What do you do for a living?

[Chamonix72]

I work for a major (mostly) national insurance company. I work in a section of the claims department known as subrogation. Basically if we paid a claim and some other party was at fault, we attempt to recover that money. I fell into it after 13 years working for the state of Texas. Which I also fell into.

One piece of advice I can share is not to let inertia keep you at a place where you're not happy. Life's too short, and we work to live, not the other way around. Also, there's more to life than a big pay check.

[srnoncom]

I am a Registered Nurse in a level I trauma center.Started my life in the Army....from which I retired after 22 years. Being a nurse provides you lots of employment options, and lots of play time....working three days a week (12hr shifts). In larger areas.....like SF area....you make pretty good money as well.

Good luck......remember to roll with lifes punches.....and there are reasons for everything.

[stone02]

hi,

well the standard answer is,

read the paper, eat doughnuts,

sleep in the truck!!!

i work for PA dept. of Trans.

actually i am a resident engineer

for penndot, which means i

manage construction projects

like bridge rehabs, roadway

rebuilds, infrastructure stuff

like pump stations, traffic lite

systems and anything connected

to the roads we drive our

cars on.

[Gbare02tii]

I own a 69 BMW 2002 ...I am a golf Pro and own my own golf academy in Florida.

[Cameron]

...you should =

........-= become a NURSE =- .........

and begin the journey in the MILITARY

it's what I'll do in my next life.

if I'm not a cat!

the car business suchs

Yes, the car business does suck. I'm a journeyman Chrysler tech. To everyone who thinks being a mechanic would be fun - if it's a fun hobby keep it that way, sooner or later it won't be fun anymore. The 02 is just so damn fun the drive, I still enjoy working on it.

[Blue2002]

I'm a junior in high school, no real profession yet but i do have a job to provide money for college (and my car of course). I hope to someday study as an engineer, maybe civil or mechanical.

[mrgesq]

I'm a lawyer. Complex and commercial litigation all over the United States. Although i knew i wanted to be a lawyer when i was 10, I tried a lot of other things during the school years along the way. Mostly summer jobs. I grew up working at my dad's soda business. That's where i learned to take care of the route trucks, do basic maintenance and paint with Imron. I worked at a canning factory driving a fork lift, sold skis at a sport shop, worked at a gas station during school, stocked shelves at a grocery store.

I guess i was unusual that I knew what I wanted to so do early in life. I though it was odd when people said they didn't know what they wanted to do for a living. I discovered that I was the odd one. I love what I do so it all worked out. That's the important part, Don't chase the money. Chase your passion. You will be much happier.

My father bought a new E12 in 1979 and still has it today. I remember the day he brought it home. It was fast and handled like a dream. He later bought two 2002's, but had no time to work on them. The "good one" sat in storage from 1991 to 2005 when he decided to sell it. I asked him what he wanted for it and he gave it to me. 6 years and many projects later, the cars runs great and is a joy.

As others have said, do what you enjoy doing and the money will take care of itself.

[Grover]

Wow, what an amazingly diverse bunch we are. Cool stuff.

Me, I tried to make a go of being a "professional" rock climber for quite a few years (my passion) but the reality is, you just can't pay the bills scrambling up rocks. Sponsors yes, but cash just doesn't flow freely where there is no TV coverage.

For the last 14 years I've been with the same great food company (Clif Bar), the last 8 of which I've been managing product development and commercialization.

My words of wisdom: Bring a positive attitude and a desire to learn, and you WILL find a job you love.

[Byron]

What I do now: Band Director in Public School System

What I did through high school and college:

Mow Lawns

House-sit/Animal-sit (being responsible when young actually does pay!)

Lifeguard

Youth Director for my church

Worked at Coca-Cola extensively throughout college (worked in warehouse, drove a forklift, merchandised, drove a delivery route, drove hot-shots for holiday sales/events....etc. etc.)

Taught Music Lessons (sax and piano mostly)

If there is any job you can get during school that will hook you up with a CDL, I'd get it and KEEP it. It has been tremendously beneficial for me.

