This question rears its confusing head every time someone asks what I do/have done. I've almost lost count the number of times I've gotten running along one career path only to be thrown on the D/L list for a while due to persistent health problems. Then I'd have to start again, often in 3D (drastically different direction).
As I remember:
Got a pre-med degree (never applied to graduate school due to my own medical reasons).
Adjustments clerk at a mutual fund company.
Development technician for a biomed startup.
Test tech for a military sub-contractor (yes, I can accurately say I was a rocket scientist).
Marketing manager for a nutritional supplement company.
Series 7 registered stockbroker (I trained in a New York skyscraper that no longer exists).
Insurance agent
Freelance writer and proof-reader.
Started my own engineering company in the firearms industry. Accu-something.
Wow, long list. Is anyone else like this?This message has been edited. Last edited by: kkina,
Not many compared with you sir. I did have a number of "jobs" but nothing I considered a career until I got into law enforcement. After got into LE, I knew I'd found the right line of work for me.
NRA Life
April 26, 2017, 04:10 AM
flashguy
I had a lot of short-term jobs in high school and college--those don't count. However, my college degree was a B. S. in Chemical Engineering and when I was commissioned in USAF I became a Ground Electronics Officer (mostly supervising radar maintenance troops). I spent roughly 15 years in USAF working in electronics and then was tossed out for lack of promotion. I enlisted for 5 more years as a COBOL computer programmer, and when I got out (retired as a Captain) I then worked another 26 years as a COBOL programmer for a major semiconductor manufacturer here in Dallas.
I guess one could call that 2 major changes in direction.
flashguy
Texan by choice, not accident of birth
April 26, 2017, 04:50 AM
Skins2881
Just two.
Electrician
Insurance/Investments
Also was Subway Asst Mgr throughout college. Highschool did telemarketing, fast food, and electrical.
Jesse
Sic Semper Tyrannis
April 26, 2017, 05:04 AM
PHPaul
Only one "career", (electronic/electrical/mechanical maintenance) but many jobs. Couple of dozen at least.
Most of them I moved on for better money, a couple I got laid off or the contract was cancelled, a couple more I quit because I was tired of the bullshit.
Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.
April 26, 2017, 05:56 AM
Bytes
One job in high school working for family business. A bunch of jobs in college. One career job after college graduation.
April 26, 2017, 06:24 AM
Hamden106
Growing up in a Veterinarian family, I did poop scoop to surgery and xray from age 10? to 25. About 16, started grunt work too, industrial equipment gopher, plywood mill flunkee, college age started part time security, and did intramural dept assistant for the AD at a community college for 2.5 years. Finally settled in to be a dept head for local govt for 46 years. Now retired.
April 26, 2017, 06:26 AM
prairieviper
Only one career occupation. I never wanted to do anything else.
"In God We Trust"
April 26, 2017, 07:33 AM
JohnDFW
CRTT – Certified Respiratory Therapy Technician
Journeyman Electrician
Service Technician on vacuum packaging equipment (ala Oscar Mayer, Hillshire Farms)
Project Manager for vacuum packaging equipment company
IT world – MCSE and other certs, managing virtual computing environments for a group of developers.
Still not sure what I want to be when I grow up.
John
April 26, 2017, 08:13 AM
parabellum
Is it too difficult to write out the word "occupataions"? I looked at your post for some time before I figured out what you are talking about. Is it that difficult to make your subject line clear?
"I am your retribution." - Donald Trump, speech at CPAC, March 4, 2023
April 26, 2017, 08:27 AM
MNSIG
One
Ten years in school and right into practice. I am very well qualified to do a very limited task.
April 26, 2017, 08:54 AM
LimaCharlie
Twelve years Navy
Ten years Army
Government agency technician
Government agency consultant
Engineer at corporation – early retirement as Staff Engineer
LGS
Managed credit & collections, call-center, and service-center at corporation
Realtor
Luxury car salesman
Government agency consultant
LGS
U.S. Army, Retired
April 26, 2017, 08:57 AM
darthfuster
Interestingly, last night I dreamed I went back to school to train for and entirely different direction in life. Mrs DF was one of my professors. As usual I didn't understand a word she was saying...
You’re a lying dog-faced pony soldier
April 26, 2017, 09:11 AM
germandogs
US Army 1969-1971 drafted Banking 1971-1978 Healthcare Administration 1978-present
Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot little puppies.
Gene Hill
April 26, 2017, 09:24 AM
Sig2340
Sailing instructor (age 12) Janitor (age 13) Construction laborer Shipwright's apprentice Service writer Clerk at an arms import/export firm Government employee (photographer) Camera shop salesman Freelance photographer concurrent with being an EMT Paramedic Digital artist (in the 1980s, no less) Government employee (Environmental Scientist) concurrent with being a grocery store cashier and chemistry tutor Government consultant concurrent with being a tutor, landlord, gun dealer, and shooting instructor Private consultant concurrent with being a landlord, gun dealer, and shooting instructor Government consultant concurrent with being a private consultant gun dealer, and shooting instructor
I'm sure this explains why I'm always tired.
Nice is overrated
"It's every freedom-loving individual's duty to lie to the government." Airsoftguy, June 29, 2018
April 26, 2017, 09:32 AM
archerman
Gold Miner
Big life change
IT
Software Engineer
Archerman
April 26, 2017, 10:20 AM
6guns
Farm laborer Marina worker; painting, hauling in/out repairs, etc. Maritime college: various seagoing marine engineering positions Sales engineer, small marine/industrial engine generator sets Co-owner automotive quick lube shop Back out to sea, more marine engineering Another sales engineering job, motion control and power transmission equipment Yet another (and last I hope) marine engineering position
ETA, officer in the Naval ReserveThis message has been edited. Last edited by: 6guns,
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April 26, 2017, 11:16 AM
SirBeep
in general 2, Convenience store lackey, cashier, manager, etc.. And Computer Geek.
In specific, that Computer Geek career has been just about every area covered by that general description. The local contracting/recruiting company says they had to change their query system because of me, no matter what they were looking for I'd pop up in the top 3 results.