so it's time for a career change.  after working in IT for about 7 years, i finally had enough last night.  got into a long, very eye opening conversation with my incredible girlfriend, and realized that i'm miserable and if I don't do something about it i'll wind up stuck with a job I hate but without my other half.  so after no sleep and several hours of thinking, I sent a resignation email in at about 545 this morning then headed to the gym.  May have jumped the gun slightly, but she's assured me that she can cover the bills while I figure it out and I've got some cash saved as well.  

so, with that being said, I need some advice.  while I've had several jobs in my industry, I have never tried to change careers before - I should probably be really nervous and stressed out, but honestly, I'm right now I'm really excited to get to work for the first time in I can't remember how long. I just don't know what that work is yet...

I think the first thing I'm gonna do is get in touch with some friends and see if anyone knows of anything that will bring in a little cash to help out with bills while I figure out what it is that will actually make me happy.  I was just curious if anyone else has ever been in a similar situation, or could offer up any insight to help a guy really get my shit together for the first time in my life.  

If you hated your job you should try to figure out what interests you the most.  Follow that passion and find some way to make a buck off it.  Personally I hate computer crap anymore and am starting to become a technophobe as I have little time to stay on top of programming the latest trends.

It is ALL about being happy and playing more than you work.

yeah, that's all i ever hear about but unfortunately for me, i'm not very good at any of the things i enjoy doing.  like riding motorcycles, and drinking beers.   (always in that order) 

I'm sure I don't want to wind up back in IT - I spent 10 hours on the phone Sunday with Microsoft support, and didn't get paid a cent for it.  it's not even that I don't like the technology, I just can't stand fixing the stuff or end users who have no idea what they're doing - that and the small business sector is very demanding for what you get paid.  The only way to make real money doing that is to do it for yourself. 

Quote from: Barney on October 15, 2013, 09:47:54 AM
  The only way to make real money doing that is to do it for yourself. 

You said it yourself, Probably easier said than done but nothing is easy.

Quote from: BoDiddley on October 16, 2013, 03:06:39 AM
You said it yourself, Probably easier said than done but nothing is easy.

true that - It's not like I don't have the skills anymore, so I do have that to fall back on if need be, whether it be working for myself or looking for a new position in the field.

right now I'm just gonna take a few days, feel out some of my old contacts and start doing research on changing careers, as well as on what will really make me happy.  I've had a "career" for a longish time, and I'm sure for a lot of people that in and of itself can be very rewarding - I feel like I need something more meaningful though. 

It is all about commitment.  When I realized I needed to make a change it was forced on me by the fires in 2003 down in Cali.  My business operated on NFS land and it got closed for over a year and when it reopened the area was ugly as sin to look at and no longer suitable for what I did.  Having lost everything including my bank account I needed to make a career change.  My specialty being soaring sports some friends talked me into getting my Hot Air Balloon License as that was a great way to put my existing knowledge of soaring to work.

Not being able to afford a sport like hot air ballooning I was fairly lucky to have a couple of former students that flew commercially for other companies.  They were able to help out a bit with getting me some flights.  However ballooning is extremely expensive and when it came time for real lessons the price tag was pretty out of reach.  My solution?  I helped build a new home for pretty cheap, with one condition.  That I could camp on the property until is was finished.  This was not easy camping, 5200ft up on a wind blown mountain face.

Two years later I had my license, my first used balloon and a job flying for other companies as a contract pilot.  Four months later I took what I had saved moved to Nor-Cal and started a fairly successful ride company of my own.  My point being it took a lot of scrapping to create the life I wanted.  NOTHING worth having comes easy or without sacrifice. 

If your passion is beer and motorcycles look there.  Become a brew master,  Make friends with a CnC shop and design some custom bits.  Whatever you decide to do know that you will get knocked down a few times.  Those that succeed in their own enterprises usually get knocked down more than once but they keep at it until they win.  That is what separates those that do for themselves and those that work for others. 

GOOD LUCK!  Don't try to hard to pick a direction right away.  Go taste some stuff that interests you.

It's funny you mention that actually.  Tomorrow I'm going to stop by Morristown airport and look into flight school myself - I've taken a few intro lessons in helicopters, and I've had an absolute blast every time. I think they're the coolest machines on the planet...but rational me could never justify the expense.  I can't tell if I've actually lost my mind at this point or if this is how normal people operate...either way it's pretty liberating.

