Career Change Advice -Chef with No Confidence

Llette on 27/12/2015 - 19:27

Hi,
Haven't posted before, but you lot seem pretty level headed and informative ^_^
Anyway. I'm a 26 year old female chef, recently I had a shoulder injury that took me out of work for about 6 months. Before that, I had worked mainly casual dining, pizzerias, fasta pasta, italian function center, although did a stint at one greek fine dining place and have a reference from Celsius. I got back into work say, 6ish months ago, although sporadic, first job, head chef of a vegan cafe, ended up leaving after 3 months because the owners didn't exactly know what they wanted and were running the business poorly, dodging his supplier bills, oven had 3 working burners. We clashed, alot. On my separation certificate he wrote incompetence, kind of cut me.

Anyway, moved on to a stadium (won't say which one, theyre anal about privacy, although its a fairly new one). Completely screwed up the first four shifts I got, with general mistakes and seemingly asking too many questions and managed to have words with two different sexist sous chefs, although do not blame myself for that. Was my general polite, helpful, happy self otherwise. I'm not doing shifts there anymore.
I have no problem getting jobs, because of the greek place and my reference, I usually at least get the interview/trial. I just, I do't know, have no confidence left. Sometimes I can't even bring myself to go to the interview it freaks me out so much. I got offered a job as the head chef of a new meatball place in the city, but made an excuse to not take it because I didn't think I could do it. They then came back at me, offering me sous chef, with same pay. I still made excuses, because I was freaking out. I hate it. A fellow chef said this happens to him, but he offered no real advice on how to fix it. He just moved to Peru instead >.>

My issue is, I don't feel I have any skill(and to be honest, my skill level is so much lower than it used to be, think cook level now) or confidence left and on top of that I really can't take the sexism and abuse as well as I used to. I don't think I want to work in a kitchen anymore. I think the bullying and the shoulder have just killed any love I had for it. The only place that even seems remotely okay is Fasta Pasta and that's because it's not even real cooking. I'm not sure what to do, I can't really ask my parents for advice, because I dropped out of civil engineering at the end of my 3rd year to cook. They still hate that and I will not go back to engineering. I still love to cook, I just don't know if I can do it anymore.

I've thought about a career change, iinet were recruiting for help-desk, but because of work I missed the cuttoff date. I liked the idea of that, because it was flexible in the way you could train and move into different departments(software, web, marketing, etc). I don't know what I want to do now, but I just know I have to do something. I'm happy to go back and study something else, but I don't have any clue, it's just such an overwhelming thing to think through. I also don't really feel like I have any real transferable skills, except for basic customer service, menu planning and inventory control.

Not even entirely sure what I'm asking for here, some general advice on how a chef does change careers? What careers would suit me? Not that you really know me.. Or maybe a completely different solution/advice for my problem.

Thanks for listening/reading

Education & Work

Comments

  • scrimshaw on 27/12/2015 - 19:57
    +10

    Helpdesk work is (sometimes, but not always) soul-crushingly depressing. The pay is not spectacular, and you generally get to speak with the most irate and pissed-off customers on the planet. The management on the other hand will have some pretty high expectations of you — they expect you to get customer feedback ratings of 100% (real world: you will rarely get any perfect feedbacks) and they have very aggressive KPI's.

    It takes a certain amount of emotional and psychological resillience to be successful in. For many people CSP roles are are a stepping stone to something else, usually they will (and should) attain some kind of certificate (or diploma) while doing it and move onto something better but do not stay too long in it.

    But if you can muster enough courage to go ahead with being a customer service rep, then why not? What's the worse that could happen? What could you lose? If your answer is 'nothing', then there's no reason you should avoid giving it a chance.

    You might find yourself liking it. And you might not. But it doesn't hurt to dip your toes in it and give it a try.

    I recommend watching this video
    https://www.ted.com/talks/larry_smith_why_you_will_fail_to_h…

    • lette on 27/12/2015 - 20:10
      +1

      Unfortunately, I missed the cutoff date and to be honest that was what I was thinking, from watching sit coms haha. My main reasoning behind it was I could move around in the company, maybe chat to someone in a different field and see if there's something for me. That was the plan with the oval job, until I burnt my bridges because of a very entitled chauvinistic short man -.- Wouldn't mind doing a diploma or certificate, I've been in uni and it's not for me. I did enjoy culinary school, which is essentially TAFE.
      I suppose if it comes around again, and I'm only tentatively working in kitchens I might give it a go. I can be resilient and I've found pleasure in the weirdest jobs before(pumping septic tanks for great southern rail. Fun as all heck!)

      • scrimshaw on 27/12/2015 - 21:09
        +6

        There are no 'cuttoff dates' for hiring, the customer service industry has very high turnover (just like hospitality) and people are entering and leaving all the time.

        Go to Seek.com and create a profile, set Privacy settings to 'Standard', pretty up your resume and create saved searches using all possible keywords you can think of, then subscribe to them. You will get emails everday of new job ads that are posted according to your criteria.

        Do this if you are not motivated enough to search for jobs actively. I've even been head-hunted once on Seek for a pretty good position (even though I wasn't quite qualified for it, my experience did get me exposure)

        • lette on 27/12/2015 - 21:12

          Really? I started the application and when I relogged into the account it disappeared. The cuttoff said 23rd of Dec. If I just email with a cover letter and resume will they take that? I always assumed big companies didnt take resumes outside of recruitment ads. Like, with my oval job, you can't even email the HR as an employee, without getting an autoresponse asking you to go to the website and search "career opportunities". I mean, they get the email, but the auto-respone? I'll send a cover letter and resume through, worth a shot. Explain the predicament, blame it on the silly season. I still have the original ad screenshotted with all the criteria…

        • scrimshaw on 27/12/2015 - 21:15
          +2

          @lette:

          that's if the company is using outsourced HR companies. 23 dec just happens to be nearly xmas eve so not a big issue if you miss it, just try again on Jan next year!

          The HR companies look for people, short list them and then submit them to their clients. Once they've submitted the HR company takes a commission and then they start all over again with a new client. They have a deadline to work with so that's why they close the applications once the deadline is over.

          Not every company does that however, don't be silly thinking that they only hire during certain months.

          At this time of the year, yeah, job applications will be a bit harder because everyone is on holiday!

          take note that 70 percent of jobs out there are not advertised and there are always a few doors open — which is why networking is key if you want to get to high places.

        • lette on 27/12/2015 - 21:23

          It was advertised directly from iinet, luckily. Already writing out the cover letter now. Probably won't get read until the 4th, yeah cause of holidays. But worth a go :D Just keep going back to that job and thinking..Dang! Just missed out.
          Cheers! Legitimately had no idea.

