[Rossin]

a friend of mine always says that.... he's been on the dole for years hoping to one day to find his "dream career", it bugs the life out of me!

I don't hate work but i don't believe there's a realistic dream job out there for me, I'm working to provide a good life for myself and to be able to support friends/family if needs be.

my little brother has just finished his law degree and there's little or nothing for him & his friends to do but continue on studying for a few more years. i dont see how that could be anyone's dream! sorry for being negative, just wanted to show the flip side. i think watching people struggle the last few years has showed me the importance of having a decent job with a regular wage

by the way I did go back to college at 26 and just finished recently(30) and went straight into a job, i couldve picked plenty of courses that wouldve been closer to what id consider "dream career" paths, but I went with IT

i guess if you've financial support/savings etc to get you through years of college there's nothing really stopping you

[liamhana]

while I've had a bit of a varied career when I turned 30 I sort of decided that I was happier concentrating on making my 'home' life the best it possibly could - built a house/kids/new past times etc....the result has been that I've been far more relaxed in my career & its flourished. But at the same time I'm always conscious that the rest comes first & the job after.

[offaly odonohue]

Great thread.

OP i've got so much empathy for your situation, glided through college, worked in family business (which I took refuge in) saw myself as the 'hunter and gatherer' for my girlfrend. Went to college and studied the wrong thing (more of a hobby than a job - sport related) after sticking it out for as long as I could I withdrew from the course. Felt like a pretty big failure when that happened but threw myself in the family business to smother my real feelings.

I have not been happy in my job for some time and I eventually decided last year that I was going to try to go back to college. Being a 'celtic tiger kid' it was easy for me to explain why I worked in the family business and that I had no other options (mortgage and a lot of debt). I've always felt that I am more capable and that I'd like a career and an identity of my own, no more of the 'oh yeah you're so and so's son'.

So I decided that i'd take the plunge restructured most if not all of my debt and saved to go back to college, luckily i'm single and no dependants, because if I had there is no way i'd be doing this.
Got accepted for the college course about a month ago and can not wait to get going. I'll have to work part time and make a good few sacifices but I know it'll be worth it.

Go for it....stop making excuses not to do it, start make excuses to do it!

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

I'm 26 BTW

[fly_agaric]

Originally Posted by HellFireClub

But fast forward 15-20 years, and it's like I've a different head on my shoulders. When I left school, I just drifted into college in a field that I basically followed my auld lad into, I thought I had a strong interest in this field at the time (it's motor industry related), but I hate it now, and have more or less decided to go back and study law at night.

Just wondering do any other lads around my own age, late 20's, early-mid 30's, have these kind of regrets that are now being acted upon in terms of now setting out a new career path for yourself,a and are experiencing this kind of a "reawakening" in relation to their career choices that were made back in the days of school?

Yes am feeling that also for the last year or 2 but unsure what to do tbh. I was an eternal student so already have alot of (too much?) education (4th level) but do not work in the field I studied. The job I have is not exactly what I wanted to do (& quite crap I suppose) but at least they pay me money to turn up.

I do get depressed about not working at the stuff I expended (wasted??) so much time + effort studying [should really have left college sooner to get a job or else left the country all together but did not have the guts]. If I was giving someone younger advice I'd say don't make the error of spending too much time in college (no more than 4-6 years) unless you already know you want to be a teacher/lecturer/academic or something like that (suppose I could add doctor to that list also).

Go + get a job first (even if not related to your degree) then go back later to do more study if necessary

[the_syco]

Originally Posted by fly_agaric

I was an eternal student so already have alot of (too much?) education (4th level) but do not work in the field I studied.

What field is it, btw?

Originally Posted by fly_agaric

Go + get a job first (even if not related to your degree) then go back later to do more study if necessary

Meh. Most people find it harder to study at a later stage, even if at night.

[retroactive]

Career changes and introspection prompted this

http://www.thejournal.ie/ucd-graduat...aign=from_page

[HellFireClub]

Originally Posted by fly_agaric

Go + get a job first (even if not related to your degree) then go back later to do more study if necessary

Where did I say I didn't have a job?

[frii]

27
Absoloutely regret quiting University to work in Entertainment industry.
Now trying to learn what I like and I'm good at. Programming.

[crackcrack30]

If you love what you do you'll never work a day in our life.......But... the luxury of doing what you love usually comes with some sacrafice, at least at some stage........

I believe that we (men) should be initally educated for two careers, first one as a recession proof job and the other as a desired career i also believe that the army should have play a part in secondary schools eg history, geography, pe. especially in disadvantaged areas

[fly_agaric]

Originally Posted by the_syco

What field is it, btw?

Did science (materials), then a phd, then 1 year of postdoc research...was about 6 years ago now so not my "field" any more.

Originally Posted by the_syco

Meh. Most people find it harder to study at a later stage, even if at night.

true but it was easy for me to get comfortable + stay in college too long.

Originally Posted by HellFireClub

Where did I say I didn't have a job?

Sorry about that. Although I quoted your post, I was rambing about my own history and spouting out words of wisdom like an old fart. It was not addressed to you in particular!

[Strawberry Fields]

Good thread, I am 31 today, similar situation, went back to study Law, nearly through. I'm like a different person to when I was younger. I seem to have changed over time. I'm glad I went out and partied from teens to mid twenties but it became time to cop on, mature.

[HellFireClub]

Originally Posted by godeas16

Good thread, I am 31 today, similar situation, went back to study Law, nearly through. I'm like a different person to when I was younger. I seem to have changed over time. I'm glad I went out and partied from teens to mid twenties but it became time to cop on, mature.

That's exactly how I feel.

[Gidon]

24 here at the moment, did psychology for two years. I quit it after I realized that the job aspect was not really to my liking. Switched to programming after.
Though you could say I made a respectably fast decision to switch, I do feel that it was a bit of a waste to do psych for two years only to end up switching. I am quite a bit younger than most of the other gentlemen in this thread, but it's still something that I think about once in a while, you know? But thankfully, now I know that I am moving on in a positive manner career wise.

[Wompa1]

27 now. In my 6th year working in IT. I've been very lucky and have had great success but it's come at a cost. I've neglected girlfriends in favor of work, worked long hours and spent a lot of time doing my own research and study outside of work. I've now got arthritus in both of my wrists. I moved to America because it's been one of my goals, just to experience it. Now I'm left questioning my career path. Sitting at a desk all day isn't graft like construction, I know that but it's a mental drain and it's physically terrible for your health, I wake up most morning with stiffness in my joints and pain.

I'm thinking of keeping at this pace for 3 or 4 more years and then getting out. I also want to move back to Ireland some time next year.

[Knex.]

Originally Posted by godeas16

Good thread, I am 31 today, similar situation, went back to study Law, nearly through. I'm like a different person to when I was younger. I seem to have changed over time. I'm glad I went out and partied from teens to mid twenties but it became time to cop on, mature.

Belated happy birthday

I'm in my early twenties and about to enter my final year of a primarily IT based course. Currently finishing up a 6 month internship in NY, which has been fantastic, but as of yet I still do not know if this is the career for me. Will stick at if for another few years I would think, job prospects and money are good and on top of that, I'm quite good at what I do. However, I want to travel and do not want to waste my youth and look back in a few years and think, "Damn, should of done that when i had the opportunity".

As for what I will do after, only time will tell I suppose. Good to read about everyone's experiences with regard to not being afraid to switch career and have it work out for you.