Good Luck!  Do look into the job market though as I considered Chopper school but realized about ten years ago the job market was pretty limited.  I know a gal that was flying search and rescue for the sheriff dept that got her ticket only ten years ago.  So opportunity is there.  Most new chopper pilots build hours by teaching at a school somewhere.  You are looking at about 22k to get your license, if you have talent and are smarter than average.
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Always follow the dream.

Quote from: Barney on October 15, 2013, 09:47:54 AM
yeah, that's all i ever hear about but unfortunately for me, i'm not very good at any of the things i enjoy doing.  like riding motorcycles, and drinking beers.   (always in that order) 

I'm sure I don't want to wind up back in IT - I spent 10 hours on the phone Sunday with Microsoft support, and didn't get paid a cent for it.  it's not even that I don't like the technology, I just can't stand fixing the stuff or end users who have no idea what they're doing - that and the small business sector is very demanding for what you get paid.  The only way to make real money doing that is to do it for yourself. 

Are there any micro-breweries in your area?
If so go talk to the brew-master / owner, until your find your dream, job working in a micro-brewery will bring in some cash and you'll enjoy yourself. most of the brew-masters and apprentice brewers I've meet are really nice people

I've heard it can cost anywhere from 25-60k to get a commercial license, depending on the source - I've also heard there's a very limited market, and I've also heard basically everyone prefers a pilot with military experience.  I could handle being a trainer to get my hours up - then I'd consider going after a search and rescue, news chopper, film, basically whatever.  there are quite a few tour companies in the NYC area too, so I think the market might be slightly better here than in most other places to get a foot in the door.

it was just an idea I had driving past the airport yesterday as I watched a bell come in hot. i'm still struggling with the idea of letting the little lady run the show while I chase dreams...but I do feel extremely blessed that she's even giving me the opportunity.

i do like the microbrew idea too - we have quite a few in the area.  and to the comment about the personality of a brewmaster, I pose this question:  how could a man who creates beer for a living not be an awesome person to know?

Quote from: Barney on October 17, 2013, 06:08:19 PM
I've heard it can cost anywhere from 25-60k to get a commercial license, depending on the source - I've also heard there's a very limited market, and I've also heard basically everyone prefers a pilot with military experience.  I could handle being a trainer to get my hours up - then I'd consider going after a search and rescue, news chopper, film, basically whatever.  there are quite a few tour companies in the NYC area too, so I think the market might be slightly better here than in most other places to get a foot in the door.

it was just an idea I had driving past the airport yesterday as I watched a bell come in hot. i'm still struggling with the idea of letting the little lady run the show while I chase dreams...but I do feel extremely blessed that she's even giving me the opportunity.

i do like the microbrew idea too - we have quite a few in the area.  and to the comment about the personality of a brewmaster, I pose this question:  how could a man who creates beer for a living not be an awesome person to know?

Exactly, you go to work every day to make other people happy.
It would be a great chapter in your life, until your dream job comes along. 

If you can afford to try things on for size, *without* incurring a sizable debt, monetary or otherwise, then spend some time seeing what makes you happy and provides a decent income.

Being a sole proprietor has it's perks, but there's lots of cold reality involved.
No paid vacations is a good first thing to consider... I took a week and a half off last year to moto-tour the Cali coast and part of Oregon.
It helped my sanity no end, but there was serious payback.

I would think the Helo-Pilot market would be saturated with ex-military folks.

I have a young friend considering the coast guard to get flight training so he can get an aviation related job in the future. I hooked him up with another friend that flies for United. The one thing he told him is not to do it unless he flies fixed wing as there are very few opportunities in the private sector for helo pilots, even military trained.

Search and rescue or police helo jobs go to current employees of those agencies who they send to flight training or train in house. They don't hire outside pilots (at least in CA). So for a police helicopter pilot you would be looking at 8-12 years of pushing a black and white and then if you are lucky AND good at politics you may have a chance to get a spot. My last agency has two helicopters. They have around 10 guys in the detail out of 1000 cops.

Do what makes you happy but be smart and realistic. It's easier to be happy if you can pay your bills.

in 2009 I had a friend quit his IT job and head to a pilot training school in Phoenix.  Six months later he graduated with his private pilot, instrument rating, multi engine and commercial pilot's license.  As soon as he graduated, one course, he started teaching it to the next class of students.  He's now in the cockpit for Republic Airlines (I think)

Years ago I went through something sort of similar and based on a recommendation I went to the local university and took an aptitude test.

The test results concluded that I should be an attorney.  Well, I didn't become an attorney and went on to continue floundering through life, but the test was very interesting.

Bob