What would you do if you didn't do what you do?

[piskieinboots]

What job would you do?

Are you in the job you thought you'd be in when you was still at school and about to embark into adulthood?

I wanted to be a Sports physio but just fell into the world of admin and never got out - yet!

[FionaH]

Oh boy! I am still trying to decide what to be when I am a grown up I guess I would do what I do now, which is working in a garden centre, but with more money. The pay is pretty bad even with the payrise I just had

[piskieinboots]

That is what I want to do now - work in a garden genre/nursery, but it's a tough decision to quit working for myself after 11 years at it

[zazen999]

I got a bit lucky really. I did civil engineering for 14 years [yuk], then fell into training and development and then decided to get into gardening and managed to land a fab job. Each of my jobs though was as a result of lots of studying and self-improvement - so I suppose if you are willing to work at it, then lots of options are available to you.

[FionaH]

That is what I want to do now - work in a garden genre/nursery, but it's a tough decision to quit working for myself after 11 years at it

Like I said though the money is carp, all retail is. I am lucky that the people I work with now are great so that makes up for it

[cardiffsteve]

I always wanted to be a lumberjack with my best girl by my side!

I have always wanted to teach scuba diving. I took up scuba when I was 18 and have always loved it.
Unfortunately it was a costly hobby then I became unwell. Who would have thought that you cant scuba dive with depression. Scuba is the one of the thing that make me happy.

One day, one day

[SarrissUK]

I wanted to be an architect, but the long years of studying put me off. I had fab grades when I left school, ended up studying something I turned out to really dislike at uni, then done some training and development and didn't find my 'home' until I started developing websites.
I wouldn't change it for the world! It's well paid, normal working hours most of the time and time spent at work is really enjoyable

[BarleySugar]

I wanted to be an analytical chemist, and was until giving up work for 10 years with the children. Then I did a software engineering degree, but I couldn't get a job near enough to home so I became and ICT teacher.
Now I know what I want to be, a horticultural therapist helping people with learning difficulties through gardening. A few snags though, as far as I can find out I need to pay for my own training, and then be able to find a job, neither one practical in my current financial state.
When I had my careers interview at school when I was 16, I was told I should become a teacher. I managed to avoid that fate for 25 years, but they got me in the end

[Snadger]

I came from Consett. Consett was a 'Company' town. One employer employing about 8000 people in the steel industry. Everyone who left school was almost guaranteed a job at the company.
I was there 10 years...........then it closed down in the eighties and Consett became a ghost town overnight.
I moved out of the area to do a completely different type of job which I thoroughly enjoy.
The good news is that Consett, and Consett folk have survived and it is now becoming a fashionable rural retreat. So much so that I've recently bought a retirement home back in my old area before all the yuppies move in.
I was probably making more money way back in the eighties but the job I've had since gives me a healthy outdoor life, job satisfaction and has probably increased my lifespan............hopefully!

[piskieinboots]

Some wonderful ideas and dreams here - what a mix we are

[northepaul]

When I was at school I wanted to be a journalist/writer and photographer.....

I did the self improvement bit (ie went to uni).... but the reality is that my family is more important to me than the above and I have learned the hard way that I cant have both.

I made the right decision.

[jackie j]

I wanted to look after children and at the time Dr barnardo's seemed the way to do it, but I knew I wouldnt pass my exams so I left school and have had an assortment of jobs over the years, shop work, hotel work, waitressing, offices, whatever took my fancy at the time. Did I achieve my ambition of looking after children ??? I suppose you could say I did as I had Five children of my own, and one grandson so far lol

[Potstubsdustbins]

I left school at 15 hoping to be a mechanical engineer fot the NCB. I had pasted all my exams except the medical. I left at Christmas 1961 and a week later they let me know they no longer took applicants who wore glasses. Father took me down to the jobs advice center for an interview which went as follows.

Interviewer "Please sit down". Father "Have you any apprenticeships left?" Interviewer "Yes, a gas fitter with East Midlands Gas Board." Father "Is it a proper apprenticeship?" Interviewer "Yes six years with night school and day release." Father "He will take it thankyou."

You will note I did not speak during the interview but outside I asked "Dad what's a gas fitter?" Father "Don't know lad, but its a proper apprenticeship."

Job done career path chosen. Six years later City & Guilds final passed, Four years after that Ordinary National Certificate. Seven years after that contracts manager for a national heating company.

I have left the trade at various times but always returned. I have been back this time for just over twenty years as self employed. I love my job and thanks to the gas regulations 1999 the money is very good I earn more than many graduates. Thanks DAD.

Colin.

[perkin]

I fell into publishing after my degree. Did 14 years before the admin, office politics and constant pressure to produce more books with fewer people (always faster and cheaper than last year) overtook my enjoyment of training new editors and working with authors. So i gave it up 18 months ago to start horticultural training as well as some garden writing and buying/selling vintage garden tools and accessories. Couldn't be happier!

[Headfry]

My dream job.....
A little timber lodge in a National Forest Park, me running a visitor information service. Getting 'kiddie' packs ready for children, telling people what and where they might see various birds, plants, fungi etc helping them find their way around. Going out into the woods with one of the many happy helpers who can show and teach me about all things forest'y! PERFECT A world of my own......then I woke up and..........

I am here at work and I LOVE MY JOB......
Truly love it, most of all on the crazy bonkers days with lots of visitors and random things going on. I also loved my drawing office job that I had for 14 years with BT.
Had a couple of not good at all jobs (one nearly destroyed me), but even those have given me some very good, often funny memories, and I made some lovely friends too. I do consider myself very, very lucky and dont take anything for granted especially in these much troubled times.
My heart goes out to all those in 'dire' jobs and those seeking jobs. Their plight makes all of the above sound whimsical and perhaps smug sorry.
I do not know what is round my corner in life but I am so thankful for past and present employment.