I am looking for a "career change" buddy.

[crispini]

I need to get out of my line of work, and I have an idea about where I want to go. The thing is, there's a TON of stuff that needs to get done between here and there. I need to do some volunteer work in my target line of work. I need to network. I need to redo my resume. I need to do blah blah blah blah blah. And the thought of all of this overwhelms me, and I am looking for someone who is also in this boat who would like to give and get support. I had a lot of luck with this kind of thing with Weight Watchers. I'm looking for someone to check in with at least once a week, maybe by email or phone, to sort of help keep me accountable for all the things I am trying to do -- and I will do the same for you! :)

PM or post here if interested!

[demjuli]

1. Hey, I'm looking for a career change support buddy too

I've been deeply dissatisfied with my job for some time, and also have an idea about where I want to go. I've been procrastinating actually taking action, except that I registered for a class in grant writing--the field I've been thinking about moving into. The class really confirms for me that I would both enjoy and be good at grant writing. But I haven't applied for anything or updated my resume in some time.

But about an hour ago I got the news that I'll be laid off as of April 30th from my current job, so now I have to get off my butt and start looking!

Actually, it's a bit of a relief. I hate my job. But I have no savings, etc to fall back on, and I'm a renter, so I'm a bit worried. I might have to take a less than ideal job to support me while I search for the right one, but I'd like to have someone to be accountable to so that I won't just settle for whatever I can get.

[susanna]

4. Hi, demjuli

on edit: noticed the date. Sorry.

[CBHagman]

2. How's everybody doing?

There are at least four career changers hanging around this board and looking in. I'm still struggling to find that next thing (I'm employed full-time and do some pro bono work for another company) and find it hard to focus and make contacts.

[susanna]

5. Hi CBHagman...

on edit: just noticed the date LOL. Nevermind.

[susanna]

3. Hi Crispini!

On edit: Again, just noticed the date. Sorry about that. Not too bright today!

[Kire]

6. what are your talents?

If you don't want to post here, PM me, I think I might be able to help.

I bet it would help me, too.

[Quantess]

7. I see there are more than one of us. Career change clique, maybe?

Count me in!

It's been very depressing for me to finally accept that I got a Masters degree in something I don't want to do anymore. It's a highly specific degree (Speech-Language Pathology). The job is in high demand, practically recession proof, but it's just not for me. I've tried school SLP jobs, I've tried nursing home SLP jobs, but it's all been unsatisfactory, to put it mildly. Being a hospital SLP would have been the golden, rare, work that I never got hired for, because I wasn't at the top of my class.
Then I tried being a high school teacher, and that was the worst job of my life!

I have a lot of ideas of what I'd rather be doing.

Being a bartender---maybe my tattoos would be a good feature for tending bar. Selling cars, even. I think I could be a good salesperson, but I don't know because I've never sold anything on commission. I'm attractive and usually have a pleasant personality (usually, LOL). I've done retail / customer service type work before, but customers can be so cantankerous and rude. I realize that some customers are very difficult, so I would have to be paid well to make them happy.

But I can also get snippy and sarcastic. So maybe I could be a good debt collector...LOL.

I wish I could use my degrees and my SLP work experience somehow.

I need variety. I get bored pretty quickly, which causes me to change jobs more frequently than most people. Also, it always seems that one or two negatives of the job seem to grow worse as time goes on, to my perspective, which makes me want to quit. I get "fed up" with certain things, and I move on.

crispini--- I am a strong believer in selling yourself on your resume. Perfecting your resume, so that your best features show. I don't enjoy working on my resume either, but it feels so great after you've done it, a lot like getting exercise. I think I'm pretty good at resume writing, so if you want me to critique, I'd be happy to.

[Kire]

8. I put myself down for getting a degree in Sociology.

More than put myself down. I hated myself. (sociology wasn't what I really hated, I later learned)

After getting knocked down and not getting ahead, I became sarcastic and otherwise impossible to be around. After one disaster at a low paying job when I was deep in debt, I was unemployed and on disability for several years. I didn't want to, but I finally agreed to go back to work, and I was always terrified that this incident (which involved me getting hit and freaking out) would happen again. It almost did a few months ago, but that, combined with something I learned about a certain deceased family member I am now able to forgive and, well, Obama and Biden coming out so loud and proud, well, things are looking up.

I'm still working at the convenience store, part time, but I'm doing it very well. Just ask the Puerto Rican girl who saw me behind the counter today and said, "You're working hard". I turned around and thought about it, and I said, "Everyday", smiled, nodded to thank her, and went back to work. I've got a deep hole to dig out of before I can even consider "playing" with anyone.

Anyway, good luck. It's not about what you know, but your willingness to keep going despite making mistakes. Click on the Meet Joe Biden video in the blogroll of my journal for inspiration.

Peace,
Kire