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career/life decisions


The_buster

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They pushed back making me flat rate for who knows how long now. They hired another level 3 tech which means another "mouth to feed" as far as work and flat rate hours go. They actually hired 2 but the other guy had us store his tools for 3 days and then got another job, this being after we paid for him to move out here from Arizona.

 

The wife and I were budgeting and making a save money back plan and realized that as of right now after I pay my tool bills and the new car payment, which doubled our insurance, I am making somewhere between 3 and 5 dollars an hour. My tool bills are only about 800 ish as of right now, but as I move up I'll need more. She is pushing for me to think about a career change so that we can actually save some money. My flat rate hours are ranging from 8 to 16/ week. I'm not doing many jobs that are a flat rate job but with the other guy they hired my chances of getting more flat rate jobs are slim.

 

I like what I'm doing here and I am learning a lot. But the money just isn't here. There are 2 career paths that im tossing around right now, one is surgical tech. which is what I started going to school for right after graduation, and the other would be something in the ODNR field. Not sure on the pay scale or jobs availability for ODNR right now, haven't really looked into it much yet. Surgical tech would have good benefits and relativly decent hours and pay.

 

 

 

Any advice or opinions?

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Deliver pizza.

 

Drivers I know are making a grand a week driving company cars. To be good all you need to do is learn an area and not be a total dumbass.

 

Is not a career but it would allow you to save and focus your days on what you want to get into.

Edited by Radio Flyer
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I don't think going back to school is an option if you're worried about money, shit ain't free. I think delivery driver in the evenings is solid advice. Downfall is less time with family, but you could make some good money and focus on paying off your current debt, then quit when you feel comfortable doing so.
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School is a great option if you can stick with the extra hours. 1 hour of in school lectures = 2 hours of studying at home. You will not save any money in the short term. Depending on your career choice you might come out ahead in a few years. You also run the risk of getting a degree in a field you will not enjoy. Pick your poison carefully.

 

If you can't handle school you need to either work 2 jobs at a time or do something illegal/shady. I DO NOT condone either of these choices. One is low risk and low return and the other is the complete opposite. Don't ask me about my personal experience because I won't tell you.

 

Either way you won't have free time. Serious question what is more important to you, family time or money? Only you can answer this.

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Deliver pizza.

 

Drivers I know are making a grand a week driving company cars. To be good all you need to do is learn an area and not be a total dumbass.

 

Is not a career but it would allow you to save and focus your days on what you want to get into.

 

Actually really solid advice. I was a Personal Banker at HNB back in the day and our Lead Teller, who made OK money, delivered on Fri/Sat/Sun nights and made bank. He was able to pay off a ton of debt in just a couple years and put down a nice payment on a good sized home. Short term sacrifice, long term gain. Not sure if he still does this but I know him and his wife just had their first kid last year and are doing well.

 

You can have my job at my work when I quit lol

 

Opportunity knocks. Depends on if it fits your time frame.

 

Wanna work in parts m-f 7-4??

 

It knocks again.

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Only thing I'll say about delivery driver....make sure you get a COMMERCIAL insurance or all of the policy/documents if the place you're delivering for says it provides insurance for you. Your standard auto policy does NOT cover you for business purposes, and I'd hate to see you in a fender bender or something without at least minimum coverage otherwise everything you made plus some will be going out the window in a hurry.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide.

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I'm not very good at math, but the wife is. If I'm interested in something and I really want to do it then I usually am able to do well. School wise it would be for the surgical tech which there are 9 month courses as well as 2 year. I would go for the 2 year and get a degree rather than a certificate, seems a degree would be better. Not sure what there is odnr wise havent looked there.

 

 

As for the job offers, I appreciate them, but unfortunately I would need a 9am job and out in time to get the kids so the wife can work her overnight shifts. She works 7-7, and I take the 6yo to school at 815.

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Ok, this may not sound great to some. If you have mechanical ability, have you considered plumbing? You don't need a degree, and you can make pretty decent money if you're a hard worker.

Company's like water works hire guys on, they ride with a plumber for 1yr at a flat hourly rate, then you go on your own and make a percentage based on the jobs you do in a day. After you've been there for 5 yrs you qualify to take the test to get your own license, so i f you ever decided to start your own business, you could.

The main guys I use in my building, make good money.

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Ok, this may not sound great to some. If you have mechanical ability, have you considered plumbing? You don't need a degree, and you can make pretty decent money if you're a hard worker.

Company's like water works hire guys on, they ride with a plumber for 1yr at a flat hourly rate, then you go on your own and make a percentage based on the jobs you do in a day. After you've been there for 5 yrs you qualify to take the test to get your own license, so i f you ever decided to start your own business, you could.

The main guys I use in my building, make good money.

 

+1. My aunt's husband has been a plumber for years and years, and he's got a new Hellcat! Lol, but seriously he makes pretty good money I believe with no education beyond HS.

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Some mechanic shops are very slow, and have been. However, some haven't slowed down at all. Construction is booming now and has been the last couple years. I don't see it slowing down anytime soon. Pipe fitters make very good money after the 4 or 5 year apprenticeship (which there is classes and learning time in there). Still make decent money during the apprentice period.
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Sad thing about trying to be a tech. Lots of young guys don't last, they don't make much money, they have to buy tools on a lmited income, and they are the lowest one on the totem pole. Once you get good, higher up in the pecking order, you typically have most of the tools you need everyday (there's always tools to buy, but that's not my point) the job can be very profitable.

 

It's just a tough industry, work has been pretty slow everywhere, and it's not an easy career path in any aspect. If you want to make a career change now is certainly the time to do it. I have more then I want to add up invested in tools, my back is fucked up, and I had to take a pretty sizable pay cut to go do something else. At this point most entry level jobs are going to get you about the same pay as you get now.

 

Figure out what you want to do and work towards it. Being a tech isn't all bad if you stick with it, just take care of your body and be smart about getting training and certifications. Doing something else will be hard to, nothing in life worth doing is easy.

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I'm honestly surprised so many auto techs haven't looked at the medium/heavy duty truck dealerships. We can't find enough techs, and a solid level 5 tech makes 80-110k a year. 90% guarantee on every hour worked, factory training, ect.

 

If you're a solid auto tech level 3/4/5 PM me. I can help you make real money.

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