#career change advice

[9kmovies-biz]

Why Job-hunting Is EATING Your Mojo (And How To Get It Back)

Well, as Mad Men’s inimitable Peggy Olson says to Don Draper: “If you don’t like what’s being said, change the conversation.” Early on in our careers, we learn the traditional methods of finding work: Look for a job (online, in newspapers, and through agencies) Apply for a job (using your CV or an application form) Go to an interview (after preparing answers to predictable questions) Wait. Hope.…

[reasonsforhope]

Btw, if you really just Need A Job (tm)

I'd really recommend looking into care work

Care work here is specifically being a home care aid, a care aid or assistant at any kind of residential home.

This for usually for elderly or disabled adults - and those are the ones that tend to be most entry level, from what I've seen, but also for mental health, addiction recovery etc. (With the obvious caveat that some of these jobs will be more emotionally intense than others)

I'm so serious about this guys. I was applying to jobs in care work for just three weeks, starting a couple days before Christmas, and in that time I got three interviews, two jobs offers, and five additional interview requests

Care work needs people CONSTANTLY

because it's a huge sector but very hard for them to keep staff long-term. Partly because it can be high burn-out, and there's definitely toxic places out there you should watch out for. And partly because a lot of people think care work is beneath them

AND they ACTUALLY MEAN IT when they say they're entry level. Because it's so hard for them to get staff that a lot of them will advertise super aggressively that they will train you themselves. A lot of them will straight up pay for your CPR and First Aid certifications, once they hire you, too (and you can get a leg up on applications by getting a CPR/First Aid certification for like. $30 to $80, at least in the US). They also accept experience taking care of elderly/disabled/etc. family members as real experience

Like, obviously don't do it if you hate taking care of people, but if you're open to it, it's probably by far your best shot of getting hired rn, statistically

(eta: Genuinely disclaimer that it can be super taxing emotionally and large portions of the industry are indeed fucked, and def don't take a job in this field if you're gonna be an asshole to the people you're caring for, but sometimes you just need whatever job you can get.)

Seriously, though, the first time I applied for a care work job (in October 2023, yes short timeline, like I said there's some toxic workplaces etc. out there), I applied to like ten or fifteen jobs over the course of a week or so. Within three weeks, I was working.

(And they did provide all of the training, fwiw)

If you need a job and no one is hiring, seriously consider looking into it

[mediapen]

and i think... i think that’s what a father is - a blade that never stops cutting.

the new york times, ‘carlos sainz jr learned early to be the hunter, not the prey’   ++   e. schwab, the invisible life of addie larue // marla miniamo, ‘sea salt’ // hermann hesse, demian // frank bidart, ‘the third hour of the night’ // katherine angel, daddy issues // [x] // leah horlick, for your own good // hera lindsay bird, ‘mirror traps’ // mario puzo, the godfather // andrea gibson, ‘i sing the body electric, especially when the power’s out’ // [x] // [x] // deaf havana, ‘caro padre’ // [x] //  [x] // [x] // [x] // rachel mckibbens, blud // [x] // [x] // ocean vuong, ‘someday ill love ocean vuong’ // molly brodak, ‘bee in jar’ // eleanor hsieh, ‘the last scene in the movie’ // andrea abi-karam, villainy // the national, ‘blank slate’ // rainer maria rilke in a letter to lou andreas-salomé // etel adnan, ‘untitled’ // [x] // [x] // [x] // myther, SPEAK FOR YOURSELF, OR SOMEONE ELSE WILL // [x] // [x] // rainer maria rilke, letters to benvenuta // richard siken, ‘little beast’ // erin slaughter, i will tell this story to the sun until you remember that you are the sun // [x] // sigmund freud, die traumdeutung // rachel mckibbens, blud // silas denver melvin - nov 4 2021 // desireé dallagiacomo, ‘origin story’ // james baldwin, ‘they can’t turn back’ // [x] // traci brimhall, come the slumberless to the land of nod // natalie diaz, ‘grief work’ // alain de botton, essays in love // [x] // richard siken, ‘the dislocated room’ // sylvie baumgartel, song of songs // ocean vuong, 'dear peter.’ 

