - don't expect them to understand or interpret your experience.

And most importantly of all, good luck. It's an absolutely brutal market for those seeking jobs right now.

 

[waspocrew]

I had a classmate in medical school that started when he was 40 years old. 40! He was tired and burned out of his other career. He was married and had two children. He ended up going into family practice and seems quite happy.

Being on the outside of it, I’m sure it was extremely challenging and not cheap by any means, but he seemed really happy with his decision. From what I can tell, his spouse was very supportive of the career change.

I can’t tell you one way or the other, as I just started my career outside of training, but if you’re absolutely miserable or drained, I couldn’t imagine staying in the same job/field for another 40 years just for the financial stability.

Best of luck with your decision!

 

[HighUintas]

I have had some type of major issue with every job I've had. It's ok or maybe enjoyable for a couple of years and then becomes intolerable. I'm now at a point where the job is for the most part taking care of me financially, but damn if I don't hate every aspect of the job itself and the company's purpose. I feel like I'm wasting away in a jail cell every day I work that job.

Unfortunately, I've sort of worked my way into a career path that I just don't want and don't have an easy line to make a big change without school, big pay cut starting next job, etc.

I've thought the last couple years that maybe the problem isn't the job, but maybe it's me. Maybe I need to work on some aspect of myself that would allow me to be content or even happy in my current job. I've been working on that aspect and it has improved to a degree. I'm giving it until next spring and then pulling the plug if I don't feel happier.

When you feel like your job might be taking years off your life, if you can't find a way to fix it then you need to make a change.

 

[Blacktocomm]

I can point to dozens of guys who weren’t happy where they were, moved, and still aren’t happy, but make less money.

I've seen multiple people switch from "Soul sucking corporate jobs" to end up in soul sucking not corporate jobs for a lot less money. Looking at this thread it seems lots of people have hard experiences changing, but there are also success stories so it seems possible.

I've been at multiple different companies and work sucked at each. Now I just try and do good work for 40ish hours a week and forget about work all the rest of the time.

 

[Macintosh]

A bit rambling, but here's my perspective for what it's worth...which is maybe only what you paid for it.

Happy people are happy no matter what they are doing, no matter how much they do or dont have, etc. There are people with clinical issues around this, but for most people this really is a decision we are in control of. There's nothing that makes someone more miserable than feeling like they arent in control of their own life. Letting the "I SHOULD be doing X because that's what people are supposed to do" is the very definition of choosing to not take ownership of your own life, so no wonder lots of people are unhappy with it. The trick is to find balance in this. Is there a chance of making a bad decision and regretting it? Hell yes, decisions have consequences--but so does indecision. Regardless, is it going to kill you? Highly unlikely. You said you're in your late 20's. That seemed pretty old when I was there, but almost 30 years later my perspective is that I was a kid at 29, regardless of what hard knocks I'd had--a reasonably well paid, highly functional kid, but a kid nonetheless. That's not meant to be disparaging in any way, it's meant to say that at 28 or 29 years old you could easily have 40 or 45 or even more years of a working career left--that could be a shitty prospect or a super exciting opportunity depending on what you make of it--but for sure it means that if you make a bad decision now, the consequences just aren't as big as they might seem, because in all probability you have a ton of runway ahead of you. At 30, there is plenty of time to get another degree, accumulate other additional skills, change companies within the same field, find a different field that utilizes many of your existing skills and your degree, etc. Or to build an entirely new career. There may be tons of engineers (??), but a geographic move might change that, or maybe you need a law degree because there is a shortage of people with a combination of law/engineering for something specialized and highly lucrative...Or throw it all away and become an organic pig farmer. Or keep doing what you're doing and invest your time in volunteer work or a side gig, or, or, or. None of those decisions is easy, but if you dont make them none of those things will ever happen, and the consequences, even though they may not be nothing, just arent that important in the scheme of things--at 30 there is still plenty of time to bump into a wall, back up, step sideways, and change direction, maybe multiple times. This is all a process, not a result. In the immortal words of Geddy Lee if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice. Do something, and do it with intention, and if you fail or it doesn't work, learn from it, change, and do something else.

I say spend some time thinking about what you truly want and what you truly value, and do whatever it takes to achieve and grow those things NOW, and at the same time do things that make you happy and fulfilled where you are today, and keep doing them and adjusting as needed. Without being reckless do this now-- make choices, set timelines for yourself, and act on those decisions, and the regrets you have in the future will mostly be about things you wish you would have done earlier. While you may look back and say XX decision probably wasn't the right one and it may have cost you something in the long run, you almost certainly wont be an unhappy person because of that--those decisions and their consequences aren't what make people happy or unhappy, and everyone has those things anyway.

 

[MTPipeliner]

Rather than a complete departure from engineering is there another aspect of it that you think would be rewarding/interesting?

For myself, I got kind of burned out and wanted a change in my late 20s. I took a different job in the same field and it was awful, I only lasted a year there. Ended up going back to my original company and have been there a total of 20 years now. That move cost me a lot of money buying and selling houses, messed up my retirement account, etc but it was worth it for me personally because it helped me adjust my attitude and expectations. After working for the bad company I was able to much more easily let the small petty BS slide and focus on the good things at work.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

head down to a recruiting station, sign up for OCS, and enjoy the ride. guarantee you'll be super excited to get your dull job back in 5-30 years.

