Printable Version of Topic

Posted by: Aaron Cox Oct 31 2004, 02:05 PM

hey guys, what do you all do for a living?

-what education did you go through?
- do you enjoy your job?


help me find a good career by giving me info about yours

Posted by: McMark Oct 31 2004, 02:12 PM

Education:
2 years at a private college studying computer sceince.
1 year at a local community college.
1 year at a local state college studying math.

Job:
European Auto Restorer

Happiness:
Yes, things will be better in a year as word of mouth and reputation spread.

Posted by: Aaron Cox Oct 31 2004, 02:15 PM

Posted by: swood Oct 31 2004, 02:36 PM

10 yrs or so as a landscape contractor
many years at LBCC, CSULB and CPU Pomona and a Masters from the school of hard knocks.

Now I'm the Construction Administrator for a Landscape Architecture firm, hope to be licensed in a few years.

Best job I've had yet. Very satisfying.

Stevo

Posted by: TimT Oct 31 2004, 02:36 PM

LOL aaron, Im a Professional Engineer. my job has its good moments then suffers through periods of tedium, just like any profession I suppose.

Specifically I work on suspension bridges. In construction management.

I dont believe engineers are compensated nearly enough, given the education we have to have, and the responsibilities we have.

Honestly Im thinking about a career change,but I dont have a clue what else I can do though

Posted by: Aaron Cox Oct 31 2004, 02:42 PM

stevo- tell me about landscape architecture

Posted by: bryanthompson Oct 31 2004, 02:43 PM

I’m webmaster for a network of agricultural radio stations, and I do a lot of in-house Java programming. I’ve worked there since I was a sophomore in high school, so when I graduated I became full-time and took my old boss’s job

The work is awesome… I’m a one—man development team, so I get to learn and experiment a lot. The only problem is that there’s no money out in the middle of nowhere Nebraska, and there’s no place for me to advance from where I am now.

Anyway… I’m going to college at Phoenix Online right now. I tried a local university, but I hate the “college lifestyle” crap. Who wants to be a poor, drunk, indoctrinated college kid?

Posted by: SirAndy Oct 31 2004, 02:44 PM

i'm a computer nerd since '78 ...
i like it, although i'm getting tired of it every once in a while.

maybe i should become a porn-star!
Andy

Posted by: sanglee007 Oct 31 2004, 02:51 PM

Video Game Tester.

there are worse jobs.


AA in Anthropology from De Anza Community College.



Sang

Posted by: Headrage Oct 31 2004, 02:52 PM

Posted by: 96conv Oct 31 2004, 02:53 PM

I am a porn star. My stage name? Shorty.

Seriously though, I'm in medical sales and love it. I recommend a sales career to all who are outgoing, can take the pressure of weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual quotas. The financial rewards are only limited by your desire and imagination.

BS in Information Systems from the Univ of San Francisco.

Posted by: lawrencedesigns Oct 31 2004, 02:54 PM

BA in telecommunications & film. San Diego State University.
20 years as cameraman for CBS Network

Now freelance...currently shooting sitcoms...Less Than Perfect and Complete Savages..

Posted by: Andyrew Oct 31 2004, 03:03 PM

Im a chief....

Posted by: Aaron Cox Oct 31 2004, 03:05 PM

Im a chief....

Posted by: Rhodes71/914 Oct 31 2004, 03:16 PM

Currently a Loan Officer for a mortgage co. Kind of a Sales/Finance Job.

previous to that 14 years as a commercial fisherman in Alaska, awesome job for the 18-30yr crowd, loved almost every minute of it. Wasn't a good fit when I sarted a family.

BA in Business Admin/Finance Western Washington Univ.
How are you supposed to know what career you want when you are 18?

Future - Working on opening a Fresh Seafood Market.

Posted by: i love porsche Oct 31 2004, 03:17 PM

i pump gas....get paid to look at cars and do my homework

going to NJIT for Mechanical engineering, and hopefully will be working as an automobile engineer

Posted by: vsg914 Oct 31 2004, 03:28 PM

I'm Chief of Operations for MidAmerica Millwork. A commercial millwork contractor that specializes in high end medical/dental facilities, oil company offices, and law offices. I've been in the building industry since 1975. Went to OU as a music major. My chosen career is a very rewarding one (when I get paid on time.LOL).

Oh yeah, I keep several of the local 914's running in my spare time.

Posted by: J P Stein Oct 31 2004, 03:30 PM

I've been employed full time for 40 years.....cept for a couple years with Uncle Sam.

The only thing that kept me out of college was high school.

I'm a QC inspector.....not that it matters, I'm burnt out.

Posted by: Andyrew Oct 31 2004, 03:32 PM

this is a bbs aaron... spelling means nothing...

c wat aye meen?

Posted by: spare time toys Oct 31 2004, 03:40 PM

hey guys, what do you all do for a living?

Lead mechanic for southwest airlines

-what education did you go through?

2 Years of A/P school then testing by FAA
1 class at SMU in business law

- do you enjoy your jobB
been there 15 years dont know if I like it or just lack ambition to start all over again.

help me find a good career by giving me info about yours

Posted by: Lou W Oct 31 2004, 03:58 PM

I spent 12 Years as a Electro Mechanical Design Engineer in the Defense/Aerospace industry. Last 15 Years I've been in the Real estate Industry, I did New Home Sales for 8 of those years and now a Mortgage Loan Consultant for the last 7 years. Carpentry for the last 30 years as a side job and a hobby. Changes are good for people, I believe it's important to have the ability to adapt to changes in the workplace.

Posted by: Series9 Oct 31 2004, 04:03 PM

BA in anthropology from the University of Central Florida.

I'm a commercial pilot in a Lear 35 flying for a wealthy family out of Santa Fe, NM.

It's good work, but it took a long time to get here.

I've been considering leaving flying to open a Porsche shop. We'll see...

Posted by: Rhodes71/914 Oct 31 2004, 04:07 PM

So Lou do you like the selling mortgages better than selling houses?

As I said in my earlier post I am a Mortgage Loan person as well but also in the process of getting my real estate license just because the growth in this area is crazy.

Small business is still my passion.

Posted by: Deano Oct 31 2004, 04:15 PM

Commercial Photographer, I shoot mostly food. Great job, good pay, lots to eat. Since I own the studio, if I don't have something scheduled, I am at home working on my cars.
Couldn't be happier!

Posted by: charlesmac Oct 31 2004, 04:20 PM

education:
BA in music education
1 hour from my master's dergree in applied music (trumpet performance)

currently a high school band director. actually i teach em from 6th grade on up.

i like it most days. The high school drama queens are beginning to wear me out. Every thing to them is a big ordeal. Plus, dealing with stupid parents and administration is another downside. Vacation time is awesome.
one week for thanksgiving
two weeks for christmas
week at spring break
a few other days scattered here and there
10 weeks off for summer

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL MUSIC PROGRAMS!!! nothing against sports, but i don't see any 40-80 year old people still playing football competitevely. (cheap plug)

charles mclendon

Posted by: d914 Oct 31 2004, 04:24 PM

bs biology

software sales to hospitals..

happy yes, income good, pressure yes

Posted by: Lawrence Oct 31 2004, 04:25 PM

Education:
AA, Cameron University, Oklahoma
Many scattered night classes, including two I'm taking right now.
After these two, I will be within 8 classes of finishing my BA (history), with a concentration of Middle East studies. (yeah, no shit)

Job: I'm a soldier... four years from retirement (I'll be less than 40 y/o). At some point, I'm going to have to get a real job, so I'll bookmark this thread.

-Rusty

Posted by: Bruce Allert Oct 31 2004, 04:26 PM

Maintenance... gotta keep the water flowing both directions keep the buildings standing, operating & looking good for the people that work for us and for the ones that donate to our cause. http://www.guidedogs.com

Side buisness of Photography (my preferance)

.....b

Posted by: SpecialK Oct 31 2004, 04:33 PM

Veterinarian/Entomologist....I've work on TomCats, Harriers, Eagles, and SuperHornets (the "Entomologist" part) . Started out as an ejection seat, LOX (liquid oxygen), missile cooling and environmental control systems (HVAC) mechanic on F-14 TomCats at NAS Miramar, CA. Moved back to CO and worked for an HVAC company for 3 years. Moved to St. Louis to start my HVAC company ECS, and got hire at McDonnell Douglas (needed the health insurance for the family). Worked both jobs for 12 years until '96, when health problems (heart attack) required me to give up the HVAC biz (still do some on the side for family/friends). Got my AAS from ITT Tech in CAD March 2004. Worked on (assembly) AV8B Harriers (composites), F/A-18E/F SuperHornets (composites/sheetmetal), and presently build/inspect the Korean F-15K StrikeEagle. Pretty much frame all of the lower structure of the fuselage between the wings (from the shiny part forward to the intakes), 95% titanium (wish my car was made of the stuff!)........anyone want to take a WAG at how long it takes to build one F-15 from start to fly-off?


Attached image(s)

Posted by: Deano Oct 31 2004, 04:35 PM

Bruce,
Nice to see another photographer with 914 interests. I just checked out your website. Nice, I wish we had scenery worthy of photos around here! I spend most of my time in studio with the exception of a little architectural work. Sorry this has strayed from the original post, just wanted to say "nice job".

Posted by: jim912928 Oct 31 2004, 04:47 PM

BS in Mathematics from Notre Dame

I'm currently a Chief Technology Officer for an appliance manufacturer (glorified computer geek!). Nice thing about this job is you look out to the future, set direction, pick technologies...then tell someone else to implement it all! Get's tiring though at times, too much politics in the workplace..hours are way tooooo long.

Posted by: flatout Oct 31 2004, 04:50 PM

Hi ,I am a custom car painter and I have my own shop. I do mostly show cars, however I am now getting show and street bikes. Its a good job that lets me express my creativity on other peoples rides. There is always pressure to make deadlines and turn out show winning paint.

Posted by: hargray2 Oct 31 2004, 05:01 PM

My great grandfather founded a telephone company 50 or so years ago, so I am the first of the 4th generation family to work with the company. We now offer landline phones, digital cable, internet (T1, dsl, isdn, cable modems, etc...), our own wireless service, business key systems, networking, our own long distance, smart homes and security, VOIP, and pretty much everything else you can think of. We serve the areas around and including Hilton Head Island.

But anyway, I am the lead broadband technician in my areas ( 4 towns across 4 counties in two states). I perform maintenence on the cable plant and respond to most large outages. Occasionally, I do repair calls at the customer's home. Very rarely do I install services in homes. I am the guy that gets the service to the neighborhood and
makes sure the phones stay clear, tv pictures stay nice, and internet stays fast.

