Are you happy with your career choice/profession?

[manwiches]

Great thread OP...

I grew up thinking I wanted to be medical surgeon or dentist, but then realized 10+ years of schooling didn't appeal to me. I fell into engineering, then fell again into my major, and yet again into my current profession, land surveying. Tried my hand at municipal work, hated it, then was told to try oil and gas. Did work term with a company based out of Calgary in 2006, and have been with the same company since.

In the end, I ended up having to article and it took me another 3-4 years before I finally became a designated professional (probably could have stuck out another 2 years to get through medical or dentist school! ha!), but I loved my job. I thrive in a fast paced and stressful environment, and being on the oil and gas service side sure puts me in that situation constantly.

As most of you know, I took a position with my company out in Sask a couple years ago. Loved it at first, but as with any office, I don't enjoy the politics, nepotism, and drama. Also the downturn in the industry has everybody on eggshells, but not as bad as in Calgary. In Calgary, I met and had my one of my best friends in the same office for years, so going to work there was fun everyday. Being at the same company still and in similar managerial positions, we are still able to chat everyday, so it's almost like I never left in some ways.

I can't say I'm 100% happy with my job, but it has afforded me opportunities that I never thought possible for myself and my family. I think part of the problem is that having a young son here, and being away from the grandparents in Calgary is beginning to take it's toll on both my wife and I. We both come from very tight knit families, and seeing our parents say goodbye to our son every visit is heartbreaking.

At the end of the day though, I'm able to put a roof over my family's head, food on the table, and build our future so I can hopefully retire young. Who knows what the future holds, but we're taking it one step at a time, and will roll with the punches.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

I'm in this sorta existential crisis at the moment, where I feel like I work all day just to pay bills, then go to sleep. Repeat. And I'm going to do this until I die and what in the hell is the point, there has to be more.

I say this in all seriousness.


Get a hobby, or activity. It can be a family or just you activity. Join a beer league, ski, run, bike, swim. Mine is rugby, I love it. I have played for 25 yrs. It allows me, for those few hours, to be 22 again & not 43.


That is not to say I don't love how my life is now, but I think people need a release. They need to have something that is "theirs".

[Bunk]

I followed my passion, which is city-building. And that means I've been able to do different jobs, but all related to making better cities, and especially making Calgary a better city. First as a professional planner (private sector) writing some pretty cool plans. Then working as a policy advisor for the Mayor on issues of planning, development, transportation, housing, etc. And now in development where I can build interesting neighbourhoods and projects. All very gratifying work. No regrets.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I say this in all seriousness.


Get a hobby, or activity. It can be a family or just you activity. Join a beer league, ski, run, bike, swim. Mine is rugby, I love it. I have played for 25 yrs. It allows me, for those few hours, to be 22 again & not 43.


That is not to say I don't love how my life is now, but I think people need a release. They need to have something that is "theirs".

Yeah, I agree with this. I have good and bad days at work (a lot more bad days lately unfortunately), but over the last year and a bit I've taken up a more regimented exercise regime with some physical goals I'm working towards. I'm a scientist by training, so the experimentation and tracking of results keeps me interested and is pretty fulfilling. I look forward to it no matter how crappy the day was. Similarly, doing little (or big) reno jobs in my house is so freaking gratifying compared to my actual work. Plumbing in a sink or something practically puts me in a zen-like state.

[Poe969]

I was a construction worker for most of my life. My father is in the trade (cement and ceramic tile) and has been for my whole life. I started working with him on small side jobs he'd do and he'd pay me and it was great for spending money and to start to save up. I went to college in a completely different field and ended up getting into a car accident that kind of messed me up a bit so I dropped out. I wasn't going to just sit around so I started to work for the company my father was working for and things went well. Things actually went so well that my father and I started a company together (well he started it and I was there...). I was with the company for 9 years and a couple of years ago life changed and my wife, son and I moved (to a small rural community an hour away from my home town, where my wife is from) and I ended up going back to school for social work. I graduated and was looking forward to getting into the field of social work because it's what I've always wanted to do. My wife, son and I experienced a pretty bad setback in life and I was forced to take a job that I'm at right now. I don't like it. I don't hate it but it's not what I want to do. I'm constantly looking for a job in the social work field but it would have to be the "perfect job" for me. Ideally I would love to get into the school board and there are some opportunities. I just submitted a resume a week and a half ago and I'm waiting to hear if I got the available job.

