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Have you second guessed your career?

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futurerider103

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Full Member
Minuteman
Aug 22, 2011
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Springfield Mo
I'm 29 and in June I graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College it took me until October to find work back hone and it's not posting anywhere near where what the school said I should be making out what my fellow class mates are making. The bad thing is I'm no dummy, I graduated with honors with a 3.96GPA. I have literally pounded the ground where I live giving resumes touching back with employers giving applications.
Right now I'm stick at a job paying only $14/he which should be paying a minimum if $18/he just because I have a family to think of. Right now this just seems like the wrong career for me but it's really the only thing I can think I'd like to do.
Have any of you gone through this and change your career only to find out that was the wrong move as well?
 
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futurerider103 said:
I'm 29 and in June I graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College it took me until October to find work back hone and it's not posting anywhere near where what the school said I should be making out what my fellow class mates are making. The bad thing is I'm no dummy, I graduated with honors with a 3.96GPA. I have literally pounded the ground where I live giving resumes touching back with employers giving applications.
Right now I'm stick at a job paying only $14/he which should be paying a minimum if $18/he just because I have a family to think of. Right now this just seems like the wrong career for me but it's really the only thing I can think I'd like to do.
Have any of you gone through this and change your career only to find out that was the wrong move as well?
Click to expand...

Have I ever. Studied philosophy in college. Any guesses as to how many jobs there are for philosophers? Bwahahahahaha...with a sob at the end.

As for you career, you might consider looking into the oilfield industry. It might involve some travel and thus time away from home but I hear that diesel mechs can do really well. there are probably others here with even better suggestions. Good luck.
 
I'm guessing you have tried all the Heavy Equipment and Tractor Dealers in the area? What about Fleet Maintenance for Larger companies like Power Plants and Smelters etc? Been on USA JOBS applying for anything Federal? Are you a Vet by chance?

Are you opposed to moving if need be?
 
I'd look into natural gas companies. I have a friend that works for the same company as I do. He is a mechanic on the gas compressors and does fairly well. The bad thing about working on them is they are loud and they usually don't go down when the weather is nice. Usually it's 3am and really cold.
 
Re: Have you second guessed your career?

I actually studied for heavy equipment and have found nothing available here. I am currently working at a Volvo, Mack, UD dealer.
I am not opposed to move but my money situation just won't allow it since for the 4 months unemployed used all my savings.
And no I'm not a Vet
 
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Once your ability's and quality of work are known the money will come. Contrariety to what people say there are two groups of workers, those who get paid the going rate for average ability, then you have those who are paid way above the going rate and can switch jobs with one phone call. The latter comes when you are known outside of the average circle. That only comes with experience which you have little of, and a GPA of whatever means nothing in the world you have chosen. I hired more than a few folks who were top of their class (industrial electrical) to say they were lost when they started their first week, is an understatement. Two had never heard of poly-phasing a 3 phase motor or controls nor could they grasp the concept, both had a 4.0 GPA.
Experience trumps paper in all things. Paper holds no truth other then to those who are paper hangers their-self's.

I know many a diesel wrench who make 30-45+ per hr, some work for dealers while others work job shop. Your best mechanics will only work flat rate, and would never work by the hour. Flat rate separates mechanics real quick but requires a deeper commitment in tools you own, as well as ability's you may or not have.
 
I'm in the same boat as you . I went to auto and diesel school with the same results . I own my own mechanic shop and all the stress that comes with it . I had a chat with one of my customers about me closing the shop and trying something else . He works in the oil field and got me an interview . I will be making a little less but without the stress witch is worth it to me .
 
Hell yes, if I were 29 again, I would not even think twice about jumping into a new career. That said, I started out enlisted Infantry, and used my college bonus to go Medical (Occupational therapy) only to learn I could not stand working with patients (note to self…. former-infantrymen suck at treating Pysco-Social disorders). I went back to school and earned a Ph.D. in Molecular Immuno-toxicology.

However, I had the benefit of a wife that brings home a substantial income (married a Lt. in the Army 20 years ago). Her financial contributions allowed me to continue to play around figuring out what I wanted to be when I grew up (wow..what first world problems).

Point is, it is never too late to move on and adapt!
 
futurerider103 said:
I'm 29 and in June I graduated from Nashville Auto Diesel College it took me until October to find work back hone and it's not posting anywhere near where what the school said I should be making out what my fellow class mates are making. The bad thing is I'm no dummy, I graduated with honors with a 3.96GPA. I have literally pounded the ground where I live giving resumes touching back with employers giving applications.
Right now I'm stick at a job paying only $14/he which should be paying a minimum if $18/he just because I have a family to think of. Right now this just seems like the wrong career for me but it's really the only thing I can think I'd like to do.
Have any of you gone through this and change your career only to find out that was the wrong move as well?
Click to expand...

