even though i am running on auto-pilot from lack of sleep, i'm going to try to put together a halfway decent post here.
lately, i've been thinking a lot about what i would really love to be doing, i mean, as far as a career is concerned. my job is great, but it is not my passion. right now i am craving creativity. one outlet i have for this is photography. i am (in my own opinion) not as good as i would like to be...yet. however, i am striving to be better. anyways, i could go on and on about how i would someday like to do this for more than just a hobby. not a full time job, but one for some extra benjamin's. so, there's my pipe dream.
if i could change one thing about my career path, it would have probably been what i decided to go to school for. i think if i could have looked into the future i might have went for something else (graphic or web design would have been cool). that's my question for all of you reading this. look at where you are in your job (or if you stay at home) and would you change anything about the path you took?
just a thought. :)
i should probably actually tell you guys what schooling i have and what my 'real' job is. i went to school for business administration and got my associates degree in it. i could have gotten my degree in accounting (a few more classes) but didn't want anything to do with that in life so i didn't follow through (and saved myself some $). i currently work at lake county as an administrative assistant. i've been here since i graduated college (almost 6 years). i should have posted this originally but spaced it out.
check out these other bloggers that are putting their thoughts out there:
amy, mary, zoe, heather, michelle, kristi, emilie, and nicole.
whoo, i think i got 'em all. :)
jenny- love what your mom had to say. i think she is a true testament that speaks to the most important thing in a career - being happy. i think if you're happy doing something success will follow.
tucker's grandma - congratulations on a great career and an approaching retirement. congrats also on your second career as a grandma. i know that is most my mom enjoys most. good luck as you continue with your photo journery too!
Posted by: amy | 2007.10.14 at 15:07
i forgot to mention another job i have and that is being a gramma. it changes your whole world...............for the best.....i can't wait to be able to spend more time with my grandchildren and photographing them will be a lifetime hobby i truly will enjoy..........
Posted by: Tucker's Gram | 2007.10.14 at 13:19
i'm jenny's mom and maybe no one is interested in what i do but i am kind of proud of the position i hold right now. i have been a laborer in the construction field for 20 years, i never went to college. my job has brought me to flagging, working on a pipeline, the target store expansion, block tending at the moose lake prison for sex affenders to working at papermills across the country. i hold the position as a field office manager and hire anywhere from 10 to 200 plus people, from all union trades. i hire them, lay them off,(anywhere from 1 week to 5 weeks later) take care of their time, payroll and submit daily cost reports to our customer. our jobs range from $20,000 to $3,000,000.00 plus dollars. so i feel without an education i have done well for myself. times were different when we got out of school, we worked and got married and had a family. i have missed my children when traveling and that is the very downfall of my job, retirement is right around the corner and i have tons of plans and projects to do. my love is photography, i have sold cards for quite a few years now and finally got one picture published in the "Photographers Edge" magazine. i a so proud of that.so to all of you photo lovers out there i wish you luck in your journey. i hope to sell pictures in the future along with my cards. my children are so use to being in front of the eye of a camera, it's just been a big part of my relationship with them. i am so happy my daughter has followed in my steps for the love of taking pictures, we can never take enough. they all tell a story and to me they have traveled with me for many many miles when my children were not with me, their pictures were always there. so thats a little bit about jenny's mom and tucker's gramma.
Posted by: Tucker's Gram | 2007.10.14 at 13:13
I got my degree in Elementary Education. I worked for a year before having my first baby. I had always known that I wanted to stay home when we started having kids and we made that happen. I am now a mom to 4. It seems like forever ago that I was in the workplace. It all seems intimidating and overwhelming to me now. I am pretty happy where I am and know that it is the right decision for our family.
I am grateful that I finished my degree, got some experience and majored in something that helps me as a mom. Would I go back to teaching?....probably not. It doesn't excite me as other things now do.
I would love to develop my knowledge of photography. It has become more of my passion and if I could make money doing it...that would be fantastic.
Posted by: Heather | 2007.10.14 at 12:18
i wish i would have been a garbage man or a janitor!!!!!!
Posted by: uncle muse. | 2007.10.13 at 18:43
I have a masters in economic geography and currently manage a medical practice, so yes I do spend a lot of time wondering where the chuff my career path has taken me. I do enjoy my job though, it gives me the flexibility to work 4 days a week and spend the rest of the time with my daughter without taking any work home. That would not have been so easy if I'd have become a management consultant or merchant banker like the rest of my contemporaries!
I think the wonderful thing about the present workplace is that it is 'the norm' to switch careers at any point in life. My Mum went from teaching to information technology to real estate to advertising and she's not done yet.
Wouldn't say no to a few more benjamins though!
Posted by: Alison | 2007.10.13 at 17:46
I think about this all the time. I do home daycare after working in a daycare for 12 years, I loved it but lately I keep thinking that I should have down 2 more years and become a teacher. I would still be working with kids but a little older. I feel too old to do anything about it now.
