h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Does anyone else recognise the way I am with jobs and life choices, or is it just me..

I embark upon a course of study or new job full of excitement, sure that this will be a career I'll love and go far in, but just as soon as I qualify or get that job, I quite suddenly lose all interest in the subject I mean *all* interest- total lack of will to continue.

Have always been this way. I've changed career direction more often than a politician changes policy in the run-up to an election.

It's why I doubt I'll ever actually have a career, just random jobs

Do you have hobbies that you enjoy? If so, maybe you can enjoy them during your retirement, or at least weekends.

How do you qualify for a career so quickly?

Hmmmph, 25 jobs in 32 years (mind you, some of them didn't last a day)

Some people are more enthusiastic starters, and others are more dogged at completing. What you need is a job which involves pioneering new projects before handing them over to others to complete.

No I don't get so bored in work that I quit. I've been with the same company for 34 years and have probably done 10 different jobs . Interesting is what I do when I'm not in work.

I get thoroughly bored in work. Either I quit if I see something marginally more exciting, or I get completely demotivated and eventually laid off. I probably need a career change, but I've never seen a path into anything else which would continue to pay the bills.

I once entertained the idea of teaching, which I know I'd enjoy, but for which I have no qualifications whatsoever.

The way education is heading with academies in the UK You may well be able to get into teaching as many of them have the right to employ unqualified people as teachers without the local LEA having any naysay in the matter.

I always put my enthusiasm into hobbies rather than my work. At times I was able to enrich my work because of what I learned from my hobbies. I like Dirk Gently's philosophy that the universe is interconnected, so no matter what direction you go in pursuing your goal, you will eventually arrive there.

Really, I'm interested in what careers it is you get in to so easily.

"I embark upon a course of study or new job full of excitement, sure that this will be a career I'll love and go far in, but just as soon as I qualify or get that job, I quite suddenly lose all interest in the subject I mean *all* interest- total lack of will to continue.


to avoid boredom, disappointment....I think you should:

1) analyse a bit deeper the reasons why a course of study or job interest you so much as to consider it "your career".
May be the path you want to take in your work life doesn´t exist. You have to create it by yourself. Choose a direction and start walking , the path is made as you walk.

or

2) do not put so much expectation on a course or job, just take it as a way to get money or to learn something new, have an experience....and put your passion on other topics, hobbies, activities... that interest you.



I don´t know why but that pursuit reminds me of that people who never have a stable relationship or even a relationship at all, because they expect the perfect partner, the perfect boy/girlfriend. The person to whom get attached and have children, etc. Instead of enjoying the moment with that man or woman, whatever it lasts.

I'm not sure we are understanding the same thing by the term 'career', Xanatic. My definition is probably the inaccurate one. I consider a career to be a group of employments based in the same sector (eg, retail), which, broadly speaking you progress up through rank over time.

By this definition I have had only really had a proto-career in retail (many functions from stock controller, sales to management). I have, however embarked upon and not continued with; radio broadcast, audio engineering, direct marketing, customer service via call-centres, facility management, to name but a few .

It is this constant starting but not persisting with, often after considerable investment (in terms of time, effort and/or money), which prompted this thread

paulh; I do put enthusiasm into my hobbies, such as they are, but considering the ratio of leisure time to work time in the average life, that just doesn't cut the mustard for me. I don't expect to be one of the few who can hardly sleep at night because they are bursting with excitement anticipating what the next working day will bring; I would just be happy with one or more of the following;

I'm not clock-watching because I'm kept busy or engaged enough that I don't notice the working day pass (I have had jobs or phases of jobs like this and I miss it)

I get a sense of achievement and/or job satisfaction from my work. I feel that my work is important and 'makes a difference' to use a cliché.

I'm doing or making something which is demonstrably my work and can be looked back on by myself and others, perhaps years in the future, with some degree of pride.

Well those are for starters.. suffice to say my work at present has none of the above.

Look on the bright side: By all accounts Leonardo Da Vinci had a similar problem.

Regardless of what you do, perhaps it's more important that you become self-employed. It's likely there'd be no clock-watching, everything would be your own work, and you can design your role into something you can take pride in.

There are niches for self-employed people in retailing. Perhaps you could open a little shop. If business takes off, maybe you can add a catalog or web-based outlet n the side.

Isn't plenty of retail shops closing, due to people shopping over the internet instead?

Yes and no. If a store sells essential things and is within walking or driving distance, it has a chance of staying open. What amazes me is that even in large malls, the closing of one store is usually followed by the opening of another store. People have social needs. They like to go somewhere on their day off and window shop, have coffee, maybe eat out and see a movie. You can do all those things in a comprehensive mall.

But there are also delivery services that can be accessed online. The supermarket that I patronize has a service called Peapod which will deliver to your door. The catch is that small [under $50.00] purchases are not allowed.

Believe me, I got bored/scunnered* of retail many, many moons ago. The only time I would consider working in retail again, employed or self-employed, would be on a part time basis upon retirement.

*scunnered; A Scots word used to mean that you are world weary, down-trodden, and thoroughly bereft of any lust for life when these words and expressions are simply too inadequate to signify the magnitude of your slide into "shitdom". (Source; urban dictionary)

The law reforms giving the customer the upper hand in the most trivial disputes makes working in retail similar to working as an NHS hospital receptionist