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Hating my job led me to this place - upgrayedd - 08-02-2022
When I was 20 years old, I had only worked low paying, manual labor jobs up to that point. I became friends with this guy that had an interesting job - he performed sleep studies. He worked for a private facility, and I took it upon myself to go there and apply. About a month later, they called for an interview.
In hindsight, it is kind of strange how a guy with no education or skills could walk into a place and walk out with the beginnings of a healthcare career, but that's what happened. The manager had me in a classroom area and directly taught me everything I needed to know. After two weeks I was out in hospitals, shadowing someone and learning on the job. 90 days later, I was on my own, doing the job.
This place contracted with various local hospitals. We drove to them, set up our computers, did the tests and drove back. Depending on how far we had to drive, the shifts were anywhere from 12-15 hours long. I did that for 4 years until the owner sold the company. They got rid of a lot of employees, including me.
After several months, I got a job at a hospital doing the same thing but with higher pay. I took the registry exam, passed, and the pay kept increasing over the years. It's nothing to write home about, but it pays well enough.
18 years later, and I'm just ghosting through life. I began to really dislike my work. It's hard and demanding, and I'm tested everyday. To put it into perspective, I'm like an EEG tech and Respiratory Therapist combined. I'm also working alone 100% of the time, so there's no help when I need it. It's forced me to grow in a lot of ways. Like with customer service - I deal with all sorts of people, with all sorts of problems. I can handle anything that comes up. But that doesn't mean I like it.
Nothing has been the same since covid. During that time they moved me around. I had to work in the ER just to keep a paycheck coming in. It was really stressful. I had to go on meds for panic attacks. Eventually my regular job came back but management changed. Everything is more scrutinized now. Experienced people got let go. Decisions were made that didn't make any sense. Quality dropped. It's a mess. Every week I feel like I'm dodging bullets until I'm off again.
That's when I realized I have no other skills or qualifications. I spent 22 years doing the same thing and never expanded at all. I looked at other careers but I had nothing on their list of requirements. I needed to make big changes if I ever want to quit this place.
During covid, remote work really took off. For some, it was temporary, but for others it was a new way of doing things. During my searching, I learned of so many jobs that are commonly done remotely. That became my new dream. So I spent a lot of time googling and reading forums or social medias about degrees and schools. I became convinced I didn't need to acquire debt for a degree. I came up with a plan, learned some more, and changed the plan. I ended up following one of the degreeforum plans to get me part of the way there, and it worked beautifully. I have a Pierpont BoG AAS coming in the mail and I've spent about $400.
Everyday I come to work, it motivates me to work harder on my courses. My job reminds me to find a way out. I started with nothing and earned 61 credits in three months. I'm at work right now on my personal laptop, thinking about UMPI and jobs.
I want to work from home so badly; or to relocate or travel while working. I've been prematurely applying to jobs, too. I think I'm up to 13 jobs I've applied to and unsurprisingly was rejected. I really need to stay focused on my degree plan and keep moving forward in between bouts of misery at work.
Anyways, it was just on my mind about how being this unhappy with my job has caused me to take action and make things better. An optimistic view of my pessimism, I guess.
I'd be really interested to hear about anyone's personal goals and how they stay focused on them.
RE: Hating my job led me to this place - LevelUP - 08-02-2022
At the pace you are going, you should be ready to start UMPI in late October.
Make a plan and take things one step at a time.
RE: Hating my job led me to this place - Alpha - 08-02-2022
Have you decided what career you'd like to pursue?
RE: Hating my job led me to this place - bjcheung77 - 08-02-2022
Instead of copy/pasting, here's the post I had a few years ago, how I got started: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-Why-are-you-earning-credit-this-way?pid=249945#pid249945
RE: Hating my job led me to this place - upgrayedd - 09-14-2022
(08-02-2022, 10:37 AM)LevelUP Wrote: At the pace you are going, you should be ready to start UMPI in late October.
Make a plan and take things one step at a time.
What you said here has stayed on my mind and I am indeed on that track.
I feel like I had a small setback because my Google IT cert awarded me 12 credits with Pierpont, but apparently it's only worth 3 at UMPI. Or so I'm told. So I've had some catching up to do, to reach 60 a second time. Currently at 70. I think in another month I'll be at 90.
While I can get through some courses fairly quickly, some will hold me up a bit, like Spanish.
(08-02-2022, 11:18 AM)Alpha Wrote: Have you decided what career you'd like to pursue?
I was interested in Social Media Management. So, over a month I started some channels and created content designed for engagement. It worked; then I made a portfolio. I lost count, but after 60 or so applications I'm a little sour on that idea. I have to call it at some point and move on.
I'm really enjoying UX Design so far. It will be a similar situation, though. Making a portfolio and applying to a ton of jobs and getting ghosted. So I am keeping my expectations in check.
So, I actually don't know what I'll end up doing. I'm trying to not have tunnel vision on one thing when there could be other opportunities around me.
RE: Hating my job led me to this place - alainmbeng - 09-14-2022
I think we all need to understand that nothing good comes easy! secondly if you don't love what you do, there is always an opportunity to go for what you love! Think about the money though
RE: Hating my job led me to this place - bjcheung77 - 09-14-2022
@OP, if you like the Coursera/TADA offerings, I would recommend getting some more offerings they have. I would work on all the TADA options that have ACE credit, for the cert, experience, and some transfer to the degree. Here's a post I just made: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-Free-6-Month-Subscription-to-Coursera-Google-Facebook-IBM-It-Certs-Experience?pid=377463#pid377463
RE: Hating my job led me to this place - ss20ts - 09-14-2022
If you're interested in social media management, are you looking for a degree in marketing? You could complete the BABA with Marketing Concentration at UMPI.
RE: Hating my job led me to this place - Alpha - 09-15-2022
(09-14-2022, 02:27 AM)upgrayedd Wrote:(08-02-2022, 10:37 AM)LevelUP Wrote: At the pace you are going, you should be ready to start UMPI in late October.
Make a plan and take things one step at a time.
What you said here has stayed on my mind and I am indeed on that track.
I feel like I had a small setback because my Google IT cert awarded me 12 credits with Pierpont, but apparently it's only worth 3 at UMPI. Or so I'm told. So I've had some catching up to do, to reach 60 a second time. Currently at 70. I think in another month I'll be at 90.
While I can get through some courses fairly quickly, some will hold me up a bit, like Spanish.
(08-02-2022, 11:18 AM)Alpha Wrote: Have you decided what career you'd like to pursue?
So, I actually don't know what I'll end up doing. I'm trying to not have tunnel vision on one thing when there could be other opportunities around me.
Perhaps that means you should choose a degree program that will allow for maximum versatility.
RE: Hating my job led me to this place - upgrayedd - 09-15-2022
(09-14-2022, 04:29 PM)bjcheung77 Wrote: @OP, if you like the Coursera/TADA offerings, I would recommend getting some more offerings they have. I would work on all the TADA options that have ACE credit, for the cert, experience, and some transfer to the degree. Here's a post I just made: https://www.degreeforum.net/mybb/Thread-Free-6-Month-Subscription-to-Coursera-Google-Facebook-IBM-It-Certs-Experience?pid=377463#pid377463
Yeah I'm on my third one now. I can get through them pretty fast but I actually want to soak-in UX Design. After that I might do Google Data Analytics. I have only four more Sophia courses and I'll be done with those.