Career for an extreme people person?

[Renee in NC]

My dh was telling us about working today at dinner. There has been an event going on for the last three days that he has been working (11-12 hours a day.) His job is to keep the trash emptied.

 

He recounted several instances today that made me realize that his strength is his people skills. He said that the guy with him (who has worked there for 17 years) was astounded by how many people attending or participating sought him out to say goodbye. He asked dh how all those people knew who he was! Dh said something about "knowing people" and the other guy couldn't understand - dh hasn't even been there a year and everyone knows him by name but most people don't know any of the other guys. It's because he talks to people and helps them out however he can.

 

Other incidents involved people seeking him out for help. People would ask security for help with something and the security guys would send them to dh and he would help them with whatever they needed. When a concession trailer caught fire, the guy running it went to my dh to ask what to do (and he took care of it by calling around until he found someone who could take care of it because he isn't an electrician.) The other guys don't do that - they just do the trash and that's it.

 

This has always been true at any job. When he worked at the lumber company, people would ask for him by name for their deliveries or pickups. People would go there specifically because he was there. When we had our business, he gave awesome customer service and really went the extra mile for the customer.

 

Having said all of that, in general this strength is wasted on the jobs he has normally done. His current job only involves this kind of thing a few times a year - mostly he works alone (which makes him depressed and angry - he is extremely extroverted.) The job he is interviewing for is a lot like the job he has now except he'll work as part of a crew.

 

I always thought he would be good at sales, but he can't do outside sales for various reasons and inside sales (where the customer comes to him) doesn't really pay much. He likes kids and is really good with them (the event this week involved a lot of children and he had fun with some of them.) I think his absolute favorite job would be in a feed store or farm supply, but those jobs don't pay enough to cover daycare. Another job he really liked the idea of was someone who told people at museums or zoos about animals (those al require degrees, though.)

 

Are there any other jobs where he could use his people skills? It can't involve a college degree or his fixing things himself (he just doesn't have the mechanical ability for it.) He can use a computer, but no computer knowledge besides that.

 

I was hoping someone here could help me brainstorm some.

[Ottakee]

It is too bad that so many of the "people skills" jobs pay so little.

 

Just some ideas:

teacher's aide in an area he likes

nature center employee

delivering lumber/building supplies

lumber/building supplies salesman

Home Depot employee

Security or nurses aide type thing at a hospital--helping families get around, calming scared patients, directing people where to go, etc.

Prision guard---but you have to be tough and not easily taken advantage of

worker in a boys group home, youth detention center

bread/milk/food service delivery guy--we used to love to chat with the food delivery guys at the nursing home where I worked

medical supplies delivery

Clean up/set up/do everything crew for a major resort or convention hall

 

Like you said though, so many of these jobs are the low paying ones. People who sit behind desks and computers can make huge money yet the people on the front lines make so little.

[Mommyfaithe]

What about a delivery man type job. OR, a plumbing/ HVAC (or medical supplies or building) supplies delivery/ salesman. The guys who come into our business delivering or selling us supplies are really nice and the jobs seem to pay well...and some of them have commision.

 

Faithe

[OrganicAnn]

Could you start your own business? If you own the business, then indoor sales can pay. Would car sales be possible? Any larger ticket item is more likely to pay better. Real Estate is not doing well now, but it will be back one day.

 

There are books on careers that might help you figure it all out.

[coffeegal]

Well, this is a sales position... but dh suggested selling higher end items such as farm equipment (tracters, combines, harvester), or mining euipment.

[Cinder]

Bus Driver? My mom drives a city bus and enjoys interacting with the public all day. It requires a CDL but when she got her job the company paid for training. Hours can be long and the schedule is sometimes crazy but pay is decent.

[Renee in NC]

Thanks everyone. There are some great ideas in here! Some of those are things he has talked about before, but none have panned out yet. I need him to make at least $32K to cover his work expenses and daycare and it seems that very few of the jobs he would be good at pay that much. I'll keep theses in mind as we look, though!

[Ottakee]

Is see you are in Florida, if you are in a touristy area, how about tour bus driver, shuttle driver, conciere, etc. where he might get tips for his great service? Would he like to be a waiter? That could really bring up the income.

 

We do try to tip those friendly and very helpful people very well. It is just so bad that these jobs pay so little and/or lack benefits. I remember one guy at Subway (likely in his early 40s or so) that was GREAT---so good that I remember him even years later, but Subway isn't going to pay much. We even return to one hotel about 3 hours away when we want a "get away" just due to the great breakfast chef they have that makes your omelets to order, etc.