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I am currently a 40 year old college student that is finishing up an Associates degree in Advertising Graphics and hope to get work in this field soon.
 
LIVELIHOOD(S) CONTINUED

I worked for a "major" telecommunications company
named Pacific Telephone and Telegraph at the time.
One could still order "rubber finger tip" paper sorters
and desktop "Snuf-a-dor Ashtrays" from the internal office
supply "depots". It went through some changes! When I retired
in 1995 I had either a "3" or "486" desktop, I don't recall.
A few years after I left it was "gobbled up" in a hostile "take over" by SBC!!
 
This has been a good thread. I've always wondered if anybody here worked in the appliance industry to earn a living selling, servicing, or manufacturing, or if appliances was just a hobby for them. Appliances could probably be a good thing to fall back on if I needed to for a living
 
How I became the Partscounterman

When I was young I did a lot of boring things for money. You really don't wanna know... I really didn't get off on the endlessly boring going to skool thing either.

Sometime before my 30th birthday I decided to somehow get involved with the appliance industry. In 01/1994 I took a job with Dey Distributing in Vadnais Hts, Mn. All I was doing was boxing up appliance parts for shipment but had fun just being around things that were appliance related. My head began to fill up with part numbers...

I only stayed at Dey about a year and a half before I walked hard! They were kinda cheep to work for and that gets old real quick. Not too long after that I took a job at Allied Appliance Parts in North St. Paul, MN. I was put right to work at the partscounter. We would still look up parts on filmcards then-no computers. Also, Allied was an independant parts dealer who sold mostly aftermarket (non-genuine) parts.
Dey had sold mostly OEM (genuine) parts, so now I had even more part numbers to remember!

Allied Appliance Parts was located upstairs of a Roofing Company. The morning after easter something went wrong and some actelyne blew up downstairs. So Allied was shut down for a few days-then moved to a smaller nearby location. Not too long after that, Allied (and local competitor Appliance Parts Co.) were bought out by Sundberg Co. of Chicago. I was soon promoted to being Manager of the North St. Paul Sundberg Location.

After a few years of that I got tired of the same old same old, so I took a sales position with Plaza TV and Appliances. I cut back my hours a little and was working with a great group of people. My parts knowledge came in real handy for them and I learned about another facet of the industry. Plaza was also a servicing dealers, so I also got to dabble in that aspect. I sure loved working there!

When we moved ova hea, I took a job selling laundry and refrigeration at Sears. Sure couldn't take Sears BS too long, so I took some night classes at the Maui Community college. I took basic electricity, appliance repair and got my refrigeration license. I sort of already knew some of this stuff, but the classes helped fill in the blanks.

When I could take no more of Sears I quit, scraped some money together and opened my shop "Appliance Garage". Got the doors open just after my 40th birthday last fall. I sell parts here, I do in shop repairs (I hate driving around). Been also dealing in used appliances and refrigerant recovery.

Would also like to expand into selling NEW appliances and finding some one who would go do in home repairs. Any one want to partner with me? I sure do have big dreams....
 
Wow, we do have quite a few computer nerds around here. Me to! I'm a computer programmer, I program in SAP-ABAP, Visual Basic and obviously I do web programming (our little site here) using Perl, Javascript and HTML.

Hmmmm, makes me think there are a lot more of us vintage washer people out there in the world who are not internet savvy and haven't found us yet.
 
I guess I'm the only truckdriver! I drive an 18 wheeler for Patrick Industries.We make aluminum extrusions,mostly used in the recreational vehicle industry,but also sell to window mfrs.,boat builders,and a lot of other industries.
Oh,and I run a used appliance store on the side.......

kennyGF
 
Lots of this and that-

First paying job was cleaning offices. People are less reserved at the office than at home.

Then, I committed some journalism.

For a few years I was a private caterer. I'd help design the menu, do the shopping, prep and serve and clean up. Not enough money at the time.

Then, I worked as a Crisis Intervention Specialist on a mental health/drug abuse hotline. Five years of psycho co-workers, truly ill bosses, and fascinating, exasperating callers.

Went back to college, got my B.A. in Humanities/Arts.

I started on a M.A. in English, but Ma started to get ill, and I left that program, and started to care for her full time. She eventually developed Multi-Infarct Dementia.

