Careers Thread

[Singulaarity]

Went to college at first for business + economics and sold life insurance and stocks/securities during the 08-09 recession..

Said screw that and went back to school for what was always a passion- Electrical Engineering.

Now I work for a small product development firm that does primarily medical device product development spending my time doing PCB layouts, hardware designs, and now struggling through more of a embedded programming and software role (all roles at the same time). Engineer life- working crazy hours trying to contribute to a project/product that goes big!

[CMBusch]

I'm 23 now, and I will be finishing my undergraduate degree in finance and risk management after this fall semester. I worked for as a service writer at a Pep Boys for 3 years and I started to work at State Farm this past spring as an agent and marketing associate. Oddly enough, I enjoyed working at Pep Boys more than State Farm. Not really sure where to go from here except keeping my eyes open for more interesting jobs that will still pay the bills. I know I have time, but I would hate to waste it coasting through life.

[ST1G]

I fix broken BMW's all day. Used to be fun now I'm just a robot. It pays the bills though so I guess its okay.

I thought you posted on R3v for a living?

[ThatOneEuroE30]

I fix broken BMW's all day. Used to be fun now I'm just a robot. It pays the bills though so I guess its okay.

[Vincent Brick]

Spent most of my life as a musician/DJ, working in shipping departments and the automotive aftermarket (managed a tuning shop, client services for turbo parts and Corvette parts manufactures, fabrication, EV conversion, 12v install, online parts sales, auto body apprentice). I was never able to find steady employment or make decent wages with any of those things, so jumped at the chance to get into the cannabis industry, was running an extraction/distillation lab for a year and it was amazing but then I got laid off 3 months ago. I am completely lost now, in my 40s, no confidence or jobs around I am qualified for, limited connections because I keep having to move cities seeking work (from MI now in CA). I have health problems and will likely never be able to retire, so trying to find something non-physical to get into that I can keep doing into old age. I really want to go to college, but not sure what for, and it is completely overwhelming with no support (and having not really gone to high school).

Probably about to move back to Los Angeles where the job market is better and I know more people, have an interview at a classic car shop up there next week and locked in a pit crew gig in December, but I know I am too old/broken to sustain that sort of work for long. Would really like to get back into cannabis extraction or become a project manager for a restoration shop (my knowledge of 50's-90s collector cars is expansive, domestic/European/Japanese), or I have toyed with the idea of doing mobile race/drift car electrical (and hidden audio in classic cars) but not sure how feasible that is.

[JGood]

Got my master's in Computer Science - Network and Communications Management many years ago, worked for Verizon for 10 years as a telecom technician, remotely troubleshooting and repairing backbone network and large business/government services.

Decided I was done with 24/7/365 IT life about 3 years ago, so I took a reduced pay 8-5/M-F job as technical oversight for the warranty department at Case New Holland (Ag/construction equipment manufacturer). Then last year, I moved over to Technical Writing for the same company. Life has been happier with less money and more free time over the past 3 years.

[majdomo]

Careers Thread

Have you considered machining or welding? Would apply to a lot more than just automotive and would remain relevant if you went back for engineering.

Thought about both actually. My neighbor just retired as a welder and is moving to south OC in a few weeks. I just inherited a crap ton of training manuals, metallurgical guides and overall welding stuff to learn about arc and gas welding as he was cleaning out his garage. No equipment, though. He thought of me for them because a few weeks back I asked him about welding some reinforcement tabs to the trailing arms for an IE rear sway :)

It all comes back to cars dammit!

As for machining, that seems even more daunting. It seems to take a special type of anal retentive person to be a machinist. May be a wrong impression though.


Ezekiel 25:17

[freeride53]

Studied Econ and Poli Sci in college (UC San Diego). Junior year had an internship that I found ironically through a fellow R3V'er and good friend of mine. The summer before my senior year I had a Summer Analyst gig doing corporate finance at one of the world's largest engineering & construction (E&C) firms. Was given a return offer but wanted to get broader industry experience in finance, so applied around. Got an offer at a bulge bracket corporate & investment bank in Chicago so I took it and moved. After a one-year rotational program stint, got an offer doing international subsidiary banking out of the firm's LA office. Spent ~2 years in LA doing relationship management work, moved from analyst to associate and wanted more experience in research/financial analysis/modelling/underwriting/structuring. So was able to land a role doing Tech, Media & Telecom coverage banking out of the same firm's SF office. Have been there for ~1.5 years now. My hours can vary from 40-80 hours per week depending on deal flow but I enjoy learning about and working with small to large tech companies so I find it stimulating. Hoping to do grad school in a few years.

[me_john85]

Aircraft mechanic/ Inspector

After high school I did 5 years in the USMC as a V-22 Osprey mechanic. Got out went to a tech school got my A&P license and worked part time night job at a flight school.

Currently have my IA and I am an team lead/ inspector at a part 145 repair station.

I inspect aircraft, do engine work, sheet metal, avionics and anything else. Also loads of paperwork.

[SkiFree]

Agreed. Problem solving skills and mechanical know-how are always in demand, just need to figure out how to apply in an area of interest.

Have you considered machining or welding? Would apply to a lot more than just automotive and would remain relevant if you went back for engineering.

[majdomo]

Automotive is a great place to learn. Then apply those skills to something that will let you retire without wearing out your body by the time you are 45.

Agreed. Problem solving skills and mechanical know-how are always in demand, just need to figure out how to apply in an area of interest.

Funny, was thinking back to my GE days, when guys from corporate audit staff always moved up into management...most without a day’s experience working on the line on what they actually made / built. And then ran the company into the ground. I guess that worked out just fine, right?


Ezekiel 25:17

[Exodus_2pt0]

Automotive is a great place to learn. Then apply those skills to something that will let you retire without wearing out your body by the time you are 45.

[efficient]

dang crazy to read that some of you left jobs after 10+ years.

[SkiFree]

I've always wanted to create fun stuff, so the goal was always to combine an arts/design degree with an engineering degree.

Out of high-school I started as a ski-bum working the mountain for a couple years, saving every penny to go to Italy and study automotive design. Returned to the US and moved down to California. Jeff at Ireland Engineering took me in. Timing was great, given that this was right as the 2002/e30's were going mainstream (circa 2009-ish)... by the time I left he somehow let me be general manager and US product-development lead. Got to know so many great people in that time, including plenty of you douchebags. Left to work at GMG Racing doing new race-car stuff. Left after a year (new race cars are boring in comparison to restoring cars) to go back to school for that engineering degree.

Started my own bmw-parts business making parts to keep food on the table for my family while going back to school. Work part time at CoupeKing rebuilding Coupes/2002's. School is full-time.

Earned an engineering internship this summer building satellites/space-stuff, really hoping it turns into a part-time job, it feels like a career opportunity (and that I'm finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel in regards to that childhood goal).

Never stop, never never never never ever never. Read lots of biographies and stay inspired. Life is short, we will all be dead before you know it.

[agent]

Going to miss working with the guys in the crews and some of the subcontractors, but not the owner.

The nice thing about changing employers is you get to pick and choose who you maintain contact with. I have a handful of friends from my last half dozen or so jobs that I still get together with on a regular basis. Hell, I married one of them.