Poll of the Day > I need some advice here...

(+) Yeah! (+)

I posted this in Doctor Foxx's advice topic, but she seems to have abandoned it, so I'm making a topic. I know the chances of me getting genuine advice is rare, but fuck it. I already put it out there, so I guess posting it one more time won't change anything.

Right now, I'm making about 72k a year driving a Vacuum Truck in the oil field. If I do it for another 4 1/2 months, I can move up to driving a Kill Truck, which would pay a little closer to 80k a year. Then if I do that for 5-10 years, I can become a Reverse Unit Operator, which gets about 150k a year.

The thing is, I enjoy jobs where I help people, and working in the oil field, I feel like I'm just helping Big Oil.

The job I've wanted for about 10 years now, is being a Correctional Officer for a federal prison, which starts off at 40k a year. My friend's been working there for almost 10 years now, and he's making over 50k(not sure how much over 50k).

I feel like for my family's sake, I should just stick it out in the oil field, but I've heard of people that chose careers they didn't want because of their family and end up resenting them as a result.
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lihlih posted...

150k a year

Stopped reading after this

Do what gets you here
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Could you work as a trucker for somewhere that isn't Big Oil?
Just shipping parts, or whatever, around?
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lihlih posted...

I enjoy jobs where I help people

lihlih posted...

The job I've wanted for about 10 years now, is being a Correctional Officer for a federal prison

Not the same.

That job relies on incarcerating as many people as possible. The whole system is designed to shit on people not help them.
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Yeah you're not going to help anyone as a correctional officer.
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Right now, I'm making about 72k a year driving a Vacuum Truck in the oil field. If I do it for another 4 1/2 months, I can move up to driving a Kill Truck, which would pay a little closer to 80k a year. Then if I do that for 5-10 years, I can become a Reverse Unit Operator, which gets about 150k a year

Tc is working for an abortion clinic?
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Nobodys gonna look out for you but you. The only way I can see something like a CO job being better is if its unionized/has better benefits. But with that amount of pay difference Id be surprised if theres any way whatsoever that they could reasonably match that. You might as well just stick it out. Hell, if anything just manage your funds and pack away enough into savings that you eventually switch to a job where you get to help people like you want to.
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Can you go back to your vacuum truck if you don't like the correctional officer?
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JOExHIGASHI posted...

Can you go back to your vacuum truck if you don't like the correctional officer?

I think he could go back. But he might lose the time Doug the job. Meaning he would have to start from the beginning... I believe.

As for what you should do, I would stay with the job you have. And then volunteer ok the side if you want to help people. Unless you want to see if you can get a part time job as a CO. But that's probably not the best job if you want to help people.
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Muffinz0rz posted...

lihlih posted...

150k a year

Stopped reading after this

Do what gets you here

But the parts after it are important, lol. It'd be nice to be able to rub my dad's nose in it though. (he disowned me because I didn't want to go back to college after getting out of the Army. Thought I'd live a hard life, making little money as a trucker. I'd only make 10k less than his prime as a Reverse Unit Operator, and actually be making like 30k more than what he makes now)

shadowsword87 posted...

Could you work as a trucker for somewhere that isn't Big Oil?
Just shipping parts, or whatever, around?

I could, but I would be making significantly less.

Moonjay posted...

Yeah you're not going to help anyone as a correctional officer.

I don't know, maybe if the inmates see that there's at least one CO that cares and looks out for them, it could be a big help in their time there, no?

Cacciato posted...

Nobodys gonna look out for you but you. The only way I can see something like a CO job being better is if its unionized/has better benefits. But with that amount of pay difference Id be surprised if theres any way whatsoever that they could reasonably match that. You might as well just stick it out. Hell, if anything just manage your funds and pack away enough into savings that you eventually switch to a job where you get to help people like you want to.

Yeah, this is prolly what I should do, I keep wanting to justify the pay cut, but the difference is too much.
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How do you feel about your job beyond the fact that you're not helping people? Can you live with it, or are there other problems you haven't mentioned? It's worth pointing out that with that kind of money, you can afford to do a lot of charitable work you wouldn't be able to afford on 50k a year, especially if you're supporting a family at the same time. Even if you're not working as a correctional officer, there are other ways you can help people in prison. Many people struggle to reintegrate to society and with finding work, which can cause them to go back to a life of crime. Helping those people learn work skills and get jobs would help them a lot more, and you'd have a lot more freedom and flexibility than you would if you were just another cog in the system.

SunWuKung420 posted...

lihlih posted...

I enjoy jobs where I help people

lihlih posted...

The job I've wanted for about 10 years now, is being a Correctional Officer for a federal prison

Not the same.

That job relies on incarcerating as many people as possible. The whole system is designed to shit on people not help them.

Moonjay posted...

Yeah you're not going to help anyone as a correctional officer.

I say this as someone who took a job doing something meaningful for less than half the pay of my last job

I'm glad to be doing work that makes a difference but being a CO is not that work
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Selenara posted...

How do you feel about your job beyond the fact that you're not helping people? Can you live with it, or are there other problems you haven't mentioned? It's worth pointing out that with that kind of money, you can afford to do a lot of charitable work you wouldn't be able to afford on 50k a year, especially if you're supporting a family at the same time. Even if you're not working as a correctional officer, there are other ways you can help people in prison. Many people struggle to reintegrate to society and with finding work, which can cause them to go back to a life of crime. Helping those people learn work skills and get jobs would help them a lot more, and you'd have a lot more freedom and flexibility than you would if you were just another cog in the system.

The job isn't bad, the hours kind of suck, but the work it self isn't bad at all.

Doctor Foxx posted...

SunWuKung420 posted...

lihlih posted...

I enjoy jobs where I help people

lihlih posted...

The job I've wanted for about 10 years now, is being a Correctional Officer for a federal prison

Not the same.

That job relies on incarcerating as many people as possible. The whole system is designed to shit on people not help them.

Moonjay posted...

Yeah you're not going to help anyone as a correctional officer.

I say this as someone who took a job doing something meaningful for less than half the pay of my last job

I'm glad to be doing work that makes a difference but being a CO is not that work

Aren't you a vet? I thought those guys make a shit ton of money.
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watch some documentaries about being a guard. very dangerous, not a lot of helping going on
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Krazy_Kirby posted...

watch some documentaries about being a guard. very dangerous, not a lot of helping going on

The one I want to work at is only one step above minimum security. People are in there for fraud, money laundering, etc...

My friend that's worked there for about a 10 years ago said he hasn't seen any riots, dangerous situations, or even had to beat up an inmate. He did however said he had to man handle a few, but nothing too serious.
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If you want to help as a CO, do juvenile. That would actually be helping people. But I don't think it's the same for adults... That's from my knowledge of law enforcement...
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lihlih posted...

Aren't you a vet? I thought those guys make a shit ton of money.

No and no. I work in animal rescue for a charity. Save hundreds of animals each year. It's rewarding but I'm always stressed about the lack of money.

Veterinarians have one of the highest rates of suicide out there for any career. and with the cost and barrier to entry to becoming a vet, even the ones that do make good money take a long time to get comfortable. They're not making 150k here.

You want to help prisoners that don't have anyone to believe in them? I bet that help would have been great when they were young, before they entered the system. Keeping them safe and helping them feel like they belong before they're doing things to get incarcerated, there you go. That's helping.
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