Job Search

[adsm08 3,134]

So I am looking around at what's available for a new job. I don't think I'm on my way to being fired or anything, but my joints, and my doctors, and my wife all keep telling me it's time to look at a career change.

 

I've been in auto tech for nearly 20 years, was in IT for a short time before that, have a bachelor's in business management, but it looks like everything around me that pays anywhere close to my minimum needed annual just sucks. Or it's a government job, which probably will also suck.

 

 

I'd like to still be doing problem solving, but I'd really like to do something where it feels like I'm doing more to help people than I do in my current position. I just can't keep up with all the bending and twisting and what not, and the promises I was made when my current employer bought out my previous employer are coming up fast on the deadline I had in mind, with no apparent motion toward the goal of getting me off the shop floor.

 

Anyone have any ideas, aside from just browsing job listings a few times a week?

[ebinmaine 72,316]

I've had a similar train of thought several times over the last few years. 

I like trucking. I like my job. And I'm a Realist. 

Maybe I'll be able to keep it. Maybe not. 

 

 

Does your area have a GOOD quality employment service? 

 

[adsm08 3,134]

9 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Does your area have a GOOD quality employment service? 

 

I have no idea.

 

My personal network is pretty diverse, but many of those individuals are nearing retirement age.

[rmaynard 16,287]

PM sent

[Sparky-(Admin) 23,103]

  Are you at a new car dealership? Maybe the parts department? 
  I get that it’s tough to change careers. Construction electrician for 24 years and it was starting to beat up my knees and back. Was doing jobs at a military facility for my last 8 years but thru a defense contractor, not directly for the military. The defense contractor approached me about being a project manager for them. I jumped at it and in my first week I was hiring my old electrical company to work for me. Kinda cool how it played out. So not a govt job, but close, and much better money to boot. 
  Been doing it for almost 15 years now, physically it’s easy and I’ll have no problem working this one till I retire 

  Good luck in your search! 

[lynnmor 7,781]

For years I told every young person that asks about employment to get a government job.  I meant any job, it doesn't matter because you will be way ahead of stupid schmucks like me that will work three times harder for three times longer.

[WHX?? 51,683]

2 hours ago, adsm08 said:

getting me off the shop floor

Probably never will happen as scarce as decent auto mechanics are these days. Plus they could move to a service advisor but those positions probably don't pay for squat. No idea what a parts manager makes. My experience in the auto industry if anyone can do it it' it don't pay well. 

[mrc 930]

hi adsm08,

 

i'm with lynnmor,

 

  govt job is the way to go.   

 

  any chance you  could open your own car repair place?  or do it on the side for extra money?

 

good luck

mike

[JoeM 8,271]

Just a couple things come to mind. 

Don't discard any opportunity thinking it will not work. (the old leave no stone un-turned).

Years ago i scoured three counties looking for work. A friend knew I was looking and stopped here one day. He had a tiny new paper clipping for a place 3 miles down the road that wanted someone. I pretty much seen those before and always a dead end. But anyway, I sent in a letter to the address. 6 months later some person called me and wanted to talk about a job. I met with him and spent a pretty good 8 years there. All from that tiny clipping. That job led met to other opportunities down the road and it ended up nice. 

Might want to talk to the people you work for (again) and let them know. It is really tough to find warm bodies now let alone a person that has the skills and training in hand. 

Around here government jobs very so much. Some have tons of benefits low pay etc. The good paying ones are in the prison system and most all that work there hated it. But they say the money is good. Out your way there should be better choices. 

[Treepep 678]

 

 

I habitually get tired of what I am doing about every 3-4 years.  I think that is why we horse around.  A different challenge the royal "we" can figure out.  Dad said find something you love or Military. 

 

Not going into the military is a small regret.  Something I loved was horticulture.  I am quite knowledgeable.  It doesn't pay much anywhere in the states. I worked at fancy golf courses, Became a landscape designer,  became an Arborist. (school and certifications)

 

I staged late in life and have been a professional chef since 2016.  Painful and difficult transition.  Working for free is stressful. 

 

Government... sure no brainier.  I am in shape and will never sit at a desk.   

 

I.T.  if you can stomach it or here specifically Fiber optic biz.

 

Best of luck!

[ri702bill 9,326]

Given any thought to teaching at a Voc-Tech or Community College??

My son has a customer that retired as a Master Plumber..... He now has an Assistant Professor job teaching plumbing at a local Vocational College.

[squonk 43,689]

I was in the exact same boat. You have IT experience. Like problem solving. You have some HVAC experience (Auto) as well. I know companies like Trane, Daikin, Siemens, Day Automation and Johnson Controls are always looking for controls techs.

 

I am an in house controls guy part time at a hospital. I deal with these folks all the time. Quite often when we have an big issue, We have to wait until one of there guys gets freed up.

[Beap52 1,382]

11 hours ago, JoeM said:

Just a couple things come to mind. 

Don't discard any opportunity thinking it will not work. (the old leave no stone un-turned).

Years ago i scoured three counties looking for work. A friend knew I was looking and stopped here one day. He had a tiny new paper clipping for a place 3 miles down the road that wanted someone. I pretty much seen those before and always a dead end. But anyway, I sent in a letter to the address. 6 months later some person called me and wanted to talk about a job. I met with him and spent a pretty good 8 years there. All from that tiny clipping. That job led met to other opportunities down the road and it ended up nice. 

