Good careers

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Frederick

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A career is pretty much most of your waking life Monday through Friday for 40+ years. As a matter of curiosity, I was wondering how your career went, what you think of your industry/its future, and what you would tell kids entering the workforce or thinking about college to do now. Would you have gone a different path if you could have started over? Would you recommend it to someone else?

I was in retail for the first several years after high school. I got tired of making 11/hr and having to rely on roommates to make ends meet. Not being able to save for retirement. So I started a career in the trades. I probably make a little above average(55-60k) after overtime which isn't bad. If I got a degree in construction management or was more willing to move around and gain niche skills I could probably do a little better, or went into service side of things which offers potentially six figures but a worse quality of life. I would recommend it to people who don't plan on college. Seems like a good "middle job". Better than any other non degreed jobs outside the Military, but overall worse outlook than degreed unless you plan on starting out in your own.
 

Jason Freeland

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My first career choice, politico military affairs analysis, didn't pan out. The cold war ended while I was in school and nobody had foreseen the war on terror yet. After a few years of doing retail commision, which sucks big time, I drifted into Respiratory Therapy as the school was open and nursing wasn't at the time. Did that for about 20 years until my arthritis got the best of me and now I audit patient charts. My suggestion for anyone following the clinical pathway in medicine is go the nursing side, as there are just so many more pathways to advancement than what I ended up doing. I loved doing Respiratory Therapy, but could not for the life of me break out into admin/desk jobs, as they reserved those for nurses. It took a miracle to get the one I've got.
 

Frederick

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My first career choice, politico military affairs analysis, didn't pan out. The cold war ended while I was in school and nobody had foreseen the war on terror yet. After a few years of doing retail commision, which sucks big time, I drifted into Respiratory Therapy as the school was open and nursing wasn't at the time. Did that for about 20 years until my arthritis got the best of me and now I audit patient charts. My suggestion for anyone following the clinical pathway in medicine is go the nursing side, as there are just so many more pathways to advancement than what I ended up doing. I loved doing Respiratory Therapy, but could not for the life of me break out into admin/desk jobs, as they reserved those for nurses. It took a miracle to get the one I've got.

I hear nursing is a real good job these days...high demand, high pay. Lots of specialties to branch off into...but I heard that you really have to be interested in the career to make it...
 

Jason Freeland

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I hear nursing is a real good job these days...high demand, high pay. Lots of specialties to branch off into...but I heard that you really have to be interested in the career to make it...
Lots of options in nursing, you don't necessarily have to work in the hospital for it if you don't want to. Best pay is going to be the direct patient care stuff, some of the travelers in that are getting over $100 per hour right now.
 

XYZ

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My wife is a RN BSN. She makes excellent money and works primarily from home.

All of my aunts were RNs. They all got their training through St. Anthony’s in OKC in what they call Diploma nurses. One went on to run the ER at Mercy for her last 20 years. All the others went into other things, two houses wives and one a nun. Up until roughly the 1970s it didn’t pay all that well.

My brother is a RN. He left the Army (Airborne 82nd) and went to OCCC. He worked ER in OKC for several years and then went to work in IHS. He’s still working and making decent money.
 

Frederick

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My wife is a RN BSN. She makes excellent money and works primarily from home.

All of my aunts were RNs. They all got their training through St. Anthony’s in OKC in what they call Diploma nurses. One went on to run the ER at Mercy for her last 20 years. All the others went into other things, two houses wives and one a nun. Up until roughly the 1970s it didn’t pay all that well.
didn't know that 70s bit. huh, wonder why. can't imagine people got less sick back then than they do now.
 

OK Corgi Rancher

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My ex is an RN. She ran a dialysis clinic in Idaho. $102K last year. I'd say that's pretty good for a 2yr degree. If you have young kids now, male or female, you could do worse than pointing into a career in nursing.

I spent the first 10 years of my adult working life in the AF. Spent the next 15 in law enforcement. I made really good money (I thought) doing that. Then I owned my own business. It was successful but got to be too consuming and demanding of ALL my time. I sold it. Retired a little early but that didn't sit well with the ex (my then wife) so, on a whim, I got a CDL and went to work for a propane company. Didn't pay all that well but it was probably the most enjoyable job I've had. I delivered propane in the mountains of Colorado and then Idaho. Some of my customers were at 10,000+ feet in Colorado! It could be a challenge in the winter. Hurt my shoulder, went back to work, hurt my other shoulder, packed it in. Between the shoulders and back injuries from my military days I decided I'd had enough.

I retired when I was 59. Got divorced and moved from Idaho to SW Oklahoma. I live on my VA disability and I'm happier now than I've been most of my adult life, I think. I love it here.

Just remarried yesterday! We're about to relax and enjoy our "golden" years on a little piece of land somewhere around here.

I know...TMI. It's hard to stop once I get started.
 

Frederick

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My ex is an RN. She ran a dialysis clinic in Idaho. $102K last year. I'd say that's pretty good for a 2yr degree. If you have young kids now, male or female, you could do worse than pointing into a career in nursing.

I spent the first 10 years of my adult working life in the AF. Spent the next 15 in law enforcement. I made really good money (I thought) doing that. Then I owned my own business. It was successful but got to be too consuming and demanding of ALL my time. I sold it. Retired a little early but that didn't sit well with the ex (my then wife) so, on a whim, I got a CDL and went to work for a propane company. Didn't pay all that well but it was probably the most enjoyable job I've had. I delivered propane in the mountains of Colorado and then Idaho. Some of my customers were at 10,000+ feet in Colorado! It could be a challenge in the winter. Hurt my shoulder, went back to work, hurt my other shoulder, packed it in. Between the shoulders and back injuries from my military days I decided I'd had enough.

I retired when I was 59. Got divorced and moved from Idaho to SW Oklahoma. I live on my VA disability and I'm happier now than I've been most of my adult life, I think. I love it here.

Just remarried yesterday! We're about to relax and enjoy our "golden" years on a little piece of land somewhere around here.

I know...TMI. It's hard to stop once I get started.

i appreciate hearing your story. i'm happy for you, congrats on your marriage.

i hear law enforcement is a really good career, if you've got the personality for it.
 

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