What do you do for a living?

[Tropick]

Joking aside, I've always been interested in the IT/HPC space since I was a young child. During college I partied way too hard and ended up burning out and completely losing my direction for a little while. Finished school with a BS after taking a year-long hiatus during the pandemic which I used to get my head back on straight which honestly worked out really well. When an employer asks about that gap I can hit them with the old "covid amirite" and it usually gets dismissed.

I began repenting for my stims a little over a year ago when I landed a job at a large IT infrastructure manufacturer designing backup power systems for various corporate entities. The stability has been incredibly nice and the pay has allowed me to pursue and explore my hobbies in a way I never thought was possible. The only downside is I'm now a certified slice of white bread who's gained 40lbs pursuing his PhD in desk jockeying. Coworkers are great though and I've found that a lot of the more relaxed IT people who end up in corporate positions have very interesting backstories. I don't want to do it forever but each project has it's own unique challenges and getting to travel to client locations and technical shows across the country is fun and keeps me on my toes. I consider myself very lucky to have just barely fixed myself before it was too late, and although I worked hard to get myself out of the pit I had dug for myself in my early 20s none of it would have been possible without the help of a lot of great people. I'm in a great spot in life right now but know that it can all change in an instant. The shadows of my past mistakes help prevent me from lapsing into complacency at my job or in my life which I've learned can be a MASSIVE problem in this industry. I'm hoping that I continue to be fortunate within the next few years and keep pursuing personal and professional growth (as well as OC records ) and hopefully not make too much of an ass of myself here on TPU

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

I get your point. It's gonna suck when you turn your hobby to your job and you start to hate it.

I just.. I feel like I'm not into any other possible thing.

IMHO, the more important thing than enjoying what you do is enjoying working with your fellow employees. Find a business with a good culture and an understanding manager, and you can enjoy working without neccessarily loving your day-to-day tasks. My first job at my current company was strictly clerical, even more mind-numbingly boring than a previous (temporary) job I hated, but the people I worked with made it much more enjoyable.

The other opinion I hold is that the culture I described above is almost exclusively found in small companies. Find an entrepreneur with 20 or less staff, and you can become a valuable part of the team. Be the IT guy along with your regular job, and someday you might be the IT manager when the company grows.

 

[BoboOOZ]

IMHO, the more important thing than enjoying what you do is enjoying working with your fellow employees. Find a business with a good culture and an understanding manager, and you can enjoy working without neccessarily loving your day-to-day tasks. My first job at my current company was strictly clerical, even more mind-numbingly boring than a previous (temporary) job I hated, but the people I worked with made it much more enjoyable.

The other opinion I hold is that the culture I described above is almost exclusively found in small companies. Find an entrepreneur with 20 or less staff, and you can become a valuable part of the team. Be the IT guy along with your regular job, and someday you might be the IT manager when the company grows.

Heartily agree with that, with the only amendment that life can be great in a great corporation, too. I work for a large American corporation, our subsidiary is located in France the middle of the Alpes and the social life at work is absolutely awesome.

 

[Shihab]

View attachment 309668

So I am an estimator at a contractor that does larger commercial projects. HVAC (heating and cooling) and plumbing.

Got into the industry at the start of COVID and working my way up. No previous experience in Construction.

I love my job - it never gets boring, and there is not too much human interaction with random people. The dark side of it is that 90% of your time is wasted for the reasons above.

My recommendation to anyone looking for a career? Construction. Rewarding to see buildings you built, decent pay for both blue and white collar jobs, and easy to get ahead in one of the numerous smaller companies.

I suppose it depends on the market. In ours, construction, be it as consultant or contractor, requires one to be a people person. Heck! Our word of "Contracting" is a variation of the one for "Talk." Tried dipping my feet into that field once. Couldn't last three months.

Funny thing is, one of the reasons I skipped over structural design/construction was the required, site engineer phase we do around here. Can't be bothered with all the sun and dirt, I thought. The joke is, as a water resources engineer, site work is also on the agenda, but ours throws you in the middle of nowhere and sometimes, and this actually happened, you find yourself in the middle of a literal mine field.

 

[AnotherReader]

Heartily agree with that, with the only amendment that life can be great in a great corporation, too. I work for a large American corporation, our subsidiary is located in France the middle of the Alpes and the social life at work is absolutely awesome.

I agree with the addendum. Both my current employer and the previous one are fairly large corporations, but the people that I worked with were very easy to get along with.

 

[ir_cow]

Find something that doesn't make you want to tear your hair out. You may never find a job that you enjoy 100% of the time, but find something you can handle easy, doesn't make you lose sleep over and you can see yourself doing as you age.

