Source
r/SeriousConversation•
subtlefarts

Have you switched careers completely?

career

I'm a software developer in my early 20s. I've been a developer for the past several years or so and before that, I studied CS in school/college. All three companies I've worked at have great hours, benefits, and have awesome coworkers to work with. I've only switched companies for better pay or location.

I've recently began really disliking being a software developer and I'm wondering if I can change careers to something more fulfilling, or perhaps something that is less boring. I mean... It's a great feeling pushing new releases and getting good feedback, but I really am bored of sitting at my desk for hours at a time. Something about just staring at a screen for more than 6 hours a day just kills me on the inside.

I've been looking into other fields, but I haven't found anything that I've really excelled at, or has comparable pay.

Does anyone here have any experience doing that (whether leaving software or not)?

Posted Mar 2, 2016, 4:50 PM UTC

1813
Vovoj•

(From an earlier post:) From IT/application developer in a busy city to sleddog carer in the cold north. Big and drastic change in every aspect. From a stable well-payed office job to hard physical labour in extreme conditions with minimal pay. And I am not regretting my decision in any possible way because today, I feel truly alive.

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subtlefartsOP•

Holy cow, that sounds crazy and I'm pretty envious. What made you decide to change?

2
Vovoj•

I was in the IT for some time but when I started doing this boring office job I noped the fuck out of it pretty much immediately. The work was a piece-of-cake for me. But the thought of spending the majority of the rest of my life inside an office behind a bright computer screen wasn't a happy thought. I made a 180 degree turn, finished my collega as animal carer and pretty much drove north, knocked on some doors, threw some business cards around and not long after I found some (temporary) job as kennel helper with sleddogs. I have since worked at three different places and gained a lot of experience. I am currently on a break but I got more work at a kennel lined up this summer and probably winter as well. After that I'm thinking of settling in the area and start building up a kennel myself perhaps.

It's very hard work, but incredible rewarding at the end of the day. Unlike with my boring office job, I can proudly say am I actually doing something with my life. Not a single day is the same. This isn't just some job to get money to live my life, this IS my life and I am loving every moment of it. Best decision I've ever made.

3
ItsSilverThisIsntSilver•

I feel that saying "I switched careers" would be incorrect in a way.

During my senior year of high school and after I attended Culinary school because I thought that "I loved to cook" after I graduated Culinary school I moved to Texas where I found that having a culinary degree and no professional work experience is the same as not having a degree at all. In my teenage head if I got the degree I could use the school as "professional experience" because we often did banquets.

Instead I was met with the reality that Chili's was the only one with an opening that was willing to hire me, after a month my optimism for cooking was already shattered. Not because I hated the job, but because I found two things out about myself at that job.

  1. I'm not a very friendly person. I'm arrogant, I'm shit with empathy, and worst yet I cant help but to refuse "sucking it up" when things become "unfair". Basically, unless I change I won't be able to hold a customer service job or any job where the manager believes in "busy work" or "micromanagement"

  2. I don't like cooking. I mean, I love cooking at home, for myself and friends or family. But I don't like being a "chef" (later on down the road i started to understand that its not the food that I loved, its the fact that If i took this food and that food and put them together at this heat for some time their flavor completely changed. I found that I dont even care if its food i just love the SCIENCE behind why when "x" and "y" happens you get specific result "z")

So now I'm in college for Microbiology and Biochemistry...

I guess what I'm failing to explain is, in the long run you'll be more happy if you leave a field you simply don't enjoy and go for somthing you personally find interesting. Too many people pick fields of work based on whats "secure" then end up hating their job or simply not caring which shows in your performance. It's easier to be determined and optimistic if you genuinely find what you do to be interesting.

6
DoctorProfessorson•

I've switched from mobile/web and some Arduino to games and desktop applications in a completely new environment, with new competent and fun people. Best thing I've ever done; time flies by and I'm having a lot of fun creating new things and learning lots of stuff again. Way better than the miserable pile of shit I was at my previous job. Instead of a career switch, have you thought about just a job switch?

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subtlefartsOP•

I could probably switch jobs. I feel like the only jobs I'm really qualified for are like the boring code-monkey type of jobs though, just mostly because of my background.

When you switched jobs, did you have any experience in game & desktop applications? Right now, I'd say a majority of my development is spent in .NET applications/services and web applications.

