What do you do?

[tachi]

I used to be a network engineer for Virgin but left that to move from Wales back to Devon.
Jobs down here suck so I am on a minimum wage Tech Support role for now while I work on my second movie script
My first was taken up by a project run by Stephan Shakespeare (owner of Yougov fame) called Co_Producer and is being produced in the next 2 years.
The one I am working on now is based on the works of Howard Phillips Lovecraft and is a tale of a researcher who falls foul of the Esoteric Order of Dagon after finding an Idol stolen from R'lyeh.

Do I enjoy me 'job'..no I hate it.
Money sucks and if I could I would do writing fulltime...
And as it is not a career, I did not choose it.
I was planning on being in the RAF while at school...joined ATC and everything.
Did a medical when I was 17 preparing to enlist but my (then) girlfriend fell pregnant and so I backed out.
Even when she lost the child (very early in pregnancy) I was working a crap job to get money in and basically never returned to the RAF idea...
Do I regret it? No not really as if I had done it I would never have met my (now) wife and had my beautiful daughter

[pantal00ns]

For a living?

Electronics Engineer, design and manufacture of Flexible circuits. Flexible circuits in touch screens, Automotive lighting (Which seems the flavour of the day!), security applications i,e passports, RFID tags. Ironically not actually doing much practical electronics, more project management, training and bl00dy, bl00dy quotes!

Do you enjoy it?

50/50, literally depends on what kind of day I am having. The company is Hong Kong owned (read China), so get to deal with a very diverse people base. There is some travel which is fine depending on the location.

Is the money any good?

Its ok, could be a lot better if I was a bit more motivated and intelligent!

Are you glad you chose it as a career?

Yes and No. Basically it pays the bills, seems stable for the next year, but can be like pulling teeth at times.

What would you do instead?

Thought about this, not a clue. Get involved with my sons Cubs group as a helper, have been a classroom assistant during University breaks a fairly long time ago. So teaching could be an option, my qualifications could help towards the PGCE.

[hanging]

For a living?
I'm quite greedy and have 2 jobs
1) I'm a project manager for a contract electronics manufacturer - mainly PCB manufacture. I work in the prototype department - so see some lovely tech coming through... and it also means I have a nice surplus stock of components dating back to the early 90's. (As I'm in charge of materials)
2) Sound tech/promoter/occasional journo - Tech for a couple of bands, promoted over 300 shows, written for a few places..

Do you enjoy it?
1) Sort of. It's a decent job - quite challenging - but I don't fit 9-5 really.
2) Love it - been doing it for 8 years now. Wouldn't change it

Is the money any good?
1) It's ok - I'm probably 5k under what I should be getting - but I'm comfortable. (and they let me have the flexibility I need)
2) Money? You get money for this?

Are you glad you chose it as a career?
1) It more or less chose me..
2) Yes. Hairs a little greyer because of it.. but yes
What would you do instead?
1) Number 2 if it paid.. As it's a full time job in itself

[r0jaws]

For a living?
I'm an Air Traffic Controller in the RAF

Do you enjoy it?
Yes I love it. I get to boss around fast jet aircraft all day long.

Is the money any good?
Not anywhere near as good as my civilian counterparts, but I'm not complaining.

Are you glad you chose it as a career?
Yes

What would you do instead?
I dunno, stuntman? It's tricky. I did a multitude of pretty awful jobs before I joined up, Milkman, motorbike courier, supermarket department manager, binman so it really made me appreciate what I do now and how lucky I am to be able to do it.

[lanky316]

I'm a local radio presenter and actor, not that I do an awful lot of acting, my main acting "job" now is appearing in murder mysterys up and down the country, main two roles are Crabtree (from 'allo 'allo) and Basil Fawlty. Realistically I'm two young for either but I've got the right build for them and people tend to overlook my youthfulness when in character.

I enjoy them both, some days with the radio show I find myself getting drained and uninspired, worse if I've made one of my games a little two challenging as I don't even have many callers to keep me going but I can get around it, the acting stuff though I've always been able to enjoy, not many roles I've come across that made me dread turning up for.

Money, what money? It's pretty poor as the acting is done pro-rata, no shows no money so I'm often hoping the company put together something with good roles for me otherwise I get nothing and even then it's based on attendences, low turn out due to bad advertising by the venues and I'm stuffed.

That said I'm glad to be doing it, I easily slide into depression and with an accounting background it was very easy to do, sit on your arse doing exactly the same thing in the same way, with the same four walls around me, used to go nuts. The long term unemployment became a bonus though as I just spent time pottering around doing amdram and trying to find little things to tide me over (thankfully other half had no experience and no qualifications and her employment scheme actually helped her find some work that covers our expenses) and from there someone at the job centre had seen a posting in the local post office for actors and I was taken on board, radio work was similar, they were starting up doing a radio soap and wanted actors, bought me in and one day a presenter wasn't in and as I was in the studio I offered to cover, clearly did well as I was given "mid morning matters" to do!

