I am a dental hygienist. I am paid well and have the luxury of only working 3 days a week. The problem is I am getting burnt out. Not from working. I just don't love dental hygiene. I have thought about being a sonographer, librarian, accountant, pharmacist, etc. I am longing for a new career. I don't know what though. If you could have a dream job what would it be and why? I would love something with great benefits and a flexible schedule for my kids. My youngest gies to school in 3 years so working full time will be possible. Just thinking ahead.
You need to be more specific cause if you are burned out only working three days a week then a full time job is going to be horrible for you...what hours do you work...is this three, twelve hour shifts.
good luck finding a job that is not stressful and has flexibility and great benefits.
You have a job already that I would love to have. 3 days a week and good pay!
Ask yourself if you are burned out or just bored with your current job. Being well paid for working only 3 days a week is hard to duplicate in today's workforce.
Why not take classes at a local community college? Volunteer in a related field to expand your resume? Start a small business to occupy the other 2 days?
I know when you work in a small office, its hard to find ways to advance yourself. Everyone has their specific job. Maybe switching to a larger dental office would make you feel challenged again?
My sister is a dental hygienist and I totally get where you are coming from. She really had to look outside of her 'job' for fullfillment, but still use her skills. By taking medical missions with church and donating her time to schools and underserved communities, she has really been able to maintain her spark (are you familiar with Dental Health Arlington??? I think they take volunteers to help with elderly and underserved in our area).
I have always been jealous (in a good way) of my sister's career. Great hours, great pay and depending on the office - Incredible perks (weekends at Gaylord all paid with spa packages - hello?! - awesome)
Beyond that, I would go talk to a career counselor to find out what it is you don't like about your job so you don't duplicate it in your next.
Keep working and use the days not in office to volunteer in some of the positions you think you'd enjoy. Do that for about 6 months to a year. If you are still interested and don't mind the full 5-day work schedule you know you found a keeper and you can study/train while your kiddos are at school:)
Good luck.
The options you list vary widely as far as the education needed to move into those careers. Have you done research on the training needed along with the predicted demand? In MN, we have a site called iSeek.org that has all this information about various career options. It can be a great resource for completing interest/ability assessments, understanding the potential salary and demand, and the education needed.
If you have something like that in TX, I would do some more research. Otherwise, you may want to have a session or two with a career counselor or career coach to sort through the options that might work for you.
