From the article: 6 Reasons to Make a Career Change
Have you ever changed careers? People change careers for a variety of reasons that range from simple boredom to lack of opportunities in their current field. Please tell us how you knew it was time to change careers. Share Your Story
Vix
- I decided at 16 yrs old that speech therapy was interesting, the same level of interest as a wildlife doccie. Family took that to mean I wanted to study it. Before I realised it I'm sitting with a 4yr degree, 3 yrs work expereince and misereable beyond belief. working back to back 30 minute appointments with children under 10, fetching and dropping them at school all day because my office is off campus. Earning 50% commission- so school holidays and public holidays (we have 14 in SA) I'm losing out. Work alone so no colleagues to talk to, no scheduled tea break, office without a window and work 10hr days (7h30-6h00). Getting out ASAP!!
- —Vix68
I Realized It's Just a Job
- There is no real growth potential, and I am micromanaged due to the fear, confusion, and lack of real job security in the organization. Because of the micromanagement and nature of the job itself, I feel intense anxiety each and every day. I work in a high stress, high profile position with low pay and no benefits. That is hardly living!! Get me outta here, please and fast!
- —Guest Susan
Get out before you are trapped
- If you are young enough, and don't have a family to support, get out now before you get trapped in a career you end up despising. Once you make more and more money, have a family to support, and have worked in one career for too long, its almost impossible to get out of it. You can't afford any pay cut, you can't disrupt the life of your family drastically, and your skills pigeonhole you into the very career field you now can't stand. There's almost no worse feeling (in terms of career) than that.
- —Guest Trapped
LIFE IS TOO SHORT!
- I have been working in the banking industry for 6 years now. My grandmother & step mom were both in the field and it became a dream career for me since I was a little girl. I am tired of working in an office trapped with gossiping drama queens and people running around getting special treatment because they are constantly kissing the bosses' rear ends! There has always been a lot of jealousy there because of fear of someone moving up and taking someone else's job. It is ridiculous! Fifty year old women acting like they are in high school! Anyway, it breaks my heart that my dream has turned out to be a total nightmare but LIFE IS TOO SHORT to be miserable everyday. I come home stressed out every evening after work. I am going to look into a career that will be less stressful and that I will not feel anxiety and nauseousness before entering the building every morning!!!
- —Guest Moving on
long time
- Been in the office equipment business 20+ yrs. Worked my way up to branch manager after just 3 years. A few poor career moves and industry changes, now I'm back to sales rep. Time to move on.
- —Guest burnout
Immediate Letdown!
- ...when they put me in the warehouse right after being hired. I was a 27-year old musician looking to make a more steady income in the recording/live sound industry. I’d had another job prior to this one as an AV tech for a university, but they saw some big cuts and had to let me go. I went to a corporate AV company thinking it would be the same caliber of work (light, mostly tech support) with the same kind of intellectual people (university grads), but boy was I wrong. When I got to work the first day, I was chuckled at for parking at the front of the office -- 'the techs park in the back'. I was relegated to a dirty warehouse full of run-down gear and immature coworkers, and my job went from a technical position to one where I pushed boxes 80% of the time. (Not to mention the hours they make us work sometimes are literally illegal.) I feel like the year of schooling I did for this line of work was a waste!
- —Guest pianoblack
bored to tears
- When work is non-existent or futile and you are so bored that it drives you to tears
- —Guest in_tears
Need Change
- Ive been in my field for 3yrs now...My job is very stressful in and of itself...not to mention the miserable co workers and their drama. Long work hours (12) 3 days a week and every other weekend....standing and walking. I'm searching for a new career.
- —Guest need change
time for change
- Was in construction which went flat . Took school for hvac and it has been terrible. No one wants you to know how these systems work. Employers want it fixed in 5 minutes. It's like being in bomb disposal!
- —Guest joe
Walking on Egg Shells
- I work in a hospital in a union based job. Been there almost five years. Horrible hours. Never see my family. Been hit with 4 rounds of layoffs since I started working there. Now I'm forced to take part time or be laid off. Wow...I thought the medical field was secure.
- —Guest margo
Burned out
- I have been diligently working in the domestic violence field with case management for last five years. I changed jobs and I dread going to work everyday. The coworkers are all miserable back stabbers. The manager only addresses you by yelling. I'm still there giving service to the clients but searching for a new line of work.
- —Guest DevineOne
Don't have passion my job
- I don't think I am doing what I am doing with a passion. Now especially that they are even frustrating me at my work place. I am not being given what I deserve to get, there is no respect and there is segregation. I think that there is no way I should stay here with a long face for the rest of my life. I have made up my mind that I am changing my career to something that will bring me joy and happiness. I am always in tears and regrets and asking why I was forced into doing this course.
- —Guest Diana
New country - new career
- I changed country of residence. At my home country I was an editor, here I can't do it any more. It is impossible to learn another two languages as a native one. Also editing really doesn't bring enough money. Other careers in the media field are too stressful. And language again. Right now I'm still looking for a new career...
- —Guest Astrid
Suspicion, Low Confidence/Trust
- I knew it was time to move on when the big boss always seemed suspicious even with genuine initiative at work. "You are a potential fraud just waiting to be uncovered".....His words and actions seem to point at this. Coupled to this, low confidence in individual strenghts and capabilities, subjugation and intimidation of all employees including line managers.
- —ALPHAZULU77
Why am I here?
- I'm actually still in my dreaded job. I chose a career (dental hygienist) strictly for the amount of money they made for short amount of schooling it took. After finding out I needed about 2yrs. Of pre-reqs. Before I could even get in the program. I was talked into the next best thing, dental assisting. I could take the course right away and be earning money in less than a year...great! After breezing through school with excellent grades, i went to work in the field. After the very first day I asked myself...what am I doing here? I am a 45-yr-old man, who worked as a professional musician and photographer since I was 19-yrs-old, and now I'm in a career where my peers are 20-yr-old girls who are 10 times better at this than I am. The job is physically brutal on my neck and back, very stressful, it pays only a fraction of what a hygienest makes, and to top it off, i am not very good at it. I feel like I put so much time and money into this choice I need to stay yikes!
- —Guest Roger
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