work/school?

[Idlewilde]

Hey there, I was just interested to know what do you do for a living. Do you enjoy doing it? Why? If you're at school, what do you specialise in? I personally graduated french philology. Loved the litterature, hated the language studies. My student years were great, then I started a master in English/ American studies-currently I'm writing my diploma paper about the american murder ballad. About work-I worked as a Librarian, which had good and bad times, but I got very little recognition for the work I did and in general the payment was like...bottom-low. I worked as a receptionist in a hotel, which was fun cause you meet many people from abroad and deal with situations that are really unexplainable!!! My last job was teaching french, which I enjoyed when I was teaching adults. It was awful with kids, I don't really have this talent to make them listen to me. Currently I'm working as a sys-admin, which turned out to be the best job I have ever had, the prospect of doing this for a lifetime is not something I embrace with a lot of positive toughts but until now I still learn a lot of new things, I meet many people, and I have a lot of freedom at work which is something I highly appreciate. When I have nothing to do nobody would complain that I go out, listen to music, post on a forum, read, or write term papers:D. I got to work in a team of two and my collegue is pretty cool so I have no troubles with organisation, vacations etc. When I feel bad he doesn't mind doing a little extra and same goes for him. N I get recognition when I do something good, which is also something that has never happened to me before.

[H34VYM3T4LD4V3]

Re: work/school? I like drama best its a great subject. :3

[Scullicon]

So, ok. Since Im staying home from work anyway. I have time writing. I studied arts from 15-18. Since drawing was the only thing i was really good at. But I never really felt like it would take me anywhere so i got a job at a workshop for Buses. Mainly more expensive vehicles who they were driving tourists around Europe in. Three years in that place and then just pushed out on the street because of the economic situation at the time. I liked that place, I kept the place in order. Knew where every tool were supposed to be and ordered new equipment when needed. People there didnt bother if i played my cd's either. Then I studied religious science or what it's supposed to be called, which is really interestning, but i couldnt make the economic part so i took the job i have now. Sorting boxes and stuff, logistics. I was fine with just doing the hard labor, could listen to music all days and have like 80 colleges so the social part is great. But my back didnt like it so when i was asked to take a slightly higher position i just did. Im not sure i did the right thing now since im busy trying to work things out and make everyone else in my zone/area to work properly etc. Al least i get recognition for doing a good job but other things happen and the majority of things doesent work so my good statistics doesent really help much. just make them give me as much overtime i want. this place really breaks your spirit.

[Idlewilde]

that sucks I'm really sorry I hope you find your way through a good occupation again. Although changing jobs is a hard thing to do if you want to find something better. At least my philosophy about work is that it should be something that doesn't drain all your forces, that brings you enough cash to live ok and where you're trusted to do your job and you're not constantly controlled.

[Iceni]

I was homeschooled and attended University of New Mexico for one year, studying political science. After that year I applied to a number of different colleges for a transfer and was accepted into the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University. I now study International Politics with a concentration in Foreign Policy and Policy Processes.

[forge]

I studied English and Journalism. I'm a bank clerk.

[BlutAusNerd]

