re: Have you ever had to start over professionally?

I thought I had a profession. I scraped by in it for years. Made ends meet. Promised the carrot but only ever found the sticks

Fired me right before Christmas for something management had told me to do for years. New corporate management didn't feel like paying the tenured employees is my guess.

Tried to find work in similar fields for 5 months. Nothing. Dead ends. Burning through my savings.

Eventually reached out to a buddy who'd told me I had the knack for sales (not the first time I'd heard it)

It was always the fear of "what if I can't sell? What if I don't succeed?"


But at that point the fear of not making the mortgage was enough to drive me. He got me an interview, which turned to an offer.




Less than a year and 1/2 later, I've been top salesman 8/10 months, already grossed 6 figs (something I've never done in my best years) , upgraded (massively) my home and vehicle. I'm finally living life. Gave my family the life they deserve.


Yeah...if you aren't fulfilled, start applying. Apply everywhere. Find something that drives you, get someone to give you a shot and go prove yourself.


We only get one shot. Don't survive in comfort when you can thrive in challenge

Yep. I’ve posted a few times about it. Lost the little I had in the Great Recession of 2008.

Was living out west in a town that was hit HARD. I literally didn’t have me enough money to move. I strung together part time jobs, was finally able to get a full time job (kept the part time one) after a couple of years. Took another year or two to save up enough money and make a plan to move back to Louisiana.

Once I got here I was starting from scratch with zero connections. Also had my savings stolen during the move. I was going to try and find something decent, but I took a backup job with family. It paid low but hours weren’t bad gave me time to heal mentally.

Finally got to point where I was ready to go to law school, which was always plan. Worked full time and went to night school. Between work and school I was putting in 70-100 hours/week for 4 years. Did well in school and got hired quickly. Pay is ok but experience is unbeatable.

The worst part for me was the lost years. It cost me about 10 years. I’m in my mid-40s now and have a shitload of student debt and zero assets.

That's awesome, congrats! I love a good success story.

Likely doing it by the end of the year. I've basically had enough of making money for other people. Hope everything works out for you.

Yes. It worked out great. I can only say that God must have been looking out for me.

I’m about to start over again after Christmas. It’s called retirement.

Thankfully, I’ve never had to start over. After the army, I’ve worked for the same company for going on 35 years. I started quite literally at the bottom of the ladder as a warehouse worker making $5.50 an hour and have steadily climbed the ladder over the years, first to the parts counter, then product support rep, and finally to to the position of wear parts product manager in 2021. I’m happy where I am now and plan to retire once I hit 40 years. I think that’s plenty long enough to have been in the workforce.

In my experience the best way to handle it is with a positive attitude, you won’t attract any jobs highlighting negative experiences.

At 33 years old I had to move in to my 21 year old wife’s mother’s house after making 300k a year for 10 years. I’ve been there, trust me.

My son did. His company had a terrible business model, so when the day arrived that they couldn’t pay anyone wasn’t a complete surprise. He was a supervisor of 10 people and suddenly no pay checks. Instead of wasting time, he immediately as a college graduate took a job at Bucee’s for $18 an hour while he figured out a Plan B. He hated the experience but eventually decided to earn a Masters degree while making brisket sandwiches for the Beaver and started a new career somewhere else.

Twice

Was laid off