Did you end up where you thought you would?

@celticeagle (157563)
Boise, Idaho
April 22, 2013 12:21pm CST
I was in my early twenties and hunting for a job. I had finished high school, hadn't been to college. I got a call from the Department of Labor that the telephone company was taking applications. I put in my application and was called in for an interview and hired. Training was fun and I loved my job. I worked there for nearly ten years. Have worked at answering services, major telephone companies and a large range of customer service jobs for such companies as Sears, HP, AT&T, and EDS. I have worked in customer service for nearly thirty years. In 2004 I took an early retirement and due to medical issues am on SSD now. I wonder if I hadn't taken this job with telephone company and enjoyed customer service so much where I would have ended up. Did you end up where you thought you would? Did you go to school to learn skills for the job you are doing now? Or do you know what line of work you want to go into?
3 people like this
15 responses
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
23 Apr 13
the answer is a big fat no. I never dreamed of being on disability. I was in an office for many years. But I knew my heart was not in it. I always wanted to be in a job where I could help people. I took a psychology course in CEGEP our system here is hard to explain, it is a college here but not the kind of colleges you have, it is not interchangeable with university. Any how I took psychology not even knowing at the time what psychology was. From the very first class I knew this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my lives. Forward many years and I went to university for a psychology degree, I needed two to practice. I needed a bachelors and a masters which I obtained. The bachelors took for years and the master's took two years. I was going on for my doctorate, but started to get sick back then. I never realized I was getting sick unto years later. but now looking back I can trace it to back then. I only had one more year and I could have had doctor in front of my name. However I could work as a therapist with a masters just didn't have the doctor in front of my name and now I am sitting here on disability. No my plans did not work out the way I wanted them too. I did work as a therapist but not not as long as I would like because I got ill and couldn't work anymore.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Apr 13
Only one more year, Wow! Sorry that you got ill and weren't able to fulfill your dream. Life is funny this way.
@airasheila (5454)
• Philippines
23 Apr 13
hello there, apparently i didn't end up to the job/task that i have dreamed off. although i am not loosing my hope as i am still hopeful that God will bring me to that world. as well as, i am aspiring that day will come and my dreams are with my hands.
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Apr 13
Aparently? Ya, I am sure God will take care of it for you.
• United States
22 Apr 13
No . I never imagined I would love the work I do. I didn't know what I wanted to do. My sister suggested the work I do now and I love it. The pay isn't much but I do enjoy it. I don't know what I would be doing if I weren't doing my job.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Apr 13
Your sister must know you well then. That is great!
1 person likes this
• United States
24 Apr 13
Yes and no. It was just a great guess.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Apr 13
Maybe it was a hope as well. Something to sustain you.
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
22 Apr 13
Tell you the truth, I had no idea where i was going, no goals or plans really...
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
22 Apr 13
Interesting. I wonder if we are the norm.--?
1 person likes this
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
22 Apr 13
We're the norm for us. :)
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
22 Apr 13
This is true.
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
22 Apr 13
No, I had no clear plans really but ended up qualifying as a Librarian as I love books and then as a teacher as I loved teaching. Then, I went into the private sector and ran a crop spraying company at an airport out here. Then because I was publishing quite regularly decided to work from the farm writing. Husband became very sick so I took a job working as the personal assistant to a couple who ran a pottery business and this was such fun. Thrn I was offered a job in property management and the pay wss twice what I was earning and so took that job. Come to think of it - I never actually applied for anything as I was always offered a job. But never thought that my life would be the way it is
2 people like this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Apr 13
Sounds like quite an adventure and so nice to be offered. Hard to go apply places. Believe me! I have often thought being an assistant would be interesting. I like to do research and that might enter into it. Working in a library must have been fun too.
@RitterSport (2451)
• Lippstadt, Germany
23 Apr 13
hi dear celticeagle, thats very interesting what you did for a living and I bet I would have loved that job too. I am not where I wanted to be when I was younger but I dont really mind any more. See I studied to be a librarian and finished with a good diploma when I was 22 years old. I thought I would love to work in a library for students and teachers but nothing worked out back then. There were not enough jobs for librarians who just got their diploma so I did quite some different things to make a living. Now I am working for Workers Compensation for 20 years already. Didnt think I would stay there when I started but I did. Its earning me money to pay the bills, not my dream job and there are times when I detest going to work but what can I do.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Apr 13
That is sad when you detest going to work. I didn't always like aspects of my job but it was always different and I enjoyed most of the people I worked with. Will you retire soon or do you hope to do something else?
• Lippstadt, Germany
1 May 13
Hi dear celticeagle I am 51 years old and have been with that company for quite long so I intend to stay there till I am 60 and then I will just resign and bridge the time to retirement with the savings I make while still working now. I can get old age pension with 67 no sooner but I definitely dont want to work till I am 67.
