Careers and Career Changes?

Charlton Dan

Working in IT recruitment I tend to see people who went to Uni to study something like Computer Science and then have gone onto work within the industry for the remainder of their career.

Is this normal? How many career / industry changes have the average CLifer made.

Me. Left school after A levels, turned down Uni to to try to get into the City (had a job offer but it fell through), then didn't get anywhere, worked in the Fruit Importing business for 2 years and then finally got an opportunity to work as a FX Broker. Did that for 8 years, burnt myself out and got fed up with the "life style" and have now been in IT Recruitment for 7 years.

What about others? Have you followed the dream or still trying to work out what your dream is?

StanmoreAddick

I studied music to age 22 (Post grad), performing mainly on the Classical side, then realised after 3-4 years that i really didn't want to make my living that way.

Went into financial services and eighteen years later now run my own Mortgage broking business

Stone

Left school with CSE's. Done two years of an electrical apprenticeship then ten years in an oldie worldy paper mill making hand made paper. The mill closed nearly twenty years ago and my cousin got me a job running and joining telecoms cables and then got into the more IT base telecom that I'm still doing now, working on systems, mainly IP (Mitel 3300).

AFKABartram

[cite]Posted By: CharltonDan[/cite]
What about others? Have you followed the dream or still trying to work out what your dream is?

That's a great question. I'm in the unusual position of 13 years on still being in the same office i started in, though i've changed jobs about 5 times. Have no real idea what i want to do, other than at the moment not what i'm currently doing. At 30, not knowing what you want to do is a worry.

Don't particularly like change, but not afraid of it. Would quite happily turn my hand to anything, but scared of taking a gamble when its not just me to consider, plus a big mortgage. Would prefer to work in a small business, where there is a bigger emthasis on you to make it suceed. Would love to see some form of end product.

Charlton Dan

13 years D? Not being judgemental but poles apart from me. Ive worked for 7 companies, in 3 industries in that time.....

Riscardo

A great thread .... I've actually just resigned (about 10 mins ago) after 3 years with an IT Financial Consultancy.

I'm moving into Womens Fashion .....

suzisausage

i did a levels in media and sociology, and spent first working years in pr agencies, then got poached to work in a new media pr company which was set up from the original pr company which was great as it was like akfa says, a small office, and big challenge where everyone mucks in doing everything, was there for 2 years, then made redundant, then had an awful job in pr for a few months then got a 6 month job through curb_it's contacts in advertising which was fun, then got my job at wagamama nearly 3 years ago working in the property/insurance/development depo (of 3 people including me) love my job, love the company, even though its changing, and perhaps not for the better, but thats to be expected as companies grow i guess.
so nothing to do with media or sociology, but its not a career, i have definate ideas of what i really want to do, but will wait till after i've had kiddies and am older then do my thang.

Charlton Dan

Whats the plan then Suze? Dont say a Mince Pie business ;-)

suzisausage

[cite]Posted By: CharltonDan[/cite]Whats the plan then Suze? Dont say a Mince Pie business ;-)

i'm quite creative, so like spending my time either creating stuff in the kitchen, or making things useful. so would like to do something like that at home, and selling from there, doing bits and bobs for mates at the mo getting practice, making medders wedding stationary, made a fascinator for a wedding and hope to make head wear for mates wedding in july. so just making things and seeing how it turns out. nothings set in stone, kids are a way off i'd imagine and i'm only 26!

would also, if that all fails and i get really board being at home and want to get out and work, then i'd love to do midwifery. inspired by curb_its mate.

AFKABartram

good luck Ric, you've been wearing women's fashion for years.... :-)

Ketman

Left school spent 17 years at Lloyds TSB with the last five doing Management accounts, never took the time to take the exams & boy do I regret it now. Decided to move away from the City & work local, worked for a Finance department at Swale Housing for 18 months before being asked by a former boss if I'd consider working for a small mortgage broker firm in Faversham, the thought of working for a small company of 5 people seemed like a good idea at the time but 18 months on does not feel right. I am gonna go back to school at 36 take my CIMA exams & try to work again in the City doing some form of accounting as I miss it sometime next year.

Elthamaddick

Left school after GCSE's and started on a YTS at the Stock Exchange insider dealing dept, absolutely loved it and would've probably been offered a permanent position despite the ongoing redundancies in other areas. After a while decided to look for something more permanent and got a job at Sun Alliance, been in insurance now for 12 years, 5 yrs there, 5 years at a broker in the city and now 4 years at the company I am now as a senior underwriter, not a bad job (great crowd in the office which is half the battle) the two jobs I've had since RSA have both been through being headhunted so never had to have an interview

Never had ambitions to work in insurance !, however can't see myself changing now with a Mortgage and family...couldn't earn the money I do elsewhere !

Charlton Dan

Suze - One of Hayley's friends started her training for midwifery last year aged 31 and loves it!

If wanted any info or someone to chat to just let me know Im sure she'd be more than happy to answer any questions you have.

