Changing Careers
More than what might typically considered career changes, my work experience has mostly been a matter of job changes or temporary spans of working to pay bills. Few of those latter jobs were occupations that I would ever have strongly considered as a career choice though I'd have likely been willing to have continued working at some of those jobs had the money and circumstances been right.
We often work at jobs that come our way while others of us might pursue the passion which we burn for the most. A dear friend of mine started working during his high school years at a factory where his parents worked. That friend recently retired after nearly fifty years working at that same factory--rather unusual in our time. I don't think he ever seriously considered a career change during his working years. Now that he is retired, he seems content to sit on his deck drinking coffee on summer mornings and watch the sunset while nursing a tall beer. He piddles about the house during the day or just relaxes listening to the radio. For him life is just fine and after fifty years working at the same place I guess he deserves to do whatever provides his happiness.
Having a restless spirit, I sometimes think about moving from retirement into a new career. Fortunately those thoughts don't last too long or become overly obsessive for me. There is an option to retirement, but the money and circumstances would have to be right as has always been the case for me. Money and circumstances likely plays the biggest role in a good many career changes. I'm probably not going to rush out of retirement any time soon. A career change could be heading my way, but I'm not making a serious effort at job hunting either. If something did happen then it would likely fall into my life like so many things have.
If any, what big career adjustments have you made in your life? Would you ever want to completely retire into a quiet sedentary life staying mostly at home? What drives you most when it comes to taking a job: money or circumstances?
Battle of the Bands
Artists Who Changed Careers
Recently I watched an episode of Penn and Teller's Fool Us TV show and my attention was particularly drawn to one rather eccentric magician who had previously had a career as a singer in a moderately successful rock band. Though this factoid was mentioned in the show, Penn Jillette failed to explain who the artist had been in his previous life when he sang vocals on a minor hit that eventually charted at 58 on the Billboard Pop chart.
With my music interests such as they are I had to Google the magician to discover his previous career incarnation--a band and song completely new to me. However, reading about this artist made me think of another artist that I enjoyed in his short career as a rock star before he went on to a different career. This in turn inspired my current round of Battle of the Bands.
Cliff De Young With All In Mind (1966)
Clear Light was an album I used to listen to frequently after it came out in 1966. I still have my vinyl copy of this album. Lead singer Cliff De Young later went on to an acting career, not a far cry from singing. For the Battle I offer up this song from Clear Light's only album.
Rob Zabrecky "Watch the Girl Destroy Me" (1993)
Possum Dixon is a new band to me. Lead singer Rob Zabrecky has multifaceted interests including his current career as a magician.
Time to Vote!
Do you have a preference between these two choices? Hopefully you have an opinion of some kind. Which version do you like the best? You don't have to know about music to have an opinion since it all comes down to your own personal taste.
Please vote on your favorite by letting us know your choice in the comment section and tell us why you prefer the version you chose. Then after you've finished here, please visit the other blogs listed below who may or may not be participating this time around. And if you've put up your own BOTB contest let us know that as well so we can vote on yours.
Here are some other places where you might find BOTB posts:
StMcC Presents Battle of the Bands
‘YOUR DAILY DOSE’
'MIKE'S RAMBLINGS'
'Curious as a Cathy'
Sound of One Hand Typing
The Doglady's Den
Angel's Bark
Jingle, Jangle, Jungle
Winner of this Battle Announced on Friday July 21st
I might be struggling to make it through Battles this week, but hoping I make it through and making it to my next winner announcement next Friday. Still truckin'.
The best job in the 60's I had was wotking in a record shop, As I was music mad (and still am) this was a dream come true for me.
ReplyDeleteMany years later after I was married and had my three children I worked with the elderly which was rewaring in a different sort of way.
I vote for Cliff De Young "With All In Mind"
found this right for the 60 era.
Yvonne.
Yvonne, a lot of those in our generation would probably have liked your record store job.
DeleteFirst vote for Cliff De Young.
Lee
An early Facebook vote from my cousin Tom for...