[etherealspacejelly]

you quit your software engineering job to pursue environmental science?? do tell!

(i have a software engineering job. it makes me sad.)

so when i was like. 10. i had this teacher who taught us basic scratch programming. and i was like. freakishly good at it. i picked it up super quickly and was even helping the other students to fix their problems. and so he said to me "you know, you could be a great computer programmer one day" and i was like. yeah! i could!

so throughout highschool my One and Only goal was to become a software engineer. every time i went to the career counsellor thats what i said. so i did computer science at gcse, and got a 9, and i did computer science at a level and got an A*. (i did other subjects too of course. but those were the ones i was focussed on)

then i finished my a levels and i went straight into looking for an apprenticeship. no one was really interested in me because i didnt have any experience or a degree. so then my dad got me an internship with some guys he knew at a company that worked in his building, and i managed to build up some actual industry skills. then i got an apprenticeship! it paid super well and the team was great and it was work from home.

and i hated it.

i was just sitting in my room at my dads house 9-5 mon-fri writing code all by myself. it was lonely and boring and i didnt really know what i was doing. it was supposed to be an apprenticeship but it just felt like a job. they didnt teach me how to do anything they just said "do this and come to me if you run into a problem". half the time they didnt even give me any work to do for days at a time so i was just watching youtube or scrolling on tiktok. which sounds great but it wasnt because i felt guilty the whole time and was terrified of being found out and fired, even tho it wasnt my fault? they literally werent giving me work to do?

anyway. a few months into it i was like man Fuck this. im going to university. so i started looking at courses. it actually started with astrophysics, but since i didnt take a science at a level i didnt have the requirements for that. then i found environmental science! it was all the stuff im passionate about: climate change, conservation, natural processes and earth science. so i worked on my application letter and applied, and i got in!

so i went to my boss and was like hey. im putting in my notice. i got into university. and they were like "oh noooo we're so sad to see you go :( you were doing so well and we were so pleased with your work and your progress :(" (and i was like. huh?? i literally didnt fucking do anything. but oh well.)

so i worked until the end of my 6 week notice and then i handed my stuff back in and left. i had a bit of a summer vacation and then started uni! and ive been here for just over a year now :)

its honestly so much better. i have so many new friends, i got to move out of my mums house, im in full control of my life.

so take this as your reminder that its never too late! you can always change your path.

you are in control.

[femmefatalevibe]

Hi, I’m trying to change industries to my dream industry. I’m on my 30s but I couldn’t do it before because of personal reasons and taking care of family members and mental health.

My friends, some of them, think I’m wasting my time and they don’t support me and my mum is trying to let me know in a not subtle way that she’s expecting me to grow up of this idea. But I really want to go for it!

However, because all of this, I’m getting anxious that maybe it’s late, that I should have done it before, that because I don’t have experience in this industry I won’t get hired and because it’s a new industry and my city is small (not small us but small village in a country in Europe) I can’t do networking but in LinkedIn and it’s hard because I don’t know someone. And im starting to second guess myself and thinking I’m eating my time but I really hate the industry I’m working now, so I feel really stuck and I can’t move forward with the industry change because all of this. Do you have any advice? Do you think it’s late? Thank you so much <3

Hi love! I believe there are two important points to be made here.

The best time to start is years ago. The second best time to start is now. Time will continue to pass for several more decades, so consider whether you want to "what if" yourself about pursuing your dreams 20 years from now. In my opinion, it's better to go after what you want and fail fast. Living with regrets, at least for me, feels worse than pursuing something I wanted and it not unfolding as my expectations lead me to believe.

While going after what you want is important, especially with your career, you need to be practical and a little more methodical (even a bit conservative) in your approach to ensure you don't run into financial trouble. No dream is worth struggling with life-hindering debt – at least in my opinion.

