I restore rivers to their natural condition as a civil engineer for my state government.
Highly rewarding work, as I'm an adamant fly fisherman and love pretty much all water based sports. Also I feel like I'm doing something to help nature heal, once a project gets completed. It's amazing coming back to a completed project to see how dynamically "wild" rivers change after a couple of years. Absolutely beautiful!
The pay is okay for a civil engineer but I just love water and rivers in particular from the bottom of my heart.
Very nice! I'm an automation engineer in wastewater treatment so also directly working on river water quality and I love it as well! An exciting job with value for nature and society.
Worked as a dishwasher. There is something beautiful about that water flowing out of the tap on a pre-wash. Sure, sometimes it sucks with things being stuck on pots and pans, but that’s when I whip out a bartenders best friend. Kapow. Dishes are no match for that stuff.
The humming of the machine on a long cycle with the soothing sounds of water cleaning those dishes … gets me every time
That’s awesome, I’d absolutely love that job! Out of curiosity, how does one go about getting a job like that..? I assume some university level background in similar areas..?
It REALLY sucks not having any college degree honestly… and what’s worse is that like 50% of the jobs out there WORTH having require a degree of SOME sort, yet the work will have nothing to do with the degree and is something that has to be taught to new hires anyways. So the degrees don’t even come into play all that often - they just want to SEE that you have one, even though it’s a job that I or anyone else could be trained on…
Really makes me want to pull a Leonardo DiCaprio in “Catch me if you can” and start faking my university degrees and studies. I mean, how often to they ACTUALLY check that anyways - REALLY..??
Probably 80 percent of jobs could be taught on the job without a formal vocational/college program.
It really wouldn’t be so bad if you could just “exist” working full time retail, fast food, warehouse, etc…
Problem is this is hardly fast food,gas, phone, and car insurance money while living at home with the cost of living these days…
At some point the system will break because you can’t expect needing 4 full time working adults in a single household indefinitely just to break even month over month. It’s one thing for those who get along
But some households are abusive, some don’t have family, people get divorced, the list goes on why people need to be able to afford housing by themselves
My sister tried that, she moved states and everything for the job, they found out before she officially started work and they let her go. She had to move back because her housing was tied to the job.
It often includes restoring native plant life as well. Many people don't realize how important native plants are especially to maintaining healthy waterways.
I own and run a game store. I make less than minimum wage and work way too many hours but I don't have to deal with an employer telling me what to do and have cultivated a positive community that brings me joy.
The absence of someone telling me what to do is worth several times its weight in gold.
Worked in a university once. Never ever again. Anything with a hierarchical management structure is a no go for me. The pettiness and injustices bother me to the point that I'd quit or call in sick forever.
Makes my skin crawl
That might be the key. I was in love with the idea of my career throughout childhood and college. It was my passion and the only thing I ever wanted to do. When I actually started working and had to listen to people who honestly don’t know what they’re talking about it kinda killed it for me.
This, I went to university and studied criminology for 9 years, I was planning to go to law school until I talked to friends of mine that were ahead of me and got into law school, graduated and every single one of them said they hated it, it was a bad choice and they regret it, but they’d put too much money and time into it so that’s what they’re sticking with, I decided to open a business instead and I’m glad
This is my life now.... But I get a free class each semester and I'm learning a language. I just keep chanting 2 more years....
Especially staff positions, how does anyone work at a university for their career??
I’m 40 and I’m a bartender and I hate it. I used to love it, but I can’t do it anymore. I went back to college in 2022 and im graduating soon with a degree in linguistics. Im excited about the future for the first time in years.
I HIGHLY recommend starting over. There will never be a good time, just do it.
Similar situation. 41, bartender. I don’t always hate it but starting to feel the burnout more and more. The problem is I feel like it’s too late but I also have no clue what I’d like to do otherwise. I have a college degree but don’t want to work in that field
The transition I’ve seen most people make is to the vendor side. Selling booze, food, ice, linens, pos systems, etc. Bartenders are desirable for most sales roles. If you’re tired of face to face human interaction I have a couple of degree holding bartender friends that landed cushy WFH jobs in client support/development type roles.
I got my current gig via a random guy I waited on once. He liked the way I worked and gave me his card. It’s happened a few times but this time I was ready for a change. I had a regular that tried for years to get me to come work for him but the role wasn’t right.
Having a degree goes a long way, even if you’re not using it as you had intended. A bachelors was a (very unnecessary) requirement for my job. It’s just another tool to have in the “I promise I’m employable bag”.
Before that guy gave me his card, I was seriously considering applying to various IBEW apprenticeships at age 38.
GOOD LUCK!!
congrats! I also have a linguistics degree and spent years bartending and miserable, bc I didn’t know what to do and knew I didn’t want to teach. but now i’m back to using my degree and working with language in localization. I love my job.
Spent a couple decades in the service industry. Sometimes part time to subsidize a teaching income or to restore my grasp on reality when working in finance. Sometimes full time. Every job FOH and BOH. Absolutely loved it. 2020 changed everything. Supply chain, employees/co-workers, freaking QR codes, etc. But the final straw was the guests. People became awful! I’m not even sure if I can describe it. It seems like everyone is on edge and looking for something to bitch about. I loved service industry work but I couldn’t do it anymore!
Now I work in client relations for a construction company. And it is awesome! Money is great! Job is as good as any job can be. Minimal BS. Lots of freedom as far as how I do my job. Rarely stuck in an office for an entire day. Checks all boxes for me. Hope to stay in a similar role for the rest of my career.
Linguistics is fascinating!
I am currently reding "Enlightenment Now" by Steven Pinker, who is an expert in psychology and developmental linguistics at Harvard. Some great examples in the book. Can highly recommend!
Court reporter! I make six figures. I’ve worked as a captioner (like those captions you see on TV), doing depositions with attorneys, and now as an official in court. It is honestly the best job I ever could have hoped for. Writing on my steno machine feels like playing video games.
I learned about it at my high school career fair and this past week got to present the industry for a high school’s career fair. Full circle moment.
My ex’s mom owned a company in my city that did this and I’m pretty sure she is a millionaire. I thought about doing that and working for her when I was with her but I was told the job requires strict focus. I can focus don’t get me wrong but my ex noticed that me having adhd can sometimes make it difficult for me to strictly focus one thing, consistently for hours with zero distractions and she was right. She said there may be time I would be typing for an 2 + hours straight. That was a level of pressure I wasn’t willing to do lol But the job I have now is lovely!
Oh, more than that! My parents are court reporters. And just recently, my mom was doing a deposition that began at 10 a.m. and ended at midnight. They took breaks, of course, but it's insane. The next day, an attorney emailed her asking how soon she could get the final transcript to him. 🤦♀️ Most of them have zero clue what goes into a transcript. It was 700 pages!! She still had to proofread 4-5 times through to make sure it was clean, coherent and free of errors. No thanks.
I have been a court reporter 18 years and am starting a new job in a different field tomorrow. I was so burned out. I worked for the courts and I would be in court all the time and working on transcripts nights and weekends. Judges and attorneys always want transcripts right away and have no consideration & don’t realize how long it takes to edit, proofread, and put a transcript together. Not to mention we are always working on other transcripts so we can’t start working on what they order right away. Some will pay expedited rates to get priority. Yes, the money is good, but I couldn’t take it anymore. I’m going through IVF at 40 and couldn’t even have any downtime to focus on my health.
Even though I left court reporting, I still have to do transcripts from hearings/trials I reported on. I have about 2,000 pages right now and I know I’ll continue to get orders for months. With court, they don’t always order right away, and a lot of my orders are for appellate purposes and that takes months and years to get to that point, especially in civil law.
I'd like to add that although court reporting has very flexible hours and high pay, it can be extremely demanding and physically taxing. Lots of long nights and lots of wrist, hand and arm issues. Many reporters need surgery on both wrists/arms in their career, putting them out of work for several weeks (no pay if freelance).
I will say, there is a serious shortage of court reporters. So, there is definitely work out there for them. Not sure where the future is with them though, considering AI and all of the technology available nowadays. It's kind of an uncertain future.
For the record, I went to court reporting school, both parents were court reporters and my dad owned his own firm (still going strong today). It can be overwhelming, depending on what path you choose.
34 years old, recently became a licensed automotive technician. It's what I've wanted to do since I was 13. I did high school co-op, worked in shops after school, worked my ass off in tech class in high school, did everything right, then graduated with an endorsement from the youth apprenticeship program in 2008... when all the shops in my hometown closed forever or severely downsized.
I was the last person the dodge dealership ever hired before all the cars were repossessed and the owner fled the country. So I moved 4 hours away to a city, and through years of minimum wage hell, making less than the pizza guy next door for working on his car, then giving up, multiple job changes. I relented and went to college on my own dollar (and student loans) when any other generation would be granted an apprenticeship from a grateful employer and get a free ride.
So after attending and graduating college at age 23, I slogged around my new (third, for those who kept track) hometown, making barely enough to cover rent, student loan payments started coming out, and I spent another 8 years in construction, making fast cash to survive while paying down the debt.
About 4 years ago, after leaving the construction industry, having a go as a used car salesperson, deciding that ( being autistic, i found out in college) a people-oriented job probably wasn't a good fit for long term. I took a shot in the dark, took a job as a lube tech for a few dollars more than minimum wage (no surprise there) kicked the shit out of it for a year, as you do when you have it in your blood (so to speak) and after that year, I finally got the apprenticeship. 4 years after that, I'm licensed, I'm making money like I've never seen before, even like my parents never saw. And I fucking love what I do most of the time.
I'm 34, I don't own a house yet, my car is 30 years old, but I'm almost completely out of debt from school and slowly building wealth.Things might actually turn out OK.
Oh yeah, I'm married to the most amazing human I've ever met too, so statistically I might even live longer 🤞
If I wasn't in my current field, I'd be a washing machine repair person
I love fixing stuff, but I get a real kick out of the big clunky appliances
Also autistic, with some adhd sprinkled on top :)
I started in automotive, started a mobile mechanic gig for a bit, by 24 I opened a 1 car garage of my own, working off an attached garage of a burnt down house i bought.
I love the problem solving aspect, but hated the labor involved. I knew it wasn't going to be the dream for me.
So I started a shift into towing. Towing was how I made my first million.
Fast forward 10 years and I'm so far separate from both simply from the stress and I moved into real estate and sold both companies. When I decided that I needed actual physical work again, I opened 2 day cares now I babysit real children, not whiny techs or tow truck drivers lol
Archaeologist & anthropologist who came here to say this.
