I need a new line of work.
August 31, 2011 6:20 PM Subscribe
I need a new line of work.
So like everyone else, I've been trying to think of a job that won't make me homicidal by the end of the day. I don't really know what I want, that's the problem. I've kind of been floundering around the past decade - I went to college for fine arts, am now a cleaning guy at a restaurant. I was in film and video production for about six years doing production assistant work, lighting and a smidge of camera and sound once in awhile. I've come to the conclusion that I don't really care about having a career since I'll never be able to make a decent living from what I actually enjoy doing so I want my job to be as stress and hassle free as possible so I can concentrate on what does make me happy, which usually involves creating bad art, video games and generally getting noting of note done. So here's a list of criteria I've come up with:
-A good deal of autonomy
-Minimal computer use. I spend enough time in front of one as it is, I don't want to do it for a living.
-Pay doesn't have to be great or even that good. 30K with benefits would be more than adequate.
-Does not involve driving (don't own a car, don't want one)
-Does not involve dealing with the general public – I'm pretty much your textbook introvert
-Getting another degree isn't an option – I'll be paying off the loans from my first excursion into higher education until I drop dead. A one or two year program would be doable though.
-As close to 40 hours a week as possible
-I'm in the Pittsburgh area.
So like everyone else, I've been trying to think of a job that won't make me homicidal by the end of the day. I don't really know what I want, that's the problem. I've kind of been floundering around the past decade - I went to college for fine arts, am now a cleaning guy at a restaurant. I was in film and video production for about six years doing production assistant work, lighting and a smidge of camera and sound once in awhile. I've come to the conclusion that I don't really care about having a career since I'll never be able to make a decent living from what I actually enjoy doing so I want my job to be as stress and hassle free as possible so I can concentrate on what does make me happy, which usually involves creating bad art, video games and generally getting noting of note done. So here's a list of criteria I've come up with:
-A good deal of autonomy
-Minimal computer use. I spend enough time in front of one as it is, I don't want to do it for a living.
-Pay doesn't have to be great or even that good. 30K with benefits would be more than adequate.
-Does not involve driving (don't own a car, don't want one)
-Does not involve dealing with the general public – I'm pretty much your textbook introvert
-Getting another degree isn't an option – I'll be paying off the loans from my first excursion into higher education until I drop dead. A one or two year program would be doable though.
-As close to 40 hours a week as possible
-I'm in the Pittsburgh area.
There are a fair number of mostly-unskilled healthcare jobs that pay fairly decently and don't require interfacing with the public. For example: working in Sterile Processing or Central Supply departments you pretty much show up and wash surgical instruments or take things out of boxes and put them in other boxes all day. There are certifications you can get for stuff like that but not every hospital requires them.
posted by ghharr at 6:41 PM on August 31, 2011
posted by ghharr at 6:41 PM on August 31, 2011
Just brainstorming here, based on your criteria:
* Netflix DVD sorter
* Mailman/UPS/Fedex driver (this involves driving, but it's a company vehicle, there's interaction w/ public but it is intermittent)
* Woodworking or furniture restoration - Would take time to develop the skill, but if you became good at it, it could be lucrative; you'd work from home, mostly alone.
* Online article writing - It's a slog but it can sustain a living, check out Demand Media.
* Security guard/night watchman - Decent pay and you don't have to see a soul. Downside: graveyard shift.
* House painting - You would need to develop a skill for this. You deal with people but just the homeowner and your crew.
* House cleaning - It's hard work, but you can make decent money, and you usually clean when the person is not home, so it's light on interaction.
posted by allseeingabstract at 8:05 PM on August 31, 2011
* Netflix DVD sorter
* Mailman/UPS/Fedex driver (this involves driving, but it's a company vehicle, there's interaction w/ public but it is intermittent)
* Woodworking or furniture restoration - Would take time to develop the skill, but if you became good at it, it could be lucrative; you'd work from home, mostly alone.
* Online article writing - It's a slog but it can sustain a living, check out Demand Media.
* Security guard/night watchman - Decent pay and you don't have to see a soul. Downside: graveyard shift.
* House painting - You would need to develop a skill for this. You deal with people but just the homeowner and your crew.
* House cleaning - It's hard work, but you can make decent money, and you usually clean when the person is not home, so it's light on interaction.
posted by allseeingabstract at 8:05 PM on August 31, 2011
Oops, I forgot the no-computer requirement for online article writing. Silly me.
posted by allseeingabstract at 8:07 PM on August 31, 2011
posted by allseeingabstract at 8:07 PM on August 31, 2011
Former UPS package deliverer here: -1 for mail carrier/UPS/FedEx. These are very high stress jobs. They keep you on a crazy pace and time you literally to the second. That's why all those postal workers have "gone postal".
posted by MexicanYenta at 10:26 PM on August 31, 2011
posted by MexicanYenta at 10:26 PM on August 31, 2011
If you have the hobby of video games, I seriously would look into getting hired in that field. Coworker who used to work in that field said yes hours suck but at least you're in the same anti-social crowd and getting paid to do so. And hey, you get to play games.
Even if it's flunky for $30k job in a video game sector, you have the skills, might as well use it. I would not recommend a hospital. You will be treated as either a low level pion or have to deal with crazy, needy patients. Spend one day in an ER and yes, that's what you have to deal with--everything from the mentally ill, to the crying family, to the bleeding in isle 4 but hey he's not dead yet so he can wait. I felt sorry for everyone working in the hospital.
posted by stormpooper at 6:38 AM on September 1, 2011
Even if it's flunky for $30k job in a video game sector, you have the skills, might as well use it. I would not recommend a hospital. You will be treated as either a low level pion or have to deal with crazy, needy patients. Spend one day in an ER and yes, that's what you have to deal with--everything from the mentally ill, to the crying family, to the bleeding in isle 4 but hey he's not dead yet so he can wait. I felt sorry for everyone working in the hospital.
posted by stormpooper at 6:38 AM on September 1, 2011
Response by poster: Yeah, I haven't looked into hospital work much. My mother's a physical therapy aid and she has a different horror story about how low level staff is treated pretty much every day; I know a few others who tell me the same stuff basically. As for the video game sector angle, I know zero about programming(would be willing to learn though) , although I could try building up my painting portfolio geared towards concept art/illustration. The woodworking/furniture restoration idea sounds interesting, but I'm not sure about what kind of training I'd need for that or how to go about looking for those kinds of jobs. Thanks for the suggestions folks, keep em coming!
posted by spungfoo at 8:34 AM on September 1, 2011
posted by spungfoo at 8:34 AM on September 1, 2011
This is gonna sound weird but... maybe work in a grocery store? The dudes in Trader Joes always look cheerful to me. Plus full time employees get benefits and stuff.
posted by hellojed at 4:31 PM on September 1, 2011
posted by hellojed at 4:31 PM on September 1, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by oceanjesse at 6:39 PM on August 31, 2011