What do you do for a living?

[dma]

Frenchee,

I'm 47 and I'm on my third or fourth career. You are likely to have 6 or more in your life so don't worry too much about the first. You are already in college, any subjects that you like, study them and worry about a "career" later. Learn to be articulate, write well, and think critically and you will never want for a job or a career. I've never been unemployed for even one day and I only had one job that I dreaded going to--I stayed exactly 1 year.

I have undergraduate degrees in nursing and European history; and a graduate degree in Chinese Studies. I studied what I felt like studying and never worried about a job.

I've worked as a "big five" consultant, healthcare executive, Director of Education, Director of Human Resources, IT Director, and staff nurse. I've had roles from individual contributor to VP at the 23rd largest employer in the US. What I can with certainty is this, I never found balance until late in life and regret that more than anything. Try to find something you love and that doesn't consume all your time.

I now work primarily as a trauma nurse, but I also teach a decent amount, primarily trauma and emergency cardiovascular care subjects, and I am an editor for an international nursing journal.

Nursing in California (not everywhere) is a very good career. New grad nurses in San Francisco start around $108K per year, they get about a month of paid leave off their first year, 2 weeks of education leave their first year, fully paid benefits, and most importantly, 3 day work weeks (12 hours shifts). Working three days per week gives me time to take care of my kids, manage my fine art studio (www.studioobscura.com), tinker with 02s, and many other things that make me happy. If you have the aptitude and compassion then this is a very honorable career.

My apologies if I've said too much.

Mark

[new2da02]

I am a graphic artist/designer. I design greeting cards for a living...and THIS is why I must have some manly car time! I like guns too. And can grow a beard.

[darkhelmet]

Directing a golf cart service on campus while I work for an accounting degree

[bueller]

I am a graphic artist/designer. I design greeting cards for a living...and THIS is why I must have some manly car time! I like guns too. And can grow a beard.

LOL this is awesome.

[cheap320i]

Directing a golf cart service on campus while I work for an accounting degree

Not a mutually exclusive endeavor, I suspect!

Mike

[mike472]

I am a chocolatier by trade as was my grandfather and father. We have a family run business that is 100 years old on Staten Island. The chocolate business is what got me involved with BMW's. We bought chocolate molding line made in Lubeck, Germany in 1969 and the company sent a mechanic, Uwe Drager came over to teach me and my brother the ropes about the machinery. He came for 3 years and shipped his car over with him. A malaga 1969 2002. I had never seen one before and all my german car experience prior to that was with VW(all I could afford!) I had a 69 MGB at that time which was about a year old stolen recovery that I bought from a local auto wrecker and fixed up. I thought was a really great car.... until I drove his car! That started a lifelong addiction to all things BMW. I would travel to Germany at least every three years to go to shows in Dusseldorf and everytime I came back I was loaded down with either a set of 9.3-1 pistons or something exotic and unobtainable here. You could say my job led me to BMW. At that time I couldn't afford much of a BMW so I bought a used NK 1965 1800 with a rod knock for $200. What a journey it's been, through my first new BMW, a 1976, through various 2002's, 728, 635CSi, M3 and now back full circle to my original 76 that I've had for 36 years this year. I came back for the simplicity of it. I am not afraid of taking anything apart on this car as I have dissected every major component on this car over the years. I would only go so far with the other cars before I would defer to the experts.

Getting back to what to do for a living if your just starting out I would say what some of the other folks here have said, try to do something you truly enjoy and allows you to make a decent living at the same time. Not so easy to do. We don't always have a choice. Like Billy Joel says in one of his songs "The Angry Young Man" he found out just surviving is a noble fight. I enjoy what I do even though some days can be tough when things are going wrong, but learn to appreciate the good stuff that comes as a result of your job, whatever it is. For me one of the major things that came from my job was discovering BMW before most people new what the initials stood for here in the US. Another great thing has been the BMWCCA and all the wonderful friends I have met over the years. Working with good people that you like is important too.

Good luck!

Mike Katsoris

BMWCCA #13294 NJ chapter

76 2002

04 R1150RT

10 GL350 Bluetec

[darkhelmet]

Na, that job is painfully easy

And if I keep it till grad school, my tuition can be waived

[AceAndrew]

I am a chocolatier by trade as was my grandfather and father. We have a family run business that is 100 years old on Staten Island.

Mike, you have an awesome job! Do you have a website or ordering information about your chocolate? I have a disease that requires good chocolate to heal. (The infection started at the Turin Chocolate Festival a few years back.).

[mike472]

I am a chocolatier by trade as was my grandfather and father. We have a family run business that is 100 years old on Staten Island.

Mike, you have an awesome job! Do you have a website or ordering information about your chocolate? I have a disease that requires good chocolate to heal. (The infection started at the Turin Chocolate Festival a few years back.).

My website is www.supremechocolatier.com

We use real good chocolate over 33% cocoa butter and about 13% cocoa powder for our milk chocolates. Our dark is about 26% cocoa powder. It is definitely a happy business. People come in with smiles on their faces. It's not like going to a lawyer or a doctor where you pay money for something you don't necessarily enjoy, but pay it to make a problem go away. This is a business where people look forward to coming to your store. Almost like one of us dropping into the BMW factory store. I'm sure that would put smiles on the faces of most of the FAQ!

Mike

[RIMSPOKE]

I DO TOOL & DIE WORK , PRIMARILY ON PROTOTYPE AND DEVELOPMENT

WORK .

[Scott Sislane]

NT

[ILikeRedCabs]

Well, I am an anesthesiologist by trade. I aspire to be a wine maker specializing in Cabernets.

My wife and I started a small wine label and produce on o two wines a year available on the internet.

Just bought a 1600 Voll cabrio red... I like red cabs

[Beck180]

I'm a freelance photojournalst. Went to school to be an airline pilot. I like to think I am a great example that it doesn't really matter what you go to school for. What maters is that your happy.

[02hobiedave]

Well I started as an Explosive detector dog handler in the Air Force 4 yrs. Then Got a job as a Deputy Sheriff and worked in under cover, tactical unit, Dive team and SWAT as a sniper. But my best and last job has been flying helicopters for the Sheriffs Office. I always loved flying of any kind but the helicopter flying is the best. You are low and can see everything so well. I have also flown for corporate i.e. "mister got Rocks" in his personal chopper and at his beckon call. I have a little work for some news stations which is just fly to the scene and hover for two hours but still fun. The flying is the best it beats an office any day.

I always new I wanted to fly, but just didn't do anything about it until later in life. I've always enjoyed all my jobs throughout my life but aviation bit me very early in life.

Good luck

Dave

[josh72ooh2]

This is what i do...

http://www.joshwithers.com

Professional Photoshop artist and

photographer