A "network engineer" called in to the Dave Ramsey show...

ehnde · January 2011

This really piqued my interest last night. On the Dave Ramsey radio show a man called in with 90k in student loan debt. He said he was a laid off network engineer.

There wasn't enough info to get the entire picture, but after getting laid off, this man became a trucker and for whatever reason was only making $400 - $1600/month (living in the truck).

He didn't say what degree he had or mention his past experience or certifications, so it's hard to really judge his position.

Wouldn't you have to flat out not even TRY to get another I.T. job to be in this plight? I don't get how this can happen to someone with an experience and education.

TheSuperRuski · January 2011

ehnde wrote: »

This really piqued my interest last night. On the Dave Ramsey radio show a man called in with 90k in student loan debt. He said he was a laid off network engineer.

There wasn't enough info to get the entire picture, but after getting laid off, this man became a trucker and for whatever reason was only making $400 - $1600/month (living in the truck).

He didn't say what degree he had or mention his past experience or certifications, so it's hard to really judge his position.

Wouldn't you have to flat out not even TRY to get another I.T. job to be in this plight? I don't get how this can happen to someone with an experience and education.

Maybe he was a network engineer the way a janitor is a custodial engineer.

On a side note, Dave Ramsey is awesome. The total money makeover really helped me out.

Panzer919 · January 2011

Its funny you should say that. A few years back when I was trying to get myself into the Networking/IT industry, I worked for the company that sold Enzyte. I came across a couple people who "claimed" that they were IT people (Networking, Sql programmers, Admins etc..) and could not find work anywhere. I always wondered WHY they could not find work. I know a couple people with less skills that me that found networking jobs within 3 months and they are making 60-70k.

I think there is probably a good reason why that person no longer has a job. Maybe he was a paper network engineer.

Slowhand · January 2011

Maybe there was more to the story, maybe he did try to find other network-related work, but failed to mention that during the call. Or, maybe he did just give up and started working as a trucker because that was the first, best job he could find after being laid off. Or, maybe he was just sick of working as a network engineer and was disillusioned by the fact that this career had him $90k in the hole with training and education alone. Who knows?

eMeS · January 2011

Slowhand wrote: »

Maybe there was more to the story, maybe he did try to find other network-related work, but failed to mention that during the call. Or, maybe he did just give up and started working as a trucker because that was the first, best job he could find after being laid off. Or, maybe he was just sick of working as a network engineer and was disillusioned by the fact that this career had him $90k in the hole with training and education alone. Who knows?

Yes.

Or, perhaps some of the callers to these types of show are pure setups...

MS

mikej412 · January 2011

Those for-profit schools that advertise on matchbook covers and late night TVs can easily set you back 90K in student loans. But since at some of those schools you can pass your classes without showing up to class, it is quite likely you will be a "laid off network engineer" (assuming you can even get hired for any type of IT job in the first place).

As I've said in the past, more than half the people who are literate enough to submit a reasonable resume that includes "CCNA" and get selected for a technical phone interview can't answer 10 simple networking questions.

And according to the matchbook covers for Truck Driver Training Schools, he should be making $1000 a week

ajs1976 · January 2011

Did the caller say where he was from? Sounds like it could be someone I used to work with years ago and our job title was "network engineer" . . .

Plantwiz · January 2011

ajs1976 wrote: »

Did the caller say where he was from? Sounds like it could be someone I used to work with years ago and our job title was "network engineer" . . .

IIRC

I heard the show too and he was from MI. Which doesn't make a lot of sense other than he's another on there who doesn't take the opportunities when they are in front of him.

Dave recommended he take a construction job, pizza delivery and newspaper which should get him making some money PDQ. I had to leave my car, so I don't know how receptive that caller was, but I don't think he sounded super motivated.

(now to dig up the archive podcast

).

Slowhand · January 2011

eMeS wrote: »

Yes.

Or, perhaps some of the callers to these types of show are pure setups...

MS

Heh, that's also a possibility.

eMeS · January 2011

Slowhand wrote: »

Heh, that's also a possibility.

Not to go off track (pun to come not intended)...but I'm in your part of the world at the moment. I was riding the Caltrain back from San Fran tonight and it hit a person on the tracks in Palo Alto...

MS

Slowhand · January 2011

eMeS wrote: »

Not to go off track (pun to come not intended)...but I'm in your part of the world at the moment. I was riding the Caltrain back from San Fran tonight and it hit a person on the tracks in Palo Alto...

MS

That does, unfortunately, happen quite a bit around here. It's a terrible thing, I wish people would stay off the tracks.

xenodamus · January 2011

I heard that call on the podcast yesterday on my way to work. I was thinking the same thing - network engineer turned truck driver? From what I heard I assumed he was a graduate of a network engineering degree program, but didn't necessarily have previous experience. I wouldn't put money on it or anything, but that's what I remember it sounding like.

But, yes, his career choices didn't make alot of sense. Anyone who's worked in the IT field AT ALL would know you can do better than $100-$400/week in plenty of places. He didn't sound like such a bright cookie to me.....

eMeS · January 2011

Slowhand wrote: »

That does, unfortunately, happen quite a bit around here. It's a terrible thing, I wish people would stay off the tracks.

It was weird how nonchalant they were about it....

MS

Forsaken_GA · January 2011

eMeS wrote: »

Yes.

Or, perhaps some of the callers to these types of show are pure setups...

MS

With alot of shows, I would agree with you, but I don't think Ramsey does (or needs to) engage in Springer-esque tactics. There's alot of stupid out there, and the economic turmoil of the past couple years has made stupid turn into desperate, so he's got a pretty target rich environment.

