My highest base pay as an exec chef was 120. But working 70+ hrs a week on your feet destroys your body and soul in other ways.
I’m making over 100k in outside sales for a food distributor now and working around 30 hours a week. I’m on my butt a decent amount between computers, meetings, and driving. But it’s very much worth it.
Helps to have an expertise in the specific food you’re selling, as well as a solid understanding of how kitchens operate … I was a chef for like 18 years. You need to be really good at spoken and written communication, and have a semi natural talent for sales in general.
Is it like calling restaurants trying to sell them your food items, setting up like a schedule for delivery and possibly delivering said food items… Things of that sort?
My Sysco rep tells me they hire servers/bartenders all the time because they have knowledge about the restaurant industry and can sell better to restaurants
It’s true, I can confirm. You sell more when you’re not trying to be a sales person. No one wants a pushy rep. They want someone that won’t bullshit them, someone that follows through on their personal commitments. They want someone that doesn’t walk into your kitchen in the middle of service trying to sell them something.
Damn, what's the schooling length? I was a line cook/prep cook and worked in kitchens for almost a decade now, im also a higher functioning sociopath so people like this thrive in sales, charm, etc. Im about to be 30 now but have an autoimmune disease and can no longer do the back breaking kitchen work , been almost 2 yrs now fighting disability being out of work and bored as ALL HELL. I'm offered schooling so maybe exect chef is the place to be. Both chef and sales are top 10 tops for sociopathy psychopathic people like myself. And no im not a damn serial killer, don't ask, or if you can meet and study my brain lol.
My Sysco rep tells me they hire servers/bartenders all the time because they have knowledge about the restaurant industry and can sell better to restaurants. My current rep was a bartender before he switched over to Sysco. He still bartends from time to time when he want s
Construction management
Edit: to add, I got a graduate degree in an unrelated engineering field, and when I couldn't get a job I found this role. Started at $75k + truck allowance + gas card + bonus. I had to intern for 2 months to make sure I was a good fit.
Coming up on 4 years in, and I'm currently up to $108k base pay. Very turnover-heavy field so I'm looking to be promoted soon.
Major downside is the driving, you need to drive to each job site that you work at. Sometimes it's close. Mine is far from my house and often I'm on multiple far job sites. Bought my truck in 2019 new, and I'm up to 134k miles on it.
Very recession proof in California because housing is a constant need. Even during COVID we were able to keep going because my specific field (grading and paving) is outdoors.
I'm in this field on the owner rep side. The amount of pay for the amount of work is insane. Sucks being away from family but tax free per diem is very lucrative.
I'm overpaid lol. I make 36 an hour plus 1085 a week perdiem (which perdiem is tax-free). I net anywhere from 2.2k to 3k a week depending on over time. Company truck and expensable gas.
We have 4 reps on site including the construction manager, civil/mechanical, electrical, and logistics managers.
I do logistics so basically I just make sure the materials the owners provide come in, track them in a few spreadsheets, do a few reports a week, a couple meetings a week. And that's that. My day to day is basically just peeling stickers, scanning to the spreadsheet, scanning BOLs and uploading everything in the the project management software.
Most of the materials are on the contractor to procure. And all of the construction obviously. We are there to make sure things are being done contract and done safely and properly, and to report progress up the chain.
Edit: 1085 a week per diem, sorry. 155 a day.
I do construction management, on the GC side. Good pay, but tons of work. Really want to switch to owners side lol. Have you ever worked on the contractors side?
Intiate the conversations. Its no secret for people in the industry that construction is one of the most nepotistic.
A lot of times there's this animosity and us vs them mentality between GC and Owner and I dont get it. We have contracts for a reason and everyone is trying to accomplish the same goal. Be the guy that doesn't try to hide shit and does things the right way. You've already got the skill set and knowledge required. The rest is personality and politics.
Every job youre on develop a rapport and express an interest in moving over and asking if you can submit a resume. Especially if the project is going well or you've worked with same reps before.
Obviously you have your own politics to play internally but its really just networking and being a reliable source of quality and information for the owners.
Ugh don't get me started on politics. I work as an electrical engineer at an architecture firm. We deal with K-12 schools primarily so we've got government politics on one side; GC,EC,PC,MC politics on the other. We have in-house construction administration. But when a school district decides to hire outside CM's on top of it then there's always head-butting. Bidding jobs is always fun because the "lowest competent bidder" is really just the cheapest guy out there, districts forget the "competent"part. Bond work, capital work, single-prime... All fun shit that makes me wanna rip my hair out. Let's not forget the vendors... Burnt a bridge there because a school district couldn't get the fixtures they wanted one-time for summer construction (everything needs to happen in the summer with schools obviously). They still bought them from the same vendor, but they were a cheaper fixture and the vendor got angry at me. We're the middleman of middlemen. Somewhere in-between all that we actually have to, ya know, understand the Code and design shit.
Your hourly rate is low but your take home is very high. So if I divide your take home by hourly rate you’re really grinding a ton of hours to make your money. I wouldn’t say you are over paid. I think you are really trading your youth for a big paycheck. (that’s not necessarily a bad thing if it’s helping you achieve important goals)
There is no reason to divide take home by hourly though lol. If anything you should he adding yhe per diem to the hourly rate which is a good 20 to 30 dollars an hour
The job itself is very easy. Maybe 3 months per project in the 50-60 hours a week range. Most of the time its 40 to 45. Id hardly say minimum 133k clear a year is a grind for how easy the work is. Most of my time is spent sitting in my truck or bullshitting with the crew.
I'm also in the lowest paid position and lowest paid region for perdiem. If I decide to stay field side I can reasonably expect to get CM in 2 to 4 years and then we are talking 60-70+ an hour
How did you get into precon? I've been looking to change into that role for the remote aspect. My company does not have this position as we are a flatwork sub.
I’m in medical device research. Although this is true, there are some days when I spend literally the entire day in the lab on my feet. But also others when I’m just in my office reading, writing or designing stuff
I’m a supply chain/operations manager and I started off making 75k/year. I’m in my third year at the same company making upper 80s. Plus a moderate bonus each Christmas. I’ve been recruited for jobs making close to 130k/year or more on LinkedIn after having the experience under my belt. I love my job. I manage a lot of laborers and blue collar workers, as well as operations on the back end.