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DoctorProfessorson•

Yes, but nothing more than personal projects. I'm now developing in .NET as well, but together with a lot of stuff like Entity Framework, Reactive Extensions, LINQ, Microsoft Prism, Ninject, C++/CLI, Microsoft Media Foundation, Domain Driven Design, XNA, Unity, signal analysis, data visualisation, some machine learning etc.

The contrast between this and the basic boring web CRUD I did before is very big, and it's a whole lot more fun. There's so much you can do in the field of software engineering that you could never be bored with it. I have to admit though, you have to be lucky to find such nice jobs, as I agree that most of the jobs I see out there are just plain boring.

1
LRats•

I'm actually in the process of changing careers. I got my BS in Biology with a minor in Secondary Education. Started out as a HS Bio teacher. After two and a half years decided I was not happy. It's been about a year and a half now since I've been out of it.

My problem is I have no direction in life. No idea what I want to do. I applied to a Radiography program and didn't get in because of some bullshit. Which turned out to be a good thing because outlook is not too good in that field. I've been thinking about nutrition, but I'm not too sure. I don't want to jump into something and end up wasting money/regretting it again.

I fear I will be living with my parents until the day I die.

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subtlefartsOP•

I have a friend in a pretty similar situation. He's still extremely undecided about his life and what he wants to do (a bit like me, but more extreme). I think he's been trying out several different fields and still hasn't found ANYTHING that interests him at all.

What made you decide that you weren't happy teaching? Was there a single event, or was it a combination of factors?

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LRats•

I actually didn't mind the teaching part of it. It was a lot of other stuff with standardized testing, pressure from administration, and crap from the government. I would basically go to work, come home, take a nap, eat dinner, and then plan for the next day. Saturday I wouldn't do anything, and then Sunday I would be back to planning and grading.

I wouldn't mind all the extra work, however I didn't feel the compensation for it added up. At some point I just realized I wasn't happy, and figured I would get out while it was still early.

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lostintime2004I talk a lot•

I was a network admin in my early 20s. I am now in nursing school. I am so glad I made the switch.

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catandmango•

Haha recently graduated nurse here who wants to go into something math intensive in 2 years but am scared my grades will not be up to par for admission . Grass is always greener :)

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lostintime2004I talk a lot•

Why your change of heart?

1
catandmango•

I feel like I never researched or paid attention to how overworked, underpaid, and over-stressed nurses are in most hospital jobs. I do not look forward to my 1-2 years of starting out in a physically demanding med surg unit before I can try to move into an office or public health or less stressful alternative option.

Not to rain on your parade, there are tons of nurses who do legitimately love their jobs and i feel bad for taking up a spot in the educational pathway that could have gone to one of these individuals instead.

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lostintime2004I talk a lot•

Under-paid? I haven't heard of that in hospitals. I mean some states have it bad, but not all of them.

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[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
stormdaemon•

I guess I took the opposite direction from you. I spent 15 years being a graphic designer (Got two degrees on it any everything). When the housing bubble burst and the economy tanked in 2008 I was out of work for almost a year, and I was forced to do temp work that was outside of my field. I stumbled into the healthcare compliance field (basically an expert on federal and state healthcare laws) and that's what I've been doing since.

I basically made the decision that I was going to prioritize job security over creative fulfillment. Liking your job is great and all, but I'm always reminded of that period in my life when I was out of work and eventually forced to beg for help from everyone around me. I also have a family and my parents are getting older, so any consideration that I make to my life would also need to include them.

With that said, you are at the age when exploring different careers is normal so I say go for. The only suggestions I would have would to keep up your skills as a software developer up to date, since you never know if you want to come back tot he field or end up needing the same skillset in your new career. Since, as you say, you are well paid, you may want to consider saving up a bit and have a decent nest egg before you start exploring other options. More than likely whatever you end up pursuing will not find something that has comparable pay, at least not yet, and having that extra money set aside will help.

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Chronogos•

I also used to work in software development, and I left only because it didn't pay well. I have worked 3 different computer jobs and had to leave for the same reason. They never pay well and give me horrible working hours. I would love to go back into the IT field but I don't think I ever will because it doesn't pay well at all. Now I work in a warehouse. I like it OK, but it's very unsatisfying. I miss using my brain.

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catandmango•

True, it is definitely possible to search around for different jobs until one with desirable qualities including great pay are available

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