Careers

[Customweld]

Professional Land Surveyor or Electrical Controls. Surveyor in the northwest are a minimum of 2 months booked out, with work coming out of their ears. Electrical Controls don’t have enough recruitment to replace the wave of retirements. Both could lead to self employment pretty fast.

 

[butcherboy]

Surveyor’s make great money. A trade would be good like electrician or a plumber. Work your way up and get your journeyman. Get the experience and start your own company. You will have to hustle to get it going well in the beginning. I can certainly tell you what not to be in the trades world just from my handle!

 

[CorbLand]

State jobs generally have great schedules with good time off. You won’t be driving new pickups, or in the biggest house but you won’t starve.

Commercial pilot. If your not stupid, this is the ticket. Great pay, pick your own schedule and fly for free pretty much anywhere. You got to pay your dues for about 5-7 years but after that, it really opens up for you. Major downside is being gone from your family (if your married) a lot. If I was 18-22 again, I would do it in a heart beat. Know a couple that fly as much as possible December to August and fly as little as possible in between. They hunt a lot…like a lot a lot.

Anything commission based sales that you get to work for yourself. Work your ass off and then take time off when you want. Just don’t get paid for it.

 

[displacedtexan]

Residential remodeling...

I make enough money to live comfortably and take way too much time off.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Construction management ain't it if you're looking for a bunch of free time. There is decent money to be made there though

I see as many people ask about how to get out of construction management than into it. I've asked that very question on this forum. Burnout seems to hit between 3-7 years. Depending on what sector, if you're project is ending during hunting season good luck getting time off.

The money can be good though, golden handcuff scenario. I'm working on getting out myself after the next project.

Also, "untracked PTO" is a trap.

 

[CorbLand]

I see as many people ask about how to get out of construction management than into it. I've asked that very question on this forum. Burnout seems to hit between 3-7 years. Depending on what sector, if you're project is ending during hunting season good luck getting time off.

The money can be good though, golden handcuff scenario. I'm working on getting out myself after the next project.

Also, "untracked PTO" is a trap.

I work for the State and have about 10 or so PMs in my office. All but one came from private industry and did it for a better work life. Just an idea for you.

 

[tony]

Professional Land Surveyor or Electrical Controls. Surveyor in the northwest are a minimum of 2 months booked out, with work coming out of their ears. Electrical Controls don’t have enough recruitment to replace the wave of retirements. Both could lead to self employment pretty fast.

Whats the schooling/training like for either?

Surveying always interested me.
Never heard of electrical controls?

 

[thegrouse]

The big city and state police agencies have pilots, they are all cops. They have plenty of time off to hunt.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

I work for the State and have about 10 or so PMs in my office. All but one came from private industry and did it for a better work life. Just an idea for you.

That's definitely something I'm considering. Also looked into getting certified as a combo inspector to go work for an AHJ. Don't know if I could stand to just be a plan reviewer for a while though.

 

[Davisjj8]

Any commercial pilot has to rack up some hours before they even consider you. There is a push right now for fixed wing pilots, but it takes some doing to get the minimum number of hours. You can take the written portion of the basic pilots license anytime. Sporty’s offers a well liked online study course and sets you up with a place to take the test in person. With misc. books and suggested items it comes to less than $500. Our youngest thought he wanted to do this because riding in a plane is fun, so we paid for the Sporty’s course and learning the nuts and bolts wasn’t as interesting as he had hoped, and the direction changed.

Helicopter pilot would be even harder. I know a helicopter instructor and he said the young guys have a heck of a time building up flight hours unless they spray weeds or fly off a tuna boat looking for fish. Many military pilots also don’t have enough hours to be competitive for commercial jobs, but some do, so you’re competing against them for very few jobs.

My career has been in residential construction and I’d say that should be low low low on your list.

Ya I know getting hours in is the biggest thing and it’s a grind the first few years. I’ve got an uncle who flies life flight and it was definitely a grind to get his hours but he has a great job now and loves it. Based on my research it seems like there’s a decent need for both types of pilots right now. I just feel like I’d get very bored flying for airlines.

My thoughts with construction management would be to go to school to get the knowledge and skills as quickly as possible and start a general contracting company shortly after.


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[Davisjj8]

I was a fireman, retired. 24 hour shifts, worked a day off a day for 3 days and then off 4

Nurse in a women's prison now, work a week, off a week.

