hockeypuck
Member
I wanted to be awesome and have the ability to grab life from the jaws of death. Pay's not bad, either.
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Hey gaf why did you choose your current profession?
- Thread starter Supast4r
- Start date
Stumbled into it. I'm making it up as I go along.
No one has noticed yet.
This gif describes me at most of my previous jobs due to poor leadership/communication
shnurgleton
Member
I wanted to make money and also I kind of like writing code
CrazyShady
Member
Enjoyed business classes in highschool and went to uni for accounting. Wanted to be in a profession that would hopefully be futureproof. Love-hate with it though, working thru my CPA studies now on top of work (love work though). Still only a junior but I'd love to open my own public shop one day.
CreepingFear
Member
I was 30. I had just built my own custom PC. I saw a video on youtube from a guy who builds PCs for a living stating that a way into IT for many is through the A+ certification. I saw that my local community college had an A+ class, so I enrolled. I passed the A+ certification and here I am with 2 years of IT experience, currently studying for the CCNA. There were some bumps along the way. First, I didn't know how to make a resume. Second, all the entry level jobs put required experience two years(which is bullshit, apply anyways). The first job that I applied for was at a computer store that wanted me to be a salesman, not really do anything with computers. After that, I moved from Illinois to California and I just worked at Panera until I got desperate enough to figure out the whole resume thing and send out my resume. I chose my profession because I have a passion for technology, I can make decent money despite not having a college degree, and through circumstances.
modernmalady
Member
ive seen you talk about your writing for a while now and I'm curious about it. I follow someone on twitter that seems to do the exact same thing as you. They write erotica/romance e-books and sell them on Amazon. Apparently they just look through the top selling e-books and follow trends. Would you say you do the same thing?
They hired me based on my degrees lol
Tho not my dream company its a good small company with good people and relaxed environment doing stuff i'm good at.
I want to work in the sports industry, I interned for a pro team and have done contract work for another, I would still like to work back for a sports team sometime again.
Tho not my dream company its a good small company with good people and relaxed environment doing stuff i'm good at.
I want to work in the sports industry, I interned for a pro team and have done contract work for another, I would still like to work back for a sports team sometime again.
Ceallach
Smells like fresh rosebuds
I'm a Fire Contrlman First Class, USN. I originally enlisted in the Navy because they were giving out crazy bonuses during the heights of OEF and OIF and I was gonna use the GI Bill. I stayed because turns out I really like guns and electronics. Also, my reenlistment bonuses were really good too.
mhayes86
Member
I changed my major three times while in community college. I originally wanting to pursue graphic design, then went to biology, then physics. Eventually I learned that the STEM university that I was getting ready to start had a path called information systems. I looked into it and realized that some of it included what I already did for a hobby; troubleshooting, playing around with virtualization, servers, desktops, and the sort.
I changed my major before starting, and it was the best decision ever. Fortunately for my first job out of college, I managed to skip the help desk tier and jump right into systems engineering. The job is very fulfilling, challenging, and pays well with experience.
I changed my major before starting, and it was the best decision ever. Fortunately for my first job out of college, I managed to skip the help desk tier and jump right into systems engineering. The job is very fulfilling, challenging, and pays well with experience.
Well, I chose construction and plumbing because I was in a hurry to apply for something while I was away at Army training and I was too lazy to switch cities so I went for something that was easy to get into and would have been decent money for the relatively small amount of school (2 years for me). Well, it turns out that I fucking hated working in construction and plumbing so I got the degree and only worked 2 months at it. Then I went on to do internship at a mobile game company because that's where my heart and actual skill sets are but it didn't lead to an actual career and now I've been unemployed for a few years. It's been a long time since I've had any actual money. I don't know why, but I have this feeling that next year I will do something radical about all this. I feel like the slow burn desperation will finally explode then and make me do something totally out of the left field that's uncharacteristic for me, just to get out of the slump.
She taught me a valuable lesson, don't do shit for free.
mastershake
Member
Looking for a third career soon. I love my job, but I can't do it long term. I haven't decided what's next.Maybe I'm too old to go back to school.
Never too old, buddy
)Violence Jack
Member
Because I initially went to school to become a programmer, then quickly realized I don't have the programming mindset but still wanted to work in technology. IT provided me with that opportunity, plus I was fixing everyone's computer/cell phone/printer/etc that was around me.