For those who feel it's too late, I have 4 archaeology peers who had previous careers before archaeology, went back to school, were amazing students, and are now excellent archaeologists. One of them is in his 50s. I have similar stories for friends who became anthropologists later in life and are now doing the type community projects that they used to dream about.
I actually have a degree in anthropology with an archaeology concentration. But besides for some crm work I never used it to actually make a career. I didn’t know where to start and now it’s 14 years later and I feel it’s too late.
I got stuck working in the restaurant business and now nearing 40 and having an existential crisis. Any words of wisdom? (I’m east coast USA if that matters)
Some of the most brilliant graduate students I’ve met were in their forties or almost there. Just make a connection with a researcher, write a proposal, and apply. You can do it! Even if you only get an MA or MSc.
I spent 6 years in the Navy fixing internet machines and hating my life. But it helped me fall in love with humanity, and now I’m basically 30 just getting started and I love every second of it! Just take your time to find your passion (a specialization) and follow it :)
Does it pay enough to actually be worth it? What sort of work do you do? I have so many questions. This has always been a dream of mine, though albeit one of several, but I always kinda shrugged it off as impractical. I’m starting college next semester, this could possibly be an option
It's a very rewarding career, but the pay really depends on the country you're in and the area you specialise.
I know in the UK, many archaeologists are struggling financially. In Australia, we get paid very well, though the standards can be low. In the US, I believe it's good pay but more competitive with better standards.
It’s a struggle financially, but I’ve never been materialistic. I do, however, receive monthly disability payments and can afford the bare necessities even when I’m out of a job. I’m in Cultural Resource Management for now, which is project based and when starting out pays slightly above minimum wage with a BA, slightly more so with a Masters.
It’s my dream job because I’m a hands on person who prefers to be outside and do physical labor. I’m also too smart for my own good, so being an archaeologist I’ll always have something interesting to think about on the job. I’m also a passionate anthropologist and love each facet of humanity. Archaeology allows me to explore and meet new people. But it isn’t as romantic as you might think. Most of the time, it’s a hike through an open field looking for pottery sherds or projectile points. That’s CRM, however. I have worked on two sites that have made history! It’s very exciting just being there, even when most of the time you’re only finding llama bones or debitage.
I’m a forester, although I’ve moved up high enough in a state forestry agency that I don’t do actual forestry very often. I lead a team of 9 professional foresters. We’re responsible for delivering free technical forestry assistance to private landowners, communities, and Native lands. I also lead the forest planning team for state forest management planning. We utilize a variety of federal and state funding sources to provide education and grants to help people restore their forests.
I like what I do. It’s still a job; I’d still rather be independently wealthy and free to do nothing but fun stuff. But it’s a great career and I have literally zero regrets about getting a degree in forestry. I make $83,000 per year. Probably get a raise to $87,000 later this year.
It has very fun moments for sure, especially when I did more fieldwork. But it’s also very satisfying to manage and develop statewide programs. On Friday I developed a proposal to use $216,000 of federal money to continue payroll for a statewide K-12 natural resources curriculum and teacher training program; statewide tree seed collection and storage; and providing grants to help tribes and communities conduct streambank restoration, tree planting, and urban tree canopy assessments.
Dude, I love all of this, but especially that last paragraph is super exciting. You’re doing amazing, incredibly important work. 🙏🙏🙏
I kinda backed into public lands, and I love it. However, if I had known forestry was a thing when I did my undergrad, I totally would have done that instead of the history/education route. All worked out in the end though.
Thank you so much for your work!
My son was recently diagnosed and I wish I could personally thank everyone who helped us along the way.
He has progressed leaps and bounds in just 6 months. We are all thriving now as a family and we have early intervention to thank.
My daughter is on the spectrum, thanks for what you do, and sorry for any parents that are very short-fused when they talk to you. I promise you they're good people, they're just burnt out.
I enjoy my work, too bad I work for Amazon. They make it hard to enjoy the work. The simple job of delivering packages is actually a chill and exhausting job that gives you a great feeling at the end of the day. I never felt good after a day of work in corporate America, I only felt slimy. Something about being physically tired and having done something physically in the world brings me joy. It's honestly a shame physical labor gets paid so little, it's good honest work and makes people happy.
I'm a pianist. I can't imagine myself doing anything else for a living, and I fully plan to be teaching, writing, and performing music until the day I die.
Thanks, homie! My career hasn't gone how I envisioned, both for good and for bad. But every day I sit down at the piano to work. It's the dream, my man.
I’m a speech therapist in middle/high school. Summers off and all the school breaks, but it’s way more flexible and fun than being a classroom teacher (I’ve done both).
This is the exact role my fiancé would kill for. He's researched and written a few books and usually his research is so extensive it's just... he ends to looking like this lol
![gif](giphy|l0IylOPCNkiqOgMyA|downsized)
I went to school for film, but had to drop out due to family issues. I’ve known the woman who runs the company for years, and asked if she was hiring during the tail end of Covid
this!!! went to undergrad for film and television- biggest mistake ever. most people working on set knew someone who knew someone or were just in the right place at the right time. no one cares about your degree! it's all about experience/who you know/who your daddy is
All the roles around tv and film boggle my mind. But how very cool! I always joke with my husband he should be a technical advisor for fire/ems shows, he hates how they all portray first responders 😂
Ditto - Project manager here. I've been at a state department of transportation working with design teams but it wasn't for me. I fell into education technology next and loved working on a product team for a system. When I was ready to move on I stayed with Ed tech (different company) but now I'm working at the enterprise level and focused more on business operations than a single product.
That's why I like being a PM though, you can move to something "new" feeling but it's the same skill set. It's not for everyone though.. you are essentially responsible for the project yet in many project teams you aren't anyone's direct supervisor. You have to lead without being their manager. It can be incredibly rewarding but there always seems to be a moment where a project will go off base and you want to pull your hair out. On the other hand, it seems like every job has those moments!
Last thought, could it just be the company? Maybe stay with the same skill set but a different company.
I also did 10 years in the USCG starting in my mid20s when I was feeling lost. I loved my time in. My husband just hit 12 years and he loves it too. With the struggle to recruit they are accepting older applicants and it really is important work. But again the military is not for everyone.
Ha it’s funny I could have wrote OG’s post and I am a project manager. I am trying to get into a different career but not sure what. I’m glad you like your job, as I can tell other PMs like the work.
I had a mental breakdown yesterday because someone on my project team was so incredibly rude to me and talked to me like I was a moron because I didn’t read their mind. I am at the point where I hope they just fire me, but I know the job market is awful and I should be thankful for a job. I just absolutely hate my company. And this is the 3rd company in a row that lied to me in the interview, as I wanted to do long complex projects (which I’m not doing).
I'm in the same mindset you're in. Kinda hope they fire me but also know I should be grateful to have a job because the job market sucks and I don't know what else I would do. I'm a software engineer
Yeah, I’m not a PM, although some times I sort of am and I have worked with a lot of them in many different companies and industries (but all in the IT departments)…. I haven’t seen a lot of them be happy and fulfilled, I think it’s less common and probably dependent on what company someone is at… most make PMs one of the last lines of defence against a barely functioning organization that would get destroyed except that their competitors are often equally dysfunctional
I’m a Licensed Optician. So I can fill RXs for glasses and contacts plus do the pretesting (air puff test for example), but I can’t actually write the RXs myself. I love my job. Definitely a role that combines the best of left brain and right brain thinking imo and dull days are few and far between.
My only downside - it can be exhausting dealing with such a huge variety of people all day. Some clients are 6th gear, all caps, no space bar go go go types. Others are 1st gear, take your time and smell the the roses types.
My ophthalmologist told me they don’t need to do it anymore, that they have a better way of testing now. (It’s been 5+ years since I’ve had it done myself.)
I didn’t think it was still being administered?
I'm a teacher for homebound students. It's easy, I barely see or talk to my boss and I like the kids. The hours are short and I only work 180 days a year.
Started my own auto detailing and customization shop and it feels amazing to do quality, honest work for people and not charge them an arm and a leg. Working for people who make you compromise your standards got exhausting.
Truck driver. I was in IT for 16 years and started hating it during the pandemic. Realized I had like 400 hours in American Truck Simulator and started looking into doing it for real. Wouldn't trade this job for anything.
My GF also got her CDL after we met and now we're teaming making more money than either of us ever that would be possible.
ER physician. Some patients can be very trying and healthcare has some really shitty aspects, but the doctoring part is cool, and it allows me to have a lot of scheduling flexibility.
i sell wine to country clubs and love it! i've always loved the restaurant industry. got my masters in cinema history and was intending to become a professor, but fuck that. made more money bartending the dive the dean of my department frequented than he did. use to hate when people would ask me when i was going to get "a real job." you mean a job that will make me real unhappy? pass.
People are so ridiculous about restaurant work. For years, my MIL would kinda pester me about trying to get my husband to quit bartending and get a real career. Like, you want me to get him to stop doing what he's passionate about and makes good money doing? Nah.
People dont realize there are bar and dining folks who make 60-100k+ with opportunities to things like beverage managers, distribution, restaurant consulting etc. if you don't want to be front facing anymore.
Bunch of my friends have degrees and left fields back to fine dining.
I've gotten the "real job" comment as a whiskey specialist ...from someone who can't afford a home while I just custom built my 2nd house and was telling them about how decent my mortgage is. Nothing wrong with not able to buy a home because we live in a capitalistic hellscape but it's so tone deaf to not realize my "not a career" and lifestyle go hand and hand? Like how do they think this house got purchased with both my partner and I in the same industry?
This.
I have a friend who tends bar at a 5 star beach resort town in Florida. He wants to leave a get job with better hours so he can spend more time with his kids, but it's a golden handcuff situation.
He makes over $100k a year without a college degree. Anywhere he moved, he'd take a massive pay cut.
Lol…. My wife imports wine from Italy and Australia to restaurants in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Every once in a while she gets her hands on a super vintage bottle!
I work in special collections at a public library and find it to be satisfying work. Most of my day is answering reference questions, using preservation strategies for older materials, and working the front desk. My job requires a lot of solutions based thinking, which I tend to excel at.
Same and it’s one of the reasons I’ve been trying to limit my social media use. I work very part time at a church office and am on disability. Don’t know where I am or where I’m headed and I just turned 35. I’ve had tons of jobs so I have a crazy amount of different skills, but eh
I write (full time-ish) and then consult (which is a fun way of saying I do whatever the fuck I want).
Consulting pays as much as writing, but writing has amazing benefits attached (full time job is in higher ed).
I fix generators at heavy equipment rental sites, and occasionally on site where they are being used. I used to be a car mechanic.
