A different twist on the "What is your profession" post...

[brn agn]

I'm enjoying seeing what other people on the board do for a living. That post got me thinking though. For those of you that have been working for awhile, what is one thing you wish you would have done differently (career wise)?

[Slow Ride]

Gone to a tech school for 2 year degree instead of my overpriced underpaying 4 year engineering degree. Most if not all of our designers make more money than I do working fewer hours with little/no responsibilities.

[Vegas69]

Bought 100 more houses in Las Vegas in 2003 and sold them all in 2005!!!!!!!!! :banghead: I would be a gazillion air right now. Easy to say now!

[brn agn]

Gone to a tech school for 2 year degree instead of my overpriced underpaying 4 year engineering degree. Most if not all of our designers make more money than I do working fewer hours with little/no responsibilities.

I know exactly what you are talking about!

For me, I think I would have avoided working in the automotive industry (manufacturing). I feel that I have aged faster, spent less time with my family and have seen very few rewards since I started.

[69Pony]

Completed my Law Degree instead of just my Computer Science degree. I would have joined a buddy's law firm doing lobbyist work in Annapolis and DC make $450 an hour and playing golf every other day. He's been in the "biz" for over 15 years now and has seen the inside of a court room like 6 times. You have to whore out your dignity some times but other times you CAN make a difference. He was instrumental in getting a patient rights bill and a clean water act through the state's congress.

[novanutcase]

I originally wanted to go to law school along with one of my best friends but decided that I would get a CS degree instead. Didn't get either after I dropped out of USC's Computer Science program to become a "rockstar"! My best friend is now a partner in one of the biggest law firms in the world(Morrison/Foerster) and I have to deal with ninny fashion designers! Oh well, I get to see lots of beautiful skinny models so it ain't ALL bad! LOL!

John

[backtobasics]

...saved the 400.00 a month from the VA, and invested in a flip house
...stayed put in the first job in automotive industry, instead of changing my mind, and coming back

[Project69]

Absolutely nothing...

Im 18 and can make 50k yearly with tons of room to advance so im set.

[Kenova]

For me, I think I would have avoided working in the automotive industry (manufacturing).

I feel that I have aged faster, spent less time with my family and have seen very few rewards since I started.

The second part would also apply to me, although I have found the wages and benefits to be good. As if the work itself isn't bad enough, I also spend a little over two hours a day commuting.
The first part I'm not so sure about. Perhaps I would have started right after I finshed highschool. I would most definetly invest more wisely ( like a bunch of Chrysler stock when it was $2.00 a share, get in on the IPO of some outfit called Microsoft). Puchasing some realestate would be something I could have afforded sooner.

Ken

[Motown 454]

Been born rich

[Bow Tie 67]

I would have gone right to the airlines out of school. Although I doubt I would be the mechanic I am today if I had not done my teething on corporate and private aircraft.

[68Formula]

Gone for my Masters while I was single/no kids.

[trapin]

I like my job, I really do and am very grateful for the salary that I make...but I honestly wish I was doing something related to Hot Rods.

[baz67]

Set to do what I really wanted to do while still in my 20s and not chase the easy money. Now in my mid 30s I decided to do just that, but with kids, house, etc... it is much harder. Plus the car has not been touched in over a year.

[andrewb70]

On one hand it is easy to look back and say "I wish I would have done this, or that, or the other." In all reality had I done things differently, I would not be the person that I am now or in a position that I am today. I do wish that I would have finished by bachelors degree in my 20s, instead of doing it now in my hmmm mid 30s. I plan on getting my MBA and then my PHd and go into teaching.

Andrew

[MrBadwrench]

I really wouldn't change anything really. I have done fine so far. Bought my first home at age 23 worked as a FAA machinist but in Nev. which is a right to work state you get all the ******* companys from Califukination paying $30.00 back in Cal. And paying $12.00 here and treating you like a piece of crap. So I quit the machining business and went in the refuse business. Yea thats right I'am your friendly nieghborhood garbage man. I gotta tell ya I loved the job. Up early, good pay, repect, good boss, and the faster you got your stuff done the sooner you went home. Now here I'am 14yrs later got 3 rental homes, wife stays home with the twin boys 4 and a half. Now the job sux welcome to Waste-MISS-Management they could not manage themselves out of a wet paper bag. So needless to say I'am now looking for a new job. So other than the job choices no complaints at all. Oh and my wife is the greatest always encouraging me to go work on the cars never complaining. She IS one in a million.

[Samckitt]

I wish I would have taken some kind of CNC machining classes when I was in college. I would love to be able to cut parts that I model in UG.

[JV69z/28]

Set to do what I really wanted to do while still in my 20s and not chase the easy money. Now in my mid 30s I decided to do just that, but with kids, house, etc... it is much harder. Plus the car has not been touched in over a year.
So true but even worse when your in your 50s. :hammer: I should have taken a city job at less money back in my early 20s. I could have retired with 1/2 pay and benefits for life after 20 years and could still do what I'm doing now (New car dealer service manager) not spending 10K a year for benefits and having a 30K plus head start every year. Of well live and learn but the lessons are expensive.:hand:

[MZ 500]

(automation designer)

I like my job I just wish I would have found this one first insted of going though 5 others to find it I am only 30 but it sucks staring over I have where I am at about a year now.

