If you could have a "do-over"

jzell · 07-06-2009, 07:31 AM

I really wouldn't change anything about my career path. I love what I do and the life I have.

But if you could do it all over so that your line of work would allow for more time fishing, what would you do?

I would at least have a job that would be 4 days a week. Maybe one that would be 4 days on 4 days off kinda thing.

How bout you?

Cap'n Ron · 07-06-2009, 07:46 AM

Time on the water is not my main concern. What I need time at home before and after trips. I spend what little spare time I have getting ready, then when I get back from a trip I spend my spare time cleaning up and putting away (or not) and by the time I get back to work I'm already worn out from working at having fun.

I woulnd't change a thing!

Dullhook · 07-06-2009, 08:06 AM

I would have gone into teaching. Good way to help benefit society plus have summers off. I enjoyed the industrial/maintentance field but since it was for a food processor fishing time was very limited. The mechanics and electricians were busy from mid June through autumn every single year. Not being able to camp or fish during the summer and fall for 35 seasons was truly a challenge. Did learn how to catch winter steelies though. In the end, I was very thankful for the employment and was able to retire at 61 years old. Making up for lost time now!

fish-on-bend · 07-06-2009, 12:06 PM

A 4 day work week sounds sweet! Oh wait, thats what I have now.

My sweet little business allows me to take 3 days off a week. Vacations can't be any longer than a week at this point though.
It sure is nice to fish on Fridays or take off Friday morning for a 3 day week end. Now I need to work on getting a couple months freed up in the winter for "warm weather" fishing in a friendlier winter climate. Those ice fog days on Billy Chinook in January are not as exciting as they used to be.

Bird Dog · 07-06-2009, 02:27 PM

SEVERAL years ago I was at Billy Chinook and had the chance to visit with the ODFW guy up there. He spent all summer on the lake doing the various checks, enforcement, education, etc. Sounded like a dream job, but now I push pencils all day. Weekends and holidays off, though, so not too bad.

FallRiverGuy · 07-06-2009, 02:46 PM

I would definitely want a job that had a 4 day work week. Or, if I had a job at HP in Corvallis it would be 3 x 12 with 4 days off.

But, I have often thought if I were to redo my career it would to be an optometrist that worked 4 x 10. And, if I could stomach the job, a pharmacist.

Smok'n Fish · 07-06-2009, 04:25 PM

I agree with Dull Hooks, teaching is the way to go. Summers off, a nice 2 weeks off around the end off December, and another week or so in the spring. It's not that I don't like my job, it's just, I don't like my job. I can't remember the last time I was able to take a full week off, let alone 2. But hey , it pays the bills.

Da Bank Maggot · 07-06-2009, 05:15 PM

Job Schmob....I wanna hit the lottery and go fishing every day of the week.

Okay, seriously....Many years ago, I actually had a job that involved a four-day workweek. ( 12 hour days, though. )

The best part was that I worked Sunday thru Tuesday...so I had Wednesday, Thursday and Friday to fish. Lots fewer people to contend with.

Akatrout · 07-06-2009, 05:28 PM

OK, call me biased but no career out there has a better work schedule than a firefighter's has. Because our work days are 24 hrs long, you only work two to three days a week! Thats alot of time off for fishing. Our departments schedule was changed over a year ago to 48 hrs on and 96 off. Thats working two days straight but enjoying four days off after that. It can be a rough 48 hrs at work but I usually have caught up on sleep after my first day off and am ready to head out with the boat by my second day. Nothing beats that schedule in my opinion. Being a teacher comes in a not-so close second -- I like to fish in the fall, winter and spring as well as the summer.

Drake2137 · 07-06-2009, 05:40 PM

my significant other is a nurse, and at most places you can kind of set your schedule up how you want. Most of the time, she works 5-6, 12 hr days, and then has 7-8 days off straight. So if you can make it through 5-6 days of work, then you get 2 mini vacations a month. If you can stomach the craziness of the medical field.

Simon Peter · 07-07-2009, 12:20 PM

Lotto - invest it in something good like JP Morgan, Enron or maybe give it to a nice investment broker like good ole Bernie Madoff...... then end up broke and still go fishing every day ..........

Splash · 07-07-2009, 01:16 PM

I currently work in said craziness medical field doing 7 on/ 7 off 10 hr nite shift. It's getting close to time to put in a reservation for the Happy Hotel across town. Don't get me wrong I love the work I do but yes, there is a tremendous amount of craziness involved.

The week off is pretty sweet and much needed after the 70hr week on. Take a week of vacation and you get 3 weeks off. The downside is you spend much of that off week by yourself because most everyone else is at work.

4 10's or 7on / 7off day shift would be mint.

Doc_Rhen · 07-08-2009, 01:12 PM

Don't know if I would want any other field but the standard 70+ hours per week, 50 weeks a year is a bit tiring and does interfere with time on the lake or in the woods.

sucker · 07-08-2009, 01:51 PM

The hardest part of any of the jobs I have held in my life was convincing my boss' my value was worth additional pay as they would have to take money from their own pocket to add to my pay. I would like to go back and get a job where the boss could reach into some one elses pocket for my pay or benefit increase; such as any public sector job.