How did you choose your career?

This video is good advice. I followed my passion and got a Forestry degree, but there were no jobs. And even if you could land something every time the economy hiccuped everyone got laid off. I didn't want to live with layoffs always over my head so I started looking for a field that would never go away and people would always need. I ended up in the computer field and have enjoyed excellent pay and pretty much continuous employment ever since. My advice is find something everybody needs and you don't hate and go do that thing. Don't worry about all the bad advice to follow your passion, find something you love, bla, bla, bla. Work to live, not live to work.

 

Ok well here is an older man’s advice. Simple, do what you like. Sounds stupid, huh? No one is going to pay you to eat, sleep, drink, or screw around. If you hate your job or are bored with it, you will never be satisfied. I’m 50 and have worked in the oilfield for almost 30 yrs. I have changed my position 4 times in the last 10 yrs. The oilfield is horrible for young guys right now. We just furloughed 60% of our work force. Everyone I know that works in an oilfield related job has been affected. Without a Petroleum Technology degree, you would be hard pressed to get hired in production processing. I have a good salary but I could get laid off tomorrow. I have spent more time saw from my house than sleeping in my own bed.

What do you see is needed for the future?
1) Everyone has some kind of electronics in their pocket. These things will need to be repaired.
2) These things need electricity to charge the devices - electrician or generator repairs
3) Everyone needs water - plumbers, welders, equipment operators. It may not be glamorous but it can pay well. A plumber charges $100per hour.
4) What do you like to build or work on? Chase after this and you would be happy while doing it.

Good Luck.

 

The navy chose my path and I honestly just got lucky. They were like “what do you wanna do?” “I have no clue” “well you got high marks on your ASVAB so how about CTN (cyber security)” “sure”

Now I’ve done 8 years in the navy, separated a year ago, and continue to work for the government as a contractor doing similar computer cyber security stuff. I’ve been able to telework this whole time. And, computers are never ever going anywhere. If you can evolve with them, you’ll never be out of a job.

 

Im 34 and have been a 911 Dispatcher for my city for about 3 years now.

Before that I went to community college for a degree in dental technology which I worked in for about 5 years making dentures and dental appliances. The pay was terrible but I was adamant about staying in the medical field because of pressure from my parents. After that I tried to get a degree in machining so I could work at Boeing like my father but half way through I just lost all interest.

My friend got hired at my current job and talked about it and it interested me so here I am now. Its not my dream job but its rewarding work, with great benefits and pay. Going back to school over and over was not something I wanted to keep doing, so if you havnt looked at your city or government jobs take a look. I would have never thought to look there and im happy w/ where I am now.

 

My brother was in the navy for 6 years, got out with experience as an electrical engineer. Got hired at samsung with no college and works alongside a bunch of tech guys with degrees and has been there for about 7-8 years. Recently was promoted again with a nice raise and is making good money is a moderately expensive area.
I think he likes it, the nice thing about his job is its 3 shifts and he can choose when he wants to work. Could be Saturday to Monday night and then gets 4 days off, kind of like a nurse or medical field, and he can also opt to work overtime if he needs more money but dont think he does. I think he enjoys it for the most part, doesn't complain like me and certainly gets more raises.
He was not the most organized person when he got out, and was out of work for quite a few months, maybe 6.. Eventually one of his navy buddies worked on his resume and put the right format, words and made his 6 years very attractive enough to get hired, otherwise i dont think he ever would've been there or even considered it.

 

Lots of good things for me to think about in this thread. I've been at my same job now for 6.5 years, only had one raise and that was early on and there's really no room for promotions here. I'm considered hourly but don't get paid any OT and until all the 'pandemic' I was normally working 7 days a week averaging probably around 60 hrs a week and some weeks would come in well over 80+hrs. I really can't take what I'm doing and go somewhere else since I'm not trained/certified/etc. (I work as a vehicle maintenance/mechanic/transportation director/bus driver), I'm not a mechanic by any means but have picked up on our vehicles pretty good with the help of certified mechanics helping me, but show me another vehicle and I have no clue what to do with it lol.

I've strongly considered driving truck, already have my class B cdl but theres not hardly any jobs locally to me that pays much for a class B driver or they only want people with experience with their vehicle ie dump truck. I'm taking care of my mother and really can't be OTR and none of the local class A jobs want a new guy or to train a rookie that doesn't have class A experience. I used to enjoy my job but time and time again people that I worked with/for have left and I get part of their responsibilities added to my already insane amount of work.

Biggest reasons I haven't been applying around more are I have a little bit of freedom to take off to help my mom with dr appt and such since I work so many extra hrs and also kinda fly under most peoples radar. I also hate changes and have never been good with trying to interview or talk to people about jobs. In my years of working I've only had 1 official interview and that was a couple years ago for a job I was offered and they decided to hire someone else after my interview so I've def been more gun shy about putting myself out there.

 

I like sports, got one of the few paid internships in my city and 6 years later haven’t looked back...well maybe I shouldn’t speak so soon but they’ll be back eventually, right?

 

Best thing you can do is practice with someone, preferably someone that is good at interviewing/being interviewed. That, and maintaining the perspective that it's not a bad reflection on you personally if you don't do well in an interview - very few people are "born" to do well at these kinds of things, just like public speaking. Most people have to work at it to be good at it.

I've always hated interviews too, but I've found the best way to go about it is to be yourself as much as possible. The more you try and force yourself to be "more funny" or "more cool" the more awkward it ends up coming across. Just be yourself, be honest and be prepared for the questions that get asked in most interviews.

