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Originally Posted by 2DMention Sounds like the perfect job if you're not intent on being a career climber. There's plenty of security, although if the Republicians have their way they'd cut shitloads of positions and replace them with higher paid contractors, farming everything out, thinking they'd save money when they won't (or getting kickbacks from their friends in the private sector). I would love to, but two problems: 1.) Location. Unless you live in San Fran or Redmond, WA, you're SOL. 2.) Doesn't everybody start out as a programmer or tester? Gaming sites and magazines make it sound like you have to be a programmer or tester to work at a video game co. and that's the only jobs they have. I could probably work as an accounting clerk or admin. assistant, but that's about it. And I bet it's impossible to get those kind of jobs. I wouldn't want to work for an evil empire like EA or Activision or a company that makes mobile games or Barbie's Ass adventures. But anything to get the foot in the door, I guess. Ideally, I'd work at a small place like XSeed or Atlus or NIS or Aksys.

Govt's already doing so. I work for a contractor and a majority of the people where I work are contractor's.

I currently work as a cart attendant down at Target. Also known as "The Target Bitch". Working minimum wage is bad enough, but on days it's busy, you're expected to be able to do everything but can't because you're stuck on the cash register due to them needing backup. On a slow day though, I don't mind it at all, but that's about it. Any kind of precipitation sucks because you have to dry off the carts and people still complain about anything and everything.

To make matters worse, I might be moving in August, so it feels like I'm trapped here until at least then. Which sucks for two reasons. Working outside for a portion of the day, I can't stand the summer heat (always have been a cold weather person), plus Black Friday doing carts suck. I got lucky last year when I sprained my ankle in the first hour, but can't count on that again.

And to top it all off, I hate job hunting in general. Probably as I never have success and every job out there sucks.

I work at GameStop for a year now and the job's fun rating just plummeted down next to nothing.
Just last year, I was getting 30 - 40 hours each week even though i am a game advisor because the store was in such a mess (staff wise) that they didn't hire anybody else. I was fortunate to be working that many hours as a GA because GAs usually only get like 10 - 15 a week maybe less.

Then when the new year came along, another store got shut down because GameStop is feeling that store is not doing so well. Then the staff got transferred over to mine and now i am getting maybe 10 hours tops. I hate the other store's staff because they were all management and they get the hours plus the pay. They even changed the whole store around like it is their own store! I just can't stand it anymore.

I was due for a promotion but the District Manager was being a dick so i never got promoted. Now i just feel like shit everytime i go to work and just do what i have to to get by the day.

I would so go to best buy, i applied already but each time they just decline it like i did something wrong.

Originally Posted by QiG The bad news is that it is pretty standard to feel unchallenged by your work if you're worth even half a damn nowadays. If you're happy with all the intangibles of a job that you stated at the beginning of your post, you're far ahead of most people.

I hope that's not true....

I do not like my job career choice. It is way too stressful and I'm "on call" 24/7. I'm in the office between 10-12 hours a day on average although staying until midnight or later is a semi-regular occurrence as are weekends. I also generally work from home 1 or 2 nights a week after everyone has gone to sleep. There are minimum billable hours I have to meet every year which means I can't really take vacation either (even though the policy is "take as much as you want as long as you meet your hours"). I am sort of well-compensated for it (although I'm underpaid when compared to my peers in the same area) so I really can't complain - I mean it is either this or a lower quality of living (which in all likelihood would probably be OK). I don't know - it is depressing to think about.

Originally Posted by QiG The bad news is that it is pretty standard to feel unchallenged by your work if you're worth even half a damn nowadays.

At least this isn't true for me. Every day is a challenge - everyone around me seems to be smarter than I am and more driven to succeed (I have a different definition of "success" than most everyone I work with) and almost every project/issue/task I encounter is something I've never seen before.

Originally Posted by elessar123 I hope that's not true....

No, it is. I'm completely unchallenged in my work and am mind numbingly bored. On top of that I swear the people running this department are mentally retarded, not to mention they'd rather lie to us rather than admit they don't know wtf they're doing.