I was always the guy that was great at school work, but absolutely hated it. I never studied, but aced every test, and I would sleep in class and never do homework. My grades were not great, but I was always the first to get the new concepts, I was just bored all the time. I took the AP calculus test as a junior in high school, but only received a 3 out of 5, not because my answers were wrong (they were nearly all correct), but because points were awarded for showing your work. I never showed my work, I could always just see in my head what the solution should be, and trying to put that on paper or explain it to others. College was different though, I ended up on honor role for all of my semesters and I think I had close to a 3.9 GPA (up from my graduating high school GPA of 2.6) before I stopped going. I loved the freedom college provided, and working at my own pace and having more freedom of topics made all the difference. I'm only a couple of credits shy of an associates degree and mostly studied general courses and philosophy, but balancing school, work, and my relationship with my wife didn't work out time wise. I quit school as I couldn't give up the other two, but hope to return some day. As far as work goes, my first job was at Little Caeser's Pizza, and I only lasted a couple of months at that shit hole. Then I worked at Media Play and Tease N Keys at the same time (both part time, but totaling 50 hours per week), and most of my money from both jobs went to buying CDs, since I got an employee discount. I took a job at Industrial Supply (local construction/plant suppliers) because my dad runs one of their branches in another state, and rose up quickly to shipping manager, but hated the way they did business. They hired idiots that weren't even worth the poor wage that they were paid, and expected management to pickup all the slack, which left me working 12-14 hour days many times. The courier company that they were using offered me a job after hearing my frustration, and I have been here since. I started in the warehouse, but quickly gained responsibilities in the office, and now I essentially run all facets of the business. I do the accounting, payroll, dispatch drivers (the biggest portion of work), customer service, HR, sales, driving, sorting, just about everything you could do within a business, though I am not the owner. The economy put us into some heavy turmoil, as we are the top notch delivery service in the market, and delivery is something most companies decided to either go without or have done cheaper when the market crashed. We have been building back up since, slowly but surely tackling our debt and becoming more profitable. I love small business, it means you have to be more dedicated and work harder, but there is more freedom in being able to make your own rules. I run the show, so I don't get shit about having long hair and a beard, and can listen to music whenever I feel like. I also like having the variety of responsibilities that I do, it keeps thing from getting monotonous when you have many different tasks on your agenda, and I really do love working. It still has its struggles and I do get frustrated, but it also has its advantages and it would take a very good offer to break me away at this point.

[Idlewilde]

I'm glad you're happy with your job and I hope you could go back to studies one day. I miss university sometimes, I would have loved to have a Phd. Perhaps one day I will, but I need to find a half-time job that can support me well enough in order to have time to write a research.Although I realise that after concentrating in many subjects I don't care about I really nead that my brain gets rid of some info and this takes time

[Idlewilde]

I studied English and Journalism. I'm a bank clerk.

Hehe. My master was pretty much English and Journalism:) I focused on litterature studies and avoided Journalism, tough. I loved the American litt. part.

[satan 59]

Finished high school and went to Art College, never finished my degree. I could see myself ending up as a teacher and that's not what I wanted. Started a law degree but then got a job in an art studio, more where I wanted to be. Did an apprenticeship as a graphic artist in the wallpaper industry. Got to meet a few well know designers and worked with some of the world largest wallpaper manufacturers. I'm now studio manager of a small plate maker company, we produce flexographic printing plates for corrugated printers (cardboard boxes) mainly for the food industry. I do enjoy my job even if it is hard work, would rather not do it but have to pay the bills.

[Vanessa M Stokes]

I run the Boiler for a local tannery, I love it, Being alone - surrounded by a high pressure vessel,fire and dead sheep haha!

[Idlewilde]

I run the Boiler for a local tannery' date=' I love it, Being alone - surrounded by a high pressure vessel,fire and dead sheep haha![/quote'] sounds fun

[RelentlessOblivion]

sounds like the sort of job Pete Steele would have liked Vanessa

[MacabreEternal]

I was smart at school but fell in with the wrong crowd in 3rd year and flunked more or less all of my GCSEs. I had 3 passes and the rest were crap. I had to to college and retake a handful of GCSEs which gave me enough qualifications to do A-Levels in English Literature, Sociology and Media Studies. Flunked Eng Lit but got Sociology and Media and went to University to do Sociology and Cultural Studies. I hated University it was disjointed and the course subject matter was not as I expected and 6 months in i quit and trained to be a baker in a local ASDA/Walmart. I developed dermatitis from the flour and had to quit and take a job on the shopfloor as supervisor/trainee manager. Stuck at that for a couple of years and then went to work for AVIS car hire in a call centre - I was good there and got promoted to deputy team manager and worked on predominantly corporate and government accounts. From there I moved to the NHS where I remain today (10 years on). I have been a call centre manager, a senior administrator and am now a deputy manager of a temporary staffing bank for nurses and doctors. I interview applicants, oversee payroll for 700 people and am now involved in implementing, training staff about and managing a new software that rosters people electronically. I am looking to go back to University now (hopefully paid for by work) and study IT or Workforce Management.

[RelentlessOblivion]

I was smart-ish at school, went to university starting in a Bachelor of Justice and Society. After a year I transferred into a Bachelor of Law and Legal Practice which was and is much more challenging then I expected. Truth be told I am not enjoying it and will probably transfer into another degree assuming my GPA would permit such a move.

