I'm looking for a new Career

[CrunchyAdams82]

Alright Peeps,

I've come to the decision that I'm no longer interested in my current line of work, and it's time for a change.

It has come to my attention that there's a world of opportunity out there, and I no longer have to be dissatisfied at work. So I'm looking to reinvent myself.

I currently work as a Senior Fibre Optic Operator building Optical Sub Modules at one of the leading laser companies in the industry. The work is good, but doesn't really challenge me, and I don't get the opportunity to stretch my wings and be all I can be. The pay is about average I suppose, and if I were looking for a safe option - and an ordinary, comfortable life it would be a good place to stay. But I want more than that.

I have a reasonably extensive background in manufacturing, and have tried my hand at sales as well. But I want to move away from all that and try something new because it doesn't fulfil me.

I don't have any specific qualifications per se, other than an advanced gnvq in construction. But I don't look at that as a disadvantage, as I can apply myself to almost anything if I put my mind to it, and I believe the right employer will be able to see that.

So what I'm really looking for I suppose is a new & exciting career with the potential for exponential growth and advancement. I want the freedom to help build a business using my ideas & initiatives, with no real limit to my potential earnings. I want the space to spread my wings, be the best I can be, & really make something of myself.

I'm 31 now, and have learnt a reasonable amount in my life so far. And I just feel it's about time I started applying my knowledge & energies in a thriving & limitless environment.

So if anybody on here has any interesting opportunities for a keen & enthusiastic candidate, please let me know!

Or similarly, if you have any ideas as to potential avenues I could go down, please fire away. I really am open to almost anything just so long as it is enjoyable to me, and has the potential for great achievement.

I currently live in Southampton, but I have no real ties here. I am single, with no kids, no house, but I have my health. So I guess I'm starting from scratch if you look at it objectively. And I'm obviously in a position to relocate if required.

This being a very active forum, with people from all different backgrounds, I figured it would be a good place to start gathering inspiration. You never know what might come up!

Cheers, Andy

[LewisH]

Good on ya bud. Hope it works out with what ever you decide to do =D

I was considering trying to take over my uncles car valeting buisness. Little gold mines they can be if run correctly!

[CrunchyAdams82]

And if it helps, my interests include; Cars (particularly modifying), Driving, Science, Nature, Technology, Photography, The Universe, Psychology, Philosophy, Medicine, The Way Things Work, Writing, Personal Growth (not just my own), Gaining Knowledge, The Law Of Attraction, Music, Creativity, and ultimately, Philanthropy.

[CrunchyAdams82]

Sounds like a good idea Lewis. Make it happen!

[LewisH]

Yeah im just working out the bits and bobs. As i need to account for bad weather. So in the good weather i need to earn extra to account for rain days.

[CrunchyAdams82]

Of course. Maybe one to start in early springtime.

[lewd lude lover]

if you find something let me know eh? I have been circling this goldfish bowl of a carrer for the last three years trying to come up with a decent alternative.

If iot helps we share lots of the same interests

[wurlycorner]

Strange this... I'm going through the same thought process at the moment Andy and was wondering about posting on the forum about it (and as discussed before, we've both worked in fibre optical manufacturing in Soton Something in the lasers down there?)

My main thoughts are wanting to be able to spend more time to be at home (not having long commutes) and I bloody well need to earn more money. I earn what most people would I expect think is a good wage, but I've been stuck around the same level for 5 years now without really any progress and it's utterly pissing me off, stopping me achieving what I want to do in my life (outside of work) and besides which, it's all relative, my mortgage is over £1100 a month before even starting on bills, so it doesn't leave a lot of expendable income... I'm pretty fed up doing a brilliant job enabling someone else to earn money, without getting due recompense for my skills and effort really.

Been kicking the idea around my head of a car parts shop (covering jap tuning parts as well)/business/garage/modifying company myself, but car parts is extremely competitive area that it's difficult to make headway in any volume and I don't think small motor factors earn much margin at all these days and struggle for trade against the big boys. Garages is also very competitive (big boys can just undercut anything) and have some pretty big setup costs these days, which is the same as for modifying cars (which also niche/small market, very dependant on disposable income and very competitive).

Aside from that, property development I'd love to do but again, to do that round here the start-up costs are huge. I'd have to move somewhere miles away that I probably really wouldn't want to live (cheap property) to start it with the capital I'd have available from selling my current house, which makes it quite an unpleasant major slog to start with...

[Ted]

Garages is also very competitive (big boys can just undercut anything) and have some pretty big setup costs these days, which is the same as for modifying cars (which also niche/small market, very dependant on disposable income and very competitive).

im £29+vat an hour cheaper than my nearest competitor which is a ford main dealer 50yds away from me. an absolutely useless one at that that gives me work it can't do on a regular basis.

garage work is very quiet at the moment purely because there is no money around to spend on servicing for the hell of it. a lot of people just seem to wait for it to break before they get anything done these days.

[wurlycorner]

Oh yeah, main dealers are mega expensive and always will be, I meant the big independant chains (if that makes sense...) Formula 1, Kwik-Fit butcher merchants, Mr Clutch etc. etc.
Seems to me that all the easy run of the mill stuff they can just cream up. Unless I've got the wrong impression there?

I guess it depends on the area as well, as to how much choice the customer has - I live in the County City, so theres literally every chain and pretty much every dealer...

I guess another thing with modern cars is that a lot of the bigger servicing is really quite major work, which makes it very expensive relative to the value of the car e.g. stuff like doing a cam (serpentine) belt on a big modern car is gonna set you back a grand or so at a main agent and still over £500 I guess even at an independant? So if you buy something like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1997-BMW-7-se ... 264wt_1255
(might not be the best example but just on a quick search) why would you spend that money getting the cambelt done when you can just leave it until it dies and then replace the car for not much more?