Another job idea thread :)

Just thinking about options, I have no plans to quit my job anytime soon. Though I would save so much money by just not being in the store every day being taunted by awesome things!!

Anyway, I was just wondering if people had any suggestions/ideas for potential places that would be a good match.

Basically, I'm interested in positions that managerial experience could get me into, that is a 9-5, M-F type gig. My goal would be to mainly not work on weekends, I don't even necessarily want to work in the mornings, lol, but I feel like places that are open nights are generally open on weekends as well.

I don't have any type of degree, but I do have manager experience, and I feel like that has to count for something, right?!

So yeah, just putting feelers out there for the future. The only thing I really can't deal with are blood and guts

Thanks in advance

Have you tried a dog facility with sports focus? Both that I've worked at have been open to the desire to have weekends off.

Like a training place? I am *so* not trainer material, I don't know ALL THE THINGS!

Or a daycare? Because I feel like a daycare is going to be like retail, busy during weekends. Plus, I am always worried that working at a legit daycare (instead of the amazing one I worked at in PA) will make me hate dogs :/

Practice manager at... SOME PLACE RELATED TO DOGS!

We don't offer daycare on the weekend and my last facility did not either, but desk job/management would likely require weekends.

Have you considered a government job? Outside of dogs but you'll get a standard 9-5 without weekends or even 7-530 with four tens. Denis works for the dept of justice and previously worked for the dept of health and human services. He does have a masters but many of his coworkers do not have any college experience. It may not be a blast pushing paper but its a good and meaningful gig. Plus you get holidays and benefits.

I would honestly not mind getting out of dogs for work.

How does one go about looking into government jobs?

Oh and yeah, I train two days and work daytraining (our version of light training and daycare) two days a week and I totally hate dogs sometimes. lol I came home and screamed a primal scream and ran to my bedroom alone with Shamoo when Backup jumped on me to say hi after an especially hard training day with a super douche lab. Thems the breaks.

I would start with google, also look at the federal jobs on usajobs. My sister is a federal worker, it's harder to obtain without a degree (she's a lawyer), I think, but equally worth looking into.

Really if you're interested they're great career paths. Denis gets raised regularly and has a clear promotion path. You need to work from the ground up but it's worth it.

No day cares I know offer weekend service.

How about manager of a state of the art stand alone canine physiotherapy rehab facility? There's one of those in Calgary and I think it's so cool. Everyone should have access to one!

I would strongly recommend you get a degree, even if it's just an Associates and you take classes at night/online. The job market is INCREDIBLY competitive to the point where if you don't have at least a Bachelor's degree, employers aren't very interested. Because while you might have a great skill set even without the degree, there's somebody else dying for the job who has a great skill set AND a degree, which to employers means more than no degree for whatever reason. In the job market I've been dealing with the past few years, I've been passed over because I don't have a MASTER'S degree... highly recommend at least an Associates if you do not decide to full on pursue a Bachelors.

Just about every place I can think of where having retail management experience counts for something is... retail management. Which means odd hours and weekends. Your retail experience will help you in other jobs because it means you're used to dealing with people, including difficult people, but you need other skills for those other jobs besides just the retail. You might want to look into human resources; but again they will almost definitely be looking for a degree. Accounting is another possibility if you're good with numbers.

Alternatively you could try to get a job as a receptionist somewhere; people skills are always essential there. But those jobs are super competitive too with a lot of people applying. If you know somebody at the place it helps. The ideal would be to get a job as a receptionist at a legal office because those pay higher than a receptionist position just about anywhere else haha. But again, super competitive because people know it pays well.


Boost your skill set. Brag on yourself. You've got skills besides just retail management... what are they?

ETA: The daycare Auggie's breeder's husband owns does weekends. Always has. I'm not sure about the other daycare in town, I would guess yes if they want to be competitive, but obviously I've never cared to check them out. =P

Where I live, it would be nearly impossible to get a job outside of retail without a post secondary diploma/degree/masters, but it can happen. My BF did not complete any post secondary and he's a "software architect" at a very succcessful web and mobile development company.

If you have really great skills (like programming for example) that are not necessarily "improved" by post secondary education, explore those options. Try to find a company that is just starting up, and get in at ground level. They can teach you everything you need to know.

All government jobs where I live require at least a BA, but even then, they typically only hire people with Masters or PhDs (at least in my Dad and sister's divisions).

I'm working/apprenticing? my way to being a facility manager at an agility focused training center. I work weekends, not just 8 hours either, but full 12-13 hour shifts. When we have trials and I'm playing facility manager, I'm the first one there and the last one to leave. It's hard work. It sucks. I love it.

I would honestly not mind getting out of dogs for work.

How does one go about looking into government jobs?

usajobs.gov lists available positions.

I would start with finding someone that has one and schmoozing the crap out of them. I don't want to be all depressing but unless you have a military background or know someone where you're applying it's going to be really difficult to get into a government job. :|

I only have direct experience with federal, but I'd guess it applies to state as well.

Thanks everyone!

Yeah, I am really close to a sociology degree, but I really don't want to finish it, tbh.

I would love to go back to school, and I was accepted and sent in all of my stuff and was ready to start then....Siri Because great life decisions! I won't have a puppy and try full time school and full time work. No way!
I would really really like to go back for HR Management, which was what I was accepted for, and it's a completely online program for a school here in the cities. Once Siri is adult and doesn't need so much of my time I am sure I will re-apply for that same program. That field really interests me.

My main concern is that I will just get too comfortable in my position and never leave. Especially because with my last promotion I am actually making a decent wage. Nothing great, but it's more than I have ever made before.

This is what happened to me. I was working in retail for 2.5 years. I really did want to get a job in an Architecture firm. I got comfortable - until like last week when I quit, because I wouldn't have applied else where if I weren't like holy crap, I need money. So here I am, waiting on a call back that will HOPEFULLY come monday.

Yeah, we're not big enough to hold trials and while I could teach on the weekend my type of job (I run the day school and day care) is only M-F during work hours for people who drop dogs off before work and pick up after work. I could also work the desk on the weekend but I work 42 hours already btwn my M-Th 7a-6p and my two training classes monday night. I think I would lose it if I worked more so I have had the ideal of being able to say no. However, if we held trials I would totally volunteer to be a part of them, I bet you learn a ton.

Unfortunately that doesn't work in state jobs. They hire everyone on paperwork and interviews, not recommendations, in the starter level and you must almost always work your way up.

That's feds but I would apply there as well. I used that site to apply for a k9 handler position, it's cool because it logs all of your answers for re-use and with the number of jobs denis had to apply to before he got the two he's had with the gov your fingers will value the answer logging.

I did it with baby Auggie, who was a terror of a puppy. It sucked but I did it. With a 4.0 intact as well.
OTOH if it's an online program and you really don't want to do it full-time, why not go back part-time? Just take two classes. Get started now instead of putting it off.

I will say that a sociology degree is INCREDIBLY flexible, and if you want to go into HR management, a sociology degree would look fantastic. If you're really close to finishing it, you should think about it... just one or two classes at a time.

I am very surprised - and a bit skeptical tbh. Federal jobs very much so operate off the premise of who you know (and how many preference points you have). It would be nice if state jobs were different!!