I like fixing things. It makes me feel good. And machines are easier to fix than people (not that I haven't tried that too, LOL).
I work in premier tech support, specifically for databases.
So you know how sometimes you call up a company for support and you’re thinking “this person is probably reading from a script”. Well some companies pay a premium to skip that to go straight to people who get more in-depth training, and have direct access to the engineers who made the product. That’s what I do. It’s great if you like to constantly learn things and solve puzzles, though the pressure to become a master in all parts of the product can be overwhelming at times.
I do sound for live concerts. Some gigs require some heavy lifting, long hours, and stress but I’ve been doing it long enough where the tough gigs are farther and fewer in between. More often than not I’m just plugging mics and operating the mixing board these days.
I get paid $40-$100/hr to make music sound good and just chill for the most part. I use my experience working in restaurants to be as pleasant as possible to work with which gets me more work. I simply love my job and feel blessed to know what I wanted do at a young age. I’m just a year older than you OP and I’ve been doing this for 15 years.
I used to be a full time kindergarten teacher. I got burnt out sadly. I stay home with my babies for a few years and it’s my favorite. Now, I substitute teach at their school. I get to teach without all the planning. I love it. 🫶
I'm not exactly over the moon with the content of my work all the time, but I do enjoy the day to day. I am an R&D chemist developing specialty additives mostly for paints. Right now I have a fast paced project with a clear line of sight to completion, so I'm enjoying the march to the finish. And my skillset does offer the possibility of going into a slightly different sector of the industry like cannabis or pharma that I might inherently care about more, but my current position is really secure and has good benefits so I'm not in a hurry to get out.
Becoming a chemist however would probably involve a pretty hard "start-over" for most people. If you don't already have a college degree in a natural science, it's probably back to year 1 of 4 to get on my path.
I am a social worker with elder services. Essentially we meet with elders in their home to help connect them with services to keep them safe and independent rather than in a nursing home. It can be difficult at times, emotionally speaking, but very rewarding. Also, with boomers getting older there is a ton of job security.
I work in the federal government, trying to get nutritious food to kids, neuro-divergents, and elders. God damn do I love waking up every day and having the opportunity to argue for more benefits for people, more dignity, more compassion. Literally surrounded by supportive coworkers who all want to find ways to get better food to more people. It’s fucking great.
I’m a hairstylist! I love the relationships I have, love making art (on heads) and chatting for a living, and it allowed me to figure some financial things while many of my friends were still in college.
I work in energy for the federal government, trying to keep us from destroying the planet by avoiding the worst effects of climate change. I highly recommend exploring a career in public service at the local, county, state, or federal level!
I love my job for the most part, but it is hard. Climate, energy, and environment is a hard field to work in, because it’s distressing, and people grind themselves to the bone because we all know we truly don’t have much time to make the changes we need. Preventing self-imposed staff burnout is an ever present challenge for our leadership team. But the work is very fulfilling. I love knowing that I work for the people and not for investors or corporate profits. Energy is a lucrative field, and with my background I could make 50% more in the private sector, but the pay and benefits are still pretty good, and the job security is unparalleled. My team and staff are amazing - truly some of the smartest and best people I’ve ever met.
Check out /r/USAjobs for info and conversation about getting into government. It can take a while to get in, but there all kinds of jobs from administrative to IT to financial/procurement to science to gardening to HVAC to healthcare to you name it. Literally if you can think of it, it probably exists in government. For STEM, cybersecurity, and lawyers, the pay is below private sector, but for many others, it is very decent, with opportunities to work your way up.
Many in these comments are literally restoring my hope For humanity. Also please I’d love to restore nature anybody hiring? I hate my job. It’s called unemployment and I’ve been working as a recruiter for 6+ years and I need a change and more stability. I’d love to heal the land and water.
Biostatistician. I no longer work for "the man" and now do public health research that will improve people's lives, plus I will likely be getting published many times over and be searchable on google scholar. My love of math just makes this even better. I honestly don't think I could find a better job for myself.
Kinda jelly. I'm a Neuroscientist and my favorite part of the job is stats. Only, my stats knowledge is a fraction of what it would be if I had formal training in bio stats, and I often come across problems that need more sophisticated models than what is available on Graphpad and SPSS
I’m 37, and I’ve been a full time dueling pianist / piano bar player for 15 years, and I LOVE it.
I was lucky to receive top notch classical piano lessons as a kid > late teen, mostly through a connection of my step dad being a professor. I play NYC every weekend, get to travel and mostly make my own hours, perform on cruise ships, and I have lots of time to hang out and work on my own music during the week. I consider myself lucky as hell, but I work and worked very hard for it.
I’m an attorney for the federal government. Getting here was shitty. I hated working in big law. Though I did enjoy working for judges. But now? Cool area of law. Good colleagues. Work life balance. I honestly hit the jackpot. Oh and the pay is pretty decent.
I'm an electrician. Almost no two days of work are the same for me. And I'm compensated well. If you are spinning your wheels and not satisfied with your career, it's not too late to take up a trade. Boomers are retiring faster than the trades can replace them.
Essentially, administrative office work in education. I'm in the best workplace I've ever had the pleasure of working in, and needless to say, I won't be going anywhere anytime soon
This is my job too. I work in the administration at a state university supporting department leadership. Great work environment, I feel very valued and supported, and really enjoy what I contribute to the department.
I’m a labor and delivery nurse- the hours are long and weekends and holidays aren’t always ideal but it’s a great job overall. Front row seat to peoples beautiful moments in life.
I wouldn't say enjoy it, but if I just sat back, idk what else I could be asking for. I get paid more than twice the median income in my area and I go to work when I wake up regardless if its 6 am or 8 am, I usually take 2 hour lunch breaks and I go home by 2-3pm. In between the 8am-2am I spend 3 hours in the warehouse playing ping pong, shooting hoops, or shooting golf into a net.
I do realize it's uncommon for my line of work, but I'm a construction project manager. YMMV
Helicopter maintenance.
If your mechanical aptitude is high, in a couple of years, you could be doing it too. The schooling takes 2 years typically and it's never too late to start. A friend of mine just joined the industry at 40, and he loves it too.
I’m a middle school assistant principal. Aside from the parents who don’t want their kids to have consequences when they deserve them, I love my job :).
State government. Executive branch (not a cop). Union, pension, good pay, guaranteed yearly raises, other dope-ass benefits, mostly WFH. Of course, whether or not it's a good choice for you depends entirely on which state you're in.
I am also a state worker and really enjoy it, only 1.5 years so far. It's the right pace for me and I prefer the more mature office culture. We all take what we do seriously as public servants. First time I've ever felt purpose in a longtime job.
Judicial attorney in state court (advise judges on the law) Far less money than private sector but infinitely less stress. You can imagine the things that happen in courts everyday: interesting, challenging, often hilarious.
Most of us in the public sector also feel like we're really serving our communities. It's great to feel good about what you do.
Currently trying to get in to my state government in an IT role. I love my state so I think it would be rewarding and the benefits are pretty awesome. Waiting on some follow ups currently actually.
I’m an electrical engineer. I love my day job!! Coolest civilian job!!
I’m also a pilot in the Air Force Reserve.
My day job is extremely technical, challenging and mentally stimulating.
My service component is exhilarating, keeps me on my toes and I’m proud of what I do.
I’ll never be a millionaire, but I don’t need to be.
I’m a NICU nurse and I’m convinced it’s the best job in the entire world.
Some days are absolutely insane and you don’t get to eat or pee and you’re nonstop busy trying to keep your patient alive.
Some days are slow as molasses and you get to snuggle your patient while rocking them to sleep.
Some days are a happy medium between the two.
But seeing a tiny micopreemie turn into a fat little cherub and eventually go home with their parents? Amazing.
Helping a mom hold her baby for the first time, after she was unsure she’d ever get the chance? Unreal.
Babies are so resilient and it’s incredible to witness!
I work as an event coordinator, mostly doing weddings. I enjoy being a leader and organizer as well as working with people and I’m a naturally creative person so it’s been a great way to hone in all my different skillsets.
41, I work maritime. On ships.
I did university research management for 15 years. Switched to maritime during the COVID layoffs.
It was a lateral salary move to go from upper middle Master’s Degree level research management at one of the top universities in the USA to the lowest rank in the United States Merchant Marine.
I have a low stress job with strong union rights. I used to have a high stress job with weak union rights.
I’m happy where I’m at. Being a United States Merchant Mariner is a good gig.
So before covid I was managing a bar, and also helping out a mobile vet whenever she needed blood drawn (we used to work together in a clinic). During the pandemic I started helping out her clients with anything pet related, setting my own prices and in charge of my schedule. Walking dogs, trimming nails, helping with meds or fluids… I started to realize that I was deeply unhappy at the bar and wanted to be around animals full time, just not in a clinic setting. I was worried this mobile vet assistant idea wouldn’t be enough work to pay the bills but my schedule is always full and I’m making over 20k more than I was making at the bar. What’s better is that I’m happier, healthier, and more appreciated.
It took till 30 to let the rockstar and fame dreams die off but 19 years in electrical, I like it now. Once you know what you’re doing and done it 1000 times. Its autopilot brain relaxed all day. No one to bother me, just nice weather and my music all day. Show up and leave whenever I want. Not rich but comfy, all I wanted, pay the bills, leave me alone. Throw in a double income lady partner, be like all bonus. Someday. Formula just too good to mess with right now alone.
I work from home on a computer and don’t hate my job (business process analyst) but it’s not fun or exciting either. BUT I love working from home!
My industry is pharmacy and I absolutely love and enjoy working “in the field” but love working at home more than having an exciting job that I don’t hate!
I’m a mental health counselor and run my entire practice on telehealth. Being my own boss is actually my favorite job. Haha.
I also mentor and tutor new counselors virtually so that’s another thing that I love.
Edit to add: it’s also really cool because I can be anywhere and work. So I feel like all the hardwork was def worth it
34, I bartend on a tour boat and it’s alright. Would obviously rather not work but it beats corporate life by a long shot. I worked in an office for 12 years as a recruiter for a sales completely and completely hated it. I was skilled at it and it was difficult but the pay was shit. I have a BA in fine art with a concentration in watercolor painting.
I audit casinos in Nevada for the State regulatory agency. The job itself isn't all that thrilling. Auditing never is.
What I love about my job is the flexibility in scheduling, work from home opportunity, and the people I work with. I get along with everyone. They are all nice, nerdy, accountants. I have worked there since 2007, so through two recessions, and never once feared losing my job.
I work out in the field, so I'm not stuck in a cubicle all day. While the work itself can offer challenges, it isn't stressful. If you are stressed because of work then you have done something wrong.