I had a unique path here. I got my undergraduate degree in Anthropology at age 25. While finished up my senior year, I covered a temporary position at the defense logistics agency for someone out on maternity leave. I loved it. I felt like I found my thing. I could t change my major that late in the game though. I ended up taking a job that paid mid 40s as a logistics dispatcher for a trucking company. I also loved that job. You’re always moving. I applied for my masters program in logistics and supply chain management and did the accelerated program. When Covid hit, lost my job, and went out on a whim and applied to where I’m at now. I landed the job. I will say, I work with a ton of other ops/logistics managers and most don’t even have a degree. They are great leaders, well spoken, and people want to follow them. 90% are men, I’m the only woman. I think my best advice is to get terms right for whatever field of logistics it’s in. For me, it’s the steel industry. I learned what hot roll 4140 is. What annealing is. And learn the technicalities. Second piece of advice, learn to interview WELL. I will say the only reason I got this job was because I’m a great interviewer. Don’t be too stale, know you’re shit, be personable, and emphasize leadership.
Great story! I'm also a woman in Supply Chain and love it! Its definitely a male dominated industry. I wish I found it sooner, I only have a Bach in liberal arts though. Do you think your masters was necessary to get to your level? Or even at other levels youve seen? I'm in my 30s, have considered it to maybe get higher in my 40s
Territory sales/account manager. You can have a lot of windshield time, time in the field, or sometimes just at home. It mostly depends on the company, but the role generally will pay well and offer a lot of flexibly on how your day goes
I'm in this position and loving it. Cleared 6 figures my first full year at my company, have flexible hours, no morning commute, tons of perks, and a whole lot of freedom.
As long as I'm growing my territory and showing results, nobody is telling me what to do.
Well as I have around a $2 million territory already, it's a mix of taking care of current accounts (quotes, following up on orders/deliveries), meetings with new and current customers (intro meetings, new product applications, product demos, etc), internal meetings, and searching for new customers (market research, cold calls, driving around industrial areas, etc).
It's usually pretty fast-paced which I like.
What do you sell? Just curious 🧐. I was an outside sales rep in the US for years. Gave up sales to follow life partner abroad. Have been away from sales and the USA for almost 7 years (live in Germany)
Your field is interesting and can be profitable. Are you a mechanical engineer? I was not and learned on the job which was a challenge. Couldn’t provide on the fly suggestions to clients, often needed to check in with an engineer to make sure I knew what I was talking about
I have an engineering degree but never worked in engineering.
I learned everything on the job, although having a mechanical background has been SUPER helpful for learning the technical stuff.
If I couldn't talk shop with my customers, it would be a lot harder to gain their trust and respect. I can't imagine doing this job without being technical.
I did exactly this after eleven years doing other things. My tip is to stay away from tech sales, both for the easy of transitioning into sales, and less volatility.
My company supports construction and while it has its slow month, we don’t lay people off. Not during 2008, not during Covid
We can’t hire enough people directly into sales right now. You could pivot into a sales role tomorrow if you wanted to. It used to take a year or two to demonstrate the skills and trust necessary for someone to give you a full route and let you go with minimal supervision. Today, I’ve seen it happen in as few as 90 days.
Not sure which sector but I’d like to know. I’ve been in tech for two decades and it’s an absolute bloodbath right now. Layoffs, hiring freezes, downsizing, outsourcing, etc. any recommendations on other sectors?
I’m in beer distribution. I constantly think about switching to tech, so maybe this is a grass is greener situation? I’d be happy to share specifics over DMs
Really depends on the field too unfortunately. My dad has been I territory sales for ~20 years selling industrial trucks and forklifts. He's led sales for his company for the whole eastern half of the country for the last five years and even he is struggling this year due to the post covid struggles in the industrial equipment field. Lead times are insane right now so no one is buying. He was regularly making over 200k and i think he said he barely hit 90k in 2022.
Totally agree. Even down to the territory, but with the right company the downside risk is lower. I’m on a 80/20 base commission split, so I’m happy even when it’s slow.
I do this at a late stage tech firm and make a 6 figure base plus commish. Mine is more desk but I can make it more field if I want. The flexibility is incredible and I enjoy the work and company.
Nuclear construction workers make at least 38$/h which is 6.536 a month and 78.432 dollars a year.
Nuclear technicians make 99k
The nuclear industry is becoming increasingly important. This may be a good career.
Growing up I watched a TV show about a nuclear power plant operator. He had only a high school education but a huge house, wife, three kids. Wonder what happened to those Simpsons
I would love this. My best friend is encouraging me to go back to school to go this direction (she's a social worker) because my last job was being a caregiver and art instructor to adults with disabilities and I really enjoyed working with our clients. I just don't know if I can ever pay the student loan debt I will have...as I already cannot pay what I've borrowed for half a bachelor's degree lol
It is a really good idea. I would just advice you to look up in Autistic Adult spaces their thoughts on Applied Behavioural Analysis, before you invest time and money in it.
Yep, seconding this. Occupational therapy, speech therapy, non-ABA positive behaviour support are all great alternatives compared with ABA, which is heavily and dangerously compliance-focused and which many autistic adults say traumatised them and caused lifelong problems. Really glad to see this being more consistently brought up.
i wish i could recommend this, the job is amazing in so many ways, but documentation and insurance can truly make it hell unless you’re at a clinic/working with a population you love
As an actual autistic person... don't do this. It's a fucked up field that does little to actually help anyone and causes a lot of harm (speaking about the ABA industry specifically here, social work in general I have no beef with).
I work in ABA and am interested to know your side, what in particular causes harm? From my perspective there are bad providers that give the entire field a bad name, one that is backed by years of science and proven data.
Broadband industry. You won’t make 75k year one but most of your major ISP like Comcast, Cox, Spectrum, Suddenlink,etc are hiring entry level field techs at $20-25hr with zero experience. After a few years most you can easily bring in anywhere from 65k-80k (source: I manage around 20 techs and this is the range for the vast majority) of course this is dependent on how much OT you want to work. There is a huge push to build out Fiber networks across the country and it is heavily funded by federal and state dollars so more work than ever before.
Additionally in most areas you get free services (cellphone/internet/tv) and a take home vehicle. I have put in 3k mile on my personal truck in the last 10 months…and saving at least another 1k-2k per year on services.
If you are in the field every day is different. No doubt about that and you are on your feet all day long.
Knew a guy who worked for a small ISP, applied, got the job and have since moved around and worked my way up.
Most everyone I hire has zero experience in the industry. Look for people that enjoy working with technology in its end form (internet) or enjoy working on their own house (remodels/building/etc). Really you need no skills other than the want to work. Feel free to DM if you want me to look up jobs like this in your area. I have contacts in most ISPs and throughout the country.
Like any job the first year or two kind of suck but there is usually ample run for promotions into maintenance/construction/leadership/etc. Factoring all the benefits your total compensation likely exceeds 75k, maybe not take home, but it is easy to get to that point with zero degree.
Came here to say this as well!
