Question: What do you guys do?
- Thread starter neversummersnow
- Start date
that's becasue it snowed 3 feet over spring break. Nothing like drving back from tahoe in a blizzard in a white truck in april.
I couldn't tell where my truck ended and the snow began.
Most everyone I know with a forestry/wildlife and fisheries/wildland rec degree is either a park ranger writing tickets for fishing w/o a liscense or not working in their field. Even kids w/ graduate degrees can't find jobs.There were about 4 of you in my fraternity, every one has gone back to school for a real degree.
And a big kick in the nuts for me was the classes I took were **** loads harder than what is required for a frisbee degree, but I get looked down on for my piece of paper saying forestry.
What school did you go to? The braaaaahs steered far and clear from the forestry dept at UT.
-Original post: Either get more schooling now or be a poor cat enjoying yourself. Once big responsibilites kick in, its harder to do either one.
Jackson.
Don't move to Jackson. Unless you are in the market for a house.
If so, PM me.
If so, PM me.
I earned a BS in business, then got an MBA after taking 4 years off - a break in between is generally good as long as you commit to doing it (as long as that is your goal). I now work for a fortune 500 company as a global client operations manager (rate it a 8 out of 10). I also do some real estate stuff (buy and sell houses, consult with new clients, and even do quite a bit of contractor and sub-contractor work (rate that a 9 out of 10).
Real estate is going to be tricky in the next few years, but don't let it fool you... there is plenty of money to be made in the field in soft times as well as in bull markets...
I didn't really get 'established' (got to where I wanted to be professionally) until about 4-5 years ago (early 30's), so don't stress out if you don't have everything locked-in in the next couple of years...
Real estate is going to be tricky in the next few years, but don't let it fool you... there is plenty of money to be made in the field in soft times as well as in bull markets...
I didn't really get 'established' (got to where I wanted to be professionally) until about 4-5 years ago (early 30's), so don't stress out if you don't have everything locked-in in the next couple of years...
I take up space.
eh 5/8 depending on the phase
no problem coming here in the morning, haver you ever visited houston?
i probably work 6 hours of the 40 i sit here a week
move to jackson forever
eh 5/8 depending on the phase
no problem coming here in the morning, haver you ever visited houston?
i probably work 6 hours of the 40 i sit here a week
move to jackson forever
oh and i flunked out of collage
bike mechanic
11
no, never. i did once, but that was because i was still drunk from the night before.
40 - 45.
at some point, i'd like to do some graduate work in economics, but a) i wouldn't be able to afford it, and b) i don't know if i'd do anything with it, other than enjoy it. i can read and study on my own w/o having to pay tuition.
Right now... I'm a full time Dad. Best fing job in the world. I know it does't seem like it pertains to your question, but gimme a little rope and if I'm lucky I won't hang myself. Rewind the clock 10 years and you'd see me, 22yrs old, getting started with my career in the IT/Telecom industry. I was always on the make, busting ass, working long hours, going to school for profession related certificate programs and credentials, just generally busting a nut trying to be an IT guru/coolguy. At the pinnacle, I was driving 1 hour to work and between 1.5 and 2.5 to get home. I was also at the highest salary I had seen to that point, and in comparission to my peers from school/the hood, I was kicking ass. 2001 saw some rough times in the economy in general and in the VoIP segment in particular people were getting whacked left and right. Our entire location was closed, and I had worked myself into such a narrow niche in the market I was f'd.
So I took some time, sat back and tried to figure out what to do. For me the answer was real estate. I got my license, 9 months later, I was closing 5 loans a week, and generally killing it. The hours were for sucks though, and life was passing me by as I was counting the money I was making. When the market slowed I changed companies, went to a less strict enviornment, started having fun, spending time with my friends, got married and realized that a thought which had occured to me some time ago was probably more true than most realize; we weren't put on this earth to toil for the benefit of others.