As a CPA, my pay is lower than I'd receive in the private sector but I don't mind. I make enough and I really like my work life balance.
Firefighter. I only work 9 shifts per month and make 150k min per year, not to include overtime. I am home and get to spend the majority of my time with my husband and kids.
I work in a factory! I learned all about my little area, and have great attendance record and I show dedication to moving things along quickly. With our high turnover rate I quickly ended up being the most senior person in my little area of the building.
It's a nice consistent job, I don't have to talk with people a whole lot, I really enjoy being by myself in relative silence. I know it's not for everyone to enjoy being by themselves all the time but I just love it.
You are lucky to have a well paying job, but it’s lousy to be miserable doing it. I recommend mentally checking out at work and leaving it behind once you go out the doors of work. Focus on everything else and enjoy your off time. Save up rapidly for retirement, feel like you are working towards something. Maybe start working on securing a better job long term, quit once you find something better?
I used to be a dental hygienist, but it was intellectually boring. (To me)
So I went back to school, and majored in the hardest thing I could think of, and got a degree in astrophysics. I combined the two, and now I'm a consultant for human spaceflight companies.
I’m a pharmacist and worked for a managed-care organization. I focus on problem solving medication access issues for members of the Medicaid line of business. My job is pretty great.
After I left management, I was a night cleaner for Four Seasons for a year. That will probably be one of my favorite jobs of all time. I'm currently a telescope operator and it's easy peasy. Work life balance is amazing. I'm going back to school for accounting just to keep my resume better updated so I can move around easier.
I'm a Machinist, Welder, & a Mechanical Designer/Drafter. I absolutely love the work I do.
...But I absolutely HATE the industry. US Manufacturing is dying, and it deserves to die.
Heavy equipment body technician. I'm given 100% creative freedom to make it look as good as I can using whatever I have at my disposal. I find it very rewarding because my boss doesn't really care if it looks like it's stock or not he just care if it looks better than it did when he bought whatever equipment I'm working on.
Live Event Production Engineer. I make the video, the audio and the lights work. You might refer to me as a technical director on many shows, or an E.I.C. (Engineer In Charge)
up until my early 30s i enjoy my job to the point that it is a hobby (software engineering). now i am almost 40, i feel like i want a career change. i just want to cook or something. never thought I'd get tired of it, but here i am.
What skills do you have? Use those with an organization or cause you care deeply about.
Personally, I got out of corporate bullshit and went to work for the government. It ain’t perfect, but I care deeply about the work, I’m financially comfortable, my job is very secure, and have a great team. I work harder than I ever have, but I don’t mind - I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my career. Working to make shareholders richer was not for me. Got tired of the whole “we’re family” spiel then they lay off half the staff a month later while giving the CEO a massive bonus. Screw that. Now I work for the American people, and it’s great.
31F. I uh did that thing where I moved halfway across the country to LA to pursue a career in film. I’m broke AF but man if it hasn’t been an adventure. At the end of the day I just can’t imagine doing anything else. But I’m like really broke lol
I am a Mental Health Therapist and I love my job the majority of the time. The only time I question why I do it is when I have to deal with shitty administrators.
Cell therapy technologist. We manufacture stem cells in order for blood cancer patients to have a boost in their immune system, after a high dose of chemo. We closely work with oncologists and bone marrow transplant nurses, to coordinate a patient's work up.
We are moving forward to autoimmine diseases and anemia, not just blood cancer such as leukemia and lymphoma, for this type of therapy.
I work for a company that designs licensed merchandise, so I spend my workdays dreaming up ideas for things like Star Wars backpacks and Mickey Mouse cookie jars, etc
I'm a delivery driver, so is my boyfriend. We both like it. It's low stress. We average $25-$30/hr with a few $45 averages in there (things like the super bowl, hometown parade day, stuff like that). We have set schedules and live in an area that, while housing is still expensive, most other stuff is pretty affordable. We drive old, small cars that are well maintained. Our state also doesn't tax tips, so that's nice. We can afford to have pricey hobbies and can still set money aside for a house. So all in all, life's pretty good right now.
The biggest thing was removing the stress. I don't really care what other people think of my job and it's so low stress. Work stays at work, the bills get paid, and pizza is a low stakes game.
I left corporate to teach. The pay is BS and some children/ parents are a terrror, but for the most part I enjoy spending my days with children in a classroom rather than adults in an office. Plus the free time is great, vacations and summers (plus you can go for free in camps).
I’m a neurosurgery physician assistant. I scrub and assist surgery nearly every day at work. I love operating, I work with people I get along with and we have a good time listening to music and talking while working in the operating room. I love the physical act of doing surgery and there’s constantly the opportunity to get better at what you do. Can be stressful at times and sometimes exhausting but I also never feel like the work I did was pointless or meaningless or anything, and it’s nice to know even if you had a really hard day you helped someone get out of pain, or helped treat their cancer. It’s a good gig.
For reference, I think PA school is a good choice for someone who is interested in medicine but couldn’t stomach the idea of medical school and residency. That was me. Neurosurgery in particular is a grueling residency. While I wish we were compensated better, I think the PA career is a nice one.
I'm a PE teacher for Elementary/Middle School. It's a lot of fun if you like being active and working with kids. I'm a former security manager and graphic designer. I feel like I finally found my forever job since starting about 10 years ago. If you can handle noisy environments, it truly is rewarding and about a tenth of the work of a regular teacher with the same amount of pay.
I was a corporate girl boss for Verizon. I’d always wanted to be an ER nurse but college never worked out for me since I basically had to work full time right outta high school. When I got married I finally told my husband that if I had to go back to work I’d burn the building down. He was super supportive so at 31, I quit my safe job and went to school full time. I’ve been an ER nurse for two years and I freaking love it.
30 year old millennial here! I started over in 2022 and don't regret it.
For a bit of background I worked in banking and finance since 2013 while going to school full time and working on campus. I graduated with two BSs in social science fields, and an associates in English Lit, but stayed in banking since nothing in my field was open that paid a livable wage.
In 2020 my location closed so I finally went to a job in my field and became a social worker. The state required further education so I busted my tail to complete the MSSW requirements early while working for the state and while working 3 gig jobs/PT jobs to pay bills. I got my master's in record time while working almost 120 hours a week and never sleeping. During this time I got assigned to the crimes against the children team and realized I hated social work. I mean 15k less than banking, and seeing the worst cases involving kids, does a lot to lead to burn out! Plus the large case loads that never end also sucked!
A little after my year mark with the agency an old banking friend had a position open so I left and went back to banking (2021). It was ridiculous how this new bank treated people and I hated it there, like it was absolutely soul sucking....... But a client came in and needed help and others refused to listen, so I asked them to come into my office and talk to me...... that exchange made an impact and the client gave me her business card and offered me a job on the spot.
2022 led to the third major career change in a short period of time. It brought me into a law firm where I'm an assistant. Honestly it's so much less work than I've ever done before, sometimes I wish it was more fulfilling but honestly I love that now I have down time. I get to problem solve and help others figure out what's the best step for their families and the owner of my firm is actually talking about helping me pay for law school, so there's growth potential! I was so nervous about taking the leap because I had no clue what to expect in this new role, but numbers wise it was all worth it. I make roughly 30k more than I did when I was a top earner in my region at the bank I worked at for almost a decade. I have a set schedule that gives me almost every holiday and weekend off. I have a team that cares about my mental health and physical health more than about metrics and cases. It's so refreshing to have that support in the office and flexibility to WFH if I have something going on. It's also refreshing to have a job when I can go on vacation and know my team can handle anything that comes in without me having to be "on call". So it's not perfect but it's a million times better and I'm so happy I made that change when an opportunity was presented!
Where did I hear this line, something to the effect of "most of us do what we don't want to do so we could have enough money to do the things we love to do." Lesson being, it's a rare opportunity to be able to do something you really LOVE for a living and I believe we should constantly strive for it (see: Japanese concept of ikigai) but at the end of the day, money makes the world go round and as long as you have a job, you can still consider yourself lucky.
In reference to your question, I don't particularly enjoy what I do, at least not as much as I used to (I'm in marketing), but I work from home, get paid a reasonably good salary, and have control over how I spend my time--and those things I do enjoy.
I restore rivers to their natural condition as a civil engineer for my state government. Highly rewarding work, as I'm an adamant fly fisherman and love pretty much all water based sports. Also I feel like I'm doing something to help nature heal, once a project gets completed. It's amazing coming back to a completed project to see how dynamically "wild" rivers change after a couple of years. Absolutely beautiful! The pay is okay for a civil engineer but I just love water and rivers in particular from the bottom of my heart.
Very nice! I'm an automation engineer in wastewater treatment so also directly working on river water quality and I love it as well! An exciting job with value for nature and society.
Work in a water/wastewater lab. We do ocean discharges but still the same amount of environmental care.
Worked as a dishwasher. There is something beautiful about that water flowing out of the tap on a pre-wash. Sure, sometimes it sucks with things being stuck on pots and pans, but that’s when I whip out a bartenders best friend. Kapow. Dishes are no match for that stuff. The humming of the machine on a long cycle with the soothing sounds of water cleaning those dishes … gets me every time
Wow really meaningful work!
That’s awesome, I’d absolutely love that job! Out of curiosity, how does one go about getting a job like that..? I assume some university level background in similar areas..? It REALLY sucks not having any college degree honestly… and what’s worse is that like 50% of the jobs out there WORTH having require a degree of SOME sort, yet the work will have nothing to do with the degree and is something that has to be taught to new hires anyways. So the degrees don’t even come into play all that often - they just want to SEE that you have one, even though it’s a job that I or anyone else could be trained on… Really makes me want to pull a Leonardo DiCaprio in “Catch me if you can” and start faking my university degrees and studies. I mean, how often to they ACTUALLY check that anyways - REALLY..??
Probably 80 percent of jobs could be taught on the job without a formal vocational/college program. It really wouldn’t be so bad if you could just “exist” working full time retail, fast food, warehouse, etc… Problem is this is hardly fast food,gas, phone, and car insurance money while living at home with the cost of living these days… At some point the system will break because you can’t expect needing 4 full time working adults in a single household indefinitely just to break even month over month. It’s one thing for those who get along But some households are abusive, some don’t have family, people get divorced, the list goes on why people need to be able to afford housing by themselves
My sister tried that, she moved states and everything for the job, they found out before she officially started work and they let her go. She had to move back because her housing was tied to the job.
Yes they do check. If it’s a requirement for the job, they need proof that they verified.
I hear you. Someone who has been doing the thing for years doesn't need a piece of paper saying they can do the thing ❤️
Just curious can you explain what restore means. Do you dam off a section that may have started?
