What does everyone do for a living?

Humblesmith

New Member
Sep 26, 2013
17
0
I don't know if the OP is still asking the question, but for those of you who are interested in a career, the oil field is one very good way to go. The upstream well operators have a starting pay that is well better than average, get to work outside, and have great benefits. Plus, if you work offshore or international, you can live anywhere, and work 2 weeks on/2 weeks off, or 4 weeks on/4 weeks off, and have a huge amount of time off to hunt and fish.
 

BrettKoenecke

Member
Jun 28, 2013
137
5
Attorney at law, going on 20 years now. For the first ten years I scratched and clawed to find places to hunt. Through luck and hard work and persistence, I've gotten to the place where I have some time to go hunting but not enough time to accept all the invitations I get from friends and clients.

I represent a number of power companies in the upper midwest. All of them are looking at their existing staff and seeing huge numbers of impending retirements. Meanwhile all of us got Christmas presents which use electricity. Use will continue to go up. Someone has to keep the lights on. Those are good jobs. If you have an interest, I know that there's opportunity out there.
 

NVBird'n'Big

Veteran member
May 27, 2011
1,138
0
Reno, NV
CPA here, couldn't ask for a better job for hunting. Busy time in the spring, slow during archery season in August, busy again Sept until Oct 15 which works perfect because it's right about the start of rifle deer and chukar then it's all smooth sailing and can take as much time off as I want until the end of January. Nobody likes paying taxes (especially to this administration) and doing the books but if you don't do it right the first time it will definitely bite you in the ass later on.
 

sleepymoewi

New Member
Oct 3, 2011
26
0
WI
Business Banker/VP with money to lend, pros and cons like any other career. money/benefits/PTO decent, but I review financials of business owners/entrepenuers every day that do much better, but have taken considerable risk.

I think today for a person to succeed has to get a basic education but then also specialize in something. Then, establish some other secondary income generating backup plan. Could be part time cash trade, investment property, consulting, IT or IS work, something. Be disciplined and driven, put that money away and don't get caught up in material things. Work your arse off until 50 and then hopefully you have a base and financial flexibility you can go do what you want and not step backwards
 

firebeck

Very Active Member
Sep 5, 2012
540
0
Southwest Idaho
I just graduated from respiratory therapy school. Trying to find a job now. I have done construction for 14 years previously and through school. Only got interested in hunting within the last 5 years and haven't had a lot of time or money to spend but always manage to spend some time hunting whenever it works out.
 

tkeslar

New Member
Feb 17, 2013
13
0
Baytown, Tx
I'm an operator at a chemical plant for the largest hydrocarbon refiner in the US, which also happens to donate a lot of money to outdoors organizations. I'm 29 now and hired in when I was 22. Luckily I get to operate the co-gens which is basically a big turbine that's fired with natural gas to turn a generator and make electricity on one end then uses the exhaust gases to make steam on the opposite side, which we use to power other turbines throughout the plant. The pay is great, the benefits are awesome, and the schedule is about as good as it gets. I work 4 on 4 off shift work meaning I basically only work 6 months a year which provides me with plenty of days off to hunt and fish. Even better, I'm off during the middle of the week when everyone else is at work and I have the whole forest or bay to myself. What's great is I don't even have a degree. In all honesty, I think college is getting to be overrated these days. Degrees are a dime a dozen...do what makes YOU happy and still pays the bills.
 