Best advice I've seen. If you are losing sleep from constant stress, it isn't a job for you. Been there plenty of times...

 

[HuLkY]

Backend Solution Architect in Healthcare IT area, in general Healthcare boomed so well within COVID19 timeline and after it grew even bigger.

 

[Count von Schwalbe]

I suppose it depends on the market. In ours, construction, be it as consultant or contractor, requires one to be a people person. Heck! Our word of "Contracting" is a variation of the one for "Talk." Tried dipping my feet into that field once. Couldn't last three months.

Yep, but less so than almost any other type of business.

 

[Sithaer]

I think everyone should always start on the premise no job is going to be 100% enjoyable. I always pick jobs where I have to deal with the least amount of people, my dream job is probably some stress free admin job in academia, turns out those jobs are harder to get than you would think, probably for that reason... humans have gone insane since the advent of the internet. No one has to abide by decency or formality rules anymore, anything goes in this timeline. I can't imagine working retail. Every time I have to go to Walmart I pray for strength in my arms and speed in my legs so I can be done and out of there as fast as I can, for the sights can leave scars on my cosmological understanding of evolution.

Funny how that works, I'm also not a fan of working with a lot of ppl like in factories cause theres always that few who makes the already crap work even worse to deal with cause they annoy you constantly. 'I almost punched someone in 2018 when I was working in a lamp factory for a few months'

That digsite work had a nice balance, I only had to directly work with a few ppl or 1 and sometimes on my own and those ppl were actually pretty cool to work with.
And nowadays after working this part time job alone on my own for almost 3 years from home its actually driving me crazy at this point cause its so damn boring.

So I guess ideally I would want to work with a few ppl who aint a douchebag preferably.

And ye I agree with the others that this was a good topic with some interesting stuff to read.

 

[Steevo]

I got a degree in computer science, and went to work with high precision GPS agriculture automation for 20+ years, I was also doing computer builds and network management on the side to make extra money. Most recently I moved jobs to an agronomist position and am the chairman of a non-profit organization dedicated to agriculture research and education, my wife is secretary and also a member of our local school board and clubs.

I can tell you from experience those who desire to be rich might make it but most are unhappy. It’s part of the reason I left my last job, the company was wanting me to travel more and I left the company before that as I was gone from home for 20-30 weeks a year and eventually the airports, hotels, and places looked the same, people were the same, and I was missing my family. Find what you like to do and dedicate yourself, find a person that you can share your happiness and stress with and they with you and life becomes great.

 

[gurusmi]

What I mean that working in an actual shop these days is a pretty marginal thing since almost everything happens online. You get your parts on the basket on a known store, pay them to build it for you and that's it. Me with practically no work history (especially in IT segment) has no chance for that especially as I don't live in the "larger" cities in Finland.

Why should someone hire you? You always have to sell yourself. If you don't know why someone should hire you how can someone know it?

 

[Macro Device]

Part-time writer, part-time meme page admin, part-time salesman.

 

[HaKN !]

Bus driver , love it. wage is awesome and no boss to look over your shoulder at all times. But alot of responsibility on you

 

[Brennanx]

I'm 37 years old and I have no idea what em I doing with my life. I have no direction. I tried many jobs, but no carrier. Right now I work as a junior networking technician. Basically many cables and holes in the wall with minimum hardware configuration. In the long term...who knows how many years I can keep doing this.

Maybe you guys are more successful. We will love to hear your great success stories. But maybe you are just like me. And since we don't have a face, there is no shame. If you also suck at life at my age, come and tell your story and share how you make your money.
You experience for me and for the rest will be for sure a learning curve.

Hey man you are still young 37 years old is nothing,dont be so hard on yourself.

 

[Chrispy_]

Bus driver , love it. wage is awesome and no boss to look over your shoulder at all times. But alot of responsibility on you

+1

I did that for a couple of months as a postgrad student and I kinda liked that job; Pay was reasonable, I enjoy driving, and the hours were predictable even accounting for overtime cover. I could see an alternate universe version of me driving a bus for 40 years. People will always need transport, it's a secure, stress-free job that isn't going away time sooon.

 

[Eskimonster]

View attachment 309668

So I am an estimator at a contractor that does larger commercial projects. HVAC (heating and cooling) and plumbing.

Got into the industry at the start of COVID and working my way up. No previous experience in Construction.

I love my job - it never gets boring, and there is not too much human interaction with random people. The dark side of it is that 90% of your time is wasted for the reasons above.