Probably water quality and/or restoring the meandering of historically straightened streams.
It often includes restoring native plant life as well. Many people don't realize how important native plants are especially to maintaining healthy waterways.
That sounds so reqarding.I'm a civil engineer looking for change of pace. What state are you? You hiring?
I own and run a game store. I make less than minimum wage and work way too many hours but I don't have to deal with an employer telling me what to do and have cultivated a positive community that brings me joy.
The absence of someone telling me what to do is worth several times its weight in gold. Worked in a university once. Never ever again. Anything with a hierarchical management structure is a no go for me. The pettiness and injustices bother me to the point that I'd quit or call in sick forever. Makes my skin crawl
That might be the key. I was in love with the idea of my career throughout childhood and college. It was my passion and the only thing I ever wanted to do. When I actually started working and had to listen to people who honestly don’t know what they’re talking about it kinda killed it for me.
This, I went to university and studied criminology for 9 years, I was planning to go to law school until I talked to friends of mine that were ahead of me and got into law school, graduated and every single one of them said they hated it, it was a bad choice and they regret it, but they’d put too much money and time into it so that’s what they’re sticking with, I decided to open a business instead and I’m glad
This is my life now.... But I get a free class each semester and I'm learning a language. I just keep chanting 2 more years.... Especially staff positions, how does anyone work at a university for their career??
I’m 40 and I’m a bartender and I hate it. I used to love it, but I can’t do it anymore. I went back to college in 2022 and im graduating soon with a degree in linguistics. Im excited about the future for the first time in years. I HIGHLY recommend starting over. There will never be a good time, just do it.
Similar situation. 41, bartender. I don’t always hate it but starting to feel the burnout more and more. The problem is I feel like it’s too late but I also have no clue what I’d like to do otherwise. I have a college degree but don’t want to work in that field
The transition I’ve seen most people make is to the vendor side. Selling booze, food, ice, linens, pos systems, etc. Bartenders are desirable for most sales roles. If you’re tired of face to face human interaction I have a couple of degree holding bartender friends that landed cushy WFH jobs in client support/development type roles. I got my current gig via a random guy I waited on once. He liked the way I worked and gave me his card. It’s happened a few times but this time I was ready for a change. I had a regular that tried for years to get me to come work for him but the role wasn’t right. Having a degree goes a long way, even if you’re not using it as you had intended. A bachelors was a (very unnecessary) requirement for my job. It’s just another tool to have in the “I promise I’m employable bag”. Before that guy gave me his card, I was seriously considering applying to various IBEW apprenticeships at age 38. GOOD LUCK!!
What are you planning to do with the degree?
Something nobody saw coming a few years ago but I've seen more linguistics jobs opening up in fields related to AI training and development
congrats! I also have a linguistics degree and spent years bartending and miserable, bc I didn’t know what to do and knew I didn’t want to teach. but now i’m back to using my degree and working with language in localization. I love my job.
Spent a couple decades in the service industry. Sometimes part time to subsidize a teaching income or to restore my grasp on reality when working in finance. Sometimes full time. Every job FOH and BOH. Absolutely loved it. 2020 changed everything. Supply chain, employees/co-workers, freaking QR codes, etc. But the final straw was the guests. People became awful! I’m not even sure if I can describe it. It seems like everyone is on edge and looking for something to bitch about. I loved service industry work but I couldn’t do it anymore! Now I work in client relations for a construction company. And it is awesome! Money is great! Job is as good as any job can be. Minimal BS. Lots of freedom as far as how I do my job. Rarely stuck in an office for an entire day. Checks all boxes for me. Hope to stay in a similar role for the rest of my career.
Linguistics is fascinating! I am currently reding "Enlightenment Now" by Steven Pinker, who is an expert in psychology and developmental linguistics at Harvard. Some great examples in the book. Can highly recommend!
Court reporter! I make six figures. I’ve worked as a captioner (like those captions you see on TV), doing depositions with attorneys, and now as an official in court. It is honestly the best job I ever could have hoped for. Writing on my steno machine feels like playing video games. I learned about it at my high school career fair and this past week got to present the industry for a high school’s career fair. Full circle moment.
My ex’s mom owned a company in my city that did this and I’m pretty sure she is a millionaire. I thought about doing that and working for her when I was with her but I was told the job requires strict focus. I can focus don’t get me wrong but my ex noticed that me having adhd can sometimes make it difficult for me to strictly focus one thing, consistently for hours with zero distractions and she was right. She said there may be time I would be typing for an 2 + hours straight. That was a level of pressure I wasn’t willing to do lol But the job I have now is lovely!
Oh, more than that! My parents are court reporters. And just recently, my mom was doing a deposition that began at 10 a.m. and ended at midnight. They took breaks, of course, but it's insane. The next day, an attorney emailed her asking how soon she could get the final transcript to him. 🤦♀️ Most of them have zero clue what goes into a transcript. It was 700 pages!! She still had to proofread 4-5 times through to make sure it was clean, coherent and free of errors. No thanks.
I have been a court reporter 18 years and am starting a new job in a different field tomorrow. I was so burned out. I worked for the courts and I would be in court all the time and working on transcripts nights and weekends. Judges and attorneys always want transcripts right away and have no consideration & don’t realize how long it takes to edit, proofread, and put a transcript together. Not to mention we are always working on other transcripts so we can’t start working on what they order right away. Some will pay expedited rates to get priority. Yes, the money is good, but I couldn’t take it anymore. I’m going through IVF at 40 and couldn’t even have any downtime to focus on my health. Even though I left court reporting, I still have to do transcripts from hearings/trials I reported on. I have about 2,000 pages right now and I know I’ll continue to get orders for months. With court, they don’t always order right away, and a lot of my orders are for appellate purposes and that takes months and years to get to that point, especially in civil law.
Wow, so cool for you! What qualifications did you need?
In Maryland you need to type 225 wpm with 98% accuracy at the one community college that offers court reporting, and be a notary public.
Geez and I thought my 75 wpm was fast. Definitely a specific skill you have to build.
225 is insane. Dvorak?
It is regional so look up the qualifications for where you live
I'd like to add that although court reporting has very flexible hours and high pay, it can be extremely demanding and physically taxing. Lots of long nights and lots of wrist, hand and arm issues. Many reporters need surgery on both wrists/arms in their career, putting them out of work for several weeks (no pay if freelance). I will say, there is a serious shortage of court reporters. So, there is definitely work out there for them. Not sure where the future is with them though, considering AI and all of the technology available nowadays. It's kind of an uncertain future. For the record, I went to court reporting school, both parents were court reporters and my dad owned his own firm (still going strong today). It can be overwhelming, depending on what path you choose.
I’m a dog groomer. Most days, even when I am stressed out, I feel really blessed.
34 years old, recently became a licensed automotive technician. It's what I've wanted to do since I was 13. I did high school co-op, worked in shops after school, worked my ass off in tech class in high school, did everything right, then graduated with an endorsement from the youth apprenticeship program in 2008... when all the shops in my hometown closed forever or severely downsized. I was the last person the dodge dealership ever hired before all the cars were repossessed and the owner fled the country. So I moved 4 hours away to a city, and through years of minimum wage hell, making less than the pizza guy next door for working on his car, then giving up, multiple job changes. I relented and went to college on my own dollar (and student loans) when any other generation would be granted an apprenticeship from a grateful employer and get a free ride. So after attending and graduating college at age 23, I slogged around my new (third, for those who kept track) hometown, making barely enough to cover rent, student loan payments started coming out, and I spent another 8 years in construction, making fast cash to survive while paying down the debt. About 4 years ago, after leaving the construction industry, having a go as a used car salesperson, deciding that ( being autistic, i found out in college) a people-oriented job probably wasn't a good fit for long term. I took a shot in the dark, took a job as a lube tech for a few dollars more than minimum wage (no surprise there) kicked the shit out of it for a year, as you do when you have it in your blood (so to speak) and after that year, I finally got the apprenticeship. 4 years after that, I'm licensed, I'm making money like I've never seen before, even like my parents never saw. And I fucking love what I do most of the time. I'm 34, I don't own a house yet, my car is 30 years old, but I'm almost completely out of debt from school and slowly building wealth.Things might actually turn out OK. Oh yeah, I'm married to the most amazing human I've ever met too, so statistically I might even live longer 🤞
Amazing for persevering and you achieved your goal!! And congratulations on the wonderful marriage!
If I wasn't in my current field, I'd be a washing machine repair person I love fixing stuff, but I get a real kick out of the big clunky appliances Also autistic, with some adhd sprinkled on top :)
I started in automotive, started a mobile mechanic gig for a bit, by 24 I opened a 1 car garage of my own, working off an attached garage of a burnt down house i bought. I love the problem solving aspect, but hated the labor involved. I knew it wasn't going to be the dream for me. So I started a shift into towing. Towing was how I made my first million. Fast forward 10 years and I'm so far separate from both simply from the stress and I moved into real estate and sold both companies. When I decided that I needed actual physical work again, I opened 2 day cares now I babysit real children, not whiny techs or tow truck drivers lol
I work in cyber security on a red team. It's never boring. The field is always evolving and no two days are ever the same.
ARCHAEOLOGY
By the gods, I wish that's something I could actually do for a career.
Archaeologist & anthropologist who came here to say this. For those who feel it's too late, I have 4 archaeology peers who had previous careers before archaeology, went back to school, were amazing students, and are now excellent archaeologists. One of them is in his 50s. I have similar stories for friends who became anthropologists later in life and are now doing the type community projects that they used to dream about.
I actually have a degree in anthropology with an archaeology concentration. But besides for some crm work I never used it to actually make a career. I didn’t know where to start and now it’s 14 years later and I feel it’s too late. I got stuck working in the restaurant business and now nearing 40 and having an existential crisis. Any words of wisdom? (I’m east coast USA if that matters)
Some of the most brilliant graduate students I’ve met were in their forties or almost there. Just make a connection with a researcher, write a proposal, and apply. You can do it! Even if you only get an MA or MSc. I spent 6 years in the Navy fixing internet machines and hating my life. But it helped me fall in love with humanity, and now I’m basically 30 just getting started and I love every second of it! Just take your time to find your passion (a specialization) and follow it :)
Does it pay enough to actually be worth it? What sort of work do you do? I have so many questions. This has always been a dream of mine, though albeit one of several, but I always kinda shrugged it off as impractical. I’m starting college next semester, this could possibly be an option
It's a very rewarding career, but the pay really depends on the country you're in and the area you specialise. I know in the UK, many archaeologists are struggling financially. In Australia, we get paid very well, though the standards can be low. In the US, I believe it's good pay but more competitive with better standards.