Most of you guys would just call me the telephone man or the cable guy.
Yes, I love it. I have guys 30 years older than me call me all day everyday to ask me questions. I know it bugs the shit out of them.

Posted by: Lou W Oct 31 2004, 05:17 PM

Posted by: anthony Oct 31 2004, 05:22 PM

I'm the Technology Director at a private K-8th grade school. It's a fancy title for systems administrator. I majored in French at UC Berkeley after not knowing what to major in. It got me a year of living in France which was one of the best experiences ever.

My first 8 years in the work world I pushed paper. I hated it. Computers were always a hobby and about 9 years ago I went back to school to learn some programming and then fell into the Microsoft Certified System Engineer program. I basically turned a hobby into a career. I'm platform agnostic but if hard pressed I'd say I have a preference for the Mac. Unix, OSX, Windows - I can make it all work.

Posted by: Pam Oct 31 2004, 05:44 PM

Welcome, Deano......how exciting to see another Des Moines Iowa member on the forum.

So as to not hijack the thread.....

No college....well...none that counts - I was a freshman three times until Dad got tired of paying.......but have worked my way up at Principal Financial Group to a Senior Corporate Negotiator in the IT procurement field. Lots of contract review involved in the job and some knowledge of technology is the norm - although most companies have teams that work either technology contracts or non technology contracts. Its a very fun and demanding job and one that has seen quite a bit of growth in the last few years.

Posted by: Lawrence Oct 31 2004, 05:47 PM

Hey Deano.. didn't we meet on the side of the road on I-235?

-Rusty

Posted by: 914forme Oct 31 2004, 05:53 PM

4 years University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music - Music Education finished with a Masters in 4 years - My grades did better with a heavy load! Took 26 hours or more a quarter including summers. Ran out of classes to take so I started taking Master Degree stuff and just finished it off, before I could graduated with my BS, so I got both. I had to take a specific number of ensembles to graduate with a BS that worked out to 4 years. Oh I am a Tuba player - professionally - I got burnt out quickly - I love Music can't take the egos!

So I got drafted by a computer company -I am now a systems admin for an school district that is the size of Rhoad Island - I have my CCNA, MCSE, CNE, and a bunch more not sure if any of them matter or not. So in my case I make a living off of Microsoft, but I only use Apple hardware - it works for me. Keeps my sanity - because I don't have to support two Microsoft Newtorks - it sucked going home and having to do the same crap I did all day at work.

Yeah I like the job, pays well, but times you have to deal with crap - like any job. And sometimes you have to put in a few extra hours to get something working. Friday I worked from 4:30 am - 3:30 am into Saturday. But if you pull it off and get things working again, your a hero! If you don't well everyting slides down hill.

The future I will probally keep doing this - peole want me to start fixing their cars for a living - I have a back log right now I could do it full time! But it is what I do for a break, if it becones my job - who knows what I would do then.

Their is a fine line between genius and insanity not sure which I side I am walking on currently

Oh would I recommend it as a profession? Only if you are a masacist!

Posted by: marks914 Oct 31 2004, 06:04 PM

I probably have the best car guy job. I am an automotive designer or sometimes its called product stylist. At DaimlerChrysler, the place with the best styled cars around. I get to draw cars and work on models of cars all day long, its great. I help to decide what the future of automobiles could be.

I have a BFA in sculpture from Michigan State University and
a BFA in Industrial/Transportation Design from the College for Creative Studies

Before all that I owned my own restaurant and was a Executive Chef and a General Manager at other restaurants.
Thats it
Mark
72 914 5.0L
http://community.webshots.com/user/marksurel

Posted by: Deano Oct 31 2004, 06:10 PM

Lawrence
Yep that was me. Thanks again for stopping. I think since you moved I've seen maybe two 914s in Des Moines.

Pam
I hadn't noticed that you are in DSM. Let me know if anything is ever happening around our area. What part of town are you in? I'm in Clive.

Posted by: Bruce Allert Oct 31 2004, 06:11 PM

Posted by: VegasRacer Oct 31 2004, 06:19 PM

Posted by: Lou W Oct 31 2004, 06:25 PM

Posted by: Bleyseng Oct 31 2004, 06:35 PM

maybe i should become a porn-star!
Andy

Posted by: Robert21 Oct 31 2004, 06:46 PM

:
:
:
39 years in the post office , got out in may , i do want
i want now. i get money for doing nothing now.

Posted by: SirAndy Oct 31 2004, 06:49 PM

Posted by: Deano Oct 31 2004, 06:54 PM

Posted by: Zeke Oct 31 2004, 07:02 PM

Aaron, I can sum this up for you. Go to college, get at least a degree in something. It helps in everything you will do. If you end up in business for yourself, you will have been lucky to have studied accounting, business law, marketing, etc. and blah, blah, blah.

Now, to the work, If you work for yourself, you have total freedom to screw up or make it. You may work 100 hours a week or at least feel like you do. You may get it wired, as I have got it for now, anyway, and work about 30 hours a week.

If you go to work for someone else, might as well make it a big company with potential for advancement and some decent salary. Advantages are many: Health ins, steady money, perhaps retirement. Drawbacks are many: As many assholes as you may encounter in the hallway, which will be just about everyone there. And rules, always rules.

Bottom line is as simple as the old story about the tortoise and the hare. The tortoise worked for a big company or the gov't and ended up with the most money.

The hare lived on the edge, was broke half the time and ended up with the most memories.

You pick. I did when I met the first asshole in the hallway. I knocked his dick in the dirt and never went back.

Posted by: Howard Oct 31 2004, 07:04 PM

Small Businessman (insurance broker). Did it for 22 years, sold out for a bundle, retired for 7, blew most of it, and started up again 9 years ago. Great business; makes $$, 95% of your customers stay with you, and I'll be able to retire again (but not sell) next year.

Best thing: The people you meet.
Worst thing: The same.

But you didn't say what you are trying to accomplish. Do great deeds to benefit mankind? Make lots of money? Just be happy and have time to play with your car(s)?

Your answer should determine your career path.

Posted by: Aaron Cox Oct 31 2004, 07:06 PM

heheh. there is no doubt in my mind about going to college. but its what i DO in college. i wanna work on cars all day LOL. someone wanna pay me 100k to do that? doubtful. so im undegoing engineer indoctrination....

blah......

Posted by: TimT Oct 31 2004, 07:12 PM

Aaron isnt there a school in Michigan that has a BS/MS degree program in Automotive engineering? Im cant remember the name of the school...

get you feet wet in the school you're at now then transfer..Youll get your schooling in engineering disciplines, regarding cars..

look into it

Posted by: type11969 Oct 31 2004, 07:14 PM

ME/EE from Lehigh University, now working for a small company trying to harness the energy stored in ocean waves and turn it into electricity. I just started there under the title ME designer, doing a lot of CAD work (solidworks rocks) but can be tedious at times. It is cool though, because I did just start there, but what I am doing already makes a big difference in the company. Small companies rule!

Plus it is rewarding to work on an alternative energy source.

Posted by: lapuwali Oct 31 2004, 07:22 PM

What you study in school frequently has little to do with what you end up doing. What you start doing when you get out of school frequently doesn't end up being a lifetime career. You can always change your mind later, so don't sweat trying to find a career you're happy with the first time. I know many people that feel locked into their lives because they felt they HAD to get a job that was related to what they learned in school, and can't seem to think past that. No need to be one of those people (many of whom are very unhappy).

If you can turn what you love doing when you're NOT working into a money-maker, you'll be very happy, even if that job seems crazy from time to time. If you can't do that, but you can find a job that you never take home with you, pays for your hobbies, and leaves time for them, you can also be happy.

And if you find you've made a bad choice, you can always make another.

btw, I went to film school, and I've written software for the last 20 years, none of which was ever film related. I've never done anything with film since leaving school, other than watching way too many of them. I'm now working on a side business that has little to do with software (and nothing with film).

Posted by: Lawrence Oct 31 2004, 07:29 PM

Posted by: Alison Baker Oct 31 2004, 07:31 PM

Come June 2005 I will be a Forensic Sceintist .......for the State of California !

Posted by: scott thacher Oct 31 2004, 07:41 PM

master electrician, who is currently laid off, on purpose,
to start up my own company

scott t

Posted by: URY914 Oct 31 2004, 07:44 PM

I'm a Senior Project Manager for a large (+/-400 million$/year) construction company

I build/add on to/remodel hospitals. Right now I'm managing a $18.5 mill, ORs, ERs, ICU, MRI, addition and remodel of an existing hospital. In my line of work we do sweat the details and don't just throw it together like a spec house.

I'd like it a lot better if people would just do what they said they were going to do. And it would also help if Architects had some small clue what is needed to build a building.

I have a BS degree in construction management and AS in marine engineering.

Would I like to do something else? Where do I sign?

Paul

Posted by: ClayPerrine Oct 31 2004, 08:13 PM

Worked for Uncle Sam for a while. After that, I started fixing cars for a living. Did that for 10 years. ASE Certified Master Automobile Technician including Advanced Drivability and Diagonstics. German Car specialist. MB, BMW Porsche, AUDI, VW. Worked for a VW dealer for 3 years, the rest for independents.

I got so tired of working on other peoples cars for money that I didn't want to work on my own. Plus it sucks having to go to work in an unheated, un-airconditioned building. So I traded my hobby and my profession. In 95 I quit fixing cars, took a cut in pay and started fixing computers. Worked for a few places in the process.

Now I work for the "Evil Empire", Microsoft. I spend my days telling people how they broke their Active Directory, and how to fix it. Love my work. I spend all day in an office with heat and AC, and come home to my garage with all my tools from my years of fixing cars, and work on MY cars. Plus I make more money talking on the phone than I did fixing cars. The only drawback is that I have gained weight since I have had a desk job. 5 years now with Microsoft, and I wouldn't trade the job for anything.

Posted by: Alison Baker Oct 31 2004, 08:17 PM

Watch out 914 's owners ...I'm ready come June........JOKE
Martin is retired USAF.afer 20 yr..
I am very proud he stood for his country....Although I do know he miss'es Deutschland.

Posted by: carreraguy Oct 31 2004, 08:40 PM

Earned BA in Psychology from San Jose State and commission in the US Navy. Liked the Navy/flying enough to stick around and retired after 20 yrs served and after earning a MBA at night school. Took over the family retail business and eventually became a property manager (looong story). Went to paralegal school to learn real estate contracts and eventually ended up working fully time at a law firm as a corporate/securities paralegal during the IPO boom (another long story). Now semi-retired and occasional employee stock benefits consultant.