Sawfish

Very Active Member
Jun 9, 2011
767
128
Peoples Republik of Kalifornia
I'm an operator at a chemical plant for the largest hydrocarbon refiner in the US, which also happens to donate a lot of money to outdoors organizations. I'm 29 now and hired in when I was 22. Luckily I get to operate the co-gens which is basically a big turbine that's fired with natural gas to turn a generator and make electricity on one end then uses the exhaust gases to make steam on the opposite side, which we use to power other turbines throughout the plant. The pay is great, the benefits are awesome, and the schedule is about as good as it gets. I work 4 on 4 off shift work meaning I basically only work 6 months a year which provides me with plenty of days off to hunt and fish. Even better, I'm off during the middle of the week when everyone else is at work and I have the whole forest or bay to myself. What's great is I don't even have a degree. In all honesty, I think college is getting to be overrated these days. Degrees are a dime a dozen...do what makes YOU happy and still pays the bills.
Being more than twice your age, I have to respectfully disagree with the point re: college degrees. I know things are great for you now, and understand your feelings. However, when the day comes that your company is purchased, merged, downsized, etc., you may find a college degree to be a very handy thing. Employers do not necessarily look to see what you learned (or studied, within reason) in college, but to see that you had the discipline and initiative to complete your studies and get a degree. I have been on both sides of the fence, and this is just the reality of things in the business world.
 

d.kerri

Active Member
Sep 17, 2013
167
0
Minneapolis, MN
Youth pastor. Flexible hours, enough vacation and a frugal wife allow me a western DIY trip each year. If I could suggest anything, it'd be to not go cheap on gear. Don't buy a cheap pack, you'll need another one soon, don't buy a cheap tent, it's your only sanctuary when a storm blows in. Don't buy cheap optics- it's a long ways to travel to shoot an animal in the ass.

Hunt hard and define "success" loosely.
 

marcusvdk

Veteran member
Dec 13, 2011
5,397
1,662
Michigan
Deli Supervisor at a Grocery Store........Did Cooking in restaurants for 8 years before this. and the best part of it all is i got a finance degree in 2010 and have had no luck with getting a job in that field. Had a some interview a few second interviews but no luck
 

dying to kill

Active Member
Aug 20, 2012
197
0
oklahoma
Farmer/Rancher here , also help my granddad with his farm/ ranch operation. Pick a living that you love and you wont work a day in your life, im not saying its always easy, its not for sure!! But it sure beats a 8-5 making someone elses dreams come true!
 

tkeslar

New Member
Feb 17, 2013
13
0
Baytown, Tx
Sawfish, I understand and respect your concern. I am 2 classes away from having a BS degree. So if something terrible does happen I can get my degree in about 3 months. As we speak my plant is doubling its size/output in development projects. I really hope nothing happens with my job before I'm ready to retire which I will do at 55. If we do go under, I think this whole country will be in a world of hurt
 

Powerman777

Member
Jul 3, 2012
75
0
North Dakota
I am a control room operator at a coal fired power plant. Been here 10 years and get 4 weeks vacation and many days off in between. Can't complain I have been very blessed in life.
 

kensauret

New Member
Jul 21, 2011
1
0
Paso Robles, California
I'm in sales. Look into this as you can make as much money as you want, especially if you are paid on a commission basis. With the right company you produce to numbers they want, earn as much money as you want and take time off whenever you need to. I enjoy the flexibility sales offers.
 

swampokie

Veteran member
Jul 29, 2013
1,166
93
46
Haworth Oklahoma
Wildlife technician. I always knew I wanted to work in the wildlife field and I could imagine doing nothing else. I had no idea that it would come with a lot of negatives. When I went to college for this I knew that I would never get rich and that was ok because it was more than enough pay to get by. That is hardly the case now with the rapid inflation of the past five years. The other negative is that while everyone is hunting im working. It is hard to get off to hunt while your working for the other sportsmen during that particular hunting season. If I would have went into fisheries I think it would have been easier to hunt. That being said it is a great job that I don't dread getting up for on most days and wouldn't b qualified for much else.
 

Sawfish

Very Active Member
Jun 9, 2011
767
128
Peoples Republik of Kalifornia
Sawfish, I understand and respect your concern. I am 2 classes away from having a BS degree. So if something terrible does happen I can get my degree in about 3 months. As we speak my plant is doubling its size/output in development projects. I really hope nothing happens with my job before I'm ready to retire which I will do at 55. If we do go under, I think this whole country will be in a world of hurt
Unfortunately, we are already in a world of hurt.