If you had to start all over

[bow slayer]

I started like a lot of young guys in the 80s right out of high school to the big bucks of factory work. Well when the plant closed had to take a different route,I have been working in Health Care for the last 9 years,i like it and lots of work. If I were to do it all over again I would follow my father and become a teacher.Great job,good pay,great benefits,and a very good pension,but the best part I never even considered when he was trying to convince me SUMMERS OFF

[lunkerbasshunter]

i work in sales. love it but it can be tough sometimes.

 

our company is not hiring right now but pm me and send me your resume. I always come across people who are looking for sales guys.

 

Cheers!

[Cudz]

Such true words!!!!

 

Any SMART employer will take experience over education. I often had university grads come and apply to me for jobs, some of them couldn't even fill out a resume. One of the smartest men I ever knew had a grade 2 education!

I had a big rant about this but luckily, probably for me, it got erased.

Here are my basic points

You get a university degree you get paid more. That is the bottom line. Of course there are exceptions to the rule but they are just that, exceptions.

Here are some easy to follow chart (I bet even some university grads could understand them)

Compare a high school diploma salary with a basic bachelor's degree salary

http://www.earnmydegree.com/online-education/learning-center/education-value.html

 

Even SMART people don't always hire experience over education. Bill Gates Microsoft is known to do the opposite. Rarely hires experience and almost always hires fresh uni grads. RIM does the same and both companies hire more students from the University of Waterloo than any other uni in the world. http://uwaterloo.ca/aboutuw/

 

I am not sure what you mean when you say "some university grads couldn't even fill out a resume." Did you mean they couldn't fill out an application form? Did you mean they didn't create a resume or hand in a resume? I have never filled out a resume at a job so I too might fail that test. Knowledge of resume creation is generally not taught at university. The potential employee's failure to submit a resume, or their innability to create a resume, probably stems from being absent too many days while in high school, where that skill is taught. Resume writing is taught in the careers studies, a grade 10 compulsory course (all students are required to pass in order to graduate high school). This is a half credit course and the course code is GLC 2O. Perhaps these uni grads went to school before this course was compulsory.

 

I do agree that there are many brilliant people out there without a formal post secondary eduction, but those people are certainly few and far between these days. As unfortunate as it might seem for some, post secondary education, whether at a college level, a university level, or via the trades route is almost essential for those higher paying jobs (note I said almost, there are some great factory jobs and entrepreneurship possibilities out there).

 

Good luck with the job search. Keep your chin up something will happen for you as you are still young.

[Cudz]

i work in sales. love it but it can be tough sometimes.

 

our company is not hiring right now but pm me and send me your resume. I always come across people who are looking for sales guys.

 

Cheers!

Nice! This is a very cool reply in this thread.

[fisherman7]

I'd either be a CPA as all my bosses have been CPAs or I'd be a teacher for the enjoyment of teaching and the lifestyle!

[smally21]

pick something in demand! a friend is having trouble finding customers - he calibrates extremely rare precision test equipment. perhaps he should have picked something to do with homes or cars, everyone has them!

 

get in with a busy construction company. you can bang off a 9600 hr apprenticeship in about 4 years. after that become a foreman cause you cant stay on the tools forever. if i started again i might consider location as much as occupation - the roots are a little too deep now for a big change.

 

good luck these guys are right - opportunity.

[JohnF]

Think outside the box. It's amazing what great ideas are out there.

 

Look at this one definition of the word "paradigm" - "A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline."

 

Now apply that definition to your career search. And then ask yourself if you're really looking for a career, or just another job. Of the possibilities you're considering, do you see yourself being happy in them for the rest of your working life? Remember that excepting professional athletes, too many career trades can be counter-productive.

 

A good friend of mine started jumping companies looking for something better. On the plus side he reduced his daily commute to 30 minutes. He increased his annual salary by over $100,000. He qualified for bigger annual performance bonuses (6 figure bonuses). He got out of NYC and into downtown Boston (that's an improvement for some folks). The downside was that each new position was progressively less satisfying and he finally had a serious nervous breakdown (in the words of his Ph.D medical author wife "He had a total meltdown").

 

Now he works for the harbourmaster in a small New England island port collecting berth fees from yachting tourists. He loves it, says he's happy as a clam. He wears shorts to work all summer and has his own little harbour boat to tool around in. He tells me he should have stepped back years ago and looked at all his options. Instead he just reacted to the money, titles and prestige caring nothing for personal happiness. They are wonderful folks but somewhere along the line they lost connection with their kids who have grown into dysfunctional screwups (their mother's words).

 

I'm not suggesting that this is likely to be your story but merely offer it for the insight my friend finally found, painfully - that one needs to step back, analyze, then be proactive in choosing a career.

 

Hopefully it will get you looking at more than just the obvious employment solutions. Even if you have current financial responsibilities to honour you should still look at all your options. Here's another cliche that applies "Short term pain for long term gain."

 

JF

[troutologist]

I would have fished more and put a more serious effort into a career in the fishing industry, be it tournament pro, guide etc. Still want to give it a go. I knew what I wanted to do since I saw the movie Never Cry Wolf, I work as a DFO biologist in the arctic now.

 

Your decision doesn't (and shouldn't) have to be made overnight, ruminate on some possibilities and choose the one you think balances finances and job satisfaction for you. You won't know if a particular path is the one until you do it...can only make educated decisions.

 

I like to think the environmental field will be in demand for some time to come.

