Been wondering what everyone here does or did for a living.
Guess I've thinking about it because I got promoted to head social assistant nearly a year ago. I like the new job and I think I'm good at it. But I do miss my old position.
It's lonelier being the head of a team. A lot more draining to. It has great challenges and the added pay are nice though.
I think all in all the benefits outway the negatives. But I get nostalgic from time to time. I guess also because my last job was also my first.
I've had a couple of careers I guess I could say. My major career was as a teacher. I taught in alternative ed for 4 years and then taught inside a juvenile hall for almost 40 years. I started my working life as a soldier in the Army right out of college--yeah, I was drafted. After 3 years I was discharged. Then about 10 years later was talked into joining the CA National Guard; was in for 3 and then transferred to the Army active reserve for 7 more years. Now I'm retired and do my computer and the entire back yard (we have a corner lot so we have a huge back yard) is an organic garden. Busy, busy, busy, but only when I want to be.
Congratulations on your promotion, Mr. Obvious!
I'm a licensed mental health counselor and I've worked in crisis services for the past 27 years. I work at a 24-hour behavioral health crisis center and evaluate people who come in, either on their own or with law enforcement, who are experiencing a mental health crisis. I also see people in crisis at local emergency departments via telehealth. I enjoy my job because I talk to people of every age and every background with all different kinds of problems. I may see a family whose child is acting out, then a man who police picked up running down the road naked and high on drugs, then a college student who is suicidal because her boyfriend ended their relationship, then an elderly woman who is experiencing confusion. I like working three 12-hour shifts rather than the typical weekday 9-to-5. I also enjoy working with a team of doctors, nurses, and other counselors.
Sounds exhausting GSO.
We also see a lot more and a lot heavier mental health problems in our clients, these past few months. Corona isolation got everyone experiencing more anxiety and the likes. Had a client that ended her own life, a month after I took the new position, for example. (not that I think that was the reason why.)
Heavy stuff my dude. Hope you take the time you need for yourself as well.
Teacher and school counselor. I've been retired long enough that these are no longer an identity that mean anything to me. Just a part of a distant past.
Quote from: Mr.Obvious on April 28, 2021, 04:50:41 AM
Sounds exhausting GSO.
We also see a lot more and a lot heavier mental health problems in our clients, these past few months. Corona isolation got everyone experiencing more anxiety and the likes. Had a client that ended her own life, a month after I took the new position, for example. (not that I think that was the reason why.)
Heavy stuff my dude. Hope you take the time you need for yourself as well.
It can be stressful, but it sounds like you and SGOS know what it is like. I don't typically worry about patients but recently I saw someone who I believe is going to kill himself. I see suicidal people every day but this guy is different. I involuntarily committed him to a hospital but he's been released and I'm just waiting to see his name in the news. I use meditation, exercise, and get a massage once a month to handle stress.
I run construction projects. Usually the costs are between 7 and 30 million. In the commercial industry I would be considered small to middling. I plan on continuing this for at least another 5 years. That will put me into 70’s. But I don’t work hard, the money is pretty damn good, and my company loves me. Seriously......when your company loves you...throws money at you, and then when a pandemic comes around...says...take 4 months off with pay.....you simply don’t walk away.
Oops,,,,, kinda mis-spoke....been six months now.
Quote from: aitm on April 28, 2021, 08:51:33 PM
I run construction projects. Usually the costs are between 7 and 30 million. In the commercial industry I would be considered small to middling. I plan on continuing this for at least another 5 years. That will put me into 70’s. But I don’t work hard, the money is pretty damn good, and my company loves me. Seriously......when your company loves you...throws money at you, and then when a pandemic comes around...says...take 4 months off with pay.....you simply don’t walk away.
No, you don't walk away from that.
Microelectronics design and software development work (marine, aircraft, meteorology, audio, test equipment ... ). Contracts and jobs. Towards the end, I transitioned from design engineer to engineering manager. I sorta considered my career to have gone 'full circle'. Truthfully I liked pure engineering much better than management. It was more difficult to motivate a team than I thought it would be. I was financially able retire early and now play around with investments, short and long. I have lately become very good at doing something close to nothing.
GSO, I applaud you. I don't know how you can do that sort of work...I would be a mess.
Back office at county children services, mainly prepping documents for attorneys and redacting sensitive information (particularly SSNs, foster parent addresses, and adoption information). I am not client facing, and that's good for my long term employment prospects because I don't have the patience to be a caseworker. I don't do casework, but what I do helps casework get done.
Quote from: Cassia on April 28, 2021, 10:37:12 PM
GSO, I applaud you. I don't know how you can do that sort of work...I would be a mess.
I started out in nuclear engineering and switched to psychology. Sometimes at 4 am on a rough night I wonder, "What the hell was I thinking?!"
I admire your career and financial acumen.
Quote from: Cassia on April 28, 2021, 10:13:29 PM
Truthfully I liked pure engineering much better than management. It was more difficult to motivate a team than I thought it would be.
I know what you mean. Some of us are geared to be happier at the production end of things. It's where stuff happens. Where things get done, and where the output is. Management always pays better, but it is not where the fun is. Unless, you find some kind of joy in management. I've been at both levels. There were certainly things I liked a lot about management, but I always had the feeling that I wasn't really doing as much as I could be doing. It's the guys that write the codes, and run the machine that makes the widgets is where things are getting done. I feel like I'm just better at that sort of thing. Better? Maybe not, just happier.
After high school:
20 years USN
14 years at Purdue. (Thank you, tax payers.)
25 years consulting for the Naval History and Heritage Command, The Marine Corps' Center of Military History, The US Army Center of Military History, and Hyperwar. (Overlapping somewhat with Purdue.)
Thought I'd take a break after that. So now I do fuck all.