Nova has inspired me with her post about user names and their origins so thought about asking what people do for a living.

If you don't go out and work did you retire, just decide to give up work, have to give up work, have never worked or anything else ! :-) . Do you have plans to change what you are doing or want to and what would be your ideal job :-)

Ok so I am from a finance background working for 10 years then changed my direction into and now after 10 years plus have my own business providing consultancy in business and systems transformation projects specialising in Oracle and other systems (me) and SAP (OH).

What the plan is that in a couple of years time I can start to wind down the start to focus on maybe starting showing and working trials.

I must admit I am sure I want to do that but not sure it will happen as I am so enjoying what I do for a living that I may carry on. my work and my home life are so very important to me:-)

Oh dear, My name is just part of my name!!!!
And I am a landscape gardener, come designer, come pricer, come orderer, come councillor, advisor, friend, advisor, smoke alarm battery fitter etc etc.~(Alot comes with looking after elderly peoples gardens!!!!)
I work for the family business, but dont think thats a cushy number!!!!!!
Love my job of 12 years!!!!
Lea :)

RAF, married, stay home mum, part-time bar work, seasonal farm work, mushroom picker, packing in small factory, stable-work, home-carer, home help, retired, now self employed doing leather work, part time village hall booking sec....
Think that covers most of it... Who knows what the future holds
Chris

I worked in a public library for 27 years mainly in young people's services. Had to give up work to be a full time carer for my mum when my dad died. By the time mum died I had several health problems myself and wasn't fit enough to go back to work.

I'm a bus driver, and elected Employee Director, of a large publicly owned bus company. Before that I was a branch manager of a reprographics company but although I loved the job I hated the 24hour tie and pressure. My current job suits me perfectly, no hassle, relatively short working day on a shift pattern that suits the dogs (back shift).

My job and my user name are linked.............believe it or not!!

I started my nurse training in  July 1975. I qualified as a State Enrolled Nurse in July 1977. I worked as an Intensive Care Nurse for 2 years before I got married and emigrated to Canada in 1979. Homesickness brought me home at the end of 1980, and I resumed my nursing career back on the same Intensive Care Unit that I left 2 years earlier. I stayed a further 21 years during which time I did a conversion course and qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1996.

By 2002 I had become fed up with the constantly changing shift pattern of mixing day duty and night duty, and I applied for a job in the Endoscopy Department.(No unsocial hours) I have remained there ever since and became the Junior Sister earlier this year. I'm now enjoying the challenges that my change of role present.

Dawn R.

No link between my name and job.

I am a Team Leader to a group of medical secretaries, Ive 22 staff under me. I also teach hip hop dancing to 3 dance classes of ages ranging 3-17. I sell cosmetics and jewellary as well for fun. :-)

I was a police officer for 22 years, went back to work when daughter was 6 weeks old ( we had no money!) and was a fast response driver. Loved it but then it became too politically correct ( those that know me will understand) retired on ill health grounds 10 years ago, keep saying I'll get a little job but 4 dogs take up my time :) When my husband retires and we move I would like a little business, possibly having a caravan certified location in the grounds of our house which I hope to be in Malvern- we can all dream!

I am self-employed. I have been since I was 18yrs old (nearly 34).

First of, hubby & I ran a small, general shop selling kitchen ware, greeting cards - bit of everything! (I met OH when I was 17)

Then spent a few years doing wedding/occasion photography along with digital photographic repair & enhancement (run from home), at the same time as being mum to my boys and also doing some animal portraits.

Then animal portraits (fine art, pencil drawings) took over from the photography, again from home.

Then counted cross stitch design (from home) took over from the animal portraits (have a few personal portraits on the go, but I rarely find time to get anything done to them :( )

Now I design (from home) & manufacture counted cross stitch kits.

Haven't had a job as such since 1990 although I've done plenty of freelance writing since then (articles and books) and currently I get a bit of pocket money (can't really call it anything else) acting as my mother in law's carer. Before this I worked as a vet nurse, then as a dog groomer, then for a while in kennels.

