Career change needed

So it's the end of the week again and here I am just counting down the secs. until I can run out the door. I hit the big 30 before the end of the year and it got me thinking a bit lately (doesn't happen often) about what I'd like to be doing for the next 10 years.

One area in particular that needs sorting out is my career. I graduated out of college 8 years ago and have spent that time parting, travelling, getting wasted... basically strolling easily through life without a care in the world having yet to experience a days stress or challenge. Getting married, having kids, driving, buying a house - something most of my friends have done that I've yet to think about! But I'll add that I wouldn't go back and change any of that yet I can't see myself doing the same for the next 8-10 years! I have a degree in IT but I've absolutely no passion for it and right now just want to get as far away from it as I can. I thought changing jobs might give me a spark but if anything it's probably done the opposite! So that leaves me where I am today, happy with most things but need a career change or some sort of new challenge.

So what to do?! Well, that's the problem, I've no idea really. I've looked at my hobbies and fitness & nutrition is the main one where I could make use of but I don't really want to make a career of it. I've thought about going back to college but scraping it for 4 years and graduating at 34 and starting at the bottom of the ladder does not appeal to me in the slightest. Then there is the option of a 1 years Masters, this I could probably handle, but what to do it in? I had a quick look through what's available in the Uni's and one degree that stood out was a International Business and Economics. The curriculum sounds interesting but I think I might be in way over my head, as the entry requirements are for people who have a degree with a related background but they do accept others.

I'm sure plenty of people have been in a similar situation. Just wondering what you did??

Sorry for the long rant, especially on a Friday evening

Too old to go back into education in my humble opinon unless you wanna do something specific like be a doctor.

Why not learn to become a commercial helicoper pilot? I fancy that as a career if I wasn't dicking about at other stuff.

There are two similar topics on Toytown already. Funnily enough, both started by Jeremy. Look Choosing a new 2nd career and Changing careers. That's a good start for some ideas of where to look for ideas.

I'd say I'd be too old to go back for a 4 year degree. But coming out with a Masters at 31 might be ok?
That's actually not a bad idea regarding the helicopter, getting a license for it was something I had on my list when I was younger. Wish I'd kept that list!!

Thanks, actually scary reading those. I could have wrote it... apart from the dad bit !

I have a mate who flew choppers for the RAF, but for a commercial job he switched to fix wing which I guess is the more sensible career path. Wife and kids etc so wanted a more regular job.

When I spoke to the guy at the Augsburg flight school he reckoned there were jobs for pilots, but I guess he might be bluffing - never really investigated. But if I was younger and unmarried I reckon it would be a possible. Fly down to South Africa to get some cheap hours and the convert to proper spec licence.

Sounds a lot sexier than being a student.

http://www.heliflight.co.nz/training.asp?roman_fuetterer

Wrong, you are never too old. You are just being ageist like a good German would. You know that American Dream? Well, the biggest part of it is that you can do whatever the fuck you want. That is it. It is the other cultures that try to put limitations on you for bogus reasons. In the US of A, we just say "fuck you!" and then go and do it. Nike stole that idea and reduced it to "Just Do It!".

Sold my house, gave up everything I had, went back into education and officially graduate in a couple of weeks time at the age of 34

Btw there are a few places now offering two year degrees with no summer, Easter or <insert holiday> breaks. Skip year one, start and don’t stop till graduation.

Saves on about £7k of debt.

OK. Maybe I should rephrase my comment (or you should not cut my quote in half?). When I said "too old" it was not because you can't do it, or shouldn't do it if you really want. I am a huge believer that the world is one big opportunity, with very few rules - so you can just get out there and be whatever you want. Wanna be a train driver? - no problem.

It was more that at the age of 30 I am not sure he would enjoy the "student" time that much (being poor etc), and unless it was working to a specific career it might be kinda wasted time. When you are 18 you can just bugger off and be a student, it doesn't matter a toss what you study, 'cos everyone else is just as aimless. If you waste 4 years it doesnt matter a fuck because you are only 22. If anything it fills 4 years nicely.

But going back to study at 30, with no true direction, could just be a waste of time. If you said "I wanna go back to learn to be a rocket scientist" then that would be cool. But if it is just to get you another job - but you don't actually know what that job is - then it seems like a waste at 30. At 18 who gives a shit.

My sister is I think 43 and went back to education at 37 or 38 I think. She has a degree in something now, but it is towards a specific new career.


Plus I was answering/agreeing with the original posters comment. 34 and no better qualified than a 22 year old at the bottom of the ladder just might not be fun.