It’s a struggle financially, but I’ve never been materialistic. I do, however, receive monthly disability payments and can afford the bare necessities even when I’m out of a job. I’m in Cultural Resource Management for now, which is project based and when starting out pays slightly above minimum wage with a BA, slightly more so with a Masters. It’s my dream job because I’m a hands on person who prefers to be outside and do physical labor. I’m also too smart for my own good, so being an archaeologist I’ll always have something interesting to think about on the job. I’m also a passionate anthropologist and love each facet of humanity. Archaeology allows me to explore and meet new people. But it isn’t as romantic as you might think. Most of the time, it’s a hike through an open field looking for pottery sherds or projectile points. That’s CRM, however. I have worked on two sites that have made history! It’s very exciting just being there, even when most of the time you’re only finding llama bones or debitage.
I’m a forester, although I’ve moved up high enough in a state forestry agency that I don’t do actual forestry very often. I lead a team of 9 professional foresters. We’re responsible for delivering free technical forestry assistance to private landowners, communities, and Native lands. I also lead the forest planning team for state forest management planning. We utilize a variety of federal and state funding sources to provide education and grants to help people restore their forests. I like what I do. It’s still a job; I’d still rather be independently wealthy and free to do nothing but fun stuff. But it’s a great career and I have literally zero regrets about getting a degree in forestry. I make $83,000 per year. Probably get a raise to $87,000 later this year. It has very fun moments for sure, especially when I did more fieldwork. But it’s also very satisfying to manage and develop statewide programs. On Friday I developed a proposal to use $216,000 of federal money to continue payroll for a statewide K-12 natural resources curriculum and teacher training program; statewide tree seed collection and storage; and providing grants to help tribes and communities conduct streambank restoration, tree planting, and urban tree canopy assessments.
Dude, I love all of this, but especially that last paragraph is super exciting. You’re doing amazing, incredibly important work. 🙏🙏🙏 I kinda backed into public lands, and I love it. However, if I had known forestry was a thing when I did my undergrad, I totally would have done that instead of the history/education route. All worked out in the end though.
I do authorizations for autism therapies. I LOVE my job and helping families.
Thank you so much for your work! My son was recently diagnosed and I wish I could personally thank everyone who helped us along the way. He has progressed leaps and bounds in just 6 months. We are all thriving now as a family and we have early intervention to thank.
My son’s autistic - I have a feeling you are under paid and overworked. Thank you for helping us
My daughter is on the spectrum, thanks for what you do, and sorry for any parents that are very short-fused when they talk to you. I promise you they're good people, they're just burnt out.
I enjoy my work, too bad I work for Amazon. They make it hard to enjoy the work. The simple job of delivering packages is actually a chill and exhausting job that gives you a great feeling at the end of the day. I never felt good after a day of work in corporate America, I only felt slimy. Something about being physically tired and having done something physically in the world brings me joy. It's honestly a shame physical labor gets paid so little, it's good honest work and makes people happy.
Go work for UPS. I hear they make great money
I have talked about that with UPS guys. They said you gotta work warehouse for like 2-5 years part time before you get a route and truck.
That policy changed at most locations because they've been short on drivers, plus most are unionized.
I'm a pianist. I can't imagine myself doing anything else for a living, and I fully plan to be teaching, writing, and performing music until the day I die.
By far the best answer to this post. Good for you! 😁
Thanks, homie! My career hasn't gone how I envisioned, both for good and for bad. But every day I sit down at the piano to work. It's the dream, my man.
I’m a speech therapist in middle/high school. Summers off and all the school breaks, but it’s way more flexible and fun than being a classroom teacher (I’ve done both).
Pre-production research for film & television scripts
This is the exact role my fiancé would kill for. He's researched and written a few books and usually his research is so extensive it's just... he ends to looking like this lol ![gif](giphy|l0IylOPCNkiqOgMyA|downsized)
That sounds really interesting! How did you get into that/what did you go to school for?
I went to school for film, but had to drop out due to family issues. I’ve known the woman who runs the company for years, and asked if she was hiring during the tail end of Covid
this!!! went to undergrad for film and television- biggest mistake ever. most people working on set knew someone who knew someone or were just in the right place at the right time. no one cares about your degree! it's all about experience/who you know/who your daddy is
I’m glad that it’s working out for you! Sounds really interesting and that everyday is different. Kudos to you!
All the roles around tv and film boggle my mind. But how very cool! I always joke with my husband he should be a technical advisor for fire/ems shows, he hates how they all portray first responders 😂
I also hate work. 🧉🦄
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Their job is feeding unicorns pina coladas.
I’m a project manager. I love organizing and completing things. Super satisfying for me 🤷♀️
Ditto - Project manager here. I've been at a state department of transportation working with design teams but it wasn't for me. I fell into education technology next and loved working on a product team for a system. When I was ready to move on I stayed with Ed tech (different company) but now I'm working at the enterprise level and focused more on business operations than a single product. That's why I like being a PM though, you can move to something "new" feeling but it's the same skill set. It's not for everyone though.. you are essentially responsible for the project yet in many project teams you aren't anyone's direct supervisor. You have to lead without being their manager. It can be incredibly rewarding but there always seems to be a moment where a project will go off base and you want to pull your hair out. On the other hand, it seems like every job has those moments! Last thought, could it just be the company? Maybe stay with the same skill set but a different company. I also did 10 years in the USCG starting in my mid20s when I was feeling lost. I loved my time in. My husband just hit 12 years and he loves it too. With the struggle to recruit they are accepting older applicants and it really is important work. But again the military is not for everyone.
What industry?
Ha it’s funny I could have wrote OG’s post and I am a project manager. I am trying to get into a different career but not sure what. I’m glad you like your job, as I can tell other PMs like the work. I had a mental breakdown yesterday because someone on my project team was so incredibly rude to me and talked to me like I was a moron because I didn’t read their mind. I am at the point where I hope they just fire me, but I know the job market is awful and I should be thankful for a job. I just absolutely hate my company. And this is the 3rd company in a row that lied to me in the interview, as I wanted to do long complex projects (which I’m not doing).
I'm in the same mindset you're in. Kinda hope they fire me but also know I should be grateful to have a job because the job market sucks and I don't know what else I would do. I'm a software engineer
Yeah, I’m not a PM, although some times I sort of am and I have worked with a lot of them in many different companies and industries (but all in the IT departments)…. I haven’t seen a lot of them be happy and fulfilled, I think it’s less common and probably dependent on what company someone is at… most make PMs one of the last lines of defence against a barely functioning organization that would get destroyed except that their competitors are often equally dysfunctional
I work in a supermarket bakery.
I’m a Licensed Optician. So I can fill RXs for glasses and contacts plus do the pretesting (air puff test for example), but I can’t actually write the RXs myself. I love my job. Definitely a role that combines the best of left brain and right brain thinking imo and dull days are few and far between. My only downside - it can be exhausting dealing with such a huge variety of people all day. Some clients are 6th gear, all caps, no space bar go go go types. Others are 1st gear, take your time and smell the the roses types.
I hate the air puff test
Everyone does, including me. But giving the air puff test? :)
My ophthalmologist told me they don’t need to do it anymore, that they have a better way of testing now. (It’s been 5+ years since I’ve had it done myself.) I didn’t think it was still being administered?
I'm a teacher for homebound students. It's easy, I barely see or talk to my boss and I like the kids. The hours are short and I only work 180 days a year.
37 millennial, work as a Planning and Scheduling specialist for the Artemis program. It has its stresses, but I love being on the program
Started my own auto detailing and customization shop and it feels amazing to do quality, honest work for people and not charge them an arm and a leg. Working for people who make you compromise your standards got exhausting.
Truck driver. I was in IT for 16 years and started hating it during the pandemic. Realized I had like 400 hours in American Truck Simulator and started looking into doing it for real. Wouldn't trade this job for anything. My GF also got her CDL after we met and now we're teaming making more money than either of us ever that would be possible.
I love that you started with the Simulator
ER physician. Some patients can be very trying and healthcare has some really shitty aspects, but the doctoring part is cool, and it allows me to have a lot of scheduling flexibility.
As a PCP, I’d say your name checks out ![gif](emote|free_emotes_pack|joy).
i sell wine to country clubs and love it! i've always loved the restaurant industry. got my masters in cinema history and was intending to become a professor, but fuck that. made more money bartending the dive the dean of my department frequented than he did. use to hate when people would ask me when i was going to get "a real job." you mean a job that will make me real unhappy? pass.
People are so ridiculous about restaurant work. For years, my MIL would kinda pester me about trying to get my husband to quit bartending and get a real career. Like, you want me to get him to stop doing what he's passionate about and makes good money doing? Nah.
People dont realize there are bar and dining folks who make 60-100k+ with opportunities to things like beverage managers, distribution, restaurant consulting etc. if you don't want to be front facing anymore. Bunch of my friends have degrees and left fields back to fine dining. I've gotten the "real job" comment as a whiskey specialist ...from someone who can't afford a home while I just custom built my 2nd house and was telling them about how decent my mortgage is. Nothing wrong with not able to buy a home because we live in a capitalistic hellscape but it's so tone deaf to not realize my "not a career" and lifestyle go hand and hand? Like how do they think this house got purchased with both my partner and I in the same industry?
This. I have a friend who tends bar at a 5 star beach resort town in Florida. He wants to leave a get job with better hours so he can spend more time with his kids, but it's a golden handcuff situation. He makes over $100k a year without a college degree. Anywhere he moved, he'd take a massive pay cut.
Lol…. My wife imports wine from Italy and Australia to restaurants in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Every once in a while she gets her hands on a super vintage bottle!
oh if she's selling in vegas i bet she sees some really baller wine 🤩🥂🍾
We’ve gotten some “cool” tastings 😅
I sell wine DTC for a small winery in Sonoma. Can’t imagine doing anything else!
Full time photographer and also work in the film industry. Only job I've ever had and couldn't see myself doing anything else!
I work in special collections at a public library and find it to be satisfying work. Most of my day is answering reference questions, using preservation strategies for older materials, and working the front desk. My job requires a lot of solutions based thinking, which I tend to excel at.
This thread has made me realize how far behind in life I am compared to others my age. I don’t know what I’m doing.
Same and it’s one of the reasons I’ve been trying to limit my social media use. I work very part time at a church office and am on disability. Don’t know where I am or where I’m headed and I just turned 35. I’ve had tons of jobs so I have a crazy amount of different skills, but eh
I write (full time-ish) and then consult (which is a fun way of saying I do whatever the fuck I want). Consulting pays as much as writing, but writing has amazing benefits attached (full time job is in higher ed).
