Another advice thread

[zeitgeist57]

My advice:

 

Start by getting into a job where you have to sell something to someone.

Every business has to make money, which involves people who sell the product/service.

Learn how that business operates and takes notes regarding core necessities that you see.

Then go start your own business (same niche, or different) where you can apply the things you have learned.

 

That's how the world works.^^^

 

 

 

 

A lot of this other advice will end up getting you to a ceiling eventually.

 

Your level of ambition will be very telling when you quote/respond to this post. Then I can help you more.

 

Good points here, Samsonite. Look at Scott Cordell...call center work at Jegs keeps him plugged into cars (which he knows and likes) but in a customer-focused capacity. They're looking for inside sales folks as well...

[Cordell]

I've just come to the conclusion that work sucks, you try to find the best possible thing to tolerate but in the end it isn't any fun.

 

If you want challenging automotive work you need to work in a dealership, some may not agree with me but how many times have you heard people who either "don't have the equipment" or they just "don't know". The dealership is the end all be all of problem solving, because if you can't fix it you'll be working with an engineer from whatever manufacturer. I worked hard into the automotive field and that's where I was, fixing infotainment systems, transmissions, deisels, and any other random shit nobody could figure out. You are nowhere near the top of what it is to be an automotive technician.

 

That said if you want to do something else, I get that. Personally if I was in your shoes and thought I could follow through getting a degree in something, that is exactly what I would do. For me personally I don't have it in me, besides my wife is going down that path so her student loans are enough for our household, but enough about me.

 

Outside of getting a collage degree, you choices will be many of the jobs that I have tried and didn't like. I graduated from the career center when I graduated from high school. A 2 year certificate in electrical technology, you know what I did until I was about your age? Worked construction, putting up lights, running conduit, running wire, building service entrance, digging ditches, and all I learned was how much it sucked. I tried some call center work before, with Medicare, and debt collecting, those sucked pretty bad. Then I tried warehouse work, pretty shitty. By the time I was 24-25 I started working on cars full time, and worked up to where I was. Just about as far as most people go with it.

 

My point is this, invest some time and effort into an education, make yourself valuable. Engineering sounds like a decent option, or some kind of science, because if you don't you'll turn out like me. A tired middle aged loser with a fucked up back whose only saving grace is his hardworking wife covering his ass.

[gillbot]

Pick a trade. Welding, electrical, plumbing, etc. big shortage in those areas right now.

[Geeesammy]

Pick a trade. Welding, electrical, plumbing, etc. big shortage in those areas right now.

 

Welding interests me. No schools around Cbus though.

[Otis Nice]

I agree with picking a trade. If welding interests you take the steps necessary, even if it means going elsewhere. Long term, you'll be much happier.

 

Also, if the crippling debt obtaining a college degree might leave you with worries you I might suggest seeking certifications in whatever field you choose. Some of my friends did this and are doing very well without the traditional 4 year degree.

 

Find what you want to do and what certifications you need, then pursue them. Best of luck man. Truly.

[Lauren]

My advice:

 

Start by getting into a job where you have to sell something to someone.

Every business has to make money, which involves people who sell the product/service.

Learn how that business operates and takes notes regarding core necessities that you see.

Then go start your own business (same niche, or different) where you can apply the things you have learned.

 

That's how the world works.^^^

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your level of ambition will be very telling when you quote/respond to this post. Then I can help you more.

 

 

Best advice In this thread.

[Dharris89]

I'm getting old but 15 years ago when I was at Columbus State they would let you audit a class and they have/had a lot of night classes. CSCC, Hondros and Franklin will all be cheaper and flexible than OSU. Try to sit in on some accounting, finance and marketing classes. Once you get the basics, it's pretty straight forward. IT is good and knowing how to use office is a must.

 

You also have to decide if you want to sit behind a desk or are able to stare at a screen all day everyday.

 

Lastly, stay far away from the railroad. My dad was a carman and supervisor at N/S for 30 years. His health is not good and most people get so beat down they go disability before retirement. Good luck.

