knowing what you know now would you choose the same career path?

[bbforpp]

yes for myself

not a chance.

No. I am retraining now and feel like I've found my 'thing' but I wish I'd started 20 years ago.

I'd go into tech earlier if I were doing it all again, but that's all.

Emergency services. Absolutely not. I'd take a different path completely. My job is appalling. Terrible welfare and very low morale. I've got a good pension which is why it's not worth me leaving. Fortunately DD has zero interest in following my footsteps

If I could go back to bring a teenager, yes, very different.

If not, I would have switched to my current career 10 years earlier.

Although I do love the actual role, it's all the stuff that goes alongside it and how we get treated by our managers that makes me regret my life choices

Nope.

DD wants to be an air hostess, and I really hope she follows this route, it was on my wish list but I got sucked into the financial corporate world.

It's difficult as I was never the person at school who knew exactly what I wanted to do. I like the 'sound' of a lot of different jobs. I've tried different jobs, but still don't feel like any of them (including my current) is the perfect fit. I'm glad I've done different things as I don't think I'll ever be one of those people who have one career for the rest of my working life.

Yes, but I'd have done it 20 years earlier.

When I was in school I lacked confidence and chose 'soft' subjects because I didn't think I was very clever. I retrained in STEM aged 40 and subsequently changed careers to one that I'm very happy in. I just wish I'd had the confidence to do this the first time round.

No, I’d have gone for something in tech, but it wasn’t really encouraged when I was a child even though I taught myself programming in BASIC at the age of nine.

I became a social worker instead, which is a recipe for burnout.

I enjoy my job and while the pay is not great by MN standards, it is absolutely fine for me.
I would not however recommend it to my daughter as it is super competitive to get into. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time

I've been thinking about this recently actually. If I could start again I would train as either a psychologist or chiropractor/physio. I'd like to do something where I'd be working with people and hopefully make a difference to their quality of life. Otherwise, if I decided against the university path, I'd like to do beauty - massage, facials, skincare, etc.

I would have started work in the NHS earlier (non clinical role). The pension benefits would have given me a financially great retirement. I will be fine as have always had a pension from the age of 25, but it could have been a lot better.

This.

Yes but I wish I have saved more - I was on a amazing salary between 25-30 and then gave it all up to pursue my dream.
by the time I was 40 I had achieved what I set out to do and I love my life and my job now - just wish I had been more sensible with money in my younger years!

Probably not. It's well paid but very inflexible now with a family and it's starting to become a problem. It's a niche role that doesn't come up so often as my skills are quite specialised. I'm currently unhappy in my current place and haven't been able to find anywhere close enough to apply to. Also the employers in my industry seem to be all arrogant arses. But maybe that's a them thing. I'd probably retrain in something that could offer more flexibility in terms of wfh and being able to relocate but I'd have to accept a big drop in salary, which I'm considering.

No, I should have not worried about doing the same as my Mum and trained as a teacher straight after graduating. I’m Catholic and there is a real lack of Catholic leadership in Catholic schools, so there is potential for progression to senior leadership. I’m not 40 yet and work as a school business manager, I still wonder about being brave and going for it.

Snap!

No