Since she left (I know it's stupid, but I can't say "d___") in 2001, I've been doing this and that again. Some freelance writing and editing, maybe a party tray or two. I have very little money, and my internet connection is my single great extravagance.

I wouldn't object to a full time job, but a lot of the entry level positions I have applied for don't have health coverage, and as a person with several chronic conditions, health coverage is crucial.

Thought of getting my finances in order (a true challenge) and going to seminary and becoming an ordained minister. Time and God will tell.

I contribute to a humor website, and am very active in my church.

I usually have a fairly good time.

There have been times when I've desperately wanted to work for Maytag or Whirlpool, in Product Development, but I am far from an engineering type.

Love and Laughter,

Lawrence/Maytabear
 
a change of pace

I guess I'll chime in with something different. I am a Human Resources Manager for the last 12+ years (and currently in job search mode following a major reorg at my last company!) Formerly a Supermarket Operations Manager for many years....

Rich
 
Another Computer Nerd!

I work for a school district in NW Indiana. I'm a "vintage" computer nerd. I'm the systems administrator and programmer for our financial, HR, payroll and Student Information software using COBOL. I also manage the operations of two VAX mainframes.

For all the new stuff (PCs, servers, switches, routers, e-mail, etc) I have a technology services group that maintains and manages those systems.
 
Wow Rocky, you are a "vintage" man.

I worked as a competitive analyst/sales support for one of the firms that helped give birtyh to the PC industry and also printers. DId that for 20 years.

Now I work for a teaching hospital here in town as an administrator/coordinator for a residency program as well as information management for most of our residents. Done this since 1998.
 
No Dr's yet!! Does it count that I have to deal with the

I've been a PharmacyIV Tech for 9 years. 4 years Retail. 5 years and counting in hospital.

President of The Bridges Organization out of the New Haven Gay and Lesbian Community Center.
 
Sounds like we've got some workin' appliance folks h

By day I'm a mild mannered newspaper reporter.....
Well, actually, I'm a product engineer (elec eng'ing) for a certain world-wide company that makes those large, green, tractors that roll out of Waterloo, Iowa.

Blows your mind to stand next to tires that could drop around a Maytag!

Cory
 
can you hear me now??? (hint)

I have worked for a major telecommunications company for over 26 years. Currently hold the job title "storekeeper". No, I am not Sam Drucker or Nels Olsen.....I order, warehouse and deliver supplies to the technicians who use the material (jacks, wire, and such, even the cable on the poles) to keep your dial tone on. The area I serve has over 300 technicians and the job keeps me busy. Was "chained to a desk" for the same company for 17 years, and never thought I would want an "outside" job, but I love it now....
 
I am a Human Resources Director for a "Big Four" Accounting Firm in NYC. I am also a licensed and practicing realtor (part time) in Fairfield where I live.

I am also a licensed CPA but obviously no longer practice.......
 
I`m a press setup and operator for the last 10yr. I have 9 presses ranging from 4 to 75 ton. I start almost every job in our small plant.(only 14 employees) A joke goes-In a small plant, If you dont know what your supposed to be doing, everybody else does! LOL! We make babbitt bearings for anything from air compressors to electric generators in dams. We had a website but its gone due to cutbacks last year. This year has been really good!
 
I am a route salesman for an autobody paint and supply jobber in Shreveport. I am a geologist by degree (a stretch), but the job outlook was poor 20 years ago and I had to eat. Enjoy being on the road everyday.
 
Careers

I am a self employed car buyer.I travel buying program cars,vans,and sport untilites for 7 dealerships.The vehicles I buy are rental units,between 6 and 12 months old and have between 5k and 30k miles.
 
I'm in hospitality

I have my bachelors degree in Hospitality Management and believe it or not am still in that field. I am the Director of Rooms and Villas for the Millennium Resort Scottsdale, McCormick Ranch and have been with them for over six years. I oversee the operations aspect of the resort (front desk, reservations, concierge desk, bell desk and housekeeping) as well as a owners assocition attached to the resort with 51 villas that we rent out.

Before that I was with Marriott in contract food services.
 
Started out being a computer nerd in 1978, key-punching - remember the cards both 80 col. and 96 col.? No, probably not, but anyway got into programming RPG II - QUIT!