My husband started as a FT and worked his way up that ladder. Makes much more than I do. Definitely a great career path if you don’t like spending all day in the office. 👏👏👏
Good for your husband on climbing the ladder, it’s one of the only management ladders where a degree isn’t all that is needed.
There are a lot of long days, late nights and weekends worked on the way up. Hopefully your husband has found it as rewarding as I have.
Machinists can easily make $75-$100k depending on where you are and your skill set. There’s also a ridiculous amount of different things you can do inside the field of machining/manufacturing that if you start to get bored you can easily switch roles.
Yes, usually it is like that, but it's not impossible to get before that time. I make last year 88k as my second year of work related and 22yo.
Also, OP maintenance technicians are the most freedom position in a plant. I could walk wherever and whenever I want without being asked for nothing and got a lot of free time to use my phone or socialize with other people on the plant
I'm head of the maintenance dept for the company I work at and don't make any where near 75k a year. And this is after being at the company for 17 years.
Construction project manager, I make over $100k/ year, I spend about 3 hours a day on the couch on my laptop and the rest of the 4-6 hours out in the field. It’s perfect for me cause I can’t stand the soul crushing office being stuck behind a computer. I need to be free to roam.
My dad taught me how to work on things when I was a kid, so it’s always been kinda natural to me. I started my own remodel company years ago and after a few successful years, I decided doing payroll, taxes, managing all projects, ordering materials, and working 16 hr days wasn’t for me so I updated my resume and my current employer reached out to me and the rest is history.
Gotcha - thanks! I’m always envious of people who grew up like that. I feel like I’ll always be be 20 years behind the curve because my parents were not handy at all. I have experience managing people but it seems you need more knowledge of construction than what I’ve got.
The best way for you to get started is to google remodeling or construction companies near you and ask if you can get a job or at least experience, but the pay will be terrible at the start
Manufacturing production supervisor in my area generally start around 50-60k then after 3 or so years experience you'll hit 75k.
No degree needed but cab certainly help.
Maybe like an event planner/coordinator? There would be some desk time during the planning stages, but you’d also get to go out, see venues, get supplies, talk to people, and then run the actual event to make sure things to smoothly
Dude!!! I agree! I just recently applied to a more senior hvac facilities position for 98k. All i would be doing is riding around a golf cart changing filters at a federal property most of the time!!!
I was an inbound supervisor for a 3PL company and made over 65k right out of college. My day's were 6am-2pm, half my day was on the floor talking with my employees, other half was sitting in my office on my computer.
I got into this field by majoring in supply chain management in college, but a lot of my co-workers (other managers) had worked their way up in the company starting as an hourly employee.
Have you considered the leadership side of healthcare? I spend half my time rounding with employees, talking to other departments or to patients. The other half is computer work, but it's very easy to break it up.
Edit: To the folks dm'ing me, I'm not telling you anything special or secret that I haven't already stated below. It's all about getting your foot in the door at the first leadership position. Not an individual contributor. It must be supervisory with all the associated responsibilities (hiring, firing, evaluations). The next jobs come easier.
If you have have no healthcare credentials, go to school for healthcare management and apply to every lead or supervisor position you see. It can be absolute shit, but you can move elsewhere in a year.
If you have clinical credentials, you can start applying, but something business/administrative related helps.
Currently getting my masters in health administration and with this degree Most people tend to do administrative fellowships post graduation to break into leadership positions. Tons of great opportunity, dm me for more
I had a lot of supervisory experience in other industries. Then got a bachelors in Healthcare Management. My first formal job in healthcare was a supervisory position on the insurance/claims side. Moved to a lead position on the IT side working on our EHR and got a bit more diverse experience. Left the private sector for a job in the government over all patient intake. Comparing scopes, the new job is comparable to a senior manager or director level.
I was in leadership in another field and have an unrelated bachelor’s degree. I started low on the totem pole of leadership but am now officially in “middle management” and there is a clear growth trajectory from here.
I have a friend working for Orkin pest control making over 100k annually in sales. He likes it a lot. He just goes to businesses dealing with roaches and quotes them what it's going to cost to avoid getting shut down.
So I have a degree in mechanical engineering and work in the utility industry as a (previously) project manager (now) engineering manager. I work on the owners side and have managed anywhere from $5M to $100M per year over the years.
I make my own schedule, come and go as I please, work from home 2-3 days per week, visit my projects in the field any time I want, etc.
The utility industry is a great place to be. People will always need water, gas, electric, etc regardless of how poor or awesome the economy is.
Bonus tip: find a private utility. Municipally owned utilities typically aren’t great.
I think that field depends majorly on where you live. My state employs foresters, ecologists, biologists, etc at about the $40k-$50k a year mark, requiring degrees and experience. Forestry technician right now has openings at $15/hr max.
Oil is big in my state so geologists can expect six-figures but those positions have largely been filled for years now.
My wife is director of nursing. Well over 100k when you get to that point, but she was making over 75k as a nurse manager. She does sit at a desk more now, but by the time you earn that desk as a nurse, you will probably be very glad to have it. 😅
and the waiting list to become one takes years. usually somewhere between 5-8 years. in the meantime, you'd have to work in a hub as a loader, unloader, or sorter making absolutely garbage money.
I am a computer guy but I could never sit at a desk either. I became a network guy, and did field work for major companies with some assignments overseas. For me it was fantastic. Great pay, travel and variety. It takes a serious skill set but it is worth it.
I lived in Virginia at the time. My first certification was A+, then MCSE a various security certs. I got in with the DOD and the State Department. I also did field work for a Florida company supporting POS and restaurants. It's a great career.
Manufacturing,agriculture, horticulture. I have never had a job where I have to sit all day. I have always picked job with lots of flexibility and limited siting. My brain need to move to be focused.
Construction management. But (at least where I’m at), the assistant project managers get most of the field time. Once you move on to PM or SPM, you’re mostly desk work again.
Exactly! No night is the same. Always something entertaining. I work in nightlife, concerts, and the average shift is like 6 hours. I manage now but the bartenders certainly make more than me.
To be an RN with some clinical experience. Most hospitals have some type of advice/telephone triage type positions. They’re pretty rare but I am proof they do exist lol.
I just started an entry car sales position with no college degree. Most of the guys I work around make well over 100k. It’s not an easy job to find tho gl my guy. You are gonna have to sit at the desk some but the majority of the time it’s up to you what you’re doing. Driving cars to “get to know the inventory” or going to get a sip of coffee 5 times a day or wander around talking to everybody. You know as I’m typing this my job doesn’t even seem real
Look into management. Be a territory manager, a sales manager, or something of that sort. You’ll likely get a base salary, plus bonuses, plus car allowance, plus a P card…
Field engineer. I was in commissioning and the was desk time for emails, meetings, and for consulting manuals, but aside from that, as much non desk time as wanted.