ReplyDeleteCliff De Young
Lee
Neither does it for me, but I'll go with Possum Dixon.
ReplyDeleteI've worked in the same career all my life. Intend on retiring in the next years.
Alex, work that satisfies oneself is maybe as good as retirement, but not working a job is nice too.
DeleteA vote for Rob Zabrecky.
Lee
I thought I wanted to be in radio/TV production in high school so that's what I went to college for. I worked in the TV field for 3 years after graduating, burned out, moved to San Francisco and transitioned to office work. I worked my way up from receptionist to paralegal and stayed in that profession from 1990 to 2011. Now I'm a stay at home wife and I don't miss working one single bit.
ReplyDeleteI love Cliff DeYoung...he was in a movie called Sunshine Christmas with Bill Mumy and they sang a really pretty version of Sunshine on My Shoulders. I have the 45.
JoJo, I've dreamed of being a late night DJ, but I'll likely never pursue that career. I think a lot of us test out careers then decide they're not what we want to do.
DeleteLee
Oh, and I guess I'll enter a vote for Cliff De Young.
DeleteLee
I'm baaaaaack! Count me in and vote on my Battle, my friend.
ReplyDeleteYour ruminations on changing careers really speak to me at this time in my life. I've committed to a "function" that is somewhat rewarding and definitely needed for the time being but I can see myself doing a drastic flip in the future. I've always been the person who needs to be needed at some level and my job choices reflected that. More and more, I just want to be the "you do you" person. I'm just not sure who I am any more. When I find out: Zap! Pow!
As for the battle, I can't say that one was soooo much better than the other; they just didn't grab me like that.
RZ/Possum Dixon reminds me of the 80s. I'm going with that vibe today!
Cherdo, glad to see you back!
DeleteBeing needed can be a nice feeling, but it can also be stressful.
An 80's vote for Rob Zabrecky.
Lee
LEE ~
ReplyDeleteI've never had a career. Just a bunch of different jobs. I plan on retiring the day Jesus returns in 2029. Until then, I guess I'll just continue getting kicked around.
I listened to both songs twice.
Clear Light has that typical sound from that mid-'60s era -- with the organ and a kind of rough, almost Garage Band-like edge. Never been a big fan of that style.
Musically, I liked POSSUM DIXON, although I didn't really care much for the vocals. And that's a band that should be heard and not seen. (The second time, I listened without watching all the mugging in the video and I liked it much better.)
Vote: POSSUM DIXON
~ D-FensDogG
[Link:) STMcC Presents 'Battle Of The Bands'
STMcC, a bunch of jobs can be interesting and fun, but working that way is not very conducive to getting a good retirement pension. I've found that out.
DeleteA vote for Rob Zabrecky.
Lee
I've worked a myriad of jobs. The longest I stayed at one job was 8 years. I would still be there had they not decided to outsource to India.
ReplyDeleteI'm voting today for Possum Dixon. I may need to check them out to hear more. Thanks!
~Mary
Mary, I had a similar situation with work and would likely still be working there if my branch hadn't shut down.
DeleteA vote for Rob Zabrecky.
Lee
I recognized Cliff De Young right away. He's had quite an acting career. I listened to Clear Light's song while I was checking him out on IMDB. I enjoyed their song but I definitely liked Possum Dixon better. Their music was more appealing to me than Clear Light's so my vote is going to the Possum boys.
