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I can't help but feeling I wasted 10 years of my life...
Career 1:
Software programmer - this was the path I took straight out of college.
Career 2:
Law enforcement - after a few years developing software, I got so sick of sitting in a cubicle and cranking out code that I made a drastic change in my career path and joined the state police.
Career 3:
Construction/Civil engineering - After some drastic events with the state police, I was ready to move on to something else. My brother suggested I go into his field, which was construction management. So, I had to go back to grad school for it. By the time I finished school and get into the field, I was almost 30.
So, here I am in my early 30's and love what I'm doing with engineering and construction. In fact, I am also good with it. Good enough that I've been promoted. Just after 2 years in this field and I was earning a couple K's short of 6 figures.
I can't help but think I wasted 10 years of my life going down paths that I ended up hating. Had I chosen this field from the beginning, I'd be earning 6 figures easy and still loving the work.
Anyone else here pursued career paths that ended up not going anywhere with them?
Don't worry, you got to where you're supposed to be which is the whole point. I graduated college with no particular career passion. I was a stockbroker, retail buyer, housewares wholesale salesman and real estate broker until finally, at 40, I fell into real estate appraisal. After almost 24 years I still get up every day excited to go to work, and it's made me a small fortune. Every job along the way taught me what I liked and didn't like and allowed me to find a business that truly suited me. Be glad that you found your happy place and don't look back. Many people much older than you are still looking for theirs.
I feel like I have wasted 10 years, I have absolutely nothing to show for it. At least you get to say you were once a programmer and a cop. Here I am begging people to let me clean the toilets.
I can't help but feeling I wasted 10 years of my life...
Career 1:
Software programmer - this was the path I took straight out of college.
Career 2:
Law enforcement - after a few years developing software, I got so sick of sitting in a cubicle and cranking out code that I made a drastic change in my career path and joined the state police.
Career 3:
Construction/Civil engineering - After some drastic events with the state police, I was ready to move on to something else. My brother suggested I go into his field, which was construction management. So, I had to go back to grad school for it. By the time I finished school and get into the field, I was almost 30.
So, here I am in my early 30's and love what I'm doing with engineering and construction. In fact, I am also good with it. Good enough that I've been promoted. Just after 2 years in this field and I was earning a couple K's short of 6 figures.
I can't help but think I wasted 10 years of my life going down paths that I ended up hating. Had I chosen this field from the beginning, I'd be earning 6 figures easy and still loving the work.
Anyone else here pursued career paths that ended up not going anywhere with them?
So you're saying those previous jobs taught you nothing?
I get what you are saying. I changed majors too many times in college. Then went back for a second degree.
I started Pre Dental. Lost interest in the course work and thought I could not do it.
Business Administration. I struggled with Economics and Stats. Managed to get out with a decent GPA 3.3. Had the job I got. Cried about what to do next.
Mom died. Went into Nursing over being an MD or Physician Assistant. Should of tried med school.
I always shot down doing nursing when I first went to college. Maybe nurse practitioner school if I stay with nursing.
Always loved animals should of been a VET. Maybe I can be a groomer on the side.
Had I went to nursing straight away I probably would of been okay with trying to get into Medical School in my mid twenties. So yeah you are not alone. I just really need to work for myself. I don't think any thing will satisfy me.
...Went into Nursing over being an MD or Physician Assistant. Should of tried med school...
Always loved animals should of been a VET. Maybe I can be a groomer on the side...
My daughter was career army (20 years) and the army paid for her to go to PA school. Now, at the age of 45, she's getting a nice army pension and is making very good money working as a PA in a hospital emergency room. I'd suggest that anyone who wants an interesting career, with very high demand and portability anywhere, consider becoming a Physician's Assistant.
And regarding becoming a veterinarian...I thought about doing that when my chosen field (oil/gas) went bust in the 1980s. Before spending a lot of money on veterinary school, though, I asked my vet if I could work for her (for free) for a few months to see what the job is really like. I son realized that, although you may like working with animals, you deal way too much with their owners, many of whom will drive you crazy with frustration and/or make you cry for their pets. Thank goodness I didnt go into that field.
I went into college declaired as a chemical engineer now I have a PE and 10 years doing chemical engineering. However with the oil and gas debacle now I am starting to rethink my choices. I had no idea how volitile oil could be so I am going back to school one class at a time for electrical engineering. I love engineering but I hate instability.
My daughter was career army (20 years) and the army paid for her to go to PA school. Now, at the age of 45, she's getting a nice army pension and is making very good money working as a PA in a hospital emergency room. I'd suggest that anyone who wants an interesting career, with very high demand and portability anywhere, consider becoming a Physician's Assistant.
And regarding becoming a veterinarian...I thought about doing that when my chosen field (oil/gas) went bust in the 1980s. Before spending a lot of money on veterinary school, though, I asked my vet if I could work for her (for free) for a few months to see what the job is really like. I son realized that, although you may like working with animals, you deal way too much with their owners, many of whom will drive you crazy with frustration and/or make you cry for their pets. Thank goodness I didnt go into that field.
Thanks. Being a PA would be a big backwards move for me. At this point 1 year of Nurse practitioner school is easier and the job duties are very similar to PA. Depending on the state such as Oregon I could function without MD unlike a PA. https://onlinenursing.simmons.edu/nu...-practice-map/
The thought of seeing animal abuse was a major factor when I was a teen thinking about VET.
I have worked the same job I had since high school, capped out at $14 an hour. I don't consider it a waste of time because work is only a tiny part of my life. I get fulfillment from things outside of work. Work is just a paycheck.
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