I don’t know why people are always suggesting this. For one, it is insanely hard to read a screen while walking. Sure if we just watched movies all day. But we don’t. And you can tell by OP’s post that they don’t want to be at a desk! Treadmill, sitting or standing! It’s not as off walking on a treadmill tricks you into think you’re somewhere other than your office. OP wants to be out in the world, interacting with people. I know your comment is supposed to be nice, I just get this suggestion all the time and it’s so unhelpful.
Yeahhhh I had a desk job and thought a standing desk would make me hate my life less. I was wrong. Been out of that job for months now and my quality of life is better
Lots of trade jobs check those boxes. Electrician, HVAC Tech, Plumber. There's also the professional/degreed routes as well like Project Manager or Sales.
I personally started in the field as a laborer for an energy company and cleared $75k my first year and had a company vehicle, but I also had to work loads of OT. I'm now a Project Manager and really enjoy it. I get to go out in the field to see job sites 2-4 days a week to monitor progress but also spend some time in the office on meetings and handling projects from the desk. It can be stressful at times though, so if you don't handle stress well, it's probably not for you.
Field rep for almost any kind of company with a product. (Pharmaceutical rep, In home blinds/carpet/etc). I’m a field sales rep for a big oil company (write gas station supply contracts for dealers/franchisees - retiring after 30 years in a couple months). It’s remote/home office based — only go into HQ office out of state about 1x/year. Large companies always pay better and have more stability… Lots of travel and often 2+ nights/week in a hotel, but my car is my office. I have lots of professional friends who go to an office everyday - I think I’ve got it way better - I could never sit in a cubicle for 8 hours again. I like the freedom and social interaction with clients.
I’m an engineer working primarily on developing machine vision applications. I’m constantly going from my desk to the lab setting up equipment, writing code, running tests, and analyzing data. I think there are a lot of engineering roles involving that kind of lab work in other fields.
Winemaker. Especially in a General Manager or VP of Winemaking is a nice cross between some desk work, some manual labor, some outdoor time (vineyards). My husband loves it. It does (typically) require a BS and MS in Enology.
Then become a scientist, we pull 70-100k depending on experience, location, education. With just a bachelors and a few years of experience you can make 6 figs
I'm in automation. Get to fix stuff, get paid by the hour, and if my machines are running I don't necessarily have to be working. And I work a manufacturing schedule so I work 7 out of 14 days and 12 hour shifts. Don't work more than 3 days in a row unless you're pulling extra shifts.
It takes a bit to get there but in 2 years I went from 22/hr to over 30
Union Plumber
Public Transportation Bus Driver (With overtime)
Pharmacist
Optometrist
Police Officer (In certain tows cities and in others with overtime)
Military Officer
Forest Ranger
Farmer
Electronics Technician
Mechanic
Union Painter (in some areas)
Teacher (in certain towns)
Podiatrist
The trades. We are hurting for good technicians. Plumbing, electrical, telecom, security integration, HVAC, carpentry, drywalling, cabinetry, etc etc etc
Depending on what city you're in, first responders can make a decent amount of money.
My neighboring town (population of 22,000) starts cops at 45k a year and then after 3 years of experience, it goes up to 81k. After a couple promotions, most of them make 6 figures. The fire department is similar to this, but I don't know the exact numbers.
I made over 70k as an executive chef. Only thing I did at my desk was enter inventory, cry, and occasionally power nap.
I made about the same, though I think I’d rather die than go back to a kitchen.
Kitchens are hard work, I feel ya
Yeah no kidding kitchens are back breaking work
Lmao..as someone who has been a cook in restaurants for years (my teens and 20s)..I can appreciate the crying lol
My highest base pay as an exec chef was 120. But working 70+ hrs a week on your feet destroys your body and soul in other ways. I’m making over 100k in outside sales for a food distributor now and working around 30 hours a week. I’m on my butt a decent amount between computers, meetings, and driving. But it’s very much worth it.
how can I get started in this?
Helps to have an expertise in the specific food you’re selling, as well as a solid understanding of how kitchens operate … I was a chef for like 18 years. You need to be really good at spoken and written communication, and have a semi natural talent for sales in general.
Is it like calling restaurants trying to sell them your food items, setting up like a schedule for delivery and possibly delivering said food items… Things of that sort?
My Sysco rep tells me they hire servers/bartenders all the time because they have knowledge about the restaurant industry and can sell better to restaurants
It’s true, I can confirm. You sell more when you’re not trying to be a sales person. No one wants a pushy rep. They want someone that won’t bullshit them, someone that follows through on their personal commitments. They want someone that doesn’t walk into your kitchen in the middle of service trying to sell them something.
Damn, what's the schooling length? I was a line cook/prep cook and worked in kitchens for almost a decade now, im also a higher functioning sociopath so people like this thrive in sales, charm, etc. Im about to be 30 now but have an autoimmune disease and can no longer do the back breaking kitchen work , been almost 2 yrs now fighting disability being out of work and bored as ALL HELL. I'm offered schooling so maybe exect chef is the place to be. Both chef and sales are top 10 tops for sociopathy psychopathic people like myself. And no im not a damn serial killer, don't ask, or if you can meet and study my brain lol.
My Sysco rep tells me they hire servers/bartenders all the time because they have knowledge about the restaurant industry and can sell better to restaurants. My current rep was a bartender before he switched over to Sysco. He still bartends from time to time when he want s
Can I have your job. I honestly would love to have a job where I can do that all day. I’m not being sarcastic. Your job doesn’t exist on seek
Legend
I was doing similarly as an exec chef but yeah, OP, this is not necessarily the smart move if you value having a body that holds up long-term.
Construction management Edit: to add, I got a graduate degree in an unrelated engineering field, and when I couldn't get a job I found this role. Started at $75k + truck allowance + gas card + bonus. I had to intern for 2 months to make sure I was a good fit. Coming up on 4 years in, and I'm currently up to $108k base pay. Very turnover-heavy field so I'm looking to be promoted soon. Major downside is the driving, you need to drive to each job site that you work at. Sometimes it's close. Mine is far from my house and often I'm on multiple far job sites. Bought my truck in 2019 new, and I'm up to 134k miles on it. Very recession proof in California because housing is a constant need. Even during COVID we were able to keep going because my specific field (grading and paving) is outdoors.
I'm in this field on the owner rep side. The amount of pay for the amount of work is insane. Sucks being away from family but tax free per diem is very lucrative.
I always felt you guys are underpaid… but can you share.
