Changing Careers: The difficult path to starting over.

by adjusted knowledge 15 Replies latest jw friends

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  breakfast of champions

  Yes.

  After working almost twenty years at my job, I left.

  At the time I had full medical benefits, full tuition assistance, a 401k with an 80% employer match, and was making between $75-$80k a year. Not bad for a HS education.

  When I left, I had already started college PT because I knew I didn't want to this for the rest of my life.

  The game changer was 1) a modest "incentive" from the company to leave and 2) my professor (one of the top in the field in the world) said it would be a shame to let my mind go to waste. She said, "You owe it to yourself to do this with your life."

  So I guess my recommendation would be: if you haven't started classes, start. See how you like it before you do anything drastic, and then go from there.

  For me, the signs that it was time to "move on" could not have been clearer. It was almost a non-decision.
• 

  Auntfancy

  Go for it! My sister is a Director of Nursing in a large teaching hospital and she made a career change from speach therapy to nursing and has never regreted it. She makes very good money for a single female. A friend of hers just graduated from nursing school last year and I went to the pinning ceremony. What I found interesting, many of the people in the class were not young people but many were starting their second career. Nursing is a hard program and I think they like ones who have already been in other fields and are mature.

  Is there a way you can continue to work and go to school at the same time? I know it is a very tough schedule once you get further into the program.
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  kaik

  I have changed careers through the life, but always pursued in the field I like and have both earned my undergrad and postgrad in it. I changed job this year after 8 years in the same industry as I felt that I could not learn anything new and was not challenged enough. Career change is often hard. I left my job that had great team and I was respected leader. However, I knew I can do better and this was a reason for the change.

  You should never leave job until you have something lined up. Job is money and money is security. The career path depends on your abilities, interests, and opportunities. I love history, but there are not jobs in it, so it is my hobby. Many people go into field to find out that there is no demand. If you consider nursing, ask what you want to do. It is still broad field. It is extremely demanding field that can cause burn out. Some field could allow you to choose specialization in nursing, occupational therapy, and so on. You can also consider going for some specialist and technician. One of my friend changed career in later part of his life as radiologist and he loves it. Look into the job market on line and what skills in healthcare are in demand. Figure out where you can stand out. While many people and many news say that nursing is always in demand, there are 200,000 in that field entering the job market every year.
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  kneehighmiah

  im only in school so I'm not an RN yet. but other rns have told me that they love maLe nurses. I got hired for my nurse assistant job instantly. The reason they like us according to people in the field is because we are less catty and more easy going. Women usually end up being each others worst enemy, and for some reason seem to treat males nicer than they do other females. I don't know why. Even in nursing school this seems to be my experience. So many girls sit around gossiping about one another, but they're always friendly to me and asking me to help them study etc.
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  Mum

  I have a friend, non-JW, who married a teacher in a Catholic school. In the summertime, he does home renovation and earns more than he does all year as a teacher. You might be able to start a business for the summer months and still teach if you wish to do so. Otherwise, I would look at nursing schools in different areas and consider relocating if you find one that you can get into.

  Best wishes!
• 

  talesin

  My bro, and a member here (sooner7nc), is just completing nursing school, and around your age. Here's the link to his thread about it. Everyone is cheering him on, and yes, it can be done - the sooner the better. :))

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/239213/1/Nursing-School

  GO FOR IT, YOU CAN DO IT!

  tal