lol

factory worker, computer programmer, door to door sales, retail sales, retail manager, painter, landscaper, computer consultant, data processing manager, diary farm hand, tobacco farmer, systems analyst, more consulting and now i clean houses with my wife

i might of missed one

do what makes you happy

I think it's useful for all of us to think about how to support ourselves, because the potential to be independent gives us more choices in life.

I teach at a university and what I see is that a lot of people are coming back to school (and running up debt) to get credentials, hoping the credentials will get them a job.  But the country is pretty much over-credentialed.  What employers seem to want more is experience and proven reliability, which of course you basically get by starting at the bottom and working up.  The good part is that they pay you as you get the training (by working your way up the ladder), instead of you going into debt paying for a credential that might not even lead to a job.  I see so many of our students doing this, and at the end they have a huge debt load and many of them -- in fact most of them -- end up going into jobs unrelated to their credential.  So those thousands of dollars bought them nothing but slavery to their bills.

The money is still in the financial industry, even though it's in dire straits.  (Most other professions are in dire straits too right now.)  If you have experience in finance, that might be something to build on.  The path might not be straightforward, but you might look at what entry-level jobs there are that are somewhat related.  I have a friend who started as the lowest receptionist at the bank and now runs a whole section of their financial side.  She had no training, but she was smart, reliable, and looked for opportunities as she went on.  My experience suggests that that's a surer way to a solid career than a credential.  (Of course this doesn't apply to those who know they want a certain job, e.g. nursing, which can only be landed with a certain credential.  But there are more jobs out there that don't need a formal credential than those that do.)

I chose to be a therapist of course because I wanted to help people. If I get burned out from one population I can change. Thus far, I have worked with several different populations which include the chronically mentally ill, mentally retarded/developmentally disabled, juvenile delinquents, and now foster children. I have thought about working in a rehab but not sure about that step. There is always administration to consider also...(that's where the money is).