Interesting non- desk jobs

[DyerWolf]

After three + unfulfilling years in a desk job, I'm looking for something to do that will utilize my strengths and give me a little professional satisfaction...

I also thought I'd reach out to the community for suggestions.*

Strengths: I am an excellent leader, mentor, coach and problem solver. My happiest times working were when I was in the field with my Marines, working hard and developing my NCOs. I'm looking for a civilian job that might utilize some of thos skills. I really enjoy working with people doing hard work, leading the team in a way that maximizes each team member's strengths, and training supervisers in leadership skills.

I like to be outdoors, physical, and find working in isolation in an office to be debilitatingly mind-numbing. I think the perfect job would be one that is 50% physical, and 50% mental - and where I can apply my strengths.

So I'd appreciate any and everyone's thoughts - to help me find something fulfilling and meaningful to do as a profession.


Thanks in advance!






*(I know I've posted similar threads voicing my displeasure with desk-jobs; but I'm now moving in a different direction...)

[teddyv]

After three + unfulfilling years in a desk job, I'm looking for something to do that will utilize my strengths and give me a little professional satisfaction...

I also thought I'd reach out to the community for suggestions.*

Strengths: I am an excellent leader, mentor, coach and problem solver. My happiest times working were when I was in the field with my Marines, working hard and developing my NCOs. I'm looking for a civilian job that might utilize some of thos skills. I really enjoy working with people doing hard work, leading the team in a way that maximizes each team member's strengths, and training supervisers in leadership skills.

I like to be outdoors, physical, and find working in isolation in an office to be debilitatingly mind-numbing. I think the perfect job would be one that is 50% physical, and 50% mental - and where I can apply my strengths.

So I'd appreciate any and everyone's thoughts - to help me find something fulfilling and meaningful to do as a profession.


Thanks in advance!





*(I know I've posted similar threads voicing my displeasure with desk-jobs; but I'm now moving in a different direction...)

Project manager in the exploration business?

[Trebuchet]

Some sort of field service job, perhaps? I've always found troubleshooting complex equipment mentally challenging and enjoyable.

[What Max]

Try working at a mine. Uranium, nickel, etc. Most of the time its 50% desk work 50% field work. One to two weeks are spent at the mine, then one to two weeks vacation in your home town (you are flown back and forth).

[Fazor]

After three + unfulfilling years in a desk job, I'm looking for something to do that will utilize my strengths and give me a little professional satisfaction...


I've been struggling with the exact same problem...except I don't have many strengths... and even fewer when it comes to any kind of physical non-desk jobs.

[ginnie]

Maybe working at a National Park?

[Kaptain K]

Maybe working at a National Park?

The waiting list is years long!

[Musashi]

The Trades (Electrical, Plumbing, etc. both union and non-union) seem to offer some of what you are looking for. Especially as you move up to the higher levels. You will work with many interesting people. The work is physical but also takes some brain power. Leadership and problem solving are also very important. Once you are established and experienced, you will be able to have your own cadre of trainees (apprentices).

[sarongsong]

The waiting list [for working in a National Park] is years long!Government positions, perhaps, but not for concessionaire positions.

[mugaliens]

You could work as an instructor for Blackwater...

[Delvo]

I don't know about being a Park Ranger at a National Park, but one can also get the equivalent job in lower-level governments, or be a Forest Ranger (less guest/customer relations, more firefighting & fire prevention) at the Federal level or lower. There's no "waiting list" in most of these. From what I've seen, none of these require more than a high school education to get hired; the rest of the training is done on the job. One thing that varies widely between one position and another is how much of a law enforcement component there is. I've seen one position which required First Aid certification before the first day on the job, but even that allowed for the certification to be obtained after the date of application. Some Ranger positions are seasonal, especially in areas with much of a winter, but in most of the southern USA, most or all Ranger positions are year-round.

There are also year-round wildland firefighting crews called "Hot Shot" crews, who have none of the other duties of a Ranger and spend all of their job time either fighting fires or training & practicing for it. There's no college degree requirement, but they might have additional hiring restrictions, such as that you've been a Ranger for a certain amount of time or been wildland fire certified already, or can pass certain tests of physical/athletic ability.

However, none of these jobs put a new guy in a "leadership" role at the start. There's teamwork galore, but if you want to start off in a leadership role instead of starting lower and working up, you'd pretty much need to work for, or start, a "consulting" business. And that wouldn't put you outside or have you doing physically rigorous work very often; it's essentially another kind of office job in which you go to a lot of other people's offices instead of going to your own all of the time.

