How many people have left IT jobs for alternatives?

Soldato
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Hey. Its kinda late so there may not be many replies to this at the moment but I was kind of interested in this topic.

I hear a lot about people switching fields after university or after working a certain period of time in a certain job. Sheer unhappyness or not feeling like its a challenge. And a few times I've heard of people who have decided to not pursue a career in IT because they got really bored sitting behind a desk 8-10 hours a day.

Now to be perfectly honest, sitting behind a desk 8-10 hours a day or in an office that whole time surrounded my computers does not appeal to me. So why did I do a networking degree and a ccna? Parental pressure. Anyway now that I've got the education out the way I have this thing called free will and its sort of swaying me away from the office job and more thoughts towards something enjoyable. Not sure what that enjoyment is yet but I know I wont be in IT for the rest of my life.

The point to all this.

I'd like to know who here has left the IT industry? What was your reason for leaving? And what alternative did you find? Does the alternative pay better? Are you happier?

Hopefully this will help me in my pursuit for happiness.

Thanks
Asim
 
Soldato
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I've never been involved in IT, but my advice job-wise would be to do whatever you enjoy, and dont worry too much about the pay. Life's too short to spend half your waking hours (Possibly more!) Doing something you dont like just so you can buy a nicer car.
 
Man of Honour
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I was working in IT for four years. I was a techie doing various jobs from building computers, on-site support, SB network configuration etc... to selling over the counter. I was a general skivvy expected to do everything and expected to do 50-60k a year driving around Ireland for very little money. I got fed up with it and applied for a job I really wanted to do, Air Traffic Control. Here I am two years later in a career I love, earning three times what I was and working half the hours. I used to work up to 80 hours a week for a crap wage and now I work 180 days of the year for three times the wage. It rocks :cool:

As said before, do somethign that you enjoy. I thought I enjoyed IT work until I opened my eyes and tried something different. I'm so much happier now.

My advice is to do what you feel happiest doing. Work hard towards your goal and you will achieve. Moving away from IT was the best decision I ever made.
 
Associate
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Scuzi said:
I was working in IT for four years. I was a techie doing various jobs from building computers, on-site support, SB network configuration etc... to selling over the counter. I was a general skivvy expected to do everything and expected to do 50-60k a year driving around Ireland for very little money. I got fed up with it and applied for a job I really wanted to do, Air Traffic Control. Here I am two years later in a career I love, earning three times what I was and working half the hours. I used to work up to 80 hours a week for a crap wage and now I work 180 days of the year for three times the wage. It rocks :cool:

Have always been a big time geek/programmer but ATC has always interested me, I also want to get my PPL at some point, but anyway. How easy is it to get a job in air traffic control?
 
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adamofgreyskull said:
Have always been a big time geek/programmer but ATC has always interested me, I also want to get my PPL at some point, but anyway. How easy is it to get a job in air traffic control?

I've done both :D
Air Traffic Control is a job you can either do or you can't. The only way you will ever find out is to apply and go through the testing. Around 3 people in every 1,000 actualy make it so the statistics aren't favourable but it really is worth a try. Give it a shot and see how it goes.

Check out www.natscareers.co.uk for more info.
 
Soldato
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I think I'm going to have to figure out what I want. Something in the automotive industry maybe, I'm not sure. The point is that it will most likely involve further training and education before I can specialise in a different field. Me only being 21 gives me plenty of time.
 
Soldato
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Frack off, nosey
Scuzi said:
As said before, do somethign that you enjoy. I thought I enjoyed IT work until I opened my eyes and tried something different. I'm so much happier now.

Exactly what happened to me. I was a support monkey - then database manager - then ran all the systems and admin for 40+ users.

Then I left and went into consultancy. After a few weeks I realised I hated it and there were more important things in life than work, work, work, which nobody else there seemed to realise.

So I packed it in, and I've never been happier :) I still do some stuff on the side, like webdesign, but I enjoy it and it's more of a hobby than a job and it can bring in a few extra quid ;)
 

Jez

Jez

Caporegime
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I am in this situation, i am in a job where i often have to work long hours, for a completely avarage pay cheque, doing jobs which dont interest me in the slightest.