This past January when my wife's maternity leave was about up, we took a look at our daughter and decided that one of us should stay home with her. I was 1099 w/o bennefits, so I became Mr. Mom. It's hard when I talk to some of my old co-workers because they see it as me being lazy. Even for me, I feel torn over the issue; decades of socialization saying that I should be busting ass to get rich isn't easy to shake. But a simple change in perspective, and I can see that I'm richer than a lot of the guys pulling 200k/yr scamming/selling/lying/stressing their asses off with no time for fun or family.
So where am I going with this narcissistic diatribe? Don't let your career define you and how you live your life. Look at what you enjoy in life, then find a career that will let you partake in those activities and still provide for a comfortable existence both now and in retirement. Don't get caught up in titles, climbing the ladder, etc. etc. There is so much more to life than work, that what you should really be asking is which job will let you work the least and make the most $$
As far as the Masters, yes it is easier right out of school; you have the study habbits, know how to work the system, and will have more energy and time. If you can afford it and want to get the Masters for yourself, then do it. But if you are thinking of going into real estate, it won't mean one bit when it comes to writing business. If you are looking at going into some sort of salaried gig, and know that if you commit to getting it done, go work for a while, get some experience, find a company that pays for education, then get it on their dime.
But whatever you do, do it because it's what you want to do and makes you happy. Not because it makes the most $$ or has the coolest title. Working 10-12hrs a day, commuting for hours on end to get to and from work, and spending most of your life under the numbing glow of flourescent lights is a ****ty way to live, at least as far as I'm concerned. Do it if you must, but if I would have gotten into real esate when I was your age, I would be comfortably retired now, and I'm only 32. FWIW, I've got time in my day now with a 1yr old daughter to close a couple loans a month. Depending on the kind of business you're writing and your split with your broker, that could be enough to pay for a meager existence with tons of time for riding, all the way a 6 figure gross for the year, with the same time for riding. Live life and only work as much as you have to in order to be comfortable
Chris
So I took some time, sat back and tried to figure out what to do. For me the answer was real estate. I got my license, 9 months later, I was closing 5 loans a week, and generally killing it. The hours were for sucks though, and life was passing me by as I was counting the money I was making. When the market slowed I changed companies, went to a less strict enviornment, started having fun, spending time with my friends, got married and realized that a thought which had occured to me some time ago was probably more true than most realize; we weren't put on this earth to toil for the benefit of others.
This past January when my wife's maternity leave was about up, we took a look at our daughter and decided that one of us should stay home with her. I was 1099 w/o bennefits, so I became Mr. Mom. It's hard when I talk to some of my old co-workers because they see it as me being lazy. Even for me, I feel torn over the issue; decades of socialization saying that I should be busting ass to get rich isn't easy to shake. But a simple change in perspective, and I can see that I'm richer than a lot of the guys pulling 200k/yr scamming/selling/lying/stressing their asses off with no time for fun or family.
So where am I going with this narcissistic diatribe? Don't let your career define you and how you live your life. Look at what you enjoy in life, then find a career that will let you partake in those activities and still provide for a comfortable existence both now and in retirement. Don't get caught up in titles, climbing the ladder, etc. etc. There is so much more to life than work, that what you should really be asking is which job will let you work the least and make the most $$
As far as the Masters, yes it is easier right out of school; you have the study habbits, know how to work the system, and will have more energy and time. If you can afford it and want to get the Masters for yourself, then do it. But if you are thinking of going into real estate, it won't mean one bit when it comes to writing business. If you are looking at going into some sort of salaried gig, and know that if you commit to getting it done, go work for a while, get some experience, find a company that pays for education, then get it on their dime.
But whatever you do, do it because it's what you want to do and makes you happy. Not because it makes the most $$ or has the coolest title. Working 10-12hrs a day, commuting for hours on end to get to and from work, and spending most of your life under the numbing glow of flourescent lights is a ****ty way to live, at least as far as I'm concerned. Do it if you must, but if I would have gotten into real esate when I was your age, I would be comfortably retired now, and I'm only 32. FWIW, I've got time in my day now with a 1yr old daughter to close a couple loans a month. Depending on the kind of business you're writing and your split with your broker, that could be enough to pay for a meager existence with tons of time for riding, all the way a 6 figure gross for the year, with the same time for riding. Live life and only work as much as you have to in order to be comfortable
Chris
Do something you want to do, but also be practical about it and keep the big picture in mind. Beware that gaps on your resume look suspicious and are a red flag. Sure, we all love to mountain bike and if we all got paid to hang out in the woods, we wouldn't be on here bitching about other things for 8 hours a day. Life is a tradeoff and sometimes you have to be practical to earn time to have fun and the money to back it up.
flat broke, great post.
