Friday, June 13, 2008

What I want to be when I grow up...again

I've been a kick-a** communications professional (at least that's what I think I am) for the last three years, but I couldn't help but wonder what I would do if I didn't enjoy my job?

Realistically, 20-something men and women will change jobs multiple times in their lives and even change careers at least two or three times. So if I need to start thinking about a second career, what should I be considering?

A woman I used to work with teased me that I would would do a great job in one of the following professions (should I choose to make a career change):
  • Guidance counselor

  • Game show host (maybe the phrase "no whammies, no whammies" is in my future)

  • Stand-up comedienne

I admit, I did have to laugh at the guidance counselor recommendation. When I asked why she chose that profession for me, she thought for a second and said, "you'd keep it real with the kids, tell them when their dreams are too big or aren't realistic." She might have a point there. But as a child whose parents have worked in education, I don't think the school system is for me, although I would love to have the summer off. I've seen how tough it is for teachers and I don't think I have that level of patience in me.

So then I thought about stand-up comedy. I think I'm pretty funny and entertaining but I don't think that's the right more for me either. I have this horrible prophecy about turning out like Kathy Griffin, given that I love pop culture and swear like a trucker. Don't get me wrong, I love her, but I don't want to become her. And since my original choices of being a doctor, Solid Gold dancer and international supermodel didn't pan out, I need to be a bit more realistic with my choices.

Before I moved to Chicago, I had just about given up on my current profession after a bad string of jobs in Wisconsin. My current company was my last chance at making it in the communications field. If it didn't work out there, I was moving back to Wisconsin and flipping to a coin to decide if I should go to law school or nursing school (I think the latter would have won). Fortunately, I came to Chicago for a three month internship and am still here over three years later and things are actually going pretty well so I'll stick it out, but it never hurts to have options :)

Any comments from my blosse about career options that I can add to the list? Someone mentioned "personal shopper" to me, which is nearly perfect because I love to shop and spend other people's money. So that's another one to add to my list of possible careers.

Note: I just wanted to clarify that I'm not thinking of leaving my job, I like my job but always like to hear interesting ideas of what else I could do if my current career doesn't work out long term :)

26 comments:

Princess Pointful said...

It is odd to think about different career paths after you've spent so long getting to one... though I still have fantasies of being discovered by an acting scout while walking out of a Starbucks, despite not having acted in nearly 10 years. They would see my true talent shine through!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the comments! I didn't know people were leaving you mean ones :( I just have the stat counter through wordpress and I'm not really sure how to use it properly but I do know way more people read than comment...not that I'm keeping track or anything ;)

As far as careers, I would be content to find one! I'm still pretty sure professional blogger wouldn't be so bad.

Mandy said...

First, can I just say that I loved that someone else uses the phrase "no whammies, no whammies, STOP!" I loved that game show.

As for second careers, I've been giving lots of thought to that recently as well. I don't know that I'll ever find a "career" just things that I like to do at this point in time. Unless you count "mad googler" as a career because in my line of research thats pretty much what I do. :-)

Anonymous said...

taste tester for different shots of vodka (hardeehar)

I think a personal shopper would fit you well, from what I know.

Anonymous said...

haha, a friend once told me I should be a personal shopper after a particularly successful shopping trip where i picked out pants (that i just knew were her size, without actually knowing what her size is, if you know what i mean) and a dress for her and she bought them both. :)

afraid I can't think of anything else for you though...but I do hope you find something that'll make you happy!

Anonymous said...

I miss communications SO MUCH it's not even funny. I plan on going back.

Pretty Unfamous said...

Personal shopper sounds great!

And I hope you're serious about not wanting to be Kathy Griffin... She's got some problems, doesn't she!

Rachel said...

let's see, everything I know about I have learned on your blog and twitter....I think you should become a professional MeMe filler outer. I shall now tag you for EVERY MeMe I get from now on.

Bwhahahahaha!

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Rachel said...

you know what's great about you bayjb? Having a life that doesn't require you to troll other people's blogs anonymously.

Then again, it seems my job is to remind certain people that they are really really sad....

Anonymous said...

Mmmm, jobbity job job job.

Nursing school is turning into the "lack of something better to do" thing for disillusioned twenty-somethings. And law school was the new black for my class of English majors.

Try being one of those work at home survey-filler-outers and MAKE $$$ A DAY!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for all of your comments lately, sorry I haven't gotten back to you sooner! I think I read somewhere that Johnny is filming in Indiana now, but not sure. I love my GPS its a Garmin and is great!

A personal shopper would be great! I secretly want to be a photographer, baker, or wedding planner although I'm not good at any of them.

Anonymous said...

I think you should be an internet survey writer. If I have to answer "what's your favorite color," "vanilla or chocolate," or "would you rather date 'blank' or 'blank?'" I'll scream.

Anonymous said...

Back before I had to think about a job needing to cover rent, food, bills my dream was to run a flower stand in a hospital. I loved the idea that I could provide an outlet to make someone else feel better and being surrounded by what made me happy.

alexa @clevelandsaplum said...

ha. i still laugh at blosse.

what about a publicist. i have always wanted to be one of those!

Anonymous said...

I've always wanted to be an event planner. I love the idea of having short term projects all the time.

Anonymous said...

I always wanted to be an editor, but its so hard to decide what to edit "give me ... or give me..."

cmay said...

how about a writer? ;-)

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Anonymous said...

i'm in the situation right now where i am starting to think of other career options - i work in the communications field as well but there is so much i want to do and am interested in that i've really been thinking lately....

Anonymous said...

I'm in the communications field as well, and I love it. But if I had to leave, maybe I'd get into some kind of sales. You can make great money, and apparently I could sell hair to a monkey, according to my friends.

Ooh, or maybe I'd open a restaurant and be a chef. That'd be pretty sweet!

Anonymous said...

I always wanted to work for a fashion magazine - I imagine you'd have some awesome perks.

Anonymous said...

Summers off? You're kidding right?? Teachers get the summers off from the school they work in, but I don't know a single teacher who doesn't work over the summer.

I want to stay in my field, but I'm not going to stay in the classroom forever. My goal is to open my own school/clinic sometime in the next five years or so.

Ashley // Our Little Apartment said...

I'm with Alexa - publicist!

I'm actually seriously considering going to school to be a guidance counselor - so don't knock it too hard, k? :)

Anonymous said...

trust me! being a publicist isn't as glamarous as it sounds ;o) sure there are perks but...ya. not as glamarous.lol.

Living Dees Life said...

what i *really* want to do for a career is be paid to sing. I can't imagine anything better than to get up when i want (sometime around noon) work on warming up my vocals and then hit the studio for a session. i could do that *every* day.

right now i work as a concierge on the weekends and a accounting assistant during the week... i have no idea what i want to do with my life and i'm 28. eventually i'll figure something out if the music career never takes off (doesn't look so good maybe i shoulda moved to memphis or TN instead of chicago?)