I have no idea what i could possibly move to though :(
 
Caporegime
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All over the world...
At the moment im still in IT somewhat, started out as Technical Director for my mates company but last year he made me a company director, so taking me away from the IT side which tbh i was finding an extreme borefest tbh.

Still deal with the odd technical/IT problem but now my job entails a lot more things business wise ie running the company on a day to day basis etc whereas before i was more or less getting my hands dirty which was fun but as i said was kinda getting bored of it.

Saying that though i was working in retail for quite some time before i made the move into IT, did a few qual's and managed to get a job then was offered the technical directors post of my mates company.

But now im looking to move completely away from IT as a whole as i find its getting way too saturated in the market. Looking to do my own thing very soon, well once ive tied up a few things here and have moved to Canada for good.
 
Soldato
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I used to be a Techie for HCC, the money was good but the job was so tedious. I needed a change and moved on to do Design/Draughting in the construction industry. Currently trying to move up to a more project management orientated role now. Sadly my current place of work dont seem interested in investing in me as a person so I'm job hunting again :(
 
Soldato
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calnen said:
I've never been involved in IT, but my advice job-wise would be to do whatever you enjoy, and dont worry too much about the pay. Life's too short to spend half your waking hours (Possibly more!) Doing something you dont like just so you can buy a nicer car.

So true, I wish Id studied things I enjoyed when I was younger rather than other stuff I hated.
 
Associate
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I'm currently sat in an office 8hrs a day at a big named computer place, My role involves testing customer gold builds and pricing up jobs, it is slowly driving me into a depressive puddle on the floor, I need to get out and do something I enjoy but I really don't know what to do, I want something where I can go to work for 8hrs, work really hard if I need to, and then go home stress free, I dont want to be how I am now still getting phonecalls at 8pm a night and wondering if I did this or forgot to do that and the other.

The type of job that interests me is a postman, walking around delivering mail sounds like absolute heaven to me and sounds stress free. but the mrs wouldn't let me do that because she thinks i would hardly see her, early mornings and early nights etc.

I have a family to support too so I need reasonable money, when I say reasonable i'd be happy on 20k a year.

I'm open to suggestions. ;)
 
Soldato
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0gami said:
I'm currently sat in an office 8hrs a day at a big named computer place, My role involves testing customer gold builds and pricing up jobs, it is slowly driving me into a depressive puddle on the floor, I need to get out and do something I enjoy but I really don't know what to do, I want something where I can go to work for 8hrs, work really hard if I need to, and then go home stress free, I dont want to be how I am now still getting phonecalls at 8pm a night and wondering if I did this or forgot to do that and the other.

The type of job that interests me is a postman, walking around delivering mail sounds like absolute heaven to me and sounds stress free. but the mrs wouldn't let me do that because she thinks i would hardly see her, early mornings and early nights etc.

I have a family to support too so I need reasonable money, when I say reasonable i'd be happy on 20k a year.

I'm open to suggestions. ;)

Landscape gardener?

Friend of mine does very nicely doing that.
 
Associate
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Funny you should mention that, don't know much about gardening but i've just chopped our jungle down at the house we're at now, it was terribly overgrown, and whilst it was hard work I really enjoyed doing it.

How did your mate go about becoming and landscape gardener then?
 
Soldato
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0gami said:
I'm currently sat in an office 8hrs a day at a big named computer place, My role involves testing customer gold builds and pricing up jobs, it is slowly driving me into a depressive puddle on the floor, I need to get out and do something I enjoy but I really don't know what to do, I want something where I can go to work for 8hrs, work really hard if I need to, and then go home stress free, I dont want to be how I am now still getting phonecalls at 8pm a night and wondering if I did this or forgot to do that and the other.

The type of job that interests me is a postman, walking around delivering mail sounds like absolute heaven to me and sounds stress free. but the mrs wouldn't let me do that because she thinks i would hardly see her, early mornings and early nights etc.

I have a family to support too so I need reasonable money, when I say reasonable i'd be happy on 20k a year.

I'm open to suggestions. ;)

Tree surgeon!
 
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