Changing career - what do you want to do?

[Taz]

I've been in IT for nearly 20 years now, working for software houses in various capacities for nearly all of that time.

However, over the last year or so I've had strong urges (!) to ditch the rat race and do something else. The problem is that I have no idea what non-IT work I would want to do! I would want to do something that is also my hobby, hence something that I enjoy. Unfortnately, it's hard to become a p0rn star these days! Only kidding

Anyway, what would YOU do if you wanted to move out of IT and why?

[dave87]

IT for me is short term, just to give me some money while im still studying. After I've done my degree its into Law for me

Dave

[mmh]

im still trying to get into IT

[TeePee]

I started off in IT, many years ago, and after a couple of years I found I really didn't like it. I tried learning to fly, but after a couple of lessons over a bad winter and having none of the money I needed to make progress I had to give up. I went for a job as a security guard, out of financial desparation more than anything else, and I must have stood out, because I soon found myself in a position of very high sensitivity, and earning more than twice my income from when I worked in IT. But it was still a job for the money, not a career for me, and I considered a few other options but none of them really gripped me.

Then I found information about learning to fly in the US, and thanks to being a lot better off financially, this summer happened and I have my PPL, which is fantastic in itself. More importantly, I know I've found the career for me, and I have a plan to get there. It's going to cost a lot of money, but fortunately I still have some savings, and I'm still earning more than I did in IT, so hopefully there will be commercial pilot training in my near future.

[Taz]

I suppose i'm quite fortunate in that the money side of things isn't a problem for me, but there is zero job satsfaction and I find that by Friday evening I am physically and mentally shattered from the travel and long days on customer sites. I would rather take a pay cut and do something I *actually* *enjoy*.

mmh: you say you want to move into IT...from which industry?

[DeludedGuy]

Hah, TeePee.

Im doing security too, even though I'm also involved in I.T. but cant see myself doing it for the rest of my life. Maybe if I owned my own company.

[Howard]

I'm quite happy in IT atm... Just started, and doing a mainly support role at the moment, but it's not bad. Can only go further

[mmh]

I suppose i'm quite fortunate in that the money side of things isn't a problem for me, but there is zero job satsfaction and I find that by Friday evening I am physically and mentally shattered from the travel and long days on customer sites. I would rather take a pay cut and do something I *actually* *enjoy*.

mmh: you say you want to move into IT...from which industry?

from straight out of college tbh... but i failed because i dropped out due to being messed about too much.

i need to try and get my foot in the door...

i know my way round computers, VB programming, webdesign, just need to get in as a trainee in a proper field.

[5lab]

coder by education, been in telephony just over 2 years.. bored of it already

[j.o.s.h.1408]

Im trying to get into IT. I am in my last year of my CS degree and hoping that i can find a decent IT job straight after.. any tips? I need to start asap has i got a wife to take care of I currently work part time at a Hospital and will go full time when i finish uni for the mean time but that job is not IT based and the pay is crap, so is my boss

[tiggerai]

I will give IT a go, but I think my vocational calling is in peoplecare.

I think I'll do an ICT PGCE but I'd eventually like to work with people with Autism.

Might completely change my mind and go into Nursing or something.

[shelley bda]

I can't ever see me not working with kids, i love it to bits, only trouble is i can't really progress any further with pre-school age kids, i'd like to go to Uni and do a KS1 teaching degree, but then i don't know,
I sometimes think i'd like to offer support parents in helping them to deal with childrens behaviour and teaching them how to support education at home ( don't realise how many Mums and Dad's could do with this )

[dave87]

josh, not wishing to put you off, but a friend of mine got a 1st in CS from Bristol, and he's struggling to get a job in IT at the moment. The best thing you can probably do would to find a company that will let you work with them - like a work placement - and that will significantly increase the strength of your application. It also gives them the benifit of knowing you, and so you may walk out with a job at the end of it.

Thats my personal experience - I've done a couple of placements with Law firms, and they prefer to know you a bit before you make your application, I'm guessing this will be the same for IT, but I could be wrong.

Dave

[tiggerai]

People care and IT, ever considered a career on a help desk

Don't start!

[shiato storm]

not in IT but I'd become a photographer (in case anyone around hadn't already worked it out!)

[menthel]

Quite frankly I want to be Hugh Fernley-Whittinstall. Much better than being a medic.