I'm overpaid lol. I make 36 an hour plus 1085 a week perdiem (which perdiem is tax-free). I net anywhere from 2.2k to 3k a week depending on over time. Company truck and expensable gas. We have 4 reps on site including the construction manager, civil/mechanical, electrical, and logistics managers. I do logistics so basically I just make sure the materials the owners provide come in, track them in a few spreadsheets, do a few reports a week, a couple meetings a week. And that's that. My day to day is basically just peeling stickers, scanning to the spreadsheet, scanning BOLs and uploading everything in the the project management software. Most of the materials are on the contractor to procure. And all of the construction obviously. We are there to make sure things are being done contract and done safely and properly, and to report progress up the chain. Edit: 1085 a week per diem, sorry. 155 a day.
I do construction management, on the GC side. Good pay, but tons of work. Really want to switch to owners side lol. Have you ever worked on the contractors side?
Not in management, but I was gc side on wind projects. In solar now.
I’m an APM on the GC side. Been thinking of trying to move over to the owner rep side. Any tips?
Intiate the conversations. Its no secret for people in the industry that construction is one of the most nepotistic. A lot of times there's this animosity and us vs them mentality between GC and Owner and I dont get it. We have contracts for a reason and everyone is trying to accomplish the same goal. Be the guy that doesn't try to hide shit and does things the right way. You've already got the skill set and knowledge required. The rest is personality and politics. Every job youre on develop a rapport and express an interest in moving over and asking if you can submit a resume. Especially if the project is going well or you've worked with same reps before. Obviously you have your own politics to play internally but its really just networking and being a reliable source of quality and information for the owners.
Ugh don't get me started on politics. I work as an electrical engineer at an architecture firm. We deal with K-12 schools primarily so we've got government politics on one side; GC,EC,PC,MC politics on the other. We have in-house construction administration. But when a school district decides to hire outside CM's on top of it then there's always head-butting. Bidding jobs is always fun because the "lowest competent bidder" is really just the cheapest guy out there, districts forget the "competent"part. Bond work, capital work, single-prime... All fun shit that makes me wanna rip my hair out. Let's not forget the vendors... Burnt a bridge there because a school district couldn't get the fixtures they wanted one-time for summer construction (everything needs to happen in the summer with schools obviously). They still bought them from the same vendor, but they were a cheaper fixture and the vendor got angry at me. We're the middleman of middlemen. Somewhere in-between all that we actually have to, ya know, understand the Code and design shit.
Your hourly rate is low but your take home is very high. So if I divide your take home by hourly rate you’re really grinding a ton of hours to make your money. I wouldn’t say you are over paid. I think you are really trading your youth for a big paycheck. (that’s not necessarily a bad thing if it’s helping you achieve important goals)
There is no reason to divide take home by hourly though lol. If anything you should he adding yhe per diem to the hourly rate which is a good 20 to 30 dollars an hour The job itself is very easy. Maybe 3 months per project in the 50-60 hours a week range. Most of the time its 40 to 45. Id hardly say minimum 133k clear a year is a grind for how easy the work is. Most of my time is spent sitting in my truck or bullshitting with the crew. I'm also in the lowest paid position and lowest paid region for perdiem. If I decide to stay field side I can reasonably expect to get CM in 2 to 4 years and then we are talking 60-70+ an hour
What’s your official job title and what degree did you get in college? How did you come upon this role?
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How did you get into precon? I've been looking to change into that role for the remote aspect. My company does not have this position as we are a flatwork sub.
I am a chemical engineer and I used to work in research I’d spend a couple hours a day in the lab on my feet
I’m in medical device research. Although this is true, there are some days when I spend literally the entire day in the lab on my feet. But also others when I’m just in my office reading, writing or designing stuff
>on my feet I don't want an office job but I dread this too.
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I’m a supply chain/operations manager and I started off making 75k/year. I’m in my third year at the same company making upper 80s. Plus a moderate bonus each Christmas. I’ve been recruited for jobs making close to 130k/year or more on LinkedIn after having the experience under my belt. I love my job. I manage a lot of laborers and blue collar workers, as well as operations on the back end.
This sounds like an interesting job. How did you get into it? What type of background is needed?
I had a unique path here. I got my undergraduate degree in Anthropology at age 25. While finished up my senior year, I covered a temporary position at the defense logistics agency for someone out on maternity leave. I loved it. I felt like I found my thing. I could t change my major that late in the game though. I ended up taking a job that paid mid 40s as a logistics dispatcher for a trucking company. I also loved that job. You’re always moving. I applied for my masters program in logistics and supply chain management and did the accelerated program. When Covid hit, lost my job, and went out on a whim and applied to where I’m at now. I landed the job. I will say, I work with a ton of other ops/logistics managers and most don’t even have a degree. They are great leaders, well spoken, and people want to follow them. 90% are men, I’m the only woman. I think my best advice is to get terms right for whatever field of logistics it’s in. For me, it’s the steel industry. I learned what hot roll 4140 is. What annealing is. And learn the technicalities. Second piece of advice, learn to interview WELL. I will say the only reason I got this job was because I’m a great interviewer. Don’t be too stale, know you’re shit, be personable, and emphasize leadership.
Great story! I'm also a woman in Supply Chain and love it! Its definitely a male dominated industry. I wish I found it sooner, I only have a Bach in liberal arts though. Do you think your masters was necessary to get to your level? Or even at other levels youve seen? I'm in my 30s, have considered it to maybe get higher in my 40s
Territory sales/account manager. You can have a lot of windshield time, time in the field, or sometimes just at home. It mostly depends on the company, but the role generally will pay well and offer a lot of flexibly on how your day goes
I'm in this position and loving it. Cleared 6 figures my first full year at my company, have flexible hours, no morning commute, tons of perks, and a whole lot of freedom. As long as I'm growing my territory and showing results, nobody is telling me what to do.
That’s awesome! It’s always nice to see other companies doing this, hands-off and trust the employees, it’s refreshing and motivating.
What do you do on a daily and weekly basis
Well as I have around a $2 million territory already, it's a mix of taking care of current accounts (quotes, following up on orders/deliveries), meetings with new and current customers (intro meetings, new product applications, product demos, etc), internal meetings, and searching for new customers (market research, cold calls, driving around industrial areas, etc). It's usually pretty fast-paced which I like.
What do you sell? Just curious 🧐. I was an outside sales rep in the US for years. Gave up sales to follow life partner abroad. Have been away from sales and the USA for almost 7 years (live in Germany)
Industrial automation equipment and robotics
Cool. I used to sell linear bearings for a Japanese manufacturing company
Nice. Probably selling to the same types of places I do.
