career choice

[Volzfan]

If I could go back and do it again i would join a branch of the service. I grew up in the Viet Nam era and it had ended before I left HS. They stopped mandatory registration for the draft 1 month before I was old enough to register.

I have never felt that anyone looked at me as less of a man because I didn't serve but at this time in my life I feel a sense of shame that I didn't serve at least for one term. I am not saying this to try to put ant pressure on you to serve but only telling you how I feel now.

Good luck with whatever you do!

[poak]

Yes I am considering it. Pretty big paycut going to pd, but machine tool world is slow and I am fed up with it. Does Clarksville do POST training?(police academy)?? I thought they were only hiring experienced. Thanks for the Heads up.

From what I gather, yes they do. Starting pay in Clarksville is a little lower than Nashville, but hey, get your foot in the door and work a few years and you can lateral anywhere you like.

[Chucktshoes]

Though it wasn't a career for me, serving in the USAF was the best thing I ever did for myself. When I joined I was 17, fresh out of HS and about as useless as **** on a boar. The USAF gave me a sense of self and knowledge of who I am and what I am capable of that has served me well ever since. The internal tools military service equips you with are of such value that I am of the opinion that it should be mandatory for all capable. On the subject of commitment, It will teach you HOW to commit yourself to a task, a cause and your ultimate calling in life. If you don't learn how to commit yourself, no matter what you choose to do in life, you will not succeed.

[Defender]

My job is helping military veterans find jobs. The advice to go into the military is sound, in my opinion. Just be careful and do it with much thought and consideration as to the field and branch you select. Combat arms may be where its at while IN the military, but there is limited demand for that kind of work in the civilian world outside of police work. There is some, but it is limited unless you want to go back overseas. Having said that, the skills and confidence one would pick up in that kind of field will always pay great dividends. One huge benefit to going in now is the educational one. The new Post 911 GI Bill is far superior to anything that we have ever had before. Get online and look at it. I retired in 93 and went to college full time and the then GI Bill was sufficient to pay my tuition. The new one does even more. In my job I deal with all sorts of veterans, but the ones that I feel best about are the ones that learned a trade in the military...I have many drivers, welders, electricians, clerks, cooks, electronics techs, mechanics, you name it, that had never done that kind of work until the military taught them how. Now they have a TRADE. Many do that for the rest of their lives. If you are internet savvy, get online and look at Welcome - Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development

You can look at the fields that are projected to grow in the next few years, and even longer.

[Guest 3pugguy]

+1 on the military. There are many of us here who are veterans and will give you the real scoop, not the recruiting pitch. The advantage:

1. Steady employment for a few years (not sure what the minimum is any more)

2. Training in a career field - if you want to learn computers, good place to do it

3. Decent, but not great, pay and benefits (based on the fact you at least have job security).

4. Opportunity to advance/do as well as you let yourself (that is, tackle the task at hand and don't follow the n'eer do wells present in ANY group).

5. Money for college after you get out or while on Active Duty. I was able to get a Masters degree using VA and doubt I would have even done a Bachelor had I not joined.

Disadvantages

1. You don't try it for a few weeks and quit. You have to be adult enough to commit and realize there are times in ALL professions when you just don't feel like being there and work thru it.

2. War - know the military is there for one purpose - National Defense. So the odds, especially with today's climate, that you will go to a combat zone, are very great. The decision you have to make is how - as a Marine, a Soldier, an Airman, or at sea as a Sailor (my choice - career Navy guy)

3. Separation from family

4. Frequent moves if you stay in for a career.

Just some thoughts. But there are worst things you could do with your life than serve your country for a few years or a career. And if you make a career, you are still young enough to have a second or even third career, post-military.

Good luck and if you want some input on the Navy, shoot me a PM and we can connect via phone one day.

Barry

[Guest 3pugguy]

My job is helping military veterans find jobs. The advice to go into the military is sound, in my opinion. Just be careful and do it with much thought and consideration as to the field and branch you select. Combat arms may be where its at while IN the military, but there is limited demand for that kind of work in the civilian world outside of police work. There is some, but it is limited unless you want to go back overseas. Having said that, the skills and confidence one would pick up in that kind of field will always pay great dividends. One huge benefit to going in now is the educational one. The new Post 911 GI Bill is far superior to anything that we have ever had before. Get online and look at it. I retired in 93 and went to college full time and the then GI Bill was sufficient to pay my tuition. The new one does even more. In my job I deal with all sorts of veterans, but the ones that I feel best about are the ones that learned a trade in the military...I have many drivers, welders, electricians, clerks, cooks, electronics techs, mechanics, you name it, that had never done that kind of work until the military taught them how. Now they have a TRADE. Many do that for the rest of their lives. If you are internet savvy, get online and look at Welcome - Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development

You can look at the fields that are projected to grow in the next few years, and even longer.

+ a whole bunch on this well written piece of advice!

[Punisher84]

Here's another vote for the military, but decide what you want to get out of it! If you want to try the life and get a good career skill consider Air Force, maybe Army depending on what you think you might want to do. If you want to travel then maybe Navy.

Here is the other thing don't look for a "job" look for a "career". A job is what you do to make money, a career is what you do because you enjoy it.

[Guest LieutenantDan67]

Great thread. I'm 42 and have a good JOB, but I still have no idea what I want to do when I grow up. It's frustrating.

To the OP, I'll add another vote for the military. It's a great way to get great benefits and college funds together, and figure out what you want to do with little consequence. Also get some great life experience, travel, and self-discipline in the deal as well.

For me, I'm 4-F because I was born with cataracts, the recruiters wouldn't touch me with a 10 ft pole in high school. Even after surgeries in the late 1990s, I would barely qualify. Ticks me off because I was really interested in the Navy. My dad served with the USMC, and one of my sons currently is in the USMC.

