I am still a college student (I feel like I've been in college forever) and currently enrolled in the occupational safety and health program at Murray State University. I am not particularly in love with OSH, but the university is one of the best in the nation for safety, I know I will have a fairly easy time finding a good job, and quite frankly I had no idea what else I would do if not for this. That being said, what do you do for a living? How did you decide or stumble in to your current occupation? Did you have to try 13 different things before you found one that you liked? Are their things you have to deal with on a regular basis that you really don't like about your job? Do you even like your job? Am I lazy millennial for wanting a good job with a good work/outside life balance? Thanks for all the tips, tricks, and insight in advance. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I will tell you the same thing I told my kids even before they went to college. Bust your ass make your education your job, get involved in organizations in college related to your field of work. Work hard and do well and things will work out the things that you desire will come to you over time not in a month or two or even 6 months. My job what I do? My kids say I don't work I just fly places and talk to people and then fly home. I have had many many Sunday morning flights and landed back at the airport Friday night. That is the least enjoyable part of my job. My title is National Sales Manager the company I work for has reps around the US Canada and Mexico I spend time with every rep in their territory along with trade shows and other assorted visits. I am also on the board of an association that is involved in the waste industry, not human waste. I do for the most part just talk to people for a living I do webinars a couple days a week when I am not traveling. Funny thing I am pretty introverted in real life. I came to my job reluctantly I worked wildland fire for many years and worked where I do now rather than taking unemployment in the off season. Because of my part time status back in the day with my current employer I was used where help was needed so I pretty much worked in every position in the company from shipping and receiving to building pumps, wiring controllers, crating bills of materials to purchasing and field work. I have reaped the reward of parts of 28 years of service I pretty much set my own schedule, I work from home parts of every day. I get a company vehicle and 6 weeks of vacation I don't use each year. I am 52 and it took me till I was in my 40's to be able to be what I considered comfortable, don't get me wrong I still have a stressful job at times but only years of experience makes it easier to manage.
I graduated high school in '93 went to college for a year and then took 2 years off before going back and earning a Bachelor's degree in Aviation Management. Worked for American for nine months and then went back to the restaurant industry. I had been in a professional kitchen since I was 13 and really liked cooking. By the time I was 37 I was a Certified Executive Chef, had lived in Europe, Japan and worked a cruise ship but it was extremely tiring always working nights, weekends and holidays. So, I made a change. Started working the farm again doing hay production, cattle and wheat. Ran into the owner of a roofing company one night at dinner and starting chatting with him and a week later became a roofing salesman, my dad was a roofer so I had a background. My experience with jobs has been good overall and I have been lucky and always landed on my feet. I like roofing bc I am a 1099 and can take the fall and winter off to hunt, trap and travel. I will say that in my twenties in never worked less than 70 hours a week and I'm down to about 50 hours a week now. When I left the culinary community I did go through a variety of jobs from working at a tree nursery to building and working my own mushroom "farm". Just happened to kinda luck into roofing.
Sr Data Engineer, I now work for a French Company and they treat you right. I move big data around the internet and make it look pretty so guys like Sota can see what their selling. Computer Science Major Days off 20 PTO Days 4 Summer Days(just 4 days off I can take in the summer) 2 floating Holidays 12 Holidays(average American company has 9) 8 sick days. Perks Catered Breakfast evert morning, yesterday was the omelet bar which was cool. Catered Lunch twice a week Massage twice a month. Yoga twice month Bar night once a month(company picks up the tab) Voyagers- I can go work in any of our offices on a project for up to a month Team events 1 once a qrt(last week we went go karting) I make well into 6 figures, I barley work 40 hours a week. it's a great gig. I have not missed one kids sports, concert, robotics events, unless I was at one while another went on. I set my own schedule, I work 7:00 to 4:00 and can work at home when I want. Sota, gave great advice on education or a skill. You have to run the business of YOU, market yourself and keep your skills updated so employers want you. I have many certifications and could walk out today and have a job by next week. The days of getting a job and staying for 30 years are gone or very rare. With automation coming more jobs will be eliminated, my last job we got rid of the most of the accounting department because we automated majority of their work. Pay attention in English class, I did not and it has held me back.