        • girlshaped on 28/12/2015 - 14:09
          +1

          @lette: Working in that industry, just be aware that while I've heard that iiNet has a great culture and is a great place to work, they pay peanuts compared to other telcos. Not sure if this would be a problem for you, just something to be aware of. That said, it is also my understanding that other businesses look favourably on people that have worked there, so maybe if you can do your time in a lower paying role you may be able to work up to something better/more highly paid either within that business or elsewhere. Good luck.

        • lette on 28/12/2015 - 16:28

          @girlshaped: Yeah that's exactly what my thoughts were with it. They advertised the pay and I'll agree is peanuts, but I'm very well off so it's no issue. Rather get my foot in the door and work with good people than worry about extra money. Thanks for the headsup, sent in the resume and cover letter earlier today, so heres hoping ^_^

        • girlshaped on 29/12/2015 - 21:02

          @lette: Cool cool, best of luck!

    • Praeto on 28/12/2015 - 14:06
      +2

      I'll agree that it IS generally a stepping stone, but I think you're being overly negative about the rest of the experience.. My first real job was with a BPO that had help desks for dozens of different companies. I got the opportunity to cross-skill in loads of different products and industries, and find one that I really enjoyed. There are so many opportunities to learn, network and advance in these positions, but you have to be proactive and seek them out. There is generally a lot of camaraderie in these kinds of roles as well and the friends I made there have remained close ever since.

    • lette on 27/12/2015 - 20:28
      +22

      How does it seem I think life owes me anything? After 12 damn years being a tough princess in the kitchen, putting up with crud like this and constant undermining and just general BS I feel like I want something else and I just don't know what or how to work out what. So I ask for advice or help, like NORMAL PEOPLE generally do when they have a problem.
      Fricken pointless troll comment dude. Thanks. -.-

        • lette on 27/12/2015 - 20:47
          +1

          There it is, late 40's civil engineer. Thinking life has to be a battle. Yeah I clash with colleagues because they comment on my body, or literally push me out of the way so they can use the cryovac. Yeah, I skipped interviews, because I freaked the hell out! And if you read what I said,I asked a mate for help because I knew it was wrong. As for advising me on what to do, wow look! Two people have already, both actually helpful. In saying that, I also asked for advice on how to work out what I want, not just tell me what I want.
          I'm done with this. I don't have to defend my asking for help to someone…like you. I came here to feel better and get some freaking clarity!
          You don't know anything and you're just about as rude and mean as those chefs I mentioned! For shame.

        • lette on 27/12/2015 - 21:07
          +12

          Love how that's the only part you single out. Go watch TV yourself, I'm busy trying to better myself, not tear someone whos already down, down further.

        • dylanando on 27/12/2015 - 22:03
          +6

          @lette: This fruit loop is helping you overcome the people who are out there just to bring someone else down. Head up and keep on going. The only person telling you, you cant do it, Is yourself.

        • lette on 27/12/2015 - 22:04
          +4

          @dylanando: Touche good sir! Think I just got schooled hahaha >.<

        • try2bhelpful on 28/12/2015 - 11:55
          +5

          @oscargamer: You are obvioulsy a troll. Perhaps look at your own negs before you comment on somebody else.

        • DrStinge on 30/12/2015 - 09:54

          @oscarTheGrouch why would you even write stuff like this? Do you feel the need to be a horrible person?

  • spackbace on 27/12/2015 - 20:30
    +5

    Food van, be your own boss. Don't need to cook intricate food, just simple food done well. Employ 1 or 2 others but that's it.

    Go watch 'Chef', I believe you'll change your view
    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2883512/

    It sounds like you once had a like for food and cooking, watch that movie :)

    I've worked hospitality and can appreciate how hard it would be for a female in a man's world

    • lette on 27/12/2015 - 20:36

      I would love that! Problem is, I live in Adelaide and the council just lowered food van permits to something like 15. Definitely have the funds myself, but not the govt approval. When things change(hopefully), something to definitely look into. My mum always suggested running my own pizzeria, but that seems overwhelming, in comparison a food truck seems the right level of business management and actual cooking.

      Really? Heard of the movie, will download it, anythings worth a shot at the moment and I am out of things to watch…. It certainly can be hard, and I don't exactly blend in like some other quiet wallflowers. Thanks ^_^

      • Serapis on 29/12/2015 - 02:32

        Yup wouldn't go there with SA, the limit is 10 during the day:
        Adelaide food trucks restricted to only 10 during day

        Plus all sorts of side issues with this:
        Lunch vans targeted in food turf war

        • jason101 on 29/12/2015 - 08:29
          +3

          There is more to a food truck business than having an Adelaide City Council permit. This permit only/just allows you to set up on Council property. There are hundreds of other food truck opportunities waiting to be had in Adelaide.

          I know someone who is looking for a ad-hock casual helper in an experienced food truck - might be worth doing a couple of shifts just to see if you like the type of business for yourself - send a PM and I can put you in touch.

        • lette on 30/12/2015 - 18:01

          @jason101: Sorry was working, Pm you now :)

    • Htu08 on 27/12/2015 - 21:32
      +2

      I agree with this, just the attempt at owning your own business improves your own perspective of the world for later on as you can often see things from an owner/operator view.

      Perhaps you can look at sports game/festivals/fairs/event catering? They seem to do quite well for themselves working part time-ish hours.

      • lette on 28/12/2015 - 17:49
        +1

        Catering isnt a bad idea, I've done a wee bit of that before and it's pretty laid back in comparison.

    • [Deactivated] on 30/12/2015 - 12:55
      +1

      +1 for the movie "Chef"
      and using what brings you the most joy as your compass
      Good luck lette

  • robbyjones on 27/12/2015 - 20:48
    +7

    Hospitality is freaking hard work, freaking hard, stressful work. Give yourself a break. You sound completely overwhelmed by the prospect of finding your niche that you are getting in your own way. Relax, you have the skill set, you know that, stop making excuses for yourself and your perceived lack of skills and think about what you really want to do, right now, not 5 years from now or in a year, right now and then go with that. It may be working at Fasta Pasta and that's ok, but if it is don't feel the need to apologise for that, stand by whatever decision you make and own it.

    You must be one tough chick to be working in hospitality as a chef it is one of the sexist industries around, don't let the trolls get you down.

    Don't give up on your dream, maybe take a break for a while, but don't give up. Good luck.