Have you considered the seeking employment in the oil industry. You will work stupidly long hours, but you will make serious money if you pick the right job. It will however take you away from your family.
 
I've been working the same profession for 25 years and at least once per year (probably more like once a month) I wish I had taken a different path. If you love what you do then stick with it and you will earn more with experience and the quality work you will turn out - but probably not at a dealer. If you don't love what you do then the money will never make you happy - I know that for a fact - and now is the time to take stock and perhaps choose a different path, especially while you have money coming in and some time to think about it.
 
Graduated a year ago with a Music degree in Sound Recording, just in time for big recording studios to go the way of the dinosaurs. I tried working freelance for a bit while working on a Masters, but luckily found a gig in Broadcast this past Summer, went full-time last month. Has been an adventure.

I was definitely nervous last year when my unpaid internship didn't pan out, and there didn't seem to be much work out there, even with the 3 or so years of experience I had (which is generally enough for an entry level position).

Just gotta keep at it. Sometimes opportunities emerge from the strangest places! I got this job thru my now wife's friends from college, who sent my wife a job description for a "Broadcast Engineer." I saw it and said, "Hey, that's what I do!"

Also, +1 to 1911fan's post. And add insurance to that list.
 
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^ everyday, every one i've ever had.

but wouldn't trade a minute of it as without experiencing the BS through it all, i wouldn't be as awesome as i am or be able to steer my spawn away from the same mistakes.
 
I was 35 yrs old when I finally left the car dealership shops and ventured offshore on a drilling rig. I was head mechanic there and still barely kept the lights on. My kids were growing up and my pay just wasn't going to get it anymore. Started off as a Roustabout on the drilling rig and was instantly making about 5k more per year than the auto mechanic job. Moved up to Roughneck after about 6 months and was making about 8k more/yr.
Then finally managed to break into the maintenance side of things and went to motorman, making $14/hr which with all the OT amounted to a gross of abot 42k/yr. Nowdays a motorman out here makes about $24/hr. With OT (86 hrs/wk x 26 weeks) it comes up to about 68k/yr. Once you make mechanic out here you're getting over 40 bucks/hr. Well over 100k/yr. But you'll likely have to work your way through some lesser jobs (with better pay than you get now) to start with. Roustabouts make around 19 bucks now--almost 54k/yr. You get 6 months a year off, 2 or 3 weeks at a time.
A mechanic can go far in the oilfield, I'm now making about 7 times what I made at the car dealership. Mechanical Supervisor now. Look up offshore drilling companies and go to their websites. Many have accelerated programs for graduates of colleges and tech schools like the diesel college. Most companies now require you to apply online and don't accept walk-ins. Work up a good resume stressing your education and background.
 
I'm only 20 years old, but in a class in my public school I was told by a teacher that the average person changes careers 4 times in their life. I'm a university student, and I have already changed the program I was in once.
 
Yep I used to do it all the time. I worked at a local fab shop making shit for money. Then one day I had to do a job outside in Jan at General Dynamics. I remember think oh great this is going to be a cold shit filled few weeks. Once I got on the jobsite I heard from some of the maintenance guys at GD that they were hiring welders. I applied, got the job and started making twice the money. I started as a welder on Cougars then got moved to a final inspector/testdriver for Abrams tanks(<- best fucking job ever), back to a welder on Strykers now I run a CNC laser. It's funny how good things happen when your least expecting it.Hang in there something good will happen.
 
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Hopefully things get better but my luck just really hasn't played like that.
I contacted a prior employer from when I was going to school and they said they may have a position opening in Nashville and they want my resume. One good thing is my fiancee was talking to her supervisor today and she said there is a manager position needing filled in Nashville. They have been wanting her to be a supervisor but she didn't want to at a office she's been at for so long (she's a loan officer)
 
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Besides all the tips/comments from previous postings.

Cast your web wide, in regards to your job search. Often it is not what you know, but who you know. Think: networking.
Talk to family members, uncles, nephews, your neighbor and all her family. Your friends, their parents, what jobs are they holding.
Any interaction could be an "interview" or an opportunity to get a reference and get your foot in the door somewhere.

If it was easy everybody would be doing it.

Good luck.
 
CF_Smith said:
I'm only 20 years old, but in a class in my public school I was told by a teacher that the average person changes careers 4 times in their life. I'm a university student, and I have already changed the program I was in once.
Click to expand...

