Career change... advice?

emdeengee · #21 06/27/14, 11:30 AM

Both my husband and I changed careers. Lots of hard work and sacrifice for a short time but the rewards have been immeasurable.

My new career eventually let me be in complete charge of my working life and the earnings were quadruple what I had earned before.

My husband gave up a hugely lucrative career to do something he really wanted to do (natural resources). It took over a decade to reach the same level of income as he got when he started at the old career as a very young man but after 15 years he still whistles and hums as he is getting ready for work and every day he is full of interesting stories and information.

Happy job, happy life.

MichaelZ · #22 06/27/14, 11:48 AM

My thoughts on this is that "DNR Conservation Officer" is a very specific position. And being a government job that is specialized, the turnover tends to only occur upon a retirement or a relocation. You are sure that you can get a job nearby? The person working in our county has been there for 20+ years. That said, if you can get a job, the benefits will probably be very good and it will be a job you enjoy.

TheMartianChick · #23 06/27/14, 01:06 PM

I'm so glad that you're going to go for it! While your daughter is only 2 years old, she will adjust to her new circumstances. You will be in training for less than half a year and you'll still be able to visit and communicate with her. There are many children of servicemen and servicewomen who are unable to see or communicate with their parents for much longer stretches and their parents are in harm's way. This is a temporary sacrifice that will yield a lifetime of benefits to your family. Wishing you the very best of luck!

LauraD · #24 06/27/14, 01:35 PM

Shayanna,

I've been in the work force for 30 years now. One thing I have learned is that if you're not happy at your job, then you're not happy, period. I have quit good-paying jobs because I couldn't stand to be there any more. They could have paid me 10 times as much and it wouldn't have made a difference.

You have a chance to not only do something you love, but to get paid more in the process. 22 weeks will fly by in no time, and is a small price to pay for years of enjoyment. There's absolutely no reason to hesitate on this one. In a few years you'll look back and rejoice that you made the right decision. Enjoy!

Shayanna · #25 06/28/14, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MichaelZ

My thoughts on this is that "DNR Conservation Officer" is a very specific position. And being a government job that is specialized, the turnover tends to only occur upon a retirement or a relocation. You are sure that you can get a job nearby? The person working in our county has been there for 20+ years. That said, if you can get a job, the benefits will probably be very good and it will be a job you enjoy.

Well, if I am certified as aCO and go to their CO academy, there are a lot of positions I could do in the DNR like park ranger or specializing in different "fields".

Found out that the academy is like boot camp though. Running 5-10 miles every day so I have a lot of training to do. DH actually bought me a jogging stroller and came running with me last night. Im sure I can handle the academics , but my biggest fear is the physical training. I'm not hugely overweight but I definitely not in that kind of shape yet.

I keep telling myself that at 22, I am young and healthy and there is no reason I can'ttrain myself to do this.

Jennifer L. · #26 06/28/14, 10:54 AM

Go for it!

RazrRebel · #27 06/28/14, 11:36 AM

Call me old fashioned, but I think he should be the one trying to do better. I'm all for a woman doing what she wants, but I still think of a traditional family. Where the man brings home the bacon. My wife works at home just as hard as I do at work. With three kids, four pigs, 17 chickens and me working 75 hours a week she has to keep up with a lot. I've heard the whole thing everywhere about being happy with your job. I think that's bull ****. If everybody was happy with the job they have, their wouldn't be hardly any body working. I'm not really happy with my job at all, but it pays really good and has great insurance. My wife used to work. When I got this job I gave up a 28,000 a yr. state job with a schedule of 8 on and six off. She worked at a restaurant. I now make 65, 000 a year and she gets to stay home. Like I said she works hard at home. A lot of people say but you never have no time. Well the one thing to remember is quality time with your family is better than quantity time.

Shayanna · #28 06/28/14, 12:56 PM

Razrrebel, I see what you're saying and at one point I thought I

Shayanna · #29 06/28/14, 01:03 PM

Razer rebel I see what you're saying and at one point I thought it was my dream to be a stay at home homesteader, but there is just something that has been just pulling me towards civil service. My husband is working to move up to. When and if I make it through academy, he will then go for state trooper.

He is at least a year younger than me and hasn't had the opportunities I've had yet to go to any secondary schooling after high school. We talked about it in depth. For the most part he's been stay at home since Dd was born, and he has offered to let me go first and support me through training.

sss3 · #30 06/28/14, 01:16 PM

Considering your age, thinking a job change isn't going to have the repercussions that being older would have. Also, due to your age, that probably isn't your last job.

**GREENCOUNTYPETE** · #31 06/28/14, 05:33 PM

some men make better stay at homes than some women , I have an uncle smart enough guy , does incredible wood work , and carpentry and is a good guitar player besides he could work construction and take gigs as a fill in Bass player , but my aunt works for a major corporation as the secretary to the plant manager , makes more money than he could and with regular hours and vacation

he hates the cookie cutter turn them out do it fast build it quick cut corners , as long as it don't leak , if it leaks slap some sealer in it construction

they lived cheap rented on and off lived in their van at times , bought their land 10 acres wooded in GA they lived in a travel trailer for a few years on the land while they saved he did have a job then , and he still takes custom work now , but he does only custom work .
when they were ready he stoped working and went to work full time or nearly full time on their house he did it all from foundation to the last shingle every inch was all him all custom log cabin all increadibly well thought out , you can heat it with a single small wood stove in the basement on the coldest of north GA hill country days then they had kids , my cousins are in their mid 20s now he was at every ball game soccer game anything.

he keeps the garden , the fire wood cut any and very little house maintenance thing done cars always kept running perfect every fluid change on the maintenance schedule
I don't think she has to worry about much of anything besides going to a job she likes.

so i think it is just fine as long as both of you are happy that he stays home so long as he is getting what needs to be done done

kilgrosh · #32 07/01/14, 08:56 AM

A bit of advice for training for a police academy: HIIT and weight loss.

High Intensity Interval Training. This type of training involves fast paced (sprint) exercises with short breaks in between for a limited amount of time. Most of the training I have done has been around this type of exercising. You can look up work outs on YouTube and online. They are very simple and will get you in better shape than just running.

Change your diet to lose weight. Getting fit isn't all about exercising. The more weight you can shed the easier training will be. Shedding weight involves proper dieting (dieting in the sense of what you eat not South Beach Slim Fast Starvation).

Good luck!