Anyone with experience of this? A friend of mine feels a bit trapped in his career.
It’s a weekly slog and he’s not truly passionate about it. But it pays relatively well and he wonders what else he could do without having to retrain / gain new qualifications.
He’d want to retain a decent salary but work in something interesting that comes with less stress and demands.
But how do you go from, say, banking and finance to, say, something in sport / marketing / journalism or something at, say, 35?
Your friend will find it difficult to attain a salary that will keep him/her happy for a long time. Unless your friends finances are on a very healthy footing.
The standard of sports journalism in Ireland is not particularly high, but hard to break into, and impossible to make money off, unless your friend has a contact who can give him a good start. Do it part time and see, gotta pay the bills.
Could you give us a little more info on his talents and abilities? For example, can he drive? Does he have much international business experience? Would his forehead size be considered above average?
Tell your ‘friendt’ to start writing and getting his name out there…he can use a free blog and social media to promote himself and I’m sure most of his friends will be happy to promote and share his work… he would probably have to juggle his current career and his efforts to make it in his new career for a while.
Tell him to take some time out and sit on his balcony/ fire escape to think long and hard about it.
Either that or go for a jog around the GCD area to help him focus.
My brother is like this. Works in a bank. Very decent money. Always banging on about a career change. I just tell him not to be an idiot.
Most people would consider my career a rewarding one. I can tell you this for a fact. Some days it is, some days it’s drudgery, and some it’s just fucking awful.
If you are in a stable job, with reasonable prospects, I personally would advise looking at moving sideways or even downwards if necessary, to try another path within that.
Worrying about paying the bills is a lot worse than being bored at work.
If you can write, you can write in the evenings. If it were me, I’d offer to do some match reports for the local paper, any paper, for free. If it’s decent, you’ll be asked back. If you have an original voice, you’ll be noticed. Don’t be afraid to write the truth, though, like paul kimmage, it may not bring you happiness. If you slag off a local club league hero, you’ll make enemies fast enough I’d imagine.
Look at it this way, if Mr potato head can get a job as chief sports hack at a half decent publication like the Connacht tribune, then I’m sure you can. I wouldn’t chuck the golden goose away as a first up though.
I firmly believe there is an opening for a Sports Psychologist type in the World of Irish golf.
I heard a story about some yahoo playing minds games with Shane Lowry on Twitter after a poor performance, hey presto the tubby Offaly man wins in America weeks later.
Tell your pal to go off somewhere secluded on his own for a night or two nights to do some thinking. A year ago I had a decision to make that had been weighing on my mind for some time. I suppose i was at a crossroads. I went down to a secluded part of West Clare and spent a few hours looking out at the sea and two days disconnected from anyone, no mobiles etc. I got great clarity of thought and was able to make my decision. Your mate needs to get all distractions totally out of his head and down to basics and search deep within his soul. The answers will come. Good luck (to your mate)
There’s many a man went down to West Clare for clarity and then fucked themselves off the Cliffs of Moher… @Bandage, tell your friend head inland for clarity.
@bandage you’ll never make it in sports writing having made a name for yourself using Twitter to call Irish professional golfing superstars ‘fat lazy useless bastards’
@Bandage, tell your friend to keep the head down at work, let the money keep rolling in and either take up a new hobby or sport or better do charity work/events.
Work is work and it’ll suck no matter what. Accept it, do the hours you have to do and do something in the evenings that you want to do. Start early in the day job so that you have more time in the evenings too, personally I find that works.
