If you had to do it over would you chose the same career?

[PeoplesElbow]

I dont think I would, I dislike most of my fellow engineers.

I think I would be a financial advisor or a physical therapist.

 

[TPD]

I absolutely love what I do! Yeah there are days or weeks that I shake my head and wonder why the hell am I doing this but overall, I am happy.

One of the things I tell my employees - a job is not always about the money. You have to love what you do and want to get up each morning and go to work. Yeah the money helps but you can adjust your lifestyle to your earnings.

 

[Sneakers]

I have no regrets about my choices, but I started college expecting to be a marine biologist, wound up being a computer geek. In hindsight, I would have liked to spend more time being outside, environmental and natural pursuits.

 

[glhs837]

I would, I do enjoy what I do,

 

[DaSDGuy]

If I could do it all over, I would get Mike Tyson to fight me. His opponents regularly got $20 Million. After a few months in a coma and reconstruction surgery I would live off the remaining $19 million quite nicely.

 

[DoWhat]

Yes.
It has treated me well.

But I am looking forward to retirement.

 

[limblips]

I would do my military career again but instead of going in to government sector after I retired I would take the caretaker job that was offered to me in the Adirondacks at a large private enclave, less money but what a missed opportunity. Room, board, free run of the place.

 

[Bonehead]

30 years in the Nuclear business was not my first choice but it has worked well retirement wise. I studied marine biology in school, not sure how I wound up at a Nuclear Plant.

 

[RareBreed]

I lucked out getting the job I have. Was supposed to be a two day temp job back in 1996. Never left. Love what I do but hate two out of my four coworkers but I wouldn't want another job.

 

[DoWhat]

I would do my military career again but instead of going in to government sector after I retired I would take the caretaker job that was offered to me in the Adirondacks at a large private enclave, less money but what a missed opportunity. Room, board, free run of the place.

I had a great time while I was in the military.
Worked hard and played hard.

I feel sorry for the military peeps now.
They can't have fun like we use too.

 

[Monello]

I feel sorry for the military peeps now.
They can't have fun like we use too.

I feel that way with people that never served. What an incredible experience. The world wide travel was a nice bonus.

 

[vraiblonde]

I'd absolutely do it over again. What I'd really love is to be able to make a living as a KOA activities director but that's more of a hobby with perks than a career position.

They say if you do what you love you'll never work a day in your life. That's true.

 

[kwillia]

I never had to plan for a career. I fell into my career while still in high school. 99% of people who have done what I have done over the past decades had degrees to get the jobs. I was fortunate to continue to advance based on hands on experience. My current position is my most favorite job of all and hope like hell I can continue to do it for at least another decade and then some if I feel like working instead of retiring.

 

[Kyle]

I would have chosen Psychologist or Public Relations.

 

[Lump]

I never had to plan for a career. I fell into my career while still in high school. 99% of people who have done what I have done over the past decades had degrees to get the jobs. I was fortunate to continue to advance based on hands on experience. My current position is my most favorite job of all and hope like hell I can continue to do it for at least another decade and then some if I feel like working instead of retiring.

This sounds a lot like me too! I was going to Vo Tech to become and engineer and just didn't like it. To stay in the program they had me start Graphic Design (this is because at the point in time, the Engineer Class was the only one with Computers) and get "on job training". I have been in Marketing/Advertising ever since. Love my career choice and wouldn't change a thing.

 

[BadGirl]

I always wanted to be a musician, specifically a bass player. I've never played a guitar in my life, am not musically inclined, but I love bass guitars

I'd suck at it, and could never earn money for it, so there is that.

 

[Grumpy]

I would have chosen Psychologist or Public Relations.

Perfect! ! !

 

[Monello]

I changed careers just before I turned 40. I would have liked to have been a programmer longer but it really wasn't a viable career option when I got out of high school.

 

[glhs837]

I never had to plan for a career. I fell into my career while still in high school. 99% of people who have done what I have done over the past decades had degrees to get the jobs. I was fortunate to continue to advance based on hands on experience. My current position is my most favorite job of all and hope like hell I can continue to do it for at least another decade and then some if I feel like working instead of retiring.

This describes my experience pretty well. Funny in the room when they start talking degrees. "GED, CA 1987"

 

[SamSpade]

I didn't pick my career - it more or less found me. Made it through engineering to find - I really didn't enjoy it at all, but it paid well.

THEN - I was stupid enough to give it all up to pursue a career I thought would be exceedingly satisfying - and found that I just plain SUCKED at it.

Could not find my way back to engineering - but I started at the bottom at programming, because after all those years - those skills were still in demand.

Ended up mostly doing programming of statistics and tables and such. Boring - but not terribly demanding. Easy work for decent pay.

I can't complain, really. Who is lucky enough to have a job they love? When I was between good paying jobs - I did work that I HATED - working for people who berated me, insulted me, badgered me and so on. I went because I needed the money.

ONE job - was fun. It paid - ok. That was pizza delivery. And I was very good at it. Good driver, knew the area, knew every trick imaginable to outfox my fellow drivers and every stunt to elicit the best tips. I was so good at it - the owners asked me to open their first expansion - which I declined. ON the advice of a good friend who said - "do you want to deliver pizzas as a career?". I said no - left New England - and looked for an engineering job - settled for programming.

Oddly enough - do you know what I wanted to do, more than anything else? What my father said, don't do that, you'll never make much money?

Write.

I wanted to be a writer. Science, life, hobbies, movies, whatever. Just write. And I thought I was pretty good at it too.

But - Dad was right. NO WAY I'd ever be paid as well as I am now. But I would have enjoyed it.