Post: #1

Okay, so oftentimes I see peope on here asking questions looking for direction whether they are taking a break from college or settling down for a few months to earn some money to go travel.

I've mentioned before with so many job possibilities out there how do people even know where to look without just aimlessly browsing CL or the classifieds and calling places where you have no idea what duties or pay are.

Figured I would kick this off and would love to hear others comment as well. I'm talking about jobs that don't require a college degree, technical training, or any special skills like web design or SEO. Jobs where you can make a decent buck and fairly easy entry.

I'll kick it off...

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I worked this job about 8 years ago so industry is going away due to smart meters and pay is probably higher but most stuff will still be relevant.

METER READER

Duties:

Walked around reading meters for water and electric

Pay:

$14 per hour plus $2 per hour for vehicle usage. We really only drove to one neighborhood and walked the entire day, maybe grabbed lunch out or drove to a second neighborhood but probably drove 10 miles a day or less so essentially made $16 per hour as you really didn't use your car but you did get paid for it.

Average Day:

Showed up at 7am. Got my route and picked up my little handheld computer and meter gun. Grabbed a walkie talkie and map of my route for the day. After that I would drive to my route, start walking it.

I would go up to the little black plastic circles on peoples house, shoot the gun at it, take a reading and enter it into computer. Then walk to electric meter. Take a reading, pop on a new plastic tab so you can tell if people reset and tamper with it and onto the next house.

Nice job, nobody telling you what to do, nobody looking over your shoulder. Get your route done and everyone leaves you alone. You can listen to music, talk on the phone to friends, listen to audiobooks, do whatever you want while you are out as long as your able to walk and take your readings. Honestly I would normally go fast and then take a break and go to the library for a few hours each day, sit, read, look on internet. Probably even better gig today with smartphones where you could do more of your own stuff throughout the day if you also want to run a biz on the side or something.


Pros:

1. You walk about 15-30 miles a day so great excercise
2. Nobody breathing over your back, very easy job you know what you have to do.
3. Freedom to listen to music, books, etc
4. Good pay
5. Nice schedule, in at 7 out by 3 or 3:30 eveeryday.

Cons:
1. Snow, Rain, sleet. It sucks having your feet soaked and being cold 30 minutes into the day and knowing you have another 8 hours.
2. Rough job to do hungover, especially in bad weather.


Just a few other comments about this gig. This job is kinda going away. Many cities are getting smart meters which allow them to read remotely so no need for meter readers. Also some cities have technology where a truck can drive down the street at like 10mph and take readings so you don't need a dozen walkers you only need like one person. There still are plenty of these jobs out there. They pay well and really require no special skills or education to get into. I got this job when I was like 21 with a prettyy crappy resume at the time, Anyone can do it really.

One interesting things. This used to be a job for cityworkers but most cities have contracted it out. It was kinda funny some people who worked there for a long time worked for city so they got better pay, better benefits. In cold weather like below freezing they got a 15 minute break every hour, didn't work if temp dropepd below such and such degrees. Lotsa perks like that. Those of us who started later worked for a contracting company. Don't get me wrong we still got paid well and was still a good job but we were out no matter the weather, weren't treated with kid gloves and babied like cityworkers are in nearly every industry.

That's my easy well paying gig. Curious to hear others.

Post: #2

DOG WALKER

NANNY/DAY CARE

Post: #3

There is no such thing as a well paying job that doesn't require education or special skills. Wages are determined by scarcity of the skills needed. For example the best sports stars in the world get paid so much because there are so few people that can perform at that level. Top computer engineers get $$$ because so few people have their technical knowledge and people skills. Welders in the oil sands make money because there aren't that many welders and so few of them are willing to put up with the shit conditions that they put up with. That job you posted will make 32k a year at $15 per hour, which is not much at all. People should strive to make themselves a valuable asset with unique skills so as to acquire a higher paying position. Working at an 'easy' job that pays 'well' (no such thing, again) will not help you develop as a person.

$.02

Post: #4

Sales. I hate sales, but if you have the personality and aptitude for it people will be tripping over themselves to throw money at you. Everyone wants someone who can effectively hock a product, no matter if it's electricity, cars or real estate.

Watch Wolf of Wall Street, Boiler Room and Glengarry Glen Ross for a glimpse into the Sales world.