    • lette on 27/12/2015 - 21:02

      I think you might be right. Every other day it's something else, maybe I'd make a good counselor, no thats not good enough psychologist, next day, science is a booming industry, oh I'd love to go into construction, but the early mornings, but I want to cook, but I don't think I can. Maybe I can go back to a pizzeria, no thats bad with my credentials, can't do that. Oh, look a vet clinic! Ridiculous all over the place thought pattern!

      I am obviously concentrating on the future with these thoughts. I am really concerned with how my family perceives my career and life in general, because it's not what they want(no kids, seemingly low class job, not married, renter by choice not budget, etc). Think I've gotta yeah, like you said, not feel the need to apologise for it. I'll come at the thought process with the angle of "what do I want to do right now and screw what anyone thinks". See what I come up with.

      I think I do want to keep cooking, but in a different capacity to what I've been doing since my injury. I think that greek fine dining place really messed with my head. Making me think I've gotta keep doing things at that level. Also, makes employers look at me like I can and will do more than they advertised(the meatballs job was advertised as chef de partie , for instance). Might consider taking it off, I'll chat to my now peruvian chef mate and see what he thinks about that. Resume gaps are never good.

      Also, thanks. I generally think of myself as pretty tough. It's why I'm hating this crap I'm doing to myself so much. It's not normal and not me.

      I'll give a few days to really mull it over. As you can probably tell from my thought pattern description I'm a bit all over the place. Not much I can do til new year anyway :)

      • Htu08 on 27/12/2015 - 21:42
        +4

        I come from a very conservative SEA background so totally understand the parental/family pressure that comes with career paths/ life in general….

        I think it comes down to the fact that it is your life and you'll have to pay for the cost of your decisions for the rest of your life and I am not really prepared to have to ask myself "what if" when I am old and useless.
        As a result, I am more inclined to be in the "do whatever makes you happy" kind of boat especially because you're <30 and can currently explore options, ESPECIALLY your own business…

        Disclaimer: I'm currently on my own "adventure" which my parents aren't happy about but I either go bust or fall back on something else later on in life so I am bias, I must admit, it isn't going terribly well but not bad either

        • lette on 27/12/2015 - 22:03

          Can be hard, but I do have to stop worrying about what they want. As I get older, they seem less, "godly" I guess, they were doing worse than me at my age, really, and they now live in this weird bubble where they don't get how the world really is(very lucky with property and career, after at my age, making a lot of bad decisions, but hey, nana was there to fix it up for em)
          Especially my own business you say? It is something I do like the idea of, just seems so overwhelming and out of my league, although I've successfully run other peoples businesses, go figure haha. Bit more scary when it's your own money.

          Nothing wrong with bias(in this case), helps convey how much you agree with what your saying, when you think about it haha. And if you can do it and not care about failing, kind of makes me think..well, if he/she can, why can't I? Good luck with your "adventure" none the less, hope it works out, or you at least get your moneys worth of good memories ^_^

        • Htu08 on 28/12/2015 - 01:07
          +1

          @lette:
          Yeap, in my opinion, starting your own business is a lot easier when you're "younger" and can "afford" to fail without massive life consequences.
          Later in life, in my opinion, you gain more financial responsibilities / life responsibilities (mortgages, family etc etc), where stretches of business break even/risk can really throw a spanner in your life.

          In saying that, don't get yourself into financial distress just because you "have time to pay it back".

  • kcyw on 27/12/2015 - 23:56
    +1

    I have no idea about the food industry, but when you wrote menu planning I thought dietitian or recipe book… maybe volunteer part-time somewhere with no pressure and you can get direct feedback and see some happy faces.

  • Ughhh on 28/12/2015 - 03:05

    Sounds like you need Gordon Ramsay

    • nobro25 on 28/12/2015 - 20:37

      Urgh! She doesn't own her own restaurant? Duh!!

      • Ughhh on 28/12/2015 - 21:36

        URGH! At least half of the chefs/sous chefs don't own the restaurant featured. Duh !!

        Also, if you picked up anything, one of Ramsays strategies is to motivate staff, from owners to waiters to chefs.duh

        • lette on 28/12/2015 - 23:22
          +1

          You're all right! I don't own my own restaurant, but I', sure with a wee bit of his special brand of "motivation" I'd end up with a successful one(as long as I'm not Amy's Baking Company ROFL!!!!)
          In all honesty though, when this was one comment wasn't going to say anything, BUT two years ago I did make an audition tape for hells kitchen explaining I had all my own funds and could easily get a visa haha. Came to no avail..but what a cowinkydink none the less.

  • [Deactivated] on 28/12/2015 - 07:55
    +2

    You should spend some time just cooking for/with friends. If you want to get your skills back you'll have to practice. And sharing food with friends is a great way to relax that stressed out heart.

    In sorry about your experiences in the kitchen. Your not the first chef who is over working with men. My advice is to keep looking for the right place to work. I've been working at my current workplace for almost 3 years now. The only reason being the people i work with are all awesome.

    Maybe you could join a temp company. You get to visit lots of different workplaces, make connections, and if you don't like a particular place, then you don't have to go back again.

  • Davo1111 on 28/12/2015 - 08:57
    +1

    I was walking past the sydney convention centre, and they were advertising 300 FT staff, and 1500 casual staff. Might be something to look at for a fresh start.

    • lette on 28/12/2015 - 17:13

      Wrong state, and your price of rent scares the berrjeebers out of me! Although I get your point, it's the right time of year for all of them to be recruiting ^_^

  • holdenmg on 28/12/2015 - 08:58
    +2

    Hi,

    You mention your shoulder injury that took you out of work for about 6 months, so it that actually fully resolved?

    Is there Workcover/Physio/Exercises/Hydrotherapy?

    How is that all going?

    As far as interviews for a position, for any position, try and see it as you interviewing them too.

    As far as the sexism and abuse goes, you need to develop some strategies whether you are a Chef or an Engineer or working on an IT Help Desk or whatever.

    Look for short courses that will enhance fundamental skills including negotiating and learning to say "No" where appropriate.

    • lette on 28/12/2015 - 16:36

      Oh the shoulders pretty much fine now. It was a bad dislocation that I had to have surgery on. It still gives me a bit of hell in the morning if I do too much heavy lifting, but to put in in perspective, I can still kayak haha. I'm fairly fine.

      I agree definitely with having strategies for both dealing with people like that and negotiating. Google can help me finding something for that ^^ You don't really get taught ow to negotiate a job role in any part of life/education I've encountered so far.

