GaryK

Just curious really anyone done a complete u-turn and swapped careers? Ive just resigned where Im working at, did 10 years IT contracting before that which I will probably go back to short term but not sure I want to stay in IT forever.

Gary

T4molie

Be interesting to read some of the replies to this one, it's something I've been thinking of doing recently as well

David Lock

Some wise old bird said to me once that many people actually have 3 careers in their working lives. I thought that was a bit ott but then think about some of the people you know and it may surprise you how true that is. dl

gingerboy

Yep - been their, done that and don't regret it for one second. Trained as mechanic which was OK, went from that to customer service /sales within the automotive industry and then progressed to management etc etc, Then moved industries completely which at the time was very scarey especially as i had been with my lst company for 9 years. Now BDM for a large company and love the job!! So not a complete career change more evolution through transferrable skills etc but still moving industries was a reall challenge but one I most certainly do not regret!

GB

Leslie

I went from paint spraying in a factory to joining the RAF and never regretted it.

Les

GaryK

Hey Andy, whats the matter fed up with the old Bedford-London train commute?

Gary

Stueyb

TBH I think a lot of the IT old school are tired of IT, not least because of these Computeach wannabes depressing the rates etc as well as doing the impossible every day and gettin no thanks for it and every man and his dog professing to be an IT pro.

Of all the IT people I know, myself included, have or are in the process of, moving careers or retiring completly.

T4molie

Alright Fella?

Wouldn't really say I was fed up of the commuting, but it occured to me the other day that I've been doing it for nearly 9 years

Completely agree with what StueyB Has said. I think I'm starting to feel like I need something more challenging. Yeah I could learn more in IT but tbh I'm just not sure I can be ar$ed with it

beemerboy.

i left school as a ford apprentice (toolmaking) which i did for 7 years.

fed up with shift work, i made a migration into IT Sales and into London.

went through this for a while, then blagged my way into an IT training company in Essex. - Kept my head down and learned a lot, left for money reasons, sold copiers for a while, then once more blagged my way into IT support for a large Finance company in the City.

left to do Network management for a dotcom co who had more money that sense, then left for another IT Manager role near Tower Bridge, then started my own IT company 2 and a bit years ago.

im 37 now, and dont really want to be commuting to london every day, so i dont!!!

bit of remote support from home, a small office in london, and a quiet life is just what the doc ordered.

so here i am, enjoying the warmth and quiet at home, pretending to work!!

i love it.

BB

fast bloke

I did it - computes degree - tech support - tech support manangment - financial advisor - scary making the change but I glad I did it now looking at the IT market

GaryK

Yes a very interesting point Stuey, kinda reminds me of the whole Y2K fiasco with people with no IT experience getting jobs as testers paying good money or in recent times where people think because theres 'money' in IT and no formal apprenticeship as such that they can walk into a 30K a year job straight-away or like you say erode rates for those with solid skills and experience. You said you are looking for an out, any ideas what you will do?

Andy, 9 years **** thats a long time, Ive done a few stints down there on contract, longest being 9 months and that started to tire me out!

Gary

lawson101

I left school and went through a modern apprenticeship as a Vehicle Technician. Did that for around 6years or so then completely changed direction and worked as a chef in my mates pub for a year.
Swapped again after that and am now working as a Liability Claims Adjuster for a large mutinational insurer.

Chachi

I know exactly how you feel fella, been in IT for almost 14 years now, my company is 9 years old and I've been commuting to London for about 7 years.

Really starting to get tired of it all now, really fancy a career change, but a bit scared if I'm honest.

I commute down from Huntingdon and work in Canary Wharf, all in with commuting it's a 12 hour day if I'm lucky and it's taking its toll. I think a big part is job staisfaction, I don't really enjoy what I do anymore and when you never get thanks for your hard work and ability to meet impossible deadlines it starts to grind you down.

Good Luck with whatever you decide mate.

Rich

Stueyb

I think thats one of the big things, lack of job satisfaction tbh. If I had satisfaction, we would be happy. Well that and pre 99 rates lol.

I remember before I went to Uni, I was making more at 18 than I am now. I regularly took home £700-800 a week (with a little overtime) working for a large multinational lived at home, no car. Lol had so much I couldnt spend it fast enough. Oh how things change. Sigh lol

beemerboy.

dont be dis-illusioned by IT, there is, and always will be a few quid to be made in this industry.
sure, the goal posts move a bit, and there are always the 18 yr old, know it all, bookworms, chomping at your heels, but this is seriously, and personally, the easiest way i know to make the money i need.
but thats just me, and if i was making twice that, working for someone else, having to justify every minute and being sorry for being late coz of the trains every day, i would jack it in tomorrow.

BB

EP82

I often wish i could make a career change. I am a young and enthusiastic IT Technician but i just feel that IT is not for me..

I would love more of a field orintated role out travelling the country/europe. For some un known reason telecomms engineering appeals to me. I really have no idea what the hell i would be doing but it just sounds good.. Anyone care to explain just what a telecomms engineer does day to day?

I'm only 21 but i'm pretty certain i don't want be working in a general office IT role managing or other wise in ten years time :\

FlightMan

I did 20 years in IT, straight from school. Now in my 3rd year evaluating aircraft performance at Heathrow, liasing with airlines, NATS and the DfT, amongst others.
Dont regret it for a second.

On a lighter note, I am now the user from hell, as far as our IT dept is concerned!

Brendan Hughes

Strikes me that a lot of people want out of IT as they now can't make millions by sitting on their ***** playing games all day and have to actually do some work for a change.

Brendan
(non-controversial for a Friday lunchtime )

Stueyb

Brendan, Games are so 1990s. Its scoobynet now u know

Brendan Hughes

yeah tell me about it

Chachi

It's not a money thing, I make plenty thanks .

Just starting to think theres more to life!

chop chop busy busy work work bang bang (as the penguins said)

^OPM^

I left school at 16 with 6 'o' levels and become a craft apprentice for a big generator company-then at 23 was being made redundant from this i transferred to another one of their companies that made large transformers-now im 35 and i have thought for years i dont wanna keep doing this-but just not sure what job i would rather do-money isn't so much an issue for me as i dont have a mortgage now but i still have decided i dont want a factory job-but then again i wouldn't want to be sat in some office day in day out.
So any idea's?

POC

7 Years in IT as an IT Manager for a national publishing company, made redundant, didnt have the heart to go back into IT so I started my own Landscaping business Bloody hard work but 10times the job satisfaction than working in IT!!!