What do you do for a living and why do you like it?

NEALSMO wrote: In reply to SVreX: My current month is a great example of why the system sucks. Last pay period I only flagged 48 hours for an 80 hour pay period. Granted I was sick one day, so at best it could have been a 56 hour pay period. Why? Because there just wasn't any work. Has nothing to do with my ability to work efficiently. This pay period? I'm at 138 hours and it doesn't end for another few hours. Sure I get a great paycheck this period, enough even to compensate for last period. Unfortunately it does always work that way and mortgage companies don't base your payments on how much you happened to make each month. I've run across a lot of bad work and have seen lots of hacks move through the system. They don't last long at my shop because we have high standards of ethics and productivity, but there is always a shop willing to hire them. How many times do we hear the stories of Lube-N-tune shops selling parts and fluids that aren't needed? Why? Because they are based on commission. It works if everybody has high morals and standards, but reality doesn't work that way.

I'm hearing you say that you are frustrated with the inconsistency in your paycheck. I understand your frustration.

But you are also saying you are paid commission, and that the quality in your shop is not compromised. But the Lube N Tune is. The outcome is apparently different because MANAGEMENT handles quality control differently, not because of commissions.

Lube N Tunes are all hourly by me, and do equally crappy work.

The reason hourly often fails to produce good quality is because the company is forced to cover themselves for those slow times you described. They do it by paying employees less than they are worth, so they can pay them steadily through the slow times while they do nothing at all. This leads to them hiring people who will work cheap for less then they are worth, which is not a good method to hire a quality staff.

We don't have to chase this rabbit further. We disagree a little. But I would always encourage a young person to chase commission scale rather than hourly if the opportunity presented itself.

I'm rolling up on 50 faster than I want to. I have very little formal education. I hated school with a purple passion and didn't even finish high school other than a GED.

You name it, I've probably done it in the last 30 years. I've been the lowliest laborer, and the CEO. I know shovels, electrical, plumbing, most aspects of construction, heavy equipment, small engines, pretty much everything that has to do with building or fixing something.

For the last 12 years, I've been self employed. Sales, service and installation of automated pedestrian doors and commercial doorways. We spend a good bit of time in hospitals. My customer list reads like a Who's Who of the greater Charleston area businesses. It's enjoyable. It pays very well. The schedule is flexible. I'm not stuck in a office 5 days a week. There are days it sucks, but the good days outweigh the bad by a long ways. I wouldn't trade it for another job, working for someone else, for twice the money.

In reply to SVreX:

I really don't disagree with your assessment. Commission based pay does encourage efficiency, and like you mentioned, good management can make sure quality and ethics aren't compromised to do so.

I'm just at a point in my life/career that I would like some consistency and less stress. Decades of working at this pace has taken it's toll on my body. I'm ready to kick on the cruise control and make a little less.

When I was in the Navy if you had asked me what I did every day I would have described it in three ways: Technical work, military duty, and operations. I marketed myself the same way, as a technician, as a vet, and as someone who ran the gas pedal on a nuclear submarine, in that order of priority and importance.

What I have since learned is that there is a whole world of careers in operations that no one knows about. Jobs like dispatchers, plant operators, inspectors. These aren't the people building stuff, or even doing stuff so much as keeping the equipment running or facilitating others doing stuff. The people everyone counts on but no one thinks about.

For most of those jobs you have have to get some sort of security clearance or background check, which immediately rules out 50% the people who you graduated high school with. Generally they are shift work jobs, which knocks out another 20% who are unwilling or unable. There are sometimes aptitude tests, which could filter another 20% and leave you with a tiny pool of eligible workers who probably don't even know the jobs are out there. Were I in your shoes, at the beginning of my working life, I'd be starting there.

Great topic and I think it will become even more fascinating in the future as the jobs landscape is changing dramatically.

