Making a Living

[foraloysius]

I'm "Adviseur Werk en Inkomen" at "Centrum voor Werk en Inkomen" (Advisor Work and Income at the Centre for Work and Income). It's the modern version of the Employment Office from the government. My main job is getting people back to work. In the past we used a lot of time for registration of people who got unemployed and also for the applications of benefits. Nowadays most things are done over the internet and we can concentrate on helping them to find a job. Working for the public is not always easy, especially when you sometimes have to tell people things that they don't want to hear. But I still like my job and there is a lot of joy in finding a job for somebody that he or she really likes. Here's our main website. In Dutch ofcourse.

http://https//www.werk.nl/

 

[Cybrvanr]

Audiovisual equpment technician

I design, service and install professional audiovisual equipment. This can range from broadcast TV and audio editing equipment, to large venue sound systems, video and audio confrencing equipment, and a whole host of video projection and display technology.

My job entails designing systems to fit a user's particular needs, and integrating the equipment together. For example, a VCR could be used to show videos on a projector, but could also be used to record pictures off a camera. It's all in what's hooked up to it. Sounds easy doesn't it? Well, it is easy till you start adding large amounts of equipment to the systems. Then, we are talking about matrix switchers that handle up to 64 inputs and 64 outputs, and an automation system that has to be designed simple enough for an end user to operate it! A system like this could have plasma screens all around and a host of signal sources like TV tuners, disc players, cameras, etc. It also gets quite complicated when you add recording capability and there's loop backs, etc....The job is a bit more than just hooking up stereos

One of my specialties is video "walls" where multiple projectors are used. They each are aimed at a portion of a large sceen to tile an image. When they are set up properly, you think you are looking at one large picture, not 12 different small pictures!

We've been getting into automation technologies too. We are a Crestron and AMX dealer, and work with the ISS departments at locations to automate not only the A/V systems, but other building equipment too, like lighting, HVAC, shades, and other building environment machinery. The equipment is also great for status monitoring.

...it's a really fun job, and it's especially great working with all the cool new technology. It's interesting seeing how the AV industry, although very high-tech, still embraces a lot of older stuff. I have worked on a theater that had a digital DLP projector sitting right alongside a set of old Western Electric 2A3 tube amps!

 

[retromom]

Domestic Goddess signing in!

I am impressed by all of your credentials!! Alas, my job description combines mom, maid, chef, accountant, landscaper, painter, chauffeur, teacher, referee, and drill sergeant all into one 24/7 work package!! There's never a dull moment at my place of employment! ;-)

Venus

 

[jasonl]

A big YAY and a big HUG to Venus, our very own genuine Domestic Goddess. You're a rare breed. And a coffee pot/mixer collector.

 

[frontaloadotmy]

Living....Shmiving!

I am a - "a shimmering, glowing star in the
cinema firmament!"

I'm retired and though while my duties are NOT dissimilar
to petek's, in my spare time, I run a vast Empire out of the
Greenhouse West!!!

 

[kenmore58]

Mr. Reporter, read that back, please!!

For the last 16 years, I have been employed as a freelance Court Reporter. I am self-employed and contract through a court reporting firm, as opposed to being employed full-time in a courtroom, and cover depositions, conferences, and local government meetings. I'm that person you usually see in the corner with the funky little machine.

Originally, I went to college to become a business teacher. After teaching typewriting, shorthand, and accounting in local business schools and on the college level for a number of years, I saw the handwriting on the wall that with the advent of the computer, many of these subjects were being phased out. I headed off to court reporting school at night, and four years later, I was a working reporter.

It's a great job. Every day is different, and you get to hear "all the juice." Some days I work at home on transcripts and don't even get out of my bathrobe until noon.

Ron

 

[DADoES]

Venus, your workplace is a hopping/happening place from what I've seen of it!

Oldest first: I've worked at the local movie theater for 22 years 2 months. Started as a projectionist (after having worked as projectionist for 5 years at the 1-screen in the town where I grew up). Quickly moved up the ranks, ranks such as there are in a small independent operation (three screens). I've done everything from sell hot dogs and Cokes to clean up barf to fix the equipment. I got fed up with the "manager on duty" shtick and dealing with the teenie employees, quit that part in November 1998. So now I just do the bookkeeping/accounting, which I've handled for many years, all of it except the federal income tax return and Texas franchise tax.

I've worked for the local Internet service for 7 years 7 months. Started as the Customer Technical Support Representative -- the fellow you call and b!tch at when your connection or e-mail doesn't work (see JasonL above). And of course, everybody knows the ISP is also at fault if your new scanner won't install or your car won't start. Now I'm pretty much involved in all of it except the bookkeeping (but I do the monthly billing prep for customer statements). The owner sometimes refers to me as his General Manager, whatever that means.