I guess when you read over things it doesn't sound all that great and it really isn't. I have a job which I'm thankful for but I don't really like it. I like that I have a job because I need a job but it's not what I want to do. There are good days where I'm actually making a difference in the community and those days make the rest tolerable but I can't wait to not have this job. I think most people don't really like their jobs and it's amazing for those who do but I think undercoverbrother is bang on. Find a way to get a release (not the Ashley Maddison kind though) and let that fuel you. Always look for a job in what you want and just keep going.

I don't like my job but I'd rather have it than not have a job at all at this point.

[Table 5]

With a lot of hard work, and definitely some luck too, I had my dream job (or what I thought was my dream job all through college) of being an Art Director at a magazine in the media capital of the world, just two years out of college. Setting up photoshoots, working with illustrators, doing a lot of photo styling, designing layouts. I thought that was about as good as it got.

2 years later though I was bored. While the actual work wasn't bad by any means, working at a magazine was pretty repetitive. I also realized that I would much rather be doing the art, then the one directing it. Luckily I had always taken on a lot of design/illustration work on the side, and eventually had enough work to quit and do it full time. So two weeks into the US market crash in 2007, when everyone else was desperately holding onto their jobs like grim death, I quit and started my own studio.

I've been doing it ever since, and it was the best decision of my life. What I love most about my job is that every week is different, and every client provides a new challenge. Some days I am doing work for some Fortune500 company, the next day I'm designing identities for some mom and pop operation.

On the downside, as any business owner knows, everything is on you. There is no such thing as "checking out" from work, there is no such thing as paid vacation, and every good or bad decisions is the result of your actions, no excuses. That, and the more successful a business gets, the more of a managerial role you have to play instead of your core competency. I spend half of my days these days writing emails and managing projects, while my junior designers do the fun stuff.

All in all though, I think I have it pretty good.

[rd_aaron]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

My job would be more satisfying if not for the poverty level salary. But I get out of bed and do it every day. It's interesting because the work impacts production in a manufacturing plant, and on the construction site, than add in having to manage people, it doesn't get dull.

No doubt I would rather be a golf pro, or be in sports media. But like many other draftsman. I hate myself and love misery...so Ilike the job. Unfortunately a VCR repairman or womens shoe salesman is paid better. As they say, accountants who can draw.

Originally Posted by V

Learn Microstation and come to the utility, man. All of my draftspeople make over 40 bucks an hour. With a nice cushy pension. Leave the consulting world behind!

What V said. I think our draftspeople make decent coin. I know when we contract out drafting services we're getting charged $90/hour (though obviously there is overhead & profit built into that).

[kermitology]

Electrical engineer by education, mostly focused on wireless signal stuff. That kicked off my career working in GIS applications. I've mostly found that my career has progressed by luck and chance networking.

My internship during university was because my neighbour was the Geomatics department head at the U of C (Elizabeth Cannon - now the dean, is his wife). And that kicked me off into a world of software development. One of the research associates in that department reached out to me to join a GNSS receiver design startup when I finished school.

I got my second job working in airborne radar systems because I met a guy in a 7-11 who helped me work on my resume. In 2008, when radar acquisitions were winding down, I got moved onto a project for our consumer electronics department, working on iOS applications.

I then got a job at Shaw, developed a bunch of stuff there, learned some bad lessons about politics and how to achieve your goals without getting fired (I got fired).

Then, after going to a startup Calgary event, and being impressed with a certain presentation, I started following the presenter on Twitter. When I got fired by Shaw, they reached out to me and I learned Ruby on Rails and the server side of web application / SaaS development and the principles of eCommerce.

My current job came about when a former coworker invited me out for a beer one day and said he had a job as a Solution Architect that he thought I could help his team with. I wasn't initially interested, but after the development team got white washed for a support misstep that was largely caused by a crappy phone system and being told I didn't care enough (I busted my ass to help the company and clients on a constant basis), I said, screw it, what do I have to lose?

The whole interview process sounded like something that was completely made up and I winged it through the interviews. They made me an offer that doubled my compensation and I couldn't turn it down. This is the best team I've ever been on.. I have a hard time with some of the work because I have to direct application development with a 10 foot pole and that makes it hard to control things, and there have been a number of questionable decisions made by some of my leadership that set me on edge, but it's a good job.