Originally Posted by 2DMention I would love to, but two problems: 1.) Location. Unless you live in San Fran or Redmond, WA, you're SOL. 2.) Doesn't everybody start out as a programmer or tester? Gaming sites and magazines make it sound like you have to be a programmer or tester to work at a video game co. and that's the only jobs they have. I could probably work as an accounting clerk or admin. assistant, but that's about it. And I bet it's impossible to get those kind of jobs. I wouldn't want to work for an evil empire like EA or Activision or a company that makes mobile games or Barbie's Ass adventures. But anything to get the foot in the door, I guess. Ideally, I'd work at a small place like XSeed or Atlus or NIS or Aksys.

1. Wut? There are game development studios all over the United States.
2. Wut? No, not everyone starts out as a programmer or tester. You don't just find someone and say "okay, you're going to be a programmer today." Game companies have all kinds of jobs for various positions. Have you ever looked at the credits for a single title? Take all those people and then add in accountants, HR people, etc etc.

Originally Posted by Clak No, it is. I'm completely unchallenged in my work and am mind numbingly bored. On top of that I swear the people running this department are mentally retarded, not to mention they'd rather lie to us rather than admit they don't know wtf they're doing.

Maybe in some fields...

It can happen to anyone in any field. There are plenty of people in different fields which I'm sure feel under appreciated or under utilized.

I both love and loathe my job.

My position is titled Technology and Teleconferencing Support Specialist. Basically, it's institutional computing with a rather substantial helping of A/V technology.

The work is excellent... as is the pay. However, the department I work in is extremely laid back. Everyone in my division takes a lackadaisical approach to work. When I came on board, there were at least a dozen projects that had been yet to be started. These projects were introduced approximately two years prior to my start date. That's two years of people sitting on their asses, avoiding work like the plague.

I'm a proactive individual. I don't allow work to pile up... nor do I avoid difficult tasks. This creates a bit of a conflict with my co-workers. They would rather move at a slow pace (or not at all), than take some initiative and complete necessary assignments. I believe my aggressive approach to work threatens them... and therefore, has created some waves.

Regardless, the people who matter most have been quite impressed with the ideas and motivation that I have implemented... and that is what's most important to me.

I sort of copied this from a similar discussion back in the "men over 30" thread:

I think I've resigned myself to doing this laboratory job for the rest of my life. I focused myself for college too late and now that I've got two kids I can't really go back and choose a more 'open' degree.

I mean, I could do this for the rest of my life. It's stable, secure and has market adjustments for wages every few years. It's just that I feel like I've already 'mastered' it. There isnt much of a challenge or thrill to it anymore.

But it provides for the family so I just go there and turn off part of my mind for 8 hours. Do the work, ignore the annoying co workers and come home to games and family.

There isn't much challenge to it anymore. Once you're trained in it and have figured out the most efficent way to due things, that's it. I've been doing this for 6-7 years now.

What I can't get over is there are people who have been there doing the same thing for 30-40 years who still act like this is new to them, and they havent seen this before.

Originally Posted by SLeeK719 Govt's already doing so. I work for a contractor and a majority of the people where I work are contractor's.

I work for a similar company, but we only have a few contractors at my work. I don't want to say too much about my job, but what I can say is that everyone is definitely NOT treated equally. You probably would know what I meant (if I discussed it all) because I do live near the Glen Burnie, MD area (I go there every 2 weeks or so, but I'm in AA county daily).

Not happy at all. The hours, if I actually get any, are completely random and the pay is pathetic.

My schedule for next week:
Sunday - off
Monday - off
Tuesday - off
Wednesday - off
Thursday - 5:30pm to 9:30pm (closing shift + truck night = VERY late night)
Friday - 10:30am to 3pm (near-opening shift the day after THIS ^)
Saturday - off

My availability? Completely open every day except Sunday.
Yeah, I'm done with this nonsense.

Thank GOD I have an interview for a full-time job next Tuesday.....

Absolutely. I am a professional aerospace engineer working in spaceflight, and loving it.