[MacabreEternal]

Good news today. My big boss hinted the organisation may fund my studies at University if I decide to take up a degree in Information Systems (or similar). He agreed that HR qualifications are largely crap too which fits with my career path nicely (I work in a HR directorate but don't want to be a HR manager). Might only be 50% funded but is an excellent start and has spurred me on to look into this more seriously.

[RelentlessOblivion]

funding half of it still means you're only paying half of what most other uni students have to pay. In Australia we can offset our university payments until after graduation. Of course those who fail to graduate must pay back their debt then and there which is exceedingly difficult I would think.

[MacabreEternal]

I am over the moon that any of it will be paid for by my employer to be honest - they obviously consider me worthy of some investment so I am happy to be considered fitting for consideration, all my hardwork is finally paying off. Definitely looking to go down the Information Software Management route (or some IT related course) as I have most experience in this field from what I do already. I am frustrated that I have to undertake a qualification in order to legitamise my experience academically but I can see the rationale behind it being on virtually every job spec I look at.

[Viking]

I go to school for process technology. I was in the military for nine years and the governnment pays for my school so it is my job.

[Spooks]

I attended college and studied Leisure & Tourism and wanted to go and work abroad as a travel rep. Sadly fate had other plans and due to health reasons I could not go and work with the travel companies. Kinda ruined two years of study! I bounced through numerous crap jobs from working in a hairdressers to housekeeping in a hotel. I then started to work in care mainly with the elderly and I do (now) enjoy my job, it is very rewarding. I have been promoted into a more senior role at work and have recently start my NVQ level 3 in care and also passed my safe handling of medicines. It is a very hard job and at times and can become stressful and can test you to the limit, and the shitty pay does not help at all considering what responsibilities carers have. But I can see a future within the medical community now and I know I need to progress with my knowledge and reach as high as I can. My dream ...... well to win the lottery of course and do nothing but travel and party lol.

[Dogtor]

i work at a warehouse and I fukking hate it :D Every day is the same, no-brainer shit! I´ve been working for over ten years, never really studied except for the mandatory and now I regret it. But - I have my band and we´re doing everything to some day make a living with it. Been playing the guitar for 25 years, so that is all I can do properly. It doesn´t pay the bills yet, but I´ve decided that I´m jumping off the squirrel´s wheel soon and start doing music (troubadour, acoustic etc.) for a living. Afterall, there´s no point to waste this one-time trip called life for something you hate doing. Nice to hear some of you guys are happy with what you do!

[Rex666]

Zookeeper, Koalas mainly however I also do Crocodile & Snake presentations... Best job I have ever had, animals are way better to work with than people!

[H34VYM3T4LD4V3]

Re: work/school?

Zookeeper' date=' Koalas mainly however I also do Crocodile & Snake presentations... Best job I have ever had, animals are way better to work with than people![/quote'] Oh wow that's awesome! i'm an animal lover, but sadly I have no pets I'm at college atm.

[RelentlessOblivion]

Quick show of hands who thinks Malice has the best job of anyone here? yep that's what I though . I'd love to have a job like that.

[Ghouly]

Zookeeper' date=' Koalas mainly however I also do Crocodile & Snake presentations... Best job I have ever had, animals are way better to work with than people![/quote'] BEST. JOB. EVER. Especially those shit-eating Koalas. They're bloody adorable. I work for a major corporate media company, as a UX designer. I used to work in the games industry, for about 7 years. I worked at some major players like Sony, SEGA, and Lucasarts. Then, 6 years ago I left - burned out and miserable from the dev cycle. Now I make twice as much, I work a 40 hour week, and I'm not so burned out on games. So I actually go home and /play/ games and enjoy them. So overall, life is better, even though I'm not doing something I'm totally passionate about. I was more passionate about game development but I gave so much of myself that it killed me, and when I went home, the last thing I wanted to do was look at a screen. So, my current work isn't as interesting to me, content wise, but it's challenging and still requires creativity. Yeah, that about sums it up. My other "job" is running a gaming community. We have a group of 5000 players, but about 200 active at any given time. I really enjoy it. But it is very much a second job.