My recommendation to anyone looking for a career? Construction. Rewarding to see buildings you built, decent pay for both blue and white collar jobs, and easy to get ahead in one of the numerous smaller companies.

My primary drive as an Constructor is precise what you mention, that and rarely 2 days are alike.

Bus driver , love it. wage is awesome and no boss to look over your shoulder at all times. But alot of responsibility on you

It´s great we are so different skilled species, that´s what make the world so interesting. Me personally could never sit still at work, i love working as a Contractor.

link to my original post here

 

[Veseleil]

40, installing these

and everything that goes with it, for the last couple of years. Unsatisfied with the salary, work conditions (work away from home). Thinking about switching profession while I'm still capable for physical work. Being able for a higher level of craftmanship (and a love for a workshop type of work on anything, from wood to metal), this job just hurts my soul as it requires only for things to "just work", most of the time heavily unprofessional and improvising.
Spent most of my life working shitty jobs in warehouses, delivery. Worked in a factory once, metal processing related.
I've started to get physical injuries lately, like twisting my foot ankle few months ago (breaking ligaments), which is kinda screwed and will probably bother me for the rest of my life. Construction site work is dangerous and, imho, not worth it for the money.
I will probably resort to coding in the future, CNC machining, 3D printing, and if I continue to get injured I have no other choice. I'm delaying this as I want my time spent in front of my PC screen as a Holliday, and not a thing of frustration and depression.

 

[Eskimonster]

40, installing these
View attachment 309742
and everything that goes with it, for the last couple of years. Unsatisfied with the salary, work conditions (work away from home). Thinking about switching profession while I'm still capable for physical work. Being able for a higher level of craftmanship (and a love for a workshop type of work on anything, from wood to metal), this job just hurts my soul as it requires only for things to "just work", most of the time heavily unprofessional and improvising.
Spent most of my life working shitty jobs in warehouses, delivery. Worked in a factory once, metal processing related.
I've started to get physical injuries lately, like twisting my foot ankle few months ago (breaking ligaments), which is kinda screwed and will probably bother me for the rest of my life. Construction site work is dangerous and, imho, not worth it for the money.
I will probably resort to coding in the future, CNC machining, 3D printing, and if I continue to get injured I have no other choice. I'm delaying this as I want my time spent in front of my PC screen as a Holliday, and not a thing of frustration and depression.

Stay safe pls, i know construction work is hard for the body and can be dangerous. In DK we have very strict working conditions and safty to be met , or the site will be shut down. That is crusial for me, that my work is as safe it can be at any time. luckly i´m usually the person planning my own jobs, and safety is highest priority. But accidents will happen ofc. The accident here happened when the ground sank under the truck whilst he unloaded the sand. We always stay away from trucks that is unloading, unless its on tarmac or concrete alike. The trucker was thrown around in the cabin and, he was sent too Hospital with back injury, luckly not permanent.

 

[80-watt Hamster]

As for the OP, @Cvrk , don't tie your self-worth to what you do. If you're living comfortably, then take satisfaction in your interests and loved ones. Despite my comfortable life, I'm the least conventionally successful member of my family which is filled with doctors.

I feel this hard. One side of my family is stacked top to bottom with overachievers, spouses included.

As for me, I work in product design. Any more specific than that and a body could check my profile and figure out where I work without even needing to think very hard.

Got to my current position just climbing the ladder starting from the production floor. Manufacturing's not a bad gig IME, as long as you've got a decent boss (absolutely not guaranteed) and coworkers (decent odds). Shops like to hire for non-management openings from within, so if the production floor ain't for you, odds are good you can find your way into a support position in a few years, possibly sooner.

 

[mechtech]

Wow 4 pages already, and quite the open hole of a question.

I'd have to say so much depends on which country you live in, among many other things, and your current status as in single/married/children...........since if you have to put food on the table for others, you could get stuck doing whatever you can.

Having said that, after highschool I went to college for Millwright (Industrial Mechanic), did a placement in a copper refinery, which had a life expectancy of 10 years (at that point in time) and though I found it enjoyable, I wondered if my body could handle it for 40 years or if cancer would get me first.
So back to school in the fall for Electrical Technologist, another 3 years, after that was hoping to just do an apprenticeship for an electrician, then found out I was colour defficient and it was like the end of the world or something for any company looking for an electrician with colour deficiency lol................so worked for a year part-time and school part time figuring out the next step and paying down debt...... (circa 2000) There was still a surplus of trades, I was kind of eyeing the math/science teacher thing, but was an over supply in my area, and jobs like the 70s were gone............as in gr.12 and making enough coin to buy a house, a car and raise a family on one wage. So bit the bullet, took out another loan and went to university and passed mechanical engineering by the skin of my teeth.