Bottom line, get that college education, it will open a lot of doors.

Posted by: Bigbohr Oct 31 2004, 08:45 PM

After a Masters in Mech Eng applied for an extra year in a school in Paris. That school included scholarships so my thought was that a year in Paris and getting money for it was a pretty irresistable proposition. Applied for Engine Design (what I really liked) and Oil & Gas Exploration (alternative option). I got the latter and I'm currently on a drilling project in Nigeria. Pays good money and I get to go to places you'd otherwise never go to ... like Nigeria. As long as I (we) don't have to move to one of these interesting places I'm OK. Job satisfaction has ups and downs like the oil price.

The following is just some info to put the petroleum exploration industry in perspective. If that doesn't interest you just skip the rest.

The area to be in right now is called deepwater. Wells are drilled in 4,000 to 8,000 feet water depth (or deeper) with rigs that cost about $400,000 per day (yes, each day) to operate. In that kind of water depth you can not construct the typical jacket platforms, so production/storage boats the size of a mega-tanker are used. Cost of one of these puppies exceeds 1 billion dollars. The project I work on is planned to produce 250,000 barrels of oil per day - easily justifies all the expense especially at over $50 per barrel. Should note that most oilfields are not that big.

And now the real kicker ... in some of these countries families hold oilfield concessions and get part of the revenues. They say they are companies but they are more an individual with a couple of people working for them. On my project one of these small companies gets 10% of the revenues. We'll develop and produce the oil for about $8 per barrel + the oil has to be transported to the US or elsewhere which cost also like $10 per barrel. So at todays rate they would get just under 1 million dollar per day. What these people do with all that money is a total mystery to me ...

Posted by: campbellcj Oct 31 2004, 09:15 PM

Since college (they tell me I have a degree in quantitative economics or some such shit - I barely remember) I've worked for a small enterprise software company. We build asset management apps for large high-tech companies and govt agencies. I married the owner's daughter, and now am pretty much the head cheese around the joint. Funny how that works...although it HAS taken 15 years of sweat equity with plenty of 7-day work weeks and some major bumps in the road along the way. (Like last year when my main developer suddenly keeled over dead from a heart attack right in the middle of a massive project. That sucked for me almost as much as him! Well, not quite.).

I wouldn't trade it for anything overall, although clearly a small family biz has its ups and downs -- especially when the bank account is down and you've gotta scrape to make payroll and fend off the landlord. But when a small biz is good, it's really good and sure as HELL beats working somewhere where you have no personal stake, no freedom, and an artificial "cap" on your income or upward mobility.

I think entrepeneurship may be partly genetic: my wife is currently starting up her own gig, my mom and one brother and his wife run another small biz, my bro-in-law does as well, and my other brother is a "from day one" manager in a VC-backed silicon valley firm. Well, maybe what's genetic is INSANITY, but honestly we are all well-fed and happy 98% of the time.

Posted by: Hi_Fi_Guy Oct 31 2004, 09:19 PM

Painter/Colorist for comic books & toy companies... GI Joe, X-Men, SpiderMan, Transformers, etc. A lot of fun, a lot of work, very rewarding.

Being self employed has its share of trials and rewards but has allowed me to do many more thaings than it has ever stopped me from doing. Security and Opportunity do not always go hand in hand.

I have a wife I love very much, neither of us are interested in children but we enjoy our dogs and cats and spoil them like children.

No complaints here.

Posted by: red914 Oct 31 2004, 09:49 PM

just 6 weeks into my new career, and i could not be happier! well, my right rear brake caliper could be not dragging, but i can fix that eventually. but job-wise, life is awesome!

after working in schools (bachelor's degree in history and a teaching certificate), from military boarding schools to public 6th grade, to a private special ed. institute, i am now an apprentice carpenter. oddly, this was a career path diverted years ago by a reenlistment in the USMC to be a mountaineering/ski instructor.

anyway, i am outside everyday, building custom houses with a wonderful and talented crew in a fantastic company. life is quite good.

Thanks for asking, Aaron. i've been dying to share!

Posted by: MattR Oct 31 2004, 09:59 PM

STUDENT. I am a professional at spending my parents money (and loan money ), drinking beer, wasting time, and bitching about how much life sucks...

no really, Im a second year mechanical engineering student. I love it here at UCIrvine. As soon as Im done with school Im going to try to get a job as a race car engineer. Right now Im working with my dad designing radio controled race cars.

Posted by: reverie Oct 31 2004, 10:03 PM

I was a pharmacist for 10 years, back when the profession had a better reputation. I've been in hospital administration (purchasing) for the last 4 years. I like it.

But it would be awesome to be a weather forecaster. I mean, where else can you be wrong 50% of the time and everyone's cool with that? (no pun intended)

Posted by: itsa914 Oct 31 2004, 10:32 PM

Got my AA in Electronic Engineering from ITT Tech, 1985.

Worked for a local two way radio shop for 1 yr installing GE cellular radio equipment and climbing radio towers installing antennas. Been working for Motorola since 1986 and have had many different jobs there but for the last 8 years as a Field Engineering Manager. I have a crew of 22 Engineers that travel the USA and install the radio equipment used to make your cell phones work. I do a lot of job quotes and scheduling of projects, it does get boring but on the up side my commute is only 14 steps to my office upstairs

I have 9 yrs to go and I can retire at age 47 (I hope). At that time I plan do ANYTHING not related to communtications. I have been toying with the idea of going back to school for auto mechanics.

Overall its been a good ride, but the past fews years it has become a job. My advice, find something that is your passion and find a way to make a living and enjoy it!

Posted by: bernbomb914 Oct 31 2004, 10:46 PM

spent most of my working life as a commission sales person. started with wynns friction proofing then to cars then to bartending to race car maintiance and for the last 30 years Real Estate here in Temecula which was the fastest growing area in CA for several years. Still working with old clients but mostly not.

Bernie

Posted by: JB 914 Oct 31 2004, 11:19 PM

I've got a B.B.A in Business and Economics from University of St. Thomas

Spent the first 5 years in marketing and management for a shipping line and a cold storage facility. Basically worked my ass off and made other people alot of money.

spent the last 9 years self employed selling software mostly to physicians. I've evolved into developing and selling my own software. I'm also helping my wife grow a new medical billing/auditing business.

I don't think I could ever go back to working for someone else.

I don't really think of it as a job. I enjoy my clients and the people i get to work with like Scott Kline. I make a good living and I have two beautiful daughters and a wife that loves me as much as i love her.

The most important thing to me is seeing my girls grow up and spending as much time with them as i can. Owning my own business allows me the ability to do that. And now when i work my ass off I reap the rewards.

Posted by: Joe Sharp Old Oct 31 2004, 11:21 PM

So Grasshopper: Is it money for your PASSIONS or passion for your MONEY?
And I have NO education.
Joe

Posted by: Aaron Cox Oct 31 2004, 11:23 PM

money for pasion.

i dont want to be making 100k and be miserable......

thanks for shedding light oh wise one

Posted by: Dave-O Oct 31 2004, 11:58 PM

I'll put in my 2 cents... I'm a third year biochemisty student. I just quit my student job of fixing fitness equipment at the university gym to accept a research position. The lab where i am currently working is studying how the physiology of cardiac muscle relates to heart disease (http://ddt.biochem.umn.edu/). I loved my old job but it was time to move on and do something meaningful. This change means about a 10 fold increase in both responsibility and time commitment with basically no increase in pay, but since when did that matter?

My advise to you...get involved in things as soon as possible. It's easy to go through your undergrad keeping up with your classes and working some meaningless student job, but you will have an extreme advantage if you get some career experience in the meantime. Find out what classes interest you and talk to your teachers. They may be able to get you involved in their research or may have great leads to other opportunities. Chances are you won't get paid at first but just being mouse in the corner will give you a great opportunity to observe lots of different things without the responsibility of getting tied down in something that you think is uninteresting. So get e-mailing good luck

David

Posted by: Elliot Cannon Oct 31 2004, 11:59 PM

Hi,
I am currently an MD11 captain (stretched DC10) for United Parcel Service. I have flown the 727, DC8, 747, and now the MD11. I fly mostly to the far east and sometimes to europe. I've seen a lot of the world. Seoul, Tapei, Tokyo, Osaka, Beijing, Shanghai, Singapore, Dubai, Cologne, Fiji, Sydney, and Hong Kong and many others. It is by far the best job I have ever had. I fly great equipment with great people and don't have to put up with pain in the ass passengers. The money is great with a very secure company. I've managed to so this on a high school education but believe me it would have been a lot easier with a college degree. I wouldn't have had to work all the life and career threatening jobs I've had in the past to get where I am now.

Stick with school Aaron. If you drop out I will hunt you down and kick your young ass!!
Cheers, Elliot

Posted by: morphenspectra Nov 1 2004, 12:59 AM

started collage four times never got a degree.ended up doing fiberglass repair,clawed my way up the ladder,retired from that a certified composites tech,and a thermoplasic specialist.working in R&D, tooling and design.afterwards i gave back to the community by working with devlopmentally disabled people,and local law inforcment.
now i do something i really enjoy.i mfg and sell porsche parts and also operate a 914 only dismantlers yard.im thinking about buying a bar for a later gig.
if i had it to do over again,finish collage.the only thing i would change.
do i like what i do now.
yes

Posted by: skline Nov 1 2004, 01:21 AM

Well, since everyone is talking about what they do, I guess I will tell you about me. I went to college to be a Doctor of Radiology, I was in my first year of internship at North Kansas City memorial Hospital when I realized that is not what I was meant to do. So I left that and went into meaningless jobs building custom van conversion, then from that I became an Orange County Sheriff for about a year and and a half and realized that wasnt for me either, the jails suck. Then I went into car stereos and alarms for car dealers and high end audio shops, that was going nowhere. So I opened my own company called All Vehicle Security and did much better till I got divorced from the second wife, she took it all. A friend of mine had a computer and said I should get one too, so I built my first 286-10 MHz computer with 4 meg of ram and an MFM and an RLL hard drives, turned out that was my calling. The computers made perfect sense to me so I started schools to learn all about them. Got a scholarship from the Southern California Microsoft Solution Providers for my MCSE. Finished that in about 4 months and was working for Geac Computers out of Canada but down here in So Cal. Turned out I was a natural at anything to do with computers. Went to work on a contract to Sealand down at the port of Long Beach. I was an instant hit with everyone down there because I made their system run about 60% faster with no hardware upgrades. Their system was all misconfigured. All I did was setup and configre DNS and optimized the memory in the servers. To make a long story short, MCI Worldcom came in to take over and since I knew the system, they hired me full time. I stayed with MCI for 3 years and decided I could not go any higher in the company and was being held down by them. I left and went out on my own. Been that way pretty much since then. Oh, MCI lost the contract when I left and is no longer doing the support down there. Aint life grand. I work with Joe and together we can just about fix anything. I put in for the Longshore position they recently had a draw for and am waiting my turn to go to work down there as a casual. I will continue working on computers on my own and with Joe since we have some great clients and almost enough work. I seem to stay busy but the Longshore job will give me benefits and retirement. Things I dont have now. I will work all I can while I can. The cars are a fun hobby and I think I will always be doing something on them. There ya go, thats all about me in a nutshell. Oh, and I am a nice guy.

