Re: How did you choose your career (semi-long)
 

I actually have a similar background as you. Except I went to college for Music Technology and ended up just working in technology. I did IT in the finance industry up until September. Then I started my own business.

I also grew up with a family in the restaurant business so food was in my blood I guess. With the money I saved working in IT, I bought into a franchise. I've been open since November and so far so good.

Bottom line is that you need to start somewhere at least for investment capital. IT is a great place because you can jump into a decent paying job pretty quickly.

Do that, save some money, and then invest in yourself and your future in something you think you can do for the rest of your life.

Re: How did you choose your career (semi-long)
 

After giving up on grad school, I was going to get evicted if I didn't get a job. I temped for 6 months, which sucked but kept me from being homeless, until I finally got a fairly generic (i.e., no special skills required) office job.

After a couple of years I switched to another company doing the same work but for more money.

I was a bit more responsible and a bit better with computers than most people doing my job, so after several years and 3 promotions, I'm supervising people doing generic office work (i.e., I'm a middle manager).

I'm now looking to switch to a new company supervising people doing generic office work. I don't even care if it's more money this time. I'm just tired of looking at the same faces every day and having the same discussions with the same people.

Not very inspiring...

New Year's resolution: new less crappy job.

Re: How did you choose your career (semi-long)
 

Hey guids:

I have been working in computer security for about 9 years and will be happy to try and help out if you are looking to branch out/explore new opportunities in the field. It sounds like you might not be certain about the industry, but I can kick around thoughts/ideas if you want.

Jason

Re: How did you choose your career (semi-long)
 

[ QUOTE ]
I actually have a similar background as you. Except I went to college for Music Technology and ended up just working in technology. I did IT in the finance industry up until September. Then I started my own business.

I also grew up with a family in the restaurant business so food was in my blood I guess. With the money I saved working in IT, I bought into a franchise. I've been open since November and so far so good.

Bottom line is that you need to start somewhere at least for investment capital. IT is a great place because you can jump into a decent paying job pretty quickly.

Do that, save some money, and then invest in yourself and your future in something you think you can do for the rest of your life.

[/ QUOTE ]


Awesome, this gives me some hope. I have family that owns a chain of 30-40 Italian places around the midwest, but, honestly other than what Ive learned since I was a kid working in them, I dont know much about the industry (Im learning a lot now though, because Im settung up POS/Accounting/IT stuff in a ton of bars/restaurants). I think I am at the point, becuase I live on my own, pay less than 200$/mo in rent (my uncles building), and have little bills, that between poker/IT stuff etc, I hope to do what you did. GL with your place

Re: How did you choose your career (semi-long)
 

I had two main interests growing up -- music (singing) and sports -- and also enjoyed reading and writing. So I basically looked for careers that fit, and sportswriting seemed to make the most sense. So I joined the high school paper my junior year, then took a stringing job at the local newspaper two months after graduating and got a full-time position three years later.

I don't make much money, but I love what I do, and for me that's a whole lot more important.

Re: How did you choose your career (semi-long)
 

I graduated with a B.A. in Law but didn't have the marks to go to law school, and didn't want to go back for another year to bring my marks up. I had been working in retail sales while I was in University and started working there full-time once I graduated.

It only took me a year of that to realize that I absolutely hated dealing with the public. I'd always had a strong interest in computers and decided that I wanted to go back to school to become a programmer. I took a one-year compressed course at the local College, worked a few crappy jobs to gain enough experience, and finally landed a decent job after a few years.

My job isn't terribly exciting, but it pays fairly well and I have full benefits. We play sports at lunch every day, and there are plenty of office sports teams for me to join after work. I don't always enjoy the work, but I do enjoy my job.

One thing that I keep seeing from younger posters on here is a belief that your job defines you as a person. This is only true if you are planning on working crazy hours and devoting your life to your career. I have always gone by the idiom that "nobody ever lies on their deathbed wishing they'd spent more time at work". My work pays my bills and helps me live a comfortable lifestyle, but it doesn't consume me. I don't think about my work when I am away from the office, and I spend as much time every week doing non-work related hobbies/sports as I do at work. I believe that it's important to have a good work ethic, but it's also important to try to become a well-rounded person.

Re: How did you choose your career (semi-long)
 

My father was a building contractor and started taking me on jobs from when I was about 8 years old. One day I saw the building plans on the job and was fascinated with that. So much so that I started drawing design plans of different things like buildings and bridges at home. So from that early age I had already decided that I wanted to be an Engineer and the only other thing that ever challenged it was sports.

But when I realized that I just wasn't good enough to play any sport professionally, I stuck with the Engineering.

Re: How did you choose your career (semi-long)
 

I always liked numbers and probability -> Trading.
BS and Masters in Computer Science -> Automated Trading Strategies.

Re: How did you choose your career (semi-long)
 

I went into the Marine Corps, was guaranteed Avionics. Working on planes and [censored], to you laymen. Anyway, about a month before I was to go to bootcamp, I hit a deer on my motorcycle. The Corps will discharge you all banged up, but you have to be in good health for them to accept you. My date got pushed out and I lost my contract. So, I essentially went in open contract, meaning they could make me a 5-ton driver, or a cook, or a basic grunt. Luckily I scored pretty high on the ASVAB and did well on the intel tests....they put me in IT. The rest is history.

Luckbox.

Re: How did you choose your career (semi-long)
 

Currently I am an IT Manager for a Hedge Fund in NYC , but i started as just a screw driver jockey , and I still love that part of the job.

My Career found me. When I was younger (7 or 8) I got exposed to a Computer. I was hooked ever since... Started by taking apart my Atari and went from there when I finally got a modem for my Mac Plus I almost had heart failure.

I can honestly say I love my job I wouldnt want to do anything else. However I know its not for everyone I also hate people who do it just cause they "think" they can or because its a "job". I can fix cars but I am no mechanic yanno?
I had a friend who was a programmer , wrote programs for Grumman, Reuters etc but hated it he only did it cause someone told him to cause he could. Being smart doesnt mean you should be a rocket scientest. He did it for 6 years got a Master Degree in Comp Sci and you know what he does now, hes a car mechanic, because he loves it and it's what he's always wanted to do.



With all that in mind, if you have a knack and a love for something then do it. It could be Poker (yea I know) or that bar reasturant your thinking about. Maybe go to culinary school for reasurant mgmt? But I'll just add I never graduated college, I didn't need it knew what I wanted to do all my life college was just wasting my time