I think, in general, I just don’t trust a career in writing enough to pursue it. I know how fickle my dedication to poetry writing is, and I wouldn’t want to depend on writing to put food on my table.
I got a raise today, so it makes changing careers even harder. I’m very risk-averse. Bah.
I wish I had some sage advice to give you…I personally hate my job every moment I’m at work. And I also find it hard to be motivated when there’s really nothing for me to do. On the other hand, my job allows me to go home to a beautiful house that I love, and do fun things with my family. So perhaps instead of changing careers, you might think about changing your outlook on work? It’s easier if you just look at it as something to do from 9 to 5 every day…not something that defines you as a person. God bless the people that manage to love their jobs, or have rewarding careers…I’ve just come to the realization that I’m not gonna be one of them.
Oh, and don’t we know some mutual people? I think you know my SIL “H” that lives in New Jersey, right?
Yeah, you’re so right about that. This is probably just a midlife-ish crisis for me.
Do I? Hrm. I’m not catching the reference. I’m probably being very dim.
Or I could be mixing your username up with someone else’s. I can’t get to my personal email right now to check and see if I’m remembering the name right.
Regardless, maybe sit down and think about what you like to do…then figure out if you can find a job in that career that pays enough to make ends meet. As far as your degree is concerned, I wouldn’t worry about it too terribly much. I work in government contracting, and if it’s taught me one thing it’s that what degree you have isn’t as important as the fact that you have one. Hell, send a resume into anything that looks interesting to you…ya never know what’ll come of it. The hardest thing you’ll have to overcome is that you’re looking for a salary in the mid-career range, but in a new field you’ll be at best upper-beginning-career. Good Luck!
Right. That’s what this thread is for, to get some ideas of potential careers to look into.
I know that feeling. Some of just have serial careers, you know? I’ve come to terms with that - I’m good at a lot of things, I have a lot of interests - one single career just wouldn’t be enough for me.
I started off working on a Bachelor of Science, Biology major, would have switched to English if I’d stayed in University, went on to become a Medical Laboratory Technologist (R.T.), tried that for a little while, went back to school to learn to fix office machines, sold computer cables for a while, went back to school to take secretarial courses, worked in offices for the last ten years, started a Web Design designation, looked into Records Management, and most recently learned to do Landscape Design. I keep ending up back in accounting - I like Accounts Payable just fine. I’m planning to temp in Accounts Payable and dabble in landscape design at the moment - that could change at any time though.
Anything in there catch your eye, jsgoddess? 
Oh, I wanted to mention that you don’t have to be fabulous at math to work in accounting - you do have to like working with data and details, though. Have you considered freelance bookkeeping?
If you’re not particularly attached to your soul, you’ve got the stats to get into law school…
I’ll add it to the list. My initial reaction is a shudder at the idea of accounting, but that’s just bias, nothing real.
Now that’s funny.
I’ve never seriously considered law. It seems kind of… exotic. (Wow, that was a weird thing to say.)
How about going to work for a politician or political think tank as a policy wonk / researcher?
Interesting! I never would have thought to even look into something like that. Thanks.