I 100% fell into it.
Back in 2010, I was working as a personal assistant at a stock brokerage and writing game reviews. I met a guy who was starting a small web development studio, and after talking for a bit, he said, "Hey, you seem like you'd be a good project manager. Do you want to join my studio?" I said sure. It didn't pay much more than I was already making, but I figured it'd be good job experience.
It was. Seven years of project management later and I make a great salary with good benefits. Can't complain.
Some days are better than others. At its worst, it can be a bit dull, but overall, I find it pretty agreeable, and since my company puts a strong emphasis on work/life balance, I feel like I get the live the life I love after-hours. That's enough for me.
Back in 2010, I was working as a personal assistant at a stock brokerage and writing game reviews. I met a guy who was starting a small web development studio, and after talking for a bit, he said, "Hey, you seem like you'd be a good project manager. Do you want to join my studio?" I said sure. It didn't pay much more than I was already making, but I figured it'd be good job experience.
It was. Seven years of project management later and I make a great salary with good benefits. Can't complain.
Some days are better than others. At its worst, it can be a bit dull, but overall, I find it pretty agreeable, and since my company puts a strong emphasis on work/life balance, I feel like I get the live the life I love after-hours. That's enough for me.
TsunamiOfSwagger
Member
I really wanted to help people through potentially the worst time in their life's, plus I'm not squeamish.
I'm an undertaker.
I'm an undertaker.
345triangle
Member
i'm a journalist.
i always wanted to write for a living, and my dad loved his job as a broadcast journalist, so i kind of naturally felt that i'd go into newspapers or magazines or something. i graduated with an english degree right in the middle of the 2008 financial crisis, though, and figured it'd be tough to find work. so i immediately moved to japan with the intention of learning the language and coming back in a year or two with that under my belt — worst case scenario it'd have been a positive life experience. but i ended up liking life here more than i expected. then after a few years i found a really good remote position for a new publication that turned out to be successful, and here i am today.
it was absolutely a case of right place/right time. this is not the field to go into if you want to become ultra-rich, of course, but i really love my work and at this point can't imagine doing anything else.
i always wanted to write for a living, and my dad loved his job as a broadcast journalist, so i kind of naturally felt that i'd go into newspapers or magazines or something. i graduated with an english degree right in the middle of the 2008 financial crisis, though, and figured it'd be tough to find work. so i immediately moved to japan with the intention of learning the language and coming back in a year or two with that under my belt — worst case scenario it'd have been a positive life experience. but i ended up liking life here more than i expected. then after a few years i found a really good remote position for a new publication that turned out to be successful, and here i am today.
it was absolutely a case of right place/right time. this is not the field to go into if you want to become ultra-rich, of course, but i really love my work and at this point can't imagine doing anything else.
The Technomancer
card-carrying scientician
I always wanted to be an inventor (or an architect)
Industrial design is about as close as you can get while being employable.
Industrial design is about as close as you can get while being employable.
Forerunner
Member
I'm happy I have the job, but I really wouldn't say I'm happy doing it. I don't love work, but I don't dread going either. It's just kind of something I have to do. The inmates aren't bad for the most part. The majority just got caught up in some stupid shit, which could happen to anyone. It really depends on the post you get and what prison you are at. A USP is completely different than a camp. The same way a medical facility is different than a USP. When it comes to post, the one unit pretty much has all the people that can't be in gen pop (gang dropouts, chomos, and etc). I hate that unit with a passion. The female unit can be a handful too, but they aren't too bad. Gen pop isn't bad either. Most inmates are just trying to do their time and won't really cause problems. Prison is mundane a majority of the time. Yeah, there is a fight here and there, but it's not like shit is constantly going down. So it's really easy to get complacent since it's the same routine and schedule day in and day out. The job doesn't feel rewarding at all. I'm locked in this building eight hours a day (16 if I have to do OT) dealing with people nobody else wants to deal with.
So yeah, don't love it or hate it. Just something I have to do until I get where I'm going.
Nope. Wanted to be an inventor/engineer. Went to school for it. Joined the military to pay for the school for it and do that in the military as well.
Military said "No more space for engineers... here, do computers".
I've done IT ever since.
Mainly I like helping/taking care of people and sometimes my career affords me to do so.
I still hobby program on the side and whatnot but I'm basically cemented in IT.
