What do I want to be when I grow up?
 

Maybe it's a little late to be asking, I'm 30, but I thought I'd throw this out to the Pelican Brain-Trust in hopes of some inspiration. The fact that the Pelican demographic is largely guys who are successful because of their work ethic and smarts is a huge factor here.

Here's the situation: I love my job (defense contracting, building a submarine simulator for the US Navy -- IT project management and tech work with a healthy dose of travel), and I absolutely excel at it, but the pay is only mediocre. While I don't have actual numbers from my co-workers, the impression I get is that there's relatively little upward motion in salary here. So my first-year salary may only barely edge out inflation for the duration of my time at this company.

Now don't get me wrong, here -- I don't have any need to be filthy rich, but it seems like "day laborers" in the DC Metro area are making just shy of 6 figures. We're not paupers, but it would be nice if we weren't quite so close to the bottom end of the middle class.

So I'm looking ahead at what I should be preparing to do -- I ended up in this job fresh out of 9 years as a Submarine Officer, and it seemed like a natural choice for someone with a CS degree and my particular experience. Now that I'm here, however, I'm wondering if this is the right place for me long-term. I've only been here for 6 months, so I can't realistically just leave for at least another year or 18 months, so I have time to figure something out.

So the extreme options include going back to school for a second master's, or even a completely different degree. Econ seems interesting to me. MBA's always seem to make more money than I do, if the program is any good. I have no problems with the stress of a line of work like medicine, except that I could never do surgery. I think that Law is fascinating, but my wife says I'd have a real hard time selling myself to the Jury. Less dramatic moves would include getting my PMP and moving into some other PM field (non-IT), or getting my CCNE and getting more involved in the network engineering side of the house. I'm 100% confident that if something is interesting to me, I will have no difficulty learning it.

I guess what I'm wondering is: what is the next big growth industry that I could be a part of, or what consistently wealthy industry is something that would interest me? I'm looking for brainstorm ideas here -- just start throwing stuff out. What do you do, and why do you enjoy it? How hard would it be for a guy with a lot of technical background to transition to that field?


It's pretty broad, but I'm looking forward to hearing anyone's thoughts.


Thanks,
Dan

Nicer to people

How do you know you could never do surgery on someone? I faint when I get a shot, or used to anyway. I am told I am the gentlest doctor ever on a regular basis by new patients, particularly with injections. Family practice doctor does not do surgery, but for medical you are looking at minimum 7 years of training, assuming all your undegraduate credits are accepted, physics, chem, etc.

PM me.

Installing and maintaining hospital/medical diagnostic and treatment equipment will keep you as busy and as independent and as $6 figured salary as you wish traveling around, or a solid mid to high $5 figure (with benefits) medical center job in one place. And great job security. Check it out on the net and see if you home in on something, then get educated accordingly over the next 2 years. No enlistment bonus though.

Repo man?

why would you want to grow up ? Are you married ? have kids ? Like to travel ?

Medicine has the education drawback, too -- 7 years is a long time to sink into starting a second career. It isn't as if I could work my day job while getting that degree, either. Very problematic, that.

9dreizig -- good point -- growing up is probably WAY over-rated. I am married, and we'd like to start having kids in another year or so. I'm comfortable with travel, as long as it's not excessive. My current job runs me at about 30-35% of my time on the road, which isn't too bad. Too much more (consultant, Merchant Marine) wouldn't quite do the trick.

Keith -- I had heard rumors of medical equipment sales types making substantial money, but I hadn't realized that installers also did reasonably well. I'll look into it.

What about so-called "green" energy? Is there any career to be had in environmental science?

Thanks,
Dan


PS -- Seahawk, PM sent. Thanks.

Well if I had to do it over again, I'd do something that I could learn a language and live internationally for a while..
I'm 50 now and it probably won't happen at this point in my life..
T

fluffer;)

Design video games, heck reading this you are practically doing that already!~

Tons of $$$ I figure

Perhaps the answer to your question does not lie in making more money.

sound like you are tire of your job and think you should be getting more pay but can't. And don't want to start at the bottom of another career. You feel stuck. next thing you know, you are over 40 and will really be stuck. Too old to start over(lower pay), no firm wants an old fart, and a family to support. why do you think people who do labor work, or blue color jobs should be pay any less then what you do? Porsche mechanics or electricians for example.

The grass is always greener on the side. Get into sales and bust your chops and make some money if you are good. What do you like more, money or career? Do bolt on boob jobs. I had a client who is a boob job doc, he does not have go to hospitals and does not even wake up early and leaves by 3-4pm. A buddy of mine was a heart doc. He loved his job, but hated his hours, and ended up opening up a few of coffee shops. He rides his scooter to each every morning and run it and couldn't be happier. He makes half the money he used to.

My dad always told me to do what you like, if not learn to like what you do and you will happier then the money will come. I wanted to be a carpenter by 14 and went after it after college. He weren't too happy until I was a successful contractor then they let out a big breath of air.

There's actually remarkably little money in video game programming. If you have the skill for that work, simulation is really where it's at. Or, so say the other simulation guys that I work with, many of whom came here from the gaming world.

I've definitely considered opening a coffee shop (or two). I have a passion for good coffee -- I roast my own beans -- and would probably enjoy it. The thing that would separate us from the average coffee shop is that we'd also sell alcohol. Coffee with a little liqueur is a real delight. We'd probably also sell a collection of wines. .... But I'm not in the position to do a thing like that right now. I have no business management experience, I have no capital, I have no fallback if it doesn't work.

Talk "sales" to me -- what makes someone good at sales?

My dad always told me "Do what you love, and the money will follow," just like yours did. And don't get me wrong -- I love what I do -- it's just that my line of work seems to have a pretty fixed ceiling. Solomon explains in Ecclesiastes 5:18, "Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him -- for this is his lot." You know, and I think there's truth there. At the same time, I can't help but wonder if there are other good options for a guy with my background.


Thanks for the inputs,

Dan

+1

But when you are not making enough money for what you feel you are worth, it really causes you to think about what else is out there. How do people without the same skills make more? If you are not enjoying what you do, then find something you do enjoy regardless of the time as I keep being told that the money will follow.

P.S. I don't want to grow up. I wanted to be a pilot/astronaut when I grew up and something still has me thinking about learning to fly in a plane of course.