      • lette on 28/12/2015 - 17:11

        No work cover, got hit by a car, guy drove off, another car pulled over. Still got excersizes to do, think it's going to be like my ankle and I'm going to be stuck doing them forever haha >.>

        • DrStinge on 30/12/2015 - 09:52

          Does the MAC (http://www.mac.sa.gov.au) not provide support for getting back to work?

          The TAV in VIC provide both physical and mental service help. Also best of luck on your journey!

          You sound like you're on the way to the right place.

        • lette on 30/12/2015 - 18:04

          @DrStinge: To be honest, I'm not sure. The hospital weren't the most helpful and fobbed me off after surgery, and gave me a "in 3 months appointment letter" pffft…luckily one of my many cousins is a physio, so he referred me to someone. Just easier not to deal with the public system if it can be avoided I've noticed.

        • DrStinge on 30/12/2015 - 18:24

          @lette:

          The funding is there if you chase it but it's a no push no gain kind of contest. Sometimes it's as simple as following up - did you get a case worker for the MAC?

        • lette on 30/12/2015 - 18:57

          @DrStinge: Yeah I could kind of tell that, just wasn't worth the hassle to be honest. I didn't even get referred to these guys (MAC), not even a mention of them once? o.0
          After surgery healed up had an appointment at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, had to go to a reception desk, wait around for about 3 hours to see my pysio for the first time. She gave me a bunch of papers and diagrams for exercises and said we'll check back soon. Ask to make a new app at the desk on your way out >.> Asked Marco, my cousin and he said yeah, that's not right and got me a private pysio. He referred me to water exercise and I do weight excersizes with him still. The gap isnt too much to pay, so really don't mind too much.

  • boccos on 28/12/2015 - 09:06
    +2

    In my opinion what you need is perhaps a Life Coach. As confidence is nine tenths of a job, there is need for a major change here. I watched in Awe at the singer Adele's TV interview with Graham Norton recently. This woman is the finest example of what a person can do to push through lifes hurdles and achieve her dreams. You probably need to focus on role models like her and gain confidence in yourself. Then work out a life strategy that you would be willing to persue, that takes you where you want to be by a certain time in your life. Next be prepared to work to defeat all obstacles that appear on your way to your goal/s. It is sad that some people do and say things which take the goodness out of others, but you need to recognise that you have allowed them to do this to you and it is you that can choose to draw a line in the sand and from here-on refuse to let it happen again. A house is built one brick at a time, so start with small things….

    • lette on 28/12/2015 - 23:35

      I think I am much more likely to accept a life coaches help than a counselor or physiologist…Where does one find life coaches? Yellow pages are a wee bit..sparse and non descript…so is a general google search :/

      • NotAMoodle on 04/01/2016 - 23:11

        Nothing wrong with a Psychologist to help you work through your thoughts. They are University trained and most are subsidised by Medicare. The sooner the stigma goes away that talking to a "shrink" means that you're crazy, the better.

        Anyone could be a life coach and take your money.

        Good luck :)

  • Baubles on 28/12/2015 - 09:16
    +25

    Hey there, I joined just to reply to you. I'm a female chef, with quite a few years under my belt, and I feel your pain! My early years were filled with sexism, bullying, harassment and misery, depending on the workplace. In contrast, I was also lucky to have some fantastic experiences with genuinely caring mentors, fantastic bosses and great workmates; these are the ones that make it all worthwhile. I loved cooking from a young age, I still do. I dropped out of high school to take an apprenticeship and have no further formal qualifications.
    I though I'd give you an overview of my career to date so you can get an idea of where it can lead you- I completed my apprenticeship in various cafes and restaurants; some fine dining, some cafes- some good, some bad. I've had head chef jobs from an early age, and here and there moved into running cafes and restaurants.
    Around your age I had a professional crisis and moved into retail for a short while, selling homewares. I was lured back into restaurant management and work both front and back of house for a few more years, with a bit of bar work thrown in. When the restaurant I was running was sold, I took a few months off, looking in the age occasionally for a new job. I applied for a job as a food styling assistant, just out of curiosity, didn't hear anything for weeks, then got a call to come for a trial. I then spent 3 years working as a chef, food stylist and recipe developer for a publisher working on hundreds of cookbook titles. During this time, I had my kids and the publisher went bust. Just before my first baby I did some freelance cooking for another major publisher. After bub number one, we moved o/s for a year and, out of the blue, this major publisher got in touch asking if I could write a manuscript- I said yes and ended up writing two, then my contact left the company.
    On our return to Australia I got into freelance food styling work with a photographer, working on books, packaging and editorial shoots, and had bub number 2. Then my contact from the major publisher got in touch- now working for a different publisher in the UK. I'm currently working on my 3rd and 4th book for them.
    I also work 2 days a week as a food technician at a large high school. This involves running the hospitality department kitchen; ordering, stock control, catering functions, and setting up the ingredients for classes. This is a full time job that I share with another person. It's not well paid, but it's during school hours, the work environment is wonderful, my boss is amazing, the perks are good and the pressure is low.
    The point is, there's a lot of places cooking can lead you- I knew a guy who used to travel to the Middle East to work on a sultan's yacht, others that worked the cruise ships, some that own their own businesses, or hire themselves out to cook in home dinner parties. A lot of where I am has depended on making good contacts and working hard; combined with being in the right place at the right time. I was never very confident during my late teens and twenties, and found I doubted myself constantly; but I think cooking is a skill you never lose- you just need to get back into practice. I agree completely with cooking for friends to build confidence and the idea of joining a temp agency or working events is a good one. Find people you like working with and try and make some good contacts.
    I think sometimes you do just need to throw yourself back in there, particularly when your confidence is low- I've done it before, thinking I was too out of practice to do it, but it comes back eventually. It's hard to be in an industry where you don't fit the norm, but that's also part of what makes it rewarding. If you've had enough of restaurant kitchens, have a look at schools, hospitality related retail, nursing homes. I've also done a bit of demonstrating here and there- daunting, but ok once you get the swing of it. Have a think about what where you'd like to be in the future, and look at ways of working towards that. Whilst I scoffed at it when I was young, I think teaching might be where I'd like to head from here, so I'm looking in to what qualifications I'd need for that…
    Feel free to ask any questions or anything. Sorry for the long winded essay.

    • lette on 28/12/2015 - 16:50
      +3

      Absolutely no need to apologize! Was a pretty eye opening read. I never really thought much about using my skills outside of a kitchen scene. I think I'd enjoy teaching to be honest. I love mentoring the young apprentices and they seem to love me. A 17 year old work experience kid once said she was happy to meet me because it confirmed she loved the kitchen. Stuff like that sticks with me haha. I was always under the assumption you needed some form of education qualification to do so though. I might ask the local TAFE about that…

      I have put my resume in with Pinnacle People late last week, thinking that in a temp company there'd be less chance of me screwing up or meeting a**holes. Mainly because of the temp nature of it. I also think a tmep company might be a good idea for right now, because it's not a lot of hours either, but really ridiculous good pay(idk how that works…) so I can try other things, while not being a lazy bum.

