Dodge-Tech Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 Tractor trailer driver working for a mail contractor. I love this job-been driving full time for 7 years now. Before that I was a diesel and transmission specialist at a Dodge dealer for 15 years. Anyone working flat-rate at a dealership knows that once you start raising a family and have a mortgage, the uncertainty of the dealership pay just won't cut it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanesteele240 Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 I make pulp. It stinks but pays the bills Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Brian Posted October 7, 2012 Share Posted October 7, 2012 I make pulp. It stinks but pays the bills You don't happen to live near Canton NC do you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Foxer Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I make pulp. It stinks but pays the bills That it does! I assume you're not making fine writing paper. I used to design high density tanks where you may store your spit balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FEENIX Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I'm an active duty aircraft mechanic in the Marine Corps and a full time dad and husband. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jdurg Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 For ten years after graduating college, I worked for a very large pharmaceutical company. The first 4 years were spent working for a company that the pharmaceutical corporation outsourced work to, and the past 6 years were spent at the pharma company itself. I worked on the clinical trials that all drug compounds have to go through prior to, and after, approval from the domestic and international regulatory agencies. My work involved the entry and QC work of the Case Report Forms (CRFs) into the clinical databases that housed the data. I progressed on to the data management work on the clinical trials which involved designing databases to collect the data outlined in the protocol, ensuring the data was clean, and issuing data clarification forms (DCFs) to the sites running the trials to clarify conflicting or erroneous data. As time went on I was involved in giving presentations to the investigators at the meetings all over the world, and that allowed to travel to great places and meet a great number of people in the industry. I was the go-to guy on the study teams for questions about the data that was coming in and clarification on the data. I ensured that the data managers who performed the day-to-day work on the studies were following all SOPs and adhering to the ICH GCP standards. I sat on a board that ensured the data standards used to design the databases were being used consistently across all studies so that data from different clinical trials could be merged together and compared properly. I made sure that we had documented everything that was done so that in the case of an FDA, EMA, or MHRA inspection we could prove that we were following our SOPs and all federal and international requirements. Spent many long days making sure that our databases were clean and ready for freezing which basically means that we lock down the database and ensure that not a single thing can be changed by anyone. This way, we can unblind the double-blind, randomized studies and report out the results. I was well respected by my peers, my supervisors, and the data managers who worked under me as well. In late July of this year, however, the company decided to "change their philosophy" and outsourced every single part of the clinical trial process to external companies except for the clinicians who write the protocols. As a result, my job was eliminated and I was given a 60 day "departure period" whereby I wouldn't work but I'd still receive my paycheck. That period ended on the 25th of September and I am now officially unemployed. Been spending the last couple of months looking for a new job but have found nothing. The only things I've found have either offered a salary so far below what I was making that I would not be able to afford my mortgage payment, or required that I relocate at my expense for a temporary position. Suffice it to say, I haven't been able to find anything. With the bills I have, I calculated that I can take a job that will let me work from home if the salary is 75% of what I was making previously. It would be a little bit tough, but I could do it. I'm thankful that my previous employer has given me a severance package and payment for the vacation days that I had accrued but not used. That check should be deposited this coming week, and if I get absolutely nothing in terms of employment, it will keep me afloat until the end of February next year. Of course, the severance is being taxed at an insanely high rate, but I'll likely get that all back when I file my taxes next year. So it means that once I get my tax return I should be safe for another three months. Still, I would like to become employed again so that I can use that severance check for buying things I want but don't need. This is the time period where buying my own house has hurt me as I can't afford to move due to the work needed on the house, and the mortgage payment each month prevents me from being able to save up money so I could put a down payment on a new house. Had I just gone and moved into an apartment five years ago when I bought my first house, I'd be able to have a bunch of money saved up and be able to move relatively easily. I'm still fairly bitter towards my old company due to how the cuts were made and how they decided who was going to be kept and who was going to be cut. The only good thing is that talking to people who were retained there, they say that things are getting absolutely horrific there and that getting laid off was a better fate than getting retained. Too bad you can't build model cars for a living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcus M. Jones Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 im a bum who lives off royalties. looking to get back into watercolor painting and selling prints Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george 53 Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I'm actually a super secret secret agent, but when I'm not super secret agenting, I pose as retired autoworker who claims to have had 32 years with General Motors Cadillac Assembly Div. Or so I claim........