What do you do (or did)?

@zoffiel You've certainly had a varied career.  Silversmithing sounds interestesting!  Dealing with the crap end of workplace issues doesn't but if it pays some bills, then I guess you've got to go with it.  I'm pissed off with a system that has me waiting for income protection (oh sorry, it's going to take longer because we've got a backload of applications due to our new system) but because it's pending, I can't do any work if I'm feeling okay as it will take me back to square one.  Ridiculous!

Prior to becoming a librarian in my 30s (with the fancy piece of paper to go with it), have worked in government roles of various descriptions, starting in the mailroom at Social Security, then as a printer, storeperson, courier (which was fun) and junior office manager.  Quit to do some travelling overseas and in Oz, then did some fruit picking which I hated, and got a job doing erotic phone calls but ran away before I started! (can't shake a bottle of liquid paper without an euugggh feeling).  Got a job in admin at uni back here in Adelaide in Finance with the intention of saving some money to go on travelling.  Ended up using my long service leave to finish a double degree.  That's how I ended up in libraries.

@Zoffiel That's a rather good piece of prose. And a very interesting life. Have you ever thought about writing your autobiography?

I nursed when I first left school. Hated it. Then I went mad, then I went to uni and did a BA visual arts (silversmithing) then went off the rails again for a few years, hobboing around cutting opals and doing all sorts of odd stuff. I reckon I've picked just about everything that anyone has ever tried to grow in this country. There was some pretty seedy stuff going on at that time, but life wasn't dull. 

 I got job cooking in a pizza joint, one thing lead to another and I ended up getting some great opportunities and I cheffed for about 15 years. I travelled all over Oz with a pot of hot fat in one hand and a sharp knife in the other working in some interesting places but found high end function work was a good fit for me. 

Then I got pregnant, got married and got divorced in quick succession. By then I was living in regional Victoria where childcare at night and on weekends was impossible so i had to get out of hospitality. I  was doing OK for a while recycling racehorses fresh off the track, but bloody hell that is hard on your body. That was the cowboy era. They can be hard on your body too. 

Luck got me a job at my local library. I loved it and stuck at it for 15 years, working my way up to branch manager. BC version 1 happened.

Ive always liked to study so went back to school, again, when I was made redundant in 2016 and did my HR quals while I was in treatment for BC V2. Now I work mainly from home doing workplace investigation for a HR consultancy firm. Don't like it much, people are such shits and I'm dealing with their bastardry in my lounge room when I'm not in their face doing my black crow of the inquisition stuff in council and hospital meeting rooms. Yuk. 

Maybe this might summarise our online community. We may have had all had breast cancer but there is so much more layers to us - a very interesting bunch of people!

I began life as a kindergarten teacher.  I then moved to the community sector ending as 2IC of a private hospital in Melbourne.  After that stress I worked as an office manager, again mainly in the community sector.

@Jen001 - I'd take it to mean that it's a group of individuals that are great participants on discussion boards! :smile:

I am just going to add myself to those in education and library, as I'm a teacher and Librarian in a secondary school.   There seems to be a few of us on here, does that mean that its an occupational hazard working in education :D :D :D 

What a diverse and interesting lot we are! I spent my professional life as a social worker and later as a uni professor teaching criminology. I did a lot of community based education and training about sexual violence prevention. I was semi retired when diagnosed last year and then fully retired. I felt I needed to focus on my own self care and recovery and was not in a position to be running training and travelling all over the country. I am fortunate that I don't need paid work after 40 years in full time workforce. I think you are all amazing juggling work and family demands and looking after yourselves. You inspire me every day

Hey @BCNA admins - I'm wondering if this thread might light the spark for a professional networking community on this discussion board? Maybe a new private group where people can 'out' their real identities in a safe place if they want to, and list their professional qualifications and/or skill sets if they're happy to offer their services in any way to other members? If for example I need a small job done by a graphic designer, I'd love to know if there was someone here that might be interested in doing the job? I would love to give the work to a 'sister' or 'brother' on these forums. Just might be someone out there who would welcome the distraction, or someone who is actively looking for some work?  

Not sure what happened to the rest of that post... Marketing and Programming Library Officer and as a Branch Manager pre-kids but public libraries are always busiest when I need to be with my kids.