I'm a CPA, 29 years old working for a water supply company doing tax and treasury work. Spent 4 years in public accounting and 2 years at my current gig. Do I like it? Yes, but partially for the wrong reasons. I'm really good at what I do but I hate getting to the end of the week and coming to the realization that I haven't actually created any THING and really just moved numbers around on spreadsheets. The worst part is the number of hours that are wasted working with bosses/colleagues/vendors working on stupid immaterial BS that no one will bat an eye to.

I'm torn as to what my recommendation for you would be. On one hand doing a job you love will allow you to never work a day in your life. My problem with that is it seems like those jobs are few and far between OR they pay peanuts. If you could do anything in the world and whatever job fits that description is an option than who cares about the peanuts.

For me I couldn't come up with a job that fit that description so I took an alternate route. I found a career path that pays well and has good security. The game plan is to tough it out until I reach financial independence (10 years) and THEN do whatever the heck I damn please. It's kind of the ultimate gamble sacrificing current enjoyment for future enjoyment but IMO it's much less risky than working until 67 and then wishing you had the health/time/money to do whatever you dream of.

Cliff notes: Find a career that will let you enjoy life (note I didn't say enjoy your job)and START CONTRIBUTING TO RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS NOW

I'm working in a similar environment as PHeller; I do mapping for a power company. You can probably guess which one if you see where I live.

Right now it's pretty boring but that's just because I'm doing pretty repetitive tasks that are likely better suited for someone with less experience than me.

That said, I really like the GIS field as are whole. There's a few different ways to specialize and it's growing pretty fast. We all use GIS almost every day. Google maps? GIS. Yelp? GIS is what's telling you where that sweet lunch restaurant is. Etc etc.

I really prefer the data collection/analysis part of the field so that's where I'm planning on going when this contact is up. I set up the data collection system (from the actual devices, to the protocols, to the database) for the biology department at my last employer and had a really good time doing it.

pheller wrote:

racerdave600 wrote: I'm 53 and a Supply Chain Manager. I took a job at an energy company and my job is managing vendors. So here I am still doing this 7 years later. I wouldn't say I loved it, but it pays a TON better than TV work. It is also fairly stressful which isn't always fun.

When you say energy company, as in production, or do you work for a transmission company? I've found the utility industry is pretty laid back, with exception to what I call the "classical" work environment. We've got a pretty set schedule, pretty rigid vacation structure (that doesn't increase much) and nothing too progressive in other aspects of daily office life. I don't experience much stress, but that could just be my job.

We actually have two companies. The energy part is that we produce technology for the coal industry, mainly a form of radiation detector and systems controls to keep the cutting head in a coal seam. We've also in the past produced a form of drill bit for the oil industry that helps to "find" the oil, so to speak.

Our other company is an industrial safety company that deals with proximity detection.

We're owned by a couple of ex NASA people, and by that I mean one was an original member of Von Braun's team.

Im a "lube tech" and i love it most days. We just do fluids of all kinds and filters. After 2 years at a dealership and 3 years working on motorcycles im more then happy with the simplicity of my current job. been here 4 years.

A big factor is the owner/boss is a great guy who understands the job so the occasional problems we run into arent real bad. The pay is less then i made working on motorcycles but im not exhausted at the end of the day and i can charge car parts on my company account.

Ohh and unlike most horrible lube shops we dont work on commission so it stays laid back. We do use a trans flush machine wich is evil on the internet though!

Wow, a ton of helpful information here. I am reading and taking notes for sure. I am comparing the common factors of everyone's pros and cons of what they do and why. I think I am going to write up a few different 5 year plans and see how they look with different ideas in them. Also I have taken from all of this that I really need to get out there and experience more things as well, as opposed to sitting here researching, and trying to figure it all out at once.

Auto shop owner. I still work in the shop more than up front, because at 56 I'm still unable to smile and nod when people say stupid things to me. So, I hire people to be the smiling face. Other problem is it took me a very, very long time to find someone who is able to produce the quality and quantity of work that I can...and now, he wants to open his own place, so I'm going to have to go through a half dozen idiots before I find someone who won't break me.

