Advice on Expanding Career

[Jay]

Hi guys

I'm 28 and currently holds a profession as a designer for a real estate company. I love my job and colleagues. I have a very comfortable income.

As much as I love my job, I would like to expand or make a change to my career in the future. But I can't finalize what my future career should be and look like.

My question is how do you expand a career? How can a small potato turns himself into a brand and build a successful company?

I always imagine my future career to have something to do with design field (Particularly packaging, industrial design and interior design) mixes with food.

My client, Steve does not encourage me to get into cafe/restaurant as it is high with risk. Plus it demands a massive amount of money. Steve knows because his parents used to have a restaurant.

Sometimes I also have the urge to go back to design school to study Interior Design or Industrial Design. But then I have to consider of investing time and money into it.

I'm kind of confuse on how to shape up my career. Or maybe I worry too much and should just follow where the wind goes. Or should I just remain with the job that I have right now for the rest of my life?

Any thoughts? Very much appreciated. Thanks.

[AirBorn]

What is your gut saying?

[dfiant]

Opportunities come along in due course, if you love your job and are happy in it, I would hold onto it for the time being, given the economic downturn being felt right now.

If you get the chance to further studies with minimum impact, go for it. I just think that in your current role you are exposed to clients and different sorts of people, so at some point someone may come along to you with an opportunity that you may or maynot be looking for.

Not many people stay in the one job their whole life these days anyway because other opportunities usually present themselves along their career path, you will be no different ;-)

[Jay]

What is your gut saying?

Cluttered. One part says I should go to cooking. Another part says interior design. Other part says industrial design.

I have soft spot for these three.

Opportunities come along in due course, if you love your job and are happy in it, I would hold onto it for the time being, given the economic downturn being felt right now.

If you get the chance to further studies with minimum impact, go for it. I just think that in your current role you are exposed to clients and different sorts of people, so at some point someone may come along to you with an opportunity that you may or maynot be looking for.

Not many people stay in the one job their whole life these days anyway because other opportunities usually present themselves along their career path, you will be no different ;-)

I'm just a bit concern with how my career and finance structure going to look like in the future. Thus I thought maybe it's wise to draft a plan starting from now. Whilst I'm still young.

My boss and also my marketing manager once asked me if I would like to be a part time real estate agent since I work in a real estate industry and I was also a business minor - I declined. It's a great way to make money but seeing how my colleagues have to face snobby rude rich people all the time, eh no.

Few of my friends recommend me to build my own graphic design firm but I have never been crazy about opening a design firm.

But yeah, Daz, you've made a lot of good points. Maybe I should just wait and see. Maybe I'll get a better and clearer picture on my career in another year or two.

Thanks Airborn and Daz.

[Almac]

Jay with the economic situation as it is, I think you would be better waiting until there is a upturn in the global market before you do anything that you may regret..? If you're happy where you are stay with it for the time being..?

[Jay]

Jay with the economic situation as it is, I think you would be better waiting until there is a upturn in the global market before you do anything that you may regret..? If you're happy where you are stay with it for the time being..?

Daz and you are right. I should consider the economic situation before deciding to jump ship. Wrong step and it could be a total career suicide.

I'll wait for another year or two. See how things will go and will lead me to.

Thanks Almac.