Qualified Nursery Nurse, worked in schools, nurseries and as a Nanny. Now don't work due to health, so my dogs have become my full time job, and I live for agility.

It is really interesting reading everybodies posts and it is amazing to see the wide range of skills and jobs that people have or are doing !

Over the years I've worked in a grooming parlour, as a groom at a racehorse stud, sales assistant at a central London bookshop, as a secretary at the RSPCA, as clerical officer in the civil service, a PA for the marketing manager of an international company, fulltime mother for 18 years, editor and puzzle designer for 2 years and for the past 5 years I've been a receptionist and surgery assistant at a veterinary practice. They've all been enjoyable, looking back, although some were more mundane than others. At least they've all paid the rent!

Commercial and domestic gardener and member of the LJN network. Working my way towards Safe Contractor and Safe Trader schemes.
After caring for my father for a good number of years and after he passed away 3 years ago I set up business and never looked back.

I work with Deafblind adults. have done for the past 12yrs or so. prior to that i was in catering managment, which i also loved. i cant imagine getting up in the morning with the thought of going to work at a job i hated.  I also run a dog training business part time. again which i love!

Im a Director of a family owned Construction family. My "trade" from college was as a librarian, I left to have two son's ended up a single Mum so I went into local government (Parish Clerk) so i could work from home. Remarried and took on a Town Clerks job full time. Retired from that to take a Directorship in our family business in 2003 and here I still am.

Im 56 now, boys have left home and still married to Colin after 20 years. Oh Im Vivienne by the way though I prefer Viv and my two "boys" now are Whistler in the Wind a blue roan cocker spaniel and Jake a ISDS Border Collie - He's Colin's really. Im happy at home, like holiday's with the dogs and appreciate my luck and good friends.

In theory, I own an online petshop.

In practise, it's only been on ebay for its 6 month life so far, I've got it on a proper setup now but no-one is buying so going to move it to a more user-friendly host.  And my suppliers have gone bust so trying to track down one who sells what I was selling loads of sharpish.

But, I will stick at it - still very early days and in that dreaded first year, I don't think I could do a 'normal' job again now (I do not work well for other people!!) and I love that I'm at home every day - I have time with the dogs and I can toddle off and to gardening or housework as I need to, not whenever I can squeeze it in and I'm not too tired to do it either.

I'm contemplating a craft-type sideline but not sure how that's going to go.

I work running a database for a Construction company by day and also have my own dog training school and run classes in the evenings and also do one to one lessons so I am pretty busy with that all the time.  Working with dogs and helping people to enjoy living with their own dogs is what I really enjoy and hope to do full time in the future.

I am also currently thinking about setting up a small cupcake business with my sister as I love baking cakes and decorating them :)

was a care assistant for the elderly,then worked for boots.supposedly retired two years ago(hollow laughter)/

I trained as a Management Accountant in the Electricity Supply industry and worked in Essex, then London until I had my oldest child. When my youngest child started at school I started to work part-time for friends (solicitor and accountant). Later when the children got older, I worked for several companies as accountant/book-keeper. In 2008 I left work to help my husband renovate the house we had bought in Norfolk. Three years later we are still working on it, although now we have done a lot of it (just decorating and a few bathrooms to put in) I have cut my DIY hours down and am doing a lot of gardening and veggie growing :) I'm not sure whether I'll get another 'proper' job, but I do the accounts for a local village/parish magazine to keep up to date.

I did things back to front (no surprises there!) I had two children and then went to Uni. Studied Pure & Applied Mathematics and Accountancy, Forensic & Law.  I was assistant to the Chief Engineer of what was then Uniroyal. Then went on to run a multi-franchised car dealership for 15 years.  I was a civil servant in the Fraud Squad :-)  I was Finance Director and then later, Managing Director of a Construction Company.

My husband & I run a bike business from home (The Bike Whisperer - yes, I named it after The Dog Whisperer!!!).  Having quit our city jobs we decided we had the time to get a dog - and got a Vizsla (hence my handle).  And what a journey it's turned out to be - we absolutely love her.  What has surprised me is that she is very much my dog - I walk her, train her, feed her and generally take care of her.  I had thought we would both do it.  Having said that - I'm quite happy with the situation (and may even have caused some of it). 

