Who does what for a living?

[x3 skier]

Been retired for 27 years and still a ski bum in Steamboat Springs working a part time job in the Ticket Office at Steamboat when not on the mountain.

Graduated as a Mechanical Engineer and a journeyman machinist courtesy of my co-op job at a machine tool company. Went to work as a civilian engineer in aircraft development and retired after 32.5 years finishing up as the Chief Engineer of several programs including the YF-22, YF-23, F-22 and C-17. Picked up my pilot certificate along the way and still flying my two planes and building a third. Also grad schools in Engineering and business. Great place to work and moved to assignments in Connecticut, California, UK and Ohio. Did consulting for just about all the major aerospace companies after retiring until I became a full time ski bum.

First jobs before college were a caddy at a local country club, parts man at a Lincoln, Mercury, Edsel, Renault dealer and bartending.

Still remember asking my boss, a WWII Navy LST Captain, what would happen if I was drafted. He said “ We’ll put a star in the window”. I said, “as long as it isn’t a Gold One”. Never got a lottery number and stayed at the Air Force Base as a civilian engineer.

Married 50 years to my late wife, with two daughters and four grandchildren.

Life was and still is good.

Cheers

 

[DaveNV]

Boy, you guys are some smart people!!

Dave

 

[x3 skier]

Boy, you guys are some smart people!!

Dave

And lucky

 

[artringwald]

Boy, you guys are some smart people!!

Dave

Elwood P. Dowd : "Years ago, my mother used to say to me, she'd say "In this world, Elwood, you can be oh so so smart, or oh so pleasant." I prefer pleasant."

I also prefer pleasant!

 

[Talent312]

Boy, you guys are some smart people!

Before I retired, I was a undercover spy.
My favorite cover job was ballet dancer.
My cover name was Maxwell Smart.
.

 

[jimf41]

OK, started out working in 10th grade mostly summers and weekends. Here's the list Town highway Dept., dishwasher, Fuller Brush salesman, movie theatre usher, Ice Cream truck driver, dress shop Asst. pattern cutter, pool builder, sandwich shop mgr.

Now for the real stuff, Joined the Army in 1968 and went to flight school. Served 1 year in RVN with the 116th Assault Helicopter CO. Mostly did combat assaults but some medics and resupply missions. Came home and joined the NY Army National Guard as a helicopter pilot. The NG is a part time job and I was a full time Police Officer for 25 years while I was in the NG. I stayed in the NG for 41 years until they kicked me out in 2009 because at was too old to fly anymore. During my service I did a lot of interesting things. We flew humanitarion missions all over Central America. The missions were sponsored by the Joint Chiefs and they would put together a task force of Aviation, MP's, Engineers and a medical unit. The engineers would build schools and community centers, the doctors and nurse's would provide medical treatment, Aviation would transport these folks around with their equipment and the MP's would secure the field base and we would fly everybody back home every night. We operated in very remote mountainous areas and the people were very poor. Most of you can't imagine what 10 year girl who has never seen a doctor or dentist her whole looks like. I have to say the
Med folks did a great job.

Flew a lot all around the States doing some interesting stuff but I don't have space to write all that. In 2005 I was deployed to Iraq. This time I was a CW5 and on the Brigade staff. Only flew about 400 hrs there and no real combat assaults. We mainly flew people around so they wouldn't have to drive and rest getting blown up by an IED.

Police career 1978-2003. split evenly between PCT Patrolman, Highway Patrol and Aviation.
Did a few hundred medics in Aviation but I'm very proud of the fact that I arrested between 400 to 600 DWI's in my career.

 

[joestein]

I am not Agent 86. Just an accountant.

8 years & 3 different firms in public and 22 years at my current job. Started as financial reporting manager, then assistant controller, then controller, then Sr controller in charge of department. Over time my duties have grown outside of the financial reporting department like overseeing the SOC 1 audit and sitting on various committees. Over time have risen from no title to Sr Vice President. Hope to be Managing Director within a couple of years - something I would never have thought I would have achieved here.

I often feel that I am just a big kids who has somehow blundered into my position in life. Though to be fair, I did earn it through my work, certainly not my sparkling personality.