Even though the moneys a pittance, I love it, hours are quite flexible and reasonable to deal with and I'm doing something I love, if the pressure was on to be the main breadwinner then maybve different but as it's just that "extra" I am more than happy. Though I'd have liked that role in Game of Thrones, I'm much better than that Alfie Allen bloke...

[pantal00ns]

For a living?
I'm an Air Traffic Controller in the RAF

Do you enjoy it?
Yes I love it. I get to boss around fast jet aircraft all day long.

Out of interest what fast Jet Aircraft do the RAF have?

Both my older Brothers were in the RAF, one was mainly on transport Hercs, Nimrods etc. The other north of the border on Jags and Tornado's.

[theantmeister]

For a living?
I'm an Air Traffic Controller in the RAF

Do you enjoy it?
Yes I love it. I get to boss around fast jet aircraft all day long.

Out of interest what fast Jet Aircraft do the RAF have?

Both my older Brothers were in the RAF, one was mainly on transport Hercs, Nimrods etc. The other north of the border on Jags and Tornado's.

I don't know, but it must be whatever that jet is that buzzes my house every so often!

[Sputryk]

Senior Claims Investigations Officer for one of the worlds largest Public Transport Service Operators.

Started out life in an Estate Agency, but six months on swapped to Insurance Broking. Despite working wonders for the last broker I worked for, I realised I wasn't getting my dues so swapped alliegance to insurance claims. Insurance Companies are not my cup of tea - waaaaaaaay understaffed and waaaaaaay overworked. Been where I am now for the passed 10 years nearly. Very quiet atmosphere, little telephone work and not much client hassle.

Get involved with fraud on all scales - we recently had an incident involving an EMPTY bus, yet received claims from 23 passengers.... Constantly giving grief to Credit Hire companies and solicitors that handle the 'questionable' claims for injury.

it's enjoyable, but it is just a job and it clears the bills and pays for a few luxuries. Wage is reasonable. Don't see myself leaving unless something drastic happens - it is a stress-free environment, something which is far preferable to the boiling pots I have worked for. Having said that, I have tried several times to write a book, and if I can manage to do so at any time in the future I would gladly cease employment and be an author. TIme will tell.

[greenberet79]

PR. I spend all day writing (well, typing words), plus I manage two websites and an intranet.

Money's average. Well, it used to be good - then it was average - now it's below average. Cost of living and all that.

It's okay, though like most people wonder if I'm wasting my life sat at a desk all day.

Still, the grass isn't always greener etc.

[Katzkatz]

For a living?
I'm an Air Traffic Controller in the RAF

Do you enjoy it?
Yes I love it. I get to boss around fast jet aircraft all day long.

Out of interest what fast Jet Aircraft do the RAF have?

Both my older Brothers were in the RAF, one was mainly on transport Hercs, Nimrods etc. The other north of the border on Jags and Tornado's.

They also have the Eurofighter nowadays(aka the Typhoon). I have seen those things buzzing around.

[themightymartin]

I'm a Customer Service Assistant for The Southern Co-Operative. I don't mind it so much because I was out of work for over three years before, so I'm pretty much just happy to have a job at the moment.

[pforson]

Up until 3 weeks ago I worked in film VFX for a company called Framestore in London. I was a VFX Avid Editor.

My film credits include, Goal!, Australia, The Golden Compass, Narnia: Prince Caspian, Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Sherlock Holmes, Johnny English Reborn, Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters and most recently The Dictator.

Here's my IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3018103/

The money was really good and I loved the job and the people. The only downside was the extremely long working hours, which seems par for the course in creative industries.

I left to move to Germany to live with my Girlfriend. Leave this Sunday. I really hope I've made the right decision!

Ta,
Pete

[jdanddiet]

Christ Pete you've got an IMDB page

Good luck with the move man, I hear they're looking for road sweepers in Berlin.

[r0jaws]

....Out of interest what fast Jet Aircraft do the RAF have?

Well I currently work with Tornados, but shortly I'll be going over to work with the Typhoons. There are Hawks in Wales and the North, as well as the Red Arrows in Lincolnshire. That's it for fast jets although we do have other Jet engined aircraft. I used to work with the Jags in Scotland, and Norfolk too, and I have also worked with the Hercs.
A lot of the bases I have worked on in the past are now closed, with more to come sadly.

[r0jaws]

.....

I left to move to Germany to live with my Girlfriend. Leave this Sunday. I really hope I've made the right decision!

Ta,
Pete

Good luck with the move Pete!