Need some advice, I think its time for a change

drbpl · Aug 20, 2009

Im form a small town in South Carolina. I have some college experience. I had to leave school due to financial trouble before I could finish. I started working at my current job about 5.5 years ago. I have worked my way up to be sales/operations manger now in a a company affiliated with the housing industry. At first things were going well but then things have turned bad due to the economy and now the owners are basically blaming me and every decision I make is wrong or something to that extent. Normally I am the type of person to role with the punches and shrug it off and just try harder but now I cant even sleep at night for dreading to go back in the next day. I know I need to find a new job but its like Im stuck due to not having a degree but at the same time I half to do something because this situation is about to kill me. Me and my wife are worried that I will be let go because of how the owners are acting and the fact that we half to somehow keep paying the house payment every months. I guess what I am askig is what are some good career fields to look int ot that do not require a degree or experience.

Babyarm · Aug 20, 2009

Take out a loan if you can and get a CDL liscense to drive trucks. My old workout partner did that and made enough to have a good life.

pesty4077 · Aug 20, 2009

drbpl said:
Im form a small town in South Carolina. I have some college experience. I had to leave school due to financial trouble before I could finish. I started working at my current job about 5.5 years ago. I have worked my way up to be sales/operations manger now in a a company affiliated with the housing industry. At first things were going well but then things have turned bad due to the economy and now the owners are basically blaming me and every decision I make is wrong or something to that extent. Normally I am the type of person to role with the punches and shrug it off and just try harder but now I cant even sleep at night for dreading to go back in the next day. I know I need to find a new job but its like Im stuck due to not having a degree but at the same time I half to do something because this situation is about to kill me. Me and my wife are worried that I will be let go because of how the owners are acting and the fact that we half to somehow keep paying the house payment every months. I guess what I am askig is what are some good career fields to look int ot that do not require a degree or experience.

Home Inspector! Business is booming with this economy and all the foreclosures. In a good economy you will do better. At $300, if you did one a day, You would have made $6000. A low investment to start, also. I been doing it for the last 2 years, with this bad economy and average 20 a month(I do not aggressively seek out new business) I would do more, but I have 2 other businesses, that I make money off of.

drbpl · Aug 20, 2009

Thats very interesting Pesty, how do you get started in that. What kind of certification do you need for that?

pesty4077 · Aug 20, 2009

drbpl said:
Thats very interesting Pesty, how do you get started in that. What kind of certification do you need for that?

You would have to check your state, but in CA, you don't have to be certified or licensed. I think they should regulate it, but that is me. I am a licensed general contractor. To get started, you will need you take an on line course, I personally recommend AHIT, then buy a program. You will not need alot of tools. If you get one of those fold up ladders, you can probally use a car. I have a truck. First, check your state for guidelines on what you originally asked.

optgrowth · Aug 20, 2009

Babyarm said:
Take out a loan if you can and get a CDL liscense to drive trucks. My old workout partner did that and made enough to have a good life.

Ehh.. I would be careful doing this. Frieght is not moving like it use to. There are guys sitting days at a truck stop waiting to get a load. A lot of companies are nickel and dime now. They're weeding out all the old drivers who making great money and hiring newer driver who will work for .26 cent and maybe only get 1000 miles a week. Also, these companies are teaming drivers together.. by their choice, not yours. If you can get with a local company or a smaller company great, you'll make a good living. But you need at least 2 yrs experince operating CDL vehicles. My father was a truck driver and was never home.. it's a tough life on the road, living out of truck.. he hated it. Now he works for Waste Management as a Front End driver, home every day weekends off. He makes $85k yr. Hes also been with the company for a while too.. But if you were to get a CDL you would want something local and even now it's start hard to get a job with out actually having experince on the road. The school just teaches you what you need to know to get your CDL but it's totally different when you get out there on the road.

But OP good luck on your career choice and I wish you best of luck.

aeliop · Aug 20, 2009

My Advice

drbpl said:
Im form a small town in South Carolina. I have some college experience. I had to leave school due to financial trouble before I could finish. I started working at my current job about 5.5 years ago. I have worked my way up to be sales/operations manger now in a a company affiliated with the housing industry. At first things were going well but then things have turned bad due to the economy and now the owners are basically blaming me and every decision I make is wrong or something to that extent. Normally I am the type of person to role with the punches and shrug it off and just try harder but now I cant even sleep at night for dreading to go back in the next day. I know I need to find a new job but its like Im stuck due to not having a degree but at the same time I half to do something because this situation is about to kill me. Me and my wife are worried that I will be let go because of how the owners are acting and the fact that we half to somehow keep paying the house payment every months. I guess what I am askig is what are some good career fields to look int ot that do not require a degree or experience.

If you have a job no matter what it pays if it costs you this much pain and sleepness nights get out of there. Life is to short with many more important things then jobs with a negative energy flow. You have a wife you have each other that relationship is important jobs in the grand scheme of things are not. Focus on the positives in your life and eliminate the negatives. Life is to short man we can go tommorow we all have so many breaths left on a schedule somewhere, you want to use them up being dumped on by some asshole owners? Find something that you want to do, that makes you happy not what pays X amount. Sit down with your wife and say "this is what I want to do and how I am going to do it. At the end of the day nothing else matters because I know you are in my corner and with you in my corner I can do anything"

SecondAct · Aug 21, 2009

pesty4077 said:
You would have to check your state, but in CA, you don't have to be certified or licensed. I think they should regulate it, but that is me. I am a licensed general contractor. To get started, you will need you take an on line course, I personally recommend AHIT, then buy a program. You will not need alot of tools. If you get one of those fold up ladders, you can probally use a car. I have a truck. First, check your state for guidelines on what you originally asked.

Seems like really good advice. Out of curiousity, what kind of liability insurance do you need to carry in the event you miss something and get sued after the sale ? How costly if you don't mind saying ? I have a friend who is a contractor whose business has slowed, I'll check PA guidelines and pass this suggestion on to him also as he's struggling.