ReplyDeleteRe: job changes: I had a number of job changes but they were all pretty much within the same career: Advertising. My first official career job was with a DC ad agency: I was hired on as a Copywriter but then moved into a Media Buyer position, doing mostly print (newspaper and magazine) and a little radio. I found that I really liked doing the media buying for radio and that agency did mostly print so I went after a "Broadcast Media Buyer/Planner" job at another agency in DC where I worked exclusively with radio and television media buys. Loved that! That was my element for sure. Stayed there for a 2 years but was headhunted/recruited to another larger DC agency in the same role that offered a significant pay raise ($14,000 more per year) so I jumped at that but even though I had a nice corner office downtown, it was a sweat shop. And at the same time I was itching to get into radio advertising Sales because, although as a buyer I was wined and dined all the time by sales reps and that was a blast, they made the big bucks and drove the super nice cars and wore expensive clothes... and I kept saying to myself, "I can do sales!" so I was pursuing a career shift into radio and three months after I went to the higher-paying agency job, I was hired as a sales rep for DC's Classic Rock station. So I left buying and went into selling. A change but not much of a change really. I stayed there for 3 years until I grew tired of the "big city" and moved to Austin, where I worked for the classic rock station here...for about 3 years. Then I got bored with it (burned out) and made a DRASTIC career change: I left the radio station to open a bar -- a little neighborhood beer & wine joint. That was quite a scary change because I really had no experience in the bar business but it had always been a dream to own a bar so I did it. That was fun -- for a while. And I wanted some fall-back income so I came full circle and started my own ad agency specializing in media planning and buying. I sold the bar after 3 years and continued on with my ad agency for about 8 years and then the economy tanked so I opted for a more secure job and went to work for Time Warner as a cable advertising sales rep. Did that for 9 months and absolutely hated the idea of working for other people after having been self-employed for a decade so I did another drastic change: I was completely burnt out on advertising period so I started my dogsitting business. And that's what I've been doing for, well, a long time now. I don't see myself ever going back to work for someone else and as long as I can make it and live comfortably, I'm going to stick with the dogs. No office politics, no bosses, no bullshit. Well, there's shit for sure, but not bullshit. Lots and lots of dog poop... But so worth it.
So I guess all in all, I've had a number of different jobs but only two significant career changes over the course of my life so far. Hopefully I won't have to make another change because I really like what I'm doing now.
Glad you brought the topic up Lee. That was fun for me to recount my past life...I enjoyed this little trip down memory lane. Advertising was a good career and overall a lot of fun but it definitely involves a lot of stress too. I like the gig I have now...
Hope you're enjoying your summer travels.
Michele at Angels Bark
Good grief, I just hit Publish and saw how long my comment is!! Had no idea I had rambled that much. Sorry 'bout that. You got me on a roll...
DeleteMichele, I like it when folks are inspired to write an involving comment. You've had an interesting mix of jobs. Many of my jobs seemed to be related or were the result of working somewhere else. I'd much rather work for myself or in a job where I had a lot of control of my own circumstances.
DeleteA vote for Rob Zabrecky.
Lee
I hope you're having a good vacation, Lee. I've never heard either song before, but I do remember Cliff De Young from his acting career. His vocals were more appealing and I like Clear Light's '60s vibe. They get my vote. On to your questions:
ReplyDeleteIf any, what big career adjustments have you made in your life? After getting downsized from my corporate career in 1992, I couldn't find a similar position, so started my own pet care business.
Would you ever want to completely retire into a quiet sedentary life staying mostly at home? Oh, hell no! Like you, I am restless and always looking for adventure.
What drives you most when it comes to taking a job: money or circumstances? Money has never been the top priority for me when it came to jobs. I have to like what I'm doing and feel mentally stimulated by it.
Debbie, sometimes I feel like I'm getting too old for adventure--maybe a good reason to focus more on my writing.
DeleteI agree with you about liking what I do, but I'd rarely argue with good money either.
Another vote for Cliff De Young.
Lee
There are times I seriously consider leaving my current job, but frankly even with its frustrations it's the best gig I've had. And at my age, God truly blessed me with it. Changing careers? That's something I should have thought about as a younger man, back when I didn't know what career i wanted, and that there was a difference between a career and a job.
ReplyDeleteOh, and definitely Clear Light.
DeleteCW, I hear you loud and clear. Getting older and more settled means that I'm not as excited about change as much as I used to be.
DeleteA vote for Cliff De Young.
Lee
I say that the one career change I'd experienced was to get laid off from my job in 2003. At the time, I was an office assistant happily lost in the Public Records department of the State Library. By the time I came back to work six months later, I was a clerk typist, then by mid-2004, a payroll clerk.