With these two considerations in mind, I would consider beginning to pursue this career path as a hobby in the meantime while maintaining whatever stable employment you have at the moment. Prioritize your time engaging in this "hobby" like it's a mandatory appointment with yourself.

Consume articles, books, and podcasts. Take courses/build skills in your dream industry/role. Create a portfolio of your own spec work to demonstrate your commitment and talent within this field. Use LinkedIn/virtual conferences to network strategically. Follow people in your dream industry and key leaders. Comment/engage with their material. Send them personalized messages with praise/feedback on posts or insights they shared.

Message people attending the same conferences to connect. Set up informational interviews/coffee chats if possible (offer to pay for a virtual coffee, etc.). If there are any gig/job opportunities, share this spec work to demonstrate your skills and frame your background as a series of transferable skills.

Also, never underestimate the power of your second-degree network on LinkedIn, but mainly IRL. Let your trusted, supportive friends and acquaintances know you're interested in the field. You never know who knows someone.

Hope this helps! Best of luck xx

[bonjourbinch]

unfortunate: i'm back on my bullshit

[titsthedamnseason]

HAPPY PLACE WAS SO FIVE STARS

[askagamedev]

You mentioned that developers leave studio's for numerous reasons. How do some devs stay there for very long periods then (think 10+years)?

Most people choose to leave a job when their needs aren't being met for some reason. These reasons tend to fall into one of four broad categories:

Personal reasons, e.g. caring for sick family, having children, pursuing a lifelong dream, wants to move out of the city/state/country, etc.

Compensation/Career advancement reasons, e.g. being passed over or given no opportunities for promotion, pay does not rise with cost of living, pay/job title is not commensurate with the worker's responsibilities, etc.

Job satisfaction reasons, e.g. hostile work environment, burnout, boredom with the role/responsibilities/project, does not get along with other team members, friends on the team are also leaving, etc.

Job security reasons, e.g. the company/team/leadership/project is not doing well

We'll set aside personal reasons here because those aren't really something that the working environment can really affect too much. These other three categories - compensation, satisfaction, and security - are all things that the employer can affect. As long as a worker feels like their needs are being met - i.e. they have enough job satisfaction, compensation, and security to feel comfortable - they are quite likely to stay at their job. As long as that situation remains true for 10+ years, some employees will choose to stay there for 10+ years.

Amusingly enough, my current studio employer collaborates with other studios on a well-known AAA franchise. I actually used to work at one of these other studios 10+ years ago. I was reunited in cross-studio meetings with some of my former coworkers who are still at that same studio 10+ years later. It does happen!

[Join us on Discord] and/or [Support us on Patreon]

Got a burning question you want answered?

Short questions: Ask a Game Dev on Twitter

Long questions: Ask a Game Dev on Tumblr

Frequent Questions: The FAQ

[luvscode]

˚    𐙚    ˖    ꒰               '    careful    ,    you    should    recline    your    seat    .    '    he    stretches    an    arm    out    when    he    hit    the    breaks    at    the    red    light    ,    in    case    he    hits    it    too    hard    and    they    go    flying    forward    .    the    drive    was    long    and    ian    himself    was    getting    sleepy    .     '    i    think    we    should    stop    somewhere    for    a    bit    ,    get    coffee    or    something    to    eat    .    '    @lovscloud

[potentiallypolyglot]

Plans for Career Change

Alright guys. I have a decent job in management and sales right now. And you know what, its a decent job, but I really have no passionate for it. The days are repetitive and I spend a lot of time saying and doing the exact same things day in and day out. Having little to no underlying passion for what I do takes a toll and I don’t want to do this forever. I’ve been with the company for 5 and a half years and in my current position for a year and a half. Really the only things keeping me here is fear of change, lack of a standing alternate job offer, and (the big one) not wanting to feel guilty for “abandoning” my team/the company. Which are not reasons that I can justify forever.