I wanted a well-behaved pet, but had thought about doing Obedience - then having had a go at most of the various dog activities I have settled on Working Trials.  We aren't ready to compete yet - but the training has been really fascinating. 

Fortunately biking in London is really popular so although we don't have much money, the business pays the bills and sustains our lifestyle (and lets me go off to training and dog walking).  So no complaints - just need to decide over the next 2-3 years whether to breed from her, or to get a second dog.  Have learned soooo much from this website about breeding - what a valuable resource!!

   I have had a few jobs in the past from mucking stables out to get free riding lessons ,Retail of all positions Manager and assistant manager ,working with disabled children , was a dog walker (voluntary ) for battersea then cleaned the kennels.factory work ,have also moved around to Swindon and Exeter but always ended up in my home town Woking surrey lol
    Got signed of work in 2004 after my died as had a breakdown, haven't had a job since then as I have two children Boy 5 who has Autism, ADHD and ODD so am his carer , girl is 3 who starts nursery sept , so once in full time school I can go back to retail (can't wait lol ) meanwhile am trying to get my licence so can do more shows aswell as start doing agility and some flyball with TILLY my SBT.
   Still have a few things I would want to do in life
Which I have plenty of time as only 36 lol .

Nessa

i teach music & Performing arts in a very difficult east london school.I love it and am a bit of a workaholic but still leave lots of time for the dogs and horses.  When I was at uni I ran hospitality suites at sporting events, taught saxophone and from 16 I worked as an outdoor activities instructor. 

my partner does shift work and parents live 10 mins away so my girl still gets plenty of fuss.  I co-own mum's 3 dogs and since dads been retired he's turned into dog walker and puppy sitter allowing us to have a litter.

I'd ultimately love to open up a dog hotel - loads of space and rooms that are just like a home.....but its making the money to fund the dream!  I'd also love to be able to see the horses from my window

Biochemist in research then medical technology.
Then Forensics
then teaching  ....then just before I gave up work altogether...I taught Forensics with A level Chemistry and Biology part time...very part time, just a few classes a week.
Now stay at home dog mother/servant.

This makes fascinating reading - what a diverse mob we are :-D

After leaving uni  I was an Engineer for six years in the defence industry. I got married ( silver wedding last year eek! ) had my daughter and was made redundant when she was a year old. I got a temporary job as a lecturer in Electronics and computing and 21 years (and another daughter) later I'm still there, teaching computer programming mostly with some hardware theory thrown in. Recently its all been about programming computer games (which I keep telling them I'm far too old for :-D - can code them but can't play them!! ).
Two years ago we bought our younger daughter a horse and we both started an NC in Equine Studies part time at a nearby stables as I knew very little about horses - we recently passed and I was more chuffed with that than either of my degrees :-)

Looking forward to the day I win the lottery and can devote my entire life to animals - at the rate successive governments are going I will be 85 before I can retire and I'll get £3.50 a week pension ;-)

Love reading through this thread.
I work as a physiotherapy assistant part time. Love this job.

Having started my nurses training 30++ years ago, I have done loads and loads of things, but always back to things medical.
I did office type things....booking keeping, telephone sales, reception, all of which bored me in no time, certainly not a 9-5 person.
I ahve also done washing up, cleaning for others, shop work.
For the future...I cant wait to just be at home. Officially retirement for me is 67 and 5 months. Ladies here have been 65 for a few years already now rising.
I hope to retire before then and allow the OH to keep me.

Karen :)

Started out my working life as a graphic designer on the drawing board, before the days of computers. Was much more fun then, actually drawing things and using my artistic skills. Computers sped everything up and led to a pretty hectic life, constantly chasing deadlines. Dabbled from time to time with pet portraits, and still do, mainly of my own dogs. Retrained a few years ago and now spend most of my time dog grooming. Would ideally like to move to the Yorkshire Dales and set up a doggy holiday business (we can dream....)