[68Roundie]

I work for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept. as a Court Services Specialist...which is a fancy name for a process server. Sadly the worse the economy the more work for me. I can't begin to tell you how busy I am right now. Lots of people being sued and evicted, but some one has to do it. I will be married this june and me and my fiance plan to start an apparel company after we're hitched. If I could do it all over again I would've gone for pro photographer, for now it's still my favorite hobby.

[TKMad]

I'm a mechanical engineer and I design unmanned aerial vehicles.

As far as advice goes, I would try to stick close to what you do as a hobby for your career. Even if it is just mildly related at least you can get enjoyment from that. It's tough deciding what to do for the rest of your life when you don't have much experience to look back on.

[jerry]

i entered cal poly slo as a crop science major because i grew up with a backyard garden and back in high school i was known for growing some of the best marijuana in marin (the 70's). i also had a tendency to fix broken things and enjoyed woodworking (i built my own bee hives and raised bees). after a year and a half in crop science, i switched to metallurgical engineering because i wanted a more challenging education and decided there were more career opportunities in urban settings. i did not want to end up in a barley field in the middle of nowhere. no more grass in engineering school. the pursuit of relevant work experience led to an internship at Argonne National Laboratory in Chicago which led to another internship at a Nuclear Research Center in West Germany. These experiences led to a difficult journey through graduate school at Georgia Tech in Nuclear Engineering. I got through that program, not because of my intelligence but more because of my stubborn determination NOT to quit and finish the program. Fortunately, i was able to take more graduate level materials courses at that time so i was better prepared for my first job in the nuclear power field as a materials engineer. after a year and a half, an old boss asked if i wanted to return to a company i co-oped with. i've been with this aeroengine company since 1993 (at 3 different locations across the country) and have fallen into the overhaul and repair side of the business that seems to meld well with my natural tendencies. i feel blessed that my work is very related to my enjoyment in fixing 02's. i have access to a cleaning department where i can turn the rustiest piece of tired old 02 crap into new looking components. i drool over the welding ability of our two welders and have given them a few 02 parts to fix, as well. i'm spoiled. last year, i chose not to apply for a management position as i'm at a stage in my life where other interests are taking a bigger role. i'm fortunate in that i don't have to bring work home and i still enjoy going to work, but my weekends are for me and i devote them to my garden, 02's and landscaping.

my advice to youngsters is to stay in school and get as much of an education as you can. it doesn't guarantee success, but it sure opens up options.

[Guest]

Ive had a few things and am looking at going into Oregon State for Mechanical Engineering.

DO IT! Haha, I'm graduating from OSU in a few months with a degree in Civil Engineering. I've done landscaping, a few years as a bicycle mechanic, and last summer I worked as a land surveyor with the USFS. My dad is a civil engineer for the USFS which is what got me interested in it. I've been set on being a civil engineer since I was in elementary school. Now that school is finally coming to an end(I can't wait to not have homework, but I also don't want to leave the atmosphere) I'm planning on spending ~2 months in Europe with the formula team over summer then being a bike bum until spring 2012 when I'll start looking for a job.

Life is too short not to do what you like. I used to worry about the money(even before knowing where I'd end up career wise) but I began to realize I'd much rather make less and have more free time or a less stressful job than make the big bucks. So I've decided to take a year off and just explore the PNW, go on some road trips in my wagon and bring a mountain bike and BMX bike, maybe a multi-week bike tour, and spend a lot of time working on my 3 car projects while working odd jobs to support the habit and living with my parents.

One thing I've found in engineering(Civil and Mechanical to be specific) is the average age of the senior class is probably 25. A lot of people take time off between HS and college, take a year off from college, switch majors, etc... I'm already considering coming back in the not to distant future to focus on geotechnical engineering and possibly surveying(I'm doing transportation engineering right now). For now I need a change of pace.

You're only young and irresponsible for a little while longer. Find a few things that interest you at school and take classes related to them, but don't forget to enjoy yourself outside of school. Search around for internships if you can, even if it's just as an assistant. Last summer I learned a lot about what I could see my self doing for a career in that short 3 month "internship".

[roadhog0]

Im gonna start watching for internships as soon as I'm done with my Freshman year to hopefully get paid and help pay for college. Not sure what I'll do after but I think I may drive around the country some, not sure yet...

[TobyB]

Take classes you like. Eventually, you might find that they connect into something.

I make things somewhat louder. Sometimes.

t