New Job, life, etc...

jecsd1 · Post by **jecsd1** » October 20, 2008, 9:04 pm

As is the case with more than a few of you I'm sure, I got started working on automobiles at an early age. I got a job at a dealership and thought "how great! I can make money doing what I love."

Being treated poorly by everyone else in the organizations, sore backs, cut hands and above all else... working on flat rate has been causing me to loose the affinity for my old favorite past time. So much so that a few years ago I said F*** it! and quit and returned to college and finished my BA in hopes of a career change.

For one reason or another (moving across country, buying a house, helping the wife achieve her dream job, bad economy) I am back to wrenching.

Just last week I landed a job as a heavy diesel transit bus mechanic at the local public transit authority. I know it's similar to automotive. However it is a union shop (mixed feelings I guess) and it's not on commission, which has been one of the main things I hate, plus it has great retirement benefits. Granted I am a long ways from retirement right now (28 yrs old) but I find myself in a pickle.

I am VERY thankful that I was even able to land a steady job during these messed up times. I have buddies back at the dealer that are practically starving.

I guess what I'm asking is...is it time to swallow my pride and put away the pipe dreams about some bigshot job and stick to what I'm good at and be thankful to have food on the table? The wife and I have been talking about the future lately (kids especially) and it has me looking long term.

Any advice from those who have been in my shoes?

I know this is the Off Topic board and this would certainly be just that but I have come to respect the opinions of the members here, plus I needed an outlet. Thanks in advance

Phil · Post by **Phil** » October 20, 2008, 9:24 pm

I dunno the answer Jason.
I have been in the design field and I experience the same frustrations.
I pretty much quit doing fine art and carpentry because they are too close to my job skill sets. Wrenching helps me focus. It also makes me stressed as hell.

Anyway. I have gone from striving to be the best I can in hopes of a reward to being resolved to just doing what's needed. I have fluctuated in this for about 10 years. It usually works like this. Bust ass, think your gonna get compensated. The guy next to me does so I coast. Rinse. Repeat.

Now I am about 8 years behind everyone skillwise and I am just coasting comfy waiting for the massive layoff to hit. I guess starvation and panic may motivate me to try something new. I suppose its nice to mull over career choice from a position of getting paid and having benefits. Makes it hard to actually do it though.

I guess I'm no help. I think its common to think about what you will do when you grow up. Next thing you know, you are grown up.

ezernut9mm · Post by **ezernut9mm** » October 20, 2008, 9:33 pm

the bigger the risk, the bigger the reward. you can look at it like that, or the other way around. i think your personality will decide this for you. are you happy being in a"mediocre" job, or do you want more?

36truck · Post by **36truck** » October 20, 2008, 9:33 pm

From a person that has done all kinds of jobs 2&3 at a time. If you are not doing what you love to do you will not be happy. But on the other hand sometimes money talks.
Lots of my friends thought I was crazy when I quit one of those dream jobs big money good bennies UPS but sick of the hours & the work, To go into business for my self I love what I do now.

Phil · Post by **Phil** » October 20, 2008, 9:43 pm

The worst place you can be is on the fence.

I love designing, I hate what I design
I love my co workers, hate the boss
Love the facility, hate the current direction
Love the proximity to home, hours, benefits and vacation
hate that I can't get OT, pay sucks, and vacation schedule is dictated
Love the job security but hate that its levy funded. I am secure 4 years at a time.

Middle of the road is the worst. You just wait for the scale to tip.

Rosati · Post by **Rosati** » October 20, 2008, 10:02 pm

You have to have a plan.
No finish line leaves you aimless.
If you have a goal, you have direction.
Make a decision now before it's too late.

I spent 10 years in the window business workin hard to get the promotions, bonuses, recognition, etc. only to be held at a lower managment level and discarded when I decided not to conform to unreasonable demands anymore.
Now here I am 20 years later with no education to fall back on and relegated to spending another 20 years in an industry I really had no intentions of making a career of. I only do it because it's what I know and it feeds my family and lends me to live a comfortable life rather than scraping by month to month.

Hind sight is 20/20, fore thought is a plan. Work the plan.

Good luck in deciding what you want to do and make sure to include your partner as she will have to be an active/willing player.

jakdad · Post by **jakdad** » October 20, 2008, 10:18 pm

If you like what you are doing now and making decent money, why push it? I never put a lot of stock in titles and window dressing. Stay with what you're doing and when another door opens, you'll know.

blackagatha · Post by **blackagatha** » October 20, 2008, 10:18 pm

I know LOTS of people here at ERAU that were in all sorts of industry, one was Meat Packing... It was terrible. He's going back to school for something he willl hopefully be able to make some coin with, while not hating every minute of working. Is he going thru tough times right now? Honestly I dont know, but I assume so.

Fact is though, a few years of tougher times will be worth it in the long run if you can find something that you can stomach, and make some decent coin with. Granted, it's hard to make any money, even with the world's best education right now. Liable to come out of school and have to get some crap, out of industry job because no good jobs are around

Good luck with this. I think maybe we all need some luck to get thru these trying times, but you should get a larger share.

