Changing careers

[FergusonTO35]

So, I love the line of work I'm in and my employer but the money spent on gas/car parts and drive time is killing me. So I've been looking around at other things I can do within the same retirement system I'm in. I have an interview for a job 15 minutes from the house on Monday. It would a career change, from government records archivist to building maintenance and janitorial. Pays the same, so I would effectively be gaining a few hundred dollars in gas and car parts money and 30+ hours travel time every month. I also have another application in for the same at another place.

I've done blue collar jobs before as a car mechanic and in retail, so I'm sure I can handle the work. I'm just wondering if the change will be a big shock to my system mentally. Any thoughts or experiences are welcome!

 

[srb08]

Changing jobs is always difficult. Being the new guy and not knowing $hit is stressful, at least until you sort things out.
Going from what I assume is an office environment to a physical work environment might be an issue, but only you can answer that question.
Years ago I was given a temporary assignment as a field engineer (electrical). I had been working as a design engineer in an office environment and had no desire to change. After three months in the field, I decided I couldn’t go back to an office. I had that job for 15 years, until the position was eliminated.
Don’t be afraid to take a chance.

 

[jblnut]

Going from an office setting working with papers and possibly not being able to actually “see” what you’ve accomplished to a job where you can “see” what you’ve done may be very rewarding. Being able to see the clean floor or newly repaired window or whatever may be a great thing.

I’ve had office jobs in the past and looking back they were the most miserable years of my life. I am one that needs to be able to see a task and see that it’s finished. I now farm full time on our 5th generation farm and love it. It’s wicked stressful at times but very rewarding. A bad day farming is still better than a good day in the office as long as life and limb are still in tact of course !! Plus, I get to drive tractors and play with toys I never would in an office setting !!

I say go for it. Change is hard but usually not a bad thing. The hardest changes to make are often the ones you will look back at and think “I should have done this a long time ago”. I know quitting my high paying IT job to stay home and farm was a dang tough one. Give up a six figure guaranteed income and rely on Mother Nature …… I hung on to the IT job a few years longer than I should have really. I don’t regret moving on or the loss in income.

Go for it !!!!

 

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm losing weight and eating better these days so that should help the physical aspect. I'm going to ask specifics about the job on Monday. It may turn out to not be something I want after all. Or it could be a good opportunity.

In any event, I have to do something. I can't keep spending this time and money I'm not getting back.

 

[jblnut]

Don’t leave on bad terms and I’m sure they’ll take you back if it doesn’t work out

There are a pile of jobs available most places these days so even if your old position of filled asap I’m sure you can find something else.

“When one door closes another opens”.

My lovely wife got on a healthy diet kick about a year ago and I hated eating most of it at first but I’ve grown used to eating the same diet that my cattle do lol. Some greens, some corn and some ruffage lol.

 

[jacob j.]

Be prepared for a little culture shock - I went from 26 years in wildland fire, forestry, and logging to an office gig. I needed the office gig for the pay and relief on my body (accumulation of soft-tissue injuries). I hated the office gig at first, but it was four minutes from my house and paid well. It took me several months to really get into it. You'll get into the swing of it but just know that you'll have to change the way you think a bit. Plus, not having to drive a long way to work really counts for a lot.

 

[Loony661]

I have worked retail, mechanic, and now self employed logger. I can honestly tell you, that I love the jobs where I am more physically active. I’d much rather be physically tired at the end of the day, than mentally drained and short with my wife/kids because of it. If you do take the job, just remember that if you feel exhausted, or have some muscle soreness from being more mobile, just remember that it’s just temporary and your body will adjust.

 

[Hoser]

I used to work at the local ice rink doing maintenance/ janitorial work and it was a pretty sweet gig, keep the place tidy, changing lights and ballasts, snake the odd drain, run the Olympia. You just have to be handy, keep the place clean and know when somethings over your head and to call in the trades.
Now I do commercial hvac work and I haven’t met a maintenance guy who hasn’t said the same and I’ve met a lot.

 

[FergusonTO35]

Thanks so much, I'm feeling more confident about it. One of my best friends does the same thing in a different place and really likes it. Much as I do love my current job, it's a dead end. No way to move up and I'm not sure I would do a good job even if I did. I've held on to jobs that have outlived their usefulness before and that never leads to anything good. If a change needs to be made, you have to make it; nobody is going to do it for you. That's a hard lesson to learn, and I'm finally understanding it at 45.

 

[Squareground3691]

Have confidence and believe in urself, and don’t let the little things bother you as much as you might let it , You’ll never know unless you try, you’re already halfway there, big plus being close to ur job to.

 

[hacskaroly]

So, I love the line of work I'm in and my employer but the money spent on gas/car parts and drive time is killing me. So I've been looking around at other things I can do within the same retirement system I'm in. I have an interview for a job 15 minutes from the house on Monday. It would a career change, from government records archivist to building maintenance and janitorial. Pays the same, so I would effectively be gaining a few hundred dollars in gas and car parts money and 30+ hours travel time every month. I also have another application in for the same at another place.

I've done blue collar jobs before as a car mechanic and in retail, so I'm sure I can handle the work. I'm just wondering if the change will be a big shock to my system mentally. Any thoughts or experiences are welcome!

I was in a similar situation, was working 45 minutes from home, gas and time was eating me up. I really liked the work, but ended up finding something 10 minutes from home, highest speed I reach is 35 mph (drops to 25 mph when school is in). Going from a desk job to retail type (on your feet most of the time) will take some getting use to, but I found that I lost weight and felt good. There were aches and pains trying to get the right type of shoes, but otherwise it worked out. Having extra time and money otherwise spent on travel will help lower stress, it did for me. I also don't have to eat dinner at 8:00pm either...another bonus!