      Thanks a lot for making an account to reply. Means a lot to hear your experiences, feels really lonely and isolating sometimes. Good to get someone elses perspective that has been in similar shoes. Also made me realize, well crap. Maybe I should have a look at food-ish careers. Food stylist, never even thought of somehting like that, food photographer, oh good I remember doing that at the greek restaurant. Playing with prawns and dyed olive oil. Felt like at art project haha. Rambling, sorry. Thanks a lot again, really gave me a lot to think about

      • Baubles on 29/12/2015 - 12:20

        You do need need a qualification to teach, but if you have a pre-existing trade qualification, you can complete a short training and assessment course that would qualify you to teach TAFE. This is as far as I know, anyway, I haven't looked into it properly, yet.
        The temp work sounds like a good idea, they do pay well; in part because they probably won't be paying holidays, super or sick leave, and also because you'd get penalty rates, maybe? Gives you thinking room.
        If moving wasn't an issue, Sydney is the place where most food styling jobs happen; particularly the big magazines and so on. A lot of shoots have a stylist, and someone who actually prepares the food- this is a good way to get into it. A lot of it can be tedious and does involve a lot of fiddling around to get things right, but you get to cook a lot of different things, and rarely the same thing twice. Very interesting work.

        It was over 20 years ago when I started my apprenticeship- 4 years long, trade school once a week- and you'd not come across a lot of female chefs, there would've been a handful in my trade school class.
        You'd feel like people assumed that you couldn't do the job as well as the men, and you did have to put up with a lot of snide/rude comments. There seemed to be no one to turn to in terms of workplace harassment- you either put up or left. I think I developed a real kitchen persona, poles apart from my usual personality; I worked hard, did the job well and as time went on, stop putting up with any crap. I also developed a pretty dry/quirky sense of humour- usually the best way to deal with any innuendos.
        I don't miss the hours of kitchen work, but I do miss that real sense of satisfaction from a tough, busy service that went well. Nothing better!

        Anyway, good luck with it all, you're certainly not alone!

        • saine on 29/12/2015 - 15:30
          +1

          The qualification you're talking about is Certificate IV in Assessment and Training. More info is here: http://www.rmit.edu.au/study-with-us/levels-of-study/vocatio…
          You'd need something more, like a Masters of Teaching, to teach high school Food Tech. The conditions and pay are better in the school system.

        • Baubles on 29/12/2015 - 20:56

          @saine:
          Thanks for that. Yes, I knew the training and assessment course was only for TAFE. Good to know about the conditions and so on, I have no clue about any industry but my own (and that knowledge is pretty poor). Cheers :)

  • andy19363 on 28/12/2015 - 10:00
    +1

    I agree with the above 'life coach/psychologist/counsellor' suggestion…… (although look around for a good one…. they seem to be appearing all over the place these days….).
    Sometimes, when confidence takes a hit, it gets hard to see anything but negatives…. A day of cooking perfect food is forgotten, obscured by the one burnt sausage. Perception changes, and we become almost programmed to look for mistakes, confirming how 'bad' we are.
    If interested, I do have a contact who runs a business selling catering vans, (in Adelaide), drop me a pm if you want further info. Won't do any harm to have a look….

  • try2bhelpful on 28/12/2015 - 12:02

    In honesty most of the us are "faking" it to try to make it. Everytime I do something for work my first thought is "quit" then I put that to one side and get on with doing the best job I can. (I'm desperate for a package but it has been made abundantly clear I'm not going to get one.) If you enjoy cooking then talk to a cafes in your area and see if they are looking for someone to bake biscuits, slices, etc for them to sell with the coffee - either that or see if there are weekend markets in your area. That way you can do this at home and build up your confidence again (Not sure of the logistics on this but I think it would be worth investigating). The thing to keep in mind is no matter how bad you think you might be there are a lot of people who are much worse.

    • holdenmg on 28/12/2015 - 12:37

      The Adelaide Sunday Market is going great guns.
      Check it out @ http://www.adelaidefarmersmarket.com.au/www/home/
      (Wayville and Prospect).

    • lette on 28/12/2015 - 16:56

      Yeah, I've been told that a few times before, that most people are just as bad as you, but can hide it better. One guy actually started making a point of giving me sh*t when I pointed out a mistake I'd made, because, who does that? Hide it, blame it on the guy who just went home. Hahaha.
      That "quit" thought pesters me so much, get home form a day of work overthink, and go no, it's too embarrassing to go back, even if I did nothing wrong, except maybe say something stupid(so embarrassed for my Fallout 4 rant while splitting baby leeks). Started trying to tell myself, what do I care what they think? They can only fire me if I'm that bad..doesn't always work, but helps a wee bit.
      I do live in a heavy beach cafe district which just had a makeover, couple of new cafes opened up too. Might take a stroll down to the square tomorrow. :)

      • try2bhelpful on 29/12/2015 - 19:12
        +1

        Best of luck with whatever you decide to do.

      • GaryQ on 09/01/2016 - 19:28

        1 - Never quit a job until you have the next one lined up.
        2 - You will meet assholes in every job.
        3 - Sexual harassment should never be tolerated
        4 - Being told 'Get out of the way girl' is neither bullying nor sexual harassment
        5 - If you have to pay your own rent / mortgage, you will get over Job Interview anxiety. Or starve
        6 - Everyone is out for themselves - you should be as well
        7 - You take what you want, don't wait for the world to notice you

  • steve-oz on 28/12/2015 - 12:46
    +1

    Helpdesk is most likely to take you into consulting of some sort (my career). Doubt it will take you into marketing or sales. If you do want a career helping people use computer programs our websites etc. then it can be a route in. It establishes that you can be technical.

  • windale on 28/12/2015 - 14:18
    +3

    as an ex-chef and ex-helpdesk worker I would highly recommend the cooking. Perhaps you need to apply for some less senior roles with better restaurants and build up your skill set without the pressure of being the one in charge. Just take it easy, if you are not confident in running a place why put yourself under that pressure? Good luck in whatever you choose just remember the grass is not always greener on the other side.

