Alternative careers.

[steve25805 126,156]

If you could have any alternative career of your choosing and had the talent for it, what would you be and what would you do?

I guess I would like to be a political columnist for some progressive publication like the New Statesman. 

What about anyone else? I am sure some of you would pick far less boring and far more interesting careers than that.

[Kupar 13,341]

Hmm. That's a tough one. When I was 16 I wanted to be a research scientist - something in low-temperature physics, or optics maybe. My Dad was a proper scientist so I had him as a role model I suppose. When I'd finished studying though, I'd gone right off that idea and wanted to be a journalist - but I wasn't aiming as high as you - science writer, or engineering writer maybe (in the days when hundreds of trade magazines had an editorial staff of more than just the editor / ad manager they have these days). I ended up in academic publishing then PR so I suppose I did write for a living.

I have never been driven by an intense passion for anything specific, and have just sort of fallen into things, and largely I have been happy with the way things have worked out, so it's difficult to answer your question. But I would have been happy as a cricket commentator, beer taster / writer, or both together - a sort of relaxed, never-ending summer kind of job.

[likesToLick 10,216]

In my teens I was quite keen to become an airline pilot,  but a rare disability made it impossible.

Looking back,  I feel like I could have made a better contribution to the world if I had become a medical research scientist.  I am amazed by some of the things they have achieved like vaccines and cancer cures.  Would like to have done my bit.

[PeePeePete 116]

I would quite liked to have been neon tube glass blower. Had a childhood facination with discharge tubes, and while they are largely out of fashion now and replaced with LEDs, there remains a niche there. Still, it isn't going to happen. 

[gldenwetgoose 21,498]

1 minute ago, PeePeePete said:

I would quite liked to have been neon tube glass blower. Had a childhood facination with discharge tubes, and while they are largely out of fashion now and replaced with LEDs, there remains a niche there. Still, it isn't going to happen. 

Love it, and know exactly where you’re coming from. 
And actually although as you say it’s a near obsolete product, I suspect there will always be a very small niche for the product and then actually a market then for craft manufacturers. So - don’t give up hope…

[Alfresco 11,639]

I wanted to be a forensic scientist and still would - it would be fascinating.   Ironically the only reason I never pursued that route when deciding which University course to do was because I thought that I'd have to move to the South of England to get any decent chance of work - and then I ended up moving South anyway!

[gldenwetgoose 21,498]

Interesting seeing the question cropping up again...  Interesting in that it's something I've been thinking about a little recently.

I must be a fairly rare weird type in that I've worked for the same company doing essentially the same job for a long time.  It's a professional job, in engineering and in several aspects carries a lot of professional responsibility - safety related for one thing.  Now although it's been for the same company, there's been quite a lot of variety - different systems within some very complex systems of systems and sub-systems.

So then, if I was to change and had free reign it would be something very different.  It would be good to continue my photography, I do a lot less than I used to but I do still support one corporate client in the music industry, so expanding that would be good.

But actually something in a completely different direction would be getting myself qualified to drive large commercial vehicles.  Perhaps not being stuck in the same motorway traffic jams every day for the same supermarket, maybe involved in some type of specialist haulage with variety to it.  I've always loved pushing the boundaries of driving, my current licence lets me drive 7.5 tonne trucks which I have a few times for house moves and the like, but the bigger the better.  I was actually looking the other day at the price of an intensive driving course to get my Category C+E (Class 1) licence to drive articulated lorries.  Not completely unaffordable, but a little bit of a fantasy I think.  Unless a good enough redundancy package came up at work and somebody wanted to employ me...?  

[Kupar 13,341]

39 minutes ago, gldenwetgoose said:

and somebody wanted to employ me...?  

Are the scare stories about shortages of HGV drivers a myth do you think? It might be worth a little more research 🙂 I think I would get immensely frustrated as a professional driver of any sort. I get wound up by traffic jams anyway - knowing the impact on my job that a delay could have would be awful. I am *not* a laid-back, chill sort of person lol

[JesseP 1,277]

I had a few thoughts about different careers over the years but never plucked up the courage to do anything about it, or wasn't talented enough.

I always wanted to be a rock drummer but can't play an instrument, nor have the timing, to save my life. The idea of being on a stage but not at the forefront would be amazing.

Back when I was younger, I wanted to be a gynecologist. Not from a sexual viewpoint, just because medicine interest me and that part of it is a major part of human life. I am sure after a couple of days of sticking your hands up ladies bits the novelty will have worn off.

A few have mentioned lorry driving. I drive a lot for work and get incredibly frustrated by traffic jams, traffic lights and so on but my driving is to get to a meeting or place of work. If driving was my actual occupation I think I would be a lot more accepting of it.I know one or two lorry drivers and they absolutely love it.

Airline pilot is another one. I wanted to be a fighter pilot but my eyesight isn't good enough but so the back up would be an airline pilot but the training costs are prohibitive.

[Guest ShyPeeMan]

I'd love to have my hobby as my job, I love to draw and have done a few commission's but not enough to quit my job.