After that got in at a consulting firm, mainly did work for the mines/metalurgy plant in the area, got layed off in late 2008/early 2009 when economy tanked. Worked as a labourer for a bit until engineering picked back up, then went directly to work for a mine, then back to consulting, then economy downturned again circa 2014 ish and whole office closed, then did a lot of elbow grease jobs around the house for a bit and collected unemployment that I paid into for how long. Then my buddy called me from Mongolia and asked if I found a job.............nope...................good he says............I got you on the roster here..............6 weeks in 3 weeks out...........sigh.........fine............Wife and kids did not like that............1 rotation from the 1 year mark, I got on with the hydro utility, which after all the struggle and effort for so long felt very good. So I consider myself very lucky and fortunate.............looks like I should be able to retire about 63 ish...............hopefully, and hopefully in good health *knock on wood*

But ya, some days it would be nice to turn off the brain and just to labour stuff. It's too bad so much emphasis nowadays it put on being successful, where successful is university degree and 100k+/yr and and and. Both my grandfathers started working after gr.10, and I think financially may have been further ahead of me, back then any hard work was smiled upon and could make a living wage, same with my dad in 1973, well gr.12 for him, but 1 yr in the company gave him a machinist appenticeship and worked his whole carreer there. Seems nowadays instead of hard work being honourable and smiled upon, it's like you're a peasant scrub.............poor view in my oppinion.............probably why so much uncertainty and bouncing around these days............if there was lifetime jobs with good wages right out of high school I'm sure there would be a lot less bouncing around job to job.

I was thinking the same thing when I read his post. I've seen youtube vids on Australia and just about everything there kills.

My father-in-law now lives there and his wife is an Aussie. When they come to Canada she complains about how bad the mosquitos are and how big and scary our wildlife is (bears, wolves, wolverines, etc.) lol Then she sees us grab logs and stuff off the ground barehands and almost freaks, wheres your gloves..................we say no poisonous bugs here lol So all a matter of perspective I guess.

 

[Stephen.]

Well,.. I am a free spirit, free agent, freelancer

The last time I was employed was back in 2008, the NGO suffered some financial trouble and poof went our jobs.

I am the same age as you,..

I am a businesses man, I have sold many products and services over the years.

I am an IT Specialist/Master, I have mostly worked in the technology industry, I love technology, this has been my bread and butter.

I do logistics, on and off, also this ties to delivery services I offer once in a while.

I have relationship with some tech companies

- Intel (I am Intel Alliance Gold Partner), (There is some type of contractual agreement). Over the years I have used the connection to get smooth RMA. Though I'm aware it has a bigger potential.

- PNY Europe (I have a distribution deal), (There is a contractual agreement). It hasn't taken off much due to off brands and substandard products that have always flooded our regional market.

- Kingston Europe (I have done some RMA services) there is no contractual agreement.

In whichever capacity I would like to work for:

- TechPowerUp
- Intel
- AMD
- Nvidia
- PNY

There are more but those are at the top of my list.

 

[maricklamo]

25 years old. I've been working for 4 years now in the customer service industry. I also worked as a cook in a roadside noodles stall and a cashier in a computer shop.

The job is not too hard. What drains me every time is the commute to work. Traffic here is atrocious so my travel time is about 4 hours everyday back and forth. My work is only about 15kms away from my house.

Goal right now is to make my way up to the corp ladder, save money and then start a business. I always love to do buy and sell of computer parts, build and sell PCs something like that.

 

[FoulOnWhite]

Done a fair few things. I have a natural mechanical affinity, it it has an engine, i can (probably) fix it, worked in a couple of motorcycle shops doing servicing and repairs. Worked in a computer shop for a while, doing servicing, builds. did a home visit care job for a while, wiping bums, etc, trained for using hoists etc. Now i am my partners full time carer.

 

[Ruru]

Though being in the military is something what I like. As a Finn, we have conscript army, I served 180 days in 2010 and they wanted me for reserve training last year, I hella enjoyed that week. Felt like a vacation.

 

[Space Lynx]

Though being in the military is something what I like. As a Finn, we have conscript army, I served 180 days in 2010 and they wanted me for reserve training last year, I hella enjoyed that week. Felt like a vacation.

Can you not sign up and make some money to serve extended time? If you enjoy it you should do so. See what they will pay you for a 1 year contract or something. I don't know how it works there.