Career Burn Out

[Gvac]

<p>Maybe it's some sort of mid-life crisis, but lately I find myself
wanting a complete change of careers more and more.&nbsp; I've been a
route salesman for the past 13 years, and while I certainly don't hate
what I do for a living, it's become far too routine and exhausting on a
day to day basis.&nbsp; There's lots of stress involved (the customers,
the competition, the traffic, the assholes on the road, the assholes in
the office, the constant ringing of the cell phone, the constant
beeping of the Nextel....shall I continue?) but on the plus side I'm
not caged in an office all day.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p>My biggest
fear is accepting some sort of desk job and slowly going mad because
I've never worked any type of job other than being on the road all day.
Staring at a computer all day with a boss over my back might not
exactly be my cup of tea, but I guess I'll never know unless I
try.&nbsp; </p><p>I suppose I'm also looking for something a bit more meaningful and fulfilling rather than something that pays the bills. </p><p>Have any of you made a complete career change at any point in your life?</p><p>Any suggestions?&nbsp;</p>

[Tazz]

<p>I have been feeling the exact same way lately. I have a lot of
freedoms in my job, but it is definately not want I want to do. Sure
the money is ok now, but I see my boss doing the same work as me. Where
is the growth potential?</p><p>And on the growth potential part, I don't think I even want that right now. I say this because I
find part of what I to be dreadfully boring, and as you get more
advanced, it involves even more of that type of work. I have no desire
to get the state license that I will be eligible for next year because
I never want to do that work. </p><p>I really want to find something I
enjoy doing and have fun with. This is just lulling me to sleep.
Definately more of a &quot;job&quot; than a career. <br />
</p>

<span class=post_edited>This message was edited by Tazz on 2-22-06 @ 10:20 PM</span>

[Death Metal Moe]

<p>I made a complete career change.&nbsp; Went from construction to an office atmosphere with a service department.&nbsp; I take calls, deal with customers and use a computer all day, but then go out in the garage and move heavy stuff, get greasy and all that sort of blue collar stuff.</p><p>I like my job a lot.&nbsp; I got out of the freezing cold and I get to talk to the other people I work with all day instead of just my construction partner.</p><p>Just to let you know, the grass is always greener GVAC.&nbsp; I'm actually not that adventurous with shit like this.&nbsp; I'm guessing your long time in this position has give you certian perks.&nbsp; You gotta weigh that against the unknown.</p>

[FUNKMAN]

<p>Have any of you made a complete career change at any point in your life?</p><p>Any suggestions?&nbsp;</p><p></p><p>when i was 25 i got let go because the Colgate Plant was closing. I was a laborer(cleanup duty, coffee boy), worked on production lines for Palmolive, Fab, Ajax Cleanser, miniature soap bars(this was a trip, like Lucy and the candy conveyor belt), Octagon liquid and barsoap, toothpaste, and i even made the batches for Irish Spring and Cashmere Bouquet soap bars.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state provided retraining dollars so it was between being a mason or going into computers.</p><p>had a mortgage and i thought masonry would be seasonal so i went to Chubb for 5 months part-time and collected and then got my computer operator job. I've been here for 18 years in June, now i'm a Sr Network Analyst which is no big whoop!&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm 'comfortable' now and don't have the 'drive' like i had when i was a younger man, new technology makes my head hurt. hopefully another 12 1/2 years and i can retire with full medical &quot;if they don't raise the number&quot; and if they do hopefully i'm 'grandfathered' in... and if there is such a thing as medical coverage the way things are going...</p><p>suggestion: go to school for X-Ray Technician and then an MRI Technician. Nice clean work, pays well, you work in hospitals. I worked in a hospital kitchen and did food delivery for a year or so. I liked the enviornment alot more than a corporation...</p>

[ShelleBink]

I'm having a different sort of career problem : fear that I won't be able to get a job.&nbsp; I've been scanning the websites just to get a feel for what will be available in the industry, and it doesn't look too promising :o(<br />

[tele7]

<p>I think we all hit that burnout phase in our careers from time to time.&nbsp; I also spend alot of time on the road servicing accounts, dealing with customers and traffic.&nbsp; I love being out in the field though.&nbsp;In my last job, I had an office in the Grace building overlooking Bryant Park, and I hated it.</p><p>My boss had a discussion with me today about taking the next step in my career.&nbsp; It kind of freaked me out.&nbsp; I was honest and said I'm&nbsp;content where I am.&nbsp; Career suicide?&nbsp; Maybe. I have been in and out of my comfort zone so many times I feel like I need a breather.&nbsp; </p><p>Bottom line, I like what I do and I'm pretty good at it.&nbsp; As I get older, the money/status&nbsp;are not as important to me.&nbsp; Just remeber this, without those asshole customers, they would'nt need you.</p><p>Good Luck</p>

[tele7]

I just realized&nbsp;my last post was&nbsp;all about me.&nbsp; I am one selfish bastard.&nbsp;Maybe I needed to rant.&nbsp; Hope it helps anyway.

