Possible career change - need advice . . .

[DGC1]

Matt - i am certainly not a pessiminst and never want to be a downer but, just remember - and this is something i wish someone had told me - as sexy as some areas of the law sound - like aviation law - the lawyer's job is 99% (1) reading boxes of documents and (2) drafting more boxes of documents. I know the other lawyers reading this are thinking, "amen brother." What you might want to do is fly and then maybe later in your carreer get into consulting or serve as an expert witness in aviation cases. Then you could have your cake and eat it too. Just an idea.

[ready2fly]

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Any suggestions as to how I might go about getting some basic experiences in the field? Just looking to get my feet wet to see if it would be something that I would be interested in.

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YOu could do what I did and apply for a runner/file clerk job. That's how I got my foot in the door and got legal experience. I also obtained an A.S. in "Legal Assisting" (i.e. Paralegal degree) after I had finished my B.A..... I wouldn't recommend the A.S. or Paralegal Certificate unless you are serious about being a Paralegal for a long time.

[DE727UPS]

It's been this way for years. For a long time, guys put up with low wages at regionals because they were a stepping stone to something better. Now, with not much upward movement, guys are staying much longer, maybe even a whole career, at a regional. You can make 100K as a senior Capt at some of the regionals but if you don't think you'd be happy with that....I'd stay in your current position.

The market is flooded with pilots. While this condition ebbs and flows, there hasn't been a "pilot shortage" since the mid-60's. There are way too many new guys chasing too few good jobs. It's always really been this way, to an extent, but those who were persistent and hard working could usually attain their career goals. Now...I think it would be wise to lower ones career goals a notch to account for the hard times but if you can live with that....then more power to you.

Salaries improve? Mabye at the regionals and some slow improvement at LCC's. The legacy carriers have and are making cuts unprecedented in the history of the industry. These were always the "best" jobs. In my opinion, they still are, but they just aren't as good as they used to be. In short....don't plan on a lot of improvement in pilot pay.

[kellwolf]

Hey Stan,

Nessa has been trying to figure out what she wants to do for a real job. She doesn't think hotel front desk is gonna be her thing for a career, and I think she's leaning toward paralegal. She's been reading my aviation law homework, and she understands most of it better than I do.

[ready2fly]

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Hey Stan,

Nessa has been trying to figure out what she wants to do for a real job. She doesn't think hotel front desk is gonna be her thing for a career, and I think she's leaning toward paralegal. She's been reading my aviation law homework, and she understands most of it better than I do.

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She'd do well. She's a sharp cookie from what I could tell and she's not afraid to speak up for herself...which comes in handy with some attorneys.

If she's really interested, let me know. I think I still have a ton of my old law books. She is MORE than welcome to them. They are outdated, but it'd be a good way to cut her teeth.