What kind of job do you have? Can we try to get a semi-serious survey?

[TallBill]

Military Policeman, United States Army. Was a lot more fun when i did it from 2004-2007, lots more bullshit these days.

 

[inf1nity]

well i am still in college.. i'm not sure what i want to do.. i want to get into management(maybe finance).. but the thing is that i'm not sure what that even means.. i read this thread and i see people saying stuff like auditor/analyst/CPA and i don't even know what all that means..

Another issue is that i made a massive mistake by opting for arts in college since i (felt like) getting in to the civil service.. Dont know.. I could do an MBA after finishing the BA but not sure whether anyone will hire me..

As of now i have two viable options infront of me- getting into the civil services, or becoming a teacher of political science(since i'll be majoring in it).

 

[velillen]

Military Policeman, United States Army. Was a lot more fun when i did it from 2004-2007, lots more bullshit these days.

I can only imagine. I know on the Navy side things have gone more and more bloated. Had a friend go to Iraq back in 2006 and just had a friend come back a couple months ago. Amazing to hear how stupid the rules where in 2006 and then to hear how they have even gotten more stupid now. Pretty much sounded like if you were on watch or guard duty you did not want to shot your gun unless the guy was 10 feet from you. To much politics

 

[the DRIZZLE]

Strategy consultant

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

well i am still in college.. i'm not sure what i want to do.. i want to get into management(maybe finance).. but the thing is that i'm not sure what that even means.. i read this thread and i see people saying stuff like auditor/analyst/CPA and i don't even know what all that means..

Another issue is that i made a massive mistake by opting for arts in college since i (felt like) getting in to the civil service.. Dont know.. I could do an MBA after finishing the BA but not sure whether anyone will hire me..

As of now i have two viable options infront of me- getting into the civil services, or becoming a teacher of political science(since i'll be majoring in it).

This is exactly why you shouldn't go directly to college because society or, your parents /teachers /friends think you should. Go to a trade or tech school and earn some money while you figure out a plan.

 

[iamwiz82]

Controls Engineer for a small machine building/engineering company. We build (and repair/change) industrial machines. I design the electrical control system to run the machine and then write/debug the program for the controller/hmi/etc.

Stuff like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv7vwSnTZjs

I had to support those kinds of machines, they are quite impressive but there needs to be better application support for them.

My past company had multiple machines like this, putting out thousands of assembled parts per hour.

 

[Sho'Nuff]

Patent attorney - basically a lawyer and a scientist in one. Gives me the privileged of being hated and misunderstood for at least two different reasons, instead of the usual one reserved for most lawyers. So . . . I am special.

 

[Angry Irishman]

I manage the maintenance and flight operations for a RPA (UAVs is common term) squadron for the Air Force.

 

[chimaxi83]

I am an outside tech for AT&T. Basically a journeyman electrician. Anything from simple repair of phone lines, to repair of distribution cables, to underground hi-cap/T1 circuits and splices. I sweat and freeze my ass off, get dirty, and sorta love my job.

We underwent some organizational changes, so I'm not sure exactly what I'll be doing next year, other than continuing to bathe in a metric fuck ton of overtime.

 

[Imp]

This is exactly why you shouldn't go directly to college because society or, your parents /teachers /friends think you should. Go to a trade or tech school and earn some money while you figure out a plan.

Yep... I'm looking into career changes now. Every plan I come up with seems to start with community college for 1-2 years to learn a specific job, then maybe an upgrade with a "proper" degree later. Unfortunately, I'm no longer 18 and willing to blow 4 years without pay.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Physical Design Engineer. I turn RTL that designers write into physical implementations for a given technology / process node, while ensuring that all requirements are met (DFM/DFY, timing, DRC, sufficient spare cells, etc.) Sometimes assist inexperienced designers with synthesis and constraints creation.