 

[10spro]

Ok I'll play. Corporate IT for 35+ years, started as a programmer, ended as a Director. Retired 6 months ago. Other odd jobs before college were mostly office support, bookkeeping, clerical, and typing. Over the years I've also done freelance writing and website development. Part-time second career for the past 15 years as a real estate agent.

 

[1Kflyerguy]

I dropped out of college due to lack of funds. Got a job working in production for one of the early computer game companies. I was making copies of floppy discs, assembly the game packages and shipping them out. A year or two later my boss left to start a business that provided these services to growing personal computer industry. I followed him and eventually became a partner in that business. After a falling out, I left that and joined another larger firm in the same industry. Eventually I left the contract manufacturing industry and became a Quality Manager for the supply chain team a fortune 500 public software company.

As a large public company, I took advantage of the tuition reimbursement benefits get my undergrad, and then MBA. After 23 years and traveling all over the world for work, I am still there, but part of the legal team managing our Fraud and Risk Mitigation team. The tech world has had its share of ups and downs, but overall, it’s been a great ride.

Now at age 60 I am the oldest guy on my team and thinking more and more about retirement.

 

[Glynda]

Like so many, my first paying job was babysitting. At fifteen I worked in the dietician's office at our local hospital. My senior year of high school, I worked part time in the Display Department at Sears and continued to do so during vacations from college.

My dream was to go to the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan and live in the Barbizon Hotel. I wanted to work for a fashion magazine one day. Daddy wouldn't hear of it! But my parents did send me to a two-year all girl's Baptist college, where I received an associate degree in Fashion Merchandising. I got married the summer after and postponed my education to help put my husband through his last years at university majoring in Textile Engineering and then an MBA. While living in married student housing, I worked for a Pittsburg Paint store. I got pregnant and after five months of being so was fired because my pregnancy "might offend the painters and customers." That was legal in 1970.

After hubby graduated, and our daughter turned one, I went back to college and finished with a bachelors in Fashion Merchandising and Distributive Education. Some of you will remember the high school vocational program known as "DE" and its club "DECA." Eleventh and twelfth graders, who already had enough credits, could opt to go to school half a day and work half a day, earning grades from their job. Among their morning classes they attended one DE class with me. I spent most afternoons visiting their places of employment and coordinating between employers and students. In class, I taught what I wish every kid still had to learn in school today. Filling out job applications, practicing job interviews, business etiquette, and business math (Including discounts and counting back change without a calculator.) I also taught fashion merchandising, advertising, marketing and display.

While teaching, I got my masters in Secondary School Administration and soon after moved into an assistant principal role at a high school. The first female to hold such a position in that school system. What an experience! Mainly, I put out fires. Literal and figurative. I can only imagine what high schools are like today.

Alas, my husband made far more money than I ever would in the public school system. His climbing the corporate ladder was often accompanied by transfers or changing companies. We moved often. When there was an opening in the schools, I taught. When not, I did things like buying and selling small antiques, owning a needlework shop, and selling real estate. At age 50, after attending six colleges, working at four high schools and 20 house moves, I quit and became a woman of leisure!

 

[artringwald]

OK, started out working in 10th grade mostly summers and weekends. Here's the list Town highway Dept., dishwasher, Fuller Brush salesman, movie theatre usher, Ice Cream truck driver, dress shop Asst. pattern cutter, pool builder, sandwich shop mgr.

My summer job in 1971 was selling Fuller Brush door to door in Ypsilanti Michigan. It wasn't such a bad job. People were friendly and Fuller Brush sold well respected products. After 100+ years, I can't believe they're still around.

Fuller Brush: Over 100 Years Of Premium Quality Products

In the good'ol days when products were made to last... wait, you can still get them! You guessed it, here at Fuller Brush. Alfred Fuller started with a hand wired brush machine, now, over 100 years later, the knowledge & expertise lying behind every product we manufacture allows us to deliver...

fuller.com

 

[WinniWoman]

I grew up w/a very boring childhood but worked summers in college at AC Nielsen (TV ratings) where my dad spent his entire career. I thought market research was pretty interesting so decided to plan my education around that. With good advice, my dad encouraged me to major in math when I was in college. I got good grades so was able to land a full-ride with a teaching assistant role in grad school where I got a M.S. in statistics. I taught Statistics 101 to the business school students. Probably the best job I ever had. If I could re-do my life, I would be a high school teacher. I regret not taking the few extra classes needed to get a teaching certificate.