I do have a good job right now, but I know it's not what I'm supposed to be doing with my life..but I have no inkling at all what I AM supposed to be doing.

Good luck with your endeavours! You are in a great position at your age, everything is open to you!

[threeshot]

Software engineering is coming back to America, and there is always more work than can be done. No offense to anyone that thinks they are good, but Americans are the best programmers. I have no idea why really, but it is true. I have been doing it for 33 years now. I started when I was 11, I was a pro by the time I was 16, and I make 200K/year now. I fell in love with it. My wife is a programmer too, but she is only making about 125K a year.

If I were you, I would go to community college, take an ASP.NET, VB BASIC or SQL programming class, and immediately get a job as a support programmer. You will start about 35-40k and advance quickly from there if you apply yourself.

The fortune 500 companies I have worked for in Nashville are not paying $125 - $200k for senior programmers. What is the name of the company in Chatt you are working for that pays their employees these salaries?

[Guest TargetShooter84]

Been out of college for a year now....majored in Logistics/Information Management (IT).

Guess what? NO luck finding a job around here or in this east TN region....

Working couple stores doing Part Time jobs....while looking for Full time. I've applied to countless places and have gotten nada responses back....

Military is not an option for me due to health reasons so that is out of the question even though I am capable of doing just about anything an normal person can do, the military doesn't see it eye to eye with me.

So if anybody knows anything with Logistics/Information Management, even though I do have taken classes for drafting with AutoCAD before I switched over to Business (Still kicking myself for that because I had about 2-3 classes left before getting degree in Drafting). I'm considering going back to PSTCC to finish up Drafting after I talk to my old professor there this week.....

Any suggestions/advices are welcome....

[Guest bkelm18]

Military is a good way to learn a trade and see the world and see what's out there. I was a nuclear propulsion electrician in the Navy, now I'm a maintenance electrician at a zoo. The pay is terrible, little room for advancement, but the operations director has said that I'm they best they've had in his 25 years there. It's an interesting job and if money wasn't an issue, I'd stick with it, but unfortunately it is. I'm kind of burned out on electrical stuff so I'm looking around at other options, mainly school, but I know in the future that my background in the military will look good in a resume. That's a bonus to many employers. Basically, what I'm saying, is that the military will give you a good foundation to build on if you really want it if you don't make a career out of it. You learn a good trade (as long as you don't pick a military specific job), you'll see some cool stuff, and you'll get a good idea of what the "real" world is like, which in turn will better guide you down a path of your choosing.

Edited June 10, 2009 by bkelm18

[Guest 3pugguy]

Been out of college for a year now....majored in Logistics/Information Management (IT).

Guess what? NO luck finding a job around here or in this east TN region....

Working couple stores doing Part Time jobs....while looking for Full time. I've applied to countless places and have gotten nada responses back....

Military is not an option for me due to health reasons so that is out of the question even though I am capable of doing just about anything an normal person can do, the military doesn't see it eye to eye with me.

So if anybody knows anything with Logistics/Information Management, even though I do have taken classes for drafting with AutoCAD before I switched over to Business (Still kicking myself for that because I had about 2-3 classes left before getting degree in Drafting). I'm considering going back to PSTCC to finish up Drafting after I talk to my old professor there this week.....

Any suggestions/advices are welcome....

If you haven't done so, you should look at defense contractors or DOD, with that degree you have. Logistics is huge in the gov't. For reference, I have worked as a recruiter for a variety of field and did a stint as a recruiter for a defense contractor in San Diego.

You might have to relo, however - Ft Campbell of course is a big base that I don't think is going away. And Huntsville is heavy with defense/government contracting frims, including the big hitters like Northrop, et al.

[wjh2657]

Left a little 1 dog/1 horse town (population 480) 49 years ago. Joined Marine Corps, spent 30 years and retired. After USMC, went to college on GI Bill all the way to Masters Degree. Taught school for 16 years and retired from that. Kids I grew up with? Still in that same town, living in dad's house and now supporting their kids!

For most of us small town and working class guys, the military is the best single move we can make.

From what you say about liking Machine Shop, I'd say take look into the MCBs (SeaBees) or ship ratings (Machinist Mate) in the Navy. Really fine schools and lots of hands on experience. You don't have to stay forever, but do stay long enough to get a lot of good training.

[Guest TargetShooter84]

If you haven't done so, you should look at defense contractors or DOD, with that degree you have. Logistics is huge in the gov't. For reference, I have worked as a recruiter for a variety of field and did a stint as a recruiter for a defense contractor in San Diego.

You might have to relo, however - Ft Campbell of course is a big base that I don't think is going away. And Huntsville is heavy with defense/government contracting frims, including the big hitters like Northrop, et al.

Thanks for the info, I will look into it and am considering the idea of relocating since I am not having much luck finding anything around here or in TN nowadays....

[Guest 3pugguy]

Thanks for the info, I will look into it and am considering the idea of relocating since I am not having much luck finding anything around here or in TN nowadays....

Looking for work is work in itself. Network, network, network and if you can afford to do so, try interning to get in front of managers.

If you have a company you are interested in, write a letter to the VP of the group you want to join (will take some research to get the name/email and phone). Explain your situation. I honestly think you would be surprised that many will respond. All too often in the day of the internet, people forget job hunting basics.

If you want some recommendations to honest staffing firms who do direct and contract placements in Tenneessee and elsewhere, send me a PM and I will reply with some names/emails of people I trust - and these are all firms who do this by getting paid by clients, NOT the candidate (you).

Keep your chin up and your mind open!

Barry