In my spare time I look after my 86-year-old grandmother, who still lives alone but needs some gentle guidance, and no longer drives so needs somebody to fetch groceries and take her to appointments.

 

[Cybrvanr]

cool! I've done projectionist work at the Byrd Theater here a good while back. It's an old single-screen house showing 2nd runs. They are still running carbon-arc's and changeovers! They've also got a 4 manual, 17 rank Wurlitzer organ!

 

[polkanut]

After reading all of the previous posts my job seems so generic. I work for Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork as a frame cladder, and glazer. I'm in the process of being transferred to our newest dept. which will produce a casement (crank out) window with an extruded aluminum cladding vs. traditional roll-form cladding. I also clad our studio & picture sash that call for extruded cladding as well. Thankfully I have been on 1st shift since I was hired in May of 2004.

P.S. I am also trained to operate our new computerized clamp which nails the frames together at the beginning of the assembly line.

 

[alr2903]

voc tech graduate

Im an LPN for 19 years and 4 months but who is counting. Arthur/alr2903.

 

[appnut]

I work for a large teaching hospital (Johnny Carson referred to it as the Mayo Clinic of the SouthWest) as a program coordinator/education coordinator for a residency program. In other words, the concept is I babysit a bunch of spoiled brats. But mine are great. they are far form that stereotype, probably the most opposite of any program onsite. I also do data management for a web-based residency mgmt. program for the largest residency program onsite and that keeps me busy in my "spare" time. Have been there for 9 years. This is a sad week for me. The onld ones are leaving the nest and going out into the real world to become real doctors. And the new babies are coming in at the same time.

 

[parunner58]

After 21 years at Crayola as an email administrator I quit, before I got left go to work as an email consultant at the New York Stock Exchange.

 

[super32]

Appliance Technician here. You know the drill.

I'm surprised to see only 2 other people in the appliance field considering the nature of this web sight.

Scott

 

[moreleisuretime]

Mark me down as another court reporter among us - freelance, the same as Kenmore58.

(Kenmore58: Greetings from Pittsburgh, PA!)

 

[jmm63]

I manage a gourmet food store and high end catering company. I've been in food service managment for 25 years...(how is that possible if I'm only 29???)

 

[maytagbear]

I am.....

a free lance writer and editor.

I've done some research on a consultant basis, as well.

Not a lot of money, but I have an interesting time.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[maytagbear]

I am also

a community and church volunteer.

L/Mb

 

[hooverwheelaway]

What I do.

If ya didn't already know... I work at the Hoover Sales and Service center here in Milwaukee (actually a suburb--West Allis). It will be 4 years in August! Time flies. Normally I work about 25 hours per week (during the school year)... same for the summer. My job entails shipping and receiving parts orders, filling dealer orders, selling cleaners, doing minor repairs (belts, etc), answering the phone, dealing with crabby customers--you know, running the store...

But, due to a recent resignation from a service technician who had been at our store for 10+ years, I will now be doing repairs on top of my normal duties. That will require learning how to do a lot of things that I've never had to do before, but will add a new dimension to the job. I'll also be working 40 hours a week through the remainder of the summer. So, I'm looking forward to it.

I'm in the same boat as Seamus as far as re-circulating my money back into the company. I love the discount on parts and products, and probably spend way more than I should on such things. I also have a bad habit of nabbing things from the dumpster... things I don't need. I have TOO MUCH stuff!

I'm also a student at Cardinal Stritch University, about 5 minutes from home. My major is Integrated Marketing Communications... Basically I've had courses in Public Relations, Marketing, Advertising, Accounting, and Desktop Publishing... so I have a broad range of skills that will *hopefully* look good to a potential employer and allow me to not do just one thing. If that makes sense. I've been in school for 4 years, and will graduate after this upcoming semester in December. It's up in the air what I'll do when I graduate. I should probably start scanning my options.

~Fred

 

[scott55405]

Scott, are you still working with the Scottdammit guy that used to post at the old club? LOL

I have been a word processor for about 20 years. I've mainly worked in law firms, though I worked in the legal department of a bank, an insurance company HR department, and an HR consulting company.

Here in California, I'm still a word processor in a law firm, but since it's a smaller firm than I've worked in in the past, I get a taste of a lot of different things helping others out, and it's been a lot of fun and interesting since it's the first time I've worked so heavily with trial/litigation stuff.

I'm actually thinking about going to school PT and getting an AA degree and paralegal certificate. I'll probably always work in a law firm because I'm spoiled by the money and perks, and I'd like to have a more in-depth knowledge of it now that I've had a taste of it beyond typing.