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Bayham Badger
Jan 19, 2007

Secretly force socialism, communism and imperialism types of government onto the people of the United States of America.

I could use some advice, fellow goons. Apologies if this is a bit of a vent, but I'm fairly frustrated with my career situation, or lack thereof, and for dumping a wall of text - I've tried to make it as readable and salient as possible.

To put a fine point on things, I have no idea of what I want to be doing professionally, or how to find it.

Educationwise, I have a Masters in a life science-related subject. I got the Masters two years into a PhD program, which after about five years of toiling, I made the very difficult decision to leave, due to the combination of overwhelming personal depression/anxiety, intensely disliking the location and school, and my thesis project being stuck in the mud to such a point that I was looking down the barrel of 3-4 more years of work, which I hated doing at the time.

In the first two years after leaving, I tried to stay close to academia and science. Tried my hand as a freelance editor, working remotely, found it possibly more soul crushing and solitary than academia. Taught at a college for a semester, which I found to be stressful and unrewarding, mentally and financially.

Eventually I wound up working in the beer industry. Craft beer is a passion that I developed along with my love of science, and to some degree the two complemented each other, so I figured why not work beer retail to make ends meet for a while - I was and am in a long term relationship, and working extremely late shifts with no weekends was a dealbreaker for us, so a job at a beer bottle shop was an acceptable alternative compared to working at a bar, since they have more limited hours.

This was probably the most content that I've been professionally. I threw myself into the job, and since it was a small store and I'm not the stupidest guy in the world, that paid off with more responsibilities and opportunities to do stuff like writing for the store's email blast (I got to nerd out about flavor chemistry, and genetic sequencing of yeasts and bacteria in esoteric beer styles). What's more, I realized that I was in the company of likeminded people who I enjoyed spending time with, I found that I also enjoyed selling beer to discerning customers, and the social anxiety and depression that had played a part in ruining my doctoral research pretty much evaporated, thanks to the exposure therapy that is fast-paced retail.

Unfortunately, the long commute, relatively late working hours and lack of a weekend that aligned with my partner's schedule started to wear thin, so I left to go work in sales for a beer distributor. I instantly felt some red flags the first few times going to the company's office (run down building, virtually everyone was very bro-y), but sort of chalked that up to the nature of the gig. On top of that, the bulk of the vast majority of the job was field work, so I honestly didn't really care.

The time I spent working in distribution/B2B sales was eye opening, to say the least. This was in a major US city, so I was selling beer to restaurants and bars of literally every stripe. I met a lot of interesting and varied characters - ranging from longtime bar owners working on a shoestring budget who wanted to serve something more interesting than Bud to extremely well run, critically acclaimed restauranteurs who knew their poo poo. I met some people who were passionate about having a cool and good beer program, but by and large most people I worked with were working with me because they basically had to.

After a while, I had my sales route down, with the ins and outs of dealing with the idiosyncrasies of my account base down, and the job got really loving boring and tiresome. I was phoning it in hardcore within eight months on the job, with absolutely zero consequence to me, except that I was bored as poo poo and drinking heavily.

At a certain point, it occurred to me that I could be applying the more empirically driven knowledge that I had from my time in the Ivory Tower, rather than just sales, especially with the alcohol industry tightening its belt. The company seemed to be getting more serious about their attempts at collecting data, so I pitched putting together some sort of analytics team, with myself involved. I was surprised by how resoundingly my idea was rejected, so I started looking for other opportunities. I quit shortly afterwards when a position at a brewery opened up, as I instantly gelled with the more forward-thinking approach they had to conducting business. They were also fairly sanguine about the prospects of me applying some of my know-how to their operations.

Then COVID hit and I was let go, along with virtually everyone else at the brewery. I spent more time studying technical skills I knew I would need, building up to a semi-competent level in R and Python, learning about relational databases like SQL, and spending some time studying calculus, statistics and linear algebra through MOOCs and textbooks. Most of that was like pulling teeth for me - my problem with studying computer science is and always has been that while I appreciate the uses for these things, I find it excruciatingly boring to go through paint-by-the-numbers exercises and talk of theoretical applications (something I did not have a problem with when studying biology and chemistry, which I actively liked thinking about).

