Need advice for my job choice

[EAGLE5]

Money doesn't make you happy, but it helps. However, making money often involves risk and, often enough, unhappiness. I love what I do and I make great money for it, but I am far too tired far too much of the time. Working this much, matched to no exercise, has given me health problems. I've begun exercising again, but it is tough. If I could do it all over again, I would consider the PE teacher path as I just said. It's a life that I would enjoy, all without quite as much stress as I currently face. Less money, though. More security, perhaps. More importantly, it would be an active lifestyle. Sitting inside for hours a day has done no good for me. That surveyor job doesn't sound too bad.

[raven1231]

Originally Posted by Frost

Jeebus, that is a HUGE palette of jobs you just threw out there. Why don't you pick someone you LOVE to do and stick with that? You keep using money as the standard but self fulfillment is not there. That should be your standard. If you love to do something and do it well, you will find a way to make a living and be very happy doing it.

Stop looking at the $$$ or else it will run/ruin your entire life. It is important to be able to self sustain but this is why you must pick something you love and can excel and self propel in that field.

Your post sounds like you're giving up a little - don't. If you truly love sports/athletics/kinesiology then volunteer for a team or a club locally directly in what you WANT to do. In today's economy, no one will truly turn down a FREE educated labour. Earn the stripes, make a name for yourself and it will snowball eventually. Rep/experience is hard to come by but if you get several glowing reviews, you can now start asking for money.

This is the best advice you can get! Living life doing someone you don't love to do will make you a very miserable man

[EAGLE5]

Most people do not find things they love to do for a job. You're lucky enough if you can tolerate it and find some enjoyment instead of being miserable. That said, if there is something you can do that will make you enough money to live, go for it. Unless you can make much more in some other way, you're a fool to skip on a passion.

[Rayme]

As someone who went to college in about 4 different field and worked for a few years I can relate to you. The hard part is finding something you love (or should I say be able to do without hating your job everyday) and still getting enough money out of it to be motivated to keep doing your job. The last time I went to college (now) I finally found something I like and made sure I could find a job in the field.

"Careers" seems to be a great thing, people throw that word at you as if it's the thing you really need. What good is a career if you are 15 years into it and plateau-ing a salary you can't really do the thing you love with? The point I'm saying is don't live and expect to do/work only one thing in life, you are already at this cross-road it seems. Making sure there is a demand into the field you are interested in should be the priority. It's the lesson I learned and the idea I like pushing around.

One thing I find interesting is the youth seem disinterested in trades, anyone knows how much money a plumber and electrician can make without working too hard/long years of schooling? A good thing also is there is always going to be work in these fields, each house/building needs maintenance. Good luck bud!

[Atticus808]

Originally Posted by jsimon7777

Money doesn't make you happy, but it helps. However, making money often involves risk and, often enough, unhappiness. I love what I do and I make great money for it, but I am far too tired far too much of the time. Working this much, matched to no exercise, has given me health problems. I've begun exercising again, but it is tough. If I could do it all over again, I would consider the PE teacher path as I just said. It's a life that I would enjoy, all without quite as much stress as I currently face. Less money, though. More security, perhaps. More importantly, it would be an active lifestyle. Sitting inside for hours a day has done no good for me. That surveyor job doesn't sound too bad.

i assume that was about my job?

it was a fun job. I would have stayed with it if i didn't have to work Monday - Saturday. Or for long weekends, i'd find out if i have it off like a couple hours before the day ends.

[EAGLE5]

Trades are an OK choice. Many of them are getting poorer and poorer pay. At the same time, if you have a talent in a highly specific area, you can make bank. My office's landlord is a plumber. However, most plumbers are miserable and not making much.