Also heavily involved in EDA tool flow development and automation, ie. tying together various tools from vendors (Cadence, Mentor Graphics, Synopsys, Apache, Excellicon, etc.) and executing them in the correct order to realize a given design methodology.

Absolutely nothing to do with my doctoral research (silicon photonics and magneto-optics).

 

[mistercrabby]

you all have these cool jobs and I'm here waiting for a college admission letter.

it's just your turn to take the journey to get there.

"Everybody wants to be somebody; nobody wants to grow."
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

 

[Engineer]

I had to support those kinds of machines, they are quite impressive but there needs to be better application support for them.

The problem is that many/most are one of a kind machines and application support for one of a kinds is very expensive. Of course, it depends on the programmer too. Far too often, you get a 'loose ends' type of programmer in which they get in and get out leaving much to be desired (i.e. leave out features, leave out faults, etc. in order to turn a profit). It drives my boss crazy that I spend time putting all of that stuff in because he never does and never allows money in the quote for it. I cannot stand a machine that doesn't tell you what's wrong with it and suggests ways to fix it.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

The problem is that many/most are one of a kind machines and application support for one of a kinds is very expensive. Of course, it depends on the programmer too. Far too often, you get a 'loose ends' type of programmer in which they get in and get out leaving much to be desired (i.e. leave out features, leave out faults, etc. in order to turn a profit). It drives my boss crazy that I spend time putting all of that stuff in because he never does and never allows money in the quote for it. I cannot stand a machine that doesn't tell you what's wrong with it and suggests ways to fix it.

We have programmers that like to intentionally leave out stuff so they can come back as often as possible for service calls when something goes wrong.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

I've been working in the oilfield for over 5 years now. Mostly watching equipment and doing repairs and maintenance. I'm going to a trade school starting soon to learn welding. End goal is me working for myself or at worst starting a side business. Not sure if I'm going construction or oilfield pipeline welding. I'm 32 and fed up so I'm doing a redo on my life.

 

[Paladin3]

Freelance photographer (semi-retired newspaper photographer), web designer, graphic artist and Santa/Easter Bunny photographer at the mall. My wife owns a retail store that I clerk in a few times a week, too.

And fish tremble (with laughter) at the sound of my name, but that's purely a voluntary gig.

 

[Gillbot]

As a child, you want to be an adult.

As an adult, you want to be a child.

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Remember that as you make decisions.

 

[Ackmed]

United States Marine Corps, Combat Engineer.

btw, it's the 238th birthday of the Corps today.

 

[olds]

United States Marine Corps, Combat Engineer.

btw, it's the 238th birthday of the Corps today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSeI7Imlj8o

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

As a child, you want to be an adult.

As an adult, you want to be a child.

I actually have no desire to be a child again. My childhood wasn't all that great. I would never give up my freedom and be told what to do again.

 

[rh71]

web app developer - can't imagine doing anything else honestly. We help design and support too of course so it keeps things fresh.

 

[rh71]

We have programmers that like to intentionally leave out stuff so they can come back as often as possible for service calls when something goes wrong.

I've wondered about that - doesn't that say something to the customer about your skill level & thoroughness when your crap breaks repeatedly? Embarrassment comes to mind too. Do the customers just sit and take it?

 

[Guurn]

Head Dosimetrist at a radiation therapy center.

 

[Ackmed]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSeI7Imlj8o

Rah

 

[Engineer]

I've wondered about that - doesn't that say something to the customer about your skill level & thoroughness when your crap breaks repeatedly? Embarrassment comes to mind too. Do the customers just sit and take it?

While I don't leave anything out (intentionally), I think that many do because they are in a hurry to get in and get out on a job. Customers generally accept it as 'overlooked' and pay.

There are customers though, that will nickle and dime you to death on a job and request multiple changes throughout the first several months under the guise of 'warranty', knowing full well that many of their changes have nothing to do with original scope of the project. Of course, they know this but will not pay an extra dime for the work. Depends on the customer as to whether you continue doing the 'changes' or not.