I started nurse training August 1972 and by 1980 had three qualifications under my belt including midwifery, bar for 18 months off to have my son I have worked all those years for the NHS in various hospitals, the present one since August 1984, now I can't wait to retire because for many years it hasn't been the job it was when I started out,we have to do so many tasks that used to be the Junior Drs that we don't get a chance to do the hands on with the patients.

The rest of my life revolves around caring for my dachsies and producing the occassional litter of pups,hoping to one day produce a show champ,we have to have something to aim for don't we.

My health is up and down,arthritis in my joints from the manual handling of patients for so many years, then I picked up a diarrhoea bug at work and my weight has dropped by nearly 8 stone, the bug has gone but still have sudden bouts of the runs.The dachsies keep me active as it would be so easy just to curl up in bed to avoid any pain and then my joints would cease up altogether.

Great reading about others on here

I'm a Banker (although sadly not a "fat cat" one), but have never worked in a branch. I've been with the same company for just over 24 years (next year I'll get £250 of vouchers to celebrate), although their name has changed since I started out with them. My first job was working in the Clearing dept, essentially a warehouse where all of the cheques and credits were sorted. It was great fun, the majority of the workforce were older part time ladies, and at 16 it was like working with your Nan - fabulous. The messengers used to have a sideline in selling jewellery, toys, batteries - anything really. So all my Xmas shopping was done without seeing a shop.

I then moved into the International side (specialising in Trade Finance), and have been in this field for the last 21'ish years. Unfortunately this hasn't involved travel to any far flung destinations, which I'm hoping to redress, as I'm shortly moving into a role where I'll need to go to Europe and Asia to conduct audits. I'm sure I'll soon get fed up of travel, but at the moment I'm sooooo excited, and looking forward to it.

Loving this thread,right,name is my name !!!
Left school at 16 after being accepted into a top performing arts academy in London but could not raise sponsorship to go,so,did couple years of chambermaiding,cleaning falmouth docks,then i worked a year in a catering shop,then 2 years in a hairdressers where i qualified,then i was a home carer for years but left after having my first child and did not go back after having my second child.Recently passed my nvq 2 in child education,development,enrolled yesterday for level 3 to be told i have to pay 1000,now fighting the college to allow me to do a foundation degree in children and young people,which will then lead me onto training to be an assessor or teacher,so fingers crossed i will get in and that will be the career,odd at nearly 30 years old to call myself a student,but proud of myself as well,oh,and general waitress to 2 beautiful little girls,other half,pug and newfie :)

Part time accounts admin, part time dog grooming. :-)

I worked as a Medical Underwriter but was made redundant last year after 11 years, I hated working in an office anyway so used the opportunity to set up my own company as a dog walker and groomer.  On top of walking and grooming I also offer biking and running for high energy dogs (some of you may know I do canix and bikejoring as a hobby)

It is good to see so many people going it alone ! It takes a bit of guts, is a risk but it is well worth it if you do something you enjoy !Working for yourself has so many benefits !

Started off as a nurse on a Neonatal Surgical Intensive Care Unit.... loved it. Unit amalgamated with Medical Unit... hated it.. loved the surgical aspect of neonates, and got quickly bored and disillusioned after the merge. Also got fed up with the 'politics' and one by one my surgical colleagues leaving... also hated shifts, with having a family.... :-(

Now I am a complaints manager for the NHS and loving it.... deal with everything from cancelled appointments to major surgical/medical crisises.... regular hours and more pay.

Do miss the babies though... :-)

Gabrielle x

This is a lovely thread brilliant idea.

My name is my name albeit a shortened version of it, I am Karen - Hello.