[tele7]

<strong>FUNKMAN</strong> wrote:<br /><p>Have any of you made a complete career change at any point in your life?</p><p>Any suggestions?&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>when i was 25 i got let go because the Colgate Plant was closing. I was a laborer(cleanup duty, coffee boy), worked on production lines for Palmolive, Fab, Ajax Cleanser, miniature soap bars(this was a trip, like Lucy and the candy conveyor belt), Octagon liquid and barsoap, toothpaste, and i even made the batches for Irish Spring and Cashmere Bouquet soap bars.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state provided retraining dollars so it was between being a mason or going into computers.</p><p>had a mortgage and i thought masonry would be seasonal so i went to Chubb for 5 months part-time and collected and then got my computer operator job. I've been here for 18 years in June, now i'm a Sr Network Analyst which is no big whoop!&nbsp;&nbsp; I'm 'comfortable' now and don't have the 'drive' like i had when i was a younger man, new technology makes my head hurt. hopefully another 12 1/2 years and i can retire with full medical &quot;if they don't raise the number&quot; and if they do hopefully i'm 'grandfathered' in... and if there is such a thing as medical coverage the way things are going...</p><p>suggestion: go to school for X-Ray Technician and then an MRI Technician. Nice clean work, pays well, you work in hospitals. I worked in a hospital kitchen and did food delivery for a year or so. I liked the enviornment alot more than a corporation...</p><p>I agree Funk...Two of my friends went to school for Radiology and are doing very well.&nbsp;</p>

[FUNKMAN]

<p>I agree Funk...Two of my friends went to school for Radiology and are doing very well.&nbsp;</p><p>that's cool!&nbsp;&nbsp; and i forgot to mention that them hospitals got alot of pretty nurses 24x7, Gvac being the bachelor, musician, and consummate nice guy should fit right in 'sort of speak'...</p>

[tele7]

<p><img src="http://www.sitedecinema.com.br/fotos_quem_diria/fletcher.jpg" border="0" /></p><p>Just check out the staff before accepting that sign on bonus.</p>

[Death Metal Moe]

<strong>telecaster7</strong> wrote:<br />I just realized&nbsp;my last post was&nbsp;all about me.&nbsp; I am one selfish bastard.&nbsp;Maybe I needed to rant.&nbsp; Hope it helps anyway. <p>It's the topic we all know best.&nbsp; Don't act apologetic.</p>

[tele7]

<p><img height="277" alt="Jon Lovitz as Randy Pear in Paramount's Rat Race" src="http://us.movies1.yimg.com/movies.yahoo.com/images/hv/photo/movie_pix/paramount_pictures/rat_race/jon_lovitz/ratrace2.jpg" width="370" border="0" /></p><p>Acting!!</p>

[SamoanWoman]

<p>My husband gave up being an accountant and took a 20K salary cut because he wanted his life to be more meaningful.&nbsp; He went back to school for five years and became a high school English teacher.&nbsp; He loves every day of it.&nbsp; We eat a lot of macaroni and cheese, but it is worth it.</p>

[Jennitalia]

i realized that i need to get out of the office environment; a desk job just isn't my thing.&nbsp; i'm becoming a massage therapist.&nbsp; i had some issues with a so-called school, but i finally got my tuition refund back, and will be starting school at the swedish institute in may.&nbsp; cant wait !

[Mike Teacher]

<p>I hear ya Samoan Woman; I made a deal with myself at my first desk job, as I sat there realizing this is not why I was placed on this panet, vowed to never work in an office setting, or for a real boss, hence ten years each in radio and teaching.</p><p>Neither paid shit, but I'm a happy boy looking back, and looking forward.</p><p>And hosp jobs rule; I did Echocardiography, heart ultrasounds; I can still get a kick ass parasternal long view of your heart, show you the mitral and aortic valves, myocardial walls, the whole schmear. </p><p>Well over 50% polled now say their job is simply a means to a paycheck; that is no way of life.</p>

[landarch]

