Has anyone questioned their career choice?

It took me three years to get a permanent guidance counselor job. I did leave replacements before this, so I do have experience in the field, but it's just so hard. I know the pressure's different, because of tenure and I work in a really high-expectation district, but I find myself questioning my career choice lately, even though this is always what I wanted to do!
It doesn't help that I have a very unsupportive boss - who doesn't mentor, show me anything, no positive reinforcement, etc.
Have any of you gone through this?

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

i'm kinda going through that now in my current job. i finally got a job in a library, more than 3 years after receiving my degree in library science. so far i'm hating every minute of it, but i'm not sure if it's just taking me a while to adjust, if it's the type of library i'm in, or if i really don't want to do this. for now i'm trying to give it more time but if it's still bad in a few months i may change my game plan.

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

all the time...but I don't know what else I would be doing.

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

I always think it would have been easier to be a nurse. They are always looking for nurses, the $ seems great, and there is such a demand in the healthcae field as the baby boomers become older. Though you have to admit, the grass always seems greener on the other side.

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

yes, and i changed it..thougth i wanted to be a fashion designer, worked at it for 3 years and hated it...

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

Ohh Sweetie....the first year is the toughest, remember that!

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

Posted by Moehick

Ohh Sweetie....the first year is the toughest, remember that!

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

Posted by Moehick

Ohh Sweetie....the first year is the toughest, remember that!

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

This is why I'm so terrified to make a career choice and stick with it.

I've changed my major 5 times, changed schools 4 times, I always complete a program 1/2way, then decide that I can't spend the rest of my life doing "that". That's why I'm in my 5th year of undergrad study.

I've finally decided to go with English, leaving career choices very open. My latest career choice was teaching, but I could never make it through MORE schooling, and never-ending "professional development" after that. I just don't know anymore...

Michal, I'm sure you are GREAT at your job. Keep on plugging - everyone always finds the 1st year the toughest! s

Message edited 1/8/2006 11:45:29 PM.

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

Many times. I was in finanance for 8 years. Different departments of finance and hated it. At first I thought it was the company. I would literally cry that I had to go to work that is how much I hated the job. Things took a turn there and I wound up leaving on not such great terms. I did a lot of temp jobs but they all seemed to have left me in doing things with finance. And I hated every single one of them.

When we moved to Florida I found myself working in a call center. I started as an admin, then a CSR, and now I am the customer service supervisor. I love what I do. I love my co-workers. I love that each call I get I never know what I am walking into. I really get a thrill at the irrate customers because they ask for the most ridiculous things or they try and argue with you. My favorite is when they say they are going to get their lawyer to sue the company over a $50 refund

It took me a long time to find what I love and enjoy the work I do. It literally just fell into my lap

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

I often do, but I think it has more to do with the people I work with and my supervisors, and not the field I chose. It's hard too because I am now 1/2 way through a doctorate in the area in which I work, so it would be so much time and money wasted if I changed to something different. But, I know what I enjoy about my field--I have great benefits, vacation time, etc.

There are so many guidance counselors who are not able to find jobs...I work in a college and any job we advertise we have over 100 applications from people who got the Master's in Counseling but can't get jobs in districts, so if you do leave, you might not be able to find anything again...Is there anything you think you might enjoy more?

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE!

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

I was a guidance counselor and teacher (in another state) and I left to change careers. I agree with everyone else that it does get easier after the first year. I found I was able to streamline some of the things I did, particularly the academic and college counseling tasks.

There were a number of reasons I left, but they had more to do with me and my personality, I think, than the job itself. I always enjoyed working with the students, but I had more frustration dealing with the parents and the administration. I think that does also get easier after the first year, though. I think even when you are experienced, the first year in a new school can be tough, since there is a whole new set of personalities and politics that you have to navigate. I also agree with Beth, that it would be really tough to get another job if you left, so I would stick it out for a few years before deciding to leave. Good luck!

ETA: feel free to FM if you want to vent

Message edited 1/9/2006 12:01:10 PM.

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

i am questioning mine - i left a good job to student teach this past fall....I gruaduated in dec and all i hear is bleak news from everyone about how i will "never" find a job on li....

Re: Has anyone questioned their career choice?

so far so good.