Good on you for turning your hand to something you enjoy

Curb_It

[cite]Posted By: suzisausage[/cite]i have definate ideas of what i really want to do, but will wait till after i've had kiddies and am older then do my thang.

er that sounds like a life plan to me! life sentence more like..

heavenSE7

Well as i'm "young" i've been only working for 6 months in full-time employment.

I'm working in IT Support, which is fine.

But I am following my dream.

I'm saving up £500 a month until august 2007. I'm going travelling around the world with two other mates.

We've already paid off for an australian Visa and part of my trip in Fiji.

If I don't do it now then I never will, and I will always regret it. So gotta be done.

carlingaddick

Left school after my GCSE's..
Did a 2 year IT course at college then got my first job in a litigation support company.. was there a couple of years & left to join Thomson financial as a network support//IT..
was there 5 years, ended up Datacentre manager for all our European sites.

about 2 & half years ago left TF to start up my own business (litgation support)
Going well.. 2 offices in london, 1 in leeds & 1 in manchester & this morning just found out we
have been nominated for Litigation Support Bureau of the year at the Legal Tech awards.

suzisausage

[cite]Posted By: Curb_It[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: suzisausage[/cite]i have definate ideas of what i really want to do, but will wait till after i've had kiddies and am older then do my thang.

er that sounds like a life plan to me! life sentence more like..

oh no, thats vague for me!!!

gotta get south africa 2010 and my 30th out of the way first!!

MCS

left skool at 16, couldn't wait, run a battery shop in welling (upper wickham lane) for my Ma and Step dad straight after i left said skool, did it for 2 years loved it. When that was over i worked for my Dad in his company that hired, sold and repaired Surveying equipment ie dumpy levels, theodolites etc. did that for 1.5 years, hated it, a cut throat business of the highest variety! SO i left my dad, then tried all manner of things! Window cleaner and roofing didn't last long as i aint so good on heights! Then i was a labourer for 6 months, loved it didn't really work that hard cos i was a weed and useless, but i was entertaining in those days! When i was laid off from that i managed to wangle a job in the print, this was in 1999 and i have been printing ever since. ^ years in one firm doing art working in a Litho printers, now doing 'digital' print for a mailing house, digital print is like something else!

AFKABartram

'Window cleaner and roofing didn't last long as i aint so good on heights! '

LOL

razil

become a child minder, biggest racket going as far as I can see, particularl if you have kids already.

reserves

I'm 33, a web programmer (8 years). Have NO idea what it is I actually want to do!

Charlton Dan

[cite]Posted By: 04 MCS[/cite]didn't really work that hard cos i was a weed and useless

Always a bit of a stumbling block on the career path Ollie.

carlingaddick

LMAO

Latimer

Qualified as a pharmacist in 1983 and worked for Boots for 25 years in a variety of management roles, thought I had a job and final salary pension scheme for life until the wheels started to fall off at Boots, it was one thing fighting fires made all the more difficult by the lack of fire extinguishers, so started doing locum work, GP prescribing advice and post grad education tutor for pharmacists. Now own my own pharmacy next to a GP surgery since June 2006, own boss, own destiny no regrets

Charlton Dan

You shouldnt have let that out Latimer.... You're gonna be bombarded by requests by 04_MCS and Ketman now ;-)

Latimer

Everything's negotiable..... well nearly everything

Oracle

Left school after doing "O" levels, joined The Stock Exchange in the Traded Options department.Thenjoined a Stockbrokers for a couple of years and when it went tits up rejoined the Stock Exchange. Our department was taking over by LIFFE in 1992. Been considering a change, maybe in compliance. If anyone has any contacts, give me a shout.

Ketman

Lat's how much does a bottle of Ket go for these days by the Millilitre ?

1905

Left skool with a couple of o levels and joined Civil Service as a filing clerk.

23 years and a few promotions later and I am still in Whitehall.

I moan about it, but it has done me ok................

MCS

[cite]Posted By: Oracle[/cite]Left school after doing "O" levels, joined The Stock Exchange in the Traded Options department.Thenjoined a Stockbrokers for a couple of years and when it went tits up rejoined the Stock Exchange. Our department was taking over by LIFFE in 1992. Been considering a change, maybe in compliance. If anyone has any contacts, give me a shout.

what Euronext Liffe?

_MrDick

[cite]Posted By: Latimer[/cite]Qualified as a pharmacist in 1983 and worked for Boots for 25 years in a variety of management roles, thought I had a job and final salary pension scheme for life until the wheels started to fall off at Boots, it was one thing fighting fires made all the more difficult by the lack of fire extinguishers, so started doing locum work, GP prescribing advice and post grad education tutor for pharmacists. Now own my own pharmacy next to a GP surgery since June 2006, own boss, own destiny no regrets

Lats...What's the best cure for Gout. I have been prescribed Allopurinal but all that seems to do is bring on an attack. Please help me, I'm desparate. The latest attack has lasted five weeks!