So, up until a few weeks ago I was all set with going back into the Marine Corps. Now, well, not so much. My whole life I’ve only seen myself doing that and now I’m not, so I need to figure out a job and was hoping I could get some ideas. As it stands I’ve only got a few:
Roughneck
Logger
High School History Teacher
NOT a cop
My life experience is a degree in History and 5 years as a Marine infantryman. I’m looking for a job where I’m not pushing papers, but I’m still clearing 25k/yr starting off while working outside in the elements.
Thus far my lack of imagination has been staggering, but here I am anyways. Any ideas?
History teacher, paid vacation, and you could even work an outdoor job during the summer so youll be getting 2x the pay.
When i worked for a development company a few years back, most of the other workers were high school teachers who wanted some extra money, and wanted to be outside during the summer, decent money, youre getting some sun and exercise, and when the summer is up, the work stops, and you go back to teaching class.
[quote]WS4JB wrote:
History teacher, paid vacation, and you could even work an outdoor job during the summer so youll be getting 2x the pay.
When i worked for a development company a few years back, most of the other workers were high school teachers who wanted some extra money, and wanted to be outside during the summer, decent money, youre getting some sun and exercise, and when the summer is up, the work stops, and you go back to teaching class.[/quote]
Great idea. Steady job w/benefits during the year, whatever you’d like to do in the summer. Lots of labor needed in the summer, beer delivery, landscaping, construction, whatever. Or develop a hobby into a career - become a fishing guide, carve wood with a chainsaw - won’t matter too much if you don’t make a lot of money out of it at first.
[quote]Mikeyali wrote:
So, up until a few weeks ago I was all set with going back into the Marine Corps. Now, well, not so much. My whole life I’ve only seen myself doing that and now I’m not, so I need to figure out a job and was hoping I could get some ideas. As it stands I’ve only got a few:
Roughneck
Logger
High School History Teacher
NOT a cop
My life experience is a degree in History and 5 years as a Marine infantryman. I’m looking for a job where I’m not pushing papers, but I’m still clearing 25k/yr starting off while working outside in the elements.
Thus far my lack of imagination has been staggering, but here I am anyways. Any ideas?
mike[/quote]
BATF?
Seriously, while I respect the hell out of teachers, there’s lots of paper pushing (and petty bureaucracy) associated with the job. Think about construction. Learn to run a piece of machinery. Bobcats are easy, move on up from there.
First, I would recommend travelling a little if you have any money saved up. I travelled at 25, did 6 months in Europe and Africa, and I consider it as valuable an experience as my college degree.
You may have travelled while in the Marines, but it’s a whole different experience when you wake up in the morning and the two biggest decisions you face that day are where you will get breakfast, and what country you will go to next.
Second - teaching is cool, but there is a lot of work involved. At least it seems so to me when I visit my kids teachers. But you do get a ton of time off, including summer and the holidays.
Other than that, I have no advice. I’m in advertising sales. You’d be surprised at the wide variety of people who succeed in sales.
Well, its a shame you aren’t coming back Mikey but good luck.
I worked with D.C. Fire/EMS quite a bit in my old billet and you ought to take a look at being a city firefighter. You can get into all kinds of technical rescue and firefighting stuff that goes beyond the normal assignments. You can even get dive qualified as a fire-fighter.
If you want the ultimate big balls outside job, go be a smoke-jumper. From what I have heard, they are the closest thing to the infantry that doesn’t carry rifles.
Ok, If you arent tied down or married or anything like that-- Go back to school. Get a doctorate in history (believe me, anyone can do it, really). For the next four years you can live as a student again and have fianacial aid and do whatever you want for most of your days. When you do graduate with your doctorate, go find a teaching position at a university, community college, etc.
You will officially have and easier workweek than most people, work less, and have more time to do whatever it is that you want for the rest of your like. (and clear wuite a bit). MOre education will make you happier in 15 years than being a roughneck, if only because you wont be physically breaking down, not because the job isn’t satisfying.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. I think you have to have been a former combat arms officer to work in their paramilitary department, but I could be wrong. From what little I know of it, i.e. Charlie Wilson’s War and Licensed to Kill (both great books) it sounds like an incredible job.
Curious to hear what’s changed your mind on the Marine Corps if you don’t mind telling us.
Hey guys, thanks for the ideas. Fortunately an event with the police last night which landed me in handcuffs and my friend in jail for randomly crossing the street on his girl’s 21 run has told me where I need to go…law school. I have come to the realization that America’s greatest enemies are domestic, not foreign. I’m just going to where the fight is I guess.
I’ve had a lot of friends get their JDs recently, and it’s definitely not for everyone - including many law graduates. For the first five years after school you’ll become THE ultimate paper pusher, 80+ hours a week. That is, if you get into a middle/upper tier law school and finish near the top of the class - otherwise it’s very hard to find a job.
I’d check out the JD thread at the tuckermax.com forums.
EDIT - Oh yeah, you also come out of school with a crushing debt and the payments are due right away. JAG corp might be an idea.
