The Aspirations Thread - Where do you want to be?

[randomshenans]

Following on from the 50k in 5 years thread and @Richdog 's suggestion, thought it would be interesting to have a thread for people to talk about their aspirations etc.

Mine is up and down and ever changing. 5yrs is a long way off really, but not at the same time. I have spent so much money and effort trying to sort my own business, with a massive struggle in sales. I'm having to take a step back, sort myself out financially and mentally, and then regroup.
5yrs I'd love to have built it up enough to have sold it for something at least... but if it all goes **** up, I would like to ensure that instead of the day job I have now that I hate, I'm in a position and vertical I like.

I'd be very happy with dir/exec dir level role in that space... if I can nail this job interview it puts me at AD level, so hopefully on the right track.

So, where are you now and where do you see yourself in 5yrs?

 

[Sheff]

Hopefully still employed! I work for the NHS as an Information Analyst, mostly data warehouse stuff in the past but recently I’ve been working on forecasting and mathematical modelling projects. Back office staff in the NHS are very much at risk of redundancy right now (as they are every 3 to 5 years) so there’s a lot of uncertainty.

I’d like to specialise further, progressing as an analyst within healthcare to consultancy level within the next 5 to 10 years. To do this, I'll need to complete my part-time degree in Maths & Physics and then either study at post grad level in statistics or look at something like epidemiology while working on some large-scale/high profile projects.

 

[dowie]

I want to be doing stuff I find interesting alongside people I respect. I don't really care too much about job titles other than how they might affect how much I get paid - my expectations re: pay over the next 5 years differ rather a lot depending on the path I chose to pursue. If I were to go contracting at a bank I know how much I'm worth roughly, if I were to land some role at a hedge fund I might be out the door in a year or perhaps earning substantially more than I'd get at a bank. If I were to join say a healthcare startup or any startup for that matter then I'd earn substantially less but I might be really interested in the work and there is always the chance that a few years down the line the company has grown to the point where the options or RSUs give a jackpot payday anyway.

 

[Slam62]

I'd like to retire

 

[Deleted member 651465]

5 years? I’d like to think that I would have established myself in my current role and be ready to move onwards/upwards.

I don’t earn 50k and I’d certainly like to be there by then, but in the last 5 years I’ve seen a 100% payrise which I never would have foreseen back in 2012! For the local area I’ve got a good wage and I feel blessed that I can live comfortably.

Also, I’m already a chartered professional in my field, so besides gaining more experience the only thing I can hope to do is add a few qualifications under my belt, should I ever want to branch out.

 

[Zswizzy]

Currently landscaping earning **** all, I enjoy it most of the time and getting pretty decent at it but i did my qualifications for tree surgery almost 2 years ago and do it a couple times a month, Pays a hell of a lot better even for someone with little experience and i enjoy it a hell of a lot. Plus no wallowing about in mud (or at least less of it). Will probably stick around at my current company for a couple more years as my gaffer has put a lot of time into training me up and has offered me driving lessons sometime in the new year if i stay off the devils lettuce, Currently on week 3 and feeling a hell of a lot better.

After that planning on heading out to New Zealand to work full time as a tree surgeon for at least 2 years with a view to staying over their permanently if i like it. So i suppose 5 years time will be earning a decent wage with a few years experience under my belt either in NZ or back here. Ideally with my own Defender 90 to drive about in.

 

[TNGL]

I want to be on a six-figure salary, having found the right industry and role for myself with my hairline relatively intact as well as an apartment in Central London (hopefully0. I also want to complete CFA by then.

 

[Begbie]

A new career, with a higher pay would be nice.

But as long as I can continue my current lifestyle I'd be happy. 2+ big holidays a year, and on my bike at least twice a week. Then I'm a pretty happy guy.

 

[Ayahuasca]

If I'm not bringing in a second or sole income working for myself then I'll be disappointed, regardless of how much it is a year.

 

[Mr^B]

CTO somewhere. That would be nice.

 

[Yaayuh!]

Due to a few reasons of late, my only aspirations are to live and die comfortably, that's all.