School Bus Driver - QUIT!

Pharmacy for the past 12 years, after long education - STILL THERE!

Steve in Pensacola
 
Yes, I used punch-cards for classes in COBOL and FORTRAN, and maybe BASIC. The college installed CRT terminals at some point. Don't recall if that was for BASIC, but I'm sure they were there for RPG.
 
punched cards

When I got out of High school in the 70's, I went to a business college where I learned to wire the control boards that handled the printing (on the cards themselves and on greenbar paper) and how to set the sorters (remember the first season of "Mannix" that showed a card dropping into a slot on a sorter and it had "Mannix" printed on it?)
 
I was a word processor for IBM for a time. I worked on an IBM Mag card typewriter. Anyone remember those? The data was stored on a magnetic card that was the same size and shape of the old paper punch cards.

We then moved to the IBM System 36 Word Processor. That data was stored on the 8" diskettes and had a display that was something like 4X4 inches or something.

That seems like a lifetime ago and really, it was only about 25 years ago!
 
Well-------------good to see that there are some of us who still remember the "Old Way" we used to do things! Pardon me, however you could get a lot more done and a lot more time to wash clothes back then. Now, newer, faster, more, more, more is not always best my dear! How many of you are marketing, or service help center personnel? How about----insurance---- customer service? Tell ya what, call any insurance company you may know of or have dealings with, see how the Newer, faster, more, more, more gets you quicker service! 1st they have to boot the machine, then re boot, then stop the screen saver, then click the icon that participates to what they are there to do then log onto that etc. etc. etc. etc. only to say I'm sorry I'll have to ask my manager, hold for 10 minutes. OK folks, I will step out and off of the box

Steve in Pensacola
 
Since late last year I've been working for British Telecom as a Directory Enquiries CSR. Basically this means I sit in front of a computer wearing a headset, acting as a human telephone directory. Customers call our service giving the name and address of the person or organisation they wish to contact, and I then scour the database to find the telephone number they require. While the job is nowhere near as simple as many assume, it's still incredibly easy, with no hassle and virtually no responsbility. Many people would hate that, but for me it's just the ticket after all the crap I had to deal with in my previous occupation. Couldn't wish for a better crowd of co-workers either, and because the work is so fast paced and repetitive (I take 100-150 calls per hour), we get paid well too.

It's not a "proper" career by any stretch of the imagination, but that's the last thing I need or want right now anyway. Two years from now I intend to be living abroad and working for myself, so in the meantime this job will do me very nicely indeed.

Previously I worked in the sales office of a timber importer, the less said about that the better. Before that, five years in appliance sales, the final two of which were spent working on behalf of Bosch. Loved that job, but it became hard to make a decent living on commission when you consider today's trend of selling goods at silly prices... all good things must come to an end!
 
WOW, I can't believe everyone here that remembers the punch cards. WHen I started high school in 1972 my aunt was a keypuncher and i did not know what it was. Senior year I went for IT classes and learned that and after graduation searched for a computer operator job. most of the young guys At work now have no idea what a keypunch card is or the fun of what happened when you dropped a big pile of them when trying to run a job on the computer.

I just had a new bookcase made for all my cook books and when I was putting my professional chef cookbook my wife bought me in 1980 on the shelf, I found a bunch of cards that I used for bookmarks. I laminated one to save as a collectable.

I remember when the IBM PC with the two 8" floppy drives was new and pong, a hand held calculator was over $100

I remember when the amana radar range first came out and peopele were buying them for the home. I think they cost close to $1000. We got our Sharp Caurosel for a Wedding present from my parents in 1981 and It was very exspensive at the time and big.
 
old stuff

Remember 40 pound, top loading, manual tuner, mechanical piano key control,no special effects, $1500 VCR's? And blank tapes were $20 each?
 
Hey Kenmore!

Yeah, the RCA Selectavision series- I have the first VHS model downstairs and it still works like new. Also a couple of the 4 hour $20 tapes, and the 2 hour $10 tapes. What's an EP speed? : )

Cory
 
EP

EP=Extended Play (4 hour) mode. Every VCR can play this speed, but I think only the JVC family of machines could record and have special effects at this speed.
 
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