All the while I've been looking around at potential opportunities, considering things like going back to school (either to finish my PhD in a program that I actually like, or to get some sort of professional certification in computer science), and I just hit a wall whenever I start looking in earnest. I've gleaned my criteria for a job from my experience, but it feels way too broad for me to find something with; I'd like to do something that involves critical thinking, with a group of people who I don't actively dislike, for an organization that makes or does something that I vaguely give a poo poo about.

My question is basically, what do I do? I'm not hoping for "sounds like you should do [x]" - though I am all ears for that sort of thing - but would really like some guidance on.... I don't know, how to set about finding something right for me, on both a practical and/or abstract level. I'm really just totally at a loss and feeling rudderless.

Anyway, thanks for reading even if you've got nothing to add, I know went long here. I'll have a #5 with an extra order of fries and a Diet Coke.

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Lockback
Sep 3, 2006

All days are nights to see till I see thee; and nights bright days when dreams do show me thee.

So, some scattershot advice here:

1. If you found doing B2B sales boring and monotonous you'll very very likely find the kind of software work one finds doing certification in Python, R or DB to be much worse. It's not awful, and you can find fun in it, but you have to find fun in it yourself. Based on what you've liked in the past I would not suggest it. If you do want to pursue it, take some time building actual, useful applications to do something. If you find it hard to get the focus, drive and desire to do that you will probably not suceed.

2. What seems pretty obvious to me is you enjoy the relationships you craft where you work more than what you do. This is reasonable, not uncommon and probably good news! I would stop looking for jobs in a particular industry and think more about what jobs would let you do what you like to do (which is working with people who give a poo poo, selling things that are appreciated, having meaningful interactions that are not just checking a box and delivering 6 kegs of Coors Lite).

So I have maybe bad news for you. You have a terminal case of being a natural salesman or representative.

Beer if a good fit, obviously, but it is extremely competitive, over-saturated and right now things are awful and will probably not get better for another 6-12 months. However, I think with your life sciences background you may have more doors open in the world of medical devices and such. If you have some technical skills, field techs are a combination of "device-in-your-heart-that-keeps-you-alive" repair man, consultant for doctors, and company rep. I have some exposure to that side so thats why I am giving those examples, there are tons of other places in the healthcare world that may be a good fit or at least worth some investigation.

Basically, my advice is the company and tasks you do themselves are pretty surely not going to be what makes you happy. But it sounds like the interactions with people do so start there.

Bayham Badger
Jan 19, 2007

Secretly force socialism, communism and imperialism types of government onto the people of the United States of America.

Appreciate the advice! Definitely some interesting stuff to mull over. I'm a little reserved about medical device sales because I'm averse to clinicians/healthcare (possibly from some very specific biases, but still), but I think there's tons of research-centric sales that your suggestion applies to.

I hadn't really deeply considered that all of the CS stuff I've been looking at would be as boring or more boring than what I disliked about B2B sales.

I'm not super upset about gravitating towards sales, though I guess I'd like to move away from daily rote level sales to resolve the main issues I have.

Thanks again.

Crazyweasel
Oct 29, 2006
lazy

We can only know each other so much through a forum post, but my man I hate to tell you but you loving love beer and working in the beer/alcohol industry and you’ll probably be miserable out side of it. so I’d find a way to hustle and either get a quick holdover until you can get back into it, or you make that brain of yours work to figuring out how to grind and make it happen.

You’ve been in the industry for years, you said you’ve loved it a handful of times, and the only reason you aren’t in it is because of a 100 year pandemic.

Yes beer is saturated, but a lot of industries are. It is the smarties who know how to differentiate what sells from what is just existing, and I able to knock out the crap outfits to make a home. You can be that person, you certainly have enough experience and passion. Many have done more with less. Go out there and make it happen and honestly I wouldn’t even consider trying to leverage your skills into an adjacent field unless you need to keep cash coming in until something opens up.

If you look through my post history I think I have made a post on fairly generic advice you could apply that could at least get you to hone in on what you really liked and didn’t like about your career path and what you can build off of.

hike
Apr 27, 2008
I'm looking for a career change 7-8 years down the line.