I immediately went to work for a "traditional" market research company after graduation. My area of expertise is survey research. I analyze the data from these surveys and work with our clients to "tell a story" with the data and to give recommendations for their brand and products. Most of my clients are not numbers people (they are marketers) so my challenge is speak their language when presenting a statistical language.

I've worked for various companies for my 30 years doing this. My industry is very client-driven (like an ad agency) so it's a roller coaster with big ups and downs with revenues and profits. Lots of booms and busts with layoffs happening every few years. In fact my current company announced layoffs in 30-45 days so I'm bracing myself.

The work is interesting b/c it's project based so nothing ever gets old or stale.

When I started most of our surveys were conducted over the phone or paper and pencil collection-- either at a central location or mailed to respondents. Obviously everything is online now.

My brother worked at an executive level at AC Neilson, IRI, etc. Pretty well known in the industry.

His name is Bob Tomei. Did you hear of or know him? He’s retired now. He’s 64 years old.

 

[easyrider]

Through out it all we have been self employed entrepreneurs that give more than we take. I think giving is the key to receiving.

Bill

 

[Ralph Sir Edward]

My life has been more like Slim Picken's B-52 in Dr. Strangelove. (We got 3 engines out; we're leaking fuel, and if we was flying any lower, we'd have to have sleigh bells. . .)

Bad health most of my life; I went K-11 in the 2nd poorest school district in Texas; And too smart for my own good (class geek in a poor school is not a nice row to hoe.)

Worked my way through College on Air Force bases in a competitive exam basis; 2 year a at major hospital there, putting papers in medical records. (Useful for me at the time, I read all the records, and got a good theoretical medical education. The Last 2 years at the Personnel Headquarters at Randolph AFB.

Got a B.A. in Microbiology from University of Texas, but the Bakke decision basically cut off Med school. Went back to Community college and took their entire IT coursework in 9 months, got a job at Frost Bank in San Antonio as a programmer. Low pay, and a beeper. Had been studying stocks and bonds and commodities since age 17. Had great difficulty getting enough saving to be able to do much investing. (Ever get told that you weren't married, so you didn't need a pay raise?)

Got to watch the Texas banking debacle, up front and personal, from 1980 to 1989, when my job was sold to EDS. Since I refused to be bought or sold I hunted up another job, eventually ending here in DFW. Worked in a Life Insurance company (now part of AIG), more low pay and beeper. (Picked up an interest in quantum non-locality studies. Eventually was able to set up an experimental rig for research; determined that the Copenhagen interpretation didn't match experimental testing.)

Turned mercenary for Y2K, finally got some capital to work with. After that, went to work at a very cutthroat big 3 money center bank,I got caught in the 4th wave of layoffs, worked for MBNA for 11 months, then 2 years of unemployment. Returned to contracting for the next 10 years, sometimes working sometimes not. Wrote silly stories for an e-book news site for entertainment. Got a cast-off timeshare from my rich aunt and uncle (a Marriott). Liked the concept started buying ones.

Built my investment up, and when COVID hit, I was ready. Forted up (Microbiology degree, remember?), and rode it out.

Still in poor health, (made primary and am cruising to weather ship delta) but was retired, reasonable comfortable,and then too much money got waived under my nose. . . and it's been Three Stooges time. They aren't even organized enough to let me quit. . .

 

[heathpack]

@Cornell your post reminds me of a job I forgot. It was a job my Dad got me the summer after my freshman year in college. My Dad was a contracts negotiator for a division of Raytheon. They were making the radar system for the B1 bomber at the time.

I got hired with another girl my age to do clerical work for the summer. I’m not sure how or why I got peeled off but I wound up being assigned a tedious job of organizing a room-sized cage of full of non-functional parts of the radar system. All of the non-functional parts had passed inspection but shouldn’t have since they were non functional.

Eventually I got put in charge of finding out what had transpired to result in this state of affairs. Maybe because I was temporary and had no ties to any of the engineers or manufacturing workers.

