[Michail_P]

Yeah, the thread was evidently a very good idea. There are interesting people behind all those cameras and captures.

[noelpolar]

Ok... I have pondered this for a long time....

I now think....

1. My start point was a lost teenager..... mostly deadish inside...
2. finished high school..... wagged 50% or so of my last year... but passed
3. did nothing for 3 years after.... well just not so good stuff.

Anyway.... started to get my act together when I was 20. Had to start as an apprentice electrician.... missed the boat on a proper start.

4. Generally.... for the next 28 years.... I wanted to just be left alone.
5. To be left alone.... I just got the things done... so I'd be left alone again.
6. People in business.... just want things done. Turned out I was popular. I played along.
7. Ended up as an Exec in a large national company..... go figure.... about 6 different "careers" along the way.
8. In the end.... I decided I really really wanted to be left alone.... so retired at 48 (11 years ago)... more than enough money for many years of retirement. Walked away from $300k pa.

9. Now I just like "feeling"..... not so much analytical thought.
10. Generally now... I'm not even sure if using a fast frame rate camera doesn't put pressure on birds to do stuff. I'm too relaxed for therapy.

Note... I learnt along the way that when I focus and apply myself I could learn almost anything.... and separate myself from my ego in a manner that allows me to understand others. I think being a loner when young, fat and not popular led to a low sense of self worth and little ego. This served me well in my working years. It's like I'm on the outside looking in.... I can sorta see how things are going to be.

In the last 10 years or so of my career I had a number of unbelievable experiences..... other than my wife.... no one in my life would know.... but in the end I just wanted a quiet life.

Me leaving the corporate world behind and going walkabout. A selfie I did for the single in challenge many years ago.... that really is me.

[LittleSkink]

I have had a number of careers, and all the changes were triggered by someone amazing making a decision I couldn't really influence - rather than me setting off in a particular direction

Currently run a small consultancy, design digital services for government and teach organisational behaviour in a business school

---------- Post added 04-29-2021 at 10:30 AM ----------

. . . 10. Generally now... I'm not even sure if using a fast frame rate camera doesn't put pressure on birds to do stuff.

love it

thank you for sharing

[bdery]

curious what got you folks into the career choice that you ended up in? was it location? education? familial responsibilities? just happened to be in the right place right time?
if you could do it again, what would you rather do?

Great topic! And some fascinating answers.

for me, i ended up in Anti Money Laundering. I ended up in it after learning about human trafficking in university, and that deeply disturbed me. I wanted to put some sort of an impact in that world, and thus aimed my goals towards it. took me a while, but i'm here.

You put the bar high enough...

As for me, I've always been interested in science, and studied physics at university. I thought I'd go towards astrophysics, but discovered the wonderful world of optics and photonics and went towards a Master's degree, and then a PhD degree, in various sub-specialities of optics (here in Quebec, and in Canada, starting a PhD requires completing a Master). I am lucky in that I live in Quebec city, the best place in Canada to study optics. My Master was on fiber optics lasers, and my PhD on detection biological particles at remote distances with a LiDAR.

I then started working as an optical designer for two different companies, and last year I switched to team coordination. I am what we call a technical leader, coordinating the work of an R&D team of scientists, engineers and technicians with various backgrounds.

That's exactly what I want to be doing, I love my job and loved most of what I've done in my career so far. I'm close to 41, feeling much younger Photography is a hobby, but also something that I approach through my technical, optical background. It lets me, for instance, write equipment reviews and be confident in my testing methods!

[hadi]

Interesting forum post.

I am probably in the majority here where I have not been able yet to enter a career of passion. I am only 26, and after college took a sales job for a company a family member worked for already. Perks, I got to train in Dallas, Texas. Never had been to Texas and got to live in the Mid Cities for 8 months which was a cool experience (work related tasks excluded).

Then after training got assigned to an office in Denver, Colorado which was absolutely incredible. Colorado was one of the most beautiful states I have ever lived in. But alas, I despised my profession. The beauty of the natural environment of Colorado did not help. Seeing such amazing places made me reconsider my choices and confused as to how I could spend all my days in an office when the world is full of such splendor. Seemed like a life wasted.

I then, like a good amount of people my age, yearned for escape. Applied for and got accepted to teach English in Thailand. Taught there for under a year, then travelled SE Asia through various countries and ended up living in Vietnam for about 5 months. That over a year period is probably the most fulfilling of my lifetime. But, then my bank account balance began to dwindle and also the big pandy, COVID hit. It was time to go home.