Careers can go in so many different directions if you open your mind and focus on a chance to learn something. I took less money on several occasions because I wanted to learn something or from someone. Just dive into something new..

All this being said, if it wasn't for financial responsibilities I would quit my job and go to culinary school. Cooking makes me so happy, and if I was financially independent, I would drop all the technology and make food.

[Baron von Kriterium]

It is interesting to read the different career paths for many on these boards.

As for me, I am in the Army - specifically the Corps of Electrical and mechanical Engineers. My educational background is in Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering. Neither of these fields were ideal in 1987 Calgary so I looked at the military. In DND's infinite wisdom, they felt I was a better fit in the Army than the Air Force, even though I had an Aeronautical Engineering background.

I've had many challenging employment opportunities in the Army and have made many friends. I left in 1999, with thoughts of becoming a stock broker. I quickly found out that I preferred the analysis of stocks and commodities than trying to find clients to sell them to. I then looked to use my education in a manufacturing capacity here in Calgary and landed a job as a "project manager" (basically preparing proposals). It paid shyte and the benfits weren't near what I came to expect in the military. That lasted until 2003 when I was laid off. That truly sucked.

I tried my hand at an electrician apprentice. The theory and math was a piece of cake, but the mentorship in the actual application was horrendous. I didn't receive any instruction and when I fecked up, I was yelled at. Again, not what I came to expect from my years in the Army.

I went from company to company for a couple of years but the bottom line was I missed the Army. I rejoined in 2005. I bought back my pension and now am just working to get to the 25-year mark and take my pension. At that point, I think I'll do some freelance technical or copywriting on a beach in Nicaragua.

[Neeper]

Wow, what a cool thread! I haven't read about anyone who's like me yet. So, what is my career choice? I'm a serial entrepreneur, and just like everyone else's career choice, it has its ups and downs.

I came to Canada when I only 1yr old from Vietnam. My parents worked hard but couldn't afford to buy me the things that my friends had (like a Nintendo, hockey cards, Transformers). So, at an early age I set out to figure out how to make some money. By the age of 11, I had started my own business. Ok it wasn't anything serious or maybe it was. I was that kid that was cutting everyone's lawn in Dover in the late 80's. Every weekend I would cut at least 5 lawns for $5 each. I did very well for a kid. I knew at an early age what I wanted to do when I grew up. I was gonna be an entrepreneur.

I haven't been "employed" by anyone for the last 15 years and I love my freedom. My potential is only limited by me and how hard I am willing to work.

Since 2000 I have been able to turn hobbies into businesses. I owned an eBay business, an auto parts retail and wholesale business, imported and sold import cars, a wildly successful Calgary wedding photography business (JT Images) and a Calgary photo booth business called Hoot Booth. The latter 2 are my current and main source of income. I don't work a lot of hours so that means I have a lot of free time and too many hobbies.

With my free time I'm always planning my next move because I can't sit still. So last year I started TikTiks Inc. that some of you may have heard of. This upcoming hockey season will tell me and my partners a lot about how this one is going to pan out. We have a lot of work to do and I'm so excited to bring this product to the masses and make it great.

I'm also a part owner of a smaller startup called Naturally Sweet Body and Wellness. We recently launched our e-commerce website. It's mostly products for women (for now) focused on all natural body and skin care.

So as of right now, I own and run 4 different businesses and only 2 have consistent revenue. Owning 4 businesses it doesn't mean I'm rich. Far from it! I am friggin poor! I've invested a lot into my ventures and also some that have failed that weren't mentioned. But what else am I gonna do? I don't have a degree. I don't have a trade. I don't have a specific skill set. I am a jack of all trades. I don't have any "work" experience other than a kitchen job in my early 20's.

There are some days that I start thinking to myself that I wish I had a "career" or something steady and guaranteed. I sometimes question my path and decisions. Because my income fluctuates every year, it can be really hard. But all I know is, I love being an entrepreneur. I need to be in control of my destiny. My dream is to create a profitable business where I can provide jobs to lots of people. I want to have a company where people love coming to work and love their jobs.

I'm a risk taker, a dreamer, a serial entrepreneur and there's nothing else I'd rather do.

[polak]

Originally Posted by Baron von Kriterium

It is interesting to read the different career paths for many on these boards.