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
23 Apr 13
I have worked at lot of things and the ones I liked the best was welding and building computers. I love working with my hands but not housework or dishes lolololol
1 person likes this
@Lakota12 (42600)
• United States
29 Apr 13
WElding is very interesting and there is a feller around the block form me that does the fence and door welding he has a beautiful fence he put around his place an d he does this for a living. building own computo r takes alot of money I did have a place I could go to to get parts and I had bought something from them years ago and I now have lostt he URL I might can get it from myson for I think theres were I got it from in the first place if ya want I will try to find out
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Apr 13
Welding would be interesting. I saw a documentary once on wrought iron welding. They made fences and such. I thought that sounded cool for Victorian houses and such. I would like to build my own computer. That would be cool.
@stealthy (8181)
• United States
23 Apr 13
I went to college and got a B.S. and M.S. in physics, then got drafted into the Army, got out of the Army and went back to college and got a Ph.D. in physics. Then I got a job in major national private laboratory doing stuff that was really not physics. Worked there for 12.5 years and got laid off. Have been unemployed for well over 20 years and living off of my investments and recently also started getting retirement and social security. I was able to live off my investments because I had always lived frugally and invested. It is not where I thought I would end up. I thought I would work in some type of physics field for a long career and retire with having a family along the way. No family though, my ex-wife didn't want kids.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Apr 13
That was a lot of schooling for 12.5 years of work. Interesting. I guess you look at it as the cup being half full or empty. Do you use your physics in other walks of your life? Investments are important. I worked for the telephone company for just under ten years and bought bonds and invested in stocks. I was able to live for three years on what I had invested. Back when AT&T had some worth while stocks. Things have definitely changed. Thanks for your input.
@artemeis (4194)
• China
27 Apr 13
Before graduation, I was already having 4 firmed job offers and ready to sign me on with my demands. So, I was like unusually surprised how education has gotten me where I do not have to wait for others to decide but instead the other way around. I was never really rushed and even though I had made my final decision much later. I was still consider by the other 2 companies. With this experience I never fail to remind my children on how important it is for them to receive and complete their education no matter what it takes. I am just glad that my parents did not follow the flow where girls in my country were being discouraged from receiving a tertiary education. On the other hand, they believe that children should be encouraged to strike out on their own and at their own terms. I had a lot of girlfriends dropping off to start working and a family even, after high school. They are very capable and intelligent as me, I just felt that it was a waste for them. Otherwise, they would be like me choosing companies instead of companies choosing us. On plans, I think we all have our own paths to walk and plans are like getting a map so that we do not go on the wrong path. Plotting the right path and sticking to it means that you are not going to get into trouble. Most of all, enable you to be part of the solution to the society and family.
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Apr 13
I think it is healthy to let kids strike out on their own. They have a happier life that way. We do have our own paths to walk. You sound happy and so what you do must fulfill something.
@redredrose (1105)
• United States
23 Apr 13
I had planned to go into the air force and from there to medical school to be a nurse or doctor since the military would have paid for it. Since i had been hit by a car yrs earlier and had a bad back from that i was medically unfit for the service and didn't get to have my dream. I could never afford medical school and didn't get a scholarship or money for it so i gave that dream up. So since then i have worked in hospitals in the kitchen making and or delivering trays to the patients which even tho not my dream job a job i have liked. So no i didn't end up where i thought i would but at least i did get a job i have liked.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Apr 13
Well, you are doing something you enjoy. That is great!
@Paper_Doll (2373)
• Philippines
23 Apr 13
No, am far from where I thought I would be. Sometimes, I do ask myself if I do regret my past decisions in life. I would ask myself if this is really what I want or if I am happy being here. It is not yet clear to me as to whether I am regretful or not. The thing is I know that whatever decision in life that I make, I know for sure that in one way or another, I will be hurt and sad. This may not be the kind of life I was hoping, but for sure, it is that part of my life that I would surely wouldn't give up. I am trying to be positive that sooner or later, things will get better.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
28 Apr 13
Good that you would not give up. Hope that things do get better.
• Philippines
23 Apr 13
NOt really, but I am applying at work what I learned in college. I don't really think I intended to be here, but I'm good with what I do.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Apr 13
...and that is what really counts.
@roshigo58 (4859)
• Pune, India
29 Apr 13
Hi, It is very nice that you enjoyed your job. But it is sad that you had to take early retirement. i also took early retirement because my boss was very rude and arrogant and my wife is suffering from muscular dystrophy and she needs my help. So I took retirement at the age 50.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
29 Apr 13
I was a little older when I got mine. But I did because of my social anxiety, severe depression with panic attacks.
@tinayu (214)
• China
23 Apr 13
i don't know where would i end up.i learned computer science in my college 8 years ago,but now i don't go in for any works refering to computer.what i learned from college don't help me a little.i love english, so i am an english teacher in a primary school in my hometown.yes english is my interest.my father once said that i chose a wrong major.i shoulf choose english rather than computer science.i wonder that is it late?
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Apr 13
You love English and yet no capitols or real English usage. Interesting. Thanks for your input.
@MandaLee (3756)
• United States
22 Apr 13
Hi celtic, I always knew I wanted to be a writer. I went to college and majored in Communications. I am now a freelance writer. I am so blessed to get paid for doing what I love.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (157563)
• Boise, Idaho
23 Apr 13
I am now retired from nearly thirty years of customer service work. I now write on line as a freelance writer. I love to write and words are so interesting. Love books too.