Anyone Else Considering a New Career?

[ATRCAPT]

I would say hang tough for the time being. There are not a lot of jobs in general out there right now. At least you're employed. Wait until the economy picks up then there will be a little more opportunity.

 

[Redmeat]

And if so, what?

I switched careers to become an airline pilot, and for good reason - I enjoyed flying privately (do what you love), the money was good, retirement good and free travel.

Well, there's still free travel.

I'm really concerned about doing this for the next 30 years...and being able to support myself after retirement.

Anyway, I can't be the only one considering a change. Anyone switching careers or going back to school to get another degree?

Also, I'm really not looking for the haters with the "quit, whining...stop complaining...quit if you don't like it" stuff - interested in real discussion and opinions. Thanks!

Hamfighter, take a look at the posts here (with the exception of maybe #10 and #16) and it will give you even more cause for concern. These morons are the future of the airlines.

I'm too old to consider a different career and I'm senior enough to be surfing the front of the wave of sh1t that is crashing thru the industry.

With regard to your question, I live in a neighborhood that has many professional pilots. Most of us all fly for the same airline. A neighbors son resigned from one of our regionals after nearly 5 years with them to attend law school. I thought that was pretty cool. More power to him.

He's in his late twenties though sounds like you are older than that. My advice would be finding a degree and or location that has near 100% employment in the field you choose. Though rare, they are out there for intelligent individuals.

I feel your nervousness about being able to retire. This biz is one of the few 'professional' occupations where determination and hard work does not necessarily end with success.

Nature of the biz.

 

[B-J-J Fighter]

I'm probably less than 6 months away from being out. I have been flying for the airlines about 4.5 yrs. I put my plan in motion almost a yr ago. I can't wait to roll my bag off for the last time. My new job will pay about the same, have better benefits, more time off, more time to do things I enjoy (spending time with my little man, training wrestlting, BJJ/MMA) and more job satisfaction.

 

[RadioClash]

I got out after 10 years. I'm glad I got to do it and was able to realize a dream. Having said that, I have had enough commuting, being away from home, low pay etc. So I have moved on and am a financial advisor now. I don't regret leaving. Yes I am at work every day, but I have weekends and holidays off, if I want to play golf during the week with clients I can do that. If I want to leave early to watch a day time baseball game I can do that. It doesn't work for everyone but it works for me.

It was fun while it lasted but I found myself being too complacent and decided that my heart was not in flying anymore. I don't miss it.

Good luck to you and your decision.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

If we continue to sell scope, I may find another profession too!

 

[starchkr]

I debated going to my daughters school everyday and beating up kids for their lunch money...

 

[Linedriver]

I'm, What it entails is you to quit whining and leave your job so I can take your spot.

Dude, your avatar ROOOOOCCKKKSSS! I love her. I want to hold her hand and tell her I like her.

 

[NuGuy]

Heyas,

I thought about med/vet school. Went back to get the pre-requisites, finished and had the grades to get in.

But the footprint is too long for med school (8 years) and the costs are high. Out of state, you're looking at north of $250k, which once you're in your 40's becomes very difficult to amortize in the time you have left.

Even if you do it, payback is questionable. Sure, there are the dermatologists and cardiologists making the bank, but for every one of those is a dude making $150k working in a walk-up office in the strip mall.

Not to mention, there is the specter of health care "reform". Nuff said.

Vet school is worse. Higher costs, harder to get into and they make crap compared to MDs. Only the most successful practice owners make more than a 757 captain.

Then there is law school. Smaller footprint, but a much higher number of flameouts. The hours those guys work is insane, and the competition is absolutely nuts. Unless you can walk into a ready made situation, avoid.

The only way to make REAL wealth in this country is to start your own business and make a real go of it.

I've decided to go back to school and aim for a professorship. Last rankings I've seen have always had college professors at the top of the "satisfaction" charts, and the tenure track is probably one of the last good deals in America for "non-business owner" type folks.

Right now, if you have decent grades/GRE score, you can slide into just about any upper level math/science/engineering programs and still get a tuition waiver and get paid a reasonable stipend to do it ($26-30k) with health bennies. Only "real" math, science or engineering type folks need apply...and no, "aviation science" or "business" doesn't count.

Nu

 

[Linedriver]

Ok,

I used to fly for a money guy in my previous flying job. He was a self made man and very approachable. So, I asked him how to get ahead and how to do what he did.

He told me to invest in myself. Invest in myself? Duh? I do that!! What the hell does that mean? I save, I put back for my retirement, I'm smart with my money and now I, like everyone else, have suffered a major setback. My retirement is 1/2 of what it was and the people who bit off more than they can chew are going to benefit at my cost.

I have finally realized what he was saying. Invest in yourself. Open to interpretation but now I think that means to rely less on others and more on yourself to invent your future. You can't even bank on the government in doing the right thing. The government will give this country away.

Oddly enough, I have found energy in what has happened over the past few months. It has just made me realize how inept the government, Wall Street and employers are.

My suggestion to you is to is to figure out where you want to be in 10 years and retain that vision, but start today.

There are a lot of things that will generate profits: Daycares, carwashes, even my neighbors kid makes 60k-70K in yard care. Now he's a quick kid but he's still a kid. If things like that aren't where you want to be, use them to generate an investment for something bigger.

