Thinking of Career Change Any Suggestions?????

Working with computers not only requires schooling, but it requires a constant upkeep of certifications.

Why no schooling? Honestly - it's what keeps you moving up the chain at work and opens doors for you. Something without schooling likely won't pay the big bucks.

N.

Computers is such a broad line...WHAT do you want to do???

"Computers" - do you want to fix them or find out what makes them tick?? Either way - schooling.

You need to find out WHAT YOU ARE GOOD AT and what you ENJOY doing...and then go from there. I personally would GO to your local community college and talk to the guidance counselor...I'm sure they even have a "test" you can take to find out what you are good at.

You put a lot into becoming a Real Estate agent and you are giving up because the going got tough?? Why not figure out what is going wrong NOW so you can LEARN from the mistakes you are making - or if there is another reason it's not working out the way you expected...

Jumping from career to career won't change anything other than what you are doing. If you can't figure out what you are doing wrong - you'll just carry it over to the next "career" you have. Take a step back - don't make excuses, take a hard look at what is going wrong with your Real Estate career and see if you can fix it. Is it YOU or is it something else??

Good luck!

Anytime you accept the challenge of more schooling (i.e. more education) you only benefit yourself. Most careers do require post high school education. It takes self discipline and motivation to make changes and part of those changes are not the most fun to go through during the process.

How old are you? How educated are you? Are you married? Children? There are a lot of things to consider when thinking about a move. How would it impact your family? If you are single and no strings... you got a world of more opportunity as far as the hours you work, obligations outside your job, etc.

Knowledge is power.

That said, what are your interests, strengths, weaknesses, etc.

You mention computers, well there are TONS of opportunities with computers so you have to narrow your sights on what part of computers you want to be working with.... selling, repairing, programming, etc.

If I were you I would not let my Real Estate license expire. You can ALWAYS fall back on that for part time work and extra money.

What is it about real estate you do not like? Selling, closing, etc? There are many areas in real estate that are lucrative and you don't have to be on the road selling.

I would speak with someone at the local community college to get ideas on what types of degrees might be most beneficial to you, research the jobs in that field, get an idea of what you would be making at the top... you will start out on the lower end of the scale so don't expect to jump straight to the top.

Also check out temp agencies and let them know you are considering a change and see if you can get a temp job in different types of environments, offices, schools, etc and see what might interest you.

Good luck.

Something/anything with computers - is going to require a lot more schooling than you'd like.

TF Plano/Allen gave you the best answer. A career involves you doing something you are passionate about and have a talent or eptitude for. It also will involve getting the proper training to hone and develope your skills, talents and abilities.

Since you are already in real estate, if this is your passion have you considered looking into doing it in a different market? How flexible are you to move to where real estate is hot? How competitive are you?

I used to have a license in Real Estate. I didn't sell 1 house or rent 1 unit the entire 2 years of having my license. I had family and friends close on houses while I had my license but they didn't use me to or the company I worked for to complete their deals. That was the most painful part for me, the lack of support from people who know me. I eventually gave up my license becasue when you are making zero dollars it quickly becomes a very expensive hobby I just couldn't afford any longer.

I still like real estate though. This is why I own a two family house and probably in the next 2 years will be buying a second rental income house. I discovered I just needed to change the focus of my passion.

Try to figure out where your aptitude lies by using one of the career testing sights like MAPP (www.assessment.com) it does have a cost but it is worth it to make the discovery.

What interests you? I can't imagine real estate being lucrative for years to come. The housing market is sure for the buyer right now.

I think working in an office looking at a computer screen and typing all day sounds completely horrible.

There are many jobs out there that don't require any education. Have you checked the local college employment pages? Some times they have openings for people to work in the housing offices or some vice presidents office. They are usually steady and good paying.

Visit your local community college. Since they are supported by local taxes, you may be able to get some assistance there even if you are not currently a student. You may be able to take some assessment tests to find out what your interests and aptitudes are and what jobs/careers need those aptitudes. Then you could find out what, if any, additional classes or certifications you would need to achieve your goal. They may also have a job bank or placement area too. Good luck.

That's a broad field, and you don't say anything about your skills and background. Go to, or go on line to research, your state employment office. They give all kinds of training and seminars for fields that are hiring. The more people they get jobs for, the fewer people are on unemployment, so they are motivated to get you trained, for free or for very little, for a new career.

Computers is a very broad field (programming, design, repair, engineering…and on and on), and there is a greater and greater level of expertise needed. A lot of young people are much more adept at this than people who've been around for a while because they are getting it and using it in high school. So you have some competition unless you really know what direction you want to go on.

Health care is another booming field. A lot of people become companions or home health aids for the elderly, for people rehabbing from surgery, etc. - anyone looking to stay at home with help rather than be in a hospital or nursing home. My mother needed all kinds of help after a shoulder replacement - everything from help making breakfast to reminders on her medications to assistance with exercises taught to her (and the aides) by the physical therapists and occupational therapists. Many of these aides did this work while they trained to be come certified in something else (personal care attendants, CNAs and so on). If that interests you and you have great interpersonal skills and patience, home care agencies are always looking for people even without any medical training, and it's a field that's not going to bottom out.

But you might do better with some skills assessment and free training from the state if you are really unsure about what you are good at. A lot of skills from one area are easy transferrable to another, but you need someone up to date to help you do figure that out.

Community colleges are also good investments - not that expensive, and free placement office for students.