Don't worry, I didn't even declare a major until my last semester of university. Now I'm 1.5 years out of school, on my second job (which I like a lot) and applying for a 3rd career opportunity. Hopefully it works out, if not; law school.
 
After giving CPR to a 14 month old because his fat ass mom & dad were sleeping on an air matress, rolled over and smothered him, yep one or twice..........
 
Have you looked into the utilities at all? Both electric and gas? Aside from the normal shit you are gonna hate everywhere I love my job. Just started a year and a half ago from farming full time. Best decision I ever made. Even our mechanics get paid well and have the same bennifits. If you don't wanna climb poles or dig holes they still have a fleet to be maintained. I don't know how far from missou Com-Ed covers, but Exelon has a huge territory with all the companies they own. Might be worth looking into.
 
I read this whole thread and have been sitting here thinking about my life and, now, my son's. I spent my whole life working at someone else's company. Now I am retiring and all the work, saving and planning will hopefully pay off. My son decided that he would never work at someone else's company so he started his own. I see the struggles and the frustrations he has and wonder, in the end, is it really worth it? I mean, instead of working for a boss he is working for many bosses (every one of his customers).
My hope is that the OP finds what he is looking for. It is truly elusive (that job that you love and pays more than you could ever dream of).
 
Re: Have you second guessed your career?

I know I'm not going to fall into that job that's going to have me home everyday and pay me $200k a year but I do know I'm worth more than I'm getting paid at my current job and profession. Especially because I've been offered better but couldn't take advantage of it because money issues wouldn't allow me to travel to the job and I have no one to barrow from
 
futurerider---PM inbound. Just a lot of info I won't bore the whole forum with.
 
If you want to make more money in your area, find the maintenance depot for your local garbage company. Apply there.
 
Re: Have you second guessed your career?

Where I work we do work on Mack trash trucks and those are some nasty trucks and not something I do want to work on.
I have talked with Slumberger while at school for on shore oiling and that pays very good and is something I looked into and would like to do
 
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After a month or 2 of sub zero temps spent welding in a muddy ditch you end up questioning a lot. Life is loooong, go do something else. Lots of work out here in Wyoming Montana and the Dakotas.
 
Always evaluate all your options in attracting offers of employment. Include "willing to travel, relocate" on your apps / resume. The final decision rests on the "job offer". I was always looking - sending apps & moving. Listing mobility as a qualification will generate more offers for your evaluation.
There is exciting info on this thread - research your targets & keep rewriting your resume, copying parts of the job description being advertised.
 
I fly airplanes for a living.

Given the relative instability of the aviation industry, I second guess my career on a regular basis - especially now with two young boys. But so far I've been DAMN lucky and my timing has been good *knock on wood* so I'll keep on until its time to do something else.

My father is a diesel mechanic, having worked for construction companies in central KY the last 20 years. A couple years back he took an indoor technician job at a soda distributor, but still does the construction gig part time. Its hard work, long hours outside in the mud and rain and cold and heat muscling around heavy Caterpillar parts with 80+ hour weeks in "construction season"...but he's made a very good living doing it and there definitely seems to be a demand for qualified, experienced mechanics.
 
brother in law is a mechanic for butler in a coal mine in Wyoming he is making 120,000.00 plus after being there for 7 years. I would check into that
 
Yes, yes, and yes. Changing careers is sometimes what is required not just so you make the money you want, but also to do what you love. The fact is though that sometimes what you love won't make you money and what you love turns sour when doing it for a living. I transitioned from something I love (machining and engineering) to something I'm damn good and makes a lot of money but isn't my first love for work (btw, I'm a relatively high up Information Security Strategist/Architect). I've always been good with computers and everything related to them, so it was a natural path for me. The upside is that I make enough to make machining, welding, engineering, etc... a set of hobbies and a side business without going sour on them.

If you're good at something other than mechanic work (despite having a degree in it) you may want to go that route. Look at what you are capable at, pays well, and has jobs available. You may not love it, but if you even just enjoy it a bit every now and again and it pays well, it can be well worth it in the long run for your life and your family if you have or plan to have one.

--Wintermute
 
Follow the demographics! Look at Skilled Nursing! Become an Administrator and you will learn more then most doing it for a short while. It used to be very lucrative until Obamacare hit us, but it still pays good and with the baby boomers....
 
Hate my job. Working for enough money to change. Read Dave Ramsey's books. When you get your finances right jobs become alot easier to change and take.
 
