How did you choose your career (semi-long)

[Sooga]

I hopped into a computer programming job for a big asset-management firm in Santa Monica right after I graduated. Worst. Job. Ever. Perhaps there are people who would like a job where you literally don't have to speak to anyone all day, where you're stuck in a cubicle with no windows, and you just punch away on your keyboard from morning til quitting time. But I'm not one of those people.

Eventually I just quit. Didn't have any job lined up, I just quit; I couldn't handle it anymore. Yea, this probably wasn't a bright move, but in retrospect, it was great because it was the impetus I needed to look for something different. I'd always felt I could be a good teacher back when I was in high school, so I sent out a resume and application to high schools all over the area, and I got hired a few months later, and now I'm pretty sure that's how I'm going to spend the rest of my career.

Yea, the teaching doesn't pay nearly as much as my programming job did. But I only work basically 1000 hours a year at a job I really enjoy, which gives me plenty of free time to do whatever else I want to do. Thinking back, I don't regret anything I did. If you're not sure what you want to do as a job, just try anything you think you'd like, while you still have your youth. You don't want to wake up one morning and be old and/or have commitments, and be stuck humping some job that pays ok, but doesn't make you happy.

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You don't want to wake up one morning and be old and/or have commitments, and be stuck humping some job that pays ok, but doesn't make you happy.

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This is the reason for this post. I think that this is my worst fear in the world.

[jb9]

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You don't want to wake up one morning and be old and/or have commitments, and be stuck humping some job that pays ok, but doesn't make you happy.

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This is the reason for this post. I think that this is my worst fear in the world.

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Even worse is when the job doesn't pay OK...

[Sooga]

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You don't want to wake up one morning and be old and/or have commitments, and be stuck humping some job that pays ok, but doesn't make you happy.

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This is the reason for this post. I think that this is my worst fear in the world.

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Even worse is when the job doesn't pay OK...

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Actually if the job doesn't pay OK, that might be better, because then you'd have no reason to stay. I see so many older friends stay in jobs that make them unhappy just because it's a decent paycheck and they don't want to lose that kind of security. If you're old and have a sh*t paying job, then you haven't got much to lose if you decide to get up and try something completely different.

[callydrias]

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Actually if the job doesn't pay OK, that might be better, because then you'd have no reason to stay. I see so many older friends stay in jobs that make them unhappy just because it's a decent paycheck and they don't want to lose that kind of security. If you're old and have a sh*t paying job, then you haven't got much to lose if you decide to get up and try something completely different.

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That's how it is with me. I know I can't make what I'm making now in any other career field right away if I just got up and left today. I feel like I'm stuck because with this crappy job I have benefits, can afford to keep my house, buy nice toys, go out to eat. Without this crappy job...who knows? Luckily I'm not old. (Well, 28 is probably old to most of you guys...)

Got fired from 1 job so dedicated to playing football (HS and college) but needed money while did this...so took a job at a collections agency when I was 17 (sis worked there) and pay was much higher than average...did that PT til "something better" came along...failed out of college (hate school and Blood alcohol higher than GPA)

Went back to collections (waiting for something else)

Realized I was good at it...did that for 4 years

Moved to become a cop ([censored] sucked - no money)

Moved back home..back to collections bounced around couple agencies

Some old associates opened a new agency with 15 employees, Busted ass for 2 years til became one of the highest ranking managers, company head count was up to 400...told them to [censored] off after a dispute and became a collector....re-busted my ass as collector becoming the top collector for a couple months

Back into entry level management--they opened satellite for Vegas office...I offered to run it and they moved me where I am today...In vegas building a satellite office from the ground up..currently at 60people in 6 months!!!

^^^I'm actually his top collector right now [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

So, I work @ Taco~Bell during senior year in high school get promoted to night manager after 2 1/2 months got tired of that BS.

Went to work for a car dealer as a lot attendant where i learned to drive manual trans. after many failed attempts at people shwoing me i grabbed a Golf and had at it. Later the same style car I come to love plus + turbo pretty much cost me my job since I crash it after working there about 4 months they try to charge me $4000 or so for repairs i told them thats what the insurance they have is for since i was on the job and they refuse and threaten to take from my pay so I just up and quit.

Got a job @ Wal-Mart working in electronics (most of my female relatives have worked there so I was already well known) 3 months in I become night shift supervisor (more of a hey your our electronics bitch at night we need you to run this joint for big movie premiers and video games and such) so i get tired of that stuff after almost a year was i believe 11 months and a few weeks i get offered a job with the government.

I work highway construction as a laborer for the government working to expand the 95 here in Vegas. Make hella bank buy a car, buy tons of other crap i mean hell i was makeing a lil over $900 a week [img]/images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img], The jobs ends. They want to send me to Arizona and Alaska soon after. I dont wanna move so I cash out my pension and got a job at McCarren Airport.

Worked @ AVIS-Rent-A-Car as a customer service rep. I started doing preffered customers but i hated it so just went to regyular peoples since they are less jack asses. I rent them cars, take returns and do a minor wash her and there. Make mad bank with all the OT. Girl @ work tells me i have the best attitude for a bill colllector i had never thought of it and she told me to apply so i told her to pick an ad out for me and i would apply. She gets me an email address i then email my resume...

Now, Im working for the past 4 months @ the collections agency that Mr. Gamblegamble runs, where I a single rookie collector with no experience whatsoever has taken the spot of #1 collector in our office. Out collecting people who act so bad ass comeing out of training just because they have collected for 8 or 9 years. When they see a young guy with no experience own them I must say it brings a smile to my face.

But as far as a career I hope to establish myself in this company and if that doesnt happen well I will go wherever life takes me next.