- Currently 13/14 years in the military, retire in 6-8 years.
- I'll be about 40 years old when i retire ($$$$).
- Currently doing logistics, managing, supply chain, & policy.

Education: Undergraduate in Business.
Hobby: computer, IT things.

I need advice on a 7-10 year course which I can transition OUT of supply chain into something else. I just want a stable career either remote or with a high percentage of jobs. Ideal job would be in the technology field but, I believe i'd be too old and need more years of experience before getting picked up.

I'm currently looking to complete a graduate degree (i'd be down to complete another undergraduate if needed) and willing to complete any certification prior to retiring.

P.S. - I don't want to be a Bezos salve.

Thxs

hike fucked around with this message at 18:08 on Dec 31, 2020

Jordan7hm
Feb 17, 2011




Lipstick Apathy
Why out of supply chain? Leverage your experience and add the tech side to it, consulting loves ex military.

hike
Apr 27, 2008

Jordan7hm posted:

Why out of supply chain? Leverage your experience and add the tech side to it, consulting loves ex military.

I don't think that's very marketable in the future due to the lower globalization we'll see, i didn't post it above by my wife is a teacher at private schools hence a job that is available everywhere.

Consulting firms are mainly in the big cities and I don't know where she'll take a job next, I don't want to limit her career growth more than i already have which is why i was leaning towards tech.

ultrafilter
Aug 23, 2007

It's okay if you have any questions.


The logistics organizations in Walmart, Amazon and other large retailers absolutely love ex-military people with a background in logistics. They're not going away any time soon. It's maybe not your ideal position, but it's something that's very easy to get with your current experience, pays reasonably well, and will offer plenty of exit opportunities after you've been there a couple years. Think pretty hard about it.

Jordan7hm
Feb 17, 2011




Lipstick Apathy
Supply chain isn’t going anywhere. If anything in order to improve your margins in a world with lower globalization / more expensive manufacturing you need to be even leaner.

Lockback
Sep 3, 2006

All days are nights to see till I see thee; and nights bright days when dreams do show me thee.
Yeah, some other options would be picking up Python and Javascript (you are not even close to too old) and maybe think about leveraging some education around that but honestly that's probably a step back and you'll be throwing away a lot of valuable skills and experience.

What's your graduate degree in?

What does your wife teach? I'd actually guess its going to make a lot more sense you landing a good job and her adjusting than vice versa.

If you can get some experience with contract negotiation and project management (both things you can get in the military) you're probably looking at a mid 6 figure+ procurement or supply chain director. Make sure you note times you lead teams and acted as a manager.

Are you an officer already?

Salt Fish
Sep 11, 2003

Cybernetic Crumb
Quick ethics question; is it ethical or rather would a business frown upon becoming an account manager of company A while working at company B, and then after managing that account applying to work at A directly? What kind of cool down is appropriate for that kind of move if any?

The junk collector
Aug 10, 2005
Hey do you want that motherboard?

Salt Fish posted:

Quick ethics question; is it ethical or rather would a business frown upon becoming an account manager of company A while working at company B, and then after managing that account applying to work at A directly? What kind of cool down is appropriate for that kind of move if any?

It's very frowned upon by business B and in some cases (is the government involved in any way?) illegal but not entirely uncommon. The legal cooling down period should be specified in your employment contract.

SA-Anon
Sep 15, 2019

hike posted:

P.S. - I don't want to be a Bezos salve.

Thxs

If it is something that interests you, most of the major construction contracting companies have fairly interesting logistics involved for their projects.

SA-Anon fucked around with this message at 22:12 on Jan 3, 2021

hike
Apr 27, 2008
Yeah, some other options would be picking up Python and Javascript (you are not even close to too old) and maybe think about leveraging some education around that but honestly that's probably a step back and you'll be throwing away a lot of valuable skills and experience.

What's your graduate degree in?
-None yet, debating of doing MBA or Analytics. Will probably complete Data Science courses on the side to increase my skillset/knowledge, currently do some SQL work.
-Do you have suggestions as on a specific graduate degree? I'm seriously confused as to which to pursue, the ones i want are all MS, with a BA I have to fulfill certain prerequisites for MS programs (mainly calc).