A man's only free when he's debt free. Long haul but very much worth it! How am I? "Better than I deserve" I learned under the late Larry Burkett but still listen to Dave & have given hundreds of books but most want to be debt free but not enough to earn it.

pizzamanny said:
Hate my job. Working for enough money to change. Read Dave Ramsey's books. When you get your finances right jobs become alot easier to change and take.
Click to expand...
 
Kind of hard for me to hate my "job". I'm retired and my job now is building rifles and loading ammo ----------for ME.


That said, to the OP, remember that while you have the training and the demonstrated "smarts" you still don't have the one marketable quality -----experience.

I used to be an "Employer". Had all kinds of people come to me with job applications but no job experience. I hired a few but they got paid at the lowest rung of the pay scale. Some worked out and others moved on. As they gained experience and I learned what they were capable of they moved up the pay ladder. The ones that worked up the fastest were the ones that demonstrated they were "assets" rather than "liabilities". Had "Can Do" attitudes, came to me and asked "what can I do to advance", etc.

It's sad but event he best "trade schools" out there do their students a bit of a disservice by filling everyone's head with visions of great starting pay. Employers today don't do that. It's entry level wages until you prove yourself.

BTW, I started out on my first Job as the "Low Man on the Totem Pole". By the end of the first year I had been promoted 3 times. After 20 years I became a "Boss".

Whatever you do, don't quit a job to go looking for a job. It's best to look while your working and always leave your current employer on good terms. You may need a fall back in the future.
 
Deadshot2 said:
Kind of hard for me to hate my "job". I'm retired and my job now is building rifles and loading ammo ----------for ME.


That said, to the OP, remember that while you have the training and the demonstrated "smarts" you still don't have the one marketable quality -----experience.

I used to be an "Employer". Had all kinds of people come to me with job applications but no job experience. I hired a few but they got paid at the lowest rung of the pay scale. Some worked out and others moved on. As they gained experience and I learned what they were capable of they moved up the pay ladder. The ones that worked up the fastest were the ones that demonstrated they were "assets" rather than "liabilities". Had "Can Do" attitudes, came to me and asked "what can I do to advance", etc.

It's sad but event he best "trade schools" out there do their students a bit of a disservice by filling everyone's head with visions of great starting pay. Employers today don't do that. It's entry level wages until you prove yourself.

BTW, I started out on my first Job as the "Low Man on the Totem Pole". By the end of the first year I had been promoted 3 times. After 20 years I became a "Boss".

Whatever you do, don't quit a job to go looking for a job. It's best to look while your working and always leave your current employer on good terms. You may need a fall back in the future.
Click to expand...

Ds2 is right on. Also as an former employer I can say that in addition to, almost more than, ability and experience, rank responsibility and reliability. Doesn't matter how talented you are, if I cant count on you to be there every day, your not worth a damn to me. I would rather have a guy who takes a little longer but gets the job done on time and well done every day, than a 'wizard' who may or may not show up because he thinks he's to good to be fired.
 
I went from Marine Infantry to selling guns at a Gander Mtn. (believe me I think I bought more than I made!), then I got a job as security on an Air Force base making a decent living then the contract ended and it turned into a Federal Cop job making less money and more responsibility/authority. I broke down and finally got a contractor job. I am now making twice what my wife and I were making, she is working p/t and we will be out of debt in a year! With all that gone, I can afford to live comfortably at a $15/hr. job! This has really been hard for me and her to be away but we realized it was a necessary evil. I agree with pizzamanny and flylo, if you do get a handle on debt, life is so much easier. I fully intend to go back to a community college and get some classes on machining and get into a machine shop. Eventually, I will pursue my dream and I am going to open my own gunsmith firearm manufacture shop.

I obviously don't know your situation, but add up all you monthly payments, then take out what is all just pure debt, (car payment, house payment, credit card debt) and get a percentage of what you have left. Mine was about 50/50. When you do that, you can really see what you actually need to get by comfortably. Then anything after that is savings and guns! Right?
 
All I know is that it is never too late to change careers. Take my field for instance, I am a medical student, while I am a bit older than the average age, there are some in there late 30s and 40s. A few of these people were in careers completely unrelated to medicine. They decided for a change and picked a pretty challenging and lengthy route but it will definitely pay off for them. This is not what I am suggesting to you as you have a family that needs food on the table but it is possible to work full time and take college classes part or full time. You are still young and the few years to get the training necessary for a new career would be a blur. I started medschool at 25, I'm now 27, I'm estimating I won't be done with residency until 34-35, yet these first few years of class disappeared over night.
 