ReplyDeleteBecoming a payroll clerk eventually put me on the path to where I'm commenting on your blog.
GB, public service has it's rewards. Would you want to be anywhere else than commenting on my blog? Don't answer that.
DeleteLee
Leaving retirement is a big move. Me, I thought I'd be retired by 60 and I'm way late with no end to working in sight. Sigh.
ReplyDeleteJacqui, I figured I'd be working into my 70's and yet here I am. Something that I like with decent money involved would be a dream come true.
DeleteLee
Thanks for the interesting battle this month. I had not heard of either of these bands, but I really like Possum Dixon. I'm sorry to hear that Rob is now "demoted" (my opinion, perhaps not his) to magician.
ReplyDeleteClear Light was meh to me.
But Possum Dixon had a bouncy pop-punk feel to it that is right up my alley. They get my vote by a huge margin.
As for jobs/work: I've never worked for anyone other than my family or myself, with the exception of editing my economic professor's book when I was in college. I officially "retired" 12 years ago at age 50, but I work as much now as I did when working for financial remuneration. I'll never stop working to improve my life, my family, my spiritual sense, and my financial picture.
Sixgun, I like the idea of working for self and family as long as the money is coming in and family isn't feuding.
DeleteA vote for Rob Zabrecky, a unique cutting edge magician.
Lee
I had a few different employers over my working years, but most of the jobs were related in some way to accounting. After I retired from real work and got traveling out of my system, I made the big jump to writing fiction. My life is now part work (writing-related stuff) and part retirement (reading, gardening, and goofing off).
ReplyDeletePatricia, I can see how specialized knowledge would lead one to more specific jobs. My father was always in accounting. Your present life sounds fun.
DeleteLee
I'll probably work until I croak, unless I become a rich bloke. Survival is key. Money and circumstance sure lead the way. Writing I'll probably never stop.
ReplyDelete#2 gets the vote at my zoo.
Pat, rich sounds good, but keeping oneself financially secure is fine.
DeleteA vote for Rob Zabrecky.
Lee
I think I prefer "Watch the Girl Destroy Me".
ReplyDeleteI decided what I wanted to do as a career when I was twenty, and for the past 10+ years, I've been working in the field of software development and enjoying it. I suppose crafting code is the ideal choice to satiate both my creative and analytic sides. :)
Loni, anything to do with computers is probably a wise career move these days.
DeleteA vote for Rob Zabrecky.
Lee
I like both songs, both were new to me so thanks for sharing. My vote goes for Rob Zabrecky, the song won me over the longer I listened to it.
ReplyDeleteMike, another vote for...
DeleteRob Zabrecky.
Lee
Teaching was my love for 20 years, after nearly 20 years of adventures--including owning and operating a hotel in Ireland. When I retired, being involved in my gr-daughters' lives was the best "job" ever.
ReplyDeleteI'd go for Clear Light. Something about them reminds me of David Bowie.
Susan K, teaching is a fine profession and now has some very good benefits if you're in the right district.
DeleteA vote for Cliff De Young
Lee
Definitely Clear Light over Possum Dixon. It's so Sixties it's fantastic!
ReplyDeleteCareer adjustments... After six months as a computer person, I worked for two years as a production supervisor, first for a food company, then for an auto parts manufacturer. Two years later, I went back to computers and stayed there. I had a degree in Production and Operations Management, which is why I left programming for factory work. I spent four years programming for a bank, then went to work for a software company and stayed there for twenty years, and really hadn't planned my exit. I found another job as a trainer, and that's when I had my stroke. After several years working for my brother as his computer guy, I retired on disability, and effectively do as your friend is doing. basically nothing but blogging and drinking coffee.
I regret that I never actually built a plan for my career, and as they say, fail to plan, plan to fail. I don't consider anything I've done as a failure, just not the success it should have been. As they also say, manage your career, or your career manages you.
John, you had a practical career course in life which is wise. Best plans often go awry.
DeleteA vote for Cliff De Young. Agree about the sound.
Lee