Proving people wrong? (sorry - not really horsey!)

[OneTrickPony]

Hi everyone,

Sorry that this isn't really horsey and should probably be in the careers section, but I noticed a thread about 'what jobs people do' being quite popular on here the other day and would really appreciate all your opinions!

My question is: have you ever taken up a role that people have advised against but you've proved them wrong and actually made a success of yourself though it?

Without boring you all half to death, I ask this because I am in my early 20s, have got a 2:1 in marketing (but apparently so does every man and his dog at my age these days ), but really want to go into property. I aspire to working for a prestige company that works with equestrian/rural estates or owning my own agency, but obviously this means starting at the bottom.

My Dad has 'kindly' informed me that he is utterly dissapointed in me (yet again!) for considering a career path that doesn't involve being a doctor/lawyer (insert other high-flyer profession) and seems to imply that I won't get anywhere being an estate agent (annoyingly he was one of the 1980's high fliers and doesn't seem to quite grasp 'real life' after reaping the financial rewards of London life).
I have an interview for an agency tomorrow and really don't know how I feel - I want to be excited and grab the opportunity but can't shake off knowing that he's dissapointed in me and thinks I'm time wasting, and that puts me off.

Experiences ... thoughts ... opinions ... advice? ANYTHING would be very much appreciated! Sorry this has turned into such a long thread, tea and cookies for all who've got this far

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I'm sorry, I have no experience of relevance to your question but my advice to you would be to tell your Dad that you are not qualified to practise as a lawyer/doctor etc, that your degree is in marketing, so you are looking for a job where it will be useful, rather than working in a supermarket on minimum wage. If your Dad had anything to say about your career choice he should have said it when you were applying to university, not now. Go for your interview, prepared to wow them. Then make a success of your chosen career and prove your Dad wrong!

Oh and thanks for the tea and cakes, much appreciated!

 

[Trinity Fox]

Well first of all you have to get a positive mental attitude for your interview if this is what you want to do then go for it.

Your father should be more supportive it is your life not his and he should be happy for you i mean you are not saying you are going to get up the duff and go on the dole for gods sake, you said he was a high flyer in the city my ex and father of my son was a city boy lets just say they are a little lacking in tact and not that good at dealing with people.

The city is a very agressive place to work and is still male dominated women who work there take alot of stick and they are pretty direct so maybe your dad doesnt know he is coming across as he is.

I had a job that was lets say a bit outside the norm and a bit risque but even my family ended up accepting it and said in the end if i was making money and happy so be it, if you can get a job where you are happy and making enough money then it doesnt matter what other people think so dont worry too much and dont let anyone spoil it for you. Oh and good luck.

 

[jhoward]

my driving instructor was tellin gme about how his wife had left him (stay with me lol) any way he went on to say that the in laws didnt like him as he wasnt basically a high flyer like his wife was. she had various degrees high flying job etc.

my responce to all this was at the end of the day does a piece of paper and a title make her any happier than the next person.

no of course it didnt.

be what you want to be, do what you want to do, if you reach a good old age and have been very happy throughout life id say this is the highest achievement ever.

 

[Haha]

I'm sorry, I have no experience of relevance to your question but my advice to you would be to tell your Dad that you are not qualified to practise as a lawyer/doctor etc, that your degree is in marketing, so you are looking for a job where it will be useful, rather than working in a supermarket on minimum wage. If your Dad had anything to say about your career choice he should have said it when you were applying to university, not now. Go for your interview, prepared to wow them. Then make a success of your chosen career and prove your Dad wrong!

Oh and thanks for the tea and cakes, much appreciated!

Totally agree with Pearlsasinger. Don't eat all the cake

 

[OneTrickPony]

Firstly, thank you very much for replying, it's given me the boost I needed. I will definitely follow your advice and just go for it ... I'll prove him wrong eventually!

lets just say they are a little lacking in tact and not that good at dealing with people.

Trinity Fox, ^^ this comment made me smile - I couldn't agree with you more!!

Thanks again to both of you x

 

[OneTrickPony]

Whoops sorry I didn't see the other replies! Thanks to you also for your support and stories - it puts things in perspective and makes me feel much more positive!

 

[killikyle]

OMG you are re-living my life!

Please stop - RIGHT NOW!

Your father sounds as if he's the secret twin of mine - uber successful in his own field, slightly divorced from reality!

Having acceded to requests/demands relating to their chosen career path, I spent 15 years in a profession that, though it didn't make me miserable, certainly didn't inspire as I felt it should. There was STILL the underlying current of "could have done better" from the parents.

However, 6 years ago (this month actually) there was a chain of events that finally made me wake up.

To some I threw away a good life (certainly, lots of money), but for me, it was when mine started. Parents were suitably unimpressed.

I am now doing what I should have done after uni and loving it (not so much loving the permanently potless bit, but I choose to do a lot of pro bono rehab for "no hopers"). Father actually quite proud now I believe, though Mother will mutter about "proper jobs" at every available moment......

So, the moral of my story is:
Please do what is right for you - right now - what you're passionate about. You have far more chance of success if you do, and your father may even give you a pat on the back in twenty years time.


Good luck x


ETA: God almighty, there weren't any replies when I started mine

 

[Fuzznugget]

My Dad has 'kindly' informed me that he is utterly dissapointed in me (yet again!) for considering a career path that doesn't involve being a doctor/lawyer (insert other high-flyer profession) and seems to imply that I won't get anywhere being an estate agent

I got this spiel from both my mother and step-father, who was an engineer and anything that did not involve spending at least 10 years in school for was a waste of time in his eyes. It's your life - they're not the ones who are going to live it, and while they may feel they are looking out for you, it's your call and your happiness. Do something that makes YOU happy to get out of bed each day for.

 

[Maizy]

I've PM you.

 

[Dubsie]

OTP, when you go for this interview you must go with the single minded goal that this IS the job you want and you want to prove to everyone you can do it.

Having spent years interviewing for sales reps, I met some muppets in my time. Half way down my (palatial, antique clad) office was a tatty filing cabinet, stuck there because there was nowhere else for it to go, and I hung my clock (from previous job) with a paperclip on the side facing my desk (about half a mile away) as I didn't want to ruin the smartly papered walls by sticking a nail in.

Anyone that didn't grab my undivided atention (ie I looked at the clock) didn't get the job, with 1 exception, my sales manager thought he'd be good but I'd looked at the clock and I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and appoint. He survived 3 months, that was all. Everyone else we appointed (following my clock rule) lasted ages and were really good.

It's far more cut throat out there now to get a good job, so please do go and ensure you DO get it.

 

[Honey08]

Hey you've got to live your own life, and follow your own dreams! Daddy will get over it, I promise you. You could tell him that you're going to try for two years, and see how you get on. You're so young - you've plenty of time to change your career if you want to. Good luck hun!xx

 

[OneTrickPony]

Thank you so, so much to everyone who replied - you have no idea how much better it has made me feel.

The interview went really well today and I've been invited back next week for a 2nd round so fingers crossed. I've managed to pacify my Dad with Honey08's suggestion of telling him I'm still young so have time to change if I don't do well at it...!

Heard you all loud and clear though, so I'll be going for what I want to do rather than worrying about what people think. Thank you all again! x