Lately, I’ve been contemplating what I really want and what I would actually enjoy. What can I do that won’t just feel like tomorrow and tomorrow creeping in a petty pace from day to day? The one thing that has been a consistent passion of mine is languages. I always took it up from time to time and it was the constant I returned to. At this point, all I have to show for my hobby of an effort is a fading B1 certification in Spanish, scraps of phrases in languages I abandoned, and over 300 days on Duolingo in Chinese (more substantial is the progress I have made from watching cdramas and extrapolating phrases).

That being said, I’ve decided to pursue a career in Chinese translation. I’m obviously far from qualified, so for the first time, I’m decided to dedicate a concentrated effort to actually learning Chinese (Mandarin) and being able to read, write, listen, and speak it effectively. So I am making this announcement here to hold myself to some standard of accountability. I will make clear and measureable goals in the near future and also post my progress and what I am learning. I don’t feel that I can share with the people around me bc it is such a distant thing at this point and I don’t want threats of desertion to get back to my current job. But I want to stick to it and I know the first step is to share one’s goals. Last night I did research and began my journey. Today is Day 1.

My big, long-term goal  as of now is to get certified by the American Translator’s Association since this will lend me credibility considering my lack of formal education in this area. (Going back to college is not an option for several reasons at this point). I would like to achieve this by Fall 2024. I understand that for all intents and purposes, this goal is lofty and unrealistic, but I’m excited about it and will be satisfied with a shoot for the moon, land among the stars approach.

Final word, if anyone works in Chinese->English translation or a related field or is pursuing this career or field and has any words of advice, I’m more than open to hearing it! Thanks!

[9kmovies-biz]

From Marketing to Wine | Careershifters

What work were you doing previously? I was a marketing director at a large consulting company for sixteen years.  What are you doing now? I now own a vineyard in Bordeaux. I created a wine chateau from a parcel of vines and a dilapidated building. Why did you change? I wanted a new adventure in my 50s.  I wanted to experience a new industry, be my own boss and learn a new area.  When was the…

[aurorasandsad-prose]

How do you politely ask a much older relative to f-off from giving you probably well-meaning but completely unnecessary career advice?

Asking for a friend.

[that-pipette-girl]

Hey guys, is it normal to feel a sense of doom regarding a new life change?

Hey guys,

I have recently accepted a job position at a research company (rhymes with Dermo Disher) at a city in the Midwest. It is offering a very beginner-level wage and overall does not have the best reputation workplace-wise (though the company is very well reputed and the workplace is noted as a "good place to start a career"), but my family have been so supportive of me being hired that I found myself unable to walk away from it. We searched for apartments, signed the lease, packed bags, and now I find myself trying to schedule time for a drug screening before hopping on a jet to a new life, new workplace, new state all by myself, cut off from practically everybody I know except for via phone and social media. The process of ALL OF THAT has been very reminiscent of pulling teeth minus anesthesia, and overall I have been telling myself that this is a great opportunity for me to grow and develop as a person and gain confidence and independence.

However, as of recently as the days dwindle down to the flight date, I find it hard to be excited for this opportunity. As my siblings helped me pack the last of my things, I have been feeling like a prisoner en route to execution. I am thinking of Anthony Bridgerton when he was about to marry Edwina Sharma, and I am beginning to wonder if I have made the wrong choice. I am thinking of Jane Eyre right before she went to that sketchy estate with that really sketchy Mr. Rochestor (idc about this character enough to spell his name right). I know it is too late to back out now, considering that I have signed the lease, but are these feelings of doom normal to have when about to enter a new stage of life? Thanks.

Any professionals--or heck, anyone-- is free to answer.

[sludgeguzzler]

gotta love discussing your career with your father

[unladielike]

( alright, after talking it over with @laplacemail​, i added this to my rules underneath the ‘Reasons I May Unfollow / Block’ section: )

If I notice you interact with two people I’m personally uncomfortable with, I may potentially unfollow or softblock as my reaction to seeing them on my dash is really that bad, but I won’t be mentioning who they are and what they have done unless you privately message me about it, because I don’t want to draw negative attention towards them.

[chayscribbles]

how could someone (me) get Actual Writing Experience they can put in a resume :(