Posted by: Dr Evil Nov 1 2004, 01:46 AM

Ya, Scotts a nice guy.

Me: I got into electronics in highschool and joined the Coast Guard after graduation to gain my independance. I wanted to be an avionics tech/flight mech. It took me a year and a half to get to the school for that and in the mean time I was a seaman on a 378 foot cutter that frequented the Alaskan gulf and the Bering sea. After going to my trade school, or "A" school as we call it, in North Carolina for 6 months, I was stationed at our base at the San Francisco International Air Port. I stayed there for 4 and a half years and loved every minute of it. I got to fly in the crappiest weather and save people from some crazy situations. I am one of the few gaurdsmen that to go on a full tour of the Persian Gulf. I also got to see some of South America, including the Galapogose Islands for one search and rescue case, and to work in drug interdiction. I always recommend the guard to people. I saw what my supervisors got to do and got paid and deciede that I liked where I was at that time and that a future behind a desk was not for me. I started college in Fall 2001 and will be finishing my BA in psychology this Dec. I would also recommend a psych degree to anyone who likes to think and poeple watch. I am applying for med school right now and hope that I am making the right choice. I will echo what others have said as I agree fully that you should not stay with a job just because you have put time into it. Its like a bad relationship, you just have to dump her and move on. I'll likely become a surgeon, but I could be a mechanic, blimp pilot, rodeo clown or what ever. I wont settle for being unhappy and neither should you (IMHO). Hell, I could be a carrer counselor as much as I like helping people find themselves and their occupation.

Hope I didn't sound preachy.

Posted by: grantsfo Nov 1 2004, 03:25 AM

Supply Chain Manager for High Tech Company

Masters level course work in Logistics and Procurement.

I like the job as I get to travel across the world, meet interesting people and work on exciting projects.

I have been in Asia for past 3 weeks. Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Signapore. Shanghai is just incredible. I have never seen such economic development in my lifetime as the region around Shanghai. Most large companies have moved production into this region of China.

Posted by: Larry Nov 1 2004, 05:35 AM

Middle School Principal. I've gone to school every September since I was 5 (53 now). I love every day of my job. I get to spend time with over 1000 young people and a great staff.
Weekends I prove to myself how much I don't know about cars.
Larry

Posted by: iamchappy Nov 1 2004, 07:13 AM

Artist and house husband. Spend most of my time with the kids and dog, and sometimes I get a chance to paint. Started out as a commercial artist working with my dad in 1975 as a photo and transparency retoucher, that changed with the introduction of the computer and photoshop. I now paint wildlife now and then, and run the family art business selling and promoting my dads infamous golf art


Attached image(s)

Posted by: tdgray Nov 1 2004, 07:17 AM

BS -Accounting / Finance, Walsh University

MBA - Kent State

Job - Chief Financial Officer - for a Forging Company.

Do I like the job? - most of the time. It is rewarding to work in small / medium business... get to wear many hats blah blah blah. For me I like to work in manufacturing companies, actually producing a product. Just makes you feel better than selling air.

Do I like the profession? - most of the time. Too many damn regulations (ie. Sarbanes-Oxley).

Do I like the money? - DAMN RIGHT. I know that you do not have to make allota money to be happy.... but it sure helps to have some so that you can do the things that DO make you happy.

As for college.... Yes if you want to. I see way to many of our children being pushed into college because that is what they are being told to do. This is why our trades are suffering. Kids that have more talent working with thier hands are being fed a line of shit that they have to go to college to get a good job. My father has worked in construction for many years, from being a Union carpenter to now he is a superintendent of operations for a large construction company. There is money to be made in any profession if you work hard. Hell I know automotive painters that have the ability to make more than I do.

Moral of the story... do what you like, not what someone tells you that you will like, even if it is digging ditches

Posted by: FriarJohn Nov 1 2004, 08:57 AM

Web designer

BFA in Graphic Design, Colostate.

Lately it's been hit-and-miss. I haven't been real busy. Because I work for a Fortune 500 company (the largest government contractor) I still have a job and paychecks coming in, but I'm bored as hell most of the time.

But when I actually have a project I can sink my teeth into, I love it.

Quite often I wonder if this is really what I want to be doing. I never set out to be a web designer. It just sorta happened. I'm pretty good at solving visual communication problems, but I don't ever see myself going back to traditional print-media graphic design.

Posted by: Zeke Nov 1 2004, 10:22 AM

Posted by: ! Nov 1 2004, 10:31 AM

Haz Mat Investigator....Registered Enviromental Assessor....CA Licensed Investigator....County of Santa Barbara 16 years.

I like the job....politics and idjuts that I deal with on a daily basis make it less so....

Glendale College and CSULA, business management.

Posted by: carr914 Nov 1 2004, 10:57 AM

B.S. in Accounting and Marketing

Spent most of the last 22 years working as a Manuf Rep in the construction industry.

Did spend 2 years as a test driver for Volkswagon-Audi.

I'm also lucky enough to receive a check from Skip Barber Racing as a part-timer

T.C.

Posted by: Ferg Nov 1 2004, 11:13 AM

Majored in Marketing
Minor in Geology

Since graduation, 6 years ago I have worked for a individual who used to be a big shot in venture capital, now he writes children's books. I'm more or less a fund manager, and office accountant, along with the oddities thrown in for fun. I have taken his kids skiing for a day, bought every one of his cars, (he never even goes to the dealership, I make all his car buying choices ) and other strange requests... So i'm like a glorified personal assistant . I like it, but it's not something I can see myself doing for the rest of my life, but it's a hard job to leave.

I should add, that i'm a part time buyer/seller/borker of auto's, mostly for my own benifit vs actual income...

Ferg.

Posted by: Rhodes71/914 Nov 1 2004, 11:21 AM

Posted by: GWN7 Nov 1 2004, 11:31 AM

I quit high school mid grade 12 (was bored) and got a job designing and building display fixtures for a large dept store. Made $75 a week. Did that for almost 2 years. Quit that to go instole floor coverings, made good money but hated crawing around on peoples dirty floors (still have my tools). Went to work building basements for a summer, started working for the city building sidewalks and curbs when the guy I worked for ran out of jobs. Got layed off at freeze up and went to work hauling propane. Decided that wasn't the job for me when I was following a route map at 2am and I ran out of country road with 10,000 gals of propane strapped to my back. Tank shifted broke some lines and the automatic shutoff valves save me from being boiled alive at -40C. Went and wrote my GED right after that.

Started my present job 3 months later. I get to kick in peoples doors, break their windows and pour water all over everything they own. I'm a firefighter/first responder. Love my job and enjoy going to work. I get to retire in 3 years.

Best advise is to find something you like to do and do it the best you can.

Posted by: Root_Werks Nov 1 2004, 11:34 AM

Posted by: groot Nov 1 2004, 11:39 AM

Very interesting seeing all the different backgrounds and approaches to life.

I work for Ford Motor Company setting targets for future vehicles. Not quite as cool as it sounds; I facilitate the process to take the marketing wants and meld them with the engineering cans to try to create feasible programs. I've been at Ford almost 5 years. Before this I did vehicle integration, where we manage and assess the attributes of the vehicle throughout the product development cycle.

Am I happy? Mostly.

BS in Mechanical Engineering from George Washintgon Universtity, Masters in Business Administration from University of North Dakota. How'd I get up there? 6 years in the Air Force. I was a missile launch officer in North Dakota in the USAF for 3 and in Los Angeles as a future space systems planner for another 3.

Posted by: Bleyseng Nov 1 2004, 11:46 AM

Have a AA in Photography and worked in Commercial Photography shooting catalogs, newpaper ads and all for 5 years. I left because during the winter I never saw daylight. Always working in the darkroom or darkened studio and it was tough never knowing when I could go home. Hard to leave at 5pm when a $20k shot was in progress....staying till midnight then coming back in a 8AM equals - No life.

Became a carpenter on a whim to be outside and eventually started my own company (good thing I learned lots of business stuff in school) and have pretty much stayed self-employed for 20 years.

Right now I am doing Project Management for a medium sized construction company (went back to night school to get the training on the latest PM software and techniques). Pay is good and I have always enjoyed the "Guys" at work in construction. Office politics is usually at a minimum on job sites but once you go into the office, oh boy. I have managed a couple of those $10 million Microsoft homes and hated it so I left to build "real homes" for "real people".
I learned auto mechanics in High School and have always been fixing cars on the side. My biggest joy was rebuilding my 914 with my son who NEVER thought it would run again. HAH, when it drove for the first time with us in it you should have seen the smile on his face. Wow, we did this! He has gone on to do some crazy wenching (turbo Mazda that people said couldn't be done) and is now going to mechanics school in Phoenix. My son also worked for me for 4 years learning a effin trade so he can always fix/build his own stuff besides keeping his cars running.

My advice is after HS get a couple of different jobs-maybe in the trades to teach yourself effin workethic. Most young people don't know how to work these days-Show up on time everyday. Its hard, thats why its called"work".
Try and take some time to travel to Europe or where ever to see the rest of the world to get some perspective on life and how different it is.
Then come back and work hard at going to school with that work ethic (get great grades and learn something) and that new perspective on life.

Take all that and find a job or jobs and a career that you enjoy and makes some money. You never know where or how things will end up! Take some risks as that is where you will find the greatest lessons - good and bad.

Geoff

Posted by: SLITS Nov 1 2004, 12:12 PM

B.S. / B.A. - Chemistry/Psychology - PHD - school of hard knocks - Sales / Management for as long as I can remember (about 5 mins). Wanted to become a gynechologist, but became to enamored with the field and didn't make med school.

