Posted on Sep 10, 2014
SSG Aircraft Mechanic
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So I find myself in that great debate with my s/o. Taking any job vs taking a job that gets you by on your way to the career that you're trying to start.

I'm almost 35 years old and I've spent most of my life outside of the military taking "any job", which has left me with a rather sizeable work experience section on my resume.

After returning from Afghanistan I hit the ground running when it came to job searching. I spent 4 months sitting at a computer filling out apps and living off the little bit that I had managed to save when I was overseas, which wasn't much because, being the sole source of income through the holidays.

I finally found a job in May and I've been riding it until I could get some things out of the way concerning the National Guard and now I'm on the hunt again for something that pays a little more. I'm no longer the sole source of income, but we're by no means living large. We're still scraping by.

To the debate: I say scrape by now while I'm working hours that allow me to get out and do the things that I need to do to set me up for getting into the career that I want vs going through the roller coaster ride of going from job to job looking for more money than the last and adding to my already sizeable work experience.

She has done a bit of a flip flop going from, before, saying "Take any job", to now saying "you don't make enough. Look more, look more, look more!"

This whole debate has put greater strain on an already stressed situation and has led to some, what I feel is, unneccesary conflict.

To me, it seems that continually jumping from job to job because I'm "not making enough" to do more than scrape by for now is going to hurt me in the long run, by adding more to my already lengthy resume, when I finally get the break I'm looking for and I finally bust into what I'm trying to do.

Am I wrong in thinking that? If I were in charge of hiring, I wouldn't look at something like that in a very positive manner.
Posted in these groups: Ca2 Career AdviceJob fair logo Civilian Career
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Responses: 6
MAJ Robert (Bob) Petrarca
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I feel your pain SSG (Join to see). I had the job I wanted and was laid off after 8 years because they lost contracts I supported. Found another great job and lost it because the company merged and my position was eliminated. took me 2 more jobs to find another job I wanted and was laid off from that just recently due to the company taking big financial hits. I'm sick and tired of having to take the first offer simply to put food on the table, and I've taken 3 pay cuts and am probably facing another to get my ideal job. I don't get what's happening. Like you I am far from living large, am trying to put money away for retirement and do a few things to the house that need to be done while prices on everything go up and my paycheck is forced to go down. Go Figure???
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SSG (Join to see). What is it you are wanting and/or trying to do? Sandy
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SSG (Join to see). What keeps you from moving? Mortgage? S/O job mobility? How long is A&P training program? Sandy
SSG Aircraft Mechanic
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According to the FAA reg you must get 18 months of practical experience with either power plants or airframes, or 30 months of practical experience working on both at the same time. As an alternative to this experience requirement, you can graduate from an FAA-Approved Aviation Maintenance Technician School.

Based off of that, it doesn't sound like the school is too terribly long. The Army only sent me to school for 16 weeks to learn Hawks.
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SGT Richard H.
SGT Richard H.
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SSG (Join to see) how do you feel about hot weather? The Corpus Christi Army Depot down here is the primary (or only) rebuild facility for Blackhawks. I see openings all the time on USA jobs and Sikorsky hires regularly as well. Both would probably be pretty good career moves in this direction.
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SSG Aircraft Mechanic
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There's a sikorsky plant here that I'd love to get into down in Troy. I think they have some hand in the S-92. I'd kill to get my foot in that door.
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SPC(P) Chandler Lonergan
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I saw a video by the owner of a company giving a talk on hiring Veterans. He is the owner of VET COR. his name is LtCol Paul Huszar. Google him, he is an awesome Leader1
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