 

[lemonkettaz]

Getting onto furthering my construction/electrical design career, through hopefully a certain course. Progression via education and being more involved with construction.

 

[blairw]

5 years is a difficult one for me as I couldn't have dreamed of being where I am at the moment 5 years back!
Things I am thinking about at the moment, 5 years time takes me to the age of 33 so there is no rush at the moment!

- Getting over 6 figures
- MBA / MSc (depending on what suits? May need to do a decent MSc somewhere to gain entry into a top MBA programme)
- A bit of time doing consulting pre sales / selling
- Internal Management position

 

[regulus]

5 years takes me to early 40s so depending which way I decide to go, working as either as main contractor Project Director or Engineer/Consultant to the Contract.

Salary wise hoping to be in the upper tier of the mid/lower tier 6 figure salary band.

However, I'll settle for being happy and stress free, whichever way I decide to go.

 

[LOAM]

I want to be doing stuff I find interesting alongside people I respect. I don't really care too much about job titles other than how they might affect how much I get paid - my expectations re: pay over the next 5 years differ rather a lot depending on the path I chose to pursue. If I were to go contracting at a bank I know how much I'm worth roughly, if I were to land some role at a hedge fund I might be out the door in a year or perhaps earning substantially more than I'd get at a bank. If I were to join say a healthcare startup or any startup for that matter then I'd earn substantially less but I might be really interested in the work and there is always the chance that a few years down the line the company has grown to the point where the options or RSUs give a jackpot payday anyway.

This is me really, been a director since 2009 but am going back into employment in a bigger place working in a sector that is notoriously difficult to get experience in. It's got less stress and 25% pay rise coupled with insane holiday entitlement and great pension. I don't even think I have a job title in the new place, I imagine LinkedIn would be mortified.

My 5 year plan is geared towards clearing the mortgage and getting my pension pot up to a million.

 

[HangTime]

I've never had a five year plan and can't see myself setting one any time soon. Typically I don't think more than one role ahead, I stumble around moving up the ladder one position at a time depending on what opportunities present themselves. If I had to guess I would imagine in 5 years time I will either be "Head of..." my chosen disciplines, or be contracting.

 

[Caged]

I'd like to have more of a plan in five years time rather than darting from project to project with a terrible employer but not knowing where to jump to next due to not having a decent enough idea where this whole industry might be headed. So yeah, break the cycle of just floating around taking the easy option would be a nice thing to have achieved.

 

[randomshenans]

This is me really, been a director since 2009 but am going back into employment in a bigger place working in a sector that is notoriously difficult to get experience in. It's got less stress and 25% pay rise coupled with insane holiday entitlement and great pension. I don't even think I have a job title in the new place, I imagine LinkedIn would be mortified.

My 5 year plan is geared towards clearing the mortgage and getting my pension pot up to a million.

WHAT? NO TITLE?!

Americans would hate that, they are the worst for a title.

 

[TallPaul1878]

In 5 years I'll be exactly 40 years old.

So that means I intend to have a midlife crisis, buy a sports car, have an affair with a woman half my age, get divorced and live in a flat above a kebab shop.

Realistically I intend to have made a bigger impact on my mortgage. Having just moved house this year I've spent a lot of money doing it up so most of my available money is getting spent.

I want to be in a situation where I'm overpaying on my mortgage again so that I can clear it off earlier. I don't want to be doing my job into my 60s. Ideally I'd get to 50 and go into semi retirement taking a part time job doing something less strenuous to make some cash and keep things ticking over.

But my wife has glaucoma and is going to go blind, she also has M.E so I might find myself giving up work to care for her anyway. I just hope that it doesn't happen whilst the kids are still young. I'd prefer that they're a bit more grown up and can manage on their own by then.

 

[ahar]

Hmm, going to turn 40 next year so I really should start thinking further than a couple of years ahead.

Apart from a pension (which I started at 22 and have been contributing to ever since) I've not usually planned more than a couple of years ahead. I've done okay so far, but maybe the last 20 years of work could do with a bit more planning than the first 20 years!

Maybe back in the civil service in a senior role in 5 years. Something IT or operationally related rather than a policy one I think.