Another very good idea is this: If you are really searching for something to generate some freedom, think of 10-15 like minded people who are willing to invest some cash for a down payment on something larger. Of that you can count on a 1/3 who aren't just talking and you will form an investment cooperative. You have an invesment group with 5 or 6 good ideas, and that many brains to make decisions. That, afterall, is what corporations do and you have spread the risk and formed your first board of directors.

Ex: 5 guys @50k makes 250k to put down on building a carwash that generates a lot of CASH. Roll that back in and start another one. The key is to not rely on the income.

Just remember this; if you do anything and are buying something or investing in something, you make your money when you buy it, not when you sell it. Get a good deal - especially now.

 

[SFR]

And if so, what?

I switched careers to become an airline pilot, and for good reason - I enjoyed flying privately (do what you love), the money was good, retirement good and free travel.

Well, there's still free travel.

I'm really concerned about doing this for the next 30 years...and being able to support myself after retirement.

Anyway, I can't be the only one considering a change. Anyone switching careers or going back to school to get another degree?

Also, I'm really not looking for the haters with the "quit, whining...stop complaining...quit if you don't like it" stuff - interested in real discussion and opinions. Thanks!

Are you kidding? This job give you a lot of time off and you can create a second source of income on the side.....

What other jobs offer that???

 

[Amish RakeFight]

Right now, if you have decent grades/GRE score, you can slide into just about any upper level math/science/engineering programs and still get a tuition waiver and get paid a reasonable stipend to do it ($26-30k) with health bennies. Only "real" math, science or engineering type folks need apply...and no, "aviation science" or "business" doesn't count.

Nu

Would you mind expanding on this. I've been itching to get my Masters in either psych or soc. somewhere. How would one be able to obtain a tuition waiver and even more, receive a stipend of that much $$$. A couple of yrs ago, I did sit down with the Psych chair at a local school to discuss the program itself, but I didn't hear anything about a free ride.

Come to think of it, I recall meeting a guy who managed to get set up with something like this at NYU. I believe he said it had somethingbto do with his life experiences and that he would be an asset to their dept.

At any rate, I'd appreciate to hear more on how one might go about getting a free ride. I'm in need of a new direction and have been heavily pondering going back to school.


EDIT:

I realize you may only be refering to programs such as engineering/math/science and not social science. Did you mean to exclude the social sciences?

 

[relief tube]

I'm considering it if this game deteriorates further.

This job was so much better 15 years ago before $150 airfares came about.

 

[NuGuy]

Would you mind expanding on this. I've been itching to get my Masters in either psych or soc. somewhere. How would one be able to obtain a tuition waiver and even more, receive a stipend of that much $$$. A couple of yrs ago, I did sit down with the Psych chair at a local school to discuss the program itself, but I didn't hear anything about a free ride.

Come to think of it, I recall meeting a guy who managed to get set up with something like this at NYU. I believe he said it had somethingbto do with his life experiences and that he would be an asset to their dept.

At any rate, I'd appreciate to hear more on how one might go about getting a free ride. I'm in need of a new direction and have been heavily pondering going back to school.


EDIT:

I realize you may only be refering to programs such as engineering/math/science and not social science. Did you mean to exclude the social sciences?

Heyas ARF,

Yes, as far as I can tell, this deal only pertains to the hard sciences, math, and engineering, and usually only for those on a Phd track. The 'fuzzy' sciences are excluded, as well as almost all professional degrees (MD, JD, etc).

There is a critical shortage of US born researchers. Colleges are croaking for people for their doctoral program where English is their first language, have no immigration issues, and are sticking around after graduation, instead of hightailing it back to the motherland with a $150k education paid for by the US taxpayer.

When I was first told this by a prof I worked for, I thought he was full of luncheon meat, BUT, I got similar deals as above at every place I applied to, including places that wouldn't give me the time of day out of highschool. But here l was, a 40 year old dude with a fresh 2nd undergrad degree, and I practically had to beat top drawer universities off with a stick.

Put simply, they are desperate for smart, responsible people who are in it for the long term.

PM me if you want more info...

Nu

 

[Ratherbsurfing]

Where's skyhigh?

 

[crj567]

Heyas ARF,

Yes, as far as I can tell, this deal only pertains to the hard sciences, math, and engineering, and usually only for those on a Phd track. The 'fuzzy' sciences are excluded, as well as almost all professional degrees (MD, JD, etc).

There is a critical shortage of US born researchers. Colleges are croaking for people for their doctoral program where English is their first language, have no immigration issues, and are sticking around after graduation, instead of hightailing it back to the motherland with a $150k education paid for by the US taxpayer.

When I was first told this by a prof I worked for, I thought he was full of luncheon meat, BUT, I got similar deals as above at every place I applied to, including places that wouldn't give me the time of day out of highschool. But here l was, a 40 year old dude with a fresh 2nd undergrad degree, and I practically had to beat top drawer universities off with a stick.

Put simply, they are desperate for smart, responsible people who are in it for the long term.

PM me if you want more info...

Nu

I am pretty sure this guy needs an atomic wedgie followed shortly thereafter by a swirlie.....

-"Well, uh, I was gonna be a doctor, vet, lawyer, or butcher, baker, or maybe even candlestick maker up until the point that the minions in academia came to recognize my unparalleled brilliance......" "That point happened to occur concurrently with the award of my second undergrad degree......"

-This guy is completely full of crap. People in academia DO NOT come out of the woodwork to shellac the nuts of undergrads and try to entice them into a coveted research position in the math dept., EVER!

-Give it up, Kazinsky!