Upon arriving in the States, the only money making opportunity afforded to me was to work labor for a big construction company. I enjoyed the time spent outside, the manual labor was my exercise and when I clocked out, I clocked out. Did not have to worry about work. It's now over a year later, I was "promoted" back in October to more of a clerical position, but still requiring most of my work to be on-site. I make less money then I was as a laborer and am currently pushing 80+ hours a weeks with only about half of Sunday as free-time.

All that to say many people just work because they have to. I am constantly trying to come up with alternative avenues of money collecting, as this is not the life I desire. One day I hope I find my calling or at least a way to cover my costs of living by utilizing some yet to be seen skills and/or talents.

Long story short, have yet to get into my "career of choice" but simply my career of circumstance.

Thanks for reading!

for what its worth, i think you're still plenty young, and like most millennials (are you still a millennial, or would you be put in the gen-z category?), are also seeking a bigger meaning in life.
I'm 33, and it took me some 5ish years to claw my way to money laundering. Once here, i'm debating whats next. I made a 10 year goal, and i managed to complete that in 5 years. Though i'm proud of that, i dont know what i want to do beyond this role. I do want to be free, and thus, strongly debating on starting a new in the maritime provinces of Canada, and dumping all my hard work to be a corporate cog, and maybe find a more meaningful connection with earth/life/community/people/animals/universe etc.

so, the fact that you're already thinking, that shows great promise.

i dont have much of a suggestion, but that i find that you're already on the right path.

---------- Post added 04-29-21 at 07:43 AM ----------

Great topic! And some fascinating answers.



You put the bar high enough...

As for me, I've always been interested in science, and studied physics at university. I thought I'd go towards astrophysics, but discovered the wonderful world of optics and photonics and went towards a Master's degree, and then a PhD degree, in various sub-specialities of optics (here in Quebec, and in Canada, starting a PhD requires completing a Master). I am lucky in that I live in Quebec city, the best place in Canada to study optics. My Master was on fiber optics lasers, and my PhD on detection biological particles at remote distances with a LiDAR.

I then started working as an optical designer for two different companies, and last year I switched to team coordination. I am what we call a technical leader, coordinating the work of an R&D team of scientists, engineers and technicians with various backgrounds.

That's exactly what I want to be doing, I love my job and loved most of what I've done in my career so far. I'm close to 41, feeling much younger Photography is a hobby, but also something that I approach through my technical, optical background. It lets me, for instance, write equipment reviews and be confident in my testing methods!

Sadly the high bar doesn't pay as much as i would like. granted, no company pays 'enough'.

[kjfishman]

I went into the Air Force out of high school because I didn't think I was college material and needed to be somewhere else. They sent me to computer school for a year then off to a remote radar base for 3 years. When my enlistment found a job with computers . and data networking. Ultimately got a job with Rockwell International working in telecommunications and retired. I think some people plan their lives others just wait to see what comes their way, I was the later.

[stevebrot]

My most recent career (software engineer)?

Boredom, curiosity, and providence...


Steve

(...self-taught...)

[ChrisPlatt]

TV show......Quincy.

retired from a large ME Office after about 25 years...I still remember a number of cases, autopsies like they occurred yesterday.

A high school friend started out as a chiropractor (like his uncle) but an injury forced a career change.
He became an agreed medical examiner and is now a well-known author of crime fiction.
IIRC he was a Quincy fan in high school.

https://www.bookreporter.com/authors/alan-jacobson

Chris

[robgski]

Really interesting thread idea.
I suppose the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none " describes my career and my attitude towards work and life.
Like many others, circumstances meant I have work to earn my "fun" money since I was 12 years old, and I worked hard to play hard for a few years after graduating high school. Fortunately one day I realized that though I worked hard and earned enough to enjoy a few things in the slack months, I really was not moving forward in life. Instead of buckling down and going to college, I enlisted in the military where at first I dug ditches, strung bared wire, maintained and operated lots of weapons, and blew things up during an all expense paid three years in Germany. Fun, but I wanted a little more, so I took advantage of the opportunity to learn a foreign language, and exchanged lovely but cold and rainy Germany for sunny California for two years. Then I was sent to three different continents for a total of twenty one years in uniform. Finishing that, I moved into a contractor position, teaching a variety of skills and disciplines supporting the military and law enforcement communities. It's been a good time, often challenging, seldom boring . I've gotten to do many things, learned new skills discovered what I am good at, and what I really like doing, and for the most part I look forward to doing all of it for a long time to come. Even if I don't love it every day, it allows me time and money to do the things I enjoy.