I've been wanting to get out and build my own non-profit platform for a long while. Hopefully soon I can.
Grind every day, but on the side I work on a minimum viable product webapp/platform and constantly exercise and grow my leadership skills in my career. (been more management than technical for the last 3-4 years).
Someday my ship will sail, I just pray I'll be the one steering. Or at least on it...
Military said "No more space for engineers... here, do computers".
I've done IT ever since.
Mainly I like helping/taking care of people and sometimes my career affords me to do so.
I still hobby program on the side and whatnot but I'm basically cemented in IT.
I've been wanting to get out and build my own non-profit platform for a long while. Hopefully soon I can.
Grind every day, but on the side I work on a minimum viable product webapp/platform and constantly exercise and grow my leadership skills in my career. (been more management than technical for the last 3-4 years).
Someday my ship will sail, I just pray I'll be the one steering. Or at least on it...
CreepingFear
Member
Happier than any other job before, that's for sure. I am not satisfied yet. I am working harder so that I can get out of the help desk and get a mid level IT job. After that, I will aim for getting out of mid level and getting into senior or engineer level positions and possibly make six figures.
Mammoth Jones
Member
This. Turned out to be good at it. Friend got me in. Worked hard. Did well. Company tanked but the two years got me in the door at one job, then another. Pay was shit for a LONG time. But now I'm good and only getting better. Especially with the experience I have under my belt.
Yes, following trends is important if you want to cash in on a rising niche.
I'm far enough in my career where I can stick to evergreen, contemporary sub-genres like alpha billionaires and bdsm. These tend to be super crowded (but highly profitable) and you need to have a sizable fan-base (mailing list) or tons of $$$ for marketing. Hundreds, if not thousands of books get published in these sub-genres. If you're a newbie, avoid these and stick to smaller niches.
If you can spot rising trends from the best-sellers list, you're golden. I know a dozen authors who have made millions off the shifter craze back in 2015.
Captain Tuttle
Member
Same. When I graduated a friend of mine offered me a job working at his grandfather's stone quarry in Pennsylvania. I was good with my hands so I went with him, my buddy told me in a couple of years he would inherit the company and I could be Superintendent.
6 months later his grandfather fired him, I stayed, got bought by a large regional competitor and worked my way up through different companies. 22 years later I run one of the largest construction materials sites in the region.
Totally accidental, totally fell into it. Crazy when I stop and think about it but it's made a very good life for my family and I
Didn't choose it, fell into it. I used to work in Public Safety, but didn't like the job and wanted to do something different. I got an IT job with one of our software vendors since I had end-user experience and had some non-work related computer experience, which got my foot in the door into IT. Now I'm a Systems Engineer.
I originally wanted to do something like Architecture or Graphic design, but those jobs didn't pay enough and Arch required a Masters degree to get into and I'd probably make less than I currently was starting new in that field.
If I can ever retire early and want to work still, I might look into something like Zoology, working with animals or maybe some kind of design job, since I'd be able to handle the lower pay.
I originally wanted to do something like Architecture or Graphic design, but those jobs didn't pay enough and Arch required a Masters degree to get into and I'd probably make less than I currently was starting new in that field.
If I can ever retire early and want to work still, I might look into something like Zoology, working with animals or maybe some kind of design job, since I'd be able to handle the lower pay.
pokeystaples
Banned
I needed a summer gig my first year away at school and ended up clerking at a place. Ended up sticking to the field through college and working my way up the food chain. Has been quite the experience.
The grass is always greener obviously, but I've turned down opportunities to move up because I'm comfortable with where I'm at. Happy? I'm not thinking of ending it all.
Thanks, I know. I tell people what I do and then how much I'm making when they ask (most of it is overtime, and I make money at times when I'm not even there) and most of the time they don't believe me. Oh well haha
Hiya bro, SF dev here.
I've worked in two companies with Salesforce, and I feel your pain on the bolded part
After studying criminology in university I had to start making some money. None of the police department would hire me so I applied to Federal Corrections.
The job has good and bad parts but the pay is a lot better than what you guys get in the states for sure.
I'd like to continue school and get my masters and work in a higher position eventually.
My main goal is to eventually write novels after I get my pension, maybe while Im working as a side thing. Want to write spy action/thrillers or sci fi or a mix of both.
