NTTCR: Let's talk about careers

lgsdesigner · June 2014

What do you do for a living? Do you like it or do you wish you were doing something else?

I am a Lead Multimedia Designer by day (fancy way of saying I am a web design/graphic design/social media expert/videographer/photographer geek), and then I also own my own design firm on the side. At this design firm, I am the Art Director who oversees a team of 7.
Now-- I love what I do, but I really really wish the day would come when I can quit my day job and JUST do the design firm. My day job is getting in the way of me finding better clients and even though it sounds fun, the products I deal with are boring and this company is very masculine and I often feel like the outcast.

One day...no more corporate America.

[Deleted User] · June 2014

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Austrogermokee · June 2014

I'm temping at a commercial real estate firm and I loathe it.

I've done admin work for most of my adult life (though I've also been a political consultant, a morale officer and a housewife). In DC, I found all sorts of interesting, challenging administrative work. I was managing databases, dealing with logistics for large conferences, and so forth. In Baltimore, admin jobs seem to be of the "answer the phone and shunt paper around" variety. I've been trying to find something more interesting, but the market here blows.

I don't think work has to be super challenging or fulfilling, but right now I just feel like I'm spinning my wheels.

URMySunshine77 · June 2014

(child mentioned)

I'm a SAHM and an adjunct (part-time) writing and rhetoric professor. I teach about three online classes at a time for different universities. I also advise papers for a writing center at one of the universities.

I love this work, as it is rewarding to help students achieve their goals. I feel like I have a positive impact on their lives. This work arrangement functions because DS takes two long naps and sleeps through the night (at the moment).

I don't wish that I was doing something else, but I would enjoy another service-related job such as an animal shelter worker or a nurse. I love nurturing.

lgsdesigner · June 2014

@Austrogermokee - Move to Ohio! Specifically--- Columbus! No...not just so you can have some margaritas with me, but because the job market here in on FIRE. Tons of opportunities, and some good companies to work for.

Austrogermokee · June 2014

Well, we have to live where DH can work. He's a lawyer, and legal jobs in his field are pretty scarce. He looked for about six months and found a job with the Social Security Administration up here in Baltimore. For a year, I kept my job in DC, he lived in Baltimore during the week and came home on weekends. Since that's not good for a marriage (or practical for TTC), I quit my job and we found an apartment together in Baltimore in September.

I wasn't expecting the market here to be so bad - I knew salaries would be lower, which is fine because it's a lower cost of living. But I'd like to at least be moderately challenged during the day. Sometimes I consider taking a job in DC and commuting down every day, but commuting three hours round trip sort of defeats the purpose of moving up here.

lgsdesigner · June 2014

Ahhh…I see. And a 3 hour drive? Forgetaboutit. Couldn’t do it.

Well—just see this as a temporary job fix for now. That is how I see my day job. Just a job to give me benefits, my bread and butter pay and to be here until my side company becomes a success. We just have to keep our heads up and our wine glasses full!

Austrogermokee · June 2014

Indeed! Since our cost of living went down a lot, we can afford for me to be a SAHM if I do get KU, whereas it would have been much harder to do in DC. So, hopefully the sacrifice will be worth it.

Lesliem0901 · June 2014

I work for a large advertising firm in Detroit. I'm currently operations focused versus client services. I am the director of the project management office and enjoy what I do. I would much prefer to sell antiques and or homemade jam but unfortunately I'm the bread winner in my little family. If I'm blessed to have a child my DH will become the SAHP.

meredithcarole · June 2014

I am a chef. I dropped law school for culinary school. I am doing more managerial work at the moment so I miss cooking. If I could afford to have a little business that was culinary related I would totally do that, but it is not in the cards now. On a side note, @lgsdesigner‌ my husband is a graphic designer/illustrator.

lgsdesigner · June 2014

@meredithcarole - That's cool to hear about your husband! My fiance' is a professional Illustrator.

TAT2MAMI · June 2014

I work for the District Attorney's Office as a victim advocate. Very trying, but very rewarding work (most of time.) It's especially hard when I have to work with young, molest victims.
I've been with the DA's office for 10 years now, but I've worked in every clerical position possible. I've been doing the victim advocacy for 3.5 years now.

A lot of times I wish I had become a hairdresser or a makeup artist since I love both of those things. Now I feel like I'm too old. Booooo!

URMySunshine77 · June 2014

TAT2MAMI said:

A lot of times I wish I had become a hairdresser or a makeup artist since I love both of those things. Now I feel like I'm too old. Booooo!

