Changing careers and going back to school

[JennK13]

I've spent the last 4 months searching for a new job as I absolutely HATE my current one. I've been here over 3 years, and in the field for 5 - I'm an executive asssitant and work in municipal government.

I never intended to end up here....I went to Jr College out of high school, bought a house and just started working. School and dreams just kind of went away as the financial responsibility of adulthood took over. Flash forward 17 years later, and here I am. The job itself isn't too bad - it's not very fulfilling, but it's not difficult, I make great money, and have awesome benefits. But the political environment is killing me! I've been looking for an EA position in the Private Sector and in a more meaningful field, something that interests me like sports, fashion or healthcare. Competition is fierce, though, and i'm being picky right now since I do have a job and don't have to take whatever is out there.

But I still wouldn't be "happy" in work. I wanted to go into sports medicine, athletic training, something along those lines. I've been seriously considering going back to school to get my AS as a Physical Therapy Assistant and getting back to what I want to do, and get into an athletic rehab facility. DH is supportive of wanting me to be happy, but in his family you just work and make a living to pay bills - this whole loving your job thing is foreign to him. But he does see how it affects me and how unhappy I am Monday through Friday. While it would be tight, or at least really cut back on our current spending situation, we could make it work with me getting a part time job and going to school full time to knock it out in 12-18 months (I already have the majority of my general ed classes out of the way). He's just really worried about the financial situation, on top of tuition, since I'm the "bread winner". At least I could get my certification from a Community College, so it's not as expensive as what you all are talking about.

Anyhow, I took an online test on career satisfaction - what I want to do is right up my alley, and what I'm doing is way at the bottom of the list. I don't mean to highjack the thread, I'm just really inspired by you all to do it. I'll be 36 this year, too young to spend any more time than necessary in a job I hate.

So THANK YOU!!! I think this was the push and motivation I needed to see to really think hard about this and make it happen. Good luck to you!

[badger]

I am so envious of you!! About 10 years ago I had made a decision to go back to school to become a veterinarian. However, my very weak math skills came back to haunt me in that I really struggled with even the basic math and couldn't continute to even do anything like calculus or physics, which I would have needed to even apply.

There was only 3 vet schools in Canada then (I think there's 4 now), which meant I would be competing for one of 15 spots with those who have 5.0 GPA. It would also have meant I'd have at least 7 years of school (my BA in anthropology would have only counted for maybe 1 year of prerequisites) and god knows how much in student loans, I gave up. I even had a tattoo of a vet insignia put on me, but I had to hang my head in shame and have it covered up with a humming bird.

So, I'm hoping you'll pursue your goals in becoming a vet, that would be SOOOOOO exciting!! I'd say live your dreams, chase them and go for them. 2 years of undergrad is nothing, and then just 4 years of vet school. It will just FLY by, and you can live your dreams. If I were even remotely capable of even being accepted into a school, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

[Selkie]

You definitely have what it takes to be a great vet. The very calm way you handled Sass's delivery of a stillborn baby---getting the baby away from her quickly so as not to upset her---and helping Oreo and the other baby into the world. Well, that pretty much proves that you can do it.

You'll be a compassionate, smart, talented, competent vet with a great hayside/floorside/cage side manner. Enjoy the journey earning your DMV!

[GLC1968]

Aw, thanks you guys! NbyNW - there are internships at the Zoo and I'll definitely do that if I can swing it around a reguarly work schedule. It's far from my home, but relatively close to my work, so I might be able to get it to work.

And Selkie - you just made me tear up! Thanks!

[badger]

oh yeah, I forgot to mention that when I wanted to get on this path, I started volunteering at the spca hospital. I'm still there, 10 years later!

[out_spokin']

GLC1968, thanks for taking the chance and putting your dreams out like this. Clearly you've touched a nerve and have quite a bit of company.

I'm sort of in a mix between what you're talking about and what Tulip voiced - while I've been mostly satisfied with my career/job choices up til this point I'm starting to really be in touch with the fact that it is not going to keep me engaged and satisfied for much longer. I have no big qualms about the idea of going back to school at (almost) 42, though the finances and "will I really like it?" worries do exist. I did some research before the holidays, and I've got a lot of work to do about exploring what's next and this thread is inspiring me to take the next step again.

I'm a little more concerned about dissatisfaction in other areas in my life. I didn't so much dream of Paris, but I definitely need to work on the "get happier" part. I'm feeling deeply drawn towards living more authentically. Should be quite a journey!