What does your wife teach? I'd actually guess its going to make a lot more sense you landing a good job and her adjusting than vice versa.
-Chemistry at private school, she has a STEM degree from an Ivy league so her career will skyrocket around the same time i retire.

If you can get some experience with contract negotiation and project management (both things you can get in the military) you're probably looking at a mid 6 figure+ procurement or supply chain director. Make sure you note times you lead teams and acted as a manager.
- If you're talking about PMP certification, I have debated on this. I've only been involved in contract execution overseas, not much experience.

Are you an officer already?
- No, I have a Gold star gig, a better officer gig hasn't come my way yet. Being married has stopped me going for these opportunities because it would severely damage her career.

If it is something that interests you, most of the major construction contracting companies have fairly interesting logistics involved for their projects.
-Thanks for this! It's one of the reasons why i might open up towards getting my PMP cert as stated above.

Again, thanks for all the suggestions!

punk rebel ecks
Dec 11, 2010

A shitty post? This calls for a dance of deduction.
I've been applying to jobs for two months and have gotten disappointing results.

I've only had one interview so far out of over a dozen applications sent.

Should I consult someone to look over my resume?

bee
Dec 17, 2008


Do you often sing or whistle just for fun?
It can't hurt. I thought mine was pretty good, but once I paid someone to revise it for me, the amount of callbacks I was getting for the applications I submitted went up quite a lot.

punk rebel ecks
Dec 11, 2010

A shitty post? This calls for a dance of deduction.

bee posted:

It can't hurt. I thought mine was pretty good, but once I paid someone to revise it for me, the amount of callbacks I was getting for the applications I submitted went up quite a lot.

Where would you recommend?

bee
Dec 17, 2008


Do you often sing or whistle just for fun?
I'm in Australia so unless you're here too, and job seeking in a similar sector to me (HR/government) it probably wouldn't be useful to you for me to recommend who I used.

But how I found them was I went to Airtasker, made a post seeking resume writing, then looked through the replies for someone who had qualifications and experience in the field I was trying to work in.

REMEMBER SPONGE MONKEYS
Oct 3, 2003

What do you think it means, bitch?
I had a former boss spruce mine up (mostly just formatting) and it helped significantly. 1 for 12 isn’t actually too bad, depending, I’ve definitely had runs where I submitted dozens and got basically nothing.

spwrozek
Sep 4, 2006

Sail when it's windy

punk rebel ecks posted:

Where would you recommend?

There is a guy on SA who always seemed to crush it. Not sure his username or if he is still active though.

spwrozek
Sep 4, 2006

Sail when it's windy

REMEMBER SPONGE MONKEYS posted:

I had a former boss spruce mine up (mostly just formatting) and it helped significantly. 1 for 12 isn’t actually too bad, depending, I’ve definitely had runs where I submitted dozens and got basically nothing.

A guy who works for me has tracked every job he has applied for since starting here 10 years ago. Last I saw he was 120 apps, 5 interviews, 0 offers. granted he was trying to push his boundaries and pushing for leadership. Then he had twins and I am not sure he has applied to a job since...ha

Lockback
Sep 3, 2006

All days are nights to see till I see thee; and nights bright days when dreams do show me thee.

punk rebel ecks posted:

Where would you recommend?

There's a resume thread right around this one. Post there for some general advice. It's a good place to start.

punk rebel ecks
Dec 11, 2010

A shitty post? This calls for a dance of deduction.
Thanks.

Rob Rockley
Feb 23, 2009



Looking for advice over a difficult career conundrum. Wife and I currently employed both in well-paying jobs with good benefits. Wife wants to go to grad school later this year and she has the GI bill, and I am optimistic she will get in this fall and expect she will do very well as she has a shockingly good resume and undergrad transcript. However, we both are pretty much at the limit for our current positions, and are severely burned out while trying to wait for things to change. I'm debating a sort of working sabbatical slash career change move, to head this stuff off before I actually hit mid-life.