Edited July 21, 2010 by Jay Hamilton

[lew]

My dad spent 5 years in the Navy during WW11 and then I was born right after in 1946, so as I was growing up I always heard Navy tales as most of Dad's friends were ex-Navy as well. I knew from a very early age that I would follow his footsteps and joined the Navy myself the same day JFK was assasinated, Nov 22/63

 

I spent the next few years sailing the oceans everywhere from Trinidad to Norway and alot of places in between, then when I got out of the Navy I joined the Fire Dept in Toronto, which was another dream of mine, and spent the next 32 years as a fireman. It was a fabulous career and it's a great feeling going home at the end of the day knowing you've been helping folks in trouble and making their lives a little bit easier.

 

I retired early when I was 53 and have spent the last 10 years enjoying life to it's fullest.

 

We're now living in a beautiful home in the country, driving a brand new truck and hauling an almost new boat around wherever I want to fish...life is good

 

If I was to repeat my life all over again, I would do EXACTLY what I have already done. My wife & I have had a wonderful life...with a few very sad exceptions...and I would recommend the Military and Fire Dept. to anyone.

 

University degrees are definetely an asset when job hunting, but not always a necessity when searching for a successful and rewarding career.

[Tarzan's Jane]

I believe it depends on where you are going to settle down. Take Ottawa for example...you had better be billingual if you expect to climb the ladder. In the government, you had better have a University Degree if you expect to climb the ladder. Sorry....but times are changing and education is beating out experience.

 

Making a good dollar is definitely a plus. Being able to enjoy it and keeping your sanity is yet another bonus.

 

Maintain a good balance in your life....sometimes a little easier said than done. But hey....there is something for everyone, if it cant be Mon - Fri 9 - 5 then add to your life the things that truly make you happy on your free time.

 

Good Luck to You.

[GBW]

Fist off, THANK YOU ALL for the replies, PM's and phone conversations!

Big Cliff, I left you a voice mail so if it's not clear PM me and I will send you my cell and home humbers.

 

I am still pondering as to "what to do" but I love sales so...

 

Please keep this going as I really enjoy reading your replies, thanks again and you all made my day!

 

Geoff

Edited July 21, 2010 by GBW

[lew]

I've got a feeling your gonna come out of this OK Geoff.

[GBW]

Thanks Lew, me too...

[fishing n autograph]

I'm not as old as many of the fine gentlemen on this board but I've had many jobs before settling down.

 

I worked for the local childrens aid society in the group homes and several other private "care" homes...spent some time in closed custody youth facilities and eventually worked as a probation and parole officer in kitchener. When that contract got yanked out from under me I began working as a youth probation officer in Mississauga....did that for a few years then caught my break. I've been chasing bad guys ever since and I'm starting to specialize and work towards a future. I'll be moving into the traffic unit shortly...my ultimate goal is the collision reconstruction unit - they recreate and investigate fatal collisions...

 

I also came close to joining the navy but my gf - now wife - basically gave me an ultimatum and I didn't sign the paper work. Do I regret the decision? No because then I wouldn't have my 2 beautiful daughters and now I'm serving my country on the home front rather than abroad.

 

Keep your head up. There are a lot of options out there. Just keep an open mind and remember when one door slams in your face, kick it down and make a new door. You are the master of your own destiny and as long as you're happy with what you do than you're doing fine!

[Terry]

If I had to do it all over again, I would be a custom brassiere fitter. This is definitely a job I could handle!

 

 

Cheers, Ron...

 

do you fit them on yourself or customers........oh..god..get that image out of my head...LOL

[12 Volt Man]

I am quite pleased with how my career has turned out (I am a wastewater treatment plant operator). but it took a lot of education and time to land the position. Demand in the field is high and the jobs are competitive. it took me a full year of applying to get in even after I had my education done and was licensed by the Ministry of the Environment.

 

the reality is, good jobs will take time to land, thats usually the way it works. so don't panic. it takes time.

 

in the mean time, try to get something just to keep cashflow coming in. it prevents resume gaps and shows future employers you were making good use of your time off in between 'real jobs'.

 

one thing that you might consider is once you are working again is doing night school at a local college or university. I did this for two years and earned a business certificate from the University of Toronto while working days at the wastewater plant. you can do a few courses per year, basically you have class one night per week for 3 hours. it is a good way to upgrade skills, get a diploma on the wall and pad that resume for future employers. You can also do online courses too.

 

here is the link for U of T's continuing education school. no prerequisites are required so anyone can apply:

 

http://learn.utoronto.ca/site3.aspx

 

have a look around.

 

as far as the education thing goes, it can be tough out there if you don't have the degree or diploma. thats the reality of the job market these days. I did a university degree and a year of college and it was still tough. the Bill Gates's of the world are the exception, not the rule.

 

thats where something like nightschool can really help. a family memember of mine recently got laid off from a management position after 12 years. He is running into issues because he didn't finish university way back when so he doesn't meet the educational requirements for anything remotely close to what he was doing. it sucks.

 

it sucks because you can be an expert in your feild, have great experience and some yahoo in the HR department puts your resume in the 'do not call' pile just because you don't have a degree or diploma. its crap if you ask me. but unfortunately, it happens all the time.

 

best of luck and keep your head up. you will find something and look into upgrading your education with nightschool. it can only help.

 

-12 Volt

Edited July 21, 2010 by 12 Volt Man

[POLLIWOGG]

Right wing media! There starting up a fox news north in Ca. and they're going to need people. You could be the northern Rush or Bill O. You don't need to know anything, just make it up as you go. When you get a few listeners you sell em all kinds of junk. You could do your show right from the boat.

[Ben_Daniels]

In the short term you might wanna try a job serving or bartending, good money to make with your good people skills, get cash every night and not work long shifts....just an idea until you get something more solid.

 

-Ben