My younger brother spent 10 years after school travelling and playing music. At 34 he went back to college (UCG in Ireland) and has just completed his 3rd year (Erasmus) in Mexico (spanish & maths). I've never seen him happier...

Yeah being in your thirties rules! Most clear decisions I have ever made in my life.

decisions? What are those? lol

I’m just on the verge of making one now. It scares the shit out of me though I kinda know it will be ok.

Like a seppo ‘friend’ of mine would say…. ‘you know what, just feken do it’ and as such, I think the decision is made

Roll the dice and see what happens, strange life is aint it

YEs. And it is the biggest load of bollocks in the world. The American Dream my arse...

jester - go to Finland and ask for work at Polar. Done. Next Question?

Totally agree with JE, life's too short to let age get in the way, only one chance at the cup and all that and if there's one thing most people admire it's vision and enthusiasm and the balls to back it up. But needs to be tempered with a fine sense of realism. My uncle went back to study maths after a lifetime of oddjobs and van driving, repeated his Leaving Cert and got the points he needed as a mature student. He's a smart lad and suddenly got over whatever mental hurdles were restricting him (he also has kids). God knows what he'll do afterwards but he has the drive and impetus now to accomplish things he'd automatically disqualified for himself in his 20s. More power to him. There's nothing to say you can't dream and pragmatize in equal measure, it's the Baustoff of human accomplishment. You wanna become a pilot or a tugboat captain or a gorilla photographer? Fucking go for it.

Well my new mission is to be a gardener. I realised thjat I love nature and being in it especially the stuff I gre myself. My main raison d#etre at the moment is stay at home Dad which I enjoy to be honmest though I reckon it is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. My next thing after they are older will be horticulture and I am studying it online out of the UK. So that's my new direction. Last year I built a rose arch and a pergola all out of me little 'ead and was so proud of it. This summer the roses are exploding all over the arch as we speak and looking fantastic. Very rewarding.

Good luck in yoiur change of mission. An old Gulf War vet used to say to me "Focus on your mission" when I worked for the US military. It is hard to do with all the extraneous bullshit in life but it helps to sort out many things.

ever thought of been an undertaker?

look at it this way: you'll be 34 sooner or later anyway if things go on as they are. would you rather have some qualifications at 34 or not? best counselling i ever received was career counselling. it helps you focus not only on who you are and your strengths and weaknesses but the type of people you would rather be around in your working life. i went back to school at 31. it's never too late.

My brother was rather aimless and always on the pull then went back into education at 29 (Anthropology at Durham), since then he's had some cracking jobs in healthcare management, emigrated to NZ and got married last week at the age of 42 to a Kiwi gal. He did Anthropology because he was truly interested, specialised in anthropology of health care while at university and that was his way forward.
My sister went back into education at 28, leaving a civil service career, became an urban planner including a year abroad in Illinois.
It can be done. Well, if you want to. The only thing that is stopping you is you and life really is too short to spend 40hrs a week doing something that you hate.
As for me, yeah, never you mind ha ha.

Recently there has been a lot of helicopter flying from Uetersen airfield (West of Hamburg) and I think that they do training.
I am not sure if that will lead to a job of any sorts - and helicopter flying is EXPENSIVE.

Some good comments here, lots to get me thinking at least!

The problem for me is not going back to education, it's more to do with not knowing what to do and also the financial aspects of it. If I was clear in my mind about what I would like to do I would definitely go back. I had a look at the various Masters courses that are available and some of them sound interesting to me but the ones that are of interest cost 12k in fees which is a fairly substantial outlay, so I would need to be more than sure that this is what I want to do. Unfortunately it seems I've left it a bit late to apply for this years courses as most courses require applications to be submitted by end of June for a start date of October. This would only leave me 3 weeks to figure out what I want to do and get my application in plus I also need to provide my current employer with 3 months notice which would be end of this month. Too much of a gamble as I want to put more research into what I want to do and don't want to take a chance of handing in my notice and then not get placement on the course!

At least this will give me time to look at these courses and other potential options that are available. I'm in no immediate rush, I still consider 30 being young, still leaves 35+ years of work


Don't think I could handle that. I like to have a bit of fun while doing my job, can't see that happening as an undertaker! Although I have thought about doing something regarding old people, maybe an old people's home/retirement village. There seems to be enough of them around and a lot of them are not short of cash, or at least around here in Hamburg they are not

You could always wait until 2009 and study in Scotland.


That's on residency, not nationality or citizenship, by the way and only for information, not for debate on this thread.