I work at BQ, have done for 26 years almost, and I love it. Yes it has changed over the years but I have done a variety of roles from cashier (banking etc) tills, nights, warehouse, managment (on a downward track now through choice been there done that got the teeshirt ;)) I adore talking to the public and helping people. My main love is Decor wallpaper, lighting, paint etc. I never meant to stay..........this long, but regardless of the fact I moan on occasion I do love my job which is kinda odd to people. I also like and enjoy working with my colleagues.
But it suits me I walk to work takes me 5 minutes, I transfered nearer home when I got Sal so I could pop back and let her out lunchtimes. Before that travelled everywhere with work around the UK, setting up new stores etc 

My dream don't really have one, would not mind running a nursey (plants) and people tell me I should go into garden design/gardening but although I adore gardening I choose it as a hobby not  a way to make a living. Would not mind having a few properties to rent out holiday lets. But not seriously looked into it, I am happy working set hours and coming home, the commitment working for yourself is not me I could do it but don't want it.

I'm a civil servant, I administer benefits.

I'm pretty fed up with it now though, bored with being stuck behind a desk, so I'm giving some thought to what to do next (ideas welcome :-) )

Interesting to see what people do!

Right now I run an internet forum - general mod duties and ensuring everyone gets a safe, appropriate and useful response to their problem (dog behaviour/training). I liase with the owners/admin regarding anything and everything to do with the forum and its users to keep it a useful resource, spam free and helpful.

I did also do bespoke leatherwork, dog collars, leads, repairs and fetish wear - however for the last two years I have not been well enough to do this as I was recently diagnosed (after a looooooooong time p***ing about with drs who didnt want to knwo!) with heart failure... at 31!  Hopefully at some point I will be well enough to do that again - right now I am so fatigued (I am also hypothyroid and fixing that is difficult with the heart issues) that handling sharp knives is not wise, and i tend to get measurements wrong!

Previous to this I have worked with carriage horses, racehorses, and also arab and welsh cob studs. I have done a variety of pretty menial things for my keep and never actually had a conventional 9-5 job!

I work as an animal technision at a college i did my animal care cources at. Basickly feeding, cleaning, playing, taiming, helath checking, transporting, recordkeeping ect. I own some of the animals at work as well which allwos me to keep animals i wouldnt be allowed to keep at home. I would like to work as a trainer and would love to train animals for film/tv work as well as pets, i loved doing behaviour when i was on my courses.

I also have a morning cleaning job but plan to leave that soon.

Oh and I was a Karate instructor for a few years. Unpaid, but I got my lessons for free.

Tadsy....if you get sent this way you will need to message me..............this is quite a financial hub.

Karen

i was a regional manger for large electrical chain until nov when ill health froced me to resign. Now i run my own business baking and selling gourmet dog treats on the net... and yes the name says it all! lol

Im a primary school teacher so have just started 6 weeks off! Yay! Planning lots of new walks with the dogs,and will have to do some work so im ready for sept - least I can stay at home and do it though :)

I'm a Civil Servant in Central Government, although I am out on loan for the next year (or longer), so I'm now described as a Crown Servant
- it's all semantics!  Over the years I'm worked in many different places doing many different jobs but all office based.  I lived in Norway in the 80s, Italy and Denmark in the 90s and Ghana and Albania in the 0s.  Norway was, and is my favourite place. :-)

I'm a ex Pro Footballer, but several operations and painful injections later, I am now a Financial Adviser - I know which one I prefer though!

I am a receptionist in an emergency department. I used to be a critical care trained HCA in the same department till Merlot broke my knee and arthritis set in. I have been many things in my life. Cleaner, barmaid, silver service waitress,  owner of a pub, cleaning spervisor in a animal drug company, shop worker in a NAFFI in Germany.
I love my job now but wish the public were a little less rude and offensive at times... but it's a happy place to work for most of the time and gives me plenty of oportunities to smile.
Aileen

>wish the public were a little less rude and offensive at times...

Likewise.

>and gives me plenty of oportunities to smile.

So often through gritted teeth ... !

> wish the public were a little less rude and offensive at times

Lol, can you imagine that happening for me? We can all live in hope and that is where it ends.

I would be polite to you Sue :-) :-D

I was a primary school teacher and when I happily took redundancy I trained as a ceramic restorer.  Not that I have done much restoring - too busy with other things.  Now officially retired.