Current position is sitting at my desk, playing on the club, drinking coffee and picking on employess - Operations Manager is what I think they refer to me as. Full time asshole to everyone else. Oh, I forgot - eating donuts!

I'm happy where ever I'm at - drugs - someday I check in on reality.

Posted by: jfort Nov 1 2004, 12:32 PM

BS U.S. Naval Academy
JD Ohio State U. College of Law.

Attorney for 22 years. Env'l law for businesses. Mostly for people who buy, sell, develop and loan against real estate. It pays the bills. I'd rather work on cars and motorcycles.

Posted by: scruz914 Nov 1 2004, 01:26 PM

AA Photography.
BA Industrial Studies (Photography, Graphics, Wood, Auto)

25 years as a Business Systems Analyst in high tech. Basically design software to automate business processes like sales order management, shipping, invoicing, etc. The past 20 years I have worked for semiconductor companies.

Mostly like what do but am getting burned out. High tech can be high stress, always go, go, go. At times I have been in management but overall I don't enjoy it. I love working with people to solve problems. I have travelled all over the world. The money and benefits are great but can become golden handcuffs. Hope to at least be semi retired in seven years at 57. I would like to build and sell custom furniture part time (I have a full woodshop) to keep me active and out of trouble.

My advice, stay as flexible as you can early in your working life so you can make changes easily. Also, there is no perfect job. They all have their ups and downs.

-Jeff

Posted by: Jappe914 Nov 1 2004, 01:43 PM

I work with CNC-lathe and milling machine. I also made gears for living...

And some parts after work also for my vehicles like these type 4 straight cut adjustable cam gears and this dry sump oilpump
http://koti.mbnet.fi/ywa/jappe/autot/porsche/rattaat.jpg
http://koti.mbnet.fi/ywa/jappe/autot/porsche/P1010057.JPG

Posted by: gopack Nov 1 2004, 02:19 PM

Ok, here I go:
BS in Chemistry and a minor in environmental science from University of Wisconsin, Green Bay. worked in the environmental lab field for 12 years. After that I worked at Los Alamos National Laboratories for another 4 years. (govt. work can be a ball breaker). My boss there started a company manufacturing a peice of analytical equipment and I went to work for him. Currently the senior (only) scientist in a 4 man company. Pay is good, but always in danger of not happening, and I love the work. It is a cross between engineering, software, chemistry, and what ever else you can think of.

My advice, should you care, is do what ever you have a passion for. I always (some exceptions) loved my jobs, and the pay ususally sucked, but i got by. I will NEVER work a job i don't love, except as a stop gap to keep the bills getting paid.

Posted by: d7n7master Nov 1 2004, 02:50 PM

After 5 yrs. as a Jet Fuel Control Tech I hit "top grade". Damn. I needed more $$$. Decided I should go back to school.
---------------
A.S., LBCC
Quality Engineering Certification, LBCC
B.S., Engineering, UCI
Project Management, UOP
---------------
Over the years I have been the Q.A. mgr, Production mgr, Quality Eng, and engineering Project Mgr.
---------------
Nothing compares to engineering project management.
I'm having as much fun as when I was a JFC tech and I'm making a lot more $$$.
---------------
What's really cool is the whole "project" concept. There is a beginning (design), implementation (parts), installations (assy's), ground & flight test. Completion. Success???
Beer's...
--------------
Next project...

Posted by: BMartin914 Nov 1 2004, 03:04 PM

BS - Marketing/Management, CU-Denver

Currently Marketing Director for a small, fledgling company that deals in wireless phone accessories, hands free kits/devices, etc., etc.

Always looking.

No benefits, no real security, pays the bills FOR NOW.

Posted by: Jeff Bonanno Nov 1 2004, 03:15 PM

wow lots of cool responses.

what was the original question?

BS, MS, PhD chemistry - 9 yrs total - very few loan bills.

postdoc in chemistry - 1 yr - very low pay

prof in biophysics - 6 yrs

biotech scientist - 2 yrs

do i like it? yes! lots of curiosities in the sciences to keep one interested.

does it pay? not initially, but eventually (good reason to keep the loan bills down, you'll kick yourself later if you're paying through the nose for an education you are not using in an applied fashion)

only drawback to science in education is getting funded to do your research.

one major drawback to doing science in industry is you don't define the direction of your work.

good luck,
jbb

Posted by: Scott Schroeder Nov 1 2004, 03:23 PM

- B.S. in mangement and finance
- MBA
- Spent several months in CA at a division of the Musicians Institute called P.I.T.

I am a drummer with a day job, vs a finance guy with a hobby. I am currently in a lull - I havent been in a "real" band for almost a month. Still doing lots of hired gun stuff, both live and on studio projects.

My day job is a financial manager for a very large renal dialysis/blood technology company. It pays some of the bigger bills, but I turn it off at 5pm. I will probably do something in this field forever - or at least until I sell a million albums.

Posted by: bondo Nov 1 2004, 03:47 PM

Man, this is an awesome thread! We're such a diverse group.

Education: Bachelor of Architecture from Cal Poly in SLO. I transferred from a couple community colleges.. took 9.5 effin years to finish!

Job: Well, after getting the degree, I discovered that I don't really like most aspects of architecture. Lots of desk jobs, likelyhood of getting sued is high, etc. I got a halftime job at Cal Poly, as a technician (electro-mechanical) in the art department. The Cal Poly is the only non-architecture job I could get around here (I want to stay in the area, I've grown roots here) that paid ok, and it has great benefits. Unfortunately, I have been working there 2 years, with no raises and none in sight. Gas prices have gone way up, I now have to pay into my health plan, and parking permit fees have gone up... so now I effectively make less than I did when I started. As for the job istelf, I don't really like it, butI don't hate it either. There's more work for me to do than I can get done in the time I have. My to-do list is always growing, and only shrinks during breaks. I never fully catch up, which is a real drag. There is talk of making summer quarter full enrollment... if that happens I'll probably quit or implode. For a while I was also working half time at a glass tile company, but the commute (40 miles each way) was a killer, so I eventually quit.

In the end I can only see myself being truly happy through self employment. This will be even more likely once we have kids.. I see too many families with both parents working.. they make plenty of money, but then have to spend it on daycare and babysitters. I would rather cut out the middleman and be able to raise my own kids instead of paying someone else to do it and rarely seeing them myself.

This thread has been helpful to me as well because it's given me alot to think about. I'm done with school, but my position isn't that much different than Aaron's. I'm trying to find a long term self employment career that I can enjoy. I like design, troubleshooting, repair, and generally building things. I don't really want to get into construction because I'm only 29 and I already feel old. I have pins in my hip that randomly give me trouble, and I notice it happens more when I'm working hard. Here's a few things I've considered:

1. Furniture design (fun, but seems to be a difficult field to get into)
2. Handmade arts and crafts to sell at local farmers markets (hard to make profitable enough)
3. Real Estate investment (high initial cost)

The third one is holding my interest today.. When I was a teenager and in my early 20s I made extra money by buying classic cars, fixing them up and selling them. I always made a profit.. I did it with several VW bugs, and a 68 Mustang. Unfortunately, to do it at a high enough volume I would need a shop and employees. By then it wouldn't be what I want to do anymore. The thought occured to me.. why not do that with houses? Buy a fixer-upper, fix and up it, and resell. Does anyone here do this? The real estate market here is growing, and shows no sign of slowing down in the near future. It could be a good opportunity, but I don't know that much about it.

Posted by: PorscheTom Nov 1 2004, 04:46 PM

Very cool thread... it's interesting to see what people have studied and what they end up doing.

Anyway, graduated Sac State Univ with a BS in Computer Sciences in '81. My first 'real' job was as a computer operator for Cable Data in Sacramento as a computer operator. Man I loved running those old 'mainframe' computers. They were the real systems, raised floor computer rooms, rows of 9-track tape drives, removable hard drive disc packs, card readers, teletype writer consoles, etc. Remember, this was in the late 70's. These systems are in museums now - Honeywell computers.

Next job was as a operator/programmer on HP 3000 systems. Writing HMO software in Fortran and Cobol. Did that for several years then moved to So. Cal and went to work for Northrop Corp., Electronics Division in their Business systems division. Also go to work some 'back room' black projects for a couple years while I was there. Loved it! Should've stayed there but the constant 'layoff' axe always seemed to be looming. Did not like that and it began to wear on me.

Missed No. Cal, so while looking for another job in Sac. CA area, I overshot and ended up in Redding working for a small systems / software house as a contract type programmer. I hated that job and did it for almost 4 years until I found a job in the Fairfield area. The company was called E.T. - stood for Explosive Technologys. Made explosive excape systems for the Air Force and NASA. Loved that job but I hated the commute - Fairfield to Redding every weekend.

Managed to find a job as a I.S. Manager for a small 3rd party insurance administrator back in Redding. Did that for 9 years, liked it for a long time then the owner got wierd and I got fed up with the management Bull S$!# and found the job I have today.

Currently employed by the Superior Court of CA - County of Shasta as a court technology analyst. What that means is I administor their inhouse computer system, also do systems analysis and programming when needed. I like it, but after 24 years of computers I'm kind of burnt out.

I think if I ever live long enough to retire, I'm going to take a sledge hammer to my alarm clock and a PC and reduce them down to their individial componets. If I had to make a career change, I've always thought I'd like to get my smog tech. license and open my own smog only shop. After all, I don't think smog checks are going to go away in my lifetime. I'm going to try and teach my son to do what he loves and to try and make it on his own - not let his employer decide how much he's worth, income wise.

Posted by: michel richard Nov 1 2004, 06:29 PM

University of Montreal Law, 1980
Concordia University, MBA 1994

Began work as a trial lawyer in 1980, mostly defending personal injury and insurance claim cases, but also some commercial litigation.
Joined a Bank's legal department in 1988, of all things, and soon got to work on merger deals.
Moved from the bank to its investment dealer subsidiary in 1995 and now work on the bond desk as a trader, specializing in mortgage secutities. The money is good and we have good gang on the desk that is very tighly knit and that I have fun with (most of the time). Life is pretty good right now, although I have enough experience to know that can change.
Our carreers do change over time ! Being curious and willing to learn new things are the most important attributes, I think.
My hobbies have changed over time too. Fixing and running little foreign cars has been on the agenda for aobut 10 years now.