[Atticus808]

Originally Posted by jsimon7777

Trades are an OK choice. Many of them are getting poorer and poorer pay. At the same time, if you have a talent in a highly specific area, you can make bank. My office's landlord is a plumber. However, most plumbers are miserable and not making much.

could be tough on your body too

[Kelbyat07]

So OP.. did you make up your mind yet

[EAGLE5]

Originally Posted by Atticus808

could be tough on your body too

Definitely. My HVAC friends have real issues. Then again, sitting in this chair all the time, I do too.

[Atticus808]

Originally Posted by jsimon7777

Definitely. My HVAC friends have real issues. Then again, sitting in this chair all the time, I do too.

yup, thousands of sledge hammer swings took a toll on my back

[wallace03]

Thanks for the response everyone. I have already talked to most of my friends and family and most don't have too much input, because i don't think its an easy decision for anyone to make even for themselves. I know a lot of people recommend doing what you love for a living, but my only passion in life now is living it to its fullest. I feel like any job is a waste of a life, but i know either way i need to make enough money to support myself and eventually a family. I had a passion in exercise when i was in my early 20s because i still had dreams of being a pro athlete (lol) but now i realize that isn't going to happen. If i could get paid to travel, spend time with people i enjoy being around, doing missionary work, and just do my various hobbies then i would be happy. Pretty much like that show Rob & Big.

Realistically a job that offers even half of that is either impossible to find or will pay me doodoo if it even exist. Money isn't everything, but i owe it to my parents to buy them some nice things and let them hurry up and retire. I narrowed down to those two jobs because being Homer Simpson for a few years will let me travel when i get my week off every month, and buy somethings i want (car parts) and somethings for my parents, and put money away to sit on when i go find a job that is little more comfortable that may pay me a less. I hope i'm not going in a circle and i do appreciate all the feedback and advice.

[Dave-ROR]

Originally Posted by jeffchap

Ditto. Take it from someone closer to the end of his career life than to the beginning: whenever possible, choose something you enjoy over money. Regardless of how much you make, you'll never be satisfied in a job you don't enjoy.



Money can't buy happiness, but misery is free.

Pretty much agree here.

I actually like my career field but the stress level is getting a bit crazy lately (I work in IT). I would love to hit the lottery just so I could go do a job I'd enjoy that was a clock-punching type of job lol

On the flip side, I also strive to save as much as possible in retirement funds so I can retire early and enjoy my later life as much as possible. Not at the expense of enjoying my current life though. I don't think I could find that same balance in a field with low pay.

[wallace03]

Originally Posted by Kelbyat07

I wanted to major in exercise science but went for biology instead. Why don't you go back to your community college and retake some of your classes that you didn't do so well on to raise your gpa?

I'm honestly burnt out on school, i could easily raise my GPA at my jr college by taking 2-3 classes, but i also have to get three MORE letters of recommendation and it doesn't mean i would get accepted. They would just consider me then.

Originally Posted by jsimon7777

You should look at a PE teaching credential in some state other than Texas. Then you can teach PE. Low stress, OK pay, and good stability in the long run. Texas is one of the worst states to teach in, though.

I have 3 friends that were education majors and didn't have any issues finding a job and another one who is graduating this semester who already has a job lined up, or did you mean something else by "worst to teach in"?

[wallace03]

Originally Posted by Namuna

Frost has provided some very sage advice. Follow your love and keep at that...Unfortunately you've got the lack of experience and lack of a connection working against you, which means you'll have to work that much harder.

It also sounds like you've a got a personality similar to mine, "Amiable". Which means we're not the best at selling ourselves and going out there and networking and making the right connections also isn't a strong ability.

If you can do intern or volunteer work, to build-up your experience, then DO IT!! Don't think of it as working for free...But rather working for the experience.

Good luck!

Unfortunately most internships require you to still be in school working towards that particular major, and volunteer work is terrible because most hospitals won't let you work in the specific field you desire, plus not making any money right now isn't really an option for me. More importantly finding intern/shadowing for exercise physiology is impossible, i've emailed a bunch of clinics and hospital and none responded to me. It's like they never heard of the profession/field.