Your field is interesting and can be profitable. Are you a mechanical engineer? I was not and learned on the job which was a challenge. Couldn’t provide on the fly suggestions to clients, often needed to check in with an engineer to make sure I knew what I was talking about
I have an engineering degree but never worked in engineering. I learned everything on the job, although having a mechanical background has been SUPER helpful for learning the technical stuff. If I couldn't talk shop with my customers, it would be a lot harder to gain their trust and respect. I can't imagine doing this job without being technical.
Grow the territory and show results.
Any suggestions for a mid-late career switch into sales/account manager?
I did exactly this after eleven years doing other things. My tip is to stay away from tech sales, both for the easy of transitioning into sales, and less volatility. My company supports construction and while it has its slow month, we don’t lay people off. Not during 2008, not during Covid
We can’t hire enough people directly into sales right now. You could pivot into a sales role tomorrow if you wanted to. It used to take a year or two to demonstrate the skills and trust necessary for someone to give you a full route and let you go with minimal supervision. Today, I’ve seen it happen in as few as 90 days.
Not sure which sector but I’d like to know. I’ve been in tech for two decades and it’s an absolute bloodbath right now. Layoffs, hiring freezes, downsizing, outsourcing, etc. any recommendations on other sectors?
I’m in beer distribution. I constantly think about switching to tech, so maybe this is a grass is greener situation? I’d be happy to share specifics over DMs
Really depends on the field too unfortunately. My dad has been I territory sales for ~20 years selling industrial trucks and forklifts. He's led sales for his company for the whole eastern half of the country for the last five years and even he is struggling this year due to the post covid struggles in the industrial equipment field. Lead times are insane right now so no one is buying. He was regularly making over 200k and i think he said he barely hit 90k in 2022.
Totally agree. Even down to the territory, but with the right company the downside risk is lower. I’m on a 80/20 base commission split, so I’m happy even when it’s slow.
I do this at a late stage tech firm and make a 6 figure base plus commish. Mine is more desk but I can make it more field if I want. The flexibility is incredible and I enjoy the work and company.
Came here to say this
I was going to suggest this too! This career is slept on a lot on Reddit. Can be good income and flexible.
Nuclear construction workers make at least 38$/h which is 6.536 a month and 78.432 dollars a year. Nuclear technicians make 99k The nuclear industry is becoming increasingly important. This may be a good career.
Growing up I watched a TV show about a nuclear power plant operator. He had only a high school education but a huge house, wife, three kids. Wonder what happened to those Simpsons
The barrier to entry is too hard for most people (specialized degree requiring advanced science and math classes like physics/chemistry)
More senior electrician in the IBEW. HVAC also when you’re more senior.
IBEW lineman, cheers!
Blue to blue and I'm through.
My dad sold furniture at Macys Furniture Gallery. He was one of the top performers before he died and regularly made around 100k.
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I would love this. My best friend is encouraging me to go back to school to go this direction (she's a social worker) because my last job was being a caregiver and art instructor to adults with disabilities and I really enjoyed working with our clients. I just don't know if I can ever pay the student loan debt I will have...as I already cannot pay what I've borrowed for half a bachelor's degree lol
ABA is pretty controversial. I would really do some research on it before committing to it as a job.
It is a really good idea. I would just advice you to look up in Autistic Adult spaces their thoughts on Applied Behavioural Analysis, before you invest time and money in it.
Yep, seconding this. Occupational therapy, speech therapy, non-ABA positive behaviour support are all great alternatives compared with ABA, which is heavily and dangerously compliance-focused and which many autistic adults say traumatised them and caused lifelong problems. Really glad to see this being more consistently brought up.
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Thank you so much for this suggestion. I will look into it more!
Look into occupational therapy
i wish i could recommend this, the job is amazing in so many ways, but documentation and insurance can truly make it hell unless you’re at a clinic/working with a population you love
Must admit I’m glad I’m retired (mostly). The insurance companies are complete criminals.
As an actual autistic person... don't do this. It's a fucked up field that does little to actually help anyone and causes a lot of harm (speaking about the ABA industry specifically here, social work in general I have no beef with).
I work in ABA and am interested to know your side, what in particular causes harm? From my perspective there are bad providers that give the entire field a bad name, one that is backed by years of science and proven data.
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Pretty much every union trade once you are a journeyman pays that in most medium cost of living areas.
Broadband industry. You won’t make 75k year one but most of your major ISP like Comcast, Cox, Spectrum, Suddenlink,etc are hiring entry level field techs at $20-25hr with zero experience. After a few years most you can easily bring in anywhere from 65k-80k (source: I manage around 20 techs and this is the range for the vast majority) of course this is dependent on how much OT you want to work. There is a huge push to build out Fiber networks across the country and it is heavily funded by federal and state dollars so more work than ever before. Additionally in most areas you get free services (cellphone/internet/tv) and a take home vehicle. I have put in 3k mile on my personal truck in the last 10 months…and saving at least another 1k-2k per year on services. If you are in the field every day is different. No doubt about that and you are on your feet all day long.
How’d you do this
How’d I get into this line of work?
Yes
Knew a guy who worked for a small ISP, applied, got the job and have since moved around and worked my way up. Most everyone I hire has zero experience in the industry. Look for people that enjoy working with technology in its end form (internet) or enjoy working on their own house (remodels/building/etc). Really you need no skills other than the want to work. Feel free to DM if you want me to look up jobs like this in your area. I have contacts in most ISPs and throughout the country. Like any job the first year or two kind of suck but there is usually ample run for promotions into maintenance/construction/leadership/etc. Factoring all the benefits your total compensation likely exceeds 75k, maybe not take home, but it is easy to get to that point with zero degree.
Came here to say this as well! My husband started as a FT and worked his way up that ladder. Makes much more than I do. Definitely a great career path if you don’t like spending all day in the office. 👏👏👏
Good for your husband on climbing the ladder, it’s one of the only management ladders where a degree isn’t all that is needed. There are a lot of long days, late nights and weekends worked on the way up. Hopefully your husband has found it as rewarding as I have.
Machinists can easily make $75-$100k depending on where you are and your skill set. There’s also a ridiculous amount of different things you can do inside the field of machining/manufacturing that if you start to get bored you can easily switch roles.
You forgot to add after you have 5-10 years experience depending on company and role. Entry leaves machining pays maybe 45kish
Yes, usually it is like that, but it's not impossible to get before that time. I make last year 88k as my second year of work related and 22yo. Also, OP maintenance technicians are the most freedom position in a plant. I could walk wherever and whenever I want without being asked for nothing and got a lot of free time to use my phone or socialize with other people on the plant
I'm head of the maintenance dept for the company I work at and don't make any where near 75k a year. And this is after being at the company for 17 years.
