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Career changers thread

post #1 of 17
1/1/10 at 4:12pm
Thread Starter 
Happy new year 2010 to the community.

My background was in customer service, retail sales, and technical support with an AA in Liberal Arts and BA in English Creative Writing with a minor in Linguistics. I also earned my CompTIA A+ and Network+ I-T Certifications. At the age of 32, I am contemplating a career change into the audio business to do copy writing for products, reviewing audio equipment, and or sales.

Has anyone else done this before and what advice can you offer for a successful change?

What other options should I consider if I were really determined to pursue a career in the audio business?

What other questions should I be asking myself and seeking the answers to?

Thank you and be safe today.
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post #2 of 17
1/1/10 at 6:53pm
Thread Starter 
As a side note, how many others were able to pull off a successful career change regardless of the industry that you are in now? What steps did you wind up taking and how long was your waiting period before you landed your new job offer?
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post #3 of 17
1/1/10 at 6:58pm
A good start would probably be reviewing gear for the head fi online magazine. Even if you won't be getting paid, it will give you some experience. I know of a head fier who does reviews for 6moons.
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post #4 of 17
1/1/10 at 7:07pm
I'm a little bit in the same boat as you, Welly. I just vested 100% in my firm's pension/profit sharing and my 2009 contributions went in. So it's time to put that accounting degree to work - I expected to a few years back, but life didn't go according to plan.

But I am looking forward to knocking off a CPA license and trying something other than law - I've been in the field for about 17 years now. Time for something new.
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post #5 of 17
1/2/10 at 12:20pm
Thread Starter 
Anyone else want to chime in?

I am looking to make this thread for career changers looking for support / networking. Thanks.
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post #6 of 17
1/2/10 at 2:52pm
I did a similar move back in '97. I was a manager in retail audio/video entertainment stores for about 10 years. Got fed up and decided to try my luck at pro audio. After a move back to a Los Angeles and a lot of hard work I'm successful. I would say it took a good 5 years before I had anything close to steady work. I was an unpaid intern for the first 1-2 years, then I slowly worked my way up. It was a tough road, but I'm very happy where I'm at now.

So to answer your question-yes it's definitely possible. It's a matter of how hard you're willing to work, and how much you're willing to sacrifice to get there. Things are very tough out there right now, and very different from when I started. It's not going to be easy to be financially successful. You might just want to keep your day job, and chip away in the evenings and on weekends. Get yourself established first, and then make your transition to full time later. That way you're not eating ramen for years.

All the best to you.
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post #7 of 17
1/3/10 at 1:21pm
Although I changed industries it was not as drastic a change. For about 15 years I worked in the nuclear power industry for a couple of electrical utilities int he South East of the USA. In late 1996 I started working in the water and sewer industry, currently working for large utility (over 250,000 residents in the service area) and could not be happier. To me the desire to make things better and improve the service provided will take you a long way toward success in your new venture. Good luck.
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post #8 of 17
1/21/10 at 1:04pm
Thread Starter 
I have an important interview with a prospective audio dealer to become a commissioned salesman tonight. This may be the lucky break that I have been looking for the past few years of my job hunt. Wish me good luck as I break into the audio industry.
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post #9 of 17
1/21/10 at 1:38pm
Good Luck!!!
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post #10 of 17
1/21/10 at 2:34pm
Welly: Good Luck..... I am taking some web design courses at a local college. I hope to be able to design, build and maintain web sites when I am done. Right now I am in the food service industry. If I like what I learn, I will make a slow but steady transition. If I do not like what I learn, I will stay where I am at with a new skill.
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post #11 of 17
1/21/10 at 2:39pm
I was in my late 30's when the wholesale grocery distributor I worked for went out of buisness. I went back to school and pursued an associates degree in Electronics Technology. The school I attended (University of Arkansas - Fort Smith) only charged for 12 hours per semester and any hours over that were tuition free, books only, so I was also able to finish up a drafting degree that I had started about 12 years earlier when I was discharged from USMC. After graduation it turned out that the drafting degree offered me a better opportunity so I landed a job at a civil engineering firm and have been here for a little over 15 years. That company going out of buisness was the best thing career wise that ever happened to me.
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post #12 of 17
1/21/10 at 6:48pm
Thread Starter 
I got the job offer. I start in February! Yeah!
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post #13 of 17
1/21/10 at 9:10pm
Nice job Welly!
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post #14 of 17
1/22/10 at 6:39am
Congratulations!

Choose your demo music carefully and wisely!
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post #15 of 17
1/22/10 at 6:49am
Quote:
Originally Posted by LFF View Post
Congratulations!

Choose your demo music carefully and wisely!
i would hope the customers would bring their own demo music? i know i did lol

but congrats on the job offer, i got a job offer for a hifi shop in eugene when i did some speaker shopping, the owner was the one that helped me for several hours picking out my speakers. At the time i was only 19, but he said that he really thought i was the kind of person he would like working for him, unfortunately i was in school and didnt want a job at the time still regretting that one, would have been alot of fun selling speakers
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