Turgon · January 2011

xenodamus wrote: »

I heard that call on the podcast yesterday on my way to work. I was thinking the same thing - network engineer turned truck driver? From what I heard I assumed he was a graduate of a network engineering degree program, but didn't necessarily have previous experience. I wouldn't put money on it or anything, but that's what I remember it sounding like.

But, yes, his career choices didn't make alot of sense. Anyone who's worked in the IT field AT ALL would know you can do better than $100-$400/week in plenty of places. He didn't sound like such a bright cookie to me.....

It is disturbing that people who are not bright cookies are considering entering network engineering. Back in the day you could bluff it because people thought flashing lights were cool and also assumed you must be intelligent if you look after it all. They are for some people, and a good number of people were to some extent. But many were not and things are much more sophisticated now and borderline terrifying if you really dont have the goods technically. Let's reload this device and see what happens..

Sounds Good · January 2011

truckers make a buttload of money last i recall

Psoasman · January 2011

Sounds Good wrote: »

truckers make a buttload of money last i recall

If you have your own truck you can. Several of my extended family drive truck and they all make 100K/year+

btw: how much is a buttload?

Hypntick · January 2011

Psoasman wrote: »

If you have your own truck you can. Several of my extended family drive truck and they all make 100K/year+

btw: how much is a buttload?

Bwahahahaha! That just reminded me I actually used buttload as a variable once in school. My instructor requested that I quantify a buttload for him.

Forsaken_GA · January 2011

Hypntick wrote: »

Bwahahahaha! That just reminded me I actually used buttload as a variable once in school. My instructor requested that I quantify a buttload for him.

long buttload;
buttload = buttload + acrapton;
printf(buttload);

'Compile and run it and it'll tell you!'

SteveLord · January 2011

Psoasman wrote: »

If you have your own truck you can. Several of my extended family drive truck and they all make 100K/year+

btw: how much is a buttload?

How about a trucker's buttload?

Plantwiz · January 2011

Sounds Good wrote: »

truckers make a buttload of money last i recall

It depends.

They may 'Gross' a buttload (guessing you mean over $100K), but not necessarily.

When I was younger I dispatched for a while and I ran a couple guys who wanted to run hard (and were smart) they made easily $30K in 2 months by working a variation of short and long run loads on a season crop.

Now the type of loads they ran were tailgate required so you need to be smart about your stops and if you want a lumper or not so you can keep running (which adds to your expenses..but keeps you legal).

Driving is real tough on the body, but I've very thankful for that experience early in my life because I met some amazing people.

Dispatching was only a temporary gig until the position I applied for opened up (so about 18 months), there are some real cut-throat folks in dispatch and that's not my thing. If I have a load, I'd sell the load, not screw the drivers around.

Nevertheless, lease drivers are typical Owner/OPs who signed on to have some set routes. Company drivers take whatever you give them and tend to drive company vehicles (which are also maintained by the company).

Owner/operators (ops) make more per-mile, but handle their truck maintenance, fuel permits, fuel, etc..

Company drivers - use the company truck and the company is responsible to maintain the vehicle and permits...so these expenses are covered and the driver then earns less per mile since they don't have to pay for all those expenses.

So, it depends. I thought he could do much better than $100-400 week driving if he tried. Short runs need a go-getter type driver. Longer runs still require a smart driver to find the best routes and avoid delays on the trip.

As with any career, those who are smart with their money and live on less than they earn...have money when life slaps them in the face. They recover and move forward.

Bottom line, driving can be very good money...but it is NET that matters and a guy making $120K but has $90K of expenses is working real hard to make only $30K.

Greenmet29 · January 2011

SteveLord wrote: »

How about a trucker's buttload?

Probably more than a network engineers buttload

I've actually called the dave ramsey show before and gotten on air... it was pretty cool. And dave ramsey, although I don't listen a lot anymore because the calls become rather repetitive, is awesome and has helped me a ton. We just bought my wife a cx-7 six months ago and we are going in to pay it off on Monday!!!

tpatt100 · January 2011

The thing is back before the economy went sour and there were plenty of IT jobs, people who were barely competent could hide in the group and make a decent living. When the time came to keep the people that could actually do something the ones who could not stuck out. I know at a previous job they hired a bunch of IT security guys all at once and there were a few that got hired because they had to fill spots. A year later those few are still unemployed when that contract ended after 5 years.

I know speaking for myself I really had to put my a$$ in gear to stay competitive because employers are looking for much more to justify salaries.

Turgon · January 2011

tpatt100 wrote: »

The thing is back before the economy went sour and there were plenty of IT jobs, people who were barely competent could hide in the group and make a decent living. When the time came to keep the people that could actually do something the ones who could not stuck out. I know at a previous job they hired a bunch of IT security guys all at once and there were a few that got hired because they had to fill spots. A year later those few are still unemployed when that contract ended after 5 years.

I know speaking for myself I really had to put my a$$ in gear to stay competitive because employers are looking for much more to justify salaries.

This is true and a trend. A lot of people moved into security as it was sexy a few years ago, similarly project management roles opened up. A lot of the easy riders have been laid off. This will continue.

hypnotoad · January 2011

I'd end up flipping burgers. I've known MBAs who ended up flipping burgers.

hypnotoad · January 2011

tpatt100 wrote: »

I know speaking for myself I really had to put my a$$ in gear to stay competitive because employers are looking for much more to justify salaries.

The fortune 500 reported the largest earnings in history last Q3. Enjoy your salary.

A "network engineer" called in to the Dave Ramsey show...

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