[RedRocket1647545505]

I know you said no to health care, but nursing (specifically critical care) is like being a mechanic, only with people and infinitely more complex. I thought it'd never be something for me. I went from being a heavy equipment mechanic to nursing and the thought process on troubleshooting is very similar.

 

Just a thought.

[gillbot]

Welding interests me. No schools around Cbus though.

 

Isn't there one in Dayton?

[TTQ B4U]

Good points here, Samsonite. Look at Scott Cordell...call center work at Jegs keeps him plugged into cars (which he knows and likes) but in a customer-focused capacity. They're looking for inside sales folks as well...

 

 

There's real opportunity. Sales is fun and you can do very very well if you're good and parley your transferable skills to the right place/market. I was 24 when I started inside and it was the best thing that I ever did. 6yrs of studies paid off too but only because I can / did leverage it.

[acklac7]

One thing you've neglected to mention is your prior work experience is 95% blue-collar. Not saying thats a bad thing, but man, White Collar work is a whole different thing.

 

Grew up a yuppy in Upper Arlington (Think Clay ) Worked white-collar jobs my whole life. Then, around age 24, decided to take a job at Fas-lube while I was in College. Imagine my face when some tech starts cussing out the Manager my first day on the job . What? how is this dude not immediately fired? Come to learn thats how it goes in blue-collar. Not so in White Collar jobs.

 

Not saying you can't make the switch, just be prepared, it's not the same.

 

Picture yourself working with people who are, generally speaking, outgoing, happy and positive. You're going to be working with "People persons". Instead of looking for the worst in people they are looking for the best. Imagine yourself working with Me, Clay and Ol' Ponytail every.single.day. Thats about what your going to find in White Collar work.

 

You're pretty much going from this:

 

:bangbang:

 

To this:

 

:marc:

Edited January 21, 2016 by acklac7

[acklac7]

Pick a trade. Welding, electrical, plumbing, etc. big shortage in those areas right now.

 

This is the route I would go if I were you. Especially Electrical; you'll always be challenged, always facing new problems to solve. No two jobs will be the same. Moreover you'll have infinite job security.

 

That or get a degree.

Edited January 21, 2016 by acklac7

[EssFo]

Isn't there one in Dayton?

 

Hobart in Troy http://www.welding.org/

[Agent Orange]

Welding interests me. No schools around Cbus though.

 

Look into the Operators union. They are excepting applications sometime next week.

 

Any of the unions are a smart pick. Solid wages, excellent pensions and retirement and challenging. As long as you are willing to work you can stay employed (operators, don't know about the others). You will have your four years of education while working and have zero debt at the end.

[Tractor]

I'm 37 and at the same cross road. I've been applying and interviewing at IT positions around but I've worked in managed services my whole career of over twenty years so I've seen it all, been in every position and think I might just start my own company. I just gotta work out how I'm going to earn money while I'm starting out and I'll have to learn to sell a bit. The technical side of the business will take care of itself.

[Diamonds]

Respectfully, this thread is getting too complicated.

 

Also important to note - A vocation-like job is only going to make you feel the way you currently feel:

 

A. Later in life, when...

B. You hit the ceiling within that vocation-like job. which means...

C. You are delaying the inevitable by trying get into something you understand a pathway in versus trying something new/foreign/risky that makes you uneasy. Being uneasy is a good thing. No one ever looked down on someone who endeavored a large challenge (career-wise).

[Diamonds]

So... let's recap... here's what people have told you to do with your life.

 

A "trade" - 3 votes

IT bro - 3 votes

Nursing - 2 votes

Railroad - 2 votes

Jegs CSR - 1 vote

Aviation - 1 vote

Dancer - 1 vote

Outdoor stuff - 1 vote

 

 

None of this matters until you explain to me your level of ambition.

None of this matters unless you make a plan and stick to it.

 

"None of this matters until you explain to me your level of ambition".

 

Here's why:

 

Let's use nursing as an example (since it's so near and dear to me)...