[novaderrik]

what you are looking for is known as a "low payed entry level worker bee"- also known as "the guy who must have screwed everything up, since the people in the office are smart enough to have office jobs".
like my current and previous jobs- i built trusses for house for 9 years- it's more like 3/4 physical, but there was a lot of mental stuff you had to deal with trying to get the precut wooden pieces to properly fit together and make one huge triangle with several triangles inside it- it's all about the triangle. the average temp in the shop was around 110 in the summer months, and about 40 degrees in the winter.
my current job is a CNC laser operator- i use a forklift to put 5 foot by 10 foot sheets of steel and stainless steel in varying thicknesses from 22 gauge up to 3/4" into a CNC controlled laser, fix the programs that are given to me by the geniuses in the office that get paid big $$$ to sit in air conditioned comfort and copy/paste the pre-configured programs together but somehow manage to screw that up more than they get it right, keep the laser calibrated and aligned so it cuts properly, and then manhandle finished pieces that can weigh from less than an ounce to well over 100 pounds off the bed after they get cut.. and it's hot in there- i saw 100 degrees today in a cooler area of the shop.

[GeorgeLeRoyTirebiter]

While I don't have any specific suggestions (I've never held that kind of job), this song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW_sQgeSdmg) might give you some ideas.

[Rue]

Start a private security firm. The one's I know of are run by ex-Army and I'm sure ex-Marine can do better...right?

[captain swoop]

Join the Marines?

[Delvo]

Join the Marines?I once gave serious consideration to the Coast Guard. There is a defense role during a major war, but when American ground isn't threatened, their work is a combination of police, public safety, and technical assistance to researchers. And they never get deployed to the hellholes of the world. One drawback to me was that you apparently can't spend your career at one particular base or station or whatever they're called, and live in that area permanently; you're subject to reassignment and relocation every few years.

[BigDon]

High school football coach?

you would probably excell at that.

[Whirlpool]

Strengths: I am an excellent leader, mentor, coach and problem solver.

Counselor?

:think:

[Neverfly]

Counselor?

:think:

This is a frustrating job.
Yet can also be very rewarding.

I wouldn't mind doing it myself.

[Whirlpool]

This is a frustrating job.
Yet can also be very rewarding.

I wouldn't mind doing it myself.

Yep.

Dyerwolf,

Maybe start a Training Camp for Youths.

:think:

[Neverfly]

Yep.

Dyerwolf,

Maybe a start a Training Camp for Youths.

:think:

Oh Hey- one of those "Marine" Boot camps for Juvie Delinquents. That can be tons of fun:D

[Hydro]

The Trades (Electrical, Plumbing, etc. both union and non-union) seem to offer some of what you are looking for. Especially as you move up to the higher levels. You will work with many interesting people. The work is physical but also takes some brain power. Leadership and problem solving are also very important. Once you are established and experienced, you will be able to have your own cadre of trainees (apprentices).

I'll second this. Some of my happiest days was working as an industrial electrician at various power plants around the Central Texas region.

I assure you that if you have to tote a 10' joint of 4" rigid electrical conduit up a 15º inclined conveyor belt that stretched several hundred feet to the top in the 100º heat, you will gets all the physical activity you need.

Wire pulling can be fun too. I had to once make a pull of about a 1,000 ft. of 3/conductor 750 MCM cable (about as big around as a softball) using nothing but the manpower of about 20 workers. My hands and arms ached for days.
Coordinating the event was a challenge.

Industrial control electrician was the next step, and that required much more brainpower. Troubleshooting problems without sending hundreds of workers scurrying for the exits was fun and challenging! :lol:

I started my 'career' as a roughneck working on a couple of land based drilling rigs around Cen Tex. I quickly found derrickman was the job to have, and I stayed on for a couple years until something better came up. I would not recommend this profession, however. I escaped with all of my fingers, but many do not. Hot, dangerous, extremely physical and dirty work. I also have bad, bad memories of being up in the derrick during thunderstorms with no place to go.

Working those jobs in my younger years makes me appreciate my 'desk' job now, let me tell you.

[Kaptain K]

High school football coach?

you would probably excell at that.

Or track and field?

[captain swoop]

How abou NDT? (Non destructive testing?)

I have a friend who tests and checks welds and castings etc on industrial plant. He is working on a shutdown and refurb on a refinery at the moment. He gets all over the country and gets to play with some cool gear, Ultrasonics, Radiation Sources, Xray machines etc.

[BigDon]

How abou NDT? (Non destructive testing?)

I have a friend who tests and checks welds and castings etc on industrial plant. He is working on a shutdown and refurb on a refinery at the moment. He gets all over the country and gets to play with some cool gear, Ultrasonics, Radiation Sources, Xray machines etc.

Time domain reflectometers?