I've been working in project management for the past four years and similar general management positions for a bit longer before that. It has been technical enough to give a lot of cachet on that front, but I have a liberal arts degree and no real credentials or certifications. I'm not any sort of engineer, while I do have a very good grasp of technical stuff (really!) I mainly just work with engineers etc. I have zero interest in a PMP. Lately, I have been extremely burned out on my job and I realized that being typecast as a project manager is just not good for me. I enjoy it not at all, and find it inordinately difficult, especially in a remote-work environment. I've got decent people skills but am no social butterfly so the customer-facing, corporate PM stuff I've been doing is excruciatingly draining, it's not what I am great at or enjoy at all, and lately it's been showing thanks to burnout. Honestly I'm expecting my role to be eliminated anyway soon, and I don't want to stay a second longer than I have to anyway because it's just going to be more misery.

Due to our luck with employment and planning for grad school, our finances are very good for our age. We have a very healthy nest egg thanks in part to the good 401ks and all that, and a bit over a year's cash on hand (more if we tighten our belts, way more if we moved out of SoCal). We certainly aren't retirement ready but I am not going to miss rent for a good while and have plenty invested well besides. We're concerned about health insurance if we both end up without jobs that provide it (no kids, 30s, healthy), so any advice on that topic would be helpful (in California rn, and most likely going to stay here or Texas for grad school).

I am strongly considering leaving the position very soon (like, ASAP lol) as I do not ever expect the job to become tolerable and don't feel I am doing great work. As mentioned, my wife and I have done pretty well for ourselves the past year, and I feel awful that things are generally getting worse for everyone else. Because of that I've been strongly considering working for a non-profit or charity in the area. Even if the pay sucks compared to my current job, I think maybe taking this year to do some good and make rent money so as to help maintain that cash cushion sounds appealing. I'm not sure how much of a problem health insurance is in this case, and also I am concerned that dealing with burnout by taking a sort of working sabbatical may close doors in the future. I don't want to go back into PM any time soon, but like I said, we still have to make money. Is this a crazy drat idea? I feel like I'm spinning my wheels and collecting a paycheck, looking for a change, but I am not sure what to do or what the impact would be if I ever wanted a well-paying management type job again. Also, I don't really know how one goes about finding a job like that. I've used a headhunter before and their thing is finding the fat paychecks, not sure how you go finding potential jobs with a mission statement of "I want food money and to help people mainly."

Additionally, the project management type stuff I've been up to basically my whole professional life is exhausting but I don't have the credentials or degrees to jump directly to a different field of work. I figure it's likely I'll have to find something different soon regardless. I'm terrible at networking and mostly keep to myself, which doesn't help. How the gently caress do people deal with it when they get into a career, realize they don't enjoy it at all after about a decade, and you're left with no idea what it is you'd actually be successful at and enjoy? The past decade of white-collar management type jobs has felt like slowly draining the soul from my body, and I have no idea what to go for after this outside of just applying on autopilot to the same kind of crap I always have.

Lockback
Sep 3, 2006

All days are nights to see till I see thee; and nights bright days when dreams do show me thee.
So you've probably got more opportunities to make a change than you realize, and obviously your prep has been good, I'd say I'm not thrilled with your plan. "I feel burnt out so I want to do non-profit work" has like a 90% failure rate. That work can be rewarding, but the "I feel drained because I'm beating me head against the wall" really only gets worse there, most of the time.

Let's work backward a bit. What do you eventually want to do? Say your wife finished grad school, gets an awesome job, what do you want to do? Is it go to school yourself, is it shift into something new, or are you really just looking for a break? Knowing what step 3 is will tell you what step 2 should be.

Rob Rockley
Feb 23, 2009



Lockback posted:

So you've probably got more opportunities to make a change than you realize, and obviously your prep has been good, I'd say I'm not thrilled with your plan. "I feel burnt out so I want to do non-profit work" has like a 90% failure rate. That work can be rewarding, but the "I feel drained because I'm beating me head against the wall" really only gets worse there, most of the time.

Let's work backward a bit. What do you eventually want to do? Say your wife finished grad school, gets an awesome job, what do you want to do? Is it go to school yourself, is it shift into something new, or are you really just looking for a break? Knowing what step 3 is will tell you what step 2 should be.

