dsthez

I'm turning 30 soon. I have a wonderful family, wife two girls pets and o yeah a my03 in silverstone. Haha I currently work at a automotive tire/repair shop which is good. Im a service writer there, started as a tech working with tires and light maitenence. It pays OK it is a fun job. Not too much room to grow definetly not the future. I am interested in cars music arts sales ect. Anyone else ever in the same boat or just have a suggestion of work that's worked for them.

Here's a nice picture to help.

UnkieTrunkie

So, here's the deal: I fell into my second career one night at a dinner party. That's actually not relevant to your situation.

Here are my thoughts on your situation:

• Make money. Real money. You have a wife and two kids.
• Music can make you money, but it's like the taco shits: it builds up over years causing you discomfort, and if you're lucky, it rains all over you. Otherwise, you just break wind and nothing happens. That's not a strategy for your late twenties with a wife and two kids.
• Art. Same as music.
• It would appear that a career in sales may be what you need. However, in order to sell anything worthwhile, your communication skills (at least based on what I'm seeing here) need to kick up a notch.
• You may want to consider some additional schooling for something specialized. Typically anything of high value will require either some technical background OR some time under the tutelage of someone already selling high value items.

Lastly, and I know this could go over like a turd in a punchbowl with your spouse, take some time off. Lock yourself into a motel room for three days with a pen and paper, and consider what you want your life to look like, what you really want to do, and what 5-10 things you need to do to make that happen. Don't be surprised if you surprise yourself. Good luck.

vader1

Some more unsolicited advice, the best advice my dad gave me is "Do something you are going to like, because you end up doing it for forty years."


I ignored the advice. I have grown to hate what I do but I get paid pretty well and get lots of time off. So now I am in the situation with about a dozen years to retirement, keep the cushy pay and dread the workday or change jobs, take a pay hit but have more fun.

If I had to do it over again I'd take less pay to do something else. For now, I have to hate three months of work looking all the while planning some great vacation, have a week or two of adventure, then back to three months of hating work. Rinse and repeat.


It might be a little contrary to what Trunkie is suggesting because you are going to contemplate getting a job that best provides for your family. Nothing wrong with that, but sometimes providing less but enjoying your worklife more will make you happier, make you a better dad, etc.

It is not just about money, but balance. But yeah you have to make some cash for the family. Just don't look at things too much like "I need a job that will buy me this car, and that house" because one day the stuff you own will not mean dick to you. The "stuff" you can buy will bring less and less pleasure until it brings none at all. I know people with their own businesses who made fistfulls of cash, neglected their kids, they turned out delinquents and they wish they could do it all over again. Money for your kids will not matter as much as time with your kids.

I have the luxury of being midlife, no kids, and the wife makes twice as much as I do so no pressure on me to come through. But since I don't like the job I count the days until retirement. 12 years to go..........

alphalanos

i work for an auto shop. i dont make that much but im single no kids etc. i live pretty cheap and put a decent amount into my car. i know its not a wise thing to do but honestly its what i love to do and no one is depending on me. i would like to get a better job that pays more and had better benefits though. but overall im doing what i like to do and working on my car so its cool

TrkStar

I work in a pharmacy retail, what I am doing is setting up a mail order, and will be going around setting new places in other states months to follow, money is ok but not enough to the point where I want it to be. Looking into options on opening my own business in similar field.

The Raptor

I own and operate an environmental services company: phase I site assessments, subsurface soil and groundwater investigations, soil vapor surveys, indoor air sampling, underground storage tank removal, site remediation by exploratory excavation and vapor extraction, geophysical surveys with magnetics and ground-penetrating radar, asbestos surveys, etc. See my sig.

sillyboybmxer

I am in the same boat
I went to school forever(7 years on and off) and didnt graduate because (criminal justice) was fun classes, I didnt want to do "anything" with it, so I stopped going.
I now work as a valet(going on 8 years), dead end job, great money,stay in shape running, dont bring my work home with me, and I typically only deal with guests for 30 seconds which is great compared to having "clients"....I always tell myself I will get a "Real " job one day but I am just not ready yet and I also dont know what the heck to do.
I keep waiting on that "opportunity" to fall from the sky

TofuProductions

I am 25, recently engaged, plenty of hobbies, and..
I run my own company with my business partner on the side, network and media consulting firm (it's in my signature).
I also work for an IT recruiting firm as a HR executive analyst.

darcyw

My grandfather always said, "When you love your work, you get paid twice."

So in 1995, I went to IU for one reason- to become an optometrist. Sure, there were other professions on my radar, but my number 2 pick- race car driver- isn't a legitimate profession for 99.9% of people- you've got to have mad skills being a race car driver (which i don't have) to make a career in being a race car driver. Instead, i get dirty working on my cars in the garage as a hobby, and pretend to be a race car driver doing autocross. The saying "don't quit your day job" is appropriate here since I have fun with autocross but don't do it all that well.

fun times at work, fun times at home. At the end of the day, love what you do.

darcy

jst2878

I was stumped for a long time. Luckily I got a job as a transporter when I was 18. I learned that I like to help people in crisis since I worked in the ER.
I left that job and followed what I love. around 23 I worked at a car wash for a few months and then landed a job as a plumbers apprentice. I realized I like to help people in crisis and work with my hands. You have to be in tune with who u really are. Did this for 3 years and then was called for the FDNY. I've been there for 8 years and I love what I do. I also have my own plumbing business on the side and I detail and maintain cars when the summer hits. Do what u love. I don't even feel like I work because I love every career choice I took and finally at 34(16 years of hardworking), I am able to do whatever I want and have some good money. Get in the classifieds and see what jobs are out there. Goodluck