As for me, I am in the Army - specifically the Corps of Electrical and mechanical Engineers. My educational background is in Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering. Neither of these fields were ideal in 1987 Calgary so I looked at the military. In DND's infinite wisdom, they felt I was a better fit in the Army than the Air Force, even though I had an Aeronautical Engineering background.

This route always interested me. I remember hearing back in school that the army was always looking for people with supply chain training. I don't know if that's true or not but it did stick out to me as possibly cool, challenging route to take. Even if they pay is probably not that great.

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by Realtor 1

Great thread and very interesting to read what everyone has posted.

I always did well in school. Never had any concerning grades but also wasnt at the top of my class. Being quite active with extra curricular activities outside of the classroom kept me happy vs stuck inside studying but I knew I didn't want to go to post secondary unless I absolutely knew what I wanted to do and knew that I would love it.
I have always considered myself to be extremely efficient at anything I do which had me leading towards careers where you are paid by how much work you actually get done.

All in all, I became a Realtor at 19. The first several years bring in a negative income which is why something like 80% of Realtors quit in the first few years. Being 19, I didn't have a family to support or a mortgage to pay so I was fine with putting my time in.
Nearly a decade later, I could not imagine doing anything else. The hours are long (often 10 hour days 5 days a week and a couple of 4-5 hour days however it is barely work when you look forward to the following day.

I couldn't imagine myself being married, having a family and making the career change with the years of no pay. It would be way too stressful and has to be one of the large reason so many in my "real estate course" lasted less than a year. I consider myself lucky getting into something I enjoy at such a young age.

Ditto for me.
Love my job and wouldn't trade it for many.

I don't really go to work in the typical sense, it's more of a lifestyle career where work is always on but never fixed hours. That's something that works very well for me, as I can schedule my other activities and life's passions around it.
Feels great to just get up and go whenever I want.

Being at different locations and meeting new people all the time is wonderful too.
And feeling like you're growing your own business and not just working for someone else's is the greatest feeling of all.

[Johnny199r]

Originally Posted by Neeper

Wow, what a cool thread! I haven't read about anyone who's like me yet. So, what is my career choice? I'm a serial entrepreneur, and just like everyone else's career choice, it has its ups and downs.

I came to Canada when I only 1yr old from Vietnam. My parents worked hard but couldn't afford to buy me the things that my friends had (like a Nintendo, hockey cards, Transformers). So, at an early age I set out to figure out how to make some money. By the age of 11, I had started my own business. Ok it wasn't anything serious or maybe it was. I was that kid that was cutting everyone's lawn in Dover in the late 80's. Every weekend I would cut at least 5 lawns for $5 each. I did very well for a kid. I knew at an early age what I wanted to do when I grew up. I was gonna be an entrepreneur.

I haven't been "employed" by anyone for the last 15 years and I love my freedom. My potential is only limited by me and how hard I am willing to work.

Since 2000 I have been able to turn hobbies into businesses. I owned an eBay business, an auto parts retail and wholesale business, imported and sold import cars, a wildly successful Calgary wedding photography business (JT Images) and a Calgary photo booth business called Hoot Booth. The latter 2 are my current and main source of income. I don't work a lot of hours so that means I have a lot of free time and too many hobbies.

With my free time I'm always planning my next move because I can't sit still. So last year I started TikTiks Inc. that some of you may have heard of. This upcoming hockey season will tell me and my partners a lot about how this one is going to pan out. We have a lot of work to do and I'm so excited to bring this product to the masses and make it great.

I'm also a part owner of a smaller startup called Naturally Sweet Body and Wellness. We recently launched our e-commerce website. It's mostly products for women (for now) focused on all natural body and skin care.

So as of right now, I own and run 4 different businesses and only 2 have consistent revenue. Owning 4 businesses it doesn't mean I'm rich. Far from it! I am friggin poor! I've invested a lot into my ventures and also some that have failed that weren't mentioned. But what else am I gonna do? I don't have a degree. I don't have a trade. I don't have a specific skill set. I am a jack of all trades. I don't have any "work" experience other than a kitchen job in my early 20's.

There are some days that I start thinking to myself that I wish I had a "career" or something steady and guaranteed. I sometimes question my path and decisions. Because my income fluctuates every year, it can be really hard. But all I know is, I love being an entrepreneur. I need to be in control of my destiny. My dream is to create a profitable business where I can provide jobs to lots of people. I want to have a company where people love coming to work and love their jobs.