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie8575 Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Justin, if you're within commuting distance to Worcester, there are a few companies doing medical trials around this neck of the woods and Framingham. Longish commute, but it might be worth checking out. In 1993, my dad had to take a job in West Haven, and the 248-mile round-trip from Marlborough, Ma. for eighteen months was no fun, but sometimes you do what you need to. If you pursue it and need to re-locate, or simply decide to grab an apartment for the work-week, please let me know. I do a little real estate on the side, and would be happy to help you. Charlie Larkin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 (edited) I like this thread! I'm actually looking for a new job right now. I have been in the Recreational Vehicle industry for over twenty years as a master technician specializing in the high end motor coaches and tour busses and I have run three different repair business's. During that time period, I have also built armoured Suburbans for the government, Swat vehicles, mobile command centers and news vans. One of my proudest accomplishments was when I did all the electrical wiring of the semi trailers that the Sony Corporation had built as mobile television broadcasting studios. They were the trailers that broadcast the 2009 Olympics from China. At that time, I was the only person working for the company that could start with an empty electrical bay and the design, fabricate and wire the entire system that included 12 volt, 24 volt, 110, 220 and 480 circuits. Everything had to be nice and neat and accessible. Here's a link to some pics of the trailer and me installing flashing LEDs on the City of San Antonio Police Dept. Mobile Command Center. I did all the wiring on that one as well. http://public.fotki....of-what-i-do-f/ Edited October 8, 2012 by Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
57peppershaker Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I'm a buyer (or Purchasing Manager) for a building & decorating contractors. Great when its going to plan, but very stressfull when its not ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tabsscale1 Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 I have been Building Car Batteries For one of the Largest Battery Manufacturers in the nation. For the last 31 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vairnut Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Engineer - engine calibration which is getting engines to start, drive, pass emissions, get decent mileage. Get to travel to northern Canada in winters and southwestern desert in summers. Been resposible for spark advance for the past decade including spark knock detection and control, and camshaft position for variable valve timing engines. Also some diagnostics and turning on that nice check engine light once in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Eh? Posted October 8, 2012 Share Posted October 8, 2012 Elementary teacher - a mixture of Gr. 3, 3/4, 4, 4/5, and 5 for the past twenty years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAYTIME Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Buyer for industrial automation, assembly and test equipment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelbuilder Mark Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I work for the largest auto finance company in the country, Toyota Financial. I have been here for 4 years as of December. I have spent the better part of the last 20 years working for financial firms. I missed a turn somewhere, as I studied to be a recording engineer, and it just did not end up going that path. My Grandfather, Father, abd brother are all auto body men, seems I missed that turn as well! LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicroNitro Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I make Model parts. Life is good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Setzer Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Retired Navy Cheif on Medical in 1970. Then worked for the Navy as a civilian until 1980 when Ihad t0 go back on retirement, due to my health. I spent the next coyple of years in and out of the Hospital just to get back to where I could get out of bed. Now I just Read, write a few History articles, and build models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabrux Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I am a geological engineer-in-training. I mostly work with dirt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C.C.RACER Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Well I have 33 years in the automotive industry . Presentley work for Merceds Benz as a service advisor. Have done everytime from tire buster,ASE master tech,parts warehouse manager,tire store manager, ect... best job I have is being a good father and partner to my wife of 33 years. She puts up with a lot and has giving me Two "Man Cave's" as a reward. Love this thread as it 's a great way to get to know who you are reading about. Thanks guys and give yourselfs a hand to have made it this far in life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 I make Model parts. Life is good. Jim, I think you meant to say.." I make really awesome model parts! Life is good!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter31a Posted October 9, 2012 Share Posted October 9, 2012 Was nursing assistant in Mental Health facility for 14 years. Worked my way down the ladder to become a driver in the transportation department of the same facility for the past 17 years. Drive a Freightliner box truck to move food, laundry, meds and other supplies throughout the campus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I'm a licensed structural engineer as well. Most of the buildings we design are K through 12 schools and college and university buildings. Also do some health care, data centers. Mostly low to mid-rise buildings. I was a structural engineer for 35 years (still am licensed, but retired) working for Hill Engineers, Architects, Planners, a small 50 person consulting firm. We did everything needed for buildings and started as paper mill experts. You ALL have samples made in the first building I designed ... a new paper machine plant for Crane & Company here in Dalton, MA ... they make 100% of US Currency paper there! ... yes, it has a green aura inside! I've done work in over 1000 paper mills around the world but with the decline in the industry in the US we worked on commercial, educational, residential and just about anything else that came along. I loved going to work every day as every new job had something new I had never done before. It was a lot like modeling nowadays! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 I am a geological engineer-in-training. I mostly work with dirt. What's the difference between a geological engineer and a geotechnical engineer? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sweeper Posted October 10, 2012 Share Posted October 10, 2012 Bigger word! LOL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.