I put on a pair of black boots and a badge and go to work. I've been a public sector employee for almost nineteen years now in a few different areas. Special education teacher for six years. Floor supervisor for about 5.5 yrs in a juvenile jail. Beat cop for 6 years and now a patrol supervisor on a busy midnight squad for the past 2 yrs. If you like kicking some ass and getting your ass kicked bc of being exhausted and everything with being a cop, then youd love it. If not, it will take years off your life and spit you out. Nothing fancy but I've worked for my county for a long time and have a great amount of leave that I never fully use. Decent salary although the county shut down our raises off and on since the recession. Only real good thing is I'll be able to fully retire in 7 years, at age 51, with 25 yrs of service to the state of Virginia. I'll probably continue to work bc I'll have kids in college starting in 2021 and the youngest wont be done until 2030. Now if my wife excels at her current job, I certainly wont be working past the age of 51. Lol Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Respiratory therapist/hospital chaplain for over 30 years. What I like about it is being able to make a difference in peoples lives and see them get better and go home. What I don't like about it is the last several years with the opioid crisis is the absolute waste of life. It just seems so pointless to me, wasting a life the way some of them do. Even if they don't die and we are able to save them, many of them are so fried they will never, and I mean never, live a productive life. So much death and waste that even though I love what I do, I am ready to retire.
I recently graduated college with a degree in environmental science. I currently work in restoration ecology doing prairie, forest, and wetland restoration. Not the best paying but to me its all about the enjoyment. Being outside and seeing different things every day makes work easy and fun. Plus who doesnt like to spend there time outdoors and get paid for it.
Some awesome advice given so far. I work in agriculture insurance. The schedule making, work from home, and other perks keeps me here. Money ain’t bad but not something I’ll build a lot of wealth with. I work with ppl everyday when everything goes wrong. One on one, discussing their problems and listening. It does get old from time to time but it’s why I’m out there. I’ll go on the state what’s already been said. Get involved in yourself. Make yourself attractive to everyone in your field. Believe me when I say, it’s easy to disappear in the real world. The good, for an introvert, ppl leave me alone. The bad... opportunities don’t exactly knock on the door. Get out, help someone, help yourself, and enjoy it! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
HVAC Service and Controls Technician. I joined the Local 136 (Plumbers, Pipefitters, Welders, HVAC) while I was a senior in high school, and it’s been great. They pay for all schooling, full health benefits, 401k, and also two pensions. I will finish with an engineering degree. I’m about halfway done now. I work in the day, and go to school at night. Contractors are allowed to give as much or as little paid vacation time as they want. You’re allowed to take off as much as you like, it’s just not always paid time off. Pay is good, with plenty of opportunities to make more. Best advice I can pass along, no matter what career field you go into, set up your own retirement, independent of a company or employer. I have my own IRA’s and stocks, it’s the best way to ensure a comfortable retirement. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
I spent 4 years in college studying computer science. One day I woke up and realized that I couldn't handle being in an office all day. I was a bit of an adrenaline junkie back then so I quit that program and became an EMT. 3 years later I became a Paramedic. I spent just shy of 8 years working on an ambulance, and recently accepted a position as a flight medic, working on a helicopter. My only regret is not becoming a Paramedic sooner. Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk
Retired master electrician, bar owner and land owner. My wife runs the bar and I drag race my car and plant food plots on my land. It's a lot of work but someone's got to do it. I'm glad she gives me some money. Them drag radials are getting pretty thin!
Field Manager with IDNR Office of Oil & Gas for the next 186 days. It’s a fancy way of saying I do whatever the Director doesn’t want to do. I oversee 3 district offices and 13 inspectors. I’m not out in the field as much as I used to be. More meetings and con calls. Some days I miss stomping through the woods. I’m looking forward to calling it quits in April. Wife and I are hitting the road and plan on spending September and October in Colorado and Idaho chasing elk.
Ag research for the University of Minnesota and farmer. I'm the 5th generation farmer in my family so it was a pretty easy decision for me. I grew up with it my whole life and the older I got, the more I knew I wanted to do it the rest of my life. I went to school for plant science and ag business and luckily have a U of M experiment station 2 miles from my house. I started working there as a student in high school, and they created a full time position for me while still in college so I was pretty fortunate. My main focuses are weed and insect management but have a little bit of work in just about everything. Benefits and time off are amazing so that certainly helps. Love every minute of both "jobs".
Municipal engineering technician. I spend winters designing city water and sewer infrastructure projects as well as streets and parking lots. I spend the construction season outside on these same projects doing inspections and construction management. I left this field for about 10 years doing project management for a residential home construction company but ultimately came back to the engineering field because I liked it more. The best advice I can offer is that your career path may change over time but that’s OK. Finding something that you enjoy doing is far more important than sticking with something because that’s what your college degree says. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Currently, a college student majoring in environmental science, hoping to make it into either an ecological or wildlife consulting business. We will see what opportunities I have once I graduate this spring!
Marketing account manager. I went to school for marketing although I currently use zero things that I had to spend hours studying in college, imagine that. I lucked into this job right out of college and while it doesn't pay all that great, I enjoy what I do and have loads of free time and flexibility where I work. Anyway, we put logos on anything you can imagine so if anyone has a company looking for promotional goods to get your name out there, I'm your guy and would love to help!