Anyway, I *did* figure it out. At a certain point in production, the parts needed to go into a static bag or else they would be ruined. The manufacturing line ran out of static bags but kept producing the parts. Totally stupid. That was a lot of money represented by those non functional parts in that cage. A really big a lot of money.

I remember mostly the inspectors were men. When they saw me coming with my inspection cards they’d run away into the men’s room. Lol.

But the thing I liked most about the job was the bad a$$ German Shepherd guard dog stationed at the front door.

 

[VacationForever]

But the thing I liked most about the job was the bad a$$ German Shepherd guard dog stationed at the front door.

Spoken like a true vet!

 

[frytard]

I am in my 30's and currently and HR Manager. Having a midlife crisis and wanting to switch to becoming a programmer so i can WFH and travel all the time. I saw a few programmers reading through - if you are willing to mentor I am willing to mentee lol. Otherwise self teaching without a CS degree and hopefully break into tech the next two years than hopefully move up the ranks.

 

[travelhacker]

I am in my 30's and currently and HR Manager. Having a midlife crisis and wanting to switch to becoming a programmer so i can WFH and travel all the time. I saw a few programmers reading through - if you are willing to mentor I am willing to mentee lol. Otherwise self teaching without a CS degree and hopefully break into tech the next two years than hopefully move up the ranks.

I'm one of those programmers that WFH and travels all the time (well mostly during school breaks). While it's great and I'm happy with my career path, it's not without it's challenges.

There aren't a lot of companies (at least based out of where I live) that want to allow you to travel and work remotely. You have to really prove that you are capable (and do so repeatedly). Unfortunately, I do have the fear that at some point a bad apple that really can't travel and get valuable work done will either spoil it for me, or that they'd only make it available to certain employees (potentially creating hard feelings).

I'm at a small company that is probably a bit too dependent on me (but fortunately, we'll have the revenue to support quite a few hires in just a few months). I don't think I've taken more than 1 day fully off in the past year and a half.

I actually work as a part-time computer professor, and also do consulting for some long-time customers that I have (from my consulting days), as well as friends and family (like websites, or some applications I've built over the years).

I should add that it's even harder to find employers that allow not just travel, WFH, but also allow additional jobs. Fortunately, they are fine with it as long as it is not a competitor and I devote working hours to my employer.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions at all. I truly believe that just about anyone can program, and if you are analytical and can break down problems to a granular level, you can be very successful. Unfortunately, I don't think there's really a short cut to get both a lot of breadth and depth as a programmer, but there are very talented programmers that can be very effective in a short time in certain disciplines.

 

[CPNY]

I'm one of those programmers that WFH and travels all the time (well mostly during school breaks). While it's great and I'm happy with my career path, it's not without it's challenges.

There aren't a lot of companies (at least based out of where I live) that want to allow you to travel and work remotely. You have to really prove that you are capable (and do so repeatedly). Unfortunately, I do have the fear that at some point a bad apple that really can't travel and get valuable work done will either spoil it for me, or that they'd only make it available to certain employees (potentially creating hard feelings).

I'm at a small company that is probably a bit too dependent on me (but fortunately, we'll have the revenue to support quite a few hires in just a few months). I don't think I've taken more than 1 day fully off in the past year and a half.

I actually work as a part-time computer professor, and also do consulting for some long-time customers that I have (from my consulting days), as well as friends and family (like websites, or some applications I've built over the years).

I should add that it's even harder to find employers that allow not just travel, WFH, but also allow additional jobs. Fortunately, they are fine with it as long as it is not a competitor and I devote working hours to my employer.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions at all. I truly believe that just about anyone can program, and if you are analytical and can break down problems to a granular level, you can be very successful. Unfortunately, I don't think there's really a short cut to get both a lot of breadth and depth as a programmer, but there are very talented programmers that can be very effective in a short time in certain disciplines.

So what you’re saying is, I can teach myself to be a programmer, build my own internet business, sell the business, then buy more timeshares!? Sign me up for the course !

 

[frytard]

I'm one of those programmers that WFH and travels all the time (well mostly during school breaks). While it's great and I'm happy with my career path, it's not without it's challenges.

