Hey Guys.

I currently work for the Police in an admin type of role which involves alot of computer work! 8 hours a day infront a computer and working one weekend in 5. Ive been doing this although in different deparments for about 4 years and im really starting to get bored of the whole thing. Im 22 and really dont want to spend the rest of my life doing what im current doing at the moment.
My fiance's stepdad has offered me a job working with him as an Industrial door engineer (He's self employed and his business is expanding hense the need to employ another person eg. me). Training with him for 6 – 12 months then get my own company van etc. Id be on the a little more money a month than im on at the moment but would be required to work more hours which doesnt really bother me as im bored of the whole 9 – 5 routene!
This sounds really really tempting and something that i could possibly do however i really dont want to either make the decision and not like it or make the decision and really not be able to do it and let him down.
Has anyone else ever made a complete change of job like this? admin work to manual work and if so how did it work out for you? Best decision you ever made?
I know they say you should jump at every oppoutunity and i want to with this one but i dont want to make a decision and then regret it and have to let him down etc.
Would be interested to hear how its worked out for some of you guys! 🙂

i made a massive jump about 4 years ago and i joined the army and became a shipwright. i have never looked back and enjoy every thing the job offers.

if your bored of your job and it has no prospects then what do you have to lose?

btw im 23 and had my fair share of boring jobs.

i moved the other way after 8yrs, and didnt regret it but i think its important for everyone to do their shift on manual work to get some perspective.

think very hard about working for family tho.

Are you police staff or contracted in from another company..

With the job market the way it is a nice solid and reliable job for an agency as big as the police i something to hold onto Id say!

Also I couldn;t work for family….

do you really like the guy? enough to spend so much time with him, and have him see how you really are? in an office there can be escape routes from boredom and different people to chat to. my guess is he'll load you with extra miles to be gone, as you're 'family'

Always good to learn something new. I got stuck in a few data entry admin jobs and they were soul-destroying.
My main reservation would be about working with the father in law, no wolf whistling in the van.

I'd say as long as you can have a completely open and honest working relationship with your potential father-in-law and like the guy then go for it, a great chance to learn new skills. You can always go back to doing what you did before after a while if it is not for you. He must think well of you if he's prepared to give you the chance in his business.

Do it.

My main reservation would be about working with the father in law, no wolf whistling in the van.

In my case, it would be the other way around, it would be my über-non-PC father-in-law doing all the wolf-whistling.

The real question is not whether the job is the right move or not, it's whether working for your potential father in law is a good move or not and I would think real hard about that. I am not saying it can't work, just that it would not be anything like as straightforward as doing the job for anyone else.

Well i really do get on well with him and we always have a laugh etc, and it wouldnt be me wolf-whistleing it would be him lol!

Better to have tried it and regretted it than regretting not trying it surely?!
The way you describe your current job seems like a waste of your life?!

Think very carefully about your decision as it could affect the rest of your life, what offers the best long term prospects,think about wages, conditions, promotions etc etc and your quality of life in the long term.

I work in construction and when I'm busy I work silly ridiculous hours, which means I have little time for anything but work, work and more work, then when I'm not so busy I earn less and that's not good. Being able to "do" manual work is all about getting your head round it, any idiot can lift heavy stuff, but doing a manual job well means you are organised, clean and tidy, accurate, communicate well etc etc. What is your GF's step dads order book like? Is the work definite orders, actually on paper for you to see or just what he is telling you? Don't feel obligated to him just cos he is family.

Manual work can be good as well though and you can do OK for yourself too. By the sounds of it, if it goes wrong and doesn't work out, you have time to give something else a go.

Piha, hes been in work for about a year now and ive seen the books so to speak and he's doing very well financially! Hes got work secured so that was a main plus for me and one of the first questions i asked him. Hes also said it will be a case of a monthly wage for whatever gets done during the month and the offer of overtime is there aswell so thats good to know i will have a regular wage!
Hes a really genuine guy and hes not put any pressure on me and said he will be OK if i decide to stay doing what im doing. Hes told me to take alot of time to think about it and hes been really upfront with everything like showing me his income, work scheduled in etc so i know the money and work is there im just thinking whether a move from an admin role to manual work would be a good move. Im very close to saying yes i just want to be 100% sure before i commit to it.

