switching careers midlife?

[beeker]

anyone here ever find themselves doing a 180 in the middle of their career and going in a different direction?

I've been working in data/research now for a long long time.. getting burned out on it. but find that switching careers is easier to think about then do?

just wondering if any of you guys have changed careers mid stream and how did it turn out for ya?

[glenn57]

Well I went from welding stainless steel for 28 years to sitting behind a desk or wheel of a car being a union thug, does that count?

[Fawkinnae]

I was a landscape architect until I was about 40. Not sure if that was a smart move or not to change careers. On the other hand about 50% of the architects and landscape architects have been unemployed for the last 5 or 6 years. I've always tried to find work that makes me happy however, and have mostly succeeded.

[dakids]

 Worked in a city wastewater plant for 9 years. Got tired of the mayor and city council changing every 2 years. Went into the private wastewater side for an etching company. Didn't like the thousands of gallons of acid and caustic soda I used every day. Switched to realaste and made a great living until the crash. I now work at UPS in maple grove and deliver in Blaine. Best job I've ever had. Only wish I had done it years ago. Going on 9 years.

If you hate your job its time to start looking.

[Wyofish]

Worked in a city wastewater plant for 9 years. Got tired of the mayor and city council changing every 2 years. Went into the private wastewater side for an etching company. Didn't like the thousands of gallons of acid and caustic soda I used every day. Switched to realaste and made a great living until the crash. I now work at UPS in maple grove and deliver in Blaine. Best job I've ever had. Only wish I had done it years ago. Going on 9 years.

If you hate your job its time to start looking.

Darn right. Life is too short to spend a bunch of time doing something you don't enjoy.

[beeker]

I hear ya. I've been trying to figure out what it is that would want to do if it jumped in front of me. I try to keep money out of the picture but that's not totally realistic. and going back to school.. been there.. and I'm still paying for it. so probably not a option.

i'll keep looking for that farmer that wants to pay me to hunt his land

[dew2]

I hear ya. I've been trying to figure out what it is that would want to do if it jumped in front of me. I try to keep money out of the picture but that's not totally realistic. and going back to school.. been there.. and I'm still paying for it. so probably not a option.

i'll keep looking for that farmer that wants to pay me to hunt his land

What do you do now?Then do you have a goal or something that interests you? How bout your own start up buss.Is that a thought.Kinda fuzzy with just change careers without know what yer doin and what yer interested in.

[Boar]

Ten years ago i quite a job and took a 15,000 a year or more cut in pay. But i was misserable. I build wood boilers. Its ok but how the job gives me a life out side of the job. Its totaly worth it. I was working for speedee d. And doi g 10 12 14 hr days.  Lifes to short to be miserable. For me its not so much the job but wats left after the job. Time for things, family hobbies ect. If one is so tired and burnt out after work that he has little or no time to enjoy life, its time for a change.

[beeker]

yup.. I agree.. time for a change.

I don't have any ideas or funding to start my own deal. so I'm just going to see what's out there and what catches my eye.