with trucking jobs that will pay you a comfortable salary.

As an aside, I have stayed with my field through three layoffs, because I did not want to have to start at the bottom of the stack, competing with folks who have 20 years of experience in the field that you are trying to break into. It automatically puts you at the bottom of the list or a salary commiserate with an entry level position.

What you say in your third paragraph may be the best way to break out of driving and getting into management, since you now have a college degree. BTW, congrats on getting the degree.

Do you know that you're in almost the same neighborhood?

Yes. He lived a few miles from where we are now. I ought to suggest to him to look at the new company that is moving into the old GM plant here. Unfortunately it is a Chinese company, but they do plan on hiring around 1500 people. They are in Moraine and are looking to bring in local people. I don't know what types of positions they are trying to fill.

In a rapidly changing economy, having years of experience does not count for all that much. Twenty years ago, having 20 years of experience as a travel agent meant something. Today? That entire profession is dead.

The right career strategy is to take a job, any job, with a company doing anything similar to what you want to do. Gain new skills, experience, and most importantly contacts.

Trucking is a dead end job with no up side.

I hear ya...

I just know it. hang in there!

by today's standards, sadly. I have friends with master's degrees, in education no-less, who had to look for years for full time employment. Even here in CA, the land of opportunity.

Take something, anything, for less money now and gain the skills and contacts to move up. If you take the trucking job now, you will only become more and more dependent on the income, and it will be even harder to move into something that you like. Yes, it's a struggle, no doubt, but taking the pain now will pay off later in your life.

I seriously can't take a job making less money than I do right now. We have nothing to fall back on now as it is.

You have to look at the big picture.

Where do you get that from my post? The only thing I complain about is not being able to find a good job in my chosen field of study. It's right to complain about that because it shouldn't be that way. I generally don't complain about trucking. I've been doing it for over 18 years. If I was constantly whining about it I wouldn't have lasted nearly that long.

Did you see the part where I said I'm probably going to remain a trucker? Did you see where I said I'm thinking of picking up part time work elsewhere in trucking? What are you reading?

I enjoy your posts, always have. I celebrate your victories when they come, I appreciate your hard work to get the degree and I also understand your frustration. Hang in there Tobin!

His disdain is not worth the worry. I think of it as a badge of pride

When I see your name as the OP I always click on it to see what you have to say. You've shared your life with us and made our lives richer for it. Don't heed the ones who are the real downers and who feel the need to put others down. That's one thing you've never done.

I'm making even less than that now with a degree (a supposedly 'marketable' one too) and there's nothing else available in my area. i was thinking of moving to a more remote area where I know I could make double. But my kids have moved so much I promised them this would be our home until they all graduated. *sigh*

… versus the likely affect of driving all the time versus the time it takes to reach gainful employment.

Mind if I asked what your degree is in?

It's probably the most marketable undergraduate degree you can get. I have had several job opportunities, but I can't find any place that will pay me what I need. We're not talking a CEO salary here. For 45k I'd be willing to jump ship. It's just not happening.

I see lots of business degrees out there. Maybe the potential employers are now valuing this degree "a dime a dozen".

Is there any way to reduce your needed income, so you could eek by at a lower entry salary with, say, an early review that you negotiate?

On the other hand, if you're young, maybe you should have a 5 year plan and use your off time for something promising (my dream is sustainable utility industry, but to find these kind of opportunities, you have to live in an area that is "up and coming".

You can work it out… You owe it to yourself to find a way!

but you might be able to stay in the midwest.

https://www.jobs-ups.com/employment/united-states-sales-jobs/1187/4628/6252001/2