Posted by: jen | 2007.10.13 at 09:55
Current job situation: part time Language Arts Specialist/Part time photographer.
Is this what I envisioned myself doing? Hell no. Is this what I'd like to be doing forever? Hell no.
I have my teaching degree, however, with the job market right now (and especially with MICHIGAN'S job market), I can't find a full time position. (I've pretty much quit looking lately). While I do love the job I have now, and I love my business... I really want to be teaching full time and doing only a little bit of photography on the side for fun.
Do I regret getting my degree in teaching? Almost every single day. While I *LOVE* teaching, and its the perfect career for me, I hate the fact that I'm so in debt with student loans and the jobs are out of sight. Depressing.
Posted by: Nic | 2007.10.12 at 21:28
i a ma nurse. a career chosen by need not desire. althought i love it..at times..i long to do something else. like be a textile designer...an english lit teacher...something.
Posted by: zoe | 2007.10.12 at 13:18
Well, I went to school to be a teacher, and haven't taught a day in my life. CUrrently I stay at home. I honestly knew from the moment I decided on my college, that my time in the work force would be limited. I wanted kids, and I wanted to be a mom. Now, there is no such schooling for that, so I feel that my path was a good path. I am an educated mother, who learned diversity and patience at college. I met my best friends there, and had the time of my life. I wouldn't give it up for anything. I'm right where I need to be and I always have a back up plan!
Posted by: michelle sauer | 2007.10.12 at 12:28
I don't think I'd change anything... I really like my job (I'm a programmer and have my degree in computer information systems). It satisfies my analytical, logical side and I do a lot of creative stuff outside of work (photography, web design, etc). So, I'm pretty happy... plus it helps that I have an awesome boss and coworkers, and get paid pretty well.
Sometimes I wish I would have done something different, like be a doctor, or architect... something that back in the day I thought would be cool but was scared to attempt because of the amount of school or the fact that I'd have to move farther away from home... but that's about the only thing I think about. And, who's to say I can't change careers in 10 years if I feel like it? I think it would be kind of cool to completely switch mid-life and do something totally different. :)
Posted by: Kim | 2007.10.12 at 08:13
I got my degree in English with a minor in education and at the same time became certified to teach grades 6 - 12.
I currently sell computers. Like you, I really have no passion for my current job. It's just a job. I yearn for a creative outlet, which is why I love blogging so much.
If I could turn back time (isn't that a Cher song?), I would pursue graphic and web design as the industry was so very young when I was in school. That or journalism. Or a combination of both.
Posted by: Mrs Pop | 2007.10.11 at 17:40
So far, I'm in the minority. I first went to school for Aviation, decided it was fun but too big a time and $$ commitment and that it wasn't really the right thing. I then got my degree in Advertising Design. Although the "school" part was a joke, I absolutely do not regret it for one second. I have had many fun jobs that allow me to be creative, and I love, love, love what I do. I'm also a stay at home mom and work at home mom (40 hours plus two kids does not equal a ton of productivity during the business day) and I have done that combination for the past 8 years. I love the flexibility, but can NOT stand my boss. Now that I've added photography to my pursuits, I'm going to give it a go to see where that takes me (in all of my free time). Who needs sleep? Not sure if this helps you... I just want to be my own boss!
Posted by: jessica | 2007.10.11 at 16:02
Ditto to what Mary says. I am in the same boat, just a bit older. I worked for about five years after college before I had John. I was in Health Care Finance. I loved my job but wouldn't want to do it again. I have so many ideas too just not sure in which direction I should go.
Posted by: amy | 2007.10.11 at 15:39
This is a great topic!
I think about this ALL the time. I went to college but had to decide what I wanted to major in when I was 18. Who knows exactly what they want to do when they are 18?!?! So I have a BS in Management. I have been working behind a desk pushing papers for 7 years now and it's boring. I get no satisfaction from it other than I can talk to my sisters all day long on the phone and not get in trouble! My pipe dream or dreams.......to have a bakery, to be a hair dresser, to be a photographer. To do anything that would seem remotely satisfying to me would involve lots of risk and lots of money which I don't have! I could go on and on about this. Needless to say, yes, I so wish I had taken a path career wise. Great topic!!
Posted by: Mary | 2007.10.11 at 14:51
ah, I think about this everyday. Probably because I currently AM staying at home. My degree is in Human Development and Family Studies, so basically social services. I enjoyed what I did, but didn't make crap for money, and in order to "move up" on the career ladder in that field, I'd need to get my master's, or at least a license in social work, which I am not at all interested in. I don't know. I keep telling myself I'll figure out what I want to be when I grow up...SOMEDAY. Well, I am now 30 and I wonder when that someday will be, if ever.
I don't have a very creative hobby (like photography) so I don't even think I have a pipe dream!
As I'm writing this, I see I still don't have an answer that just pops into my head. Interesting.
Posted by: Jill | 2007.10.11 at 13:38