The flat rate pay thing is interesting. I've been flat rate since 1982, (first as a dealer tech, then self employed) and it used to be a pretty good deal. The manufacturer warranty times now are placing a large portion of the warranty costs onto the shop, and the tech. And, there is nothing a tech can do about it, unless the shop is big enough to allow real specialization.

I'm a good mechanic, and a good technician. I much prefer being a mechanic, but that's not possible these days.

pheller wrote:

yupididit wrote: BattleSpace Management

Everything about this sounds awesome. Well, except the war part, but it still sounds cool.

Honestly, I've been rather bored for about 3 years now. It was pretty awesome, when I knew nothing about it

Hotrodder. Sorta. I work at a Miata performance parts company doing product support, development, ecommerce, advertising, marketing, photography, etc, etc. Small business

I got here by doing things. My education is in music education, pure math and a short stint in multimedia design (oh so 90's). I was playing with cars on the side and started doing the advertising for Flyin' Miata (and other Miata companies) while working in the high tech world. Right about the time that collapsed, FM needed a new technician and so they hired someone they knew. Loads of on-the-job learning, with the sort of management that lets people run with their interests. I used to turn wrenches when I wasn't answering phones, now I answer phones as I try to work on computer code. You cannot get where I am with a plan, you just have to make yourself useful, learn stuff and be ready to take opportunities.

It's not a way to make a lot of money. My wife makes twice what I do, and I'm way behind where I was when I left high tech. Because I'm in a small company, there is no corporate ladder and I'm pretty much tapped out in terms of advancement and salary. I'm also not learning the way I used to, which is a problem. Part of my job is making my job seem like the best thing ever, and there are days when it is. But there are crappy days for a bunch of reasons, like anywhere.

Also like anywhere, the management has a huge effect on how happy you are at the end of the day. A dream job with crap management quickly turns into not a dream job.

On top of this, I've written some books. They came out of some articles I wrote online. The editor approached me because I knew my stuff and I could stick words together good. Tip to all those out there: everything you write matters. A forum post on how to change oil could get you a book contract.

The books have paid for a few fun toys like a race car, but it's like having a second full-time job when I'm writing one.

Now, I have to remember to bring my helmet to work tomorrow because I need to do some track testing of the RF, then drive the V8 home to make sure the new CAN programming is good...

Currently working as a welder/machinist. All MIG or TIG welding, mild steel and stainless with some aluminum thrown in once in a while. Run a lathe sometimes with a bit of vertical mill work thrown in. Mostly simple stuff, nothing to strenuous. I like this job because I can take a pile of steel and make it into something useful. If I need something, I can make it, whatever I can dream up that doesn't need to be heat treated. What I don't like are the employers I've dealt with lately. Bitch about not being able to find people that can do this stuff anymore, but when you do, you treat them like crap.

Mechanical Engineer that does facility design work. So designing hvac, plumbing, some steam, some controls... I feel like a jack of all trades, master of none, but just doing one part of my job would be boring. If you want to move heat, or water/air, or both, i could design you something. My job title is mechanical engineer, and i am a registered professional engineer in multiple states.

I'm a Mechanical Engineer at a nuclear power plant. The pros at the job are interesting subject matter, good pay, and job security. The cons are the hours sometimes (when the plant needs you it needs you) very high responsibility, and highly process driven.

Shop foreman in a restoration shop that specialises in pre-war luxury cars and exotics.

http://www.vintagerodshop.com/

I love it because everything is new and different and a challenge. The cars I work on are from an era where every manufacturer was still trying new things.

Packard engines and Duesenberg engines are technologial masterpieces, the style and design of coach bodies is amazing.

This job has let me drive and service incredible machinery as well as go to amazing places. In August I was walking the green at Pebble Beach, watching the three Ford GT40s that placed first, second and third at LeMans drive across the stage.