~HotShotX

Originally Posted by HotShotX Absolutely. I am a professional aerospace engineer working in spaceflight, and loving it. ~HotShotX

I hate you right now. I'm have the degree but not even working a Professional Engineering position right now. I so badly want to be there, which is why I will either get my Master's degree, or take a job wherever in the country I have to in order to be there.

As many of the people here probably know, I ing love my career. Its one of the hardest fields to be successfully in and I am doing a pretty good job at it. I love my boss because my boss is I. I set my own hours although I work harder longer than 90% of the population.

EDIT: I love my career so much that it has a very polarizing effect on people around me. I dont fit into the come home, drink a 6 pack and bitch about your job. Plus I break out goings with my friends to work all the time because I would much rather work than go to a movie or a concert or watch the game.

Its such a different outlook on life when you are doing the thing you love to do every day and I almost feel sorry for people who dont have it.

Somewhat.

I do IT/help desk work for a local hospital, it's not so bad, I just wish I had full time hours.

Originally Posted by giantqtipz im a junior now.. i have one more year left to go. im a finance major, but i just realized i have no interest in finance and investments. most of my internships are in business media, film companies, media companies etc. actually im interning at viacom now... and im hoping to get a job there lol. i AM worried though, considering that im a finance major and im going into business media; im afraid i wont be able to move up the chain in the company because of education or so.. im not sure how it works; but i would say that im pretty content with my performance. i hope i can secure a job by this summer though.. that would be really nice.

Pretty much here is the scoop. Just make sure to obtain a college degree, even if you get hired prior to finishing college (from an internship). Once you have it, it should get you in the door at entry level (from college) in any field. Make sure to list your internships in your resume to show which direction you are looking in. When I first started a "real job", I started working for an IT company with my MIS degree along with people that had Music Thelogy, English, etc for majors so don't feel you can't get into the field you want with your degree.

Moving up in a company is based on a few factors: 1) who you know, 2) your work ethic i.e. hard work, 3) you don't pass up opportunities, and 4) future education beyond college degree i.e. MBA, Doctorate, certifications, licenses, etc (it is better to start this after some years of work force experience).

well after reading all the replies.. i have a question for you guys. now you guys are here on CAG. so i assume you guys love video games. have you guys ever considered working in the industry? perhaps not to make games, but you know, just work in a department or something. my sisters friend is the CFO of nintendo. and another one of her friend works for a financial advisory firm that specializes in many things especially video games... and they get freebies almost all the time (which im jealous of). but yeah thats something i'd like to do as well apart from the media business. how about you guys?

Personally, I have at one time. Living in Orlando (where EA does alot of the sports titles at), I heard they work crazy hours and have tons of stress; that was enough for me to write it off. I like my career path (healthcare IT). I get to essentially help patients to a degree through technology, which gives me a sense of satisfaction. I work my 40 hours non-stressed. Overtime/on-call is very little. Lastly, the best part is I get paid pretty well for only being out of school for such a short amount of time (5+ years).

Originally Posted by Clak It can happen to anyone in any field. There are plenty of people in different fields which I'm sure feel under appreciated or under utilized.

I agree 100%. It requires a business to actually put people in managing roles who can actually MANAGE people. I have seen plenty of managers who don't know the strengths and weaknesses of their employees, let alone what the hell they are even doing.

Originally Posted by Soodmeg As many of the people here probably know, I ing love my career..

I've missed any previous descriptions, can you give some details.

I'm a self-employed web developer and 99% of the time I love it. I have a few rotating clients who regularly need work and it's quite common to get a phone call from a friend of theirs who needs a one-off job.

I'm currently working partially on-site for a luxury transportation service. It's pretty swank.

One thing that sucked was all of the coming up to speed I had to do when I decided to go freelance. I didn't know I needed a sales tax id, a business license, etc. I also had no idea that I had to pay extra taxes (to the tune of 15.3% on top of income taxes).

I graduated with a SysAdmin degree, but I found a decent programming job after college. In July I'll have been freelancing for a year. My clients treat me very well.