Michel Richard
914 2.2E MFI

Posted by: guywan914 Nov 1 2004, 07:33 PM

HVAC Contractor, high school education with several night school tech courses and many equipment manufacturer schools. Love my job, but it's been a long road to hoe to this point. Things have been great the last few years with construcion and new housing up in our area. We specialize in Geo Exchange systems which with fuel prices right now things are soaring. The technology keeps growing so we never stand still for long always something new to learn.

Posted by: marks914 Nov 1 2004, 07:42 PM

Posted by: MattR Nov 1 2004, 07:56 PM

Posted by: Red-Beard Nov 1 2004, 09:28 PM

BS Mechanical Engineering

I'm presently a Practitioner of "the Black Arts" - 6 Sigma.

14 Yrs with GE Power Systems. I had a blast for the first 5 years as a field engineer, then burned out.

3 yrs with Solar Turbines - 6 Sigma Black belt (Internal Quality consultant/Project manger)

Looking towards starting my own company.

Posted by: ppickerell Nov 1 2004, 09:43 PM

Aaron,
We traded emails before but did not connect. I enjoyed this thread because I LOVE MY JOB. I dropped out of HS jr year and ran away to cali in 73. I got a job coiling springs. That's right, forming little bits of wire into helixes to make stuff move. I spent 22 years learning the trade (metalforming) 10 of which was spent making other people VERY wealthy running their company for them. F!@# that! I started my own company in 96 and going to work every day is really easy for me. I won't bore you all with the details of what we do, but here is the message:
Kill your Boss, quit the company and start your own business! Control your own destiny!

Posted by: ppickerell Nov 1 2004, 09:45 PM

But barring starting your own company, get a ME degree and go to work for an Industrial Design firm and then jump ship to one their client startups that interests you.

Posted by: neo914-6 Nov 1 2004, 10:21 PM

Posted by: airsix Nov 1 2004, 10:47 PM

hey guys, what do you all do for a living?

-what education did you go through?
- do you enjoy your job?


help me find a good career by giving me info about yours

Posted by: winnkhan Nov 1 2004, 11:09 PM

I enjoy this site. How many live in california?Seems like everyone.
Anyway, I've got an associates degree in business,
I've owned three so far, I' m 34 .
One was custom deck construction, 3yrs, the other was
a solid surface (corian & such) countertop and shower company 10 yrs,
and my current one ; Real Estate home inspection.

My advice to anyone considering self employment is this;
Write down the reason your doing this(self employment), give this letter to your lawyer have him mail it to you 1 year later. If your reality doesnt live up to your reasons.
make the hard choices till it does., or until your happy.

I know it sounds like new-age crap . But you'll soon realize your new lifestyle isnt about the money you thought was important.

Either way, enjoy what you do & plan for retirment.

you 'll be old before you know it.

Posted by: FriarJohn Nov 1 2004, 11:12 PM

Posted by: winnkhan Nov 1 2004, 11:17 PM

Escape from the land of fruits and nuts? Say it isnt so.
Sounds like a John Carpenter film where's Snake Pliskin when ya need him.

Posted by: jimtab Nov 1 2004, 11:18 PM

Posted by: FriarJohn Nov 1 2004, 11:24 PM

Escape from the land of fruits and nuts? Say it isnt so.
Sounds like a John Carpenter film where's Snake Pliskin when ya need him.  :D  :D  :D

Posted by: DipShit Nov 1 2004, 11:30 PM

Blew a ski scholarship at the University of Wyoming in order to be a ski bum in Sun Valley, ID. Wake up every morning regretting that I ever left that gig.

Graduated later from the Colorado Institute of Art.

Was a self employed graphic designer... but burned out.

Got in to aviation 15 years ago to fly (it was in the blood) but ended up in management. Just got laid off in August (a whole sorted story in it's own).

Entrepenuer at heart so during my lay-off searched for something of interest and $$$ with low investment. I'm a "people person". So I will be taking the Wyoming State Insurance Exam tomorrow in order to take an appointment with AFLAC. Anyone have experience with AFLAC?

I am also the Founder of the Wyoming Snuff Company... www.hempdip.com

Life... live it air cooled and unlike me... ditch the f...ing rear view mirror!

Posted by: bryanthompson Nov 1 2004, 11:34 PM

I think this should be stickied or classic'd... It's so cool to see the huge amount of talent that's on this board. You guys are amazing!

Posted by: jimtab Nov 2 2004, 12:11 AM

I spent 4 years at San Jose State from '65-69. NO degree, lots of knowledge. I was an English Lit. major with a minor in Biology. Worked my way thru at hardware stores. At the end of 4 years I knew more about hardware. Knocked around the retail business for a couple of years, then wholesale plumbing, then running the inside operation for a plumbing wholesaler. Got fed up. Became a plumbing wholesale salesman, best job ever, highest paid unskilled labor on the planet. After 27 years I burned out from new ownership and traffic in San Francisco, mostly the parking(or lack thereof). Now I'm a buyer for a Commercial/Industrial hardware store in SF. Just marking time until my wife, a teacher, "pulls the pin" and we can do something interesting together. Like get a bigass motorhome and drive slow in front of people or something. Actually, we plan to spend our first year in Italy, using it as a base to see all of Europe. A year of European racing, Monaco, Le Mans, Goodwood, etc. and I guess she'll find something to do.
If my experience has anything of value to relate, it is Go to college, not for job training but to learn something about yourself and those around you. To learn how to learn new things and be open to new things. Best of luck.

Posted by: nebreitling Nov 2 2004, 12:15 AM

Posted by: rick 918-S Nov 2 2004, 12:30 AM

I graduated from the school of hard knocks with a degree in BS.
I self taught everything I've done as I've needed the skills through out my life.
Built pre-fab houses in a factory for a year or so.
Welding trade school led to a 4 year stretch at a ship yard as a certified welder. Worked in the freezing cold and dead of winter outside. Got laid off during the summer. Worked in my garage building Big Block Chev drag cars and custom painted for cash. Self taught auto body skills lead to starting and owning a collision repair store for 20 years. I worked all the time. I had a 6 full time employees, 4000 sf shop with a 1300 sf office, computerized, all the collision equipment, etc. Got tired of fighting with Insurance Companies and disfunctional employees. Sold the Building and sold off the large bulk of equipment and took 1 1/2 years off to get to know my little kids. Got a call one day from a friend that worked for an independent adjusting office. Told me to come down as they were short handed. Wrote auto for a few months, then started in property. Heard about a job opening with the company that employees me now. I've been a multi-line rep now for 4 years. The job consumes my life. You are judged purely on performance numbers. Don't meet the standards and your job is instantly on the line. No pat on the back for the great work you've done, only Exceeds, Meets, or Does not Meet! That's it. Cold hard Facts. Deal with it!
I like my home office except I could work 14 to 16 hrs a day easy.
Do I like it? No!
Does it pay the bills? You bet!
Who said you have to enjoy your job anyway! Makes it easier to get up in the morning. But it's not the only reason to work. Money talks, B.S.Walks.

If I could make a living doing custom car work without all the B.S. Employee headaches I'd ditch this gig in a heart beat.

Posted by: Mrs. K Nov 2 2004, 12:33 AM

I am a Radiologic Technologist, and now work in the Cardiac Cath Lab, implanting stents, pacemakers, AICD's (jump starters for sick hearts) and all that jazz.
I went to a hospital based X-Ray school, so I do not have a degree. However, I have been fortunate to do well in my field and now work as an independent contractor, going to lots of different hospitals in the LA-Orange Co area, filling needs in this highly technical area. The technical advances that I have seen in just the past 10-15 years are incredible!
I also truly love woking with people and feel great satisfaction knowing that I helped someone's life be either saved or made better! The pay isn't bad either (now that is).


Lisa

Posted by: ablose58 Nov 2 2004, 04:14 AM

I am a plant engineer for a baking company hehe in the pacific nw. money is great but sometimes free time is worth far more than moola AL

Posted by: tdgray Nov 2 2004, 07:12 AM

Posted by: crash914 Nov 2 2004, 09:43 AM

Hay Al, me to!!

Plant Engineer for the # 3 yogurt company in the US. Now part of the #1 world wide yogurt company....based in FRANCE!....guess I got to learn French.....

Good part is we are growing and so always have new challanges. Most of my time is spent in "we want this" but have no money!!!

so....EAT MORE YOGURT, IT IS GOOD FOR YOU AND KEEPS ME EMPLOYED!!

herb

Posted by: ! Nov 2 2004, 09:46 AM

Hay Al, me to!!

Plant Engineer for the # 3 yogurt company in the US. Now part of the #1 world wide yogurt company....based in FRANCE!....guess I got to learn French.....

Good part is we are growing and so always have new challanges. Most of my time is spent in "we want this" but have no money!!!

so....EAT MORE YOGURT, IT IS GOOD FOR YOU AND KEEPS ME EMPLOYED!!

herb

Posted by: SLITS Nov 2 2004, 09:57 AM

Yeh, you have to surrender..................just drop your pants and let the frogs take over. No Mike, we don't want video.

Posted by: ! Nov 2 2004, 10:46 AM

Lemme esplain sumting to jew Lucee.....

Dropping trow to express disdain is a whole lot different than dropping trow fer recreational activity of the butt pirate variety......

I drop only for an expression of freedom of speech.....I'm married with children....I haven't been laid since the Carter Administration.... :finger2:

Posted by: SLITS Nov 2 2004, 10:49 AM

Yeh you have - the guberment does it at least once per year and more frequently if they think they can get away with it.

Posted by: rhodyguy Nov 2 2004, 10:53 AM

WOW!!! new avatar. good one for the office.

kevin

Posted by: crash914 Nov 2 2004, 11:17 AM

Good one....

we surrendered for cash.....

got to keep my pants on though...

It is hard to have a conversation with the French without thinking about all of those jokes.......

Posted by: 914helo Nov 2 2004, 11:41 AM

Wow, I'm gone for a couple of days and I miss a huge interesting thread. I graduated from University of Utah with a degree in geography and went into the Navy. I'm a pilot, mostly search and rescue helicopters, but some fixed-wing also. It's a great job, but the deployments are rough on the family. I love to fly so it's hard to beat a job that pays me to fly.

Posted by: ppickerell Nov 2 2004, 01:30 PM

QUOTE

work for an Industrial Design firm

Pat,
Got any leads? I have a BSID from ACCD but work as an NPIE at KLA-T doing TS in an low stock value down turn with less people, more work, finger pointing, RIF environment

Posted by: nine14cats Nov 3 2004, 11:12 AM

I'm an International Strategic Accounts Manager for a semiconductor lighting company in San Jose (a former Hewlett Packard division). I bascially manage the sales and marketing of the companies display and automotive business.