I'm a risk taker, a dreamer, a serial entrepreneur and there's nothing else I'd rather do.

While I'm guessing there's some B.S in the military, I wish I tried it out after high school. I had a friend that had his university paid for that way. I also like the discipline and chance to see the world/experience new things.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by polak

This route always interested me. I remember hearing back in school that the army was always looking for people with supply chain training. I don't know if that's true or not but it did stick out to me as possibly cool, challenging route to take. Even if they pay is probably not that great.

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

While I'm guessing there's a bit of B.S in the military, I wish I tried it out after high school. I had a friend that had his university paid for that way. I also like the discipline and chance to see the world/experience new things.

There is no BS in the military.

The pay is great.

You should both join.

[Baron von Kriterium]

Originally Posted by polak

This route always interested me. I remember hearing back in school that the army was always looking for people with supply chain training. I don't know if that's true or not but it did stick out to me as possibly cool, challenging route to take. Even if they pay is probably not that great.

I joined under the Direct Entry Officer (DEO) program - meaning you had to have a degree or a 3-year college diploma. I had the Aeronautical Engineering diploma from SAIT and that qualified me for DEO.

As for supply chain management, you wouldn't necessarily have to have that training before you applied. If you wanted to be an officer, you would still need the degree, though. The military will offer you the supply chain management training in a few military occupations (supply and transport, for example).

The military will also pay to get you applicable civilian certifications/designations.

The pay is decent and you start with four weeks of leave. There are not many entry-level civ jobs that will give you four weeks of leave and coverage for dental, prescriptions and the optometrist.

My only regret with the military was leaving after 10.5 years; I should have stayed and I could be considering retirement right now.

[Locke]

I figure that if my business crashes and burns I can always join the military. Its a good last resort. I think the French Foreign Legion is the life for me.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Baron von Kriterium

I joined under the Direct Entry Officer (DEO) program - meaning you had to have a degree or a 3-year college diploma. I had the Aeronautical Engineering diploma from SAIT and that qualified me for DEO.

As for supply chain management, you wouldn't necessarily have to have that training before you applied. If you wanted to be an officer, you would still need the degree, though. The military will offer you the supply chain management training in a few military occupations (supply and transport, for example).

The military will also pay to get you applicable civilian certifications/designations.

The pay is decent and you start with four weeks of leave. There are not many entry-level civ jobs that will give you four weeks of leave and coverage for dental, prescriptions and the optometrist.

My only regret with the military was leaving after 10.5 years; I should have stayed and I could be considering retirement right now.

This has changed from when I was in. My trade didn't have equivalence of civie street. This is a good change IMO. I was told the reasoning then was that there would be a manpower dump of people running to civilian jobs. Now it seems the thinking is, we would rather have the person 3-5 yrs than not at all.


I agree BTW, I tell all the younger people I know to join, some of my experiences can't be matched, anywhere.

[DownhillGoat]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

I agree BTW, I tell all the younger people I know to join, some of my experiences can't be matched, anywhere.

Funny. Was discussing with a friend the other week advice we'd give to ourselves 10 years ago.

One of mine was joining the military out of high school instead of floundering around for the next 5 years.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

There is no BS in the military.

The pay is great.

You should both join.

A good friend of mine spent 30 years in the military and came out with a pretty sweet pension.

[Baron von Kriterium]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

This has changed from when I was in. My trade didn't have equivalence of civie street. This is a good change IMO. I was told the reasoning then was that there would be a manpower dump of people running to civilian jobs. Now it seems the thinking is, we would rather have the person 3-5 yrs than not at all.


I agree BTW, I tell all the younger people I know to join, some of my experiences can't be matched, anywhere.

Oh, sorry, I meant that the military would pay for civilian training/certification such as professional project management, supply chain management, environmental and safety, etc. They will pay for a lot of courses if the courses relate to your current trade. They will even pay for courses that will set you up for second career training after the military. For example, a few in the office are taking courses in emergency management because they would like to work in that field when they retire.

Military vehicle mechanics, for example, will be granted civ journeyman status as far as I know as long as they achieved the equivalent level (QL5 is considered journeyman in the military) at the time of release.