I've been in an office type job for 15 years now and while it has its good points I also wish I had another string to my bow. I personnally find manual work much more satisfying but I've never done it for a living. I'd say at your age it much better to give it a go and give it a good chance before deciding if its for you long term. Otherwise if you hate your job now at 22 just imagine how much more you'll hate it at 35 with kids and a mortgage!

I would think long and hard about working with family – it can make things difficult both at home and at work if things go wrong, and you never really get to leave the job behind in the evening/weekends

yep, see here, its going great apart from being off today with cronic toothache!

Why not take a week off work and go to work for your father in law? It will give you a taster of what the job is like…

I could never work for my Dad. On the other hand, I'd be quite happy working for my Girlfriend's stepfather. Completely different dynamic in my opinion.

I also know a lot of manual work is better paid than "professions" these days, let alone bog standard clerical work.

I'd be inclined to go for it. I know a lot of people with small businesses, and to me, the fact that he's shown you his order books and accounts suggests that he thinks pretty highly of you. My main concern would be that he has enough cash flow – there are good excel models you can download to produce cash flow statements, and if he isn't doing that already, I'd suggest it / take on the responsibility if I were you. Lack of cashflow is the number one reason for companies going bang…

Wansley,

Sounds like you've already made your mind up and that's no bad thing! I'm not trying to put you off or change your mind, just trying to make you look at your career change from different perspectives. At the end of the day it's your decision and only you can make that decision but think hard about it. Is there a lot of working away from home and have you worked away from home before, will the missus tolerate you working away (now or in the future)? Sounds like he sources his work from one company and therefore doesn't have to get his own work in, so that makes things a bit easier.

I have worked on site for a quite a while and I loved it.I have worked all over Europe and the UK and enjoyed the places I went to but it's not for everybody. I don't work on site any longer but I am still in construction, instead I do paperwork and go to meetings etc and that can be effing hard work and frustrating. I enjoyed the manual side of things much more but the role that I do now is better for me and my lifestyle (esp in the long term) and I'm not completely exhausted at the end of the week if I'm honest.

And if you do take the job then you'll be able to fettle your own bike yourself! Good luck matey.

Lyons has a great suggestion up there ^^^^^

Second the idea of taking some holiday and try the "new" job.
Downside = working with family.

1111 Did you mean you joined the Navy as a shipwright or joined the Army as a tankwright?

Wansley, Its a dodgy think working with "family" If you fall out with him it can become very personal and effect you and your fiance.

I have been in the industrial door industry for over 20 years, being on the "tools" is a laugh with the right person,grim in winter. I worked with my best mate for 2 years on the "tools", never speak to him now, it was almost like being married.

I know almost all of the industrial door companies in the UK personally.

Email me the door companies name I may know "of them" and help you decide 😉

Ive actually booked the end of this week off to go work with him again lol! Ive been before and enjoyed it but just wanted to make sure 🙂

Thanks for all the advice and things guys! Going to see how i feel after working with him at the end of the week and then make a decision 🙂

I have been in the industrial door industry for over 20 years, being on the "tools" is a laugh with the right person,grim in winter. I worked with my best mate for 2 years on the "tools", never speak to him now, it was almost like being married.

christ you should try sewage plant fitting in the winter… nothing like freezing shite to lift the spirits..

having to thaw off a blocked sewage pump with a big gas torch… hot, cold, smelly dirty just so you could fix it….. 😆

Sounds like your fiancée stepdad is a standup sort of guy and a good opportunity that he has offered you, especially the way he is being transparent about how his business works, there is also the prospect you can help his business grow and there may be the prospect of becoming partners eventually, where does he in visage the business growing does he want you to help in the expansion etc etc.

Talk over your concerns about working for family and that it may worry how it could effect your lives, although it could be a very positive move.

Good luck.

As above, youre working wth the father in law, the dad of the woman who you will be sleeping with,arguments, money and petty squabbles will take on monumental proportions.

Why does the f-i-l, want you as opposed to somebody who already has the right experinence and knowkledge,

Oh and as said before its grim working outside in the winter especially on doors.

Also dont forget,what happens if the firm folds, should be interesting at the sunday lunch table then.

Oh and wolf whisteling will soon get you both thrown off most sites now, its seen as sexual discrimination/harassment, and belongs in the 70,s not now.