how old? what do you do?

[Shankenstein]

29, and I'm a validation engineer for a large audio company (we make noise-cancelling headphones).

When a transducer design engineer develops a new prototype for automotive applications... I'm the one that crushes their dreams. It's all about risk identification, minimizing recalls, and meeting the OEM (customer) specs.

[Cliu91]

Originally Posted by Shankenstein

29, and I'm a validation engineer for a large audio company (we make noise-cancelling headphones).

And here I thought you were going to validate my feelings

[kavanagh]

39, bank technology management. But that's not what I do, that just enables me to do what I do.


Wanna-be race car driver (trying to get paid to drive), film production hobbyist (used to be my career, at Victoria's Secret), sportbike rider (my wife rides too), leisure traveler (international bar hopping drunkard), fitness junkie (I can watch all day)

[Shankenstein]

Originally Posted by kavanagh

39, bank technology management. But that's not what I do, that just enables me to do what I do.

Exactly. A wise friend of mine told me that "life is the world outside of work." Find a job that gives you the money, time, and emotional bandwidth to enjoy that life.

When kids are involved, your priorities shift towards stability... but if you're consistently unhappy, sharpen your skills and find something more appropriate.

Bank technology management is a bit vague. Do you focus on the hardware (like ultra-high-speed data centers) or software (like tools for quants)? I have a good friend who recently worked for Merrill/BoA and it was pretty wild. Maserati bonuses and constant layoffs.

[kavanagh]

Originally Posted by Shankenstein

Exactly. A wise friend of mine told me that "life is the world outside of work." Find a job that gives you the money, time, and emotional bandwidth to enjoy that life.

When kids are involved, your priorities shift towards stability... but if you're consistently unhappy, sharpen your skills and find something more appropriate.

Bank technology management is a bit vague. Do you focus on the hardware (like ultra-high-speed data centers) or software (like tools for quants)? I have a good friend who recently worked for Merrill/BoA and it was pretty wild. Maserati bonuses and constant layoffs.

That's a very wise friend.


Bank technology has meant a few things. At one point I was the acting CTO for a smallish national bank ~$12BB and lead a team of about 70. But I traveled all the time, so there was no time to "do what I do'. Now it means project management for an extremely large bank doing new product development and not having any direct reports, but more time to do the stuff I enjoy. And financial services technology is insanely interesting. I thought working at Victoria's Secret was cool, but this is way more fun!

[Shankenstein]

Originally Posted by kavanagh

I thought working at Victoria's Secret was cool, but this is way more fun!

That's an important lesson to learn. "Individual Contributors" get to do the fun work (assuming you work at a place you like)... while "Managers" spend more time in meetings, travelling, and communicating. The higher into management you go, it takes more effort to stay connected with reality (the individual contributor work).

You get to choose which side of the ladder you want to climb.

I will probably take the opportunity to develop management skills... but it's going to be tough to justify the impact on my sanity.

My eventual goal is develop the skill set to run a startup (concept to be determined). My grandfather had an interesting quote:
"You can make a great living working for someone else, but the real money comes when you stick your neck out there and run things."

I'm just being patient and trying to find the right venture, the right people, and the right timing.

[hypercarfanatic]

Age: 17
Occupation: Martial Arts Instructor, Machinist, Woodworker

[theurge]

39 GM at a motorcycle/atv dealership

[kavanagh]

Originally Posted by Shankenstein

My eventual goal is develop the skill set to run a startup (concept to be determined). My grandfather had an interesting quote:
"You can make a great living working for someone else, but the real money comes when you stick your neck out there and run things."

I'm just being patient and trying to find the right venture, the right people, and the right timing.

That's great. My wife and I are starting a non-profit that we've been wanting to do for several years (kids and horses). Timing truly is everything, so stick in there and move when you think it's right. I've always been inclined to work for a big company, and she's more entrepreneurial - I've learned a lot from her.

[VacantSky]

27, airforce, aero repair tech/aircraft crash recovery tech. Stuck at glorious Cannon AFB, when coming home from the deployment is the actual deployment...

[Jrryjms07]

Nothing special:

I'm 25yrs old, father for 3yrs and counting, husband for 3yrs and counting and an used car sales rep at Honda.

[Liehtw8]

30, journeymen b pressure welder, soon to start millwrighting.

[stonewhite05]

I am a single 21 year old internet sales manager at a Toyota/Scion dealership

[Accurate Race Shop]

Originally Posted by Shankenstein

That's an important lesson to learn. "Individual Contributors" get to do the fun work (assuming you work at a place you like)... while "Managers" spend more time in meetings, travelling, and communicating. The higher into management you go, it takes more effort to stay connected with reality (the individual contributor work).

You get to choose which side of the ladder you want to climb.

I will probably take the opportunity to develop management skills... but it's going to be tough to justify the impact on my sanity.

My eventual goal is develop the skill set to run a startup (concept to be determined). My grandfather had an interesting quote:
"You can make a great living working for someone else, but the real money comes when you stick your neck out there and run things."

I'm just being patient and trying to find the right venture, the right people, and the right timing.

I'm 26 and I agree with your grandfather! I chased down a career that I can't wait to go to work to everyday. I work for international real estate investors as an appraiser and property scout (I also work on muscle cars on my time off hence the screen name). I get to hunt down multi-million dollar mansions all over the world and I make a very comfortable amount of money. There is a way to make a great salary and have an awesome career. The best advice I ever got was "if you hate your job quit". There is no point in doing something you hate just for a paycheck when you can do something you love and make more money!

Sent from my Q10