 

1. You can become an LPN for the rest of your life and make 30K

2. You can become an RN and make around 40K doing home health.

3. You can be an RN and make 40K-80K (tenure/specialty) doing hospital work.

4. You can be an advanced practice RN and make 100K-225K depending on what you do.

5. You can be an RN and get into an executive path that leads from 80K-300K.

6. You can be an RN and start your own travel nursing company and make millions.

 

DO YOU SEE WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW YOUR AMBITION LEVEL?

 

I specialize in this shit. feed me information.

 

Let my 1-6 chart sink in....

[Geeesammy]

There's real opportunity. Sales is fun and you can do very very well if you're good and parley your transferable skills to the right place/market. I was 24 when I started inside and it was the best thing that I ever did. 6yrs of studies paid off too but only because I can / did leverage it.

I wouldn't call Jegs inside sales a sales gig, more along the lines of retail. There seems to be little incentive for anyone to up sell anything to anyone in a retail settint, aside from a promotion that you might get.

 

I guess what im realizing as the thread goes on is I am trying to find a rewarding career outside of dealing with fixing or upgrading cars or selling parts involving that.

 

One thing you've neglected to mention is your prior work experience is 95% blue-collar. Not saying thats a bad thing, but man, White Collar work is a whole different thing.

 

Grew up a yuppy in Upper Arlington (Think Clay ) Worked white-collar jobs my whole life. Then, around age 24, decided to take a job at Fas-lube while I was in College. Imagine my face when some tech starts cussing out the Manager my first day on the job . What? how is this dude not immediately fired? Come to learn thats how it goes in blue-collar. Not so in White Collar jobs.

 

Not saying you can't make the switch, just be prepared, it's not the same.

 

Picture yourself working with people who are, generally speaking, outgoing, happy and positive. You're going to be working with "People persons". Instead of looking for the worst in people they are looking for the best. Imagine yourself working with Me, Clay and Ol' Ponytail every.single.day. Thats about what your going to find in White Collar work.

 

You're pretty much going from this:

 

:bangbang:

 

To this:

 

:marc:

I'm well aware of my past work experience, thank you.

 

Hobart in Troy http://www.welding.org/

I've debated that but I feel ultimately I'll end up feeling the same 5 years from now.

 

Respectfully, this thread is getting too complicated.

 

Also important to note - A vocation-like job is only going to make you feel the way you currently feel:

 

A. Later in life, when...

B. You hit the ceiling within that vocation-like job. which means...

C. You are delaying the inevitable by trying get into something you understand a pathway in versus trying something new/foreign/risky that makes you uneasy. Being uneasy is a good thing. No one ever looked down on someone who endeavored a large challenge (career-wise).

 

So... let's recap... here's what people have told you to do with your life.

 

A "trade" - 3 votes

IT bro - 3 votes

Nursing - 2 votes

Railroad - 2 votes

Jegs CSR - 1 vote

Aviation - 1 vote

Dancer - 1 vote

Outdoor stuff - 1 vote

 

 

None of this matters until you explain to me your level of ambition.

None of this matters unless you make a plan and stick to it.

 

"None of this matters until you explain to me your level of ambition".

 

Here's why:

 

Let's use nursing as an example (since it's so near and dear to me)...

 

1. You can become an LPN for the rest of your life and make 30K

2. You can become an RN and make around 40K doing home health.

3. You can be an RN and make 40K-80K (tenure/specialty) doing hospital work.

4. You can be an advanced practice RN and make 100K-225K depending on what you do.

5. You can be an RN and get into an executive path that leads from 80K-300K.

6. You can be an RN and start your own travel nursing company and make millions.

 

DO YOU SEE WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW YOUR AMBITION LEVEL?

 

I specialize in this shit. feed me information.

 

Let my 1-6 chart sink in....

 

I hold virtually no interest in Healthcare at all. I'd honestly rather stay where I am before I went into all healthcare field even if I doubled my income.

 

You want info, so here is the easiest way I can lay it out on my phone.

 

I want a career, not a job. I have no issue starting out being the entry level guy making $30k a year to learn the ropes unlike 95% of my "millennial" counterparts who think they deserve a 6 figure salary and management position straight out of school. I want something that interests me and challenges me. Something new, I don't and wouldn't mind sales, just not at a retail level. I'm trying to get away from cars, it's basically the only hobby I have that can hold my interest and either my work suffers from being burnt out on cars or I hate life because I'm burnt out on cars or both.

