Whats everyone do for a living?!?

[grsthegreat]

wasted lot of years in college working towards masters degree in endocrinology while trying to get accepted to veterinary school. Never got accepted there, so took the easy route to make some serious $$$... construction with my brother.

Been in the const industry for nearly 30 years now. Currently an electrical contractor (this company opened in 2000).

Construction has always been a good living. Its enabled us to pay off all debts and save a tidy sum for retirement. im actually semi retired now. did so several years ago when work slowed down and i ended up getting rid of all the employee issues.

i dont miss having employees at all. THAT was a major pain in the butt. its like having a passel of kids that never grow up. I would have given anything to have a go getter employee that would want to actually learn and start their own company in the future. heck, most of the guys i hired were basically useless drones. I even offered to get a few of them started towards their own companies, and had no one interested. Seriously, not a single employee ever had the gumption to try and start their own company and not be an employee forever.

i guess its just the way i was raised. my dad had his own company, didnt like being an employee working under someone else. must be in the genes i guess.

 

[Parkanzky]

wasted lot of years in college working towards masters degree in endocrinology while trying to get accepted to veterinary school. Never got accepted there, so took the easy route to make some serious $$$... construction with my brother.

Been in the const industry for nearly 30 years now. Currently an electrical contractor (this company opened in 2000).

Construction has always been a good living. Its enabled us to pay off all debts and save a tidy sum for retirement. im actually semi retired now. did so several years ago when work slowed down and i ended up getting rid of all the employee issues.

i dont miss having employees at all. THAT was a major pain in the butt. its like having a passel of kids that never grow up. I would have given anything to have a go getter employee that would want to actually learn and start their own company in the future. heck, most of the guys i hired were basically useless drones. I even offered to get a few of them started towards their own companies, and had no one interested. Seriously, not a single employee ever had the gumption to try and start their own company and not be an employee forever.

i guess its just the way i was raised. my dad had his own company, didnt like being an employee working under someone else. must be in the genes i guess.

I've always wanted to run my own business, but I've never had the gumption to take the risk and make it happen. My network gets bigger every day, so maybe someday I'll get the kick in the butt I need to take that plunge.

 

[newbury]

I get paid by the government to jibber-jabber on TBN and search CL and auctions for "stuff" to take to Mississippi.
Retirement is wonderful.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that people born between 1957 and 1964 held an average of 11 jobs from ages 18 to 44. On average, men held 11.4 jobs and women held 10.7 jobs. 25% percent held 15 jobs or more, while 12% held four jobs or less.

<snip>)

Well since some are posting "prior" vs just "current" employment.
I started delivering TV guides until my best bud moved and I took over his paper route. But that was when I was 10 to 12.

DFB - I must skew those averages, from my first full time job in 1975 till I retired in 2011 I worked at/out of the same little Army Lab, basically one job doing a multitude of things, from field biology to delivering and running mapping systems in Serbia before and after they split up Bosnia.

But I prefer jibber-jabber on TBN!!

How many were the "A/V guy" in High School?

 

[paulharvey]

Currently I'm a CEI inspector working for a consultant with Florida DOT. Prior to that, utility inspector for a city water/sewer department. Before that a road inspector for a neighboring county, commercial construction superintendent, multi family construction super. Last 11 years I've had 6 jobs.

 

[Kenneth in Texas]

I remodel homes, fix things, build stuff and do pretty much whatever people are will to pay me to do from changing light bulbs, putting together baby cribs and picking up dog poo, to total bathroom remodels, building decks and additions to a house.

Eddie

Eddie, hows that business working out for you? Brother and I are thinking of going into something like that. I used to do that exact thing back in the late 80s and 90s and did pretty well at it plus I enjoyed the challenges people had.

 

[doxford jim]

Retired in 2005 at 60 years old and moved to the country and live on 150 acres (mostly treed) and get to play with my toys. Wife is good about it all and is into sewing (knitting, quilting, dress making etc.) and canning and cooking. Both of us are overweight and are enjoying life without any time lines.

 

[kenmac]

Several past jobs... Out of school ,went to welding school and became a welder. Did factory work for 5 yrs, Starting working for a HVAC company.. Started a business ..HVAC-Plumbing & Gas... Guess I'll get to retire 1 day..

 

[EddieWalker]

Eddie, hows that business working out for you? Brother and I are thinking of going into something like that. I used to do that exact thing back in the late 80s and 90s and did pretty well at it plus I enjoyed the challenges people had.

It's actually working out too well. I'm booked up for the next six months and I have five bids on my desk to get out and two meetings scheduled for next week to look at jobs. I work alone and I'm already at the higher end of what the bigger companies are charging. They hire me because I do one job at a time, I do all the work, and they trust me. I don't advertise, I just post pics on Facebook and friend everyone that I can on there. Word of mouth is huge, and Facebook does a lot of that for me!!!

The reason I say it's doing too well is that I'm turning down jobs and losing out on a few because some people wont, or just can't wait six months for me to get to them. While some of those people who want you right away are not who I want to work for, there have been a few projects that I would have liked to have done. If I hired employees, I think I could get the jobs done faster, and cut down on the backlog. Unfortunately every time I've done this, it turns into more work for me and I find myself baby sitting instead of enjoying myself. Working alone on a job, from start to finish, is what I like.

Eddie

 

[jk96]

I design, setup, and shoot firework shows for a living.

 

[300UGUY]

I had a paper route, mowed lawns, then I worked for my dad at his tool& die shop, then at a couple of Job shops in the Detroit area. Then I hired into Chrysler in the mid 70's, the plant closed in 79, I went to GM, got 30 years in there, took a retirement, the plant closed.... During all this, I went to school part time, spent 5 years at GM as a engineer, now I am retired. My wife has a business I help with, plus we have a rental property, along with our home, I find enough to keep busy. I am investing in a small biz soon, along with a relative. I also take some time out to help my friends and family with various problems. I can see that one day I will need to downsize all my stuff, but I am not there yet!!