As we all grow up and consider what we want as a career, that goal changes as we get more education and experience. I remember that I wanted to be a fireman at age 6-7 based on an experience of a fire at our neighbor’s home. I was fascinated by the bright red truck and all the equipment, and, yes, they even had a Dalmatian dog as a mascot. Another point in time I thought I wanted to be a teacher, then a professional singer, and, and, and. Career choice for some of us was a moving target while growing up. But whatever you chose, it made you…. you.
As the years have gone by I’ve helped thousands of folks with their Medicare research for medical plans, assisted them in figuring out how to best maximize their Social Security payments, reviewed financial retirement planning, and just about anything that has to do with retirement in general.
I often get asked if I find my work boring. The answer is an absolute and resounding “No!”
Each time I meet with a person, it’s like a box of Chocolates (thank you, Forrest), or even like an Easter egg hunt. I never know what I’ll find or where the research will take us when assisting a client with their issues. We are all so unique.
As I meet folks, one of the fun things is discussing what people did for their employment. We’ve met sports stars, doctors, judges, TV personalities, law enforcement types, military, teachers, and……. engineers. Now, I’m not talking about the choo-choo kind, even though I met my fair share of them as well; I’m talking about design engineers.
I love my appointments with engineers because they ask dozens of questions and play the game of “what if” better than any other folks I meet. As a group, they are the most fact-based decision-makers I know. get a kick out of meeting with engineers because even before they tell me what they do for a living, I can guess just based on their opening remarks and questions. “Are you an engineer?” I’ll often ask. They’ll get a funny look on their face and say, “How did you know?” “Oh, just a lucky guess”.
So, how many careers did you have? I know I’ve had several throughout some 45 years of employment. Doors open and close, but however, and how many careers or occupations you’ve had, it made you…you!