    • lette on 28/12/2015 - 17:04

      I have tried to apply for less senior roles, but it gets shoved aside when they get my resume. The vegan cafe was a commis chef position, when I got there they explained what they wanted from me, which was to run the kitchen and delegate staff, menu plan, order. >.> "oh but you ran the downstairs at xxxxx, we know you can do this too" Same thing at meatballs. When I try to explain my actual wants I get statements like "well thats lazy" or, oh god, what did that chefs PA say… "must be nice not to have ambition". How do I get around that, without deleting roles on my resume? I have put it in my cover letters, along the lines of "I am looking for a line cook position working under xxxx(head chef, kitchen manager, etc), but generally get no reply.
      I think it might be a question of they think I'll want too much money, the meatballs guys were worried about paying me, until they realized I didnt really care, still offered 65k, the greek place paid a lot more than this and it's well known they do, so I think it might impact the perception of me o.0 I don't know how to convey "I don't need nor care about money" without sounding weird. I don't know what the problem is pout Any advice?

  • DezmolishA on 28/12/2015 - 14:46
    +1

    It might sound completely ridiculous, it might not but consider moving somewhere new. I know for a fact that Hobart is crying out for chefs! Maybe not a permanent solution but I think from working with chefs the one thing that they all love about the job is that they get to or they have previously moved around if that's what they wanted.

    • Speckled Jim on 28/12/2015 - 16:12
      +2

      Anywhere in Tassie, actually. But Hobart will have more choice in a given area. Your parents might also ease up on you.

      There's tourist resorts all over the place here.
      Like wild weather? West coast (lots of mines too).
      Close to mainland ferry? Devonport/north-west.
      Gentle seabreezes and sunrises over the ocean? St Helens/east coast.
      Landlocked higher temps? Launceston/midlands.

      Plus, where there's greater demand for your skills, there should be a more positive, productive and harmonious work environment. It's a two-edged sword though; greater demand equals a greater chance of having to work with second-rate colleagues erm, those that aren't "cream of the crop".

      Lots of folks have made a new start here.

      • lette on 28/12/2015 - 17:09

        HAHAHAHA! I was actually mulling over moving to tassie after summer, easier life, lots of online friends there(I game, ALOT) I have moved to QLD for 3 months before and indeed, my parents did let up. They didn't have the same reach, it was..peaceful. Like when dad goes to Europe haha…
        In saying that, my QLD experience was a nightmare, got shafted by Canadian sharehouse owners and had to stay at a mates til I could get back to Adelaide. I'm not sure what would be involved with moving all my crap to Tassie, saw a thread here about it(actually what sparked the thought) and doesn't seem like too much hassle. Just not going to do a sharehouse, ever, ever again. First AND last -.-

        • Speckled Jim on 28/12/2015 - 21:04

          If you played Diablo 3 a while back you may know someone local who's also a young chef. I don't play online, my gaming remains 2006 and earlier. Offline gamer by choice.

          We moved here in 2007 for one reason: we wanted to own a property. A few years later, we achieved that.
          If you can secure employment, I'm sure you can afford $120-150 per week in rent for your own place, until you're settled.

          Groceries aren't much different from mainland. Fuel is a ripoff — I paid 131.7 last fill-up (United) and that was inclusive of 4c off voucher.

          Currently no pink-slips here, just renew rego at the Post Office, Service Tas or online. You need an inspection (blue slip) if you're transferring a vehicle from interstate, but pretty sure that's the same everywhere.

          When we were looking at properties, we were under time pressure to find something quickly (RE agent was being a cvnt, long story). Since then, the market has slowed somewhat. I've just grabbed a market report for Q1-2 2015. Without TL:DR, there were nice brick-veneer, 2 bed villas selling for 145-165K within two streets of our place.
          That's in the nicer end of our suburb. We don't live in the sticks either.

          We're near Launceston. Hobart is obviously dearer, but a bit swankier.

          If suburbia doesn't appeal, I'm sure there's farmstay places looking for qualified chefs too. Working with top local produce every day, bugger-all traffic and the annual Taste Of Tassie festival?
          Worth considering.

        • lette on 30/12/2015 - 18:11

          @mcmonte: I tried diablo 3, but msot of my blizzard gaming was before then. Didnt appeal to me much, tried it because we got it free with wow, but yeah..meh shrug

          Good god, is rent that cheap? I pay over double that for my current place(310, 2 bedroom ground floor). That dodgy QLD sharehouse was 175 a week!! One bloody room, no aircon. Didnt think anything under 250 existed anywhere decent anymore haha. Fuelwise, we prefer to bike if we can so our fuel costs are always pretty low anyway.
          Partners considering changing his job soon(ish), so might bring it up with him when he's a little less end of year stressed. Thanks, definitely having to have a closer look at this, thanks for the followup info.

        • Speckled Jim on 31/12/2015 - 10:07

          Good god, is rent that cheap?

          There's this studio apt for $115 pw

          There's quite a selection under 200 pw. Real possibility of renting and being able to save a deposit at the same time!

          Hop onto realestate.com.au. <-Launceston area properties for sale. Basic villa unit in Riverside for ~130K.

          Personal tip: ignore Ravenswood, Mayfield, Rocherlea & Newnham.

        • lette on 31/12/2015 - 15:24

          @mcmonte: Yeah had a look after replying to your comment. Really shocked! Hahaha, thanks for the tip, made that mistake with logan city in qld(no offence anyone)

  • charzy on 28/12/2015 - 16:08

    Maybe take up a short term professional chef course? Train up some new skills and get your confidence back?

    • lette on 28/12/2015 - 17:09

      What are they exactly? I only know of the certificates and diploma?

      • charzy on 28/12/2015 - 18:10

        Any masterclasses or speciality courses? anything that tickles your fancy? Sometimes you just need that spark to get back into it.

        • lette on 28/12/2015 - 18:18

          Ahhk I get you now. Sprout kitchens just up the road from me, few others I've heard of too. Thanks ^.^

  • AlanHB on 28/12/2015 - 17:21
    +1

    From the initial post it seems to me that you're in the habit of making excuses.

    Vegan cafe - bad bosses
    Stadium - bad bosses
    Meatball place - no confidence
    New job - don't know

    I recommend taking one of these jobs and getting back into it. If you feel you would be more comfortable as a cook, be a cook. If you have the talent to be a chef, be a chef.

    • lette on 28/12/2015 - 17:47

      satdium-bad staff culture, also this is the highlight reel of my negative jobs. I've had many positive, but they werent pertinent to my post, so why waste more text, such as the italian function center, 3 different pizzerias, the greek fine dining place, a casual mod oz place, an entertainment center, 2 cafes, a police admin cafe, one nursing home. Ermm..thats off the top of my head. Reasons are not excuses.