Might want to talk to the people you work for (again) and let them know. It is really tough to find warm bodies now let alone a person that has the skills and training in hand. 

Around here government jobs very so much. Some have tons of benefits low pay etc. The good paying ones are in the prison system and most all that work there hated it. But they say the money is good. Out your way there should be better choices. 

I agree with highlighted above.  Your knowledge behind the sales counter or some other part of the company is invaluable.  Someone about to retire?--Maybe you could work a few months awaiting for a position to open. 

 

 Best thing we did was be debt free at age 35.  That sure opened up a lot of avenues that otherwise would have tied me to the old grindstone of work.  We lived modestly, wife took all of her bonuses and applied to house payment that greatly reduced our payment period.  So far, we don't buy if we don't have cash. 

[wallfish 18,033]

21 hours ago, adsm08 said:

have a bachelor's in business management

Anyone have any ideas, aside from just browsing job listings a few times a week?

Buy an existing and operating business. Consider owning your own shop and now you make all of the decisions. Startups take a lot more time to get going with nothing coming in and hemorrhaging money out. But purchasing the right existing business means the phone is ringing on day one. It doesn't happen overnight so poke around for something and expect maybe 6 months to 18 months to close the deal.

You can find plenty of information, help and guidance through the local Chamber of Commerce, the SBA and through an organization known as SCORE https://www.score.org/  

Some people look at owning a business as "risky" but I believe leaving all of the decisions which affect your life is much more risky. Yes it's hard work and long hours but at least you are working for your dream and not for someone else's dream.

There are many business brokers out there and people retiring selling their businesses directly.

It's not rocket surgery operating a small business but it's always good to know what you're getting into before you start.

 

Even a "government job" isn't safe anymore. Just read the news!

[adsm08 3,134]

Government jobs in PA are not as good as they used to be. The state nixed a lot of it's better benefits pre-Covid and doesn't pay very well. I haven't ruled them out, but most are not really what I am looking for.

 

I would like to own my own shop, and I keep an eye out for ones going up for sale, but so far I have only found detail shops up for sale. I also already take in as much side work as I can, but I don't generate the volume I need to transition off full-time work at the dealership, and I have to be very careful with zoning issues as I'm in a residential area.

 

I have also looked into the instructor positions. I like that idea because I enjoy teaching my trade and have had a number of apprentices over the years. Most went on to become successful techs, one just settled an insurance lawsuit for $500K and is in semi-retirement. Unfortunately there are only two places around me with auto tech programs where I don't get 3 hours tied up in commuting every day, and so instructor positions can be hard to get. I should submit a resume to those places just to do it.

 

I have also been looking for advisor positions. I know I can handle the desk because I have to do all that when I'm running my own one-man shop. We don't have any impending openings on the service desk that I am aware of (we have two other shops next town over from my location, I don't know what their upcoming staffing looks like), but I have been putting the word out to guys I know in other places to let me know if they hear something is about to come open.

 

I've even been considering looking at bank teller positions. I know it isn't glamorous, but I think I could stomach it for a few years while re-doing a lot of my expired IT credentials.

[ebinmaine 72,316]

On 7/9/2025 at 7:12 PM, adsm08 said:

my joints, and my doctors, and my wife all keep telling me it's time to look at a career change

 

I haven't seen this mentioned yet so I'm gonna throw out some unsolicited advice. 

As someone who has always worked a physical job I wish I'd taken better care of my physical health. 

 

The human form was evolutionarily developed between 300,000 and 100,000 years ago. Our physical nature has not been made to reach overhead for long periods. 

 

GET PHYSICAL THERAPY. 

 

Now. Today. Make the appointment.

 

Start the process and KEEP doing it.

 

If you're already in PT then STAY the course. 

 

Success physical therapy takes 6 to 10 weeks of actual work done correctly to create the hypertrophy needed for healing.  That's the STARTING point. 

 

The time for this broken health care system to normalize preemptive care is long long overdue and it'll likely never happen. Take it upon yourself. 

 

Stretching statistically does not work for several reasons. 

 

PT movement however is far more effective in daily activities.  

 

Improvement in overall health will take time.  Think of it as rust and corrosion. It took us years to get where we are. It'll take years to get back. And that's OK.  

 

 

No matter what the job future holds for you - movement and proper physical health will be paramount as you age.  

[rjg854 12,150]

4 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

I haven't seen this mentioned yet so I'm gonna throw out some unsolicited advice.

 

Now back to your regular programing   

[adsm08 3,134]

We took a bit of a day trip yesterday. There was a family lunch gathering out near Bedford for my great aunt's 98th birthday. The kids chose to ride out with my dad, so the wife and I had the trip to ourselves. She was looking at job postings for me while I was driving and found on just posted on the 10th that looks interesting.

 

The Milton Hershey School is looking for a high-school level auto tech instructor. I don't have any teaching degree/certificate, however Pennsylvania has a special set of rules set up to allow someone like me, who has so many years in a trade, to begin teaching it at the high school/vo-tech level without teaching certs. I think I'm gonna look into this one.