I love how you college boys overanalyze your lives and what direction(s) they may be headed. Just shut the hell up and ride your bike.
I am a jack of "several" trades.
I do, from time to time:
HVAC Controls Installation: (sucks but I only do scale jobs really cause I got the hookup so its worth the $$$) Very technical but if you know your stuff you can make BIG money. My brother makes near 100K, my dad even more.
CATV Construction: piece work is nice if you time it right
Bike Shop work: Sucks, but if you have spare time and need a deep discount, it beats the hot sun.
...but mostly Im just a full time student. I work when I need to or when Im bored. I live off student loans, GI Bill money and the money I make working.
Im majoring in Fisheries Biology becuase I know that in the end, even without a mtn. bike, I need to spend the bulk of my time outdoors and near water. Im still torn on whether or not I'll stay for my masters and honestly money has nothing to do with it. I can be happy with 30K a year which is basically what i make now, I just want to be assured an interesting job that I care about its outcome. Otherwise Ill get complacent and want to do something else.
Id've been done by now, but I spent 4 years in the Marines so I could afford school.
You're only young once...might as well have fun now. Got the rest of your life to work.
I do, from time to time:
HVAC Controls Installation: (sucks but I only do scale jobs really cause I got the hookup so its worth the $$$) Very technical but if you know your stuff you can make BIG money. My brother makes near 100K, my dad even more.
CATV Construction: piece work is nice if you time it right
Bike Shop work: Sucks, but if you have spare time and need a deep discount, it beats the hot sun.
...but mostly Im just a full time student. I work when I need to or when Im bored. I live off student loans, GI Bill money and the money I make working.
Im majoring in Fisheries Biology becuase I know that in the end, even without a mtn. bike, I need to spend the bulk of my time outdoors and near water. Im still torn on whether or not I'll stay for my masters and honestly money has nothing to do with it. I can be happy with 30K a year which is basically what i make now, I just want to be assured an interesting job that I care about its outcome. Otherwise Ill get complacent and want to do something else.
Id've been done by now, but I spent 4 years in the Marines so I could afford school.
You're only young once...might as well have fun now. Got the rest of your life to work.
Most people don't figure this out until they're old.
I'll be there soon, and need a riding buddy. I'll be living there for a while.
Cool. I can show you around for beer.
Unless you're pretty cool, but I will only be 18. We can work something out.
I'm moving up to Jackson to work, and I think it will be the best experience of my life, which is the reason I'm going to do it. I've been saving money and have rent money set away, and a little bit to live off of. Sure, it will be a hassle here and there, but I think all and all it will be worth it.
I would agree with others with the "stay in school" crap. When I got out of the Navy, I went to school and got my AAS in electronics. I got my first tech job and things were hot (think pre 2000). I decided I was good with my AAS and was in the working world.
After 9/11/01, the company I worked for closed up shop and I was in need of new work. Nobody would even look at my resume without a BS. I decided to go back and I finished at the start of this year.
In IT, a four year degree is the minimum. So get what you can now before it's too late. There is no such thing as too much education.
I am a software engineer and it's about a 7. Some projects are cooler than others, but I work sort of whenever.
After 9/11/01, the company I worked for closed up shop and I was in need of new work. Nobody would even look at my resume without a BS. I decided to go back and I finished at the start of this year.
In IT, a four year degree is the minimum. So get what you can now before it's too late. There is no such thing as too much education.
I am a software engineer and it's about a 7. Some projects are cooler than others, but I work sort of whenever.