Today in the shop I've got a 1932 Auburn Boattail, a 1925 Diana Light 8, a Mercedes 300SL Roadster, a 1965 AC Cobra, a 1966 Ferrari 275GTB, a 1913 HA Moyer a 1957 Chevrolet Bel Aire and a 1979 Tenth Anniversary Trans-Am.

What's not to love?

5 years drivers coach (skills like skid control and emergency braking and street rules like drivers Ed), and 5 years healthcare IT. I make much more money in IT, but both are fun.

My advice is to learn how to maximize the folks around you as soon as you can. There is a very real limit to the daily productivity of a single human, but groups can effectively achieve anything.

High production individuals are rare and will always have a job. Individuals who can drive high production from a team are exponentially more rare and more valuable.

48 (really? How did that happen?) and I'm a software developer. Been doing it since the late 80s professionally, dropped out of university (which I do not recommend these days) and somehow still made it work.

I used to do a lot of interesting performance oriented work in finance, but just quit doing that for the second time last year. Software development per se is a job with a high burnout rate already, and working in finance, especially trading, only increases that.

I'm not management material - I can do development management reasonably successfully, but I don't find it very fulfilling and very stressful at the same time.

So I had to find something else, and I'm now working for a small database company as consulting engineer. What that means is that I travel a lot, visit customers and help them make better use of my employer's products. It's pretty fun - you get to see a lot of different projects and companies with wildly differing problems and we do everything from providing developer and DBA training to in-depth debugging sessions. Plus, the company is adamant that they want really experienced people in these roles, which makes for a very interesting and highly competent team with a very broad range of skills.

Would I do this again? Honestly, I don't know. I'm pretty good at what I do but most comanies these want good, fast and cheap. I do the first part well, second so/so and the third not at all. That plus my age limits my job opportunities and I think that's only going to get worse as time progresses. I see a lot of "experience doesn't count anymore" from people who don't know any better and thus have to re-learn the lessons I thought we learned 20-30 years ago over and over again.

These days I'd stick to a niche job that's not easy outsourced and has enough potential clients that are will to pay for your specific expertise.

I'm currently working for a vehicle transport and logistics company, its pretty kick ass. Less than 10 minutes from home, I'm moving, inspecting, detailing and storing brand new cars prior to them being distributed to dealerships.

Today there were several Porsches that were on their way to a Porsche sport driving school. Whilst I didn't get to drive them, just having them laying around the place was an awesome sight. I drove an Audi rs7 today, and have driven pretty much everything in their current 2017 line up. A couple of days ago I was one of the first people in Australia to get up close and personal with a Kia stinger. The pay is not bad for the work I do. I'm home just after 2pm every day and I'm fast making an impression with the people that count due to my previous vehicular experience and ability to get E36 M3 sorted. Hopefully I can get into a role that will see me able to get into brand new Porsches, Wich are understandably tightly controlled.

Over the years I've probably worked in far to many different jobs and too many people, I have have probably job hopped entirely to much. I guess I'm still searching for that perfect fit? Or maybe I just don't have one. Whatever the case may be, I like the array of experience its given me, and while it's possibly hindered me, I feel I've gained a far broader skill set and understanding of various working environments and industries than if I'd have just stayed put and settled.

My first job was as a sandwich hand and server in a roadhouse, it was one of the only jobs a teenager could get in my small town. I learned to become a half decent barista, was kicking short order cools off the grill at times because they could multi task and didn't have a concept of how to cook rare, medium or well done. I also ended up being the guy who they'd aask to fill in if the maintenance man was on holidays or sick.

From there I did a 4 year stint in the army where I qualified as a mechanic, I decided service life wasn't for me, there are various reasons for this Wich would probably be enough for a thread own it's own.

Post army I did about 12 months as a mobile mechanic, it was toxic. The bonus structure encouraged shoddy work, the turn and burn of customers and high pressure sales tactics. All the while the powers that be couldn't figure out why return and repeat customers were at an all time low. I had a high satisfaction rate, low levels of reworks but ultimately wasn't cut out to flog crap to unsuspecting and trusting customers.