 

After some thought last night and talking to a friend ive known since I was born I think I'd be a good Civil Engineer. Id still have a feeling of doing something productive while not breaking my back to do so and it is something totally different than what I am doing now while still somewhat similar in the fact I am having to troubleshoot and solve a complex problem or achieve a big goal. I'd still be away from a computer and on my feet some of the day, I can't imagine myself sitting at at desk for 8,9 or more hours per day.

 

Any civil engineers on here want to weigh in?

[Geeesammy]

I've just come to the conclusion that work sucks, you try to find the best possible thing to tolerate but in the end it isn't any fun.

 

If you want challenging automotive work you need to work in a dealership, some may not agree with me but how many times have you heard people who either "don't have the equipment" or they just "don't know". The dealership is the end all be all of problem solving, because if you can't fix it you'll be working with an engineer from whatever manufacturer. I worked hard into the automotive field and that's where I was, fixing infotainment systems, transmissions, deisels, and any other random shit nobody could figure out. You are nowhere near the top of what it is to be an automotive technician.

 

That said if you want to do something else, I get that. Personally if I was in your shoes and thought I could follow through getting a degree in something, that is exactly what I would do. For me personally I don't have it in me, besides my wife is going down that path so her student loans are enough for our household, but enough about me.

 

Outside of getting a collage degree, you choices will be many of the jobs that I have tried and didn't like. I graduated from the career center when I graduated from high school. A 2 year certificate in electrical technology, you know what I did until I was about your age? Worked construction, putting up lights, running conduit, running wire, building service entrance, digging ditches, and all I learned was how much it sucked. I tried some call center work before, with Medicare, and debt collecting, those sucked pretty bad. Then I tried warehouse work, pretty shitty. By the time I was 24-25 I started working on cars full time, and worked up to where I was. Just about as far as most people go with it.

 

My point is this, invest some time and effort into an education, make yourself valuable. Engineering sounds like a decent option, or some kind of science, because if you don't you'll turn out like me. A tired middle aged loser with a fucked up back whose only saving grace is his hardworking wife covering his ass.

 

Im not saying that I am anywhere near the top of anything automotive technician wise, however I am saying that the position I'm in now I don't forsee leaving in the near future, for at least 2-3 years for reasons out of my control. This is why I've grown bored of it and Its mainly my own fault. I took a job I knew would be below my skill level while getting a pay raise to do so while thinking that would offset the feeling I have now, but it didnt. Now as a result of that I'm just burnt out on being a mechanic. I've pretty much lost interest in anything at work. I'm a highly motivated usually, but once I lose motivation for something it's almost always gone for good. my white supra can attest to that

[Diamonds]

You never answered the ambition question. How far do you want to go in terms of money/responsibility?

 

And, judging by your "I don't wanna do da healthcare" reply when I was merely giving an example... I think it's safe to say that we are on different wavelengths.

 

Good luck! You need to open your mind and step far far FAR outside the box before you start threads like this. Your mind is closed. I'm sorry man.

 

Your statement about "wanting a career rather than a job" is puzzling because of all your preconceived confinements.

 

If I told you I had s job where you could make 70-90k pounding out a phone sales job you'd probably come back with "I'm not sure I'd like doing that"... And for that reason I cannot help you.

 

"You need to be open"

 

Then

 

"You need to make a plan"

 

You can't even begin to accomplish your goal (this thread's first post) until you realize that opportunity is rare enough to Really pay attention to.

[Diamonds]

I'm sorry, I cannot leave this thread with my last post not being encouraging.

 

So here is your encouragement.

 

What are you? 24? When I was 24 I was making less money than you. Anything is possible if you keep your eyes/mind open.

[TTQ B4U]

I wouldn't call Jegs inside sales a sales gig, more along the lines of retail. There seems to be little incentive for anyone to up sell anything to anyone in a retail settint, aside from a promotion that you might get.

