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**ghilliesuit** · 01-26-2021, 06:31 PM

I work as a Test and Evaluation Engineer at an Aerospace company. I am a new hire (less than 2 months in).

Yes, I do like it. So far so good. I made a career change to step into this role - so I wasnt sure if that would be the case. But I am in the honeymoon phase.

Prior to this I worked as an Industrial Test and Integration technician for about 4 years. Prior to that I spent about a decade as an Automotive Service technician.

What area are you moving to? When do you anticipate moving? What types of opportunities are you hoping to go after?

**Tugboater203** · 01-26-2021, 06:57 PM

I work on a tugboat moving clean oil products on the East and Gulf Coasts. The money is good and the time off is nice but it's getting old.

I stay because I have 2 kids about to be in college and thats not free yet so here I am. I do plan on re-evaluating once my youngest is out and going from there.

**flyweightnate** · 01-26-2021, 08:23 PM

I do mechanical engineering, product design and development, and now I'm getting into LSS implementation.

I love fixing problems and driving increased value through the organization, basically finding ways to get something for nothing by just not doing bad things anymore. It's a small organization, which has its ups and downs - you know the guy who stabs you in the back, but you also know the owner of the company.

The pay is high for my experience, low for my role - a small organization truism, I expect. I got "ahead", but ahead of whom? The best part isn't the party, though, it's seeing projects through to completion. I'd be bored out of my mind to do the same "role" in a guge organization, focusing on the cost of a screw or something, instead of the whole machine or process.

The real reason I stay, though, is a really good team. My boss is an absolute genius, and has compiled and organized a great team who all pull their weight and own up.

**eddie** · 01-26-2021, 09:51 PM

I'm a field scientist at an environmental consulting firm. The focus of my work is asbestos compliance, but recently I have started doing lead related work. There isn't an average day for me, but normally I am doing some form of inspecting or sampling. Federal law mandates our clients need inspections completed every 6 months. When a client wants to do renovations, our company does a survey of the areas to be renovated, and we sample materials that are going to be removed or impacted by the demo. Only professional abatement contractors can remove asbestos in these particular buildings. We provide oversight, and collect air samples throughout the project to make sure the building is safe and that the contractor is doing their job properly.

There's also unique opportunities like Indoor Air Quality Investigations, and some other stuff but not as often.

I hate it. Cannot wait to leave.

Pay is ok, but there's a lot of stress involved especially with the contractors. We are consultants so the managers pressure us to be "billable" meaning that sometimes we have to find something to do to charge a client, or we wont reach 40 hours for the week. If its Friday and you're short, get ready to work the weekend.

I really just want some kind of environmental compliance job that isn't as focused on field work. I like traveling, but it just adds to my stress when I'm doing it all the time. Anyone here from Long Island knows how bad the drivers are.

**MAr** · 01-26-2021, 09:57 PM

I currently work for the Federal Government at Public Service and Procurement Canada. I work in the Real Property Sector, strategic sourcing sector. I am leading the development of Indigenous Procurement methodologies to meet the Minister’s mandate that our billion dollar contracts achieve Indigenous participation at 5% or more.

the pay and benefits keep me there. I applied for 10+ jobs in the last two weeks. My new Senior Manager is an absolute nightmare.

I hate what I do, and would rather be a Carpenter. Multiple People last week sent me a job advertisement for a Carpenter job, but the pay cut would be too severe. My wife gets to ‘love’ her job that pays dirt. I have to suck it up and keep doing this shit. I am sure I’ll crack one day.

**Nish** · 01-26-2021, 10:03 PM

It's really strange for me. Lots of emotions. Been here for 4 generations now in a very small area. We've never really had much but there was always the reassurance in the back of my mind that if I needed something I knew someone that would be willing to work with me and help out, either because they knew me directly or indirectly and if the shoe was on the other foot I'd help them.

Since I got my first "real job" ie not shoveling cow poop on the weekends, I've gotten more jobs offered to me because of my reputation as a worker than I have sought out. I think I have only actually had to apply to 1 job in the last 22 years so the idea of looking for a job in and of it's self has me completely lost. I never really thought about what I wanted to do, just what had to be done to pay the bills and if the job being offered was better than the one I had.