Our most visible products are the LED Traffic Signals you see at your local intersections and the LED tail lamps, center high mount stop light, and turn markers on automobiles. I manage both of these businesses.

I have a B.S. in Business Management from Saint Mary's College with a minor in Adverstising. I put myself through college by playing guitar and keyboards in a local San Francisco bay area rock band for 5 years. (man....those were the rock and roll days!)

My company's business has been booming 40% annual growth since 2000. And we have only added manufacturing people, here in San Jose and in Malaysia. No help for the Sales and Marketing guys.

Am I happy with my job?.......NO.....

Over the last 16 months due to the nature of my job, most of the customer base and designs are now in Asia. As my job is a hybrid of a technical marketing / sales, I now live at least 7 days out of each 4 weeks in Asia. And for the past 6 months it has been 3 weeks out of every 8 weeks.

As I am now 44 and the last of 4 kids are getting ready for college, I find no satisfaction in being away from my wife, family and friends for the amount of time required for my job. Add in my boss (VP of S&M, aptly named) is a royal pain, and it's time for a new job.

The one downside to leaving is that I have 7 weeks vacation a year, I love my co-workers, and the job itself is interesting. The pay itself is really good, allowing me the luxury of building the 914-6 race car I am now. But looking forward, I won't be around much to drive it so after it's done sometime after the New Year and paid for, I will step off the Boeing 747 and stop the travel, hopefully find something more agreeable to my personal desires of wife, family and friends, and enjoy life more than I have for the past couple of years.

It's not a bleeding heart story, but I imagine several of us are in the same boat. In recent years of chosen money (well...4 kids for college... ) but it's now time to chose my personal desires.

I actually leave today for a 3 week trip to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia. I don't get back till right before Thanksgiving. And that makes me sad. But on the bright side, the new car will be done in the first part of next year and I will hopefully be doing something I find enjoyable and I'll be home.

Bill P.

Posted by: Nemo914 Nov 3 2004, 11:26 AM

BS in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

I haven't had a real job since graduating. I have flown for the last 16 years. Currently flying the F-15 Eagle at Otis ANGB on Cape Cod--protecting New York and Boston from harm! Lot's of fun. I still can't believe I get paid for it.

Posted by: blabla914 Nov 3 2004, 04:19 PM

Interesting post. Damn good idea.

I'm a mechanical engineer. I've worked in the automotive industry for the past 8 years making steering shafts for Chrysler and Ford and until recently developed and manufactured engine and vehicle speed sensors for Siemens VDO automotive. Yes that VDO you see on your gauges. Now I make subminiature two axis accelerometer and two axis rate sensors used in autonomous vehicles like missles. There's fun work like blowing tons (10-100 million) of other people's money to develop products and processes. Then there's checking prints, dealing with other engineers that don't want to play nice in the sandbox, flying to the customer on twenty minutes notice to explain why the VP's wife's PT cruiser left her walking home and what you'll have done yesterday to ensure that it NEVER NEVER happens again, working christmas eve to get a shipment of prototype sensors shipped to fit to their latest prototype motor because of someone else's mistake (what goes around comes around) etc etc etc.

Bottom line. If I was 18 again and I wanted to make a career of working in the automotive industry I'd enroll in a University that has a competative Formula SAE team. It is commonplace for seniors, especially team captains, to get job offers on the spot by the judges at the Formula SAE competition. BTW the judges are all automotive engineers and engineering managers. Make sure you join the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) as a student and be active. Check out www.sae.org. Run for office, organize stuff, and do what it takes on the Formula SAE team (even if that's sweeping the floor). The closer you are to Detroit the better your odds are of getting a fun design job. If you would like to design ATV's and dirt bikes instead check out the Mini Baja competition. Again it is common for seniors of competative teams to get job offers on the spot during the competition.

One final thing. Notice how many times competative or competition appears in the paragraph above. It's no secret cars are fun. Lots of people want to design cars for a living. It's a supply and demand thing. You need to get decent grades, you need "people skills" (this really means you have to be able to look some one in the eye and tell them they are the biggest asshole you have ever come across and wouldn't do them the favor of pissing on them if they were on fire and have them thank you), and you need to develop a reputation for being honest, dependable, and able to get the job done.

Good luck.

Kelly

Posted by: redshift Nov 3 2004, 05:29 PM

WTG Guys! Engineers, Pilots, Tech heads out the waazooo... heroic military doods....

I count can tabs, at an aluminum can tab sorting facility.




M

Posted by: redshift Nov 3 2004, 05:32 PM

I have a music degree, and a couple of unfinished others, one in EE.

What you need to do is get interested in something special, that rich people love to collect. Become an expert, and sell them stuff.

Then, you can sit here all day, and just screw around.



M

Posted by: anderssj Nov 3 2004, 07:12 PM

BS Engineering from USAF Academy, 1973. 22 years active duty as "weapons controller" in ground radars, AWACS (2000 hrs), Navy E-2C Hawkeye (900 hrs), then some flight test work at Boeing. Hung up the gloves in '95.

Now working as "info systems engineer" trying to apply DoD architecture framework to AF planning process. It's not flying, and it's not the Service, but it's not bad and it helps keep the boys in college.

Wife.gov says I used to be a man of action, but now I'm just an old geek (with a 914!!).

BTW, the Naval Aviator (above) is right--GREAT flying, but the deployments can kill the family. I was at sea over 350 days in my first 15 months flying with those guys . . . Best friend just completed command tour with E-2 squadron, roughly 14 years sea duty in his last 20.

Best,

Steve A-

Posted by: MattR Nov 3 2004, 07:36 PM

Posted by: rezron Nov 3 2004, 11:09 PM

Hey Deano, Pam, and Lawrence- we'll have to get together sometime. I'm in Mason City and get to DM every few months.

I'm currently a co-owner of a wholesale counterop business. I fabricate custom laminate and solid surface
(corian) tops. I'm selling out at the end of the year- so I'm looking for a change. It seems like I have to re-invent
myself every several years. I've got a couple 2 year degrees, I'm a Medical Lab Tech, I'm a bodyman and painter, I've got a few years of car sales, etc.... I could go on- but you get the idea! Just trying to figure out what I want to do when I grow up!


rezron

Posted by: airsix Nov 3 2004, 11:12 PM

BS in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Academy.

I haven't had a real job since graduating. I have flown for the last 16 years. Currently flying the F-15 Eagle at Otis ANGB on Cape Cod--protecting New York and Boston from harm! Lot's of fun. I still can't believe I get paid for it.

Posted by: redshift Nov 4 2004, 01:57 AM

I hope if Nemo sees John Kerry off Cape Cod sailing, he goes down real low to wave at him for me.




M

Posted by: jimtab Nov 4 2004, 08:55 AM

I hope if Nemo sees John Kerry off Cape Cod sailing, he goes down real low to wave at him for me.




M

Posted by: Nemo914 Nov 4 2004, 11:46 AM

I'm just a glorified heavy equipment operator! While my job might fall into the "cool" category, it doesn't compare to our young men and women who are overseas doing the tough work. I just hope we can get them all home soon!

Our re-elected president likes to hang out just north of us in Kennebunkport. We do combat patrols over him whenever he heads there for R&R. Nothing like following Air Force One as it takes off and flies him back to D.C.!

Love this site. I have learned a lot from all you 914 gurus. Keep it up. Many of these cars are the same age as the Eagle! We gotta keep em flying!

NEMO


Attached thumbnail(s)

Posted by: carreraguy Nov 4 2004, 11:56 AM

Nice shot Nemo- thanks for the wallpaper! Keep up the great work! I hope it goes without saying that all of us on the BBS support you and all the troops "over there".

Tom Trudell
LCDR/USN (Ret)
ex E-2C NFO too!

Posted by: vintage914racer Nov 4 2004, 07:08 PM

Education: BA MArketing Management (graduated in May from the University of St. Thomas in MN)

Current Job: Selling cars at the local Porsche/Audi dealer where I have worked since high school

Like it? Ask me in a couple months...

Posted by: Rgreen914 Nov 5 2004, 01:18 AM

I agree with those club members who are astonished by the breadth of talent and experience displayed within our group! My BA is in psychology but my work history was in a somewhat different area; I say "was" because I'm medically retired and I am by no means, a computer "geek". After 20+ years (and two damaged knees) I had to leave the service of the state of California. I had begun late in 1979, working for the California Youth Authority; I worked with what the state calls "youthful offenders" in a correctional facility (think "prison", lacking only the gun towers). The place was the largest facility of its kind in the state. It was originally named the Youth Training School (YTS); some referred to it as "Young Thug School" or "Young Tough Shits"! It was often hard to think of these young men, most of whom were in their 20's (and one of them I watched bench-press over 500 lbs), as "youthful" offenders but that is what the law calls them! After a few years, I decided to move on as did most of these youthful offenders (at least the ones who weren't killed when they returned to their "hoods"), to the Department of Corrections. In 1985 I was promoted to a position as a Correctional Counselor (sort of an institutional parole agent) at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo. I had previously gone to several job interviews at places such as Soledad and Susanville and was even scheduled to go to San Quentin for an interview but a scheduled execution pre-empted all such activity and I never got to go there. Later I moved on to the Southern California Maximum Security Complex in Tehachapi. Eventually, I too, was "released" to the streets and worked in Long Beach as a Parole Agent for about a dozen years; my last two years were spent mostly at LA County Jail, working the Parole Revocation Unit. When I went to work for the Department of Corrections in '85, there were 13 prisons in California; when I retired in 2000, that number had grown to 33!!! I didn't always like the work, but one thing was certain, you never knew what to expect when you left for work! I met a lot of crazy people during my career and many of them were cops! Thank God they were on my side!
I think a college education is like a crash helmet: you man never need it...but if you ever do and don't have one...!

Posted by: Quebecer Nov 24 2004, 02:22 PM

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from École de Technologie Supérieure (ETS) in Montreal, 1992.

It took a while to graduate because I was already working in engineering since my second year of University. Taking afternoon and mostly night courses took longer but it was well worth it.

I worked for Bionaire (later called Rival) as R&D lab engineer for over 6 years, doing small room air cleaners and humidifiers.

Then I moved to Bombardier Transportation, global leader in the rail equipment manufacturing and servicing industry, where I’ve been for over 5 years.