 

It's not about "sellling" as much as it is everything else.

Customer relations, building trust, interactoins, and all the responsibilities that come with it. you're building transferable skillls not just hitting a nubmer. Leading in many different ways including the peers you'll be with. Get them and the customers to follow you and you WILL go place.

 

I guess what im realizing as the thread goes on is I am trying to find a rewarding career outside of dealing with fixing or upgrading cars or selling parts involving that.

 

I agree that such a move would be good. That's exactly what my insight is leading your towards. However, you have to dovetail off what you have now. No one is going to simply hire you without transferable skills.

 

I hold virtually no interest in Healthcare at all. I'd honestly rather stay where I am before I went into all healthcare field even if I doubled my income.

 

I would encourage you to keep an open mind. I'm in a sales mindset vs nursing but I've taking a lab worker making $14-$19 per hour to over $140k per year. She's still with us and last year will make as much if not more via the phone. Your call. 99.9% of the population would take that type of gig all day long. What fun you make of it is exactly that; what you make of it. She has a blast. She is one of two that I have working for me that pulls in that income via the phone. Move to outside sales and that number goes up. Move into management of a region, and.......move into a director role.......you get my drift.

 

Sorry if I'm pushing the sales front. Just a suggestion and insight for you and others. Has made my life an enjoyable one and I wouldn't change it for anything I've come across. Money, autonomy, recognition, fun as hell and lots of fun if I've not already mentioned that.

[TTQ B4U]

What are you? 24? When I was 24 I was making less money than you. Anything is possible if you keep your eyes/mind open.

 

 

^^ This. My first "professional job" using my degree at 24 paid $24k per year and sucked. I made double that part time selling cars in college.

 

I quit that job within a year and by age 27 I tripled that income.

[TTQ B4U]

None of this matters until you explain to me your level of ambition.

None of this matters unless you make a plan and stick to it.

 

"None of this matters until you explain to me your level of ambition".

 

Here's why:

 

Let's use nursing as an example (since it's so near and dear to me)...

 

1. You can become an LPN for the rest of your life and make 30K

2. You can become an RN and make around 40K doing home health.

3. You can be an RN and make 40K-80K (tenure/specialty) doing hospital work.

4. You can be an advanced practice RN and make 100K-225K depending on what you do.

5. You can be an RN and get into an executive path that leads from 80K-300K.

6. You can be an RN and start your own travel nursing company and make millions.

 

DO YOU SEE WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW YOUR AMBITION LEVEL?

 

 

^^ GREAT Post! True stuff..... and a triple post because CR.

[Geeesammy]

You never answered the ambition question. How far do you want to go in terms of money/responsibility?

 

And, judging by your "I don't wanna do da healthcare" reply when I was merely giving an example... I think it's safe to say that we are on different wavelengths.

 

Good luck! You need to open your mind and step far far FAR outside the box before you start threads like this. Your mind is closed. I'm sorry man.

 

Your statement about "wanting a career rather than a job" is puzzling because of all your preconceived confinements.

 

If I told you I had s job where you could make 70-90k pounding out a phone sales job you'd probably come back with "I'm not sure I'd like doing that"... And for that reason I cannot help you.

 

"You need to be open"

 

Then

 

"You need to make a plan"

 

You can't even begin to accomplish your goal (this thread's first post) until you realize that opportunity is rare enough to Really pay attention to.

Just because I said I didn't particularly want to do something doesn't mean I don't have ambition, if I didn't I wouldn't have made this thread.

 

I don't have a limit in terms of money or responsibility, the sky is the limit.

 

Saying my mind is closed couldn't be further from the truth, I made a thread with an open mind, I guess I spoke too harshly on the healthcare idea and after thinking about it I guess I'm just biased against it from my experiences in the past and I shouldn't base my opinions on the profession from my limited and poor experience with it.

 

I also believe I said I'm not against sales, just sales in a retail environment. I worked at autozone and hated that, given that is likely another bad experience since I'm dealing with pissed Off people needing to buy expensive stuff they didn't plan on for something that they need fixed quickly.