 

[Throwin Darts]

Working sucks. Someone trades you money for your time. Find the highest trade value and then live for all the time outside of work.

 

[SWOHTR]

head down to a recruiting station, sign up for OCS, and enjoy the ride. guarantee you'll be super excited to get your dull job back in 5-30 years.

Word

Good advice above. Biggest thing I can say is persistence, resilience, and “stick-to-it-iveness” merit a lot of consideration and, in my opinion, are largely lost on our younger generations.

I remember sitting around the wardroom table 11 years ago and CHENG and I were talking about “my future.” As a JO I said “hell I’m getting out!” To which he mused, “that’s a different perspective than we had…we started a career with the intention to do that and only that, rather than constantly job hop. (More musing about persistence…)”

It was an otherwise unremarkable conversation that stuck with me to this day. I look around and see a lot of friends that still aren’t settled, and I’m 13 years in…7 left (minimum) to 20, then who knows.

 

[Wrench]

I had another thought about this that may provoke some thought.

I currently make more than the most senior Engineer at my facility. A large portion of technical jobs, and skilled labor are currently manned by people well over 50. That means there will me a huge hole left when they all retire. I currently see Machinists and Welders getting payed incredibly well.

What do you find satisfying?

I'm one of those guys you described. I'll take 30 days off paid this year and still break $150k.

Be a specialist in a niche market that cannot be outsourced.

 

[Weldor]

Good read for sure. I retired after 43 years of welding. Never a dull moment. I guess I was lucky enjoyed doing my job where ever that landed me. Traveled ,hunted, fished many places on my per-diem. Companies are just that a company trying to make a profit. Just make sure you are paid well and who cares how they run things or whatever. Bottom line is find something your good at and stick to it. The better you are at it the more money you'll make. Just means you get to go hunting more. JMHO

 

[WRO]

Wanted to pick your guys brains, specifically those that have made large career changes

I’m knocking on the door of 30 years old, have a 4 year degree and have been working in the same engineering field since graduating about 8 years ago (3 different jobs, nearly identical work)

This job has great flexibility and allows me to do other things on the side like build a house as the GC but I’ve lost a lot of my ambition and drive in in career. This has been going on for the last 2 or so years

There are days I comment on how I want to do something that makes a difference in the world and potentially helps people/communities (think firefighter as a random example).

But I know that a big career change will likely lead to approx 40% less income and not much time flexibility to do side businesses (only debt I have is about 50% on a home). This reduced time and funds would impact my available funds for my #1 hobby, hunting and shooting


Anyone made a big career change and regretted it? Would love to hear some stories weather they be for or against making large career changes


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Take the money, focus on what you love doing in life when you’re not working. I have had many extensential crisis’s over the years with my work. But at the end, Family, fun, etc are what matters, not where your check comes from.

 

[BigNate]

Working sucks. Someone trades you money for your time. Find the highest trade value and then live for all the time outside of work.

The harsh truth is that working for a company is no different than prostitution. You are paid for your time to do things that they want done.

 

[Jimmy]

Fire fighter might look cool and rewarding, but there's a reason they are among the highest rates of suicide I believe. You see some horrific things you will never get out of your mind.

 

[Salmon River Solutions]

I've been working in a machine shop since I started at my dads shop at 13. I get burnt out on stuff quickly when working in a machining field. I did mold making stuff for years, then went to a production shop as a prototype machinist. Loved it, but got tired of working for a shop with over 150 employees.

We were able to start SRS when my business partner and I were both 29. I like that I was able to turn my hobby into a full time job as a business owner. I took a 50% pay cut when I decided to go for it full time with the business. I still make less than I did at my last job but we reinvest most of the money back into the business.

That being said, I took a risk and it worked out.

Would you consider an MBA on top of your engineering degree? That's what my buddy who is a mechanical engineer is currently considering. Then you can move into management, or its super easy at that point to get financial backing for a startup with that combo of degrees.

Ken

 

[Dos Perros]

Working sucks. Someone trades you money for your time. Find the highest trade value and then live for all the time outside of work.

This is a good perspective. I like my job but I get my kicks outside of work. My boss knows that, knows what's important to me, and when I'm at work I do a good job. Motivation is a CHOICE. If you're putting your name on it, it better be good, and if it's not it says how much you value yourself.

 

[Weldor]

This is a good perspective. I like my job but I get my kicks outside of work. My boss knows that, knows what's important to me, and when I'm at work I do a good job. Motivation is a CHOICE. If you're putting your name on it, it better be good, and if it's not it says how much you value yourself.

Right on!

 

[Johnny Tyndall]

I did it at about 35, and I've seen friends do it as well. It's generally worked out well. It worked out great for me - one of the least conflicted decisions I've ever made, 0 second guessing. That said, it's a lot harder to make a complete jump. You don't really know what these other jobs are like, you just have your imagination, going into a lot of debt really sucks, and you're basically starting over.

Instead, maybe think of taking your career in a new direction? Engineering degrees are valuable and you can take them in a ton of different directions, even more so if you have your PE. Go build water treatment systems in central america, get with a stream restoration firm (there's one in Whitefish!), try and get on the USFS burned area emergency response team, get a job with a mine in Alaska, work municipal water treatment and do 4 10s, etc.... I didn't completely switch gears, but I springboarded off my previous career into a whole new area.