College Graduate, looking to switch careers

Tarzan

Member
Hi all,

I am a 22 year old college graduate, currently living in Pittsburgh, PA. I graduated from a state school last December with a criminal justice degree. I am currently working as a Security Supervisor in a local casino and making salary 40,000 a year. I have been in the casino industry for going on 3 years now (1 year supervisor experience) and im pretty much burnt out/ I hate it. With the COL here in SW,PA I have been attacking my college loans like there is no tomorrow. I pay at minimum $800 a month towards college loans each month. I also have 3 rental properties that bring me in combined $1600 a month, all of my rental properties are paid off, so I fortunately do not have a monthly payment on the properties. But back to the subject; I currently owe about 30k in school loans, I am very ambitious and have always been at the top at each job ive done (telemarketing, and now casino work). I have a buddy who is 22 years old as well (3 months older then me), he is debt free and driving truck for US express- He is currently driving 'teams' making .22 per mile. Unlike him, I do not have any children or a wife, however, I do have a great GF that I plan on marrying one day (I'm planning to propose in Feb.) She has her own $, she os focused on a career within the US postal service and she is also a college graduate.

Now that I told 'yense' (PA talk :p )my life story I will move forward with my few questions:

1.) Would it make sense to quit cold turkey and get a CDL?
2.) Who is (in your opinion, and why) the best company to start driving for?
3.) I am looking to get a CDL in less than a month, and go through orientation and be training, is that possible?
4.) Being so young, I am 100% certain that I could work my way up to owning 10+ trucks and paying them all off by time I'm mid 30's early 40's, is this goal possible?
-I've always had the mentality that I will retire early, when my buddy started telling me about this trucking schooling and such a quick process I though, hey, I oughta give this a shot! My family thinks I'm nuts for walking away from my salary , 40k job.
5.) At 17 I got a DUI, 20 I wrecked my motorcycle into a car, and 21 I got a speeding ticket (5mph over) will this hurt me when applying?

I have a TON of more questions, but figured I would get my core questions out there. All and all, is it worth giving up my salary job to get on the open road?!

All feedback is really appreciated.

Drive safe and stay awake,
Tarzan!
 
@mndriver Professional help is believable, and I have considered excluding myself from all casinos, [IF] I get a new job or seek a new career. If I were to 'admit' to having a gambling problem my license would be REVOKED immediately, and then I have no job.... Not happening!

My uncle is telling me to sign us a a National Guard, complete the bootcamp and go work in a state prison. That's not really my cup of tea.
 
You are an addict.

The sooner you get help for it, the better off you will be.


And going into the guard isn't a good answer either.

Both directions are running from the issue.
 
What makes you tell a young ambitious guy to stick to a job he hates, and isn't happy with?
Because trucking is so over-regulated & is only going to keep getting worse. You'll grow to hate it too.

But by the way you worded your reply I'm assuming you've already made up your mind & are just wanting to hear words of support to build confidence before telling the GF about your plan.

If that's the case, then we can skip the "should I go trucking" part & go directly to the "who's a good company" and "what's the best way to get training" part.

You sound like you're not broke like most new entrants to the industry so I'll tell you that if you can spare 3-4 K for a private CDL school that's not affiliated with, or run by a trucking company (community college) you'll be better off because you won't be contractually obligated to work for a certain company for X amount of time.

Spring is the best time to start because you'll get a whole summer worth of experience before you drive a truck in snow for the first time. But if you're concerned about a possible gambling addiction developing, I'd do it now.
 
On a wild duck chase!
That'd be a wild goose chase. But you're just trying not to use that word because you're Canadian and don't want to bring up the subject of the fact Canadian geese are invading my country! :mad:

Hopefully Donald Duck Trump will deport all the Canada Geese too. Or at least make the wildlife people grant them amnesty on the condition that they agree to change the name of their species to America Goose.

:usflag:
 
@Duck

Ouch, not what I was hoping to hear, but at least you 'kept it real'. What makes you tell a young ambitious guy to stick to a job he hates, and isn't happy with? Is driving truck really that bad, or are you looking at it as if I have it real good in my current position? As I mentioned above, paying off my tuition is key (pay now or pay later; or bull **** now and pay forever).


I don't want to annoy you, but let me ask you this:

What if I told you that if/when I introduce the idea to my lady she would be more than wiling to give up her post office job and drive as my partner, through the schooling and all? Or what, If I told you that the main reason why I want to step away from my current profession is because I honestly have picked up a gambling addiction and all I catch myself thinking about is playing table games, although I don't let the casino(s) in my area take all my hard earned money, however, I am guilty of giving them a shot at my bankroll at least 7-10x a month. At first I was like no, I don't have a 'problem' but when I'm at work counting down the hours to get off and go play either BJ or poker I come to my senses and I'm like holy ****, I need out of this environment before I go and lose it all. I don't drink, have a drug problem, or any other addictions, THANK GOD.