[bdery]

It's always great to read about other people's paths, especially simplified to a few lines of text. Keep them coming!

I am only 70, and have no idea what I want to do when I grow up....

So why should you want to do that?

[Sandy Hancock]

I grew up wanting to be an architect. The drafting, creativity, and structural challenges appealed to me from quite a young age.
As my education advanced, and I realised I was in the top few in my peer group, I actively rejected medicine as that was the sort of thing "my sort" was expected to do. Yes, I was always contrary

When my big brother got into medicine, I saw his lecture notes and found it fascinating. I poured through his text books and was hooked. So early in my final year of high school I changed tack. At that stage, the fact that my paternal grandfather and paternal uncle were both doctors was completely lost on me.

None of this meant I was to be a particularly good student at medical school. I played a lot football, took (and processed) a lot of photographs for my university newspaper, discovered the opposite sex, failed a year, deferred a year, and graduated in the middle of my class.

I was spat out of the system with no real idea what branch of medicine I would pursue. Although I enjoyed everything I did as an intern and resident medical officer, it was not until I did a spell in anaesthesia that I really felt at home.

So there we are. Thirty years later I have zero regrets.

[hadi]

Really interesting thread idea.
I suppose the phrase "jack of all trades, master of none " describes my career and my attitude towards work and life.
Like many others, circumstances meant I have work to earn my "fun" money since I was 12 years old, and I worked hard to play hard for a few years after graduating high school. Fortunately one day I realized that though I worked hard and earned enough to enjoy a few things in the slack months, I really was not moving forward in life. Instead of buckling down and going to college, I enlisted in the military where at first I dug ditches, strung bared wire, maintained and operated lots of weapons, and blew things up during an all expense paid three years in Germany. Fun, but I wanted a little more, so I took advantage of the opportunity to learn a foreign language, and exchanged lovely but cold and rainy Germany for sunny California for two years. Then I was sent to three different continents for a total of twenty one years in uniform. Finishing that, I moved into a contractor position, teaching a variety of skills and disciplines supporting the military and law enforcement communities. It's been a good time, often challenging, seldom boring . I've gotten to do many things, learned new skills discovered what I am good at, and what I really like doing, and for the most part I look forward to doing all of it for a long time to come. Even if I don't love it every day, it allows me time and money to do the things I enjoy.

not related to your post, but your display picture. Are you getting your wings? is that a Dean headstock guitar?

[c.a.m]

I recently retired from an exciting career in technical research and development.

In my third year of electrical engineering studies, my prof suggested that I should apply to Canada's National Research Council for a summer job. I did, and spent two summers at their Institute for Aeronautical Research, Flight Research Lab. Dream job -- my workspace overlooked the hangar floor!

After attaining my Masters degree in Aero Eng -- quite a departure from EE -- I lucked in to a permanent position at another government R&D agency. Through the years, I worked as a 'bench scientist', team leader, project manager, and executive. My work touched on navigation systems including ocean sea trials, satellite technology and actual payloads, remote sensing, and defence systems.

I was fortunate to have collaborated with researchers in a number of countries, which involved periodic travel to Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and many parts of the USA.

- Craig

[reeftool]

I had been working in various types of construction from the early 70's. I was pretty good around engines and machinery and was a cheap repairman for my bosses. I began looking for an entry level job as an HVAC tech and came across an opening for a truck and trailer refrigeration tech. The same small gas and diesel engines that powered that equipment were similar to what I was used to working on. I started out mostly servicing and repairing the Wisconsin, Onan, and Kohler engines that powered the units and learned the refrigeration and electrical side as time went on. That was February 1977, 44 years ago. It's a really good niche field and is still in high demand today. I turned 70 last year and I'm still doing it part time.

The units went form mostly gasoline to diesel in the late 70's - early 80's. Solid state controllers showed up in the late 80's. Microprocessors showed up in the 90's and of course, the big refrigerant change out in the 90's. When laws forced techs to become certified and licensed, around 70% failed the tests and from the mid 90's and on, pay doubled. My employer who I started out with decided to get out of the business in 1996. I mentioned to a leasing company parts guy I might be looking for work and my phone began ringing that night. I have never really had to look for a job. I've been out of work twice in 44 years. Once in the winter of 1980 when my boss lost the lease on the shop and I was out for a couple of months until a newlocation was found. The other was last summer due to covid, the longest I have ever been idle, even longer than recovery from foot surgery in 2013. I got called back in August and am still going but the thought of full retirement is getting stronger. I may close up my tool box soon as a day in the shop is getting increasingly hard.