What Do You Do?

[Jon Bradbury]

Freelance Software Engineer.

 

Mostly working in the Financial sector in the City. The money's pretty good but the commuting's a drag and there are times like now when it's quiet - I haven't worked for 6 months. Thank God for the savings...

 

 

Still, this is a creative engineering type job albeit using your brain exclusively. The shorcut is to do an HND (2 years) instead of a degree (4 years) - that way you have 2 years experience extra. Once you've worked for 3-4 years no one is interested in your qualifications anyway - they just want your experience.

 

Of course, for Law or something like that a degree is a must.

[stevedohc2b]

Graphic Reproduction Department Manager.

 

I now work with Apple Mac's and PC's all day as printing is now all computerised.

When I started I used my hands a lot more as you had to cut and stick films together and the photographic processes were used a lot more. As I was in to Photography this was enjoyable.

Getting my hands dirty Building the car gave me back the doing it with your hands satisfaction again.

 

Print is all so well Paid.

 

 

Stephen Altwasser

[Guest Bob's Babe]

This won't help but here goes.....

Mum, housewife, teaching assistant and at college doing the teaching assistant course.

I've also been a Pizza Hut manager, a pub assistant manager, a cafe/bar manager, a deputy manager for Toys R Us and a checkout chick at Asda!

 

Girlie advice coming up.....do the subjects you enjoy as you will get the best results doing these, keep the spread of subjects as wide as possible if you can't decide what to do long term as this keeps your options open for longer.

Get the best paid part time job you can and go to university......as above on course decision!!.....

 

By then you have a better idea of what you might ENJOY and what you are good at

 

All probably a bit dull but I'm a girlie and realistic!!

 

SUE

[Guest salty_monk]

AutoCad is easy to learn and it's the standard CAD system in the U.K. Want to know more?

I do... Often wondered about going freelance (presume that's what you are) as AutoCAD is one of specialities...

[will]

I left college as a qualified technical illustrator, (airbrushing & haynes manual style drawings)

 

Can i do it still??? NO CHANCE!!

 

I'm now a Graphic designer (MAC based) I design adverts, brochures, logos, leaflets, websites, exhibition stands and van signage...just about anything really.

 

It's ok... but I would love to have the time to learn something new...maybe when the cars finished.

 

 

Will

[Guest STEVE OXON]

hi. i joined the airforce as an apprentice aircraft fitter airframe at 15 yrs old..... long time ago now. i am now chief engineer of a company dealing with all forms of 'general aviation' type aircraft...everything from pitts and other aerobatic a/c upto cessna 425 conquest pressurised.turbine engines. very system led aircraft.

money is ok. but its an obbsession once you get involved in aviation I LOVE IT.

 

CHEERS STEVE.

[Swan Jnr]

I'm a Market & Information Analyst for an engineering company in the printing industry.

It basically involves producing market reports into all sorts of stuff from products through to whole countries and areas. Supposedly the info is then going to be used to inform the decision that my bosses overseas make. The information bit (which is the bit i trained for) is all about getting people to communicate ideas and knowledge in the best possible way.

 

I left Uni after a year (rubbish student) and started work, then started a part time degree for 6 years whilst working. When i passed and realised it hadnt miraculously changed my life i went back to uni to do a masters in Information and Knowldge Management, after which i got offered the job.

 

Money is ok in the information world, heck there are some librarians earning three figure salaries!

 

Paul

[Guest rhetorical-oracle]

Hi,

 

I'm an IT Consultant (yep, just mentioned the C word, No! the one with a few more consonants, but people seem to think they mean the same thing )

 

Got into it by doing a degree 10 years ago, but like Ian says it's not worth the paper these days as technology has moved on so much.

 

I now work for Oracle an American database company. Although I work on customer sites building bespoke web based applications.

 

Plus sides are that it's like having a new job every month or so, and I get to work all over the place. Down sides are that I have to work all over the place, so the girlfriend gets upset when I get back at the weekends and spend too much time in the garage than with her. :boohoo:

 

Phill.

[Guest Alasdair]

Software again here - I contracted for a few years and then got offered a permanent post for similar money.

[BigLee]

Hi,

 

I'm an IT Architect for IBM. Which is a fancy name for somone that designs systems/applications/networks or anything technical.

 

Work in financial Services industry, so lots of regulation whicch can be a bind.

 

IT is a lot harder than it used to be. Pace of change and too much Bullshi*t in the industry. Not as enjoyable as it used to be and a lot more competitive, especially in the large corporate and Public Services sectors. Also continual training and lifelong learning if you want to keep up with the pace of change.

 

I would agree that seperating what you enjoy ( e,g cars) from a career is wise. I only tinker with cars as it's a form of escapism from the daily grind. In fact I "treated" myself to mine last year when I completed a part time degree that sucked spare time like it was going out of fashion. Personally wouldn't recommend doing part-time degree with three kids and full-time job, so early education is a winner.

 

As others have stated law is a good choice, but caveat that with my expertise as a career guidance counsellor being on a par as my knowledge of partical physics.

 

 

Cheers

 

Lee

[Guest paul thompson]

Hi,

I'm a Salesman (correct title account Manager) for a company that make steering gear of all descriptions. They actually make anything with gears in but my job is selling steering. I came from an Engineering background and was engineering manager for a fuel system supplier to ford in Germany. Then I became resident Engineer for steering product at Jag, now I sell the stuff to any UK manufacturer that needs to steer a vehicle. I get to drive anything from Double decker Busses to aroured vehicles though not Tanks, through to Sports cars Like Noble or Morgan. It's great 'cause I work from home and decide what to do with my time myself. This year I beat my budget by K47.5 so my boss doesn't give me grief.

One thing I would reccommend, learn a second Language. In my job working for German Company absolutley invaluable!! Makes you worth more money too!

[Swan Jnr]

I'd agree with the language thing. I wish i hadnt been too busy picking the teams for the lunch time football matches during french lessons to learn a bit more than how to buy a coffee and some vegetables!

 

Paul

[Guest jsillars]

Civil engineering student at the university of wales swansea (first year).

 

I couldn't decide what to do aswell but i visted some uni's and talked to my teachers at collage and liked the sound of civil eng. i'm really enjoying it and if i graduate i am gaurenteed a job (98% of civil eng graduates get a job.)

Not bad money aswell,

 

James

 

p.s first year of uni is amazing, prepare your liver!!!!!!!!

[Guest jetskijase]

Hi All

I'am a field service engineer, fixing metalogy equipment for quality control,,

 

I like what i do as it includes a company motor, ( could never pay for insurance and petrol agian) and when i've done my allocated job i'am done, ( 1130 today, 0830 start )

 

And bosses are in glasgow

 

Paul, we have machines at the ford basildon plant, struers are the makers, i use to service them all the time, are you in the quality/research offices? Situated, security gate for deliverys, follow road round to the right , keep going and it's the building behind the big conifors, before the round go's round to the left.

 

Clear as mud

[Guest Daren.F]

I am a gas fitter and builder,

I Did a job for a lawyer the other day, when I gave him the bill he complained.

He said that in all the time that he had been a lawyer, he had never charged as much per hour as I had,

I replied that in all the time I had been a lawyer, I had never made that much money either.