I am really, really happy for you Rogue. I know you are really going to flourish in a new field. I could not imagine staying in a job for years for the retirement all the while being miserable. When others say that it just floors me.

I have s said before. I left a good job but it was not a happy place for me. I told a good friend and coworker I was leaving. He said he wished he could but could not afford to. I told him I could not afford to stay. Been happy since the day I walked away twenty years ago.

Best of luck and it will seem like a new life. Don't be in a big hurry and make the primary goal of the new job to be one you love.

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

So now the only question is: Where will I land?


Wish me luck!

As for the question- Probably squarely on your feet.

Luck? Naaa, luck is fleeting. You got skill and drive, that's all it takes. You'll be just fine.

Don't rule out LE totally. One of the guys I went through the Academy with a long, long time ago tapped out of here and went over to one of the Rail Roads and couldn't be happier!
A lot of the other friends that pulled the pin went into a whole lot of different stuff:
Corporate loss prevention, financial investigations for banks, Forestry Service...
The guy (one of my oldest and best friends) I do,my side job with landed on his feet in a bed of roses working for TowBoat US. He's always been a "Hustler" (always had 2 or 3 jobs at once, always working, needs to stay busy type people who just makes $) and gets paid to be on someone else's boat burning someone else's gas on nice days on a lake.

There's a whole mess of stuff out there to do and still make good to great money.

I changed careers at 40 and am super happy about it. Traded all the things I hated about with my career for other things I hate much less. Plus better benefits.

Best of luck in your next career!

A couple of years ago I was driving on the interstate in bad weather. There was an accident near an interchange so traffic slowed to a crawl. With snow loading on my windshield I glanced to the accident and saw a UHP officer standing in the weather doing his job. I sat in my warm truck and felt terrible for him. Not just him but all of the emergency personnel I felt sorrow and gratitude for. My thoughts went to wondering how they, you all, do it. There are sacrifices I wouldn't make that you do willingly. You see the worst of humanity and disaster while navigating impossible bureaucracy and insufferable politicians and social agitators. That kind of sacrifice for little thanks is beyond me. While I admire those who do that dangerous service, I understand when an officer has to stop. I am still grateful for your service. I am more grateful you made it through alive.

Congrats! When I left, I was the oldest man still in harness and my union activity had killed my promotion chances. It was quite scary at first but I was able to land a gig in the security dept. at a health care facility so that was a big help in getting my bearings. I still miss the action, the camaraderie and hunting bad guys. And I still drive like a cop! Several of my buddies who quit got jobs:
Working financial crime for a big grocery chain.
Airport police.
Regional Loss Prevention Manager for Wal-Mart.
Head of security for a regional mall chain.
One guy even started a driving school!
There are opportunities out there. Best of luck to you!

Congrats,

I used to be a software engineer, and I decided no amount of $$$ are worth working those hours, or the deadlines.

I have now went into a consultant role, and my life is much better!

My brother in law was a high school principal, He decided an aneurism was not worth it, they begged him not to leave, he said my life and family are more important.

You will be fine, those examples are just that, we are both happier now, and I’m pretty sure you will be as well.

No advice here, but congratulations on having the courage to put your sanity and heath above the guaranteed income. Too many folks don't make that decision soon enough to their extreme detriment. Life's too short.

I'll add my good wishes for a better life and lifestyle.

While everyone else is dealing with the stress and politics of the job, you can relax and watch today's Barrett-Jackson auction:

https://tv.barrett-jackson.com/

Rogue, one of the fastest growing industries in the south east right now is space related, and all of the companies that serve it. Arkansas is home to more than 150 defense contractors with space connections to Florida's space coast, Huntsville Alabama, and the Marshall Space Flight Center.

If you are interested in management, I'd be willing to bet that there are positions in that industry that would be interested in your background, and pay you well.

Best of luck.

A

Rogue,

How are we gonna have our retirement part in July 2034 now?

I face the same dilemma sometimes, the money from doing what I do as a Contractor instead of AD would make the retirement look silly sometimes. My biggest thing however is having the obligation for the shortest amount of time possible. And I get to change scenery every 2-3 years so my mental health never gets too bad.

I'm glad you're less stressed. We aren't getting any younger. You'll be fine.

Good luck!! Personally hope you can stay connected in the security field.

And you always seem outnumbered
You don't dare make a stand
Here I am
On the road again
There I am
Up on the stage
Here I go
Playin' star again
There I go
Turn the page

Godspeed... brother

Best of luck Rogue

I have faith that you will do just fine, you're a pretty fart smeller

Sometimes, it's just time to move on. Glad you realized what needed to be done, and then did it. I wish you the very best in wherever you go from here. We're nearly the same age, and turning 40 is a good time to think about what you really want to do before you can't make any moves.

quote:

Originally posted by P220 Smudge:
We're nearly the same age, and turning 40 is a good time to think about what you really want to do before you can't make any moves.

Indeed. My mid/late 30s have involved a lot of self-reflection, and hard choices about what I wanted to get out of life. I truly began to appreciate the concept that life is too short to go through it unhappy. So it was time to start making changes and pursuing happiness, both personally and professionally.

While the concept of a "midlife crisis" is a cliche (typically caricatured by involving hair plugs, convertibles, and blonde bimbos), I think there's really something to the idea of a "midlife priority shift". A final growth in maturity, when you realize that statistically speaking you're past the halfway point of your life, the things that you enjoyed and prioritized in your younger adulthood aren't cutting it any more, and you start to focus more on the more fundamental things in life: family, friendship, peace, and happiness.

I kinda feel like the stereotypical middle-aged warrior from TV/movies, who wants to hang up the sword and just go tend his crops, make babies, and be left in peace.

The security forces here are always looking for people. I wouldn't consider their jobs to be typical security guards. Even with current federal budget issues, hiring is still occurring in full force. There is also a large variety of other security related positions where your background would be beneficial.

https://www.sandia.gov/careers/

Downside would be a relocation to NM, though in many cases they pay for that.

Thanks, but not interested in moving (98% sure), and not interested in law enforcement/security guard work.

My older brother was an arson/fraud/casualty investigator for State Farm for 30 years.

Well shit, if worst comes to worst you can always get a job with answer questions about esoteric firearms and posting relevant pictures. I mean, I have no way of evaluating all of your other skills, but there you are aces.

As has already been said, stress is a killer. Find a job that won't do that. If worst comes to worst and you want to move there are, like, 13,000 law enforcement jobs in the PNW that need filled. And many are fairly low stress. My nephew works for Spokane Valley Sheriff's Office for the major cashola but lives in Idaho (20 mins away) for the freedom. There are options, but take this time and decide what you want to do free from the stress of doing what you hate. You'll live lots better, I don't know about longer, shit tomorrow you can choke on a kale smoothy while doing yoga after having quit smoking and losing 50+ pounds. But better, freer, happier, that I'm sure of.

Also, in this interim time, we all expect your TORTSFI (time of response to SigForum inquiries) to drop by 20% at least.

I recently learned that lesson in regards to work.
Almost 21 years at my last job.
Last few years were absolutely miserable but I stuck it out thinking it would get better.
Even with my "toxic" attitude I was one of the top producers.
They fired me out of the blue on BS stuff.
Two hours later I had another job secured and was back to work in a few days making the same wage under much better conditions.
I'll never make that same mistake again.
Lost all bargaining power and had to take what was offered.

Life is way to short to spend it miserable at work.
And you never leave it at work and just drag it home with you.
Even if you don't talk about it your attitude is sour and causes issues at home as well.

You seem like a solid guy and will be doing something that you don't hate in no time.