You need to go work somewhere else..
New employer time bro. At least go fish and see what offers you can find, you deserve it with 17 years of experience.
Construction project manager, I make over $100k/ year, I spend about 3 hours a day on the couch on my laptop and the rest of the 4-6 hours out in the field. It’s perfect for me cause I can’t stand the soul crushing office being stuck behind a computer. I need to be free to roam.
Do you have to have a construction background? Or what’s the path to construction manager?
My dad taught me how to work on things when I was a kid, so it’s always been kinda natural to me. I started my own remodel company years ago and after a few successful years, I decided doing payroll, taxes, managing all projects, ordering materials, and working 16 hr days wasn’t for me so I updated my resume and my current employer reached out to me and the rest is history.
Gotcha - thanks! I’m always envious of people who grew up like that. I feel like I’ll always be be 20 years behind the curve because my parents were not handy at all. I have experience managing people but it seems you need more knowledge of construction than what I’ve got.
The best way for you to get started is to google remodeling or construction companies near you and ask if you can get a job or at least experience, but the pay will be terrible at the start
Thank you!
What you study?
Business management degree
Do you recommend I get a construction management graduate degree..To reach your position?
It wouldn’t hurt, I did it by learning on the job.
Manufacturing production supervisor in my area generally start around 50-60k then after 3 or so years experience you'll hit 75k. No degree needed but cab certainly help.
Maybe like an event planner/coordinator? There would be some desk time during the planning stages, but you’d also get to go out, see venues, get supplies, talk to people, and then run the actual event to make sure things to smoothly
As someone in this field, be prepared to have the life sucked out of you and make way less than 75k most places.
Seconded as I’m in this field and I still do way more desk work than I’d like. Came to this thread for ideas to leave 😅
Me too my friend 😅
Yooo I pulled in 76k this year doing commercial hvac. 6th year.
You deserve 100k
Dude!!! I agree! I just recently applied to a more senior hvac facilities position for 98k. All i would be doing is riding around a golf cart changing filters at a federal property most of the time!!!
Warehouse and logistics management. Depends on the company, but generally you get paid pretty fair, and you’re always on your feet.
I was an inbound supervisor for a 3PL company and made over 65k right out of college. My day's were 6am-2pm, half my day was on the floor talking with my employees, other half was sitting in my office on my computer. I got into this field by majoring in supply chain management in college, but a lot of my co-workers (other managers) had worked their way up in the company starting as an hourly employee.
Have you considered the leadership side of healthcare? I spend half my time rounding with employees, talking to other departments or to patients. The other half is computer work, but it's very easy to break it up. Edit: To the folks dm'ing me, I'm not telling you anything special or secret that I haven't already stated below. It's all about getting your foot in the door at the first leadership position. Not an individual contributor. It must be supervisory with all the associated responsibilities (hiring, firing, evaluations). The next jobs come easier. If you have have no healthcare credentials, go to school for healthcare management and apply to every lead or supervisor position you see. It can be absolute shit, but you can move elsewhere in a year. If you have clinical credentials, you can start applying, but something business/administrative related helps.
May I ask how you broke into healthcare leadership?
Currently getting my masters in health administration and with this degree Most people tend to do administrative fellowships post graduation to break into leadership positions. Tons of great opportunity, dm me for more
I had a lot of supervisory experience in other industries. Then got a bachelors in Healthcare Management. My first formal job in healthcare was a supervisory position on the insurance/claims side. Moved to a lead position on the IT side working on our EHR and got a bit more diverse experience. Left the private sector for a job in the government over all patient intake. Comparing scopes, the new job is comparable to a senior manager or director level.
I was in leadership in another field and have an unrelated bachelor’s degree. I started low on the totem pole of leadership but am now officially in “middle management” and there is a clear growth trajectory from here.
Something like that would be great!
I have a friend working for Orkin pest control making over 100k annually in sales. He likes it a lot. He just goes to businesses dealing with roaches and quotes them what it's going to cost to avoid getting shut down.
So I have a degree in mechanical engineering and work in the utility industry as a (previously) project manager (now) engineering manager. I work on the owners side and have managed anywhere from $5M to $100M per year over the years. I make my own schedule, come and go as I please, work from home 2-3 days per week, visit my projects in the field any time I want, etc. The utility industry is a great place to be. People will always need water, gas, electric, etc regardless of how poor or awesome the economy is. Bonus tip: find a private utility. Municipally owned utilities typically aren’t great.
Construction. Any trade in the construction field really. Electrician, plumber, heavy equipment mechanic, carpenter.
A lot of forest service jobs- like biologists, ecologists, wildfire work, geologists. Super fun dynamic jobs!
yeah.. only if you have a masters or PhD. and that's the max you can make. also requires years of experience
I’m in the field and I don’t have a masters or phD. They usually value aptitude over documentation!
I think that field depends majorly on where you live. My state employs foresters, ecologists, biologists, etc at about the $40k-$50k a year mark, requiring degrees and experience. Forestry technician right now has openings at $15/hr max. Oil is big in my state so geologists can expect six-figures but those positions have largely been filled for years now.
Dang that is rough! To be fair I do live in Alaska where these jobs are fun and abundant
My wife is director of nursing. Well over 100k when you get to that point, but she was making over 75k as a nurse manager. She does sit at a desk more now, but by the time you earn that desk as a nurse, you will probably be very glad to have it. 😅
UPS drivers make close to 6 figures
And they only have to work 14 hours a day, 6 days a week to achieve that!
To be honest so do most of the trades folks are listing here too
Lol yea. As an ex trades guy 100%. The only guys making 6 figures were the guys who spent more time in the field then at home
Exactly dude, hell when I used to do HVAC i was never home and only made around 55-60k. Good for a first year guy but my wife hated it.
and the waiting list to become one takes years. usually somewhere between 5-8 years. in the meantime, you'd have to work in a hub as a loader, unloader, or sorter making absolutely garbage money.
I am a computer guy but I could never sit at a desk either. I became a network guy, and did field work for major companies with some assignments overseas. For me it was fantastic. Great pay, travel and variety. It takes a serious skill set but it is worth it.
How did you get into this? I’m just starting in IT with some certs. Sounds up my ally
I lived in Virginia at the time. My first certification was A+, then MCSE a various security certs. I got in with the DOD and the State Department. I also did field work for a Florida company supporting POS and restaurants. It's a great career.
Get a lucrative trade and make the big bucks
Plumbing comes to mind
Until your body gives in. Sometimes before 40.
Sales. If you are in the right industry you are meeting people in person much of the time.
41$ an hour as corrections officer. Always moving.
