How many of you are in a vastly different career than where you thought you'd be?

[Baron Von Crowder]

No. Hell no. Fuck no.

I dont know what I wanted to be when I was a kid. I have always been into cars, and the automotive industry has always sucked me back in. I found I am decent in sales, and working on commission, that nets a pretty good salary. I've been here over a decade, and passed a promotion a couple of times, since it seems to be a dead end. Management has always suited me, and I enjoy motivating people. I dont think it will happen here, but jumping ship is pretty tough to do with a family at home to make sure they are taken care of.

[BP]

Where do I sign up!?!?

This company actually recruited me. If you are bilingual and have some ASE certifications we're planning on expanding by May.

[GeorgeG.]

I had a long hard journey to say the least. Having a kid at 19 made me grow up really fast taking on whatever job paid the best. From warehouse jobs, to insurance sales, to Lincoln Tech and auto tech jobs to jumping into IT at the bottom of the pecking order (tech support), I'm finally at a place career wise where I'm somewhat happy. Having no formal training, the IT career took the longest for me to be satisfied.

Truthfully I think I should be a little further along in my Cisco career but lack of employer support has made that difficult.

[BLAKE]

Glad to hear you're on the upswing, Frank.

I'm in the same industry, but my day-to-day has changed a ton. Used to spend all day doing graphic design. Now I spend my time working on strategy, client relations and the most fun part, sales. My creative director is a better designer than I ever was. It's stressful as hell sometimes, but I like being the boss.

[Mysticcobrakilla]

I wanted to walk around in a lab coat telling people how to fix cars. Instead I sit at home all day wearing cargo shorts while watching TV waiting for the next support ticket, to tell someone how to fix their car. Sometimes I brew beer and tend to my smoker between calls.

Where do I sign up!?!?

[fordracing19]

Started off working on cars(Master Mazda Tech) then left to manage a restaurant our family started. And to think how much I hated staying after 5pm and having to work until noon every 5th Saturday back then.

Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[BP]

I wanted to walk around in a lab coat telling people how to fix cars. Instead I sit at home all day wearing cargo shorts while watching TV waiting for the next support ticket, to tell someone how to fix their car. Sometimes I brew beer and tend to my smoker between calls.

[jluv]

I guess I never put any thought into it when I was younger. I just kinda went wherever life took me. The only careers I ever dreamed of having were professional fisherman and then later on a forest ranger.

I realized pretty early on that I liked being able to control/increase my income with commission. That, combined with a knack for relating to all kinds of different folks, and being at least somewhat persuasive, led me naturally to a career in sales. That eventually led to me where I am now, a physician recruiter. I never imagined doing this, but I've had a lot of success, and I work for a company that appreciates me, and leaves me alone to do my job the way I want to do it, including working from home and having flexibility with my schedule.

I think I'd still like to be a forest ranger, but probably not enough to take the pay cut, and only if I could pick my location. I'd drop everything today if I thought I could actually make a living immediately and consistently as a professional fisherman.

[JC316]

Joined the USAF in 97 to learn radio and communications repair on aircraft. Thru a series of random events I ended up years later getting into the railroad maintenance and repair field. I'm on call 24/7..365. I hate my life. Job treats us like shit. Stressed out all day, everyday. I'm ready for a change.

I know people that work for the railroads. From what they tell me, I'm glad my colorblindness disqualified me and I never got one of those jobs. I have a low tolerance for workplace bullshit and policies that make no sense.

[TX_92_Notch]

I knew in the 6th grade that I would be an architect when I grew up. I spent 13 years at HKS doing exactly that - I honestly thought I would work there until I retired.

I bailed in 2012 and now I work from home doing civil drafting for cable companies. I love architecture and I honestly miss the challenge of the corporate environment, but I'll never go back unless it's my last resort. Working for 'da man' is exactly why I left.

[Nate]

Joined the USAF in 97 to learn radio and communications repair on aircraft. Thru a series of random events I ended up years later getting into the railroad maintenance and repair field. I'm on call 24/7..365. I hate my life. Job treats us like shit. Stressed out all day, everyday. I'm ready for a change.

Make a change. Work life balance and being that miserable seeps over into your life. Never realized how much until I was forced to make a change.

[Ruffdaddy]

I'm in the exact position I wanted to be when I first started....but not the position I expected when I took on my new role. I wanted to be an engineering manager early in my career but fell in love with the technical side...especially simulations and new product development. I made the decision about 5 years into my career that I wanted to reach the highest technical level (fellow or consultant) available at major employers.

I started a new technical position last June as and was asked to manage a team 3 months after starting so I took that on. It's been great but i still ultimately want to be a fellow. Typically a management role will help on reaching that level.

I also never expected to have changed jobs this much and hope to stay out. I've never been laid off, but opportunity has just been so strong lately

[ram57ta]

Joined the USAF in 97 to learn radio and communications repair on aircraft. Thru a series of random events I ended up years later getting into the railroad maintenance and repair field. I'm on call 24/7..365. I hate my life. Job treats us like shit. Stressed out all day, everyday. I'm ready for a change.

[Nate]

For 10 years I was a data analyst a financial analyst. Thought I would always be a Corp guy. Got canned last January after a PE firm cut 25% headcount.

Now I'm sales for a commercial HVAC company (1 year today) and run my own BJJ school. I don't think I could ever go back to work for a large company unless it's what I HAD to do to support my family. Working for a company where the owners care about you as a person or myself is worth the small pay cut.

[JC316]

Oh yeah. I figured I'd be a car dealing grease monkey for my entire life. It was about the only thing I was truly good at. Then the opportunity for my thrift store just fell in my lap. I couldn't be happier now, I still get to work on stuff in my free time, which I still love to do, but I don't HAVE to.