My career choices

[jknight8907]

Here's a little background info: I'm a sophomore highschool student in a small AR town. I'm about to start flight training here in a month or so. And I don't have a clue what kind of career I want to persue.

My fairly 'needed' requirements for a job would be being home most nights, make good money, and have pretty good QOL.

Here's my options: I can go to work for the family company, which is a leading trucking company based near here. All the rest of my extended family works there. My job would be coporate pilot and computer tech. The flying would consist of twin-turboprop, and possibly light-jet flying. The pay would be quite good with stock options and 'enough' vacation time. Use of company aircraft would be allowed for some of that vacation time.

Other option: Work for some other corporation. The reason I would go with this option is to get to fly the 'heavy stuff' like Challengers and Hawkers, which is what I would really like to flly.

I see benefits for each. If I went with the family company, I would have a fairly secure job with great benefits, and I would be able to work really close to home.
If I went with a different corporation, I would have to opportunity to fly bigger jets to more places, but I would most likely have to move to a city. (I'm not really fond of cities)

You guys that have experience in the corporate environment, what are your opinions on this? Any insight, words of wisdom, experience?

thanks!!!

[kellwolf]

Don't let the lure of "bigger jets" distract you. It's the QOL you're looking for, and working for one of those other companys might not give you the "home at night" option you'd prefer. If you've got a good gig, and it looks like it'll work out, don't go chasing greener grass. It's not necessarily that green.

[Swen]

To even think about going after the big jets with all that is offered to you on the polished platter is....in a world of its own. If I could, I'd reach over and swat ya one.

Seriously, I'd go with that position in the family business before my heart could beat. Its there, take it. Its got more than you're probably thinking.

Those working on the ratings want to go fly the big aircraft asap, then the senior captains on the big jets want nothing more than to be flying J3's and 172's.

[jknight8907]

Thanks for the input guys. I see your points. I guess it would be kind of foolish to leave a good opportunity and go after a job with possible low QOL and all that (not)good stuff.

thanks!

[Sir_Captain]

Man if you gotta rethink that, you need a slappin'. I'd stick with the family business, best deal! Forget the lure of the big jets like Kell says. You can probably run into that later with the experience you'll have.

[Minnesota_Flyer]

Assuming you like your family, go with the family business. The QOL should be better and you've got some built in job security the rest of us could only dream of. You can move on later if you really get the urge, but bird in the hand and all that.

[Windchill]

You're a sophomore in high school ... enjoy it instead of planning your life out.

Things change, and when you're living life, you'll long to be back in school when you didn't have bills and other responsibilities.

[flyguy]

The job with the family would be at the very least a time builder. Its not that easy to get the big corporate jobs you speak of. They require a lot of experience. The type of experience you would get while working with your family business anyway, so you could take that job, see if the QOL is what you are hoping for and if the lure of the big jets still becons, you'd be getting the experience required to get one of those jobs. You could also transfer that experience over to the airlines should you choose to follow that path. Lots of doors could open for you. Worst case scenerio, you decide you like working with your family, are making good $$, get to come home every night, and get to fly for a living. Oh darn.