In telecom, we are constantly looking down the barrell of a lay-off. Being a man that's not scared of hard work, or sales- there are two jobs that I'd try to get the same day I get the layoff packet.

Oil Rig Worker

Car Salesman

Those are two gigs I know you can make some very decent loot in, if you apply yourself. My classmates father was making $80,000.00 a year back in the 80's working offshore. A couple guys back home have been doign it for decades- 30 days on, 30 days off. Drilling all over the planet. Then, another guy I knew went out there- was on the rig 48 hours, couldn't hang, and they had to bring him back- so, I know it must not be something anybody can do.

I have a friend now (who's in Iraq- National guard) but, he was pulling 6-figures working off shore before he got called up. I also knew two 6-figure salesmen (and one woman) at Trophy Nissan in Mesquite, TX. So, those would be my first looks for a career change. I usually know more about the cars than the salesmen do anyway, and I'm good (OK, excellent) at face-to-face sales.

Does anyone have experience in those fields on this site? If you do- what kind of salary could one expect as a starting salary in either field? If I'm selling cars, I definitely want to go commissioned sales, rather than flat salary.

 

I did car sales for a while. Sell used, more money to be had. It's a bear of a business, never known a salary car salesman, usually it's draw against commission. My experience was mid-1990s - was turning about $36,000. More money to be had once you get a network producing referrals and get some people back for another ride. Long hours (5 - 13 hour days) and you lose your day off for deliveries and stuff.

Good luck either way, I suspect it's 30 - 12 hour days on a rig, but that 30 off sounds nice.

 

Longshoremen make decent money too but you think you’re going to walk into a job with a high rate of pay (compared to the education level required) without someone inside getting you get in? Hard to do.

I also remember hearing about a crew working on an offshore rig and they were only making something like $16.00 an hour, not good.

As for car sales it’s like a lot of sales, 20% of the people probably make 70% of the money. So if you are a very good sales person you should do well but a lot of them don’t make much. Most of the sales mangers do pretty well.

I thought you had some advanced training or a degree already? Are you trying to switch fields? You should consider getting more education in a field with good growth potential. It would likely be more stable than selling iron or manual labor like an oil rig position.

 

Hey Doc. Yeah, I should have my MBA in the next 18-24 months. I had to break it down to one course per semester. Accounting is not a strong suit- and I had 12 hours of Pre-requisites just to START the MBA.

I'll have my Project Managment Certification in August, and I hope the PMI: Project Management Professional Certification before Thanksgiving. The MBA, PMC, and PMP should ensure I never have to go into "entry-level" positions ever again.

I just like to plan ahead. If the job goes before the 18 months, so does the money for school, so I was just thinking (writing) out loud about some good-paying Plan B's in a career change (something more stable than telecom- which seems to be out-sourcing it's soul to India, Brazil, and the Phillippines.

Yeah, the thing about telecom is, when one lays off- it seems like they all have the doors shut... Most of my folks that got RIF'd back in 2004 finally got other jobs (AT&T, SBC ~ which are the same company now), but others lost everything- house, car, etc.. and had to change careers. Many with no degree, and only telecom experience.

Back in 2000, a CCNA could net $35 - $45,000 a year right out the gate. CCNP was $60 - $80,000. There was a group of high school kids in Allen, TX called "The Cisco Kids" who took cisco training in high school, and got their Cisco Certifications- CCNA, CCNP. Some graduated, and went on to IT jobs at age 18, making more $ than their parents.

Today, a CCNP will only get you about $50,000- and, that's with an internal referral- and, you beter have VoIP certification as well.

 

Good for you Hersh! Sounds like you just need something to tide you over until you can start a better career that you are preparing for now.

 

I understand you concerns with telecom as I was in that industry for almost a decade. Built sites all over the west. But it was lean between builds and expansions.


With the courses you are taking I would go with the sales, working the rigs you woukd be looking for a change of career again by the time you hit 40 and up.

 

Oh, OK..
I better not mess with that then. 40 is getting really big in my windshield right now...

 

I just turned 22 years old and have been working on a 'land' oil drilling rig since i was 20. The pay is good, especially for someone my age and the work is exciting, but it's not for everybody. Some people can hang with it, some cant. Im a derrickman now and people can say whatever they want, i love what i do. Nothing like being right next to a moving mass of 200k lbs. plus going up and down around 30-40 mph. also, at about 85 feet about the floor.
It has its ups and downs, on land i work 7 days on, then 7 off. So, making 85k y/r for half a years work is pretty good. If you do decide to go this route, remember it takes a certain kind of person to do this work - 84 hrs. a week. Extreme heat in the summer, very cold in winter. But most ppl that do this work is for the passion they have for drilling! i know i do

 

Worked in the oil fields as a Geologist in the early 80's right out of college. I made decent cash, but you were working day and night with very little time off.

Eventually, I was laid off in the economic crisis of 82. Being in the oil fields, it was hard to find work afterwards, so I turned wrenches for a while, before geeting into the Environmental field.

It was a great experiance, but not for a married man, your never home.

 

i have known a couple off shore rig workers. they worked on a land pipeline with me for awhile. first thing they said was they both got divorced working the rig. second thing they said was they were glad to get out without injury. third thing yeah they miss the excitement which is another way of saying you could get hurt maimed or killed at anytime. long hours, hard work, decent pay.
they were looked at differently by most. different outlook on life i guess.
sounded like it would be fun for someone young. older fella would want to be up a little in the food chain i think.