Firefighter - civil service testing. Big city be easier, lot more people testing though. Small cities and towns usually want you with state certified training, and paramedic training. So you save them money and go right to work.

Nursing - well, 2 years minimum college unless you have some of the general stuff out of the way.
I went to nursing school while working FT at the FD with trades and my days off. Got my bachelors after I retired.

Nobodies asked, how old are you and what do you do now?

I’m 24 right now. I’m in school currently, I was playing football but just had to stop that due to an injury. I’ve done construction and sales mostly though.


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[Davisjj8]

Residential remodeling...

I make enough money to live comfortably and take way too much time off.

Do you run your own business doing that?


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[Davisjj8]

Yes - how old, what do you do, have you got a degree, what is a decent salary to you, , , ????

If you are paying attention, you see some trends. Most careers will have opportunities.

When it comes down to it, yer laying on yer deathbed - what do you want to have done/accomplished?

I’m 24, no degree yet, 1 semester from an associates. I’ve done sales and construction mostly. Mid to high 100s would be nice after working up to it eventually.


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[Kilboars]

I’d focus on getting a business of your own going and not worry about hunting for now.
When you’re making bank you can hunt whenever and wherever you want.

That goes for meeting to guys at the bar every night and watching sports.

If you put your head down and get after it in 10-15yrs you’ll be set for life.

The world is your oyster


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[displacedtexan]

Do you run your own business doing that?


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Yes.

 

[Davisjj8]

I’d focus on getting a business of your own going and not worry about hunting for now.
When you’re making bank you can hunt whenever and wherever you want.

That goes for meeting to guys at the bar every night and watching sports.

If you put your head down and get after it in 10-15yrs you’ll be set for life.

The world is your oyster


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Sounds like you own a business. What do you do?

I know that no matter what it’s going to be a grind for a few years. I just want to make sure I can enjoy a good work life balance after paying my dues a bit.

 

[Davisjj8]

Yes.

Could I message you and pick your brain a bit?

 

[OXN939]

Any commercial pilot has to rack up some hours before they even consider you. There is a push right now for fixed wing pilots, but it takes some doing to get the minimum number of hours. You can take the written portion of the basic pilots license anytime. Sporty’s offers a well liked online study course and sets you up with a place to take the test in person. With misc. books and suggested items it comes to less than $500. Our youngest thought he wanted to do this because riding in a plane is fun, so we paid for the Sporty’s course and learning the nuts and bolts wasn’t as interesting as he had hoped, and the direction changed.

Helicopter pilot would be even harder. I know a helicopter instructor and he said the young guys have a heck of a time building up flight hours unless they spray weeds or fly off a tuna boat looking for fish. Many military pilots also don’t have enough hours to be competitive for commercial jobs, but some do, so you’re competing against them for very few jobs.

To second this, the rotor wing world is not where you want to be if you're coming off the street. A single flight hour of rotor wing instruction is usually around $500, as compared to $200ish for fixed wing... and you need hundreds of those to get your commercial. There are a lot of helo pilots with entire careers of flight time redoing everything so they can get their fixed wing ratings.

Fixed wing is obviously a more logical option for anyone coming from the civilian side. Absolutely correct that you can take the FAA private pilot written any time, but you need an endorsement either from a CFI or an online ground school to do so. Really the first thing is to see an AME to get a first class physical, as you can't fly for an airline without one of those. And then figure out how you're going to pay for it.

Also be prepared after spending ~100K on your ratings to be a CFI for an average of two years, making less than a line cook at Taco Bell, unless you can purchase your own aircraft and pay for 1200 hours of flight time. There are a lot of glamorous takes on the aviation world going on right now, but it's also good to remember that there is a reason about 85% of professional pilots had at least one parent in the industry. It is a hell of a leap to get into, especially the way the system is set up now.

It is true that the pattern of life of a commercial pilot is conducive to hunting, though.

 

[Billinsd]

Whats the schooling/training like for either?

Surveying always interested me.
Never heard of electrical controls?

Best is to get a degree from a reputable university for surveying. Electrical Controls Engineer, 4 year degree, they work on control systems for big machines like Pumps, engines, and systems. Surveyors are very intense and anal, and it’s more of a blue collar profession. Do you mind blue collar work or would you rather have a white collar job?

 

[MallardSX2]

Surveying isn’t for you.

If I was you I would go to school and get my RN and become a traveling nurse. They make an absolute killing.