[GLC1968]

I'm feeling deeply drawn towards living more authentically.

out_spokin', I think it was precisely my act of doing this that made me realize that I need to make a big change now. The fact that I am so happy with everything else about my life (and starting the farm was a HUGE factor in it) made the work situation even more glaring in comparison. When all you want to do is quit your job so that you can live the rest of your life (and it consumes your every waking moment and some of your sleeping ones) then you know there is something severly out of balance.

I started thinking about how I could bring the two together. I love my farm life...so why not find a job that will compliment it (and pay the bills)? I seriously considered going back to school for herbology, but while I'm fascinated by the subject, I'm not very good with plants. Luckily, I'm also fascinated by animal care and welfare and I do have more of a knack with them. Both options would have melded with the happy part of my life much better than my current career. So in a way, it all ties together.

[smilingcat]

I think most of us need variety in our lives. Some are quite happy with the job they have, punch-in, punch-out 9 to 5 job. And they are content.

And there are the rest of us. Never quite satisfied. And there are those who really do not like the profession they are in. Maybe you liked the job when you started but after 10 years, you don't or you really never liked it even in the beginning.

It's important to distinguish between I never really liked it and I'm burnt out on it after 10 years. Maybe its the people you work with. Design engineers are one tough bunch to work with on a personal level.

I knew I was going to be an engineer as a grade school kid. Electronics and machinery always fascinated me. Barbie dolls, and tea set never got my interest though I admit, I hated my younger sister when she got the olive green colored easy bake oven. It became mine after only few month... I digress. But I hate some aspects of R/D work. I hate some of the people, I hate the schedule created in never-never land...

I thought of going back into the restaurant "back of the house" kitchen work. Its crazy, chaotic dangerous place when the kitchen gets slammed. Been there done that. Went so far as to take classes in culinary school and have a worthless paper to prove.

I spent great deal of time at pottery, have studio worth of tools to prove. At one point I didn't have to pay attention to throwing mugs one after another. No splash pans and my pants stayed clean...

Yet I'm still in R/D of electronic design and each year I swear I'm going to quit or retire.


SOMETIMES, WHAT YOU NEED IS A GOOD DISTRACTION FROM YOUR WORK.

but if your heart is truly set on something else, like mimi quoting, You have to give it a try. If it doesn't work out or you find out its not quite what you thought, you can always go back.

Best to get your feet wet by volunteering on a regular basis. Most of us are mature so the decisions we make are made with both eyes wide open. Wish you the best in whatever you decide. Having a choice is a blessing.

[shootingstar]

One could almost imagine you ...at a farmers' market, with your stand demostrating cooking with a local food or making somethin' tasty, selling it.

Ever thought of this...?

[GLC1968]

It's important to distinguish between I never really liked it and I'm burnt out on it after 10 years. Maybe its the people you work with. Design engineers are one tough bunch to work with on a personal level.

I knew I was going to be an engineer as a grade school kid. Electronics and machinery always fascinated me.

Yeah, I never liked EE. Even when I was a student, I didn't like it. It was challenging for me, and I liked that aspect of it. I also knew that I'd be an asset in EE as a woman with excellent communication skills and a non-engineering background but with straight A's. I knew I could put together a fabulous career. My school also had this new, up and coming, exciting department in wireless technologies with a wireless instruction lab that was getting world-wide recognition. It was hard not to get swept up in it once I'd opened that door. Plus, I knew there was a huge future in it and I was right as evidenced by how fantastic my company is doing during an economic down turn. Basically, I knew I didn't love it then, but I didn't think it would matter. I chose my career for reasons other than enjoyment. I figured that since I was smarter than a lot of the guys I was working with, I'd be fine. I was good at faking it.

Unfortunately, in the real world, you can't fake the kind of enthusiasm that I'd have to show to really get somewhere in my career.

Oh, and I never wanted to be an engineer. Hell, before I hit college, I wasn't even sure what an engineer was! I was always fascinated with science and biology and things of that nature, but the physical sciences held no draw for me. I was always good at figuring things out (from puzzles to mechanical things), but it was not my passion.

LESSON TO ALL YOU YOUNGER BOYS AND GIRLS OUT THERE - DO NOT CHOOSE A CAREER UNLESS YOU ENJOY THE CAREER, NO MATTER HOW SMART OR LUCRATIVE YOU THINK IT WILL BE.

SOMETIMES, WHAT YOU NEED IS A GOOD DISTRACTION FROM YOUR WORK.

What, you mean besides TE?

One could almost imagine you ...at a farmers' market, with your stand demostrating cooking with a local food or making somethin' tasty, selling it.

Ever thought of this...?

Nope. I hate to cook.

