I need career advice

[Nickco43]

Originally Posted by The J-Man

Congrats! Gates used to be a client of mine. It will be a good company for you to start your career. They have a nice brand new office in Downtown Denver if that's where you'll be working eventually. You may be shocked with the rent prices in Denver, but that's just part of being young and broke when you land your first corporate job.

I toured 15 apartment buildings in three days and the rent is nuts. I applied for a 616ft studio apartment in Lodo for $1650. There are solar panels on the roof and the building is lead certified so my utilities will only be about $50 a month. It's nuts that even all the way out in Columbine or Littleton rent is about $1500 for a 1x1. Then add up $150-$180 for utilities since it is an older building and the Lodo studio made a lot of sense (plus it is 0.7 miles to the huge Gates building on 15th ave that I will be working in for the next two years).

Denver is definitely a huge adjustment from PA. I lived in rural PA for the last two years and I was in a Philadelphia suburb for most of my life. Smelling pot everywhere and seeing a lot of homeless is something that will take a few months to get used to.

Also the only proper food store in the area in Whole Foods. Will I go broke shopping there?

[nombawon]

Originally Posted by Nickco43

As I sit in my shoebox (zoom) university apartment that I haven't left in a few days I though it would be wise to use this amazing tool, the internet, and ask a bunch of people who have many more years and experience on me some questions that I think most of you wished they would have asked when you were starting out.

I graduate with my fancy Penn State Business Management degree in May and like all of my peers I have yet to find a job in this terrible job market and am in a funk sitting day in and day out taking sub-standard online courses. I thought with my automotive experience and my experience running my own business selling CIC kits that one of the new car manufactures would be quick to pick me up. BMW NA as well as a few others never even responded to my applications . It seems like all of the employers can not even wrap their head around what I do. I have been applying to at least three jobs everyday and at least I do get some interviews unlike some of my peers.

I guess the main three questions I have are how the hell do I make myself stand out in this terrible job market?, where the hell in the US should I even move to? and what would you do in this situation?

I don't really want to go back home as I am ready to get my life started and want to start saving for a house. Home modifications at least appreciate in value unlike car modifications.

hello nick. i've been trying to reach you. i'm a newbie on this site and i don't have access to pm yet. i need your help for my car retrofit. can you help out. i will pay for your time and products. thanks. i you are not able to. can you suggest someone that can do it for me around ohio...

[upstatedoc]

Stalker

[The J-Man]

Originally Posted by Nickco43

I toured 15 apartment buildings in three days and the rent is nuts. I applied for a 616ft studio apartment in Lodo for $1650. There are solar panels on the roof and the building is lead certified so my utilities will only be about $50 a month. It's nuts that even all the way out in Columbine or Littleton rent is about $1500 for a 1x1. Then add up $150-$180 for utilities since it is an older building and the Lodo studio made a lot of sense (plus it is 0.7 miles to the huge Gates building on 15th ave that I will be working in for the next two years).

Denver is definitely a huge adjustment from PA. I lived in rural PA for the last two years and I was in a Philadelphia suburb for most of my life. Smelling pot everywhere and seeing a lot of homeless is something that will take a few months to get used to.

Also the only proper food store in the area in Whole Foods. Will I go broke shopping there?

That's not a bad deal for rent. I think rents have fallen downtown with Covid. That apartment probably would have been $2k before. Yes you'll go broke at Whole Foods. There's a King Soopers at 20th and Chestnut that will be much cheaper. The homeless problem and tent cities got much worse with all of the BLM stuff over the past year. Prior to that, it was tolerable. My office is downtown, and I haven't been there since Feb 2020. Not looking forward to going back.

[floridaorange]

Find a nice nursing or pre med student who needs a roommate in the house Daddy bought them because it was a good investment. That way you don't have to worry utilities etc etc etc. Oh and you get a house and aren't alone.

[NorCalAthlete]

Originally Posted by DETRoadster

OP, you need to study NorCalAthlete post like you are cramming for a final exam. I've seen some good advice on this forum and what he just posted is in the top 1%. Flawless. I've hired probably 100 people in my career and interviewed well over 1,000 I'm sure. Everything he laid out for you is exactly what I look for when I'm recruiting. I want a candidate who is smart, creative, humble, and motivated. All of those qualities are on exhibit in candidates who do what he advised.

I keep getting fresh notifications on this thread so I wanted to chime back in and just say - I still smile when I see this, because it's immensely gratifying to have your advice validated like this.

For anyone checking in for the first time, I hope you're doing well and can make use of the advice in this thread. For anyone who took the advice, even a single piece of it, check back in and let us know how you're doing now!

[billnchristy]

Just saw this for the first time (that I recall) any updates on how the job's going?

Automotive is a hell of a field, very demanding, if you can put up with the pace (you should, you're young) it will be lucrative. I was a maintenance manager for a tier I/II supplier for 4 years and it about killed me. OEMs are brats and always throw tempers and get their way.

I hope you're enjoying it.