creating our own “exit strategies”

[crg616]

I’ve been watching Eric’s videos off and on for the past few years now, and I know the video is a little old but I recently saw Eric’s video “The Exit Strategy” for the first time yesterday and it really got me thinking about my own exit strategy. It seems like a good thing to keep in mind especially since I somehow hurt my back bad enough a couple of weeks ago while working on trailer wiring. This caused me to have to call out of work for the first time due to an injury and I’m only 24, I started working in a shop first at age 17. I don’t mean to sound like I’m crying over 1 incident but I took it as a little bit of a reminder that I’m not an exception to being injured at work. And to be honest I don’t want to play the flat rate game my entire life. Working such an incredibly technical job that has no guarantee that you will get paid when you go into work is ridiculous and I don’t see it changing any time soon. So I was wondering what my other fellow technicians here have in mind for they’re exit strategy? What can someone who has basically only worked on automobiles since they’re first job move into that is a little easier on the body. Personally I would like to possibly move into the heavy duty industry possibly working as a service advisor for a heavy duty truck/equipment shop. Would that be considered a reasonable goal for an automotive technician?

By the way I apologize if this has been talked about before in another thread. I haven’t fully learned the site yet.

Topic

[zero]

You’re still young. Basically the only people in the industry that are guaranteed to make money are the managers. Their compensation usually includes a salary and then bonus(es) based on profit etc… Personally for me at least the whole service adviser thing is basically sales, that and I don’t like people.

If you’re in a large auto group and want to pursue something like management, you could always talk to an HR person and at least express interest in it. Take some classes, just some entry level community college admin courses to get some sort of feel for what the job would entail before you end up getting thrown in the deep end.

Either way 24 is still more than young enough to go and do something else. Even something else completely different. If I was 24 again, sweet jesus.

[Mike]

I’m 33 and have been at shop foreman level across a couple dealers for about 8 years. I’m hoping that in the next 10-15 years I learn enough and get enough experience that I can be a consultant or teacher of some kind. The Mitsubishi/Kia/Suzuki technical training instructors I learn from at factory training are a example of what kind of thing I mean. It’s not a dream come true type of thing, but I need to be realistic and I like doing something I’m better than average at. I can assure you though that I’m still trying to think of something better. I keep telling myself that I’ll need to give my tool investment more time to make me money.

[Vic]

I’m only 25 and moving up step by step. I’d like to eventually teach automotive education before my body tells me it’s done. I love the work, the puzzles of solving problems is amazing, but I know my body won’t last forever.

[Author]

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