I have worked in the natural gas field for 15yrs, and I can say that half of those years I was paid less than what I was worth.
Hard work and a good work ethic will pay off in the long run.
 
I found that working in the automotive repair business I would never make more than just "get-by" wages as long as I was working for someone else. Sure the dealerships rake in $100/hr and such, but the guy actually doing the work got paid like he was picking up cans beside the road. The only advantage to the dealerships was you got to go to schools and stay up with the newest technology. Independents can't take the time off nor do they have access to the schools/resources that the dealers have. Once I got the experience and education while working at the dealer, I found I could strike out on my own and make much better money and still charge much less than the dealers. However the overhead of building/buying/renting a shop and all the tools/books eats into that pretty deep. I never could have afforded my new shop if I hadn't ventured out of my comfort zone into the oilfield, where average folks have a good chance of someday making 6 figures.
 
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jashmore1234 said:
You will work stupidly long hours, but you will make serious money if you pick the right job. It will however take you away from your family.
Click to expand...


Been there, tried that. Nothing wrong with long hours and hard work but letting work dictate your life and separating you from family is a mistake.

Don't live above your means, whatever they may be, but never stop striving to increase them.
 
A lot of great advice here. So rather than repeat what someone else has said, let me give an alternate take on things. There are many factors that go into determining what you're labour is worth. But generally the market will tell you what you're worth. If you don't feel you're getting paid what you're worth enter the market and get that higher paying job. If that higher paying job doesn't exist, maybe you're not *yet* worth what you think you are.

This is not to beat you down, but to help you appreciate some of the advice given by others. Find out what employers want and need and do what you need to do to provide that. And understand that many employers want to be shown you what you can do, not told. Thus, you may work for less than you would like for a while. Because initially, there are probably many prospective employees out there saying "yes, I can do that." So until you can prove you can do something, you're worth no more to an employer than someone else who makes the same claims.

And be aware that it pays to specialize. Though it often can put you at risk if technology changes and your specialty is no longer needed. Employers won't be eager to pay you more if there are other people ready, willing, and able, to do what you do for the same money or less.

And for what it's worth, if I were in your shoes I would try to get experience with an energy industry job. Even if that meant I left my family for six months a year to work in a freezing part of Alaska. A man does what he's got to do. Delayed gratification is a cornerstone of what was once great about America.

Hope this helps in some small way.
 
The guy that said get away from anything in the car business is right, lol.

I have a 2 yr in Auto Systems Tech and most of my ASEs are current. While I don't hardly turn wrenches anymore, I work for a company as their fleet manager. I mostly figure out vehicle problems and solve them along with a butt load of paper work.

When I got out of the car dealers 4-5 years ago it was tough then to make it. Unless you were the senior tech getting fed gravy or just plain shart people on what their car needed, you were not going to make much money. $19-$20 an hour sounds good, if you can get 45-50hrs a week and be honest about the repairs. I got to the point where 25-30hrs a week was common and said screw it. Warranty work is what usually pissed me off the most, you could really lose your arse on some of those jobs.

I also started a small gun biz and so far it has opened a lot of doors. I'm not to the point where I can open up my own gun shop but would like to see that happen some day. It has been some of the hardest work I have done trying to keep packages in the mail and dealing with customers who are always right, or think they are. I'm not sure how the big dealers are doing but I have good days and days where there are no orders at all. The gun biz seems to be up and down..

I really don't have any good advice as to what else you can do, check with some local factories and see if they need some help with keeping their fleet going. If you can get something that pays per hour/salary and not flat rate, that would be the way to go.

New regs coming to the trucking industry could put a lot of truck drivers out of a job if their health is not good, might be a good start there if you like to drive...
 
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No matter what field you choose..... you have to like what you do..( earned a living for 45 yrs. as a machinist)... if not...you`ll never excel at it....... and you excell at something only when you like/love it...the money comes with the excell part...
sounds corny I know.... but oh so true.....
As far as money.....it`s not how much you make...... it`s what you do with what you make....
 
I real love what I do and its been a tough road at times..

The good thing is your in an industry that is needed.. In other words its not a luxury its a necessity

My first thought was your never really going to make Amazing money working as an employee. My thought here would be to work hard towards being independent(self employed). I don't know your industry very well but I would think that you could do outcall service and repair for smaller trucking company's that don't have enough trucks to have a full time mechanic . Offer people convince and reliability. I'm sure you would have to have access to a shop preferably your own for major repairs. Just some random thinking
 
I'm 33 and have changed careers at least 5 times. Most of it spent wrenching on cars. I still don't know if my job I have now is the right career. It just pays pretty good (to me).
 
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