How people change careers in their 30s?
Long story, short, my 14th year of teaching, and I've loved every bit up until the last few months, and starting to find that the enjoyment really is being sapped out of the profession. Extra admin jobs (ie inputting all behaviour incidents, even minor, on a daily basis, usually at 8.30pm after kids have gone to bed), being told 'how' to teach (ie have to follow crap lessons the Ed Dept have made that don't carter to all students), dealing with behaviour that I just have to shake my head at followed by dealing with parents who refuse to acknowledge their child could make a mistake, could go on. Wife has pulled me up a couple of times for snapping at my own kids over little things (I'm just 'kidded-out' by the end of the day). Just getting over it. The in-class stuff when I get to be myself in the way that I teach, build relationships and watch some kids grow is awesome. The rest, I feel done with. Debating whether to take some LSL for a re-fresh, or take it all and just not return.
Saw an ad for a job I felt I could do quite well, in a different field, but one I'm equally passionate about. A teaching degree clearly wasn't involved or needed, and the degree that was input as a 'desirable' I obviously don't have, but thought my passion for it could take me a long way. Wrote an application, but chickened out and didn't send it. Starting to get a bit of regret at not at least throwing my hat in the ring.
With a mortgage and two kids, re-studying for a three years doesn't sound all that appealing when I feel I have skills that could be transferable. Just wanted to see if anyone else had changed industries and how they went about it.
Take the plunge if you've lost the desire, you'll excel at whatever you do and you're still young enough to forge a long term career in a different field.
I've worked at the same place for 24 of the past 27 years, 16.5 years consecutively this stint and that all ends Tuesday.
I barely slept for 3 weeks thinking about it, the moment I made the decision and handed my notice in I felt instant relief and a huge weight off of the shoulders, I had men and women coming into my office that afternoon tearing up, it was tough.
For weeks I was wondering whether I'm making the right decision, now it's a case of I've made the decision so it's all in my hands to ensure it's the right decision.
You're a quality bloke, extremely intelligent and popular, even if your first venture fails I'm sure you will always be able to have income coming in through friends while you re-assess your options, but don't focus on Plan B's, go out there and kill it mate, we only live once and you never know what your full potential is if you never get out of your comfort zone.