FORDMANLCRACKEL · Post by **FORDMANLCRACKEL** » October 20, 2008, 10:31 pm

Never give up on your dreams! Some times it takes a long time to reach that dream. At 28 you are just getting started in life and there will be many setbacks, bumps in the road or what ever. At least you have a dream. Work hard to make your dream happen. Its not going to fall in your lap. The job i have now is financing my dream. I have set a date to live that dream and when the time comes, ( it's getting close ) I'M DOIN IT. I'm 56 years young, i have a lot of patients! lol

Lonnie

jecsd1 · Post by **jecsd1** » October 20, 2008, 11:45 pm

Thanks for all the input! For clarification, I don't hate what I do and now that I am in a position where a few of the factors that were making me unhappy have been removed I think I may like where I'm at.

I just get wondering sometimes if I could do more. I have always been surrounded by people that work just hard enough not to get fired. I'm not content with that. WHATEVER I'm doing I like to do it to the best of my ability.

I guess it's like my grandfather used to say. "If you're waiting for things to be perfect, you'll wait forever"

Hoofbeat Racer · Post by **Hoofbeat Racer** » October 21, 2008, 12:04 am

Thanks for considering us as an outlet Jason. I too feel very comfortable in sharing and especially seeking advice. This was cemented by actually meeting everyone KC this past summer at Slickstock.

I know exactly where you are coming from Jason. Been there too. I'll share my story with you hope it helps.

Graduating from high school, I had honors and would have easily been accepted to university to go into engineering. I even had my tuition paid for with scholarships that I had earned if I chose to pursue that direction. Problem was I hated school, hated authority, and loved fast cars. Loved so much that instead of enrolling a stuffy university, I chose to use my scholarship and go to trade school. Took a 2 year tech course to become a Heavy Duty Mechanic. F*&#k everyone, I wanted to learn how to build a 10 second Peterbilt. C'mon, I was 17, don't we all know everything then. So there I was, graduated tech school @ 19, KNEW how to build that Pete, I took a job working at a local John Deere dealer. Thought that was the cats ass. Like you, I learned after years that my body ached, my hands bled, the pay stunk. Really stunk. Then I got married, and kids were on the way. Time to get busy living and make some real money before I end up stuck in the rut that I was heading for. At 25, I was fortunate enough to land a job with an oil company (don't everyone shoot me).

Making the career change was a huge thing for me. Here I am 7 years later now at a crossroads again. I work indirectly with a lot of bigshot engineers that really think they are great but really don't know a thing when it comes to the real world. Myself, I am still glad that I chose the route I did working my way up through the trenches cause that's really where you make a difference. Unfortunately I have turned my position into one that has become totally thankless. I take on work that nobody else would tackle because I like the challenge but it is not reflected in my pay or garnish me any respect amongst my superiors. I too am reflecting what my future holds. I long for a simpler time and part of me really wishes I could go back to the farm where it all began and just enjoy things that really matter.

I have come to a conclusion Jason that seems to work for me and I hope that you can take something out of it too. Life's circumstance has taught me to be thankful to have a good job because unfortunately, money does dictate how the bills get paid. My point is, my job is what I DO, NOT who I am. I AM a husband to my wife, I AM a father to my kids. That is what matters. We live in a world and time that titles don't mean what they used to. Take pride in your trade, my biggest regret is that I don't have more trades to fall back on.

I too don't know what I want to be when I grow up, and I am 32. Still young too, maybe I really should build that 10 second Pete.....

Alan Mclennan · Post by **Alan Mclennan** » October 21, 2008, 2:07 am

Hey Jason, it sounds to me a bit like mid life crisis!, except your only 28, my youngest sons age!, the way I see it, you enjoy what you do and where you are doing it at this moment!, not many can say that!. In my younger days I did weekend work for people, just odd plumbing job`s, like water service renewal`s, reguttering their houses, fixing taps you name it, it added to my income. Maybe you could do something similar, like service peoples cars, mechanical repairs. Make your trade work for you!, and find your own overtime! and keep your eye`s open.

willy3486 · Post by **willy3486** » October 21, 2008, 7:49 am

I remember what someone said AFTER being established in the computer field. They said think of the one job that if you got all your needs met but did not get pay you would like to do the most. Then thats the perfect job for you.

61 Merc · Post by **61 Merc** » October 21, 2008, 10:19 am

Hey Jason,

I was in a comfortable job not being overworked in the natural gas business, earning $60 grand a year without overtime, and I gave it up to go back and get an education. I graduated college between my daughters graduating High School. I am glad to have gotten out of the business I was in, and go into something I enjoy more.

I was 39 when I returned to college, you are still young and will have many opportunities to advance into other things. Don't get into a panic to move on, when the right opportunity opens up go for it. Walking away from a good paying job is hard especially when you go into debt to get ahead, but it is worth it in the end. It is important to enjoy what you do for the majority of your life, but sometimes we have to clean corrals till we get there.