All my future plans specifically revolved around relationships and needs in this area. Add to that, moving has had a special place in hell, in my mind since one fateful move didn't work out and we ended up homeless for a year trying to get our lives back together.

Now the idea of moving about 14 hours away, no job, no ability to count on friends, acquaintances, or a hard built reputation and starting all over.

Just hard to figure out where to start.

**Diomedes** · 01-26-2021, 10:10 PM

What is your current line of work?
I teach college biology, mainly the intro Bio 1 and 2 courses that everyone in a life science major has to take. I have between 700 and 1000 students every semester, and, in the before times, and presumably will at some point again, teach in a room that seats 499.

What keeps you at your current job?
I like it! The pay is...fine. My coworkers are great. The location is great. Kind of an expensive area, but close to lots of family.

Do you like it?
Love it. Love it in person. Remote teaching is...fine. In person is incredible. I get to nerd out to/with hundreds of people at a time about my absolute favorite stuff in the world. It's the best.

**punkncat** · 01-26-2021, 10:12 PM

Originally posted by Nish View Post

What is your current line of work?

What keeps you at your current job?

Do you like it?

I'm a little lost and on the cusp of a career change I think.

I work in fire safety. I run operations and billing for a company servicing extinguisher, fire sprinkler, backflow, alarm, emergency light, and other aspects of fire safety.
I started in fire safety by way of alarms back in the 90's after a "career change" as well. I really enjoyed the work, particularly the field/install side. A few years ago I found myself in a needing a job again type position and lucked into a situation where a person who owned this fire safety company needed help. My alarm background was invaluable to the operation and has presented quite a bit of opportunity moving from the field into an administrative role. The pay is good and up until very recently, and at my own request, I was working exclusively from home. Issues with operations, stock levels, and other forces led to the desire to operate from a shop/office at least half or more of the time.

I find myself in the most bountiful time of my life and (got) to spend a lot of time at home. Happy is a state of mind and would have to say that it would be foolish of me not to consider this as a different facet of some of the best career opportunity I have ever experienced.

**Siress** · 01-26-2021, 10:32 PM

There are pockets of industry scattered throughout the area, and many unique businesses. NC and SC are beautiful locations with great weather, excellent food, and absolutely stunning scenery. NC in particular is my dream state to live in right now, though I'd spend a lot of time in VA and WV on many a weekend.

If you want advice, it'd be to rank your top priorities and keep your strategy simple. Consider picking up a technical trade at the nearest tech school. Those often have a very high return on your investment. Careers in welding are extremely lucrative where I grew up and many other small towns; white collar salaries for blue collar work in areas with super low cost of living, manageable school loans, and work that satisfies those that like to make something. All of that leads to high purchasing power (more than most college grads see before 10+yrs out of school) and a great deal of job satisfaction. There are many such careers available. Keep a level head, be practical about what you're able and willing to do, and give it your best shot. Better today than tomorrow. Best of luck to you, Nish!

**Rickfactor2** · 01-26-2021, 11:24 PM

I work for a large police force and my office is a warehouse almost the size of a Costco filled with every item you can imagine seized during serious crime investigations and murders. It's all big, bad, gruesome, illicit stuff from bricks of cocaine, guns, ammo, $$$$$, and other forms of evidence.

I stay because it will earn me a pension and it's interesting.

There are good days and bad.

I worked in an office for the same employer for 11 years before that. I still get to do office type work but I can also get up and drive a forklift around or take a hammer to some kiddie-porn laptop that needs destroying when I feel like it.

**vijil** · 01-26-2021, 11:40 PM

I'm marketing/comms manager for a non profit with about 500 staff. No budget, no team.

Previously same role for a network time server company.

Previous to that, worked in concept art and 3d animation for TV.

In between I did two years on the counters at post offices and two short stints in the tech startup world.