 

I think my biggest issue is I just don’t talk much at all with people I don’t know. Ask me a question and I’ll answer in as few words as possible and my brain shuts down to think of anything else to say. (Probably why I’m single too, never can strike up a convo with a girl unless it’s work related and after that my brain turns off)

I definitely don’t try to be someone or something I’m not, can’t stand people like that

 

I feel ya, I'm pretty introverted myself. Luckily my wife is too so we get along really well, but it took some time and a few failed relationships to find her lol. Nothing wrong with being quiet, quiet people are usually way more honest IMO than someone who's constantly talking up a storm to everyone around them.

My in-laws are like that and it drives me insane to be around them for more than 5 min at a time. No idea how my wife turned out to be the opposite

Anyway, back on topic if you do come across an opportunity again where an interview is necessary...practice with a friend or family member, it will help a lot

 

I liked drafting in high school so I became a draftsman, Got a B.S. in Architecture, decided I didn't want to be a "architect", ended up being a steel designer/detailer for the past 30something years using Autocad. My first few years was drawing on the board, I had to learn Autocad or find another profession. My wife is a respiratory therapist and works in a hospital, she hates her job. She has patients that are assholes which ruins her day sometimes. My daughter is a RN and working on her masters to become a nurse practitioner, starting salary for that position is $96K.

 

I was offered and given the opportunity to learn commercial refrigeration. I was working retail before. Went on a few ride alongs and liked it.

I think commercial HVAC and low temp refrigeration in a hot environment is where the money is at. Businesses will always need refrigeration. I was lucky enough that I also learned how to work on the hot side equipment of commercial kitchens.

I learned a lot in the time I worked for that company. I left because I worked too much and had a family already. If I was single, I would have stayed. Found a job as building maintenance which I’m content with what I’m getting paid. As soon as a gov job opens up I’m bouncing from where I’m at.

 

I got out of high school early my junior and senior year and worked at a landscape nursery. I hated it. Carried that hate with me everywhere. Graduated high school, 2 days later I was working for an HVAC company. Hated it. 2 years later a friend ask me if I wanted a job in a machine shop, I said sure, came and interviewed and took a position running a small lathe. I had been welding since I was 10 years old and doing odd jobs for people over the years and had a portable welder. I worked 8 hours in the machine shop and how ever many I could when I got off. I made more money when I had side jobs than I made at work at the time.

Fast forward through the years I ran a bigger lathe and started doing all our welding. Transitioned from the lathe to a new 3 axis milling machine and I still do all our welding, been here for 25 years come August. I still have my portable welder but rarely use it. Married with 2 kids now and my wife and I own a convenience store and both of us work it and she works another job as well so one of us has to be at the store since we don't have anyone hired right now. Life is good, I'm blessed beyond what I deserve

 

Engineering has served me well - living debt free (except house note) with a single income where most of my peers are dual income. There are challenges but it is a solid choice. My advice would be to start in the field (after a bachelor's) for 1-2 years - that way you know the subject matter from a practical point of view. The biggest frustration that I have is the corporate red tape and bloated organizations full of folks to believe they know better - there is real injustice in it but, if you know your field, you will transcend it and also be less likely to be laid off. I am a Mechanical Engineer by the way - been in oil and gas for 15 years. Personally, I'd like to use my acquired skills to start a sort of eco-business (greenhouses, geo-heating/cooling, clean water) but I'm not sure how to get there from here - point is that there is always things you wish you could be doing more than where you are but you wont do any of it unless you set a goal and start. 23 is not too late - oh, and it is a ton of work to get a degree in engineering so set your expectations for sacrificing but you do get through it if you never quit. You may take hits / setbacks but do not quit. I would consider Civil as well... Petroleum engineering (like the program at LSU or UT Austin, etc), under the current environment, may not seem wise - but 4 years from now it will be completely different. Check for programs you like and also call around and ask if there are schools that are waiving out of state tuition - that indicates there is a demand and companies are subsidizing the programs (worth a shot). Good Luck

this is almost 20 years old but here was my senior design project:
https://youtu.be/UeuLu5dnSxk

 

I thought I wanted to be a chef, turns out, late night's, low pay and angry people aren’t good for your job satisfaction. I love cooking but started to hate working around other people I though shared my passion. I was miserable after 5 years in the food industry.
Cut to 13 years later, I’m the Leading Petty Officer of a division of Submarine electronic technicians. I work on the most powerful weapon on earth. I work with the funniest, smartest most diverse group of people I have ever met. It hasn’t all been sunshine and happiness, but in the long run, your forget the bad times and remember then fun. it’s what I’m good at and brings me lots of joy, and a satisfying paycheck. Mike Rowe was right, don’t follow your dreams.

 

I’m turning 23 in July. Fuck what society tells you. Do what makes you happy, live within your means, do go into debt. You’ll be good. I decided to build my own house and live off the land. I found one of the cheapest unclaimed land in the country. I did a research project in high school to prove why it would be more economical to build rather then rent my whole life. To each is own.

 

Some of my best managers were psych majors. Dealing with people is an under rated skill.

 

Cloud computing. Checkout acloud.guru

 

Diesel mechanic in the military prior, got out intending to be a heavy equipment/truck mechanic and, being female, got laughed out of every phone call/job interview. Had one tell me straight out they didnt want a female working there to ‘ruin the vibe’, at least he was honest?
Randomly hunting help wanted ads and landed a job as a natural gas pipeline technician, pays a metric shitload, killer bennies, new work truck every few years, cool boss and coworker, blah blah. Its different every day and I love what I do luckily. Was a weird shift from the intended path but the valve maintenance and pipefitting in the military carried to this job.
Still working even with the shutdown, would probably work through the apocalypse if it came, people need natural gas. Good job security. We’re actually trying to hire a new tech.