So, I’m looking for a career change since I’m probably going to move to a city of approx 200K people. What’s something that everyone needs either it’s simple or more complex?

Not interested in funeral services 😛

  • If you’re willing to deal with the later costs on your body, learn a trade.

    Plumber, electrician, HVAC. Everyone needs something serviced, it’s just getting your name out/getting with a good company. Bonus, these things can follow you anywhere. Big city to small townships.

    Welding is another solid one. Good welders can be in high demand.

    Again, be forewarned, take care of yourself now, and be ready for it to catch up with you down the line. It’s rough on your body.

    • I worked summers in high school with my town street maintenance department, shoveling asphalt in the Virginia heat and other assorted fun tasks.

      One day the trash department was short a body and my boss volunteered me to help them for the day. It was the single hardest work day of my life, and we were done with our route by noon. I have no end of respect for the people that do that job.

      • I’m probably being ignorant because I don’t know whether there’s more to it, but Australian garbos drive a truck and control a big robot claw. They don’t need to actually touch the bins.

  • You said you needed something more immediate, I’d say there’s nothing wrong with being a waiter / waitress / bartender while learning something else. They’re not the most secure jobs for sure, but they’re not exactly going extinct.

    Alternatively, hotel staff make a lot (at least a lot for the small town I grew up in).

    If you’re looking for a trade skill - HVAC, plumbing and being a mechanic will all be skills that will stick with you through life and they all pay pretty well.

    Truck driving is really, really in-demand right now. If you’re willing to drive 12-14 hours some days, shower at travel stops and sleep in your cab (at least, that’s what I’m hearing a lot) then that could be for you.

  • Starting during the Great Depression, my grandmother insisted that every one of her children become either a teacher or a nurse, because those were the only people who were never out of work during the Depression. Both can be hard jobs (in different ways), but if you’re looking for something where you’re constantly employable, that’s where I’d start looking.

  • Generally, any trade will always have good job security and decent pay. Trucking, maintenance (welder, electrician, plumber, or mechanic (diesel or heavy equipment, auto is usually over staffed) and HVAC) and accounting seem to have been the most reliable trades to find work over the last 20 years or so. Construction is very boom and bust. Medicine and maintenance are VERY short staffed currently, especially in rural areas.

    In 2008 I chose trucking. Initial training was 6 weeks and cost me $10,000 USD back in 2008 followed by 3 months over the road with a trainer. Hate the job, but the pay is decent-ish (I’ve generally made between $55K and $75K), it doesn’t usually matter where you live and the few times I’ve found myself needing a new job I’ve been hired within 72 hours of applying for the position.

    If you do go trucking, avoid any company with a Teamsters Union presence like the plague. Every Teamster I’ve met to date has been an complete and total self-important asshat and they seem to have a tendency to call strike just for the hell of it (Though they are payed well).

    Any other union is probably fine.

  • what is your goal? Are you planning on moving to a different city and employeer every year, or just want to settle down in aspecific place?

    there are lots of jobs. However some places have specifit needs. Some jobs can be worked remote from anywhere. Some jobs depend on word of mouth so you can’t move after getting the skills.

  • I don’t know if he’s making good money or anything but in my town of around 100k there is one guy who is a bit of a jack of all trades (and to me it seems he could be a master as well, but I wouldn’t know). He does stuff like copying keys, leatherwork, sharpening knives and so on. This is the guy you go to if you need some more obscure thing done. Might be something for you if you like that sort of stuff.