@TAT2MAMI

You're not too old. I often think about taking classes but don't think that I have enough patience now.

SillySally24 · June 2014

For nearly 20 years I worked in banking... I started as a teller when I dropped out of college (I did finish later), and worked my way up through most departments (except mortgage & commercial lending). I left a few years ago, failing bank issues...

Since then I've been working in my fiance's chiropractic office, basically as office manager. It's nice to not have the stresses of the banking industry - but being self-employed is a whole other bag of stresses!

MelissaMiso · June 2014

I'm a Licensed Mental Health Counselor working in an inpatient drug rehab facility. Though I love counseling, I am not passionate about working with this population or the place that I am working. The salary is completely not cutting it. I am going back to school in the fall.

hooligans4 · June 2014

Unfortunately I don't have a career, I have a job. I'm a babysitter, I love it because I get to stay home but it's not a long term gig.

If god forbid anything ever happened to my husband I'm screwed. That is why I'm trying to stress the need for a good college education for my daughter. I never want to see her in my position. Unfortunately I don't think it's sinking in.

BeckyP005 · June 2014

hooligans4 said:
Unfortunately I don't have a career, I have a job. I'm a babysitter, I love it because I get to stay home but it's not a long term gig.

If god forbid anything ever happened to my husband I'm screwed. That is why I'm trying to stress the need for a good college education for my daughter. I never want to see her in my position. Unfortunately I don't think it's sinking in.

Same here. Nanny for the last 20 yrs. I'm getting older and hoping they need me 3 days a week. I'm very very lucky they still employ me full time. If not guess I will have to find another family with newborn. I do have an early childhood degree but finding a teacher job would be impossible now. If daycares payed more I could do that. Hoping my donor has the smarts like MH

lgsdesigner · June 2014

There is nothing wrong with being a babysitter or a nanny. That is HARD WORK! When I was laid off a few years ago, I was a sitter to my son and also to some neighbor kids. It was the hardest job I ever had. I loved it though, and it was fun many days, but damn...some days...

mdogan29 · June 2014

I'm a graphic designer & photographer. I do web stuff too, but don't like coding. I had an office with 4 employees and a few interns several years ago, but it didn't work out. So now I work from home and this is working for me now (less stress). I do enjoy it, but I feel like I'm not as creative as I used to be and people seem to want more but want to pay less for it... so it's been frustrating lately. I'd rather be a full-time mom now, with some part-time design work on the side.

bumpuser10258960 · June 2014

I am a Legal Assistant. Its a great company and my bosses are awesome... I could easily see myself doing this for 30+ more years. But I don't want to. I've always had an entrepreneurial spirit and at one point had my own business. I had to leave it for a steady paycheck when I left my ex, but I would love to be in business again for myself. Based on DH's and my current plan I will work until the end of 2015. If we have kids, I will be a SAHM until they go to school and then I will probably open my own business. At least that's the goal.

bumpuser10258960 · June 2014

@hooligans4, Like you, I try to stress the importance of education in my son but I don't think it's sinking in either. His father dropped out of High School our Senior year and I pushed him to get his GED. Ever since then he has struggled to keep a career, ran his own business, was a jack of all trades, but a master of none. He is still paycheck to paycheck. I've learned some hard lessons in my late 20s and have since turned my life around and thankfully we are in a position where we are well off, and live below our means. I try to teach this to my son, but he just puts his dad on a pedestal so high, none of us can reach it. Ugh, kids today...

TAT2MAMI · June 2014

@URMySunshine77 - Thank you, but I do feel too old in the sense that I would be in beauty school with a bunch of young girls straight out of highschool AND I would, in a sense, be competing with some hairstylists/make up artists, who have been doing this for years!! That's they way I look at it.

I do enjoy what I do. I actually always wanted to be a cop, but what stopped me was that I didn't want to be out working at night while my family was at home. So working for the DA is a good alternative for me.

My DH is a General Contractor and he's been wanting me to help him more with office stuff so I've started trying to learn how to do his Quickbooks. Some of the stuff is way over my head, but I'm trying!!

marijaa333 · June 2014

Wow, so many interesting jobs!

I work with tech entrepreneurs all over the world - it's fun but also really makes me want to start my own business.

KirstenAlecia · June 2014

Im a photographer. I love it and wouldn't change it. The one thing i would change is the competitive market…….too many people just buying DSLRS and calling themselves photographers before they dig in and learn!

kindershlitz · June 2014

Child mentioned

I am a SAHM now but up until last spring I was an elementary teacher, general and special ed different years. I am on leave but my leave was not renewed so we are figuring things out as a family.

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