Very good advice already given above.
After 33 years in engineering I decided to take early retirement, and went to work at a motorcycle dealership, since my passion has always been motorcycles.
Did sales, parts and service manager positions, and loved it......but it was "extra" income, and I would hate to have to rely on that income to survive.
Wrenching at a dealership is a race against the clock to get finished and on to the next one.
Pay is usually based on how fast you complete each job, and dependent on whether the job is flat rate or customer pay.
Enjoying your work, however, is more important than money to some.
Good luck on your decision.
Learning More???
Once again, all very good and experienced points.
Last night I sat down and really looked at why I'd asked the question in the first place. Even after my self professed love for the work I already do. Because the fact is, I really do want to find new work. And at nearly 40, I feel my choices are limited. It is important for me to enjoy my work, very important actually. And I'd (of course) like to make good money. It seems, I'm making a lot less now and for much more work. They say that the bar business is resession proof and I guess that's true for the owners, people sure don't tip like they use too. Add to that, that the hip clubs where I'd make good money want a young, good looking staff. And rightly so. A mid-aged guy doesn't really fit the image of Miami. So where I use to make an average of $1000 per shift and only had to work 3 days a week. Now I work 6 days a week and get excited when I make $150 on a shift. Oddly, when I was making all that money in my 20's and early 30's I couldn't seem to save a dollar and now I have a small savings. Might be time to look at bar management. Sorry for the ramblings. And thanks for the advice. Joel I knew a guy who sold insurance right out of high school. I would see him in his suit, with his briefcase open, sitting at a table in a bar on a Saturday night selling insurance to some drunk kid (we could drink at 18 in NY back then). I kinda envied his drive. I was normally sitting at another table trying to focus on the pizza we'd just ordered. Well, his drive made him one of the most successful young businessmen in the area and they even did a special on him on TV one night. Several years later he was convicted on a number of fraud charges. Seems he was pocketing premiums instead of sending in the new policies. He did several years in prison. So much for his drive.
Maybe you want to spend your spare change on Slim Fast and a gym membership so you can buff up to work in the hip clubs again. Hell, if Hugh Hefner can do it, so can you, WR. Here's a good rule to follow, regardless of your age or income bracket. Put at least 10% of your paycheck into an investment/retirement account for all your working days. If you can afford more, do more. Never miss doing this. Eventually, you will just assume the money goes in the account and you won't miss it. If you do this, you should be very well set financially when you are ready to retire. When young kids getting ready for college ask me what they should do, I only tell them one thing. Try to find something you like to do that will let you be independent. In other words, you should be able to move and live where you want and not be constrained by work. That certainly limits vocations to some extent, unless you are very good at what you do and everyone in that field wants you. But I have always admired those who was smart enough to take a path that let them hang their shingle just about anywhere they want and make a decent living. regards, Rob
haha, yeah... Great thing about tending bar is that I've lived all over this country. I traveled and loved it. I made great money (wish I'd saved some of it) but I really had a great time. I've had a better life them most people I know with much much more money then I. I'm good at what I do, and very rarely do I have to look for work. I'm appoached more offen then not. (well, less now then a few years ago)
But you're right, just because they're not looking for me doesn't mean I can't go looking for them. I'll call a few friends in the biz and see if any of them are hiring. I'll be a little more pro-active. Hell, last time I looked for a job, I sent out 3 resumes, went on 3 interviews and I got 3 jobs (I only took one) But I only sent to restaurants because of how hard club bartending is on the body (the noise, the bass, the speed) but the money and the free time are great... Rob, once again, you've inspired me. Joel That's what John Travolta did, once he had enough dough from his early TV and movie career. Now's he's back because he's ready to work again.
I fully agree with Brewsky, WR. You are never too old to start fresh. Hell, you could tend bar and still pursue a completely new career path. Not many people are in a position to try something new with a pretty solid safety net to catch them if they fall. regards, Rob
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