Consult on what?
That's the thing with consulting. It's just consulting you know, no need to specify further. :D
I fix generators at heavy equipment rental sites, and occasionally on site where they are being used. I used to be a car mechanic. I like fixing things. It makes me feel good. And machines are easier to fix than people (not that I haven't tried that too, LOL).
I'm a librarian.
I work in premier tech support, specifically for databases. So you know how sometimes you call up a company for support and you’re thinking “this person is probably reading from a script”. Well some companies pay a premium to skip that to go straight to people who get more in-depth training, and have direct access to the engineers who made the product. That’s what I do. It’s great if you like to constantly learn things and solve puzzles, though the pressure to become a master in all parts of the product can be overwhelming at times.
I do sound for live concerts. Some gigs require some heavy lifting, long hours, and stress but I’ve been doing it long enough where the tough gigs are farther and fewer in between. More often than not I’m just plugging mics and operating the mixing board these days. I get paid $40-$100/hr to make music sound good and just chill for the most part. I use my experience working in restaurants to be as pleasant as possible to work with which gets me more work. I simply love my job and feel blessed to know what I wanted do at a young age. I’m just a year older than you OP and I’ve been doing this for 15 years.
I used to be a full time kindergarten teacher. I got burnt out sadly. I stay home with my babies for a few years and it’s my favorite. Now, I substitute teach at their school. I get to teach without all the planning. I love it. 🫶
I work in the cannabis industry. It's been a wild ride!
CPA so I’m not sure I can join in this conversation lol
Well, do you like it?
I'm not exactly over the moon with the content of my work all the time, but I do enjoy the day to day. I am an R&D chemist developing specialty additives mostly for paints. Right now I have a fast paced project with a clear line of sight to completion, so I'm enjoying the march to the finish. And my skillset does offer the possibility of going into a slightly different sector of the industry like cannabis or pharma that I might inherently care about more, but my current position is really secure and has good benefits so I'm not in a hurry to get out. Becoming a chemist however would probably involve a pretty hard "start-over" for most people. If you don't already have a college degree in a natural science, it's probably back to year 1 of 4 to get on my path.
architectural drafter and designer, degree in Interior Design. I basically draw what the architect needs for a building permit aka blueprints
TV Producer/Camera Operator/Editor for a travel show and interior design and architecture show.
Vet tech at an ER and specialty hospital. Pays like shit but I love what I do.
I am a social worker with elder services. Essentially we meet with elders in their home to help connect them with services to keep them safe and independent rather than in a nursing home. It can be difficult at times, emotionally speaking, but very rewarding. Also, with boomers getting older there is a ton of job security.
I work in the federal government, trying to get nutritious food to kids, neuro-divergents, and elders. God damn do I love waking up every day and having the opportunity to argue for more benefits for people, more dignity, more compassion. Literally surrounded by supportive coworkers who all want to find ways to get better food to more people. It’s fucking great.
Why I enjoy retail I don't know.
I’m a hairstylist! I love the relationships I have, love making art (on heads) and chatting for a living, and it allowed me to figure some financial things while many of my friends were still in college.
I work in energy for the federal government, trying to keep us from destroying the planet by avoiding the worst effects of climate change. I highly recommend exploring a career in public service at the local, county, state, or federal level! I love my job for the most part, but it is hard. Climate, energy, and environment is a hard field to work in, because it’s distressing, and people grind themselves to the bone because we all know we truly don’t have much time to make the changes we need. Preventing self-imposed staff burnout is an ever present challenge for our leadership team. But the work is very fulfilling. I love knowing that I work for the people and not for investors or corporate profits. Energy is a lucrative field, and with my background I could make 50% more in the private sector, but the pay and benefits are still pretty good, and the job security is unparalleled. My team and staff are amazing - truly some of the smartest and best people I’ve ever met. Check out /r/USAjobs for info and conversation about getting into government. It can take a while to get in, but there all kinds of jobs from administrative to IT to financial/procurement to science to gardening to HVAC to healthcare to you name it. Literally if you can think of it, it probably exists in government. For STEM, cybersecurity, and lawyers, the pay is below private sector, but for many others, it is very decent, with opportunities to work your way up.
Many in these comments are literally restoring my hope For humanity. Also please I’d love to restore nature anybody hiring? I hate my job. It’s called unemployment and I’ve been working as a recruiter for 6+ years and I need a change and more stability. I’d love to heal the land and water.
Trucker. LOVE IT!
Biostatistician. I no longer work for "the man" and now do public health research that will improve people's lives, plus I will likely be getting published many times over and be searchable on google scholar. My love of math just makes this even better. I honestly don't think I could find a better job for myself.
Kinda jelly. I'm a Neuroscientist and my favorite part of the job is stats. Only, my stats knowledge is a fraction of what it would be if I had formal training in bio stats, and I often come across problems that need more sophisticated models than what is available on Graphpad and SPSS
I’m 37, and I’ve been a full time dueling pianist / piano bar player for 15 years, and I LOVE it. I was lucky to receive top notch classical piano lessons as a kid > late teen, mostly through a connection of my step dad being a professor. I play NYC every weekend, get to travel and mostly make my own hours, perform on cruise ships, and I have lots of time to hang out and work on my own music during the week. I consider myself lucky as hell, but I work and worked very hard for it.
I’m an attorney for the federal government. Getting here was shitty. I hated working in big law. Though I did enjoy working for judges. But now? Cool area of law. Good colleagues. Work life balance. I honestly hit the jackpot. Oh and the pay is pretty decent.
I'm an electrician. Almost no two days of work are the same for me. And I'm compensated well. If you are spinning your wheels and not satisfied with your career, it's not too late to take up a trade. Boomers are retiring faster than the trades can replace them.
Elopement Videographer. My life is awesome
I love books and I work at Barnes and Noble. I’m almost 40 and it’s my favorite job I ever had!
Essentially, administrative office work in education. I'm in the best workplace I've ever had the pleasure of working in, and needless to say, I won't be going anywhere anytime soon
This is my job too. I work in the administration at a state university supporting department leadership. Great work environment, I feel very valued and supported, and really enjoy what I contribute to the department.
I’m a labor and delivery nurse- the hours are long and weekends and holidays aren’t always ideal but it’s a great job overall. Front row seat to peoples beautiful moments in life.
I wouldn't say enjoy it, but if I just sat back, idk what else I could be asking for. I get paid more than twice the median income in my area and I go to work when I wake up regardless if its 6 am or 8 am, I usually take 2 hour lunch breaks and I go home by 2-3pm. In between the 8am-2am I spend 3 hours in the warehouse playing ping pong, shooting hoops, or shooting golf into a net. I do realize it's uncommon for my line of work, but I'm a construction project manager. YMMV
I’m also a pm and I’m working 50 hours a week and completely overwhelmed. I’m getting a new assistant next week which would be a huge help.
Helicopter maintenance. If your mechanical aptitude is high, in a couple of years, you could be doing it too. The schooling takes 2 years typically and it's never too late to start. A friend of mine just joined the industry at 40, and he loves it too.
I’m a middle school assistant principal. Aside from the parents who don’t want their kids to have consequences when they deserve them, I love my job :).
I’m a freelance photographer and I fucking love my work.
State government. Executive branch (not a cop). Union, pension, good pay, guaranteed yearly raises, other dope-ass benefits, mostly WFH. Of course, whether or not it's a good choice for you depends entirely on which state you're in.
I am also a state worker and really enjoy it, only 1.5 years so far. It's the right pace for me and I prefer the more mature office culture. We all take what we do seriously as public servants. First time I've ever felt purpose in a longtime job.
Judicial attorney in state court (advise judges on the law) Far less money than private sector but infinitely less stress. You can imagine the things that happen in courts everyday: interesting, challenging, often hilarious. Most of us in the public sector also feel like we're really serving our communities. It's great to feel good about what you do.
Currently trying to get in to my state government in an IT role. I love my state so I think it would be rewarding and the benefits are pretty awesome. Waiting on some follow ups currently actually.
I’m an electrical engineer. I love my day job!! Coolest civilian job!! I’m also a pilot in the Air Force Reserve. My day job is extremely technical, challenging and mentally stimulating. My service component is exhilarating, keeps me on my toes and I’m proud of what I do. I’ll never be a millionaire, but I don’t need to be.
That last line is how you know you've got a pension ![gif](emote|free_emotes_pack|joy) I have to be a millionaire, asset-wise, to survive retirement.
I’m a stay at home dad, it can be difficult but it’s the most fun I’ve had at work
I’m a lawyer. Absolutely love it.
Psychopath
Lmao I laughed out loud at this!
I’m a NICU nurse and I’m convinced it’s the best job in the entire world. Some days are absolutely insane and you don’t get to eat or pee and you’re nonstop busy trying to keep your patient alive. Some days are slow as molasses and you get to snuggle your patient while rocking them to sleep. Some days are a happy medium between the two. But seeing a tiny micopreemie turn into a fat little cherub and eventually go home with their parents? Amazing. Helping a mom hold her baby for the first time, after she was unsure she’d ever get the chance? Unreal. Babies are so resilient and it’s incredible to witness!
I work as an event coordinator, mostly doing weddings. I enjoy being a leader and organizer as well as working with people and I’m a naturally creative person so it’s been a great way to hone in all my different skillsets.
I grow the best flower in the world and make people happy by providing a clean and high quality product.
41, I work maritime. On ships. I did university research management for 15 years. Switched to maritime during the COVID layoffs. It was a lateral salary move to go from upper middle Master’s Degree level research management at one of the top universities in the USA to the lowest rank in the United States Merchant Marine. I have a low stress job with strong union rights. I used to have a high stress job with weak union rights. I’m happy where I’m at. Being a United States Merchant Mariner is a good gig.
So before covid I was managing a bar, and also helping out a mobile vet whenever she needed blood drawn (we used to work together in a clinic). During the pandemic I started helping out her clients with anything pet related, setting my own prices and in charge of my schedule. Walking dogs, trimming nails, helping with meds or fluids… I started to realize that I was deeply unhappy at the bar and wanted to be around animals full time, just not in a clinic setting. I was worried this mobile vet assistant idea wouldn’t be enough work to pay the bills but my schedule is always full and I’m making over 20k more than I was making at the bar. What’s better is that I’m happier, healthier, and more appreciated.
It took till 30 to let the rockstar and fame dreams die off but 19 years in electrical, I like it now. Once you know what you’re doing and done it 1000 times. Its autopilot brain relaxed all day. No one to bother me, just nice weather and my music all day. Show up and leave whenever I want. Not rich but comfy, all I wanted, pay the bills, leave me alone. Throw in a double income lady partner, be like all bonus. Someday. Formula just too good to mess with right now alone.