There aren't a lot of companies (at least based out of where I live) that want to allow you to travel and work remotely. You have to really prove that you are capable (and do so repeatedly). Unfortunately, I do have the fear that at some point a bad apple that really can't travel and get valuable work done will either spoil it for me, or that they'd only make it available to certain employees (potentially creating hard feelings).

I'm at a small company that is probably a bit too dependent on me (but fortunately, we'll have the revenue to support quite a few hires in just a few months). I don't think I've taken more than 1 day fully off in the past year and a half.

I actually work as a part-time computer professor, and also do consulting for some long-time customers that I have (from my consulting days), as well as friends and family (like websites, or some applications I've built over the years).

I should add that it's even harder to find employers that allow not just travel, WFH, but also allow additional jobs. Fortunately, they are fine with it as long as it is not a competitor and I devote working hours to my employer.

Feel free to PM me if you have any questions at all. I truly believe that just about anyone can program, and if you are analytical and can break down problems to a granular level, you can be very successful. Unfortunately, I don't think there's really a short cut to get both a lot of breadth and depth as a programmer, but there are very talented programmers that can be very effective in a short time in certain disciplines.

Interesting. I am also in the middle of switching jobs when i find the right opportunity - it could be a company culture thing that is burning me out as well. I figure i should learn programming either way to become a programmer or supplement my career by automating things as programming is just a useful skill in general i feel. I will take you up on the DMs when i get into it a bit more! I am currently doing a self pace program and just had my first lesson in JS so nothing really to ask as of now I would say.

 

[BJRSanDiego]

Been retired for 27 years and still a ski bum in Steamboat Springs working a part time job in the Ticket Office at Steamboat when not on the mountain.

Graduated as a Mechanical Engineer and a journeyman machinist courtesy of my co-op job at a machine tool company. Went to work as a civilian engineer in aircraft development and retired after 32.5 years finishing up as the Chief Engineer of several programs including the YF-22, YF-23, F-22 and C-17. Picked up my pilot certificate along the way and still flying my two planes and building a third. Also grad schools in Engineering and business. Great place to work and moved to assignments in Connecticut, California, UK and Ohio. Did consulting for just about all the major aerospace companies after retiring until I became a full time ski bum.

First jobs before college were a caddy at a local country club, parts man at a Lincoln, Mercury, Edsel, Renault dealer and bartending.

Still remember asking my boss, a WWII Navy LST Captain, what would happen if I was drafted. He said “ We’ll put a star in the window”. I said, “as long as it isn’t a Gold One”. Never got a lottery number and stayed at the Air Force Base as a civilian engineer.

Married 50 years to my late wife, with two daughters and four grandchildren.

Life was and still is good.

Cheers

Nice resume.

I was fortunate enough to get 2 hours in a YF-22 simulator at Mira Mar.

I still remember my lottery # (218), IIRC they drafted up to 208 or 210.

 

[rboesl]

Ok, my turn. After high school I got a job as a dishwasher at a Texas Red Hots restaurant a block away from my house. I worked there to pay for college. First as a dishwasher (who also did prep work like chopping onions and cooking the hot dog sauce from scratch), then as waiter, next short order cook, and lastly added shift supervisor to the list.

Once I graduated college with my computer science degrees I got a job as a programmer at a heart pacer battery manufacturer, moved to programmer at catalog showroom company, insurance company, then a regional bank, and finally spent 32 years at a large international bank.

At the large international bank I went from programmer, to systems designer, and finally customer experience designer until I retired 6 years ago.

I worked on mainframe computer batch systems, distributed branch automation at sales and the teller line (PCs, networking, server support), installed their first internet banking system (mid-range systems integrated to their legacy mainframe systems), helped design and build their first commercial internet banking system which included international process integration.

During my last year of employment I purchased a small franchise business and sold poker to bars as a promotion to bring in customers. That lasted until the pandemic shut down all the bars and killed my franchise. But, it was fun while it lasted.

Now I do woodworking building things like a planting table for my wife and planters. I turned a hollow core interior door into a very sturdy table. My latest projects have been a bedside table, a chest of drawers, and I'm about to build storage cabinets for the garage.

 

[Timeshare Von]

I became the "accidental non-profit executive" because rarely does a kid grow up thinking about (and going to school to be) an association executive director!

