Career Change?

How often have you made a career change? Are you planning one now? What’s the process for changing from one skill to another for your particular job?

I quit my job after 13 years about 3 years ago.

When I quit, I didn’t have anything lined up.

They treated me like crap and I had enough. I almost had a panic attack over that place. No reason to hurt my health because they don’t know how to run a company.

I heard it’s even worse than what it was when I left.

I eventually found a new job. It was about $10K less a year than what I was making. But I’m happy. I look forward to Monday. I’ve been with them for 3 years now. Hoping it’s where I retire from.

I did arts/graphics for years until I became a substitute teacher, and I did that so I could be with my daughter at the school, as well as having holidays and summer break. When we moved, I went to work as a Project Admin at the company where my husband works. It wasn’t really my top choice because out here, you have to know someone to get in the door anywhere!! Since I was into forums, some of the e-filing I did was super easy for me to learn, so that was a plus. Now, I am a homemaker and all my “work” is online mostly by volunteer.

I want to make a career change one day, but I’m at a loss as to what skills I could learn to do so. I’ve always been in the retail and food industry (currently in retail), so I’m pretty inexperienced in most fields. Plus, I’m always too anxiety-ridden to step out of my box to try new things.

On Sep 5, 2026, Cory said:

I want to make a career change one day, but I’m at a loss as to what skills I could learn to do so. I’ve always been in the retail and food industry (currently in retail), so I’m pretty inexperienced in most fields. Plus, I’m always too anxiety-ridden to step out of my box to try new things.

You’re good with computers, right?

Why not do something in that area?

Shawn said:

You’re good with computers, right?

Why not do something in that area?

I’ve considered it and even tried a few times with little luck. My main area of knowledge is front-end coding, which for me includes HTML, CSS, and JavaScript/jQuery. That’s pretty much the bare-bones basics of front-end web development. The technology sector is fast-paced and hard to keep up with, and I’ve heard many stories about AI starting to take over some technical careers. Not to mention, the town I live in is somewhat smaller than most destinations where you would find many of these careers available.

Mine has been a pretty natural progression. I changed from custodian to general maintenance, then to groundskeeping and finally to what I am now HVAC technician.

Not sure what I would switch to now as I don't qualify for anything else that pays as much.

I’ve always been a mechanic and a body repair guy, but with the fast paced of technology changes in the automotive world, I don’t see that lasting very long. I still have to work 30 years, and I’m unsure if those 30 years will be in my current sector. EVs are the future, where there is little to no maintenance on. So likely I’ll be transitioning to a more IT job.

On Sep 6, 2026, Cedric said:

I’ve always been a mechanic and a body repair guy, but with the fast paced of technology changes in the automotive world, I don’t see that lasting very long. I still have to work 30 years, and I’m unsure if those 30 years will be in my current sector. EVs are the future, where there is little to no maintenance on. So likely I’ll be transitioning to a more IT job.

Well there will still be people crashing EVs so could body repair still be an option?

On Sep 6, 2026, NeoMetallix said:

Well there will still be people crashing EVs so could body repair still be an option?

Cars are equipped with more and more security features, sensors that intervene when a potential crash happens where the cars brake for you. Which is good for the overall safety of people, less ideal for business. 😉 In a country as small as mine, where in one city there’s quickly a few smiliar businesses, that’s even less ideal. Not to mention, they make it a sport here to decrease the speed limit every few years to where electric bikes can overtake us.