Topic: What do you do for a living?

[Nick DiMola]

I've been curious to know what everyone here does for a living (or what they are going to school for)? Be as broad or specific as you like. I'll start.

I am a programmer for the SUNY system in New York state. I am one of 4 programmers who write the human resources applications that many of the individual campuses use to manage their staff. We provide these applications as Java web apps.

[Caliban]

Living at my dad's house, well legally it's mine but he pays the bills for now, and I am studying for a "Mechanical Technician - CNC" diploma.

[DAaaMan64]

I am a web developer out of Spokane Washington working on finishing prerequisites for DigiPen.  I have a degree in Web Development and am pretty good in several languages.  I currently work for a company called CBSI and develop their website.  Pays well and is easy.

  I have extra time on my hands as of now and would be happy to help with the site if someone wanted some help.

[NWR_pap64]

I am actually a professional homeless guy. I go around collecting garbage, looking for food, I throw crazy tantrums  to scare the crap out of people and if I'm lucky I ride the nice police car!

In all seriousness, I was studying to become an elementary school teacher. I finished my practical last December, will graduate in June and right now I am looking for a job. Sadly, no luck . Plus I pretty much have to wait a year till I can work in the schools.

So at the moment, I am unemployed .

[NinGurl69 *huggles]

I'm a Water Resources Engineer for the California Department of Water Resources.

I study the hydraulics of the rivers, levees, and flood control structures in the Sacramento region; and draw maps.  We examine deficiencies in our various flood projects and design maintenance work (rebuild levees; or remove dirt that clog up rivers) to ensure Gov. Arnold's carpet stays dry.

Since I can't play video games at work, I come here to angst all day.

Today is pay day.  AWW HELL YAH

[bustin98]

I am a web designer/ web master / VP. I manage our server as well as custom build websites and applications. Mostly in PHP with MySQL, though sometimes ASP. Flash is used, too. I did not go to school for what I do and for that I am glad.

[Plugabugz]

I'm studying for a degree in business studies.

I work in a recruitment company the rest of the time, dealing with job applications and telephone interviews.

[ShyGuy]

I'm a professional flunky for a small computer place in Spokane. I do a lot of contract work. I used to do web design but the market has squeezed out the little guys.

I also do contract killing, but that's more of a hobby.

[UltimatePartyBear]

I'm a programmer working for a small company that sells software designed for the electrical distribution industry.

[oohhboy]

Come to New Zealand Pap64. We are busting to get teachers. Unfortunately even under such conditions, we still don't pay that much 

I am training to be a pilot. I am a flight test away from getting my private license and about a year away from my commercial/ATPL license. My dream job would be flying for Cathay Pacific. They have some really Hawt flight attendants. I plan to take two with me after every flight for err.. relaxation. Yeah, relaxxx....

[Ian Sane]

I'm a programmer.  Over the years I've discovered I really don't like programming or working with computers anymore but I have no plans to start my career over.  Why?  Because I hate school even more.  I've gotten very used to years of no tests and no homework.  I may not like my job that much but I'll deal with 40 hours of hell a week to have complete freedom the rest of the time.  And I do like pretty much everything about where I work EXCEPT for the work itself.  Go figure.

Deep down though I suspect I just don't like working for a living in general.  But that's life and I'll live with it and earn my own way but I've never had a job I've enjoyed in any way and have never liked school.  Odds are it wouldn't matter what I was doing for a living, the stuff I'm FORCED to do will always suck and the stuff I choose to do won't.

[Ceric]

I'm officially a Database Analyst but, in all actuallity I do support on all the products of the Nashville Branch of my company.  Fortunately I am a programmer but my job consistenltly takes me out of my comfort area, most of my experience is not originally web based, and I'm routinely asked to jump into the middle of something where they have kept me totally out of the loop and perform like I was totally in the know the whole time.  Even though they know they will be giving the work to me.  On top of that they take away things that I did all the leg work for and assign to someone who is less qualified to work on it but higher ranking.  My department is the least respected department but, the only reason the company is not bankrupt.

[NuclearSpeed]

I currently work in retail and in my final year at school, graduating in December, for a degree in Computer Science with a focus on Software Engineering.

[ShyGuy]

Ceric, I think you need to request a raise/promotion.

[DAaaMan64]

I'm officially a Database Analyst but, in all actuallity I do support on all the products of the Nashville Branch of my company.  Fortunately I am a programmer but my job consistenltly takes me out of my comfort area, most of my experience is not originally web based, and I'm routinely asked to jump into the middle of something where they have kept me totally out of the loop and perform like I was totally in the know the whole time.  Even though they know they will be giving the work to me.  On top of that they take away things that I did all the leg work for and assign to someone who is less qualified to work on it but higher ranking.  My department is the least respected department but, the only reason the company is not bankrupt.

That is going to be quite the work experience when you don't have to work there anymore.

[Ceric]

Ceric, I think you need to request a raise/promotion.

I probably will but everyone is only reviewed for that in July.  Plus to make things more difficult the boss that will be giving the review for that rarely interacts with me (Too busy and abstracted far away from what I do.)

That is going to be quite the work experience when you don't have to work there anymore.

Yes it will be.
I'm going to try to get my certs and experience.  Once I have enough I'll probably move on if things don't start making good sense.

For the record I have the utmost respect for all the people in my department and there knowledge of there respected areas are impeccable.

I guess I should say that I work in Asp - ASP .Net 2.0 Framework using VB (we would all love to us C#) when not in the database.

Sorry I brought the thread down work is frustrating at times.

[DAaaMan64]

Understandable Ceric. 

I hate .net languages, so frustrating and complicated.  I do a much better job with the open source and the simpler scripting languages. 

I am sure there are plenty out there that feel the complete opposite though

[Caliban]

I'm surprised at the number of people that are involved with computer programming.

[Ceric]

I'm not to much.  On a side note I think .Net is getting less confusing.

[DAaaMan64]

I'm not to much.  On a side note I think .Net is getting less confusing.

Thats good to here. So SICK of error messages and .NET

[EasyCure]

This thread makes me feel inadequate with my "career" and academic achievements, or lack there of

[Athrun Zala]

Computer Engineering student... probably will start working this year, and finish my English studies, at last...

I'm not to much.  On a side note I think .Net is getting less confusing.

sorta... getting better, but being windows only kinda kills it (as great as mono is, it will always be behind)... I really like C# though.

[decoyman]

Many of you probably know this already, but I'm a graphic designer. My specialty is print (brochures, newspaper, magazine ads, displays, promo materials like magnets and bags and shirts, etc.), but I was hired at my old University about 7 months ago as their Multimedia Designer, meaning I do pretty much whatever they need done, design-wise, including the Web site, video, photography, and marketing strategy/tracking.

I've been trying to improve at Web work - flash, dreamweaver, content management systems, ... - since I'm technically the Webmaster of our site. It's not as hard as it seems though, especially at a large organization like a University, since there are lots of other people who can help me out if I don't know how to do something.

I knew I was in the right field when, in school, I could go into the graphics lab on a Saturday morning, work there all day, and routinely get so involved in whatever I was doing that I'd forget to eat. I still feel that way, mostly, though I've been feeling a pull to do something else, something drastically different... but I'm not sure what it is. I very nearly signed up for the Peace Corps a month or two ago. So, if I ever disappear from the boards suddenly, maybe it's because I'm teaching English in francophone West Africa:P

[ShyGuy]

Almost everyone here is in a technology field except for the teacher and the pilot. We're a buncha nerds.

[EasyCure]

he-he now i feel better cuz im not a nerd

dead-end job having college drop-out ftw!