You probably know the name Bombardier from the other divisions: Aerospace (airplanes), Recreational (Sea Doo, Ski Doo, ATV, etc...) which was actually sold last year.

I started there as Lead Technical Writer.
I then moved to Supplier Quality Assurance, and as of April we’ve been transferred under Supply Management to be called Supply Base Management Engineers.
Work used to be more interesting when we were busier, right now it’s kind of slow since there are not many new trains being sold in North America.
Money is decent although it used to be better before all the cut backs.
Don’t know if I’ll be here much longer, but it the mean time it’ll do.

That’s the good thing about being an engineer, we’re very versatile and can do almost anything.

Posted by: K9Torro Nov 24 2004, 03:44 PM

AAS in Administration of Criminal Justice
BS in Criminal Justice
2000+ hours related job training

10 years active duty military followed by 13 years of drilling reserve SELRES
retiring in Sep 05 (account frozen until age 60 )

13 years State Law Enforcement Officer (4 patrol, 4 canine , 4 mid-level super)

I work 14 days a month (12 hour days) off every other weekend for three days,
state pays all my insurances/retirement. (retirement pay starts at age 52 or can
freeze account until then if I leave)

Pay decent, benefits decent, work ok sometimes not so ok others.

If I had it all to do over I would have been a Fireman for a large department.

Side job - own and manage 6 rental house's for spending money/retirement.

For all you pilots out there, I solo'ed on my 16th birthday and took my private
check ride and passed on my 17th birthday, flying for fun ever since.

Posted by: Gint Nov 24 2004, 07:17 PM

How did I miss this thread?!?!?! Lotta talent here.

Apparently I'm in the minority (of those that spoke up anyway) with Rick and Bruce.

Nice quote Rick!

Posted by: mattillac Nov 24 2004, 07:36 PM

i'm a service writer at toyota of vallejo. i write repair orders for all the cars getting repairs.

Posted by: veedubPORSCHEchris Nov 25 2004, 11:51 PM

im a pressman i print banknotes for a living aka paper money..and not in my basement i might add

Posted by: silver2.0 Nov 26 2004, 12:15 AM

WOW, lots of replies!
My parents didn't have money to send me to college, so I got scholorships, and started going to college here in washington at age 16. I took computer programming for one year, and changed my mind. The next 2 years I took machine shop technology. I worked for 9 years as a machinist, and have just recently been promoted to operations manager for a large pasta manufacturing plant. An operations manager coordinates schedules for production, orders in the proper materials, and also takes care of hiring and firing, at least where I work. I enjoy it, after 8 years as a maintenance machinist, making parts and busting knuckles, it's kinda nice to have my own office, and use my head more, and my body less. The thing is, almost any trade you can work your way up, if you apply yourself. Just learn something you enjoy, and can make some money at, and never stop learning.

Posted by: siverson Nov 26 2004, 12:21 AM

Short-version: I started my own software company when I graduated from Pomona College (Los Angeles) in 1998, and have been at it since. One of our home-user products is streamload.com, an online file storage service. It's quite a roller coast ride at times, but I definitely think I made a good decision (but then again, things are going well right now, ask me again during a "bad time").

Most often, people sell themselves short on what they are capable of doing. "Aim for the moon, you might end up in the stars." Well, I think most often when you "aim for the moon" you hit it.

Quick mini-poll I like ask people: What have actually failed at achieving that you -really- wanted and -really- focused on? Nothing? Not much? Exactly. I think that's because we often sell ourselves short and are too afraid of failure.

Sorry for sounding like a bad PBS after-school special, but seriously, you won't achieve something if you don't try to achieve it, so go for whatever it is you want, play by your own rules, aim for the moon, and don't sell yourself short.

-Steve

Posted by: Brando Nov 26 2004, 02:08 AM

I do see that we have quite a few colors of careers here. I respect greatly those of you who own/run IT/internet/computer businesses especially since the dot-bomb.

I have a diploma. And about 100 un-needed credits from both CSU Pomona and Riverside Community College. I couldn't afford the education of Cal Poly after a car accident and dropped out at sofmore level in the Graphic Arts field. I then went to RCC working full time and failed miserably. Simply put: I'm not a good student.

I've worked a variety of places. First with animal care at a local animal shelter out of highschool, then a call-center through most of my college time, then a graphic artist at an import/export company.

Now i work as an apprenticing Porsche Technician from one of the best in Southern California. 33 years of dealership and factory service -- soon I will learn it all! My second job is as an overseer in the Riverside Computer-Room for the Wall Street Journal. Fancy title for saying i print and run reports, manage in-out data for our presses and sit in a comfy air-conditioned room all by myself. Which is boring. I prefer working on cars.

Posted by: BiG bOgGs Nov 26 2004, 01:04 PM

AA from Edison Community College Ft. Myers FL
2.5 Years at the Untied States Military Academy at West Point
BA in Physics Education from the Unifersity of South Florida in Tampa FL

After 5.5 years of Teaching Physics I came to the realization that Teacher pay isn't worth they PITA that Adminiatration and parents gave me (the Kids were great! ) and the pay is not enough for me to support a family with. So I quit and worked forabout a year for a local doctor keeping his MRI machines tuned, and worked doing some PT Blue Printing for my friends business. During this time I found a job at UPS and have worked my way up to full time driver. I now make about double what I made as a Teacher and don't have half the stress.

I can now be the sole provider for my family and allow my wife to stay at home and raise out children.

I have come to the conclusion that I was looking for the job I liked doing when I should have looked of the lifestyle I wanted to live. Now that I live the way I want, I don't really care what I do durring my work hours as long as it allows me the time and resources to be a good father and husband.




To you Zoomies and Squids on this board....look over your shoulders....Army football is comming back!

Posted by: J P Stein Nov 26 2004, 02:36 PM

Posted by: Brad Roberts Nov 26 2004, 02:39 PM

JP nailed it (once again). I'm learning slowly that money doesnt bring happiness. I dont have a family right now, but I will want one in the near future and I dont want to be "married" to the business.


B

Posted by: Rhodes71/914 Nov 26 2004, 03:01 PM

Once I started a family, work became much less important, as long as I am able to support my family and we're happy.

Posted by: Carl Nov 26 2004, 03:47 PM

Exclusive supplier of recreational drugs to Miles Hendrix.

Really!
















OK, just kidding.

Posted by: black914 Nov 26 2004, 04:55 PM

I graduated with a BLA (Bachelor of Landscape Architecture) from Mississippi State University in 1974.

I am currently self-employed as a landscape architect in King, NC (a bedroom community of Winston-Salem,NC)
I have been self-employed since October of 1989 and I am very satisfied with my career. I am a one-person operation and I walk downstairs every day to my office! I have a very people-oriented profession which requries one-on-one contact with clients of varying personalities. I specialize in single-family residential work which allows me to design projects that I can only dream about owning but I get to spend other people's money!

I normally work with doctors, lawyers, CEO's, etc. I have as a recurring client a NASCAR team owner who has allowed me to design the outside surroundings of his personal house, his race shop, his racing museum and his newly-opened winery.

I work at a computer all day designing my work (I use to design at a drafting board doing hand drawings in the dinosaurs days before CAD) and I also get to visit the job sites to check construction progress. I do the majority of my work in North Carolina with a few projects in Virginia.

I have a terrific stay-at-home wife who stayed home to raise our adopted son from Seoul, Korea. He is currently a sophomore at the University of North Carolina Charlotte.

Life is grand!!!

Posted by: Ratt Nov 26 2004, 09:00 PM

I screwed my self royaly in High school. I had something like a 2.3gpa. Its not that I didnt understand the material. I just didnt see the point in doing the Homework. Untill I started to try to find a college.

I decided to enlist in the Navy. 6months in and Im having an awsome time. I got lucky enough to get into the Nuke Field, Got picked up as a Machinest Mate. Ill be working on the mechanical parts of either a carrier or Sub's reactor.

After I finish My schooling I will be short acouple Credits for a BA in applied Nuclear technology, so I will try to get that while Im still in the service. And use my Montgomery GI Bill to get a BA in Mechanical Engineering.

I guess for being a total screw-up in High School, Im actaully doing all right. Ill be Petty Officer 3rd class in another month! Oh yeah, Pay raise!
Andrew

Posted by: jwalters Nov 26 2004, 09:08 PM

..Never made it out of the 9th grade--Now I fix Coast Guard Falcon jets and fly in them occasionally--

Posted by: SGB Nov 26 2004, 11:28 PM

Built scale models of NASA hardware for R&D, mockup and display (museums & NASA offices) in the late 70s as a teenager.
Got degree in Civil Engineering with major in Environmental in '82.

Went to work with Army Corps of Engineers as environmental engineer working on assessing places for cleanup. There were lots of 'em...

Moved to Germany for a year in 85 to do the same thing over there.

Came back and started investigations and cleanups at some places and started looking at old DOD property for explosives hazards (old detonation grounds) and chemical warfare agent wastes.

Masters in Systems Engineering (Engineering management like an mba) in 92. Also got the PE license in 92.

Now i'm Project Manfer for ivestigation and cleanup of Cold War era weapons "R&D" palces.

Subject matter is interesting and it should be of benefit to humanity and all, but it sure is frustratingly full of BS and politics.

I've already made arrangements to work after retirement at my favorite VW repair place.

Posted by: Rider914 Nov 26 2004, 11:44 PM

Satellite Engineer - Take a television truck to any "event" that occurs in Florida and send back pictures to your house. When hurricane winds aren't blowing I fix all of the things that a monkey with a camera can break. Or work on the top of 2000 ft towers.

It is never the same from one day to the next.

Posted by: vsg914 Nov 27 2004, 09:06 AM

Here's a few pics of what On rails and I do to make money.


Attached thumbnail(s)

Posted by: vsg914 Nov 27 2004, 09:06 AM

nuther


Attached image(s)

Posted by: Bruce Allert Nov 27 2004, 09:32 AM

WOW!
Nice piece Curt Always liked build'n stuff outta wood but that is totally beyond me.

Definetly didn't get that at Wall Mart

Bet it was quite the in-house assembly job too. Looks like fun & great gratification.

Good Job Buddy (Fat Tire)

....b

Posted by: lawrencedesigns Nov 27 2004, 09:40 AM

Rider...
"monkey with a camera......"?

Hmmmmmm

MONKEY WITH A CAMERA????????

Posted by: vsg914 Nov 27 2004, 10:33 AM

Thanks Bruce, it is very gratifying to see the finished product. I usually don't get to see them after the painter is done.

Had my first 1554 yesterday. Most excellent!!!!