[Aceshigh]

I wish I didn't start my degree so late in life.
Got out of the Navy in 1997 at the ripe age of 23 and drank myself
stupid , raves, parties, clubbin, etc etc etc. Got ALOT of good friends
that I know, but I wasted 6 years doing it before I went to school.

Then again.....probably couldn't have afforded it back then anyways.
I'm in my final year for my B.S. in Telecommunications/Network Management.
Work as an Engineer for Comcast and my pay and benefits are FANTASTIC. :naughty:
I'm just in a position that I can't go any higher......didn't even need my degree either.
So I guess I can't really complain. Wish I made over 6 figures though.

[4birdman]

Gone to a tech school for 2 year degree instead of my overpriced underpaying 4 year engineering degree. Most if not all of our designers make more money than I do working fewer hours with little/no responsibilities.

Exactly why I switched from engineering to design. I had an engineering job and I was working obscene hours and stress was very high. I switched companies and became a mechanical designer for more money. Now I have about half the stress and about 98% of the time I am headed home at 5:00. :)

But in all reality I want to build cars. That's all I really want to do and I wish I would have gone to school for it. But when you think about it, my current job is enabling me to pay off my debt and build cars on the side, so maybe it was a smart thing. Who knows.

I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up.

[West Texas Z]

I know there really isnt any money in this, but I would love to be a cage fighter for the WEC or Pride. I like to fight so why not make a carreer out of it? But like I said, NO MONEY.

[southernfriedcj]

I wish I would have gone to medical school.

[79PonchoUK]

I wish I had stayed OUT of education.

lol

It really wasn't for me.

[Rybar]

I like the business that I have, but really wish I got into real estate.

Real Estate and Mortgage Brokering has been making huge money in the last 5 years around here.

[CamaroAJ]

porn star.....




no, maybe some kind of fab business. i really like building hot rods, i like wireing them up more than anything though.

[s10kool]

yea pron star here too lol

nah although i love to build cars. i have to admit that for my age of 26 and a service manager at a fairly new dealership. and a father of 4 and a very loving wife i got out of the customer service/sales biz for about 3 yrs when i thought i needed something more stable. and i will never go back to another plant job - i must say that i will stick to fixing other poeples cars instead of building one of mine for awhile.

[vintageracer]

Quit work earlier in life!

[newbie]

Funny you mention porn star! I was introduced to a lovely professional actress last night at a club. Seems like interesting work but its a lot of late hours.

If i could do it over in 1999 I would "SELL SELL SELL" I learned the meaning of rich on paper that year.

[72nova]

I am an electrician, but always wanted to be a machinist like my dad. When I got out of high school dad said your going to college, you dont want to work in a factory as a machinist. I went to college, partied to much, and became an electrician. All my fault in college, should have studied harder. Now I work in factories, outside in the weather, etc. To this day would still like to be a machinist, I just don't want to start all over again with school, plus I like being an electrician. I can do side jobs whenever I feel like it to make some extra money.

[indyjps]

I know exactly what you are talking about!

For me, I think I would have avoided working in the automotive industry (manufacturing). I feel that I have aged faster, spent less time with my family and have seen very few rewards since I started.

I just left the General last year and it couldnt have come at a better time. I was forced to relocate into a worse manfacturing job than the terrible manufacturing job I had. The plant I was at is now closing in the next year. My engr degree is now paying off so I cant complain about that.
My regret would be that I didnt leave sooner. only reason I stayed was the money was very good. I was able to regain my salary level within a year where Im at now.

[High Plains Mopars]

Would have gone to med or nursing school or possibly software engineering. These are jobs that seem to be writing their own job descriptions and pay scales these days.

[brn agn]

only reason I stayed was the money was very good.

I worked for GM for a short time. Do employees still call that struggle the "golden handcuffs"?

[69 Hugger 396]

I wish that I had kept cars a hobby and not a living. At 45 I own the building I'm in so I'll ride it out to the end. Making a living with cars is a tough way to go and it's gettiing more challenging all the time.

[83hurstguy]

I just wish I knew what I wanted to do with my life... well, I have several things I'd like to do, but haven't had the opportunities yet.

I have my BS in Mech Eng, working on my Masters on the side while working. It's pretty rough. Just graduated last May, have an entry level position in product development at a corporation headed down the tubes... pay isn't fantastic, its been a sucky job so far...

[a62belair]

As posted by Tony Rapin:
I like my job, I really do and am very grateful for the salary that I make...but I honestly wish I was doing something related to Hot Rods.
__________________
Tony Rapin

I'll double that. Many people tell me I should have. Replaced the wifes engine in her 2003 Protege all by myself with only hand-tools and an engine crane. Her whole family was impressed! I wasn't, as the Belair didn't get anything out of it!

[wantahertzdonut]

I'm fairly happy with what I do (test engineer for an aerospace supplier) but I wish I looked into joining the Air Force out of college and tried out for being a pilot. A handful of the engineers here said I'd be having a lot more fun flying A10's.

[BMF Machine]

Joined the Navy, became the best Damn Pilot in the world(ALL Navy pilots are the best) Then I would be retire-ing in 4 years to fly coporate jets and the decathalon that would have been in my hanger; that I will never get now? AHHHHH, Dreams?