That's a good point and exactly why I figured it would be smart to ask before jumping off a cliff cause I am bored with work. That being said, I fully expect my position to be eliminated and my projects rolled up elsewhere or tossed sometime in the next couple months or so, and don't see my org changing things around to make a difference, which makes it even more intolerable. So I gotta have a plan, and it shouldn't be another job much like this. A break would be nice, but at some point I've got to go find something to do.

You're right about step 3 being the main issue. I was one of those guys who just went totally on autopilot - go to college, get a degree (any degree!), get a rando white collar job, take whatever the highest offer you can get is. I turned out to be incredibly lucky that it worked as well as it did for as long. After spending a lot of time reflecting thanks to COVID and the increasing pointlessness of the specific work I do, I think I've hit a wall. The places I've worked mostly have been either pretty bad environments (I mostly enjoyed the first place I worked, but had a boss so terrible I got into financial independence for a while), or total dead-ends (see latest). I think I've got a decent resume, but being typecast as a project manager without any other credentials or experience as an out seems like a bad move if I've not been enjoying that line of work.

The philanthropic angle wasn't pure whimsy, also. I have been trying to take down my preferences, skills, etc. to figure this stuff out. That kind of work actually satisfies a few key things: I'm a people pleaser who likes helping others (or animals), which is bad for a project manager but probably manageable in that line of work; I prefer to work around other people at least some of the time instead of being permanently WFH (I'm not an outgoing person and it's been so much worse this way!), and I feel like I've got a moral obligation to be helpful after seeing the disaster of the past year. But spitballing first seemed smart. Wife wants ideally to be a professor but has a lot of other options, all which would be more than enough financially (like five years down the road). Other than that, we are terminally unambitious.

I guess the thing I'm trying to figure out is this: In my view, most of us just kinda end up doing whatever the circumstances of our lives dictate. I happened to end up going down a path that seemed fine back at age 22, but now realize I haven't enjoyed in the least or been particularly successful at, and that continuing that career is probably a bad idea for a lot of personal and professional reasons. I have no idea how to take my list of what I want and what I don't want and identify what step 3 should be. When someone goes, "Hey I've been an accountant or engineer or whatever for six years and find out that I hate it and don't feel successful," what do they do? Or if you say, "I love the outdoors and would prefer to work that way," do you just start submitting resumes to the Forest Service or is there some way to figure out what the heck would actually satisfy that plus?

Sorry if this is kinda on the intersection of E/N and BFC. I am aware this is a particularly tedious first-world problem. But my main issue by far is that I really, really dislike my job, and my career experience, and having even an entry-level path toward something I find worthwhile solves almost all our problems.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22
if your wife wants to be a professor you can expect to uproot yourself to some random location based on the availability of tenure track jobs, unless she happens to be in an incredibly hot field

you still haven't described what you LIKE to do, I think that's maybe the next step of what Lockback was saying. What I've got from you is:

1) Like to help people - ok this is a lot of jobs - maybe don't become an auditor or an engineer designing weapons systems or a random code/spreadsheet jock IC, but like most white collar jobs are based around helping other people succeed in their jobs to some degree. This kind of depends on how you spin it for yourself.
2) likes to work around people - as far as I know the position of being the Unabomber is unpaid and not currently accepting applications so again this is like, most jobs
3) you've got a moral obligation to be helpful - does this have to be related to your specific employment? most people in distinctly amoral / unhelpful jobs get through this by volunteering or doing other good work in their communities, for their families, etc.

I'm not saying you don't have a problem - but you don't seem to have quite figured out what the problem is other than you don't like the current state. Also, IMO everyone even in stable white collar jobs is going insane due to COVID so you might want to take your temp on that one too. It also sounds like you've just hit the wall - are there other lateral opportunities within your company that you could pursue? It can be much easier to pivot within your current environment than get a new employer to take a risk on both you as an employee and you in a role.

Jedi Knight Luigi
Jul 13, 2009
Forest Service is hiring actually.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22
I cannot put enough emphasis on the fact that if your wife wants to be a tenure track professor (which she should, non tenure track is garbage) you will have to structure your entire career, life, and location around her job prospects.

