How to waste 15 years of your life

[Dave L]

I was laid off Monday. I spoke to my former manager on Friday and he had suggested that instead of jumping right back in that I should take my time and really be sure of what I wanted to do. At this point I already had a 2nd interview set up for a sales position in my city.

I never decided "what I wanted to do when I grew up" I went to college for business as it seemed to offer many possibilities and didnt pigeon hole me into anything. I took a 2 year diploma program so I could get out of school as soon as possible. I fell into sales and was reasonable successful at it moving up in position and I liked the challenges. I had a short patience, at times was miserable, and often had a negative attitude but my customers loved me and the money was decent.

I have amassed a couple of pretty decent achievements that look good on a resume but I dont really care or even feel that proud of them. What I did in my spare time, outside of my regular hobbies, was fix my cars, finished my basement, built a deck, built an oak aquarium stand. Its these things that I really seemed to enjoy and perhaps more importantly I felt pride in the accomplishment.

So, on to that 485 question "career personality assessment". Surprise surprise, any sales type of job listed I showed a "moderate level" of "predicted Skill/Interest Level". Where I consistently showed high levels of skill and interest were in the trades. Specifically electrical. Im not surprised as I have thought about it in the past and frequently wondered "what the hell am I doing with my life". I might go back to school as I just cant seem to stomach continuing in my current career.

Any major career changers out there?

[Dottore]

I can't urge you strongly enough to go back to school in order to learn something that is in line with your aptitude and skills, that will give you pleasure and that will fulfill you every day for the rest of your working life.

Someone said, "if you do what you love, the money will follow".

I find it too tragic to see people going to work day after day and doing something they loathe to do—just for the money. That's a wasted life IMHO.

[targa911S]

Marry my ex-wife?

[Danimal16]

Originally Posted by Dottore

I can't urge you strongly enough to go back to school in order to learn something that is in line with your aptitude and skills, that will give you pleasure and that will fulfill you every day for the rest of your working life.

Someone said, "if you do what you love, the money will follow".

I find it too tragic to see people going to work day after day and doing something they loathe to do—just for the money. That's a wasted life IMHO.

This is sage advice!!!!!!! +10,0000.

Go where your heart leads. There is a need out there for trades and who cares as long as you are happy. The money will show up, no doubt about it and if you were in sales you already know how to make a customer happy.

Seriously, you have a very good opportunity here.

[Oh Haha]

Dave,

This is exactly where I think that I am in life, a major crossroad.


I fell into the job I had and was generally happy and I liked my work. I had plans of retiring from that company and enjoying my life after employment. That all changed when the company sold off the assets in the area.

My wife and I discuss daily what my future could be. The old adage "you can do whatever you want in life if you are committed" is wonderful if you are 18 and just entering the world. When you are 42+, things look a bit different.



Not impossible, just different.

[Oh Haha]

Dave, I wouldn't call what you've done the last 15 years a waste.

You lived life.


Honestly, I am enjoying my world right now. I am home with my kids and I can tell you, I have never felt so stress free.

[Danimal16]

Dave,

I am laughing my but off (its just the irony). A friend of mine sent me this (I am an engineer and so is he). Take a look at the skills part.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/24408837

[red911sc]

Originally Posted by targa911s

marry my ex-wife?

+1

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

The old adage "you can do whatever you want in life if you are committed" is wonderful if you are 18 and just entering the world. When you are 42+, things look a bit different.

Not impossible, just different.

NOT IMPOSSIBLE is the key message. I can tell you a dozen stories about this. My 60 year old neighbor switched from a teaching job to law school at age 50. It was what he always wanted to do. For the last 6 years he's been doing trial work here in town, loves it and has a great client base. etc. etc.



Don't ever let anyone tell you "it's too late".

[Zef]

How to waste 15 years of your life ....get married.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

How to waste 15 years of your life? Pursue architecture as a career. You'll get to waste about $100,000 as well as a bonus.

I'm doing what I should've done years ago and saying "hell with it", flying airplanes for a living and wherever it takes me, it takes me. Whether I end up in the left seat of a 777 or I end up flying traffic patterns in Cessna 172s for the rest of my days, I don't care - at least I'll truly enjoy doing what I do instead of what everyone else TELLS ME I enjoy doing (making money, etc.)

The fact that the construction field is completely dead right now (and not likely to come back anytime soon) makes this an easy decision, at least for now. I suppose if things turn around in a few years I'll be tempted to "chase the money" again (I did that once, walking away from a cargo pilot gig to do architectural work for about 3X the pay) but I made that mistake once. Never again. Screw the ratrace.

As they say, "do what you love". That's more important to me at this point. And FWIW architecture has laid me off twice. When I was flying, the industry was tough, but never left me without a job or income - not even once. Kinda' tells me where my loyalties should be.

[Dave L]

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

Dave, I wouldn't call what you've done the last 15 years a waste.

You lived life.

yes you are right, and thats probably what makes it difficult, I sit in my comfortable 4 bed house in a nice neighborhood with 3 cars in the drive way commiserating on what a failure my (work) life is.