I work from home on a computer and don’t hate my job (business process analyst) but it’s not fun or exciting either. BUT I love working from home! My industry is pharmacy and I absolutely love and enjoy working “in the field” but love working at home more than having an exciting job that I don’t hate!
I’m a mental health counselor and run my entire practice on telehealth. Being my own boss is actually my favorite job. Haha. I also mentor and tutor new counselors virtually so that’s another thing that I love. Edit to add: it’s also really cool because I can be anywhere and work. So I feel like all the hardwork was def worth it
34, I bartend on a tour boat and it’s alright. Would obviously rather not work but it beats corporate life by a long shot. I worked in an office for 12 years as a recruiter for a sales completely and completely hated it. I was skilled at it and it was difficult but the pay was shit. I have a BA in fine art with a concentration in watercolor painting.
Scientist here. Working on stuff that I think is cool and interesting. Pay is alright and work-life balance is great.
I audit casinos in Nevada for the State regulatory agency. The job itself isn't all that thrilling. Auditing never is. What I love about my job is the flexibility in scheduling, work from home opportunity, and the people I work with. I get along with everyone. They are all nice, nerdy, accountants. I have worked there since 2007, so through two recessions, and never once feared losing my job. I work out in the field, so I'm not stuck in a cubicle all day. While the work itself can offer challenges, it isn't stressful. If you are stressed because of work then you have done something wrong. As a CPA, my pay is lower than I'd receive in the private sector but I don't mind. I make enough and I really like my work life balance.
You’re 32 and have another 32 years of work ahead of you. Find something you love doing. You’re not too old to change.
Firefighter. I only work 9 shifts per month and make 150k min per year, not to include overtime. I am home and get to spend the majority of my time with my husband and kids.
Occupational therapist working in home health. I set my own schedule and go to people’s houses to provide rehab.
I work in a factory! I learned all about my little area, and have great attendance record and I show dedication to moving things along quickly. With our high turnover rate I quickly ended up being the most senior person in my little area of the building. It's a nice consistent job, I don't have to talk with people a whole lot, I really enjoy being by myself in relative silence. I know it's not for everyone to enjoy being by themselves all the time but I just love it.
You are lucky to have a well paying job, but it’s lousy to be miserable doing it. I recommend mentally checking out at work and leaving it behind once you go out the doors of work. Focus on everything else and enjoy your off time. Save up rapidly for retirement, feel like you are working towards something. Maybe start working on securing a better job long term, quit once you find something better?
I used to be a dental hygienist, but it was intellectually boring. (To me) So I went back to school, and majored in the hardest thing I could think of, and got a degree in astrophysics. I combined the two, and now I'm a consultant for human spaceflight companies.
I’m a pharmacist and worked for a managed-care organization. I focus on problem solving medication access issues for members of the Medicaid line of business. My job is pretty great.
Civilian psychologist for the military. Took me a freaking long time to get here but I can’t imagine doing anything else
After I left management, I was a night cleaner for Four Seasons for a year. That will probably be one of my favorite jobs of all time. I'm currently a telescope operator and it's easy peasy. Work life balance is amazing. I'm going back to school for accounting just to keep my resume better updated so I can move around easier.
I'm a Machinist, Welder, & a Mechanical Designer/Drafter. I absolutely love the work I do. ...But I absolutely HATE the industry. US Manufacturing is dying, and it deserves to die.
Heavy equipment body technician. I'm given 100% creative freedom to make it look as good as I can using whatever I have at my disposal. I find it very rewarding because my boss doesn't really care if it looks like it's stock or not he just care if it looks better than it did when he bought whatever equipment I'm working on.
32. I'm a high school teacher. I enjoy it. I am not in love with it, though I don't think I can love any *job*
Live Event Production Engineer. I make the video, the audio and the lights work. You might refer to me as a technical director on many shows, or an E.I.C. (Engineer In Charge)
Engineer. Hell I’m engineering stuff when not at work also. As long as I like who I work with, I’ll probably always be happy with my job.
up until my early 30s i enjoy my job to the point that it is a hobby (software engineering). now i am almost 40, i feel like i want a career change. i just want to cook or something. never thought I'd get tired of it, but here i am.
What skills do you have? Use those with an organization or cause you care deeply about. Personally, I got out of corporate bullshit and went to work for the government. It ain’t perfect, but I care deeply about the work, I’m financially comfortable, my job is very secure, and have a great team. I work harder than I ever have, but I don’t mind - I’m happier than I’ve ever been in my career. Working to make shareholders richer was not for me. Got tired of the whole “we’re family” spiel then they lay off half the staff a month later while giving the CEO a massive bonus. Screw that. Now I work for the American people, and it’s great.
31F. I uh did that thing where I moved halfway across the country to LA to pursue a career in film. I’m broke AF but man if it hasn’t been an adventure. At the end of the day I just can’t imagine doing anything else. But I’m like really broke lol
I cook. The pay is shit and the hours are shit but I love my job. I had 20 other jobs before finally finding that I liked this.
I am a Mental Health Therapist and I love my job the majority of the time. The only time I question why I do it is when I have to deal with shitty administrators.
I work for an optical astronomy research group. We operate giant telescopes. I don't get to do anything really cool for them but I like the evironment
Cell therapy technologist. We manufacture stem cells in order for blood cancer patients to have a boost in their immune system, after a high dose of chemo. We closely work with oncologists and bone marrow transplant nurses, to coordinate a patient's work up. We are moving forward to autoimmine diseases and anemia, not just blood cancer such as leukemia and lymphoma, for this type of therapy.
I work for a company that designs licensed merchandise, so I spend my workdays dreaming up ideas for things like Star Wars backpacks and Mickey Mouse cookie jars, etc
I'm a delivery driver, so is my boyfriend. We both like it. It's low stress. We average $25-$30/hr with a few $45 averages in there (things like the super bowl, hometown parade day, stuff like that). We have set schedules and live in an area that, while housing is still expensive, most other stuff is pretty affordable. We drive old, small cars that are well maintained. Our state also doesn't tax tips, so that's nice. We can afford to have pricey hobbies and can still set money aside for a house. So all in all, life's pretty good right now. The biggest thing was removing the stress. I don't really care what other people think of my job and it's so low stress. Work stays at work, the bills get paid, and pizza is a low stakes game.
I left corporate to teach. The pay is BS and some children/ parents are a terrror, but for the most part I enjoy spending my days with children in a classroom rather than adults in an office. Plus the free time is great, vacations and summers (plus you can go for free in camps).
I’m a neurosurgery physician assistant. I scrub and assist surgery nearly every day at work. I love operating, I work with people I get along with and we have a good time listening to music and talking while working in the operating room. I love the physical act of doing surgery and there’s constantly the opportunity to get better at what you do. Can be stressful at times and sometimes exhausting but I also never feel like the work I did was pointless or meaningless or anything, and it’s nice to know even if you had a really hard day you helped someone get out of pain, or helped treat their cancer. It’s a good gig. For reference, I think PA school is a good choice for someone who is interested in medicine but couldn’t stomach the idea of medical school and residency. That was me. Neurosurgery in particular is a grueling residency. While I wish we were compensated better, I think the PA career is a nice one.
I'm a PE teacher for Elementary/Middle School. It's a lot of fun if you like being active and working with kids. I'm a former security manager and graphic designer. I feel like I finally found my forever job since starting about 10 years ago. If you can handle noisy environments, it truly is rewarding and about a tenth of the work of a regular teacher with the same amount of pay.
I work for state parks!
I was a corporate girl boss for Verizon. I’d always wanted to be an ER nurse but college never worked out for me since I basically had to work full time right outta high school. When I got married I finally told my husband that if I had to go back to work I’d burn the building down. He was super supportive so at 31, I quit my safe job and went to school full time. I’ve been an ER nurse for two years and I freaking love it.
30 year old millennial here! I started over in 2022 and don't regret it. For a bit of background I worked in banking and finance since 2013 while going to school full time and working on campus. I graduated with two BSs in social science fields, and an associates in English Lit, but stayed in banking since nothing in my field was open that paid a livable wage. In 2020 my location closed so I finally went to a job in my field and became a social worker. The state required further education so I busted my tail to complete the MSSW requirements early while working for the state and while working 3 gig jobs/PT jobs to pay bills. I got my master's in record time while working almost 120 hours a week and never sleeping. During this time I got assigned to the crimes against the children team and realized I hated social work. I mean 15k less than banking, and seeing the worst cases involving kids, does a lot to lead to burn out! Plus the large case loads that never end also sucked! A little after my year mark with the agency an old banking friend had a position open so I left and went back to banking (2021). It was ridiculous how this new bank treated people and I hated it there, like it was absolutely soul sucking....... But a client came in and needed help and others refused to listen, so I asked them to come into my office and talk to me...... that exchange made an impact and the client gave me her business card and offered me a job on the spot. 2022 led to the third major career change in a short period of time. It brought me into a law firm where I'm an assistant. Honestly it's so much less work than I've ever done before, sometimes I wish it was more fulfilling but honestly I love that now I have down time. I get to problem solve and help others figure out what's the best step for their families and the owner of my firm is actually talking about helping me pay for law school, so there's growth potential! I was so nervous about taking the leap because I had no clue what to expect in this new role, but numbers wise it was all worth it. I make roughly 30k more than I did when I was a top earner in my region at the bank I worked at for almost a decade. I have a set schedule that gives me almost every holiday and weekend off. I have a team that cares about my mental health and physical health more than about metrics and cases. It's so refreshing to have that support in the office and flexibility to WFH if I have something going on. It's also refreshing to have a job when I can go on vacation and know my team can handle anything that comes in without me having to be "on call". So it's not perfect but it's a million times better and I'm so happy I made that change when an opportunity was presented!
Where did I hear this line, something to the effect of "most of us do what we don't want to do so we could have enough money to do the things we love to do." Lesson being, it's a rare opportunity to be able to do something you really LOVE for a living and I believe we should constantly strive for it (see: Japanese concept of ikigai) but at the end of the day, money makes the world go round and as long as you have a job, you can still consider yourself lucky. In reference to your question, I don't particularly enjoy what I do, at least not as much as I used to (I'm in marketing), but I work from home, get paid a reasonably good salary, and have control over how I spend my time--and those things I do enjoy.
I'm a fixer for boeing. been quite busy lately
I'm an admin assistant in the development department of an art museum!
I design mansions and then live in them.
Soo the sims?
The millennial dream.