What are your future career plans?

**snafu** · 08-11-2013, 09:19 AM

I'm at the opposite side of the spectrum from cardtrick. I'm seriously downsiding work, not bidding on potential contracts, didn't work this summer and only have one [easy] repeat contract this fall. Serious medical issues that I thought were far behind me are recurring... it's a game changer.

cardtrick: as devils advocate.. what makes you believe your value to your employer is down $ 80k? What would you need to do to become so much more valuable an employee? Has the business escalated hugely as a result of your effort? Your educational qualifications, your expenditures, your needs etc. are of little meaning to an employer. To stay in business they not only need profit, they also need to stay in line with their peers. Most employers look at how you measure up to that bar and keep your colleagues motivated to ever higher levels.

Are you watching LinkedIn? Perhaps you're not a good fit at that particular place at this particular time. Have you listed all the positions you have the qualifications to fill? Have you listed all the employers who hire people with your qualifications? Are you willing to move elsewhere for a better paying job? Is your family supportive of your career goal? What are you doing to become a trader at an asset management company?

**disneysteve** · 08-11-2013, 10:11 AM

Interesting question. I'm not quite sure what the future holds. I'm a family practice physician and have been in practice for 20 years. I'd be perfectly content to keep doing what I'm doing until retirement.

Unfortunately, the medical field is rapidly changing. Between the pressure to switch to electronic medical records, the patient-centered medical home movement, ever-increasing oversight and regulations from government and insurance companies, and the impending onslaught of the Affordable Care Act, I don't have a clue what my job will look like over the next few years. I just know it is going to change dramatically and not for the better.

I guess time will tell where things lead. It just isn't looking very promising at the moment.

**LivingAlmostLarge** · 08-11-2013, 06:24 PM

No idea. I need to figure it out. I don't particularly like what I finished my doctorate in and I don't want to work full time. I'd like something flexible. Who knows?

**dawnwes** · 08-11-2013, 06:38 PM

Originally posted by cardtrick View Post

I obviously want to make more money.

I don't think that (making more money) really is necessarily a given for everyone. My Dh could move up the ladder more and make more $$ (he currently makes a similar salary to yours), but it would require more TIME away from family and he would prefer to have more time with the kids while they are young.

I am fully on board with that and work from my end to CUT expenses so that he can stay at his current level and we can live more frugally on what he makes. We also live in a lower cost of living area now that makes it more possible to live on one income.

As for me, I would like to return to work at some point, but no plans as of yet. I worked for 17 years and have two MAs. I currently stay at home by choice.

Dawn

**debtfreeme** · 08-11-2013, 08:28 PM

the future

I love the current field I am in and am stuck at my level unless I go to management. Going to management means I would lose $400 a month because I currently don't pay into Social Security. I could stay working another 16 years and retire with an OK retirement. Staying until 60 would be even better. I will retire somewhere between the two with a good pension and the 401k/457/IRA savings. I hope to live off just the pension for the first few years, perhaps 5-7. Certainly not taking the earned SS payments until 67.

But...in September I am taking the third step exam for my dream job. If I pass the exam I undergo a background check, a final panel and if they approve me, then I am placed on a hire list. With that job it would be a $20,000 a year raise and just a nice benefits and retirement. That is what I want to do. So...FINGERS CROSSED!

**kork13** · 08-12-2013, 01:51 AM

I'm in the military right now and enjoy what I do, so I'll hopefully be able to stay in for the full 20+ years to earn military retirement (or whatever it becomes in the future).

In the long term, I actually want to become a CFP (probably at least partly influenced by all of you here on these forums). I'm in the process of starting an application for a Financial Planning masters degree program, then at whatever point I start getting ready to leave the military, I'll prep for and take the CFP certification exams. I don't really know what the timeline will be there, but given the high level of uncertainty about what's going to be happening with the military in coming years, I'm starting to look very seriously at "backup plans" just in case my hopes to stay in for a career don't pan out.

**bjl584** · 08-12-2013, 03:23 AM

I enjoy my current career, but who knows what might happen in the future. I've thought that I'd like to get into management on some level, so that is one possible path to take.

**phantom** · 08-12-2013, 05:39 AM

For the past few years, I've been a web developer. About a year ago, I started to really focus on front end development (the stuff the user interacts with, rather than all the stuff in the background manages the data). Then, a couple months ago, I was given the opportunity to start learning iOS development (iPhone and iPad stuff), so I took it. I'm not really sure where app development is going to go as smart phones and tablets continue to become more and more popular. It's hard to say whether people will keep developing native apps specifically for iOS or Android or whether writing something in HTML5 that runs everywhere will start to become a more viable option. So, I'm trying to keep up with all of it as much as possible.

I would like to start having kids pretty soon, and when I do I want to cut down the number of hours I work. I think that the big challenge is going to be continuing to keep up with the latest technologies once I cut back on how many hours I work.

**feh** · 08-12-2013, 05:50 AM

I'm a bit of an anomaly...they say the average person has several career changes during their lifetime. Well, I've been working in software since I graduated from college, and I'm hoping to retire in about 3 years.

I may or may not work part time in retirement. If I do, it's highly likely it would be software-related.

**cardtrick** · 08-12-2013, 06:22 PM

Originally posted by snafu View Post

I'm at the opposite side of the spectrum from cardtrick. I'm seriously downsiding work, not bidding on potential contracts, didn't work this summer and only have one [easy] repeat contract this fall. Serious medical issues that I thought were far behind me are recurring... it's a game changer.

cardtrick: as devils advocate.. what makes you believe your value to your employer is down $ 80k? What would you need to do to become so much more valuable an employee? Has the business escalated hugely as a result of your effort? Your educational qualifications, your expenditures, your needs etc. are of little meaning to an employer. To stay in business they not only need profit, they also need to stay in line with their peers. Most employers look at how you measure up to that bar and keep your colleagues motivated to ever higher levels.

Are you watching LinkedIn? Perhaps you're not a good fit at that particular place at this particular time. Have you listed all the positions you have the qualifications to fill? Have you listed all the employers who hire people with your qualifications? Are you willing to move elsewhere for a better paying job? Is your family supportive of your career goal? What are you doing to become a trader at an asset management company?

I got my Masters degree while working. I work in a very specialized area of Finance but didn't get a raise/promotion after I graduated. Our policy is pretty much a promotion every 3 years or so regardless of effort. I'm sure when I turn in my 2 weeks' notice, they will offer a promotion which I plan to politely decline.

I currently work in regulation which doesn't have much upside. I could do the same work but at an asset management company and make way more money. The hours would be a bit longer but I can definitely take that. This is also a good road to achieving my eventual goal... Of becoming a trader. It's not an easy field to get into. You have to have a track record or know someone willing to give you a shot. I've been trading my own account on the side and doing pretty well. But, I would have to do this for at least 3 years before it will be considered.

My plan is to get into an analyst role first and then transitioning to the trading desk. I would absolutely love to get hired by a small hedge fund. That would be great because I would get to experience several areas of the business. But, getting those kinds of jobs is tough. I think I might tap into all the connections I've made over the years and see if I can get exactly what I'm looking for.

My dad worked for the same company for over 30 years. He doesn't want me to make the same mistake that he did. He wants me to take risks in life and become an entrepreuner. I'm just waiting for the right opportunity to make that leap. In the meanwhile, I need to build up asset column as much as I can.

What are your future career plans?