      • AlanHB on 28/12/2015 - 21:53
        +1

        If they are valid reasons then you have no reason not to be a chef, something you love and have active job offers for.

      • Serapis on 29/12/2015 - 02:47
        +1

        TBH talent does not equal career - I myself know I like to cook and genuinely like cooking for others and replicating / creating dishes from fine dining restaurants (dabbled in sous vide + molecular gastronomy) and many have told me I could be a chef but I knew inside that it would be soul crushing if I had to do it for someone else day-in day-out. Instead have worked with the food industry through startups that deal with food (delivery, etc) as a way to dabble with food related work but not actually be in the kitchen.

        I actually support your other initiative, to start working in a new career. Does help to gain a perspective of life outside the kitchen and who knows, if you continued engineering you may invent some sort of machine to help restaurant kitchens or going down the IT route you may come up with ideas to make all the more menial tasks you did as a chef (like inventory) digital in some way.

        Maybe go as far as seeing if companies such as Sunbeam or Breville have any positions on offer? It is likely someone with basic engineering knowledge + food expertise would be a great asset to those type of companies? I heard Breville has in house chefs to test out new lines of products for instance. Also had a quick look, Sunbeam offering casual jobs for product demonstrators, if not doing anything atm might be a good way to test the industry:

        https://www.sunbeam.com.au/Content/Careers/

        Best of luck!

  • Chef-Johnson on 28/12/2015 - 17:25
    +1

    I know how you feel! Like really. Was reflecting like wow look at my resume its a having worked in mediocre restaurants with limited knowledge and ability. So i moved on. I found a job in fone dinning, longest toughest shittest days of my life but i did. Lifetime of knowledge, skills and most importantly self confidence in my ability.
    Maybe you just haven't found the right kitchen for you, don't give up

  • centrelink on 28/12/2015 - 17:32
    +1

    I will probably get negged for this but I find that nice people always finish last. I used to be the nicest person around the block and extremely polite yet I couldnt even obtain anything like a god. I find that even being an asshole gives you more respect and laid more. People love to be assholes and evil. We try to distance ourselves away from Disney movies to look cool. But screw u all I love pokemon

    • lette on 28/12/2015 - 17:47
      +1

      I gave you a +, you're right seemingly, just a hard habit to break haha and who doesn't love Pokemon?

  • saine on 28/12/2015 - 21:31
    +2

    You sound like you're very tough on yourself. You may want to consider some short term therapy, to get some strategies to help overcome this.

    • lette on 30/12/2015 - 18:12
      +1

      the more I think about it, the more I'm warming to the idea. A wee bit ashamed to admit, it's harder than I thought to go "yep, okay need to talk to someone". I'm smart enough to know it would help, but too proud to accept that >.>

      • saine on 30/12/2015 - 19:47
        +1

        I know exactly how you feel. But remember, that many people seek help at some stage of their lives. There's no shame in seeing a personal trainer for tips on how to improve your technique. Same goes for this.

  • Zonty on 28/12/2015 - 22:53

    Hi there,
    I was totally surprised to hear this and was thought myself. I came Australia to study master of accounting and I was best at it at my country too. After I came here rules were changing and made tough English level and experience were compulsory so I decided change field and adopt chef course then. I was vegetarian never ever cook European food never know anything even did not know what is call whisk even. But I started pay attention on food watching them what they do in kitchen and start learning small preparation jobs etc. after started do 1 day as cooking small cooking still no confidence like u say. But still always watching head chef jobs and serving technique. After during my study I had to cook all menu as chef went seek and another went holiday. I started cook in bulk without confidence still learning though. But I had goal permanent and wanted make sure I can do what they need so ask all food recipe orally and I tridents write it down in paper. Started cooking small quantity and now after 3 years I m had chef in European restaurant with Classic food. I work 10 years in this value.
    In short
    u have to have interest what u doing.
    U have to have goal.
    U should not shy to ask queastions to experience people where u work.
    Practice make u perfect

    I hope u find yourself.

  • chickentaste on 28/12/2015 - 23:46

    Hey, just a thought, have you considered taking a working break, either doing something hospitality/food related on a relatively short-term contract overseas, or even doing something else entirely? Give yourself a bit of distance, get out of your comfort zone and figure out what you want to pursue? You could pick up a cooking gig just about anywhere you can get a work visa for. I did something like this about ten years ago, ended up cooking in a French ski resort (managed to get an EU passport). Came back, did a career u-turn and ended up doing something else entirely, now very happy doing something I love…

    • lette on 30/12/2015 - 18:21

      Hadn't thought about overseas no. A mate mentioned moving to Brazil once and that's literally the most I've thought about it. My parents made me travel a lot as a kid, to places like Serbia and nopt for small amts of time either, were talking months! so since then havent had the best outlook on overseas travel. I did notice that we can egt a cool work visa for a bunch of European countries if your under 30. I read an article about it somewhere…

  • Rocket6 on 28/12/2015 - 23:46
    +1

    Howdy.

    I have had a good read of the comments, some of which I agree with, some of which I don't. I'll give you my two cents :-)

    I am not sure how new you are here, but you have picked a sensible forum to ask a question of this nature IMO - especially for something which is so personal to you. Most of the OzBarg community appear to be fairly intelligent, educated, polite etc. and therefore you'll generally receive positive/constructive feedback to a question such as this. There's only one real issue here, and I can't stress this enough - none of us can really give you this answer! I know that sounds cliche of me, but in the end, only you know what you want. Asking for advice is always a great option, just be careful how much you analyse/view the friendly advice given from other OzBarg members. We all have different interests, perspectives, ideas and consequently, something you love, might be something I don't. Works both ways - something you despise, might be something others love. Based on this, a question such as this will always be tricky, not just for you, but us. None of us really know what your interests are. Make sure you don't discount something that you potentially think you'll really enjoy, just because someone else would not recommend it.

    You appear to be stuck in a crisis where you're panicking about your options. In the end, you're employable and possess certain skills/attributes which are transferable to different fields. As an ex-eng student, I also assume you've got enough smarts to pursue a specialised career (if that is what you desire). It might be of benefit speaking to someone professionally about this (a career advisor?). I know that suggestion might make you roll your eyes, but you might find it will benefit you significantly, even if it just allows you to discuss a bunch of ideas out loud to yourself.

    Explore your interests. Have a look around. Have a look at random university courses. Have a look at random job advertisements. Make yourself consider all kinds of roles/careers! When something appeals to you, invest further in looking at the pros/cons of that particular field! Do your research. It is completely normal to potentially pursue a different career. Many of us (in fact, statistically speaking, isn't it most of us?) change our line of work at some stage in our lives. It might even be that you pursue temp work and do some study on the side? I just hope you don't think what you're going through isn't normal. It most certainly is :-) take some deep breaths and back yourself.