Next up I spent a year working for an employment agency, I spent several months working in a powder coaters followed by several months in a radiator repair shop. I learnt heaps in both places and possibly could have spent longer in either, but such is the nature of temping.

Next up I spent 3 years as a courier, I wanted something completely different and it certainly was that. It was a small sub contract outfit for a large Australian service and again I learned fast and progressed easily. It was a fun job untill changes within the company saw my work load go right up while my pay stagnated. I was relied upon heavily to cover other screw ups and eventually had a Frank and honest discussion with the owner. I was told "don't like it, leave", I thanked him for his time and did just that.

After that I needed to get back to technical work and took on role as a technician for a company that specialised in industrial cleaning equipment. I should have seen the writing on the wall when the other guy who started with me walked after 3 days, and the bulk of the staff were disgruntled at best. But I liked the diversity, the challenge and fell hook, line and sinker for the bullE36 M3 of a smooth talking con-artist of a boss. Over my time there I watched as he lied and cheated his customers, and went through staff at an alarming rate. While I grew to hate that job with a passion, I was damn good at it. I got to paint, panel beat, do electrical, hydraulics, pretty much anything that was thrown my way... The final straw came when I'd busted my ass to help move the business to a new premises and needed a couple of days off as I was expected back home for my 30th. Despite the numerous favours and bail outs id given the E36 M3 heel, I was told "no can do". Let's just say things got rather heated and I ceased Employment there. Just last month after 3 years he starts calling me, trying to convince me to come back. Fuhgedaboudit buddy, not even if your life depended on it.

Again, dissolusioned with tech work I looked for change. I got my forklift ticket and got into manufacturing. I spent 2 and a half years making hoise paint. It was easy money, and a 4 day work week. My technical background meant I fell in with the fitters and often provided diagnostic feedback on production machinery. As always I learnt fast and had the ability to do things that alot of longer term staff simply couldn't grasp. Ultimately I finished my time there on a good note, and left to take a 6 month break so I could finally knock over the bulk of my house renovations which are now almost complete.

At times I can be a difficult person, at others Ive allowed myself to be taken advantage of.

Sorry if this was a bit of verbal diarrhoea, or if it makes me seem like a flake, a victim or a smug prick... Just once I started writing it all kind of came out. I don't know if I'd have done anything different given my time again, but I know my experiences have shaped me into the person I am, for better or worse.

Tldr.... I'm either a genius or a screw up and berkeleyed if I know if anything of that makes sense

31, lives in Texas. Current position in a Service Advisor at a Jaguar Dealership. That is all about to change in less than two weeks. I begin my new job at Classic BMW working on their World Challenge Touring Car Team, working on a handful of M235iGTs.

Moved to Texas back in 2013 to assume the role of Team Manager on a Trans AM TA2 team. After a turbulent year and a special Nitrous Fogger Jr, I left for a Porsche Team named Topp Racing. I spent 3 years there, working on anywhere from Spec Boxsters all the way to 997 GT3RSR's and current GTd 991s. Was the sole car chief/mechanic for Jeff Mosing in his gold Class Porsche Cup car. We won the Championship in 2015 with our worst finish being 2nd all year. I then had a opportunity to join the Gainsco/Bob Stalling squad last year. Joined and immediately got tossed in the mix. Spent the year working on the McLaren 650S GT3 with two ex-Indy 500 race winning mechanics. Seeing that I wasn't going to have Medical coverage for my new born and Wife, I quit to join Jaguar.

The new job starts on the 20th. I get the same health benefits, hourly in the shop, working full time on the BMWs as well as being a Dinan installer on customer cars and also restoring old cars like 2002s, M1s, muscle cars. I also fly to the track, like all other race jobs, maintain the car at the track, ect.

