Do you regret your career choice?

Stev · 2 Jan 2015 at 16:53

I do,

29 years old, been a chef for 8 years now, gf has a mon-fri job which means if i want to go out with her, i need to book holiday :confused:

.

Guess this is just a vent, but maybe a little help can come from it! thinking about chopping it all in and becoming an engineer, be it gas safe or electrician, as I love being hands on (hence chef i guess). But the drop from my wage to being an apprentice for 3 years just sounds like a killer!

Anyone got any experience breaking into this sector? wheres a good start point?

Destination · 2 Jan 2015 at 16:54

Yes, I do.

adam98150 · 2 Jan 2015 at 16:57

Don't even have a job and regretting the path I've taken. Doing computing at Uni and it's god damn awful. Incredibly boring, not interested whatsoever in most of the modules.

Magic_x_uk · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:03

chef here, 25 years of it. I know what you mean, odd killer shifts at times. But i guess I have got used to it.
Although now in a position/job where I have most evenings of and always one day at weekend + my hours now are perhaps some of the best in the industry.

If your not happy. Do something about it. We are only passing by. Life is short.

Be happy!

knip · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:03

God no, I love my job. It's bloody knackering sometimes, and is often upsetting (I work with vulnerable families and neglected children) but I knew I would only ever want to do a job I enjoyed, given you spend so much of your life doing it.

When I can afford to move somewhere bigger, I'm gonna be a foster carer.

Mart2912 · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:12

Yes and no. Yes because after going to uni and then working for 2 years, I realised this is not what I want to do.

No because it was a life experience and I am glad that I done it. Now I'm in the progress of changing, fancy being a police officer (I have family that are in the police, and it seems to have rubbed off on to me).

ivrytwr3 · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:23

Knip,

Can i ask, Foster Carer. I have been in law enforcement for many years and am able to retire if i wish (i'm only 40 though!). I have the space in my home and have often considered fostering.

But i will be honest, i am concerned about the allowances. I will receive a small income from my pension, but what allowances do carers get?

Caged · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:25

I don't regret my career choice, but I regret working where I do because they are terrible employers.

However, I think I'm well positioned to change that in 2015, and London's a big place.

stuman · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:26

regret going to collage and doing A-Levels. regret trying Uni for a year.

if i could go back and do it again, Electrician/Plumber.

Glaucus · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:33

Yes. I want a Monday to Friday job.
But all the jobs I think I would like to do is odd shifts or doesn't pay enough.

So wish I did mechanical engineering at uni or an apprenticeship.

knip · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:37

ivrytwr3 said:
Knip,

Can i ask, Foster Carer. I have been in law enforcement for many years and am able to retire if i wish (i'm only 40 though!). I have the space in my home and have often considered fostering.

But i will be honest, i am concerned about the allowances. I will receive a small income from my pension, but what allowances do carers get?

It all depends who you foster with, local authority pay less than private foster agency. Some private organisations will pay you £500 a week if you have older, harder to place foster children. Allowances depend on the age of the children, and their needs.

Contact a few, (I can recommend Action for Children) and they will come out and talk to you to see what suits both you and them best. Assessments take much less time than they used to as well (it's under 6 months now for most.)

Each child needs their own room, (unless in some cases they are siblings of the same sex) and so the assessment is on your home as well.

Seriously, enquire, they're desperately short of foster carers up and down the country.

Rroff · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:37

Well it wasn't really my choice/other factors but I regret not getting into a different line of work.

Steedie · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:38

I do in the sense it's not what I want to be doing with my life now. But in a way no, because it's put me in to a very well paid job that's allowed to me to buy the things I enjoy and not worry about money too much.

Zbornak · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:39

After six years I'm changing my career that I've had since uni - I don't regret it, but I've lost interest in it and it's time to change. Can't wait!

Terminal_Boy · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:39

Not in the slightest as all my other choices in 1982 would have left me in a dead-end job.

Electronics technician (ex-BAe apprentice) that blagged his way into mobile telecoms in the mid 1990s and made out like a bandit ever since.

cu3ed · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:40

Kind of yes, after a series of layoff as Graphic Designer I think I have just had enough, also creatively im just not feeling it, either the jobs have worn me down or just not finding permanent work is doing it, hard to tell really.
I also have zero interest in Web Design.

I also have ni idea what it is I want to do apart from it either.

krooton · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:41

I never really chose one, got a diploma in programming and database management, but spent 5 years as a project manager.

Dobbed that all in this year and now I am a marketing analyst, which I am enjoying infinitely more.

32 years old here.

pinkowl · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:41

I dont regret going to study cooking but I dont want to be a chef at all. Never wanted to after 2 years of school but I figured doing all 3 years would be better than dropping out as it was free anyways.
Now I still dont know what I want to do so have been stuck with working in supermarket etc whilst deciding and Im going to try apprenticeship in admin to at least have decent hours of work and get more time with my partner during evenings and weekends.
I would say it is worth of doing if you dont enjoy your working hours/job. 3 years will go pretty fast in the end and as long as you can manage with the apprenticeship money (which pays more if you are over 19, I believe it will be minimum wage) why not give it a go.

Randomface74 · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:42

Yes, good job, well paid, but sitting at a desk full time isn't healthy - if I could reroll I'd do something more active.

cu3ed · 2 Jan 2015 at 17:43

billysielu said:
Yes, good job, well paid, but sitting at a desk full time isn't healthy - if I could reroll I'd do something more active.

Get to the gym...also walking is massively underrated.