re: Need the OT's help: Finding a new career path

Get your emt and get on fire dept. Then get your medic and get a bump in pay. Even at 34 you could still be retired at 60.

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He's going to need a boob job for that

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Not for the Opetating Room. It is mostly a male dominat area there. The fact that he use to coach college sports would be a plus. I have met several OR reps that were former college athletes and two that use to play in the NFL.

I was in the same boat once. Six years in education and I wanted out. Felt my talents were being wasted - that I could achieve more. That I could pursue something substantial and important and fulfilling.

Here’s what I learned in my five year break from education:

1) Your experience not only doesn’t matter much, it also can be a hindrance. I looked into tech writing. Had a master’s in English. History teaching English. Awards. Publications. Rock star, right? No interviews for months. Got one interview that went well but they didn’t hire me. Found out they hired a 22 year old new grad.

A friend of mine got me a sit down with an officer at his marketing firm and the guy explained to me that when they hire new grads out of college, they own them for practically no money. Fresh graduates live with roommates and have no responsibilities. They’re hungry to grow in their careers and establish new social lives. My resume and background has kids, history of a higher salary, and respect for my experience. They don’t want that for an entry level position.

2) Be willing to settle for little money. I did get a few offers down the road. One in Los Angeles. One in Fort Worth. One in Nashville. Various jobs. None paid nearly enough to move my family. Could they down the road? Yeah. Big time. But again, entry level is entry level no matter your age and experience.

3) Have a defined, hard skill you can showcase and have a passion for. Your coaching experience and teaching experience doesn’t translate to much. It just doesn’t. Employers nowadays can find anyone to do the job so they don’t want to spend time teaching you how to do it. Go back to school. Get certified. That’s a big mistake I made in looking for a new career - thinking I could sell my potential rather than why he company needed my particular skills.

4) Most important - you will not satisfy your ambitions with your job. Almost everyone thinks of their job as work and finds it draining. Soul killing. Not enough money. Too much stress. It pops up at various times every year for almost every job. Some find their true calling and love it every day but even then, they have those mornings of drudgery just like you do now. Many feel their talents are wasted and that they could have achieved more if only they....

Money is important. It is. But unless you’re below middle class income for your family, I wouldn’t worry as much about it. You’re probably not going to find a high income position any time soon, so I would suggest looking into finding fulfillment in hobbies and your family.

I say that as someone that begrudgingly went back to K12 education but found fulfillment in other areas of my life. Now I love going to work, teaching kids, and feeling content with the blessings I do have.

I post the same link in every one of these threads: www.jocrf.org



This testing proved invaluable when I made my change. I had both of my kids go here before college. I wish I had done this 20 years ago.

Sales, if you don’t take rejection very personally. I’ve taken on a lot of people who made career changes as long as they had the right core skills and character.

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I went out on my own and took a Primavera P6 class, all I keep getting is "That's great but you don't have any experience"....which I understand. I'd love something in planning, scheduling, logistics, procurement, estimating, etc. Ideally, a company would be looking to train someone under someone who is on the way out the door for retirement and looking to train a replacement.

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This should be in a text book as to what’s wrong with most peoples expectations. You do realize there are probably a bunch of folks already working there who want this same deal? They’re gonna (likely) get the nod before you.

Experience is what you need. Unfortunately you’re probably gonna have to take a position you don’t really want to get the experience. But that’s kind of how it goes.

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Please only interested people or people with advice respond....please.

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You’ve come to the right place my friend

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I laughed really hard at this post.

Well done, sir.

Sales or private insurance adjuster. Go travel some and enjoy the outdoors. Do what you want to do and enjoy a job with independce. Best of luck!!

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Where do you live and what are your salary expectations?

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Baton Rouge. I make about 47+benefits in education so would like to start somewhere around there. Could take a pay cut for a bit if the growth potential is there.

Another thing you have to realize is that, if it’s a position that you’re interested in but you think the job is taken, the only guarantee is that, you WILL NOT get the position unless your name is in the hat, got to sell yourself, use that gift of gab, be aggressive, make them tell you no