Looking for work outside your college degree

I'm kind of feeling weird about this. I'm ditching my college degree in Social Work and looking for work as a cook. My last job was working with elderly in the social work field for over 5 years. I enjoyed working with my clients, but not everything that went on at the office. I really don't want to be behind a desk anymore. I feel weird because I spent so much time and money in my education to become a social worker just to be burnt out with it all.

Since losing my job last summer I've been kind of lost with what I want to do with my life. Do I want to continue with social work? And I think I figured out what I want to do now. While in college I had a wonderful job as a cook. I made doughnuts, baked breads and cooked for a steam table and I LOVED every minute of it. And now I think this is really what I want to. I dropped off an application for a cook at a local factory's kitchen this morning and not 2 hours later they called me for an interview set for monday morning. I want this job so bad. I want to be cooking again. I love being in the kitchen. I just feel weird that I'm throwing away all of the years of education and training as a social work. I just want a job I enjoy being at and doing.

Has anyone else made this hugh career change?? Did everything work out for the better?

I don't think education is ever wasted. At the least, it expands your capacity to enjoy life.It's exciting that you've already come up with a new direction.

I got my degree and then a credential to teach high school English. I hated it. I didn't like the person I was having to become to be effective. I was able to get a job as a writer that was perfect for me.

I wish you lots of success and fun in your new job.

In my 30 years working I was several things, most having nothing to do with my sociology degree. I wish I'd understood about following my heart earlier instead of worrying so much about what was "suitable" and where I was "supposed" to go and do, etc.

Hi Monty Girl,

They say to pursue what you are really passionate about.

I have shifted from a business career to teaching college.

PM me if you want.

EJ

How exciting that you know what you like to do other than what your college degree was all about. Finding what you enjoy doing is the most important thing.....forcing yourself to work where you are miserable....is a horrible existence.

I know I was a music major....for my AA degree. I loved playing my flute but not being a music teacher (hard to teach kids when you don't really care for kids....not a good combination). Preforming professionally required more talent than I had...I realized that when I was practicing 8 hours a day & just not getting anywhere.

I changed to Computer Science & Accounting Information Systems. I was always good at learning & solving problems......so programming computers fit my abilities.....I was able to hold onto that career for 15 years.....then that fell apart.

When I lost that career, I was totally lost.....I didn't have a passion that would earn me any money....all my passions cost me money...nothing to earn anything with. Horses...costly. I got into my american eskimo dogs (showing...breeding)...another costly situation. My music was a hobby & I still wasn't going to be any better than I was before at it.

Depression set in horribly......I think the worst part was that I just couldn't ALLOW MYSELF to think of any other possibilities to change what I was doing for work. I was so caught up in what I wasn't able to do anymore (I really loved the engineering career) that I just couldn't see anything other than that & my technical training was out of date & I just couldn't get caught up. I felt so lost & just staying home & being a housewife went against everything I had focused on all my life....so even though I enjoyed that....it wasn't fulfilling. I loved doing crafts....I have half finished crafts all over the house of all kinds....from needle point to beading jewelry.....but that all costs money too. I just couldn't find anything that I could make money out of....especially not at the level I was making as an engineer to support the hobbys I loved to do. It seemed like a vicious circle that just wouldn't end.....so suicidal attempts became my hoped for solution.

I was lucky in that I qualified for disability immediately, so I always had some level of income to provide, but it still wasn't like having something you love doing....that you get up everyday & want to live the day for because you LOVE what you are doing. Luckily, 14 years later, leaving my husband with a huge move across the country to a state where I knew no one & I have no family after my Mother died 3 years ago.

I have learned that I LOVE my life & everything that comes to me everyday there is something exciting.....so just living is exciting.....it will be much more peaceful once I finally get divorced.....but I love my alone life with my doggies....not only that, but I am finding out that where I live, there is always something that I can earn a little bit of money doing to help with my situation.

I am now OPEN to LIVE & OPEN to LOVE life.....I think that is the KEY to happiness is finding what which you love & allowing yourself to find those things that make you happy.

It is so wonderful that you have found what you LOVE to do & know what you enjoy in your life.....many people go a lifetime without that knowing that kind of fulfilling feeling of doing what you LOVE.

I am excited for you & happy that your future will have what you LOVE in it. With those feelings, you will never regret the change in the overall picture of your life.
Debbie

Cool, do what your heart says. There is no rule that says we have to be one thing forever. Try on all of the hats that interest you and have fun.

Cool - I say go with what your heart tells you to be doing. If you can spend your day doing something you're passionate about and enjoy you're really lucky - lots of people are stuck in jobs they hate because they need the money and or are affraid to change.

My undergrad was in English & Philosophy, so I wasn't really qualified to do anything - I got into sales, was successful at it but didn't really enjoy it, moved into product developement was ok at it, but didn't really enjoy it. Went back to school part time and fell in love with corporate finance - go figure - and along the way picked up an accounting designation. Now I'm shortlisted for two very different jobs - one very senior high paying and high stress leading an SAP implementation, which I've never done before, the other as a controller at a small biotech start up. The pay's not great but they offer great work life balance & it would be great experience to get hands on financial accounting experience when all I've done is cost. So don't worry about not using your eduction. It was and still is valuable to you. You'll never know where your next job might take you, but as long as you're happy in it you're ahead of the game.

splitimage

I think its great you have decided to do what your passionate about. I think sometimes people stay in a career they are unhappy with far too long. Go for it and be happy!!!

Dear Monty_Girl:

Just as you leave social work, I am completing my social sciences degree in sociology and anthropology. I am leaving behind 12 or more years of food and beverage work to go into the social sciences fields. I want to leave the action of hospitality and restaurant to get more of a desk job. Funny how this works huh?

I still love to cook though. I think you are very courageous in the change but if you feel it in your heart, then the time is right for it.

Best of Luck. You will do well if your heart is in it.

I'm glad to hear you all are doing something that you true want to do now. After several years as a social worker working with the elderly I was emotionally drained.

They called me this morning and offered me the position. I'm excited to start on monday. Now I'll be able to catch up on my car payments before they come for it. I'm going to have to borrow some money so I can get a pair of pants to wear for work. Right now I have no money and I've had to borrow money to keep my lights and water on this month. I still don't know what I'm going to do for groceries this week. Maybe I'll be able to bring some food home with me from the new job.

Congratulations on getting the job - that's awesome.

--splitimage