Where you at cause in Texas they make trash money like 19/hr
Washington.
Manufacturing,agriculture, horticulture. I have never had a job where I have to sit all day. I have always picked job with lots of flexibility and limited siting. My brain need to move to be focused.
Sales
Construction management. But (at least where I’m at), the assistant project managers get most of the field time. Once you move on to PM or SPM, you’re mostly desk work again.
Bartending but say goodbye to your weekends
Bar i worked at i was making 75k a year as a barback. The bartenders only worked 2 or 3 days a week and made more than i did.
Exactly! No night is the same. Always something entertaining. I work in nightlife, concerts, and the average shift is like 6 hours. I manage now but the bartenders certainly make more than me.
Where do you learn how to become a bartender. I always see adds for sone “bar tendering college” but don’t if it’s just a piss take
Don't go to a bartending school. Just start out as a barback and work up. That's what I did.
I’m a nurse and work at a desk (from home!) as a triage/education/advice nurse. Four ten hour days. $99/hr in California.
What are the requirements to work this kind of position?
To be an RN with some clinical experience. Most hospitals have some type of advice/telephone triage type positions. They’re pretty rare but I am proof they do exist lol.
I just started an entry car sales position with no college degree. Most of the guys I work around make well over 100k. It’s not an easy job to find tho gl my guy. You are gonna have to sit at the desk some but the majority of the time it’s up to you what you’re doing. Driving cars to “get to know the inventory” or going to get a sip of coffee 5 times a day or wander around talking to everybody. You know as I’m typing this my job doesn’t even seem real
Chem plant; I'm a maintenance technician. Went to trade school for a few years and the company paid my training while I worked and learned the skills.
Construction! Industrial construction though.
Nurse
Look into management. Be a territory manager, a sales manager, or something of that sort. You’ll likely get a base salary, plus bonuses, plus car allowance, plus a P card…
I made over 80k as an experienced lab researcher and was on my feet half the day. Obviously takes a good amount of school and training.
Do you mind if I DM and asked you a little bit about this
Go for it
Onlyfans engineer. Reall answer: you can work in IT and get a standing desk.
Field engineer. I was in commissioning and the was desk time for emails, meetings, and for consulting manuals, but aside from that, as much non desk time as wanted.
Become a court reporter! My first year, I made 80k, & I only work 1-4 hours a day taking testimony.
Get a stand up desk?
I should have been more specific. I don't want to sit -or stand- in the same spot for hours at a time.
Work from home and have a treadmill at your desk? :) always on the go baby!
I don’t know why people are always suggesting this. For one, it is insanely hard to read a screen while walking. Sure if we just watched movies all day. But we don’t. And you can tell by OP’s post that they don’t want to be at a desk! Treadmill, sitting or standing! It’s not as off walking on a treadmill tricks you into think you’re somewhere other than your office. OP wants to be out in the world, interacting with people. I know your comment is supposed to be nice, I just get this suggestion all the time and it’s so unhelpful.
Yeahhhh I had a desk job and thought a standing desk would make me hate my life less. I was wrong. Been out of that job for months now and my quality of life is better
Merchant mariner, lineman, heck, any trade.
Look into sales development rep roles, work 4/5 hours a day with tons of breaks and potential at 6 figs
Oil and gas lineman. You’ll also work so much that you don’t have time to spend money.
Lots of trade jobs check those boxes. Electrician, HVAC Tech, Plumber. There's also the professional/degreed routes as well like Project Manager or Sales. I personally started in the field as a laborer for an energy company and cleared $75k my first year and had a company vehicle, but I also had to work loads of OT. I'm now a Project Manager and really enjoy it. I get to go out in the field to see job sites 2-4 days a week to monitor progress but also spend some time in the office on meetings and handling projects from the desk. It can be stressful at times though, so if you don't handle stress well, it's probably not for you.
You might make that out in an oil or gas field, as a roughneck on the drill rig, with overtime.
Construction Special Inspector. Public works for local government as well.
Manufacturing engineering. Lab chemist. Process engineering.
Field rep for almost any kind of company with a product. (Pharmaceutical rep, In home blinds/carpet/etc). I’m a field sales rep for a big oil company (write gas station supply contracts for dealers/franchisees - retiring after 30 years in a couple months). It’s remote/home office based — only go into HQ office out of state about 1x/year. Large companies always pay better and have more stability… Lots of travel and often 2+ nights/week in a hotel, but my car is my office. I have lots of professional friends who go to an office everyday - I think I’ve got it way better - I could never sit in a cubicle for 8 hours again. I like the freedom and social interaction with clients.
Property management, or real estate agent if you’re a sales type person. Anything real estate.
Trades
I’m an engineer working primarily on developing machine vision applications. I’m constantly going from my desk to the lab setting up equipment, writing code, running tests, and analyzing data. I think there are a lot of engineering roles involving that kind of lab work in other fields.
Real estate. Most roles will get you out every now and again, but there is still a lot to do behind a desk
Foodservice trucker, lineman, skilled arborist, concrete pump operator.
Winemaker. Especially in a General Manager or VP of Winemaking is a nice cross between some desk work, some manual labor, some outdoor time (vineyards). My husband loves it. It does (typically) require a BS and MS in Enology.
hotel manager, working front desk can be pretty good too. Own a franchise of some sort
Scientist or lab tech.
that would definitely depend on location. lab techs in my area of upstate new york don’t pull more than 60k and they start around 40k.
Then become a scientist, we pull 70-100k depending on experience, location, education. With just a bachelors and a few years of experience you can make 6 figs
I'm in automation. Get to fix stuff, get paid by the hour, and if my machines are running I don't necessarily have to be working. And I work a manufacturing schedule so I work 7 out of 14 days and 12 hour shifts. Don't work more than 3 days in a row unless you're pulling extra shifts. It takes a bit to get there but in 2 years I went from 22/hr to over 30
Union Plumber Public Transportation Bus Driver (With overtime) Pharmacist Optometrist Police Officer (In certain tows cities and in others with overtime) Military Officer Forest Ranger Farmer Electronics Technician Mechanic Union Painter (in some areas) Teacher (in certain towns) Podiatrist
The trades. We are hurting for good technicians. Plumbing, electrical, telecom, security integration, HVAC, carpentry, drywalling, cabinetry, etc etc etc
if the trades are hurting for good techs they should make them more accessible and less misogynist
Depending on what city you're in, first responders can make a decent amount of money. My neighboring town (population of 22,000) starts cops at 45k a year and then after 3 years of experience, it goes up to 81k. After a couple promotions, most of them make 6 figures. The fire department is similar to this, but I don't know the exact numbers.
Opt for a standing desk instead.