I am not happy at my job but the problem I do not know exactly what I want to do?

Question

I have worked in a financial company for 16 years and I have great experience! I am not sure if its the company I depise for diferent reason or I am just burned out from the job and I need to do something else. I work hard always and go the extra mile. My career counselor told me I should temp for a while maybe that might be a good thing!! I am so sad and drained from this all but I know I need to so something else..Have you every made career changes in your life? In the end when you made the jump was it worth it??

Answer 1

It didn't happen quite that way, Rena. You see I never started off to be a writer. My mother wanted me to be a priest. But when she descovered that I like women, much to her dismay she decided that I should become a doctor. I have never been able to imagine my life without art: writing music, painting, scuptiing and writing books. Hoever, the fear,--and it's a very real one, is that a "man" has got to earn or try to earn enough money to make a mortgage. But life doesn't work like that. The breakthrough for me came when my mother died. And I realized that I didn't have to do it(continue to study medicine) for her anymore. Revelation?No, as I said, it didn't happen that way. Career is something that I think is a misnomer for doing what we enjoy--really enjoy, the extent to which we cannot imagine our lives without doing whatever it is that we really enjoy. I know, it doesn't make much sense. But when I think of all the people that I run into durign the course of a day, who for whatever reason absolutely hate what they're doing for a living, the extent to which they take out a lot of displaced aggression on peoplke who are doing what they truly love--their lives fragmented beyond belief, determined, distraught and willing to make any and everybody as miserable as they are, I get the feeling that somehow(I have not figured it out yet)made the right mistake by settling in a horrible compromise of the one thing that none of us can get back once it's gone to wit "time"; I certainly take comfort in the fact that I get up in the morning free of frustration and guilt and go to a job with tickling up my arm. Priceless!

Answer 2

Work on getting happy first. I have seen this often and usually the person simply replicates the same situation a second or third time to no benefit. My advise is to focus on what are the things that you do appreciate about this job. I am sure that there are some or you wouldn't have lasted this long.

The biggest career change I ever made needed to be made but I panicked and quit six months too soon. At the time I felt that I couldn't take it any more, but in retrospect it is clear that I would have greatly benefitted by working on a stratedgy to help me continue just six months longer. I would have been much much better off in the future financially. I was blind to those details and it was a serious error. Please find a way, I am sure you will be glad you did. To a better future, your friend,

Answer 3

Whoa! Some teachers in the school you are working in have a bad personal problem. You are setting a really good example for the children. I want to say thank you and I sure wish there was more out there like you. This country could sure use teachers that care. I had to pull my son out of school and do home ed because of a lack of caring in the school environment. You go to work and continue teaching the children. Maybe the other teachers will take the hint and start investing a little more time in their profession. One last thing, I didn't know you had to be nasty to be a teacher. There is an old saying where I am from, you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

Answer 4

I went from journalism to PR (and a wide variety from corporate to politics, non-government, etc), and writing, and film-making, and farming, and property development, and fashion retailing, with several spare-time pursuits en route. Never regretted the leaps, although finances were often shaky before they became rewarding (that wasn't what I moved for, anyway). Who wants to live in a box? All one's life? Luckily when I was burned out I could retire - to tackle a swag of new things worth doing. These days if one falls off the truck, the roadworks can change so rapidly it's difficult to get back on. But personally - I'd cash up, take a break, consider what you enjoyed about your past work, or might enjoy about anything else - and then go for it. We always regret what we didn't do, more than what we did, I reckon. So what doesn't kill fattens. Go for it - remembering you yourself are ultimately your only and best asset. Good luck.

Answer 5

I change careers a lot :) I recently came out of factory work (after bouncing around over the past couple years in sales jobs), back into teaching. I will actually be making less money, but it will be better for my family.
It has been said that people who change jobs frquently are happier with their work, so there's something to be said for temping. I think it's great. Right now, I have to consider where to open an IRA, because my employer doesn't offer one directly, and I'll have to make my own contributions. Considered carefully from all angles, it may not be a bad thing at all to move on! You may try completely different things, adding to your experience, and going back to something similar to what you did. That's what happened to me.

Answer 6

I think that making the jump is always worth it if you are unhappy, Rena. I am in the same situation and am looking into other fields. Granted, I do not have the same time put into my current field as you, but one thing that doesn't change is that when you are really unhappy, it can begin to seep into the other parts of your life. Think about what your career counselor said, though I did the temp thing before and didn't find it as wonderful as some say. Best of luck!!! Make yourself happy!! What would all of us Y!A people do if you weren't the happy live wire you are : )

Answer 7

I was in the Navy. I didn't have a job lined up, but got out anyway. It was like prison. When I got out I felt free for a while, then my soon to be x-wife and working in a factory brought me down.

My wife and I broke up and I had a job as an operator at a power plant. Then I really knew what it was to be free. In five short years I realized the people there were jerks and my now wife (my real wife) said that mean people were killing me. She was right.

I got a degree and left that place. I Went to Power Control for the same company. People were nice and I was appreciated. My life made a 180 degree turn around. I realized that there were obstacles and unknowns in my future choices, but I stepped out bravely knowing that it could be better. If I didn't take the chance I would regret it for the rest of my life (sorry for using a trite expression).

Answer 8

I have made several career changes in my life and may make another one.

Retired from the army after twenty years.
quit being a computer programmer.
quit from being a manager in a hog slaughter house.
retired (medical) from being a maintenance manager for the
postal service.

Am now back in school and might wor as a college instructor parttime.

Each change may seemed to have been a bit weird but in the long run each worked out for the best.

If you can afford it, working as a temp might be the best way for you to go until you can find what you really want to do.

I wish you the best

Answer 9

Someone once told me that the average person will change his or her career 5-7 times in their lifetime. So it's not unusual or unreasonable. What I can tell you for sure is that life is to durned short to be miserable because of your job. I'm in transition myself now--it was extremely scary to jump but it was completely worth it. I don't regret a moment of it. At times it's been scary but that was just me worrying. Don't be miserable at your job. Think about your hobbies and things you enjoy and try to find a job that will pay you for doing them. You say you're in finance, I assume that means you're good at math and with numbers--maybe you could be a teacher? Good math teachers are desperately needed...but it's not for everyone.

Answer 10

i made the jump (after 14 years) due to an unfortunate accident which closed down our business. i was terrified! but it wasn't until i found a new job that i realized how toxic my old company (and boss) was. i'm now at a new company where my working hard and "going the extra mile" are appreciated, not just expected. it's tough, but don't waste any more of your valuable life in a place that you feel unappreciated and unwanted. take the leap!