Over the last week I have cried a lot, laughed a lot and have been outright elated that I have seemingly been given another chance.

Originally Posted by Oh Haha

Honestly, I am enjoying my world right now. I am home with my kids and I can tell you, I have never felt so stress free.

I see that, this past week I have watched my kids 4 soccer games, 2 swimming lessons and just helped my son make a rocket ship out of old toilet paper tubes. Fun times!

[Oh Haha]

Hang in there, pal.

I told my wife that, when I was laid off back in Feb. from the company I had spent 18 years at, this seemed like I was going through my divorce again. All kinds of fun feelings like anger, guilt, sorrow, etc.

When I was laid off this time from the new company, I felt free.


How far is Barrie from the Sarnia/Port Huron?

I'm going to be there for the car festival in July. maybe we could get together?

[Dave L]

Originally Posted by Zef

How to waste 15 years of your life ....get married.

I have been married for 9 years, one of the best decisions I have made. My wife is behind me, I just have to figure out how to make it work.

[Seahawk]

Experience is never a waste...you've got 15 years of life from which to base your families next chapter(s).

Have fun and enjoy the challenge.

Originally Posted by Dave L

yes you are right, and thats probably what makes it difficult, I sit in my comfortable 4 bed house in a nice neighborhood with 3 cars in the drive way commiserating on what a failure my (work) life is.

Over the last week I have cried a lot, laughed a lot and have been outright elated that I have seemingly been given another chance.



I see that, this past week I have watched my kids 4 soccer games, 2 swimming lessons and just helped my son make a rocket ship out of old toilet paper tubes. Fun times!

[Rick Lee]

I've had a similar previous 15 years as Dave L. But I never looked at my career as my life. I look at it as a way to afford my lifestyle. It's afforded me the time and money to do some amazing travel, buy lots of fun toys, meet some great people and occasionally, a little personal growth.

I've been with the same company or boss now for eight years. I hate it. But it's allowed me to do so much of what I've always wanted to do. I got to move to AZ and keep the same job, while now working from home. My biggest career goal in life is to be left the hell alone and, well, I'm pretty much there. That I'm making decent money now is just icing on the cake.

I've resigned myself to working for the man until I find a better opportunity. It's ain't that bad though when you work from home, see your wife every morning and night, have great weather every day and can arrange business trips to wherever whenever I can dig up the business. I've been in a lot worse situations.

[Dave L]

I could have typed that Rick, my last 5 years were at Nokia, I worked with some of the biggest dealers in Ontario. My number one priority was to work my thirty'ish hours per week and spend time doing other things. I still hated it, the job was a 100% farming role, I worked from home and really thought it would be my last job. I wasnt going to be there forever, my plan was to pay off my house as soon as possible and buy a rental property or two to provide some income. Retirement sounds pretty good but I dont think at 35 I should have been trying to make plans for it.

[einreb]

You may find this interesting...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/24/magazine/24labor-t.html

A snippet....

The television show “Deadliest Catch” depicts commercial crab fishermen in the Bering Sea. Another, “Dirty Jobs,” shows all kinds of grueling work; one episode featured a guy who inseminates turkeys for a living. The weird fascination of these shows must lie partly in the fact that such confrontations with material reality have become exotically unfamiliar. Many of us do work that feels more surreal than real. Working in an office, you often find it difficult to see any tangible result from your efforts. What exactly have you accomplished at the end of any given day? Where the chain of cause and effect is opaque and responsibility diffuse, the experience of individual agency can be elusive. “Dilbert,” “The Office” and similar portrayals of cubicle life attest to the dark absurdism with which many Americans have come to view their white-collar jobs.

[tonypeoni]

"I fell into sales" Im in sales also and feel what your saying. Lets face though if you start all over again with a different career your talking 10 to 15 years to get back to what a decent sales job will pay. You'll have to climb the corporate ladder one rung at a time. Not to mention all the debt you'll have to pay back from your schooling. Id say stick with what you know.

[Dave L]

Originally Posted by tonypeoni

"I fell into sales" Im in sales also and feel what your saying. Lets face though if you start all over again with a different career your talking 10 to 15 years to get back to what a decent sales job will pay. You'll have have to climb the corporate latter one rung at a time. Not to mention all the debt you'll have to pay back from your schooling. Id say stick with what you know.

Yes all logical. My "plan" is to move into Nuclear at Bruce Power. My dad has worked there for 30 years, my bothers Best man's mother works directly with Duncan Hawthorn (president) and I went to school with the son of the VP of Corporate Affairs. While certainly not a sure thing my 15 years of experience in sales makes me a very good interviewee. They are experiencing a huge exodus (retirement, most are in thier mid 50's) of long term employees so they will be hiring. Salaries are embarrassingly high.

Also since I have been laid off I have the opportunity to apply for a government program called "second career". The program would pay for part of my education.

Its a half baked plan so far, I still have to look at all the "what if's"