[Triskeliongirl]

I don't know the answer to the question I am posing but it's something I think you should research. It concerns age bias. While it may be illegal its often practiced by selection committees at least in the area of science that I do. The issue would be why invest the resources in training a 40 something who has 20 years less of a working life ahead of her than and 20 something? When I say resources, realize that student tuition is a drop in the bucket compared to the real costs to educate a professional of the type you are discussing.

I also wonder if an admissions committee would worry that this is your third career change, so it will be important to articulate why this time you are sure. Its easy to say you made a mistake the first time around, but the second time too?

I am not writing any of this to discourage you, just offering the perspective of someone that sits on admission committees for things to research before you take the plunge.

[badger]

that's a very valid point. A friend of mine has gone back to school to get her pre requisites to apply for medicine. She's been told by 3 schools if she's looked into Osteopathy. She was like "Osteopathy? what's that?" Finally after the 3rd time she was asked, she asked back in return if they were asking this because of her age (42). They said in not so direct way that yes, it's because of her age.

Osteopathy's not as regulated or as popular so it would be easy for her to get in.

[JennK13]

The issue would be why invest the resources in training a 40 something who has 20 years less of a working life ahead of her than and 20 something? When I say resources, realize that student tuition is a drop in the bucket compared to the real costs to educate a professional of the type you are discussing.

I also wonder if an admissions committee would worry that this is your third career change, so it will be important to articulate why this time you are sure. Its easy to say you made a mistake the first time around, but the second time too?

that's a very valid point. A friend of mine has gone back to school to get her pre requisites to apply for medicine. She's been told by 3 schools if she's looked into Osteopathy. She was like "Osteopathy? what's that?" Finally after the 3rd time she was asked, she asked back in return if they were asking this because of her age (42). They said in not so direct way that yes, it's because of her age.

Osteopathy's not as regulated or as popular so it would be easy for her to get in.

Well, now this just worries me! I registered for some classes this morning to get my general studies out of the way so I can apply for the fall Physical Therapy Assistant progam (applications accepted February 1-June 1). But, they only accept 20 students A YEAR into the program. As if 20 students wasn't limiting enough for me to be afraid, now I worry I'm too "old"...

[Owlie]

LESSON TO ALL YOU YOUNGER BOYS AND GIRLS OUT THERE - DO NOT CHOOSE A CAREER UNLESS YOU ENJOY THE CAREER, NO MATTER HOW SMART OR LUCRATIVE YOU THINK IT WILL BE.

Please come over and tell my boyfriend this.

[GLC1968]

I don't know the answer to the question I am posing but it's something I think you should research. It concerns age bias. While it may be illegal its often practiced by selection committees at least in the area of science that I do. The issue would be why invest the resources in training a 40 something who has 20 years less of a working life ahead of her than and 20 something? When I say resources, realize that student tuition is a drop in the bucket compared to the real costs to educate a professional of the type you are discussing.

I also wonder if an admissions committee would worry that this is your third career change, so it will be important to articulate why this time you are sure. Its easy to say you made a mistake the first time around, but the second time too?

I am not writing any of this to discourage you, just offering the perspective of someone that sits on admission committees for things to research before you take the plunge.

Oh, I totally get this. Both from a perspective of why educate me at 43 (or older by the time I actually apply) to why I've changed careers so much.

In fact, framing my past choices in a positive light is something I've thought about quite a bit. With a captive audience, I can easily demonstrate my life-long desire to be a vet (I've headed down that road three times before this one), but I certainly wouldn't bother going into it here. In addition, I certainly don't think that my first career choice was a mistake. It was actually a massive learning experience for me and I don't regret even one second of it. I do regret the choices I made for my second career to some degree. But I can certainly put the positive spin on it from a science/math/technical point of view and sell it as a strength in my application.

From what I've gathered from talking to people lately is that the dropout rate from vet school must be pretty high. It's probably not as obvious due to the relative small number of people who even get in, but as a %...it's got to be pretty large. As someone who has 'been there, done that' twice...I would think that I'm a pretty low risk student. I'm sure as hell not going to get pregnant, fall in love and get married, move to europe to backpack or get influenced by all the distractions of a typical college student. And since I'll be the one paying for this (not my parents), I'll have a more vested interest than some.

And then, is there really a time limit on being a vet? I mean, it's not like professional sports where you get too old, too quickly, right? Does a younger and better looking vet has much of an advantage over a mature one? It's not like sales or business or some other such career where youth/looks really matter, right? (or is it...I'm really asking here!)

But yeah, lots of good things to think about...