    • lette on 30/12/2015 - 18:25

      2 things, 100% right on the OzB forum being a good idea haha. A long time lurker and compared to every other forum out there, you guys aren't attacking eachother pointlessly, making d*ck jokes and being general trolls haha.
      Alos, not rolling my eyes, where does one find a career advisor? Asking uni resulted in them telling me to ask centerlink, yeah, nah. I've done my best to avoid ever having to deal with them in my life after the horror stories I've heard! And if its a free service, surely it can't be all that specialized anyway. I don't really trust all those ads on the internet either, anyone can make a nice webpage, hell even I can! So if you have a recommendation for a career advisor definitely take it on board.

  • poppit88 on 28/12/2015 - 23:48

    Well, here is my advice to my 26 year old self. I love cooking. My passion for it came way to late to make a career out of it.

    Food, the preparation of it and presenting it to an audience is something that comes from inside you. My advice. 1) Go back and finish your civil engineering degree. That way you will always have a qualification to fall back on. (You don't need to use it. It's just there as a back stop.)

    You love cooking though. Perhaps, consider just 'checking out' of the entire hospitality thing for a bit. Get a job that brings you in a salary and then take a year of to travel. I do mean travel for the express purpose of finding inspiration for food, cooking and creating something new for you.

    In short whatever restaurant you work in as a chef, cook etc - they should be places that are inspiring to work in. The owners/managers of these establishments. Work with those that fire your imagine and soul.

    But don't put yourself down. Confidence is very fickle. So easy to find and also so easy to lose.

    And the poster, 'Baubles' has hit the nail on the head. Life is a journey. You don't know where you will end up, just roll with the punches.

  • Cluster on 29/12/2015 - 03:26

    "The only place that even seems remotely okay is Fasta Pasta and that's because it's not even real cooking" Yes! Thank you! It amuses me when my friends want to eat out at a restaurant and think Fasta Pasta is some sort of fine dining.

    I'm curious about your comments on bullying in the kitchen. We've all seen the scenes from MKR or MasterChef, where the bully running the pass is shouting at everyone else. Does this resemble reality? I couldn't imagine going into a workplace every day where your boss is expecting perfection and the customers want even better. "How long! How long! Push! Push! Where is my SALMON! You said 2 minutes and it's 3! Push! Push!" ugh.

    • centrelink on 30/12/2015 - 02:36

      I used to be a waiter during uni and I found that Chef literally hated each other and the staff preparing the food. Every day they literally yell at each other with hatred and sometimes points knives at each other.

      Oh when the desert guy starts whining to the chef because food is too long and its gone..

      It gets even worse when customers start whining and you have not choice but to goto the chef and ask "HOW LONG" and their response will like "STFU YOU NOBODY GTFO AND DO YA JOB!"

    • lette on 30/12/2015 - 18:38

      spn is pretty on it there. Not all kitchens mind you! It's not like what you see on Tv when the guy at the pas(ramsay for instance), yells constantly. They do ask for times and stuff, but its not insane like on TV. At least anywhere I've worked. The bullying is more subtle than that, its the knife pointing, the yelling at eachother about "you didnt do this c*ntface, are you a (profanity) moron? are we paying you to be a tree? Thank, I'll be stuck back 2 hours now", or stealing knives(which are not cheap), one guy Callum had his chefs knife stolen dented horridly and randomly returned to his knife bag, $150 down the drain. Sabotaging or hiding other peoples prep, see that a lot. Mean comments and small petty violence. The short sous chef I mentioned above, nearly balled me over at the cryo vac, then said well maybe if your ass wasnt so big, when I called him a skinny douche, he garbs my hand like a handshake, squeezes it so tight it crushed the hell otu of my hand and goes "Hi, I'm rah rah, I guess you don't know who I am. >.> It's more that kinda high school BS. You can see the cliques, people make fun of people behind eachother back. Oh this poor guy at Fasta Pasta, was so proud of himself for gettin a trial at a pub, didnt get he job, shame, but his supposed friends were dogging him the entire time behind his back, even before the actual trial. :( Just not nice people.

      AGAIN! Not all kitchens are like that, these are just the bad experiences. One guy at Fasta Pasta helped me through an insanely horrid family crisis, the rest new something was up and were so freaking supportive. Gave me all there extra shifts just because they knew I didn't want to be away from work, they had bills too, but yeah, people can be nice. The people from one of the pizzerias ended up being closer than family, I recently took their daughter to a lego expo haha. It's all relative I suppose.

  • Treebs on 29/12/2015 - 08:40

    A good friend of mine was a chef who was fed up (no pun intended) with being in the kitchen and decided to try uni. He studied Environmental Science and excelled through undergrad and honours.He has nearly finished his PHD and is teaching at the uni. I too started uni late (I tried graphic design when I was younger and hated it). So far I have completed a science undergrad and honours. I am currently enrolled in a diploma of secondary education (Biology and Science) whilst teaching at the University. Both my friend and I had no idea when we started. What helped both of us was we liaised with program advisors. In my case, some of the existing units from my previous forays in graphic design were rolled over into my science degree. This shaved a year off my degree. Now I am not saying that you should get into Science. What I am suggesting is that you talk to a program advisor at uni and discuss what the different faculties offer. Obviously you are a smart cookie, finishing 3 years of an engineering career. Perhaps some of the units from your previous degree could be transfered over to a new degree? Maybe you could also liaise with a career councilor at uni? And…. if uni is not an option, catering or a cooking school could be an option. I am positive you can work things out!! Good luck with everything.

    • adrock on 30/12/2015 - 08:01

      I didn't like my first degree (eng), bombed out in 4th year. In hindsight quite stupid, but I ended up working my way back into engineering not because I wanted to, just ended up there.

      Once you finish something like that, the spectrum of options is actually quite wide and many of them are not technical focused. That was a mistake I made in quitting it early on.

      It may appear like you're starting something new from the beginning, but you're quite young. I know a number of people who have started new professional careers at 28-30 etc.

  • [Deactivated] on 29/12/2015 - 08:56

    You said it, YOU HATE IT.
    It's not that you lack confidence, you simply hate the industry !

    Time for a career change to something you enjoy !

    • lette on 30/12/2015 - 18:40

      I meant I hate the way I'm acting, although I can't actually say for sure if I do or don't hate the industry. May very well be time for a career change :)

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join