The best thing about it is that I'm involved with the strategic business stuff. The interesting decisions always come through marketing at some point. I don't get paid much because it's a non profit, but it's *just* enough that my wife doesn't have to work if she doesn't want to, and we can still pay the mortgage.

**DocsMachine** · 01-27-2021, 05:40 AM

I straighten and restore wire coathangers on YouTube. Make about $1.2 million a year. Job takes me all over the world, wouldn't trade it for anything.

Doc.

**Number six** · 01-27-2021, 05:55 AM

I like tinkering, working with my hands, and airplanes, so I became a licensed airplane mechanic about six years ago. I got laid off from my first job after a year, and got picked up by a company halfway across the country. The only advantage to living alone is that I was able to pack up fairly easily.
I got into this game at 35 years old, and wish I had done it a long time ago, but here I am. My license is my reputation, and I can go pretty much anywhere.
This is my first actual career. I hadn't planned on getting out of the military until after 20 years, so when it happened after five, I lost about 14 years working part time at various jobs and not knowing what to do with myself. Now, benefits are pretty much a given wherever I go.

**Nish** · 01-27-2021, 09:12 AM

Originally posted by Siress View Post

There are pockets of industry scattered throughout the area, and many unique businesses. NC and SC are beautiful locations with great weather, excellent food, and absolutely stunning scenery. NC in particular is my dream state to live in right now, though I'd spend a lot of time in VA and WV on many a weekend.

If you want advice, it'd be to rank your top priorities and keep your strategy simple. Consider picking up a technical trade at the nearest tech school. Those often have a very high return on your investment. Careers in welding are extremely lucrative where I grew up and many other small towns; white collar salaries for blue collar work in areas with super low cost of living, manageable school loans, and work that satisfies those that like to make something. All of that leads to high purchasing power (more than most college grads see before 10+yrs out of school) and a great deal of job satisfaction. There are many such careers available. Keep a level head, be practical about what you're able and willing to do, and give it your best shot. Better today than tomorrow. Best of luck to you, Nish!

Thanks.

I have options and thats part of my problem. I have working knowledge/ experience in a few industries that seem to always (outside of covid anyway) be hiring. We leveraged my benefits at the university heavily enough that my wife has 2 masters degrees and the ability to relocate without loosing either of her jobs. Like I said I've always just kind of been of the mind that "Oh this is what I need to do to take care of my family" and fallen up the pay scale rather than climbed it. That being the case I'm willing to do most things. The problem is that my wife kept asking me what I wanted to do. She is persistant, just this side of nagging about it really, enough that I started searching for an answer.

I haven't found the answer yet, only that my main gig right now is not it.

I've thought about going to a tech school for a trade or going back to school to finish up my degree. I have a working knowledge of plumbing already, my work with my martial arts school has me looking into physical therapy as something I might like and my work with bars has me looking into how they do liquor control enforcement and education in those states as that was one of the things I thought I might do here in time.

**Tarsun2** · 01-27-2021, 10:02 AM

I've held many jobs in my short 30-odd years.
you graduate HS and have to pick a major for college. "What do you want to do for the rest of your life, and pick that major"...

Well how the hell am i supposed to know what I want to do. I haven't done anything yet.

ive worked everything from construction, to garage work, pharmacy, lifeguard, greenskeeper, cook, and many others.

i enjoy cars and automotive but dont do well with dishonesty and confrontation. Being a "mechanic" at a small garage was fun when i was working on my own stuff but the boss was the shadyest pos d-bag that gives mechanics and their mothers a bad name. Couldnt do. so i went back to college for biomedical engineering and did an internship at the local hospital.

so i finally found my roots
i finally found something after all these years.

i am a biomedical engineer. I repair and maintain hospital equipment. ive had my hands on almost every piece of equipment you could think of at a hospital.
ive been trained and certified to repair and maintain life safety ventilators. During the height of the pandemic, i was the go-to guy. that was pretty neat lol

i stay because the benefits and i love what i do. Sadly, the pay isnt there.

its like being a mechanic but no grease or dirt, no grime, price is not an object, everything is by-the-book, and people are happy when you show up.

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