I concur, hence my shut the hell up and ride comment.
I used to, but then I made a mistake and now I wake up at 9am and do jack isht. I was a trader/client rep for a very high level money manager. 70+ hour weeks, 6am start.
I'm going back into the workforce, but most likely in a sales role. I've had a 3+ month vacation and I'm f'in bored.
My degree was anthropology, my prior business was finance, and I'll probably end up in sales in a finance related company.
I graduated school a year and a half ago with a degree in management information systems and I now work in Supply Chain Technologies for American Eagle Outfitters. I absolutely love working for them and the fashion industry is great to be in, always changing and i get to spend alot of time in NYC...
Guess thats my gig.
Guess thats my gig.
to the OP:
do both. go to grad school somewhere where you can have fun. that's what i did.
i never skiied and bike so much in my life as i did while i was doing my PhD.
i spent 5 years (did my MS and PhD) on the following schedule: work from 8 til 11. go skiing, biking, whatever. go back to the office or lab and work some more until midnight. go to the bar until closing. go home, sleep and start all over again the next day.
EDIT: oh yeah current job - 9.5/10
as for waking up in the morning and saying "oh fyck," the people who claim that that never happens are full of it and/or compensating for something. every job has its tough times. heck, every activity has its tough times...
do both. go to grad school somewhere where you can have fun. that's what i did.
i never skiied and bike so much in my life as i did while i was doing my PhD.
i spent 5 years (did my MS and PhD) on the following schedule: work from 8 til 11. go skiing, biking, whatever. go back to the office or lab and work some more until midnight. go to the bar until closing. go home, sleep and start all over again the next day.
EDIT: oh yeah current job - 9.5/10
as for waking up in the morning and saying "oh fyck," the people who claim that that never happens are full of it and/or compensating for something. every job has its tough times. heck, every activity has its tough times...
Flat Broke makes a lot of good points...there is no easy answer but in the end, do what you love and the rest will come. Eventually.
You have to check out the book "How ToughCan It Be" by Sports Illustrated writer Austin Murphy. It is fricken hilarious.
gg
MY hubby's gone back for his MBA as a working professional engineer with about 20 years under his belt, and he has the misfortune to be in a few business classes with asshats who've never held a real world job, don't take their classes seriously, yadayaha. I can assure you he's getting a lot more out of it than it than they are.
41
WW Marketing manager
Spend half my life in planes but I get to ride in foreign countries from time to time.
My advice to you is do what you truly want to do while you are still young enough to do it. Once you get old, it's a lot harder. I wanted to go to Moab for the last 3 years and have not been able to break away. I have lots of vacation time but no time to plan it.
WW Marketing manager
Spend half my life in planes but I get to ride in foreign countries from time to time.
My advice to you is do what you truly want to do while you are still young enough to do it. Once you get old, it's a lot harder. I wanted to go to Moab for the last 3 years and have not been able to break away. I have lots of vacation time but no time to plan it.
Y
yadadada
Guest
I was in the same boat as you are a few months back. My relationship fell apart, I was graduating, and I wasn't thrilled with the jobs in my degree (english) unless i was teaching. i decided to go to grad school, rather than going back later, because it's just easier to keep going strait through than going back. My dad, and two aunts have gone back after marriage/kids/jobs and it was tough. After I finish my masters (in social work) I'm thinking about moving abroad for 6 months to a year and working, probably in London. More vacation, decent paying jobs, a need for social workers, and over there a MSW is higher degree than their degree (equivalent to a BS) so jobs are easy to come by.
stay i school if you can. but like others suggested, go to school somewhere fun if you can.
stay i school if you can. but like others suggested, go to school somewhere fun if you can.
Wow. Thank you. Without going too far in detail, that's really what I needed to hear.
Flat Broke, your post was one of the best I've ever read here. Thank you.
For those that were curious I'm currently at school in Boulder, CO.
For those that were curious I'm currently at school in Boulder, CO.
No doubt. How in the devil do you get bored?
How exceptionally pathetic. I think I know how to thin the herd.