Career change..

nkpza said:
Howzit,

Been there done that and the results were interesting. First the story of what happened..

In 2005, I quit work, sold my house, my car and cashed in my provident fund to leave IT (I was a programmer) and study full time at a local varsity here in SA (I tried the UNISA route, but found that it was too easy to slack off). Needless to say it was an interesting and tough experience and luckily, I didn't have any dependents. Firstly, it was a serious downscale in living. I moved to 5 times in 6 months from 1 small place to the next and this included sharing a house with a drunk and a mother and daughter prostitute team (They didn't say so in the advert :p ). Sounds interesting no? expect I walked into the shared bathroom one evening to find the daughter had slit her wrists in the bath, the mom was on something and wasn't making any sense etc. Rushed her to hospital and she survived. Secondly, it was really hard to start learning again but it was an amazing experience to start learning something different, and for different reasons than when I was a student. It was as if my brain was asleep and now woke up to this new stimulus. I've now decided that I will try something this radical every decade to kick start my brain and test myself. Thirdly, bold, faithfilled actions have unintended consequences. The last place I moved to was a commune of students and I met this lady whom I started dating. I also got a job (I was cold called, went for the interview out of curiosity but was impressed enough to accept the job) in IT( yeah, I went back) and I've been there ever since. I'm now married to the lady and I enjoy what I do in IT. I'm also in my final year with my degree in economics and maths. My future career path will be at an intersection between finance and IT I suspect. Not 100% sure what exactly yet...

In short, go for it.

If you really, truly aren't happy where you are, you don't really have a choice but to seriously analyse it and change things if required. Otherwise no amount of income/lifestyle will compensate for the loss of your contentment and there are serious consequences to your health, both physical and mental, and really, you can have all the money in the world but that is nothing without health.

my 2c..

Cheers
Click to expand...

I'm goin to be like you! I'm working as a programmer now, but starting a part time degree at UNISA in BCom Quantitive Management next year.

Do you have any advice for me?
 
Ok well i resigned yesterday.....
in the next month or 2 i have to decide if i am gonna study full time again or take a few 'gap months'. well no matter how i look at it i officially changed my life which is a good thing.
i have money saved up to leech off for a year or so but then i will need to get back to work in 2012.i'm gonna have one sick long ass holiday at least :D then it's back to the real world... EISH
 
Positively Negative said:
Ok well i resigned yesterday.....
in the next month or 2 i have to decide if i am gonna study full time again or take a few 'gap months'. well no matter how i look at it i officially changed my life which is a good thing.
i have money saved up to leech off for a year or so but then i will need to get back to work in 2012.i'm gonna have one sick long ass holiday at least :D then it's back to the real world... EISH
Click to expand...

Reminds me of some advice I read if you're a programmer, have at least 6 months of savings to cover your expenses so if you need to leave a job or get fired/retrenched then you're kind of secure.
 
Damn, I actually always wanted to teach what I know (not be a teacher). Should start an Information Theory 101 thread :p
 
sutekj said:
I'm goin to be like you! I'm working as a programmer now, but starting a part time degree at UNISA in BCom Quantitive Management next year.

Do you have any advice for me?
Click to expand...
...

Good luck man. There are competing pressures for your time i.e programmer i.e work and what you want to do in your future i.e. Quant. Make sure the latter gets the priority.

Above all enjoy. It takes balls to follow your dreams...
 
funny thing is i stuck to engineering to avoid doing code.. then that's all i get employed as :-(

doing masters nxt yr to break the spell..
 
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