I really hate my job. I've been here for 1.5 years already and the only reason I haven't left is because I don't know what to move on to.

To give you some background I did a bachelors (cambridge) and a masters (imperial) in computer science so I'm very qualified for what I do (programming). However, I've never enjoyed the subject. I can't compete with people who enjoy it and I can't force myself to learn in a job I hate, so I haven't learned much here.

From an early age I've always been interested in fashion and art but that interest was suppressed by my parents who wanted me to become an engineer. Now, I have no real idea of what I want to do with my life because my whole life i was told that a stable career in engineering is the way to go.

The problems are I have no qualifications to do anything else and I don't want to take too big a pay cut. It would be ideal if I could be in a job with good career prospects that wasn't too technical and was more focused on creating ideas rather than programming other's. Even better if there was some link to fashion or design of some sort. I've been researching but it's very hard to search for something you don't know exists and so far I've come up with no viable options.

I would really like some advice from you guys as you clearly love fashion too, but I know not all of you work in fashion! How do you reconcile your love for fashion with your job?

I hear you girl!
I'm in a similar position, I graduated as a building surveyor and it wasn't exactly my decision more like a safe play dictated by my dad, saying it was a great idea if I wanted to make money. At the time I was a bit confused and wasn't really sure what I wanted to do, and he didn't want me to do some stupid degrees.

Anyways long story short, I finished it and got my qualification but ended up not liking the job at all! So that was quite a waste of time!

I was always into art, and fashion and anything creative! I love drawing and creating and writing. Unfortunately I didn't follow my passion in school and decided to follow somebody else's lead.
Now I know what I want but I don't really know how to get there quickly. I have a blog which is conciliating my passion for writing and fashion. I'd love to do something that involves reporting the perks of a specific event, or even doing the graphic of a magazine for example! I'd be a great all-arounder to be honest.

I wish I've listened to my heart a little bit more because at the end of the day, I'm quite regretting it and that's what I want to do now. Just hoping to get there somehow and have someone that will give me the chance...Unless I can make it by myself

OP,

out paths were quite similar....i majored in architecture and now work in the field. so i dedicate my spare time to my fashion blog. i tried looking for a job as a SA but nobody wanted to hire me...i completely understand how you feel.

have you thought about web design? not that it's fashion but it's creative field....

you can start your own fashion blog...doing a fashion blog is not as easy as it seems...(having a camera and big closet is just not enough...)...you kind of have to stay awake what's the trend ahead and what to purchase. you have to know your angle about fashion, be it about shoes, bags or just clothes...then you start from there.

Originally Posted by serenrose00

I really hate my job. I've been here for 1.5 years already and the only reason I haven't left is because I don't know what to move on to. To give you some background I did a bachelors (cambridge) and a masters (imperial) in computer science in the UK so I'm very qualified for what I do (programming). However, I've never enjoyed the subject and continued with it because it's what my parents wanted. I can't compete with people who enjoy it and I can't force myself to learn in a job I hate, so I haven't learned much here. From an early age I've always been interested in fashion and art but that interest was suppressed by my parents who wanted me to become an engineer. Now, I have no real idea of what I want to do with my life because my whole life i was brainwashed by my parents into thinking that a stable career in engineering is the way to go. The problems are I have no qualifications to do anything else and I don't want to take too big a pay cut. It would be ideal if I could be in a job with good career prospects that wasn't too technical and was more focused on creating ideas rather than programming other's. Even better if there was some link to fashion or design of some sort. I've been researching but it's very hard to search for something you don't know exists and so far I've come up with no viable options. I would really like some advice from you guys as you clearly love fashion too, but I know not all of you work in fashion! How do you reconcile your love for fashion with your job?

Could you go to school part time while working? If you're really sick of programming, could you get a project management job in the meantime to hold you over, and then look for programs in fashion? My cousin did a masters in brand management and now works for a very high end label doing marketing...

Thanks all for your moral support, it feels a lot better knowing there are others in a similar position. I'm just really hoping someone on this forum is doing a job that I could do, am not over or under qualified for and I would be able to tolerate. I don't even care about loving the job, I would just like to be able to stand it and go through one day a week without thinking about how much I hate it!

it's a big/huge change....no matter how you slice it...you need to make some sacrifice.
fashion like all other creative fields...they don't pay well at all.
UNLESS, you have some connections and they can hook you up....

Originally Posted by serenrose00

Thanks all for your moral support, it feels a lot better knowing there are others in a similar position. I'm just really hoping someone on this forum is doing a job that I could do, am not over or under qualified for and I would be able to tolerate. I don't even care about loving the job, I would just like to be able to stand it and go through one day a week without thinking about how much I hate it!

I have been in a job I have hated for the last year, and has really been intolerable since February. I too had no idea what to move on to - and even worse, I was trying to make a jump that is very difficult (don't want to go into details).

The key is to make lists of your skills that are generalizable. I do know that there are fashion designers with engineering backgrounds (didn't one even win Project Runway?) And, identify what you hate specifically about programming (like too detail oriented, or ???) so you don't repeat that in your next job.

The bottom line is you need to find what your bliss is, and make a plan how to get there. Don't let 'you can't do that' take up any space in your head at all. You can do whatever you want to.

You could set yourself goals to aim for , such as you stay in your current job for at least another year till you have enough savings to use on courses etc. Have you tried interning ? i dont know how you would go about it but its worth a shot. You dont want to be struck in a job you dont enjoy , i should know !!