Post: #5

(04-14-2014 07:51 PM)kdolo Wrote:  DOG WALKER

NANNY/DAY CARE

Was kinda hoping to go the direction of jobs where you work for someone else not hustles. I get that you can do these things as jobs but most daycare workers are probably going to make like $8 an hour.

Post: #6

(04-14-2014 07:57 PM)Switch Wrote:  There is no such thing as a well paying job that doesn't require education or special skills. Wages are determined by scarcity of the skills needed. For example the best sports stars in the world get paid so much because there are so few people that can perform at that level. Top computer engineers get $$$ because so few people have their technical knowledge and people skills. Welders in the oil sands make money because there aren't that many welders and so few of them are willing to put up with the shit conditions that they put up with. That job you posted will make 32k a year at $15 per hour, which is not much at all. People should strive to make themselves a valuable asset with unique skills so as to acquire a higher paying position. Working at an 'easy' job that pays 'well' (no such thing, again) will not help you develop as a person.

$.02

I'm not talking about making a killing. Obviously a crabber or welder is gonna make big bucks as is any high risk gig. I'm talking about jobs that pay better than say fast food or being a waiter that are still relatively easy to get.

Post: #7

(04-14-2014 08:00 PM)Tengen Wrote:  Sales. I hate sales, but if you have the personality and aptitude for it people will be tripping over themselves to throw money at you. Everyone wants someone who can effectively hock a product, no matter if it's electricity, cars or real estate.

Watch Wolf of Wall Street, Boiler Room and Glengarry Glen Ross for a glimpse into the Sales world.

Very true here. I worked in the mortgage industry for a few years, mostly just getting leads so I wasn't the one making the money but alot of people who didn't even graduate high school but got a good mouthpiece on them could make hundreds of thousands a year.

Sales if your good is great cuz you determine your income. I know guys who made big bucks hocking Kirby vacuums which is supposed to be an unwinnable thing for the saleman. Obviously if you can get into a good sales gig selling a product thats actually needed and have a good split you can make a killing. Also nobody really cares about your past or your resume if you can sell.

Post: #8

(04-14-2014 08:17 PM)jamaicabound Wrote:  

(04-14-2014 07:57 PM)Switch Wrote:  There is no such thing as a well paying job that doesn't require education or special skills. Wages are determined by scarcity of the skills needed. For example the best sports stars in the world get paid so much because there are so few people that can perform at that level. Top computer engineers get $$$ because so few people have their technical knowledge and people skills. Welders in the oil sands make money because there aren't that many welders and so few of them are willing to put up with the shit conditions that they put up with. That job you posted will make 32k a year at $15 per hour, which is not much at all. People should strive to make themselves a valuable asset with unique skills so as to acquire a higher paying position. Working at an 'easy' job that pays 'well' (no such thing, again) will not help you develop as a person.

$.02

I'm not talking about making a killing. Obviously a crabber or welder is gonna make big bucks as is any high risk gig. I'm talking about jobs that pay better than say fast food or being a waiter that are still relatively easy to get.

I don't see any reason to get a gig like this unless it is to pay your way through training to get a higher paying gig. It seems rather unproductive. Robert Kiyosaki wrote to never take a job just for money. Make sure that it will improve you in some way--people don't become successful (not only in monetary terms) taking jobs just for money.

Post: #9

Ups

Start there and work your way up to a driver.

My driver makes 80k a year

Post: #10

My girl works for ups. Dtivers make bank but u pretty much have to start out in a warehouse. Its a shit job freezing in winter hot in summer hard work and super high turnover. U get paid shit unless u work third shift and even then the moneys not great. I believe you have to work like 3 years parttime before you can go on fulltime and 5 years to become a driver. Their union fees are high and u get nothing for them and they are cuttti g back on benefits which was one of the few plusses of working there. Also working pt for them badically ties uo your schedule and takes over your life especially if third shift. Totally fuck up your internal clock and social life as well as other job opportunities for 5 to 6 hours a night

Post: #11

Waiters or bartenders make a lot of money. I work as a bartender at a restaurant on the weekends because I like it and would love to own my bar someday and ill make over 500 bucks in two days. Working in the restaurant industry is one of the most overlooked positions out there.

Post: #12

Uber driver. Gold salesperson.

Post: #13

Fire watch on construction sites or in power plants.

You just watch a room and make sure it doesn't catch fire.

Pays like 12 bucks an hour and you get OT since it's construction.