Thanks for the reply and l like reading your posts! Hope this gives you a better perspective of my situation.

what i underlined. you have a habit and you side step it. you claim to own property, do you alos pay property taxes, water bill, sewer bill, insurance on that property..?? even if your tenants "pay that" with the rent, you are gambling away monies that in time, when YOU FAIL to pay the bills for the properties, the city/town/ and even the state can put a lien on them for non-payment. here, if one fails to pay the sewer bill, the water gets shut off, as the water bill is also connected to the sewer bill.

you "want trucks" by the time you are in your 40's.....frankly, i do not see that in your future, you have a gambling problem. so what new trcuks come with a half million or million mile warranty..you STILL HAVE to pay for fuel, insurance, etc.

that $7,000 to $10,00o gambling money is going to increase, as you earn more money.

you are "unhappy" in your current job, now i know the TRUE reason......you are NOT earning enough money to support your gambling.

i cannot find it in my heart now to wish you good luck, as i know you will "blow it all away" in time, then be back here crying what can you do to correct this and how can we help.

some of us already told you to, STAY WHERE YOU ARE..........but i fail to see you actually will take that advice, as you have already debated some here on your choices.

then why even be here and start a thread...???

you got it stuck in your head, that you are right, and we (long time highly experience people that have seen things) are wrong.
 
Nah, I bet if he gets his ass out of the casino he'll be fine.

I don't get "gambling addictions". I just don't see how that is possible. It's not a chemical, it's just an act of stupidity.

I bet he'll be fine if he just gets out of the casino.
 
That'd be a wild goose chase. But you're just trying not to use that word because you're Canadian and don't want to bring up the subject of the fact Canadian geese are invading my country! :mad:

Hopefully Donald Duck Trump will deport all the Canada Geese too. Or at least make the wildlife people grant them amnesty on the condition that they agree to change the name of their species to America Goose.

:usflag:

"Geese" huh??? Riddle me this: You guys think you're cool with yer "drones" right? Now what if you had biologic drones that were self sustaining, (able to re-fuel with biologic fuels) and able to mix in amongst local fauna???

Ever notice "geese" around your military/ political centers"?? Ever notice "geese" in places like Arizona/ New Mexico? Wonder why "geese" would go to the desert?

Would you believe that we have "nuke capiable geese" on standby? How about "baby nukes" designed to look like goose crap? Not much individually but a couple hunnert "goose bombs" going off at once? How about the fact that "geese" fly in perfect bomber formation?

Unnerstand, it ain't you guys we're terribly concerned with per se. But when y'alls keep electing screwballs who want to turn your country into some 3rd world s--thole we gots to keep our options open. When you turn into Ameristan things are gonna start going "poof". What's left we'll just turn into Canada's southernmost Province"

Best part? I can tell you what's gonna happen and y'alls just laugh and say "crazy guy". Perfect clandestine operation. :D
 
"Geese" huh??? Riddle me this: You guys think you're cool with yer "drones" right? Now what if you had biologic drones that were self sustaining, (able to re-fuel with biologic fuels) and able to mix in amongst local fauna???

Ever notice "geese" around your military/ political centers"?? Ever notice "geese" in places like Arizona/ New Mexico? Wonder why "geese" would go to the desert?

Would you believe that we have "nuke capiable geese" on standby? How about "baby nukes" designed to look like goose crap? Not much individually but a couple hunnert "goose bombs" going off at once? How about the fact that "geese" fly in perfect bomber formation?

Unnerstand, it ain't you guys we're terribly concerned with per se. But when y'alls keep electing screwballs who want to turn your country into some 3rd world s--thole we gots to keep our options open. When you turn into Ameristan things are gonna start going "poof". What's left we'll just turn into Canada's southernmost Province"

Best part? I can tell you what's gonna happen and y'alls just laugh and say "crazy guy". Perfect clandestine operation. :D
So when two of these nuclear armed geese are getting it on doggy style in the field behind my house, what's that? Are they just exchanging reconnaissance data?
 
So when two of these nuclear armed geese are getting it on doggy style in the field behind my house, what's that? Are they just exchanging reconnaissance data?

Exchanging targeting data. When one of them 'moves their world" you'll be the first to know... briefly. :D

Actually, the "nukers" aren't deployed yet.... maybe.

So the two in your backyard are "real geese"..... maybe.

We are field testing the missile carrying bomber escort "geese" though. They 'react" to ground fire so you might have a few of your "goose hunter" buddies come up missing.

Wild goose 1 taking ground fire. Locked on target. Heckfire (polite Canadian miniturized Hellfire) locked on. Missile away. Area cleared. Returning to normal flightplan. Have a nice day.
 

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