Jordan7hm
Feb 17, 2011




Lipstick Apathy
Lots of people work 40 hours a week in jobs they don't like or that aren't "fulfilling", and shift their attention to other parts of their lives. Personally I don't get it, but I've worked with enough people who view jobs as just jobs that I think it's a pretty valid approach. Public sector can be good for this.

Also - as someone who goes through what I think you're talking about - sometimes just moving to a new place can give you a boost for a year or two. Maybe it's not going to be your forever spot, but even just doing the same thing with different wallpaper can help a lot.

MrKatharsis
Nov 29, 2003

feel the bern

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

I cannot put enough emphasis on the fact that if your wife wants to be a tenure track professor (which she should, non tenure track is garbage) you will have to structure your entire career, life, and location around her job prospects.

A lot of colleges will conjure up a bullshit office job for a tenure track professor’s spouse.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

MrKatharsis posted:

A lot of colleges will conjure up a bullshit office job for a tenure track professor’s spouse.

yeah that sounds super fun and rewarding

N. Senada
May 17, 2011

My kidneys are busted
Sup, I wanted to work for the federal gov't abroad but all my prep for that fell apart in 2018 when I finished Peace Corps during the current administration.

That, and a medical thing, is keeping me stateside for the foreseeable future.

THAT SAID, I got into Business Training and Development (really just training but I do assessment to development to delivery) and I keep getting tapped to help with strategic planning.

I'm probably going to stay at my job until it's eliminated (I'm union and public so not anytime soon) for the security it offers - or I'll take a similar job with another agency for the same money.

What I want to do is to provide more support to community organizations in my area and I was thinking of starting a consulting business targeted to helping non-profits, I've worked with a few in my past. My plan would be to provide organizational development, HR consulting, staff and executive training, and other things (maybe?) at a below-average rate.

I really don't know how to get that off the ground tho. I'm looking at making a website and starting doing some cold-calling to organizations I like.

I'm not used to selling myself. Honestly, I've been thinking about this all last year and I'd actually like to get moving on it.

Can anyone help - is there a better thread for this kind of thing?

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22
when you are talking about below average rates for this type of consulting work, how much are you expecting to pay yourself?

Rob Rockley
Feb 23, 2009



KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

I cannot put enough emphasis on the fact that if your wife wants to be a tenure track professor (which she should, non tenure track is garbage) you will have to structure your entire career, life, and location around her job prospects.

Yeah, that makes it tough to plan things out for myself, but since that is our priority I just have to manage.

Anyway, I appreciate the response, I’ve definitely just hit a wall both professionally and in my personal motivation and want to do some sort of career change at some point and it just happens to be an awkward time. I’m saving up the next couple paychecks and trying to hang on, and the challenge I have is trying to figure out how to move on that goal by the end of the year I think, once we’re more settled via a vis grad school. The big challenge I have is just that I’m typecast in a career I’m bored with and would like to move out of, and it will take some work and research to figure out how to make it work, so I suppose that is my priority for the next couple months.

N. Senada
May 17, 2011

My kidneys are busted

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

when you are talking about below average rates for this type of consulting work, how much are you expecting to pay yourself?

25 to 30 an hour

These numbers seem to make sense given my level of experience and the market I want to target. Median seems to be closest to 50 to 70.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR
Apr 12, 2010



Runner-up, TRP Sack Race 2021/22

N. Senada posted:

25 to 30 an hour

These numbers seem to make sense given my level of experience and the market I want to target. Median seems to be closest to 50 to 70.

Does this mean you want to bill 25 or take home 25, because if you bill 25 you are going to be paying yourself about ten bucks an hour.

N. Senada
May 17, 2011

My kidneys are busted
That is helpful info.

Jordan7hm
Feb 17, 2011




Lipstick Apathy
Charging student rates makes your worth that of a student. Nobody, even not for profits, pays 35 bucks an hour for executive coaching.

Either give it away for free as a way to get in the door and feel good and then charge real rates, or just charge real rates.

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Lockback
Sep 3, 2006

All days are nights to see till I see thee; and nights bright days when dreams do show me thee.
Are you looking at doing this as a kind of charity-giving thing IN ADDITION to your job or as now/future replacement to your job?

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