I grew up in a bowling family, both my parents bowled. My dad managed a center in the DC/NoVA area in the late 60's/early 70's. So my career path probably took an inevitable path, but here's how it play out for me.

I worked my way through college (1975-1980) working my way up through a variety of retail management jobs with K-Mart Corporation (the #1 retailer in the world at the time). Got my BS in psychology with a minor (9 liberal arts credits short for a BA double major) in sociology/criminology. I wanted to work with delinquent kids, making a difference in the lives of kids and families; but sadly I got out of college with no applicable experience (I couldn't afford to intern for free because I was supporting myself through college). So I stayed in the retail management field. I left K-Mart in 1981 and went to work for the world leader in convenience stores . . . Southland Corporation & 7-Eleven.

Turmoil in that sector in the early 90's led me back to college and my MBA, which I completed in 1994.

A random opportunity presented itself as I was completing my MBA, which resulted in my taking a full-time position in bowling working for the Young American Bowling Alliance (YABA); the international membership organization for youth bowling. That was in 1994, and launched my career path in the non/not-for-profit sector for the next 30 years!

My management position at YABA led to other bigger opportunities in bowling (through 2000) and then to other associations and non/not-for-profits including youth soccer (local, state & national organizations 2000-2014), plus two other totally unrelated association executive positions with the Nat'l Funeral Directors Association (COO 2002-2004) and the American Agricultural Economics Association (Executive Director 2004-2006).

In 2014 I achieved dream job status working for the Bowling Centers Association of Wisconsin (BCAW), as their executive director through 2021. Retiring in May 2022, I have since returned on a limited scope and part-time basis, working primarily in the areas of my greatest passion . . . youth programming and membership relations. At this point in time, I'm planning to work seasonally (Sept/Oct through May) during the bowling season for the next couple of years (maybe until 2025?).

During my stint away from youth sports (2002-2006) I formed Bennett Consulting Group, LLC (BCG) in order to do training/education, consultative and facilitation services with other sports organizations. I continue to do limited work through BCG today. My husband is a partner in BCG and he's an IT consultant, with one client currently (BCAW). It was a tad bit weird when BCAW contracted with him back in 2016, but he's given them great services at a price they could afford (more than 75% less than others offering to help with their IT needs through a vetted RFP process). Even after I left as their executive director in 2021, the board of directors and now current executive director feel the services from BCG are invaluable and irreplaceable at this time.

As the association executive for a number of small associations, I had to wear many hats over the years. Continued education in critical skill areas was essential. Since 2000, I pursued and achieve certification/credentials as a Certified Association Executive (from the American Society of Association Executives) and a Senior Professional in Human Resources (from the Human Resource Certification Institute and Society of Human Resource Management). I have also been a member of not only these two professional societies, but also the Association of Fundraising Professionals, International Bowling Media Association, Public Relations Society of America and State Bowling Centers Association Executives . . . as well as several local/state affiliated groups in these same areas of operations.

In bowling, I am also a lifetime member of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC - the national governing body for the sport of bowling, as recognized by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee/USOPC), a registered volunteer with the USBC meeting all requirements of the USOPC) and I've been inducted into the Nation's Capital Area USBC Hall of Fame (Class of 2019) for my bowling performance in their area (1975-1990).

 

[Timeshare Von]

how did you wind up ay Sysco?

I am retired now. Can't believe I have been retired over a year already. I worked for the same company for just under 38 years. I worked for Sysco Foods the largest food distributor.

I started working nights for almost three years, then I transfered to Inventory Control and ended out running that department for 10 years before I took a Food Safety Position with Sysco Corporate. My last 3 years I transfered and worked for Sysco Corporate at Sysco Hawaii where I was responsible for Food Safety on Oahu, Maui, Big Island, Kauai and Guam.

Not many people work for the same company that long any more. I'm glad I was able to make it to the end and retired on my own terms.

WOW SYSCO is a Smart Buy partner with the Bowling Proprietors Assoc of America . . . and a big program for our member centers here in Wisconsin.

 

[Timeshare Von]

And lucky

That's how I feel. My career path was nothing planned and yet amazingly fortunate! Lots of "right place at the right time" sorta stuff.