Career Change

[caa4612]

Went through this last year. I began to hate the job I had loved for so long and it began to change me and impact my family and health.

The one thing that helped me was creating a career timeline. I started from day one and listed everything I had done, all the different events I experienced, all classes and certs, etc.

Then I went back and listed all the skills, abilities, and knowledge that developed over that time. After I had completed that exercise, I realized I had a lot that could translate across multiple areas. You will be surprised once you see your “life” on paper…

Then I started to search fields that interested me and built resumes specifically for each. If a job came along that I felt was interesting, I applied. The most important lesson I learned was to have confidence in yourself and your skills.

Changing careers is scary, especially at 50+ but I can honestly say it was the right thing to do.

If I can do anything to help, please don’t hesitate to ask.

I never thought of doing the things you mentioned but I like it! I’m a VP at my company with a pretty intense non compete. The field I am in is very interesting and there aren’t a lot of guys left with 20+ years experience. Problem is the non compete and I want to change industries so my experience becomes less valuable. I do think one area I could improve on is tailoring my resume to specific jobs. Writing a resume sucks and is not easy, much less doing several of them!


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[Rotney]

I never thought of doing the things you mentioned but I like it! I’m a VP at my company with a pretty intense non compete. The field I am in is very interesting and there aren’t a lot of guys left with 20+ years experience. Problem is the non compete and I want to change industries so my experience becomes less valuable. I do think one area I could improve on is tailoring my resume to specific jobs. Writing a resume sucks and is not easy, much less doing several of them!


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Has Texas Law changed, non competes don’t hold up in Texas since it’s a right to work state.

I could be wrong, been a while since I faced it.

[ThisLadyHunts]

Has Texas Law changed, non competes don’t hold up in Texas since it’s a right to work state.

I could be wrong, been a while since I faced it.

Interesting. I had never heard about this.

[Sparkles]

Has Texas Law changed, non competes don’t hold up in Texas since it’s a right to work state.

I could be wrong, been a while since I faced it.

The way I understood it is there must be adequate consideration for a noncompete to be enforceable.
Not a lawyer but I have had to pay said consideration on occasion


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[thegrouse]

Have you considered using an aptitude testing service? (The science behind this process is fascinating.)

I retired from a career I’d been in for 30+ years and sought the feedback services like this provide. Not only did I learn a lot about how my family “inventory” of aptitudes related to each other, but the service went so far as to suggest how this inventory translated into various career choices and, further, assisted in helping me learn how to research the Bureau of Labor and Statistics to help search for fields that would either grow or remain viable in the next 20 or more years.

And before you ask, if the top five fields they recommended I’d be suited for, all but one require a PhD and (probably) a transfer to another state in order to train at top notch facilities and my husband put the big kibosh on that!

Funny thing,

I took an aptitude test and it recommended my current job It wasn't a service, just a few different tests I found online

[ThisLadyHunts]

Funny thing,

I took an aptitude test and it recommended my current job It wasn't a service, just a few different tests I found online

That’s funny, of the top five careers the tests revealed I was best suited for, four of them required PhDs and the fifth one was the career I’d just spent 30+ years exhausting!

Weird, huh!

[Gumbo Man]

That’s funny, of the top five careers the tests revealed I was best suited for, four of them required PhDs and the fifth one was the career I’d just spent 30+ years exhausting!

Weird, huh!

Pretty well confirms that the test is relatively accurate.

[HogHunter34]

Not quiet that fast but within a week or two of leaving the plant I was learning how

Yes Carrier, spent 12 years out there. Majority was in the coil shop

No doubt God had a lot to do with me going back to school because a bunch of things have to line up and mesh to be able to quit a full time job with a wife and 2 little kids and spend a semester not working much at all

Good for you & great career field to transition into. High demand field

[HogHunter34]

I took an aptitude test & results showed I wouldn’t even qualify as a door greeter at Walmart
Go figure

[caa4612]

Has Texas Law changed, non competes don’t hold up in Texas since it’s a right to work state.

I could be wrong, been a while since I faced it.

Maybe they don’t….BUT a former employer can lawyer up and prevent you from working until you lawyer up and fight it. It may never go to court but the company has deeper pockets. I know what my company would do. I’ve been on one side of that fence, and that was just a salesperson, not an upper management position.


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[miket]

I took an aptitude test & results showed I wouldn’t even qualify as a door greeter at Walmart
Go figure

Not sure if you are joking or not, but Im not. I did one online a few years ago and it said I should be a soldering technician! Seriously? Guess I shouldnt have started and run this company....

[HogHunter34]

Not sure if you are joking or not, but Im not. I did one online a few years ago and it said I should be a soldering technician! Seriously? Guess I shouldnt have started and run this company....

I’ve never taken one.
I’ve taken the personality test & it came back smart arse

[BTLowry]

Has Texas Law changed, non competes don’t hold up in Texas since it’s a right to work state.

I could be wrong, been a while since I faced it.

Most non compete clauses are not worth the paper they are written on.
Howeer the legal costs of fighthing the worthless things are what will keep you from challenging

I see reps that jump companies, go to another market to train on the new company's product, then return when noncompete time has expired

[Dusty Britches]

Right to work is not even in the same discussion as non-compete.

In right to work employers cannot give preference to union membership, so being in a union is not a requirement to be hired. You have the right to work if you are qualified.

Non-compete is generally required for people with special skill sets or marketing that protects the company when someone leaves - it keeps that person from stealing their customers or selling their knowledge about special systems.

[PoppinPiggies]

Right to work is not even in the same discussion as non-compete.

In right to work employers cannot give preference to union membership, so being in a union is not a requirement to be hired. You have the right to work if you are qualified.

Non-compete is generally required for people with special skill sets or marketing that protects the company when someone leaves - it keeps that person from stealing their customers or selling their knowledge about special systems.

This ^
The company I work for has successfully used our Non-Compete clause in court here in Texas.