Dean

Johnny Canuck · Post by **Johnny Canuck** » October 21, 2008, 10:29 am

Really got nothing for ya unfortunately, Jason;
The line of work I have been in for 30 years was gonna be a 1-2 year thing before I returned to school to finish my Architecture degree.

In the first year I spent drawing houses, I decided all architects are total flakes, and I didn't want to be one of them. So I stayed in housing, except for a 6 month spell I took to persue my dream of being a cartoonist.

6 months and 0 (and I mean 0 , not one cent) money later, I took back up what I know, drawing houses.

My dreams didn't pay the bills.

Post by **Greg D** » October 21, 2008, 10:55 am

I have been in about 15 total lines of work 2 I stuck with for quite some time, the first one I was a printer for many years. I liked it and was real good at it. The printing industry in my area at least has just literally turned to crap, I actually bailed too late. One thing I can tell you is do something you like. I am not doing what would be my ideal job but I do like driving a truck, it'll do til I figure out if I will be able to pursue my real dream even if it takes some years or never happens.
If you are the guy who makes the extra effort try to make that known QUIETLY, don't fishing for "pats on the back" just casually let them know "I thought I could do it a little better". Present it as a being cost effective for the company. For quite awhile just do your thing and sit back and watch for who to deal with, there is a backstabber in every bunch. You could end up running the whole show at some point being the guy who cares rather than the coast along. As someone who has been in management/supervisory take this advice; don't ask anyone under you to do anything you won't - prove it. You can accomplish alot more as the boss if you have the loyalty of your workers.

Slick Fan · Post by **Slick Fan** » October 21, 2008, 12:01 pm

Rosati wrote: I spent 10 years in the window business workin hard to get the promotions, bonuses, recognition, etc. only to be held at a lower managment level and discarded when I decided not to conform to unreasonable demands anymore.
Now here I am 20 years later with no education to fall back on and relegated to spending another 20 years in an industry I really had no intentions of making a career of. I only do it because it's what I know and it feeds my family and lends me to live a comfortable life rather than scraping by month to month.

Yours & Hoofbeat's stories sound a lot like mine. I was going to babble on about mine, but you guys pretty much beat me to it...just change a few details & it's me.

Anyway, if you don't hate the job you're at & it gives you enough money to tread water, I'd say stay there for a bit & keep your eyes open for something you'd like more. Who knows, in a few years, you may find that you've worked yourself into a position you really enjoy where you're at & you'd rather stay there.

ICEMAN6166 · Post by **ICEMAN6166** » October 21, 2008, 1:20 pm

i worked at enough different trades and learned from my friends enough to move up here into the middle of nowhere , build a house, fix just about anything and make enough to survive on.
if you are good at or can make a good living at doing something you dont really like, you are better off than someone who is doing something they really like but making no money. been there before.
self employment and business ownership have both positive and negative issues.

still, no matter what the economy i can always wrench for cash. mechanical stuff breaks, creating a need.

blackagatha · Post by **blackagatha** » October 21, 2008, 2:59 pm

as far as the "doing stuff on the side" goes, I've been doing quite a bit of random stuff for people. I just have a hard time getting enough work lined up. I have a few people that want stuff done right now, who are waiting on me, and yet on a normal basis, I have "nothing to do" because of scheduling. I'm just having too hard of a time spreading the word. I guess I just need to spread my little flyers all over town, and keep a current ad on Craigslist... i need a bigger client base... And every weekend, it seems, I keep resorting to laying on the couch all day because nobody wants me to work...

I guess instead of laying on the couch, I need to spread the paper filth all day.... why am I wondering what to do?!?! I know exactly what I need to do. DUUUHHH!

shawns fords · Post by **shawns fords** » October 21, 2008, 5:12 pm

Carreer change is not always bad. I started out as a diesel repair mechanic in the Army which got me a job at a Dealership. I stuck it out for almost 10 years, man was I stupid. flat rate sucks when you have to rely on a service advisor, disbatcher, service manager and a pair of parts clowns to make your money. one week your rolling in the dough, the next your standing around waiting for a job.

I decided to make a change and my step brother talked me into going to work for him. Doing hardwood floors. I had no clue what I was getting into. Well I took the chance ( my other option was moving to Alaska to work for BP on the oil rigs) 8 years later I am making much betterm oney than I could ever dream of at a dealership ( even though my funds are stil ltight, I am getting by) My finished product pays off, and there is nothing better than oging home knowing your customer had a smile on their face when I was finished.

I can not do this forever because it is a very physically intense job. And I am looking into something similar to what yur looking at. My step Dad is a service fleet manager for a company here in Denver and he wants me to come in and take his job when he retires. it is union as well and there is nothing wrong with that, the company and this union work together and there is no issues, I have known all of the mechanics there since I was a kid ( one of them tought me how to paint cars) they retire from there because its a great job and they know what dealership work is like, hourly rates plus overtime, plue benefits, plus more stuff I cant even remember right now.

good luck with whatever decision you make. I am sure it will work out no matter what.