Like Klayfish I am an insurance claims adjuster/appraiser for auto claims. I sort of meandered into this after doing auto parts sales for several years (no money in that). In my state you have to be licensed which mostly means you take a purposely confusing test and pay a annual fee. Most companies want a college degree for you to advance at all and I don't have one but I also don't have any desire to move into management. It is a reasonably secure job but I have been downsized twice by mergers or companies ceasing to do business in my state, so nothing is guaranteed.

It suits my personality because I have introvert tendencies. I spend a large portion of my day driving or working solo on the computer in between small doses of dealing with people face to face. That suits me far better than constant contact (when I was a body shop estimator or manager). I think knowing your personality type and trying to find a job that fits that somewhat is important, something I didn't know just ten years ago (I'll be 52 this month).

I used to grumble about incompetent managers until I became one. HATED trying to manage people. You spend more time being a daycare worker than you do dealing with adult problems.

Looking back I would have given far more consideration to the military in my 20s. I sort of regret not doing that as it would have helped me mature in addition to teaching me a good skill. Another career I would have looked at more deeply was working for a railroad. Though it is on-call crap for the first dozen years once you gain some seniority you can pull a nice gig. Being a union job means you get paid too much and can retire early with a nice pension. Running those big locomotives can't be all bad either.

No matter what you decide do something you don't hate. Coming home angry and exhausted every day is no way to live.

Start saving something for retirement NOW. That little bit will balloon into a wonderful safety net.

Travel and experience as much as you can at your age because you won't have time to do it later.

Don't be in a hurry to get married and settle down. I've done 25 years and don't really regret it but...it removes a lot of opportunities when you can't easily move, take a pay cut, etc.

34, Journalism - Public Relations degree, Technical Writer.

It's interesting, challenging, pays well (especially considering I live in OK), and allows me to do what I want outside of work.

Made guns for the Army.

Retired at 61 with 42 years service.

I miss everything but travelling to the desert in the summer.

STM317 wrote: The 2 best pieces of advice I'd give a younger me right now would be to: 1. Consider what jobs will and won't be around in 10 years. Automation has probably come to a bit of an inflection point in the US, and we'll probably start to see many jobs change, or disappear as a result. Pick a job where you can't be easily replaced by a robot.

To further elaborate on 1, pick a position that can not be done remotely in another country with labor that costs a fraction of what it is in the US. For example, IT workers at larger companies work under fear that their positions will be outsourced to India, or replaced with a H1B worker, as Disney did recently. A plumber or electrician on the other hand, their work cant be done from India.If doing the electrical thing, learn about CAT5(6).... for some reason most electricians dont want to deal with low voltage and it requires a separate contractor. I think if they did they would be in a very good position when quoting jobs.

I am, or was an IT guy, now I am a paper pusher for IT, official title is Business Analyst, but the position is more of a program manager (manage a bunch of small projects). Its not the greatest job, but I am making close to what I should be paid, and due to my tenure get a lot of vacation time. The issue with my position is that none of the resources needed to complete the projects report to me and do their work on their own schedules, often throwing a wrench in the gears making it tough to stick to the time lines necessary to complete the project on time. I am the one that takes the heat when stuff goes wrong.

In reply to lrrs:

I agree with the theory of what you are saying. Jobs that can't be exported- that's the essence of what I was saying when I referenced Mike Rowe.

However, I disagree about low voltage wiring. The cabling companies will be going through major transitions in the next few years. First, wireless networking will make their work largely obsolete. Second, their current work process is grossly overpaid, and has a laughably low bar as a barrier for entry. Anyone can get a low voltage license with very minimal training. For the moment, the costs hover around $150 per drop, but the companies that do it are tremendously inefficient. The correct market price should be more like $30-50 per drop. So, their market share is an easy target, and it won't be long before companies that are inefficient and can't figure out how to do it for less than $150 per drop will be forced out by companies that learn to be incredibly efficient (and fluent in wireless systems).

It won't be long before undocumented workers are pulling data cables. (Or electricians, or general contractors...)

As a buyer of their services, I have strongly considered starting my own cabling company, because I KNOW I could do much better.