The job has good and bad parts but the pay is a lot better than what you guys get in the states for sure.
I'd like to continue school and get my masters and work in a higher position eventually.
My main goal is to eventually write novels after I get my pension, maybe while Im working as a side thing. Want to write spy action/thrillers or sci fi or a mix of both.
TheTurboFD
Member
Mom bought me a PC in the 90s, spent like 3k on it I believe. Been playing around with PCs since then. Ended up loving to learn more about IT work while in high school as we had different trade classes. Now I'm a junior System Administrator.
Necron
Member
Research Fellow and chemical engineer here - I like R&D and chemistry... basically I've somehow always wanted to know more about the natural world and science in general.
Couldn't spend all-day, every-day just in an office and sometimes still like to spend time at the bench or next to reactors and helping students and apprentices in their lab work. It's great so far!
Couldn't spend all-day, every-day just in an office and sometimes still like to spend time at the bench or next to reactors and helping students and apprentices in their lab work. It's great so far!
Jellycrackers
Member
I'm a composer/music producer. My main gig is writing underscore for a lot of "reality" Cable TV shows and getting paid in royalties. I'm also dipping into the trailer music world (did some custom work on a Blade Runner 2049 trailer that never came out), and I work on indie games and short films occasionally.
I'm not 100% full time yet because I'm still holding onto a part time day job to make sure we can afford to raise our new baby. But I was originally working at an advertising and web design firm doing graphic design and videos. I was making music and releasing it for free on youtube and bandcamp as a hobby. Then I got an email from someone in LA who works with a TV Music library. He'd stumbled upon my youtube channel and asked me if I wanted to workcwoth them, so I said yes. I wrote music alongside my full time job for a year until I got my first royalty check (woohoo, $225!!!) Then dropped the full time job and picked up a part time one. Now a year and a half later my royalty checks have picked up to an almost-full-time salary and I've been getting more gigs. By this time next year I'll definitely be full freelance. Maybe even by the end of this year!
And I really hope this works out, because after reading through this entire thread, I didn't hear any viable options for me that I could be happy doing for the rest of my life. Thinking about going back to the 9-5 grind makes my skin crawl.
I'm not 100% full time yet because I'm still holding onto a part time day job to make sure we can afford to raise our new baby. But I was originally working at an advertising and web design firm doing graphic design and videos. I was making music and releasing it for free on youtube and bandcamp as a hobby. Then I got an email from someone in LA who works with a TV Music library. He'd stumbled upon my youtube channel and asked me if I wanted to workcwoth them, so I said yes. I wrote music alongside my full time job for a year until I got my first royalty check (woohoo, $225!!!) Then dropped the full time job and picked up a part time one. Now a year and a half later my royalty checks have picked up to an almost-full-time salary and I've been getting more gigs. By this time next year I'll definitely be full freelance. Maybe even by the end of this year!
And I really hope this works out, because after reading through this entire thread, I didn't hear any viable options for me that I could be happy doing for the rest of my life. Thinking about going back to the 9-5 grind makes my skin crawl.
Beerman462
Member
I spent 20 years in the Airforce with a career that had no future on the outside. I chose IT, because it's growing and pays well. It also has a good opportunity for self employment.
Deuce Deuce
Member
I started programming like in 3rd or 4th grade or something like that. It was on and off throughout my childhood. By the time I got to college, it was very much in high demand so I just rolled with it.
I really love programming more than any other hobby. Not sure what else I'd be doing if I wasn't a programmer.
I really love programming more than any other hobby. Not sure what else I'd be doing if I wasn't a programmer.
Knuckle Sandwich
Member
Work in property management. Fixing stuff is easy for me, pay was good to start and there was a clear path up the ladder.
No job yet, I'm just stating my third year at university (will probably do honors next year) studying Computer Science. I still have no idea how anything I'm learning will translate into a job, I'm getting good grades, but all I know how to code are shitty calculators and solve useless problems that no one in the real world would pay someone to do. It's a little worrying lol. I really should start some projects of my own on the side
coffeehofi
Member
Current job? Well, the works only took like 2-8 hours max and I got paid 7 times the salary of my last professional job. Plus traveling the world without spending any?
pelicansurf
Needs a Holiday on Gallifrey
Just stumbled into it after I got fired from a restaurant.
It worked out very well.
It worked out very well.