How do I get out of my career(less) rut?
January 31, 2011 6:20 PM Subscribe
How do I get out of my career(less) rut?
I am extremely unhappy with my current professional situation and am just at a loss for what to do next.
I spent my twenties playing in bands and holding whatever day jobs made sense at the time. I drifted into video games because the QA jobs had flexible schedules. Now I am in my mid-thirties and doing contract QA work at a major Pacific Northwest software company, and I hate it. It was tolerable for a while, but due to some recent changes it has become an ordeal.
Most of my jobs for the past decade have been on the periphery of the software industry, and the usual career advice I get is "learn to code". That makes sense but here's the thing: I'm not interested in being a programmer, and I don't really care about building software. Besides which I would be competing for jobs and promotions against people who went to school for programming and really have the enthusiasm and drive that I have to fake. I feel as though I'm pressured to spend my free time learning computer skills I have very little interest in, just to keep my head above water.
OK so I'm obviously in the wrong place. But what is the right place? I'm a typical musician type with no bachelor's degree (about two years of undergrad in literature) and no certifications to do anything, really. Most of the transitions I've considered (audio production, arts organizations, library work, radio work, some kind of writing work) seem to require I take a couple of years of specialty education, which I'm not against but I live paycheck to paycheck, and the few times I've filled out a FAFSA and done the other first steps in that direction I just come face to face with a huge money gap, not just for tuition but how I'd make ends meet while going back to school, if indeed that's even a good idea.
I look forward in life and try to imagine a scenario where I'm happy and fulfiled, doing work I enjoy, and I just can't see where the path is to get from here to there. Sitting in my cube and running out the clock is killing me inside. Has anyone been through this and come out the other side, and do you have any advice?
Throwaway acct: dreadingmyjob@yahoo.com
I am extremely unhappy with my current professional situation and am just at a loss for what to do next.
I spent my twenties playing in bands and holding whatever day jobs made sense at the time. I drifted into video games because the QA jobs had flexible schedules. Now I am in my mid-thirties and doing contract QA work at a major Pacific Northwest software company, and I hate it. It was tolerable for a while, but due to some recent changes it has become an ordeal.
Most of my jobs for the past decade have been on the periphery of the software industry, and the usual career advice I get is "learn to code". That makes sense but here's the thing: I'm not interested in being a programmer, and I don't really care about building software. Besides which I would be competing for jobs and promotions against people who went to school for programming and really have the enthusiasm and drive that I have to fake. I feel as though I'm pressured to spend my free time learning computer skills I have very little interest in, just to keep my head above water.
OK so I'm obviously in the wrong place. But what is the right place? I'm a typical musician type with no bachelor's degree (about two years of undergrad in literature) and no certifications to do anything, really. Most of the transitions I've considered (audio production, arts organizations, library work, radio work, some kind of writing work) seem to require I take a couple of years of specialty education, which I'm not against but I live paycheck to paycheck, and the few times I've filled out a FAFSA and done the other first steps in that direction I just come face to face with a huge money gap, not just for tuition but how I'd make ends meet while going back to school, if indeed that's even a good idea.
I look forward in life and try to imagine a scenario where I'm happy and fulfiled, doing work I enjoy, and I just can't see where the path is to get from here to there. Sitting in my cube and running out the clock is killing me inside. Has anyone been through this and come out the other side, and do you have any advice?
Throwaway acct: dreadingmyjob@yahoo.com
I'm in a similar situation myself, here is what has helped me to crawl halfway out of my hole. First, stop thinking yourself as being stuck in your predicament and view your situation as a problem solving puzzle.
1) Make a list of your marketable skills
2) Think of any field where you can realistically get a job with your current skill set
3) Network. Network. Network.
Start doing music in your spare time, view your job as a means to an end not an end unto itself. Use your flexible hours to your advantage and save as much money you can. Cultivate interests and knowledge in your spare time which will serve you well when the right moment comes along.
Also I wonder if you can leverage your connections in the games industry to get a job on the audio production side?
Now I'm en route to China to work for a textile company. I still don't know if it's a plausible career path, but it's an opportunity. I got the job by leveraging my connections, knowledge and skills.
posted by pakoothefakoo at 7:29 PM on January 31, 2011
1) Make a list of your marketable skills
2) Think of any field where you can realistically get a job with your current skill set
3) Network. Network. Network.
Start doing music in your spare time, view your job as a means to an end not an end unto itself. Use your flexible hours to your advantage and save as much money you can. Cultivate interests and knowledge in your spare time which will serve you well when the right moment comes along.
Also I wonder if you can leverage your connections in the games industry to get a job on the audio production side?
Now I'm en route to China to work for a textile company. I still don't know if it's a plausible career path, but it's an opportunity. I got the job by leveraging my connections, knowledge and skills.
posted by pakoothefakoo at 7:29 PM on January 31, 2011
Also don't worry about the big "C" Career.
"Career" is just a series of (sometimes shitty) jobs until you figure out how to survive doing what you're good at.
posted by pakoothefakoo at 7:32 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
"Career" is just a series of (sometimes shitty) jobs until you figure out how to survive doing what you're good at.
posted by pakoothefakoo at 7:32 PM on January 31, 2011 [1 favorite]
Learning a little bit of coding isn't just a path to becoming a programmer -- it's a big bonus that will aid you whether you're a project manager, a tester (at someplace less soul-sucking than your current firm), a librarian, an audio engineer, a teacher, a policy analyst, a nonprofit-y factotum, etc. But in my experience, learning some programming skills has to be something you do for you, in a manner you enjoy, not Yet Another Requirement.
posted by brainwane at 7:06 AM on February 1, 2011
posted by brainwane at 7:06 AM on February 1, 2011
seem to require I take a couple of years of specialty education, which I'm not against but I live paycheck to paycheck, and the few times I've filled out a FAFSA and done the other first steps in that direction I just come face to face with a huge money gap, not just for tuition but how I'd make ends meet while going back to school, if indeed that's even a good idea.
Keep in mind that school doesn't have to be full-time. Take two classes at night per semester. You'll eventually get there, and you don't have to quit your job or lose income at all.
I was in a similar situation (only without the awesome band excuse) and I complained to my Dad that if I went back to school I'd be 35 before I got a degree. And my Dad wisely said "but you'll be 35 anyway. Better to be 35 with a degree than without."
posted by clone boulevard at 8:15 AM on February 1, 2011
Keep in mind that school doesn't have to be full-time. Take two classes at night per semester. You'll eventually get there, and you don't have to quit your job or lose income at all.
I was in a similar situation (only without the awesome band excuse) and I complained to my Dad that if I went back to school I'd be 35 before I got a degree. And my Dad wisely said "but you'll be 35 anyway. Better to be 35 with a degree than without."
posted by clone boulevard at 8:15 AM on February 1, 2011
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I get the impression that you really want to do something technical you perceive as creative. I warn you that most of these jobs you listed can be difficult to come by unless you have a lot of contacts built up already. Considering you already live paycheck to paycheck and the encouragement is the learn to code, I would find out if you could move into providing music for your company while also doing QA so as to spread your resources.
posted by parmanparman at 7:03 PM on January 31, 2011