The Aspirations Thread - Where do you want to be?

Soldato
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Currently I’m a 4th Engineer with BP, working deep sea on dual fuel diesel-electric gas carriers. While I enjoy what I do, the 2 & 1/2 to 3 & 1/2 month trips is becoming a drag. In the future I’d like to find myself working either ashore, or an offshore rolewith shorter trips. I think with my background, my skill set and experience would suit the offshore oil & gas sector, although competition for jobs here would be fierce, and I’d find myself competing with more experienced candidates who find themselves job hunting in the aftermath of the 2014 oil price crash, and the subsequent fallout in the North Sea. More promising I think would be the offshore wind sector, and my experience with HV systems and generators, alongside a marine background would stand me in good stead I think. Currently mulling investing the £1100 or so in GWO Safety Certificates before going forward.

Another consideration would be working for the likes of Centrica in gas infrastructure. Jobs with them seem to come up only once in a blue moon, so I’m contemplating making a unsolicited application. I may invest in a CV writing service first however, as I feel I’m somewhat out of touch, not having jobhunted since 2010.
 
Soldato
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The last 5 years has been interesting to say the least. The first 12 months of it was spent ******* about at home, sitting out 18 months of non-compete clauses based upon my then recent contract and shareholders agreement (ironically I'd suggested 12 months for other employees and was then liable to being subjected to them too!) to doing a bit of work for myself, and then properly setting a company up an employing a mate. He's now doing well and is more than paying his way.

The big question is whether we keep it to just the two of us or do we grow. I've not really paid myself much over the last few years, so there's cash there to invest in a phase of concerted growth - hiring, bigger offices, better infrastructure, support staff, etc. What I am constantly asking myself is whether I can be bothered to deal with the stresses and associated anxieties that come with being the sole head honcho of a growing firm.

The growth of the last two companies I've worked for have more than taken its toll on the various CEOs and it's nothing something I'm not too keen to subject myself to. In 5 years time I'll be late 30s, and I've got family to think about in the near-term - do we move somewhere a bit more family friendly (Oxford is being mooted, as my wife is from there or back to my home areas in West London). Oxford would have a big impact on any work decisions - an office in London and another in Oxford, with New York an option too. That said, should we stick at it being just the two of us I reckon I could potentially retire by the time I'm 50 - plus I'm looking to max out my pension contributions during the intervening period. It's a question of kicking around for the next 15 years working as a twosome or individually, or do I give it a proper go and build something out.
 
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Associate
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In a more stable job ideally, one which I can learn / grow and ideally a one where the wage increases.

I have been in this job over two years which is the longest I have managed since I left uni (7th job in 9 years) also top of my band so if I am lucky 1% wage increase per year until I leave.

It would help if I could work out what I actually want to do long term! The option to work from home would be nice, as would not commuting into a city centre.
 
Soldato
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5 years? If I'm lucky the game I'm working on will have shipped :)

I'll be happy with a Senior level in that time. I'd already done the whole climb up to Development Manager before I stepped sideways and down to intermediate grade to get in the games industry. I don't care about the money anymore, but I would like the progression on my CV.

Going indie is a possibility after that but right now the security and resources available in AAA is too good, and the project is great.
 
Soldato
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Not here
Hopefully in my nice well paid IT job outside the UK and my mortgage nearly paid off. I be 39 in 5 years time so lets see what other skills I can learn while the world of technology evolves.
 
Soldato
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I work to live, I don't live to work. I have zero ambition to go up the greasy ladder of politics and infighting, in a company. I get up for work each day knowing that I will have a decent day and have little stress or hassle to deal with. I work in an academic library btw.
 
Soldato
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Really not sure where I want to be in 5 years.

Realistically I'd like to be breaking 6 figures, but to do this I'll probably need to go the contracting route which would be new for me.

A colleague of mine has muted the idea of starting our own consultancy company, given his FP&A experience and my Solvency II / Technical Accounting background there is definitely potential there and we work extremely well together, but I'm extremely nervous about the idea!
 
Soldato
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Before the end of January I want to know if I have a permanent position at the current organisation I work at, as my apprenticeship is coming to an end in march.
 
Soldato
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That's interesting because the stereotype is that large studios are comparative sweatshops.

Can't speak for the whole industry....but it's not my experience. I have a 9-5 work day, plenty of holiday, paid overtime, plenty of training, conference trips etc. There'll be some hours put in near deadlines, but the industry is growing up and realising that burning out all the experienced devs and pushing them out of the industry when they get older isn't an efficient way to operate.
 
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