 

[FergusonTO35]

I was in a similar situation, was working 45 minutes from home, gas and time was eating me up. I really liked the work, but ended up finding something 10 minutes from home, highest speed I reach is 35 mph (drops to 25 mph when school is in). Going from a desk job to retail type (on your feet most of the time) will take some getting use to, but I found that I lost weight and felt good. There were aches and pains trying to get the right type of shoes, but otherwise it worked out. Having extra time and money otherwise spent on travel will help lower stress, it did for me. I also don't have to eat dinner at 8:00pm either...another bonus!

That's me all the way. Spending over $300.00 a month on gas plus probably over 40 hours driving. If I was making six figures that would be totally worth it but I'm well under half that.

 

[damifino]

A lot of good advise has been given.

building maintenance and janitorial.

Does this job prospect require being on call? Being called out at all hours because of plumbing leak. I'm not trying to sound negative but that would be thorn in my side. Being a plumber I worked 98% of my career in new construction in which I was not on call and only 2% where I did servie work and was on call. Being on call issomething I could not take.

It may turn out to not be something I want after all. Or it could be a good opportunity.

Exactly. Its nice to be looking for job when you are employed instead of when you are unemployed.

Your reasons for job change are excellent/solid reasons. Life is short, be happy.

 

[Bill G]

So, I love the line of work I'm in and my employer but the money spent on gas/car parts and drive time is killing me. So I've been looking around at other things I can do within the same retirement system I'm in. ..................................

I assume Kentucky must have a somewhat similar retirement system as Iowa. They have IPERS which is the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System. For all its's faults it has advantages. One of which is that it is a large system covering a wide array of folks. You can be a school superintendent or a parking meter maid and still be in the system.

Years ago after teaching 6 years in Iowa, being gone on FFA trips constantly, and driving 80 miles a day I was burned out and quit.. I applied and interviewed for a turd wrangler job at the poop plant. Now I live in Illinois but the plant is just 7 miles away in Iowa. As we were talking in the interview the manager asked why I wanted to work there, I said well I have two young boys ages 2 and 4 and a pregnant wife. He agreed that was a good reason. As the interview progressed he told me I would have to move to Iowa. Now that was a deal killer for me. I cannot move land. I asked why that was. he said it was an IPERS rule. I knew that was BS and I mentioned that had been in IPERS for 6 years and lived in Illinois. He was a great guy. He said to talk to so and so at City Hall and if they approved it was fine with him. Well I went straight to City Hall and got the same song and dance. I pointed out that I was an Illinois resident in IPERS. In the end it had nothing to do with IPERS it was some jackass policy the city council had

 

[FergusonTO35]

A lot of good advise has been given.


Does this job prospect require being on call? Being called out at all hours because of plumbing leak. I'm not trying to sound negative but that would be thorn in my side. Being a plumber I worked 98% of my career in new construction in which I was not on call and only 2% where I did servie work and was on call. Being on call issomething I could not take.


Exactly. Its nice to be looking for job when you are employed instead of when you are unemployed.

Your reasons for job change are excellent/solid reasons. Life is short, be happy.

I didn't see anything about being on call in the posting, I'll ask about it. I told my boss and co-workers about the interview and they said they totally understand. They really are great people and I hate to leave them.

 

[FergusonTO35]

I assume Kentucky must have a somewhat similar retirement system as Iowa. They have IPERS which is the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System. For all its's faults it has advantages. One of which is that it is a large system covering a wide array of folks. You can be a school superintendent or a parking meter maid and still be in the system.

Years ago after teaching 6 years in Iowa, being gone on FFA trips constantly, and driving 80 miles a day I was burned out and quit.. I applied and interviewed for a turd wrangler job at the poop plant. Now I live in Illinois but the plant is just 7 miles away in Iowa. As we were talking in the interview the manager asked why I wanted to work there, I said well I have two young boys ages 2 and 4 and a pregnant wife. He agreed that was a good reason. As the interview progressed he told me I would have to move to Iowa. Now that was a deal killer for me. I cannot move land. I asked why that was. he said it was an IPERS rule. I knew that was BS and I mentioned that had been in IPERS for 6 years and lived in Illinois. He was a great guy. He said to talk to so and so at City Hall and if they approved it was fine with him. Well I went straight to City Hall and got the same song and dance. I pointed out that I was an Illinois resident in IPERS. In the end it had nothing to do with IPERS it was some jackass policy the city council had

Kentucky is basically the same thing but no residency rules. I have 11 years to go.

 

[Loony661]

I didn't see anything about being on call in the posting, I'll ask about it. I told my boss and co-workers about the interview and they said they totally understand. They really are great people and I hate to leave them.

IMHO, you shouldn’t have said anything to your current employer until you were actually offered the new position.

 

[FergusonTO35]

Normally that would be the case, but we are all really good friends and they understand. In state jobs, everybody is always looking for the next thing anyway.

 

[Bill G]

Kentucky is basically the same thing but no residency rules. I have 11 years to go.

There is no residency rules here regarding IPERS retirement. It was just a local city council being arses. I thought it was that funny they required Iowa residency to work for the city but many of the men and women that operate the municipal power plant live in Illinois. Many of the men and women who maintain the county roads live in Illinois. In fact I also applied to be a county deputy and they had no issue with me living in Illinois.

 

[Bill G]

IMHO, you shouldn’t have said anything to your current employer until you were actually offered the new position.

I agree, that tells them you are looking