<p>This is one subject I can speak on from recent personal experience.&nbsp; I was a salesman for just over seven years for various levels/aspects of the foodservice industry.&nbsp; Not bad work, and not bad money either.&nbsp; On a day-to-day basis, it ain't so bad cause the work isn't hard and you don't have to think or feel.&nbsp;One day though early on&nbsp;during a moment of retrospection,&nbsp;I looked at the&nbsp;fledgling career&nbsp;I&nbsp;had carved out for myself and wanted to jump from the highest point of the Verrazano Bridge.&nbsp; Looking into the future I could see myself bald, with glasses and old man stink, with nothing to show but two or three failed marriages, four suicide attempts, and a rich 40-year&nbsp;history full of mediocre sales successes.&nbsp; Man, how proud I would be of myself, moving all those boxes of crap for someone else, With a fully exercised set of rubber lips for my customers to enjoy.&nbsp; Every time I would see &quot;old Gil&quot; on the Simpsons (their stereotypical salesman), I would cringe, knowing that's what I was headed for.</p><p>Ugggghhhhhh.</p><p>So despite regular raises in pay, increases in responsibility, verbal praises, and a pair of bosses who constantly let me know I was a great employee, I knew I had to work on getting the hell out of there.&nbsp; I went on several interviews for different sales jobs (it's where my experience is after all) and found them to exhibit equally de-motivating qualities.&nbsp; So, no more sales.&nbsp; With the full support of my wife and family, I left my $50K/year pile of crap and went back to school for something completely and totally different.&nbsp; No more sales for someone else.&nbsp; YAY!!&nbsp; I love my new chosen field, and in about 3 years, I can start over with a new career.&nbsp; Long story short, I don't hate getting up in the morning&nbsp;any more, my wife and I don't fight any more, and I don't have to replace doors in my house any more due to my overinflated anger (In fact, I'm not angry at all any more).&nbsp; Some people love sales, but I ain't one of them.&nbsp; I never really cared if you bought my crap or not.&nbsp; Whatever.&nbsp; </p><p>Good luck to you though Gvac.&nbsp; I can think of nothing worse than uncertainty in something that you know you have to do ever day&nbsp;i.e. go to work.&nbsp; If you don't starve to death or lose the house, changes in a career can be hugely exciting.</p>

[FUNKMAN]

<p><strong>And hosp jobs rule</strong>; I did Echocardiography, heart ultrasounds; I can still get a kick ass parasternal long view of your heart, show you the mitral and aortic valves, myocardial walls, the whole schmear. </p><p>another thing that they say in the 'medical field' is &quot;people are always gonna get sick or hurt&quot; so it's pretty secure work...</p><p>working&nbsp;in a&nbsp;hospital is pretty cool beacuse it's like a community within a community. my mom and two aunts worked there, and my older brother had also worked in the kitchen. alot of your neighbors worked there as well. so everyone was real friendly to me, all the woman in the kitchen asking about my brother &quot;how's george, he get married yet, what's that george up to?&quot; </p><p>when i went to Colgate i had at least 15 relatives that had or were working there, it all started&nbsp;with my grandfather. one week i'd be working with my aunt, the next with my dad, and the next week with my brother or cousin.&nbsp; interesting note: when i got hired in October of 1983 the lowest payscale was 11.03 an hour, that was for a laborer.&nbsp; 23 years later and it is still almost twice the amount of minimum wage.</p><p>it was a sad sad day when they had everyone go down to St Peter's gym and they announced the plant would be closing. i've never seen the spirit and energy get sucked out of so many people, so fast, at one time like that...&nbsp; </p>

[furie]

<strong>Gvac</strong> wrote:<br><p> </p><p>Have any of you made a complete career change at any point in your life?</p><p>Any suggestions? </p><p></p>

I've switched jobs before, changing agencies, but staying with in the government. just a variation on a theme. So no, i've never switched careers. I don't think i'd want to. i have too much vested where I am.

[WhistlePig]

How do you tell the difference between job burn out and just plain laziness? I can't
tell if I don't like my job anymore or if I just don't feel like working, period.

[sr71blackbird]

See, Im kind of in an different boat.&nbsp; My comoany is for sale, and I love what I do.&nbsp; But I dont know how much longer my department will exist and it sucks!&nbsp; Id do it forever if they let me! I think Im going to wait it out a bit, but also keep my options open and maybe do what Funk says, because there is always a need, regardless of the economy.

[Gvac]

<p>Thanks for the suggestions and empathy, gang.&nbsp; It really is
scary to leave something that's safe and that you're moderately
successful at, but fulfillment is far more important to me at this
stage of my life. </p><p>I really don't think schooling of any kind is
an option at this point; I'm single so I don't have anyone to help with
the bills and have far too little free time on my hands as it is.&nbsp;
I've had offers from my current employer (as well as the competition)
to move into a different aspect of the business, and maybe it's time I
at least listened to a few. </p><p>If nothing else, maybe it'll help
me make the decision as to whether I should try another career entirely
or just get off the road and move on to a different level.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>