Fuuuuuuuuck

[cmor]

Is it possible to do a one year deal? 65k is a lotta money. I think taking a year, trying out the proffesional gig, and making bank is not that bad of an idea. And you'll know if its what you want to pursue or not. Then take your enourmous piggy bank and play for a long long time. Live like a dirtbag and bank 20k+. Imagine having no obligations and that much dough in the bank. Not a bad start for college +1yr.

[DBdude]

Hey Hoo,

Haven't read the whole thread. Take the job and move south. Time to grow up and leave B-town. Sorry to be bummer...

Good advise about being less desirable the longer you are out of school.

[Tippster]

Is it possible to do a one year deal? 65k is a lotta money. I think taking a year, trying out the proffesional gig, and making bank is not that bad of an idea. And you'll know if its what you want to pursue or not. Then take your enourmous piggy bank and play for a long long time. Live like a dirtbag and bank 20k+. Imagine having no obligations and that much dough in the bank. Not a bad start for college +1yr.

One year deal? It's called a "Letter of Resignation." Happens all the time.

[gonzo]

If I were you I would take the job now, try it out. If you have to have to have to ski, which is very possible, once the snow falls, head to the mountains. However, while you are in the mountains, keep your resume in the back of your mind. If you try to go back and get the same job you are looking at now a year or two from now, employers don't want to see "ski bum" on your resume. However, you can take definite steps to legitimize your bumming. Incorporate a company "GG Photo" or something in WA (will cost a couple hundred bucks at most), get some retail of your shots going online from your website. Pick up some engineering jobs on the side - perhaps "consult" with PM Gear or anyone else you can find making skis or anything. Maybe spend a couple of days a week doing that. Do it for free even. This way, after a year or two of snapping sweet pics that keep us stoked, you can throw on your resume "Founder, GG Photo" followed with info on your company and how many pics you have in powder, sales from website, etc. plus "Consultant, [Ski Company or whoever]" with descriptions of what you have been doing. Fuck, even design your own skis and put the designs for sale on your website or something. That way future employers see that you weren't just having safety meetings for a couple of years but were movin and shakin while following your dream. It is my experience that as long as you can hold and engage someone in a conversation about what you were doing, they are cool with it. They don't want an answer of "skiing" with a blank stare and a grin.

Plus, if future employers hold following your dream against you in future interviews, you probably don't want to work for them in the first place.

[girlski0912]

I left the mountains to pursue my career. I haven't regretted it for a single day, since I love my job, met my wife, bought a house, had kids, and STILL get to go skiing. Sure, no more 100+ days/season, but then again I have all the things mentioned previously.

Follow the advice of the Midget. The mountains will still be there in a couple months. Take the job, find out if you actually want to be in the field or not, then make an INFORMED decision. Shit, it may be that Aerospace Engineering gives you a bigger hard-on than ski photography (unlikely, but you never know.) Until you take the chance and give yourself the opportunity to find out first hand you're just farting in the wind.

AFAIK there are no jobs outside the military that cannot be quit. THAT'S your Ace-in-the-Hole.

I am gonna go with Midget and Tippster on this one Gunder. As someone who is in the job search mode myself, congratulations on finding such a sweet job right now in the job market hell that is Washington State. You are a lucky fucking kid, or maybe that is just the difference between going to school for 7 years to become a lawyer and going to school for 8 years was it to become an engineer (oh that's right....it's only a 4 year program! ). Have you ever thought about giving it a shot for this year, living frugally (which would include moving down to Redmond so that you aren't commuting and wasting that precious 65K on gas), save a ton of money and if next fall you aren't satisfied then you can quit and skate comfortably for the winter. The benefit to doing this would be making an educated decision based on a winter of trying to be a working whore and shooting and skiing some. Not only that, but when you go to apply for your next job, you have one year's experience under your belt even if you do take a few years between this job and your next job.

I have been really conflicted about what to do with this stupid fucking degree and as tempting as it is to just ski, that just means that in 2 years or whenever I decide that it is time to get on with this lawyer bullshit I will be back in the same boat and fighting the same battle that I am now. The only difference will be that in a few years the job market may be worse than it is now and I haven't done ANYTHING related to my degree in 2 or 3 years. Sort of a grim outlook really, but it's true. Think about that one too Gunder.

[Buzzworthy]

Now this is where it would be IDEAL for some ski company to chime in offering me the same cash to ski shoot pics and design skis in the summer. Too bad im not that lucky.

The best way for this to happen is having a job, doing it well and the opportunities find you if you are good, otherwise look for them.


However, each Powder I recieve in the mail I go straight to the Photo Gallery to see not if you have shots, but what shots are in there.


That is a tought one, but I kinda agree with Slip, why not make some dough, see if you like, and if it ends up interfering with what you really want to do with your life, move on, with money in the bank.

my grown up two cents



BUT if you can make a living skiing and shooting, hell, I want to see more shots in more mags.

my jealously dreaming 2 cents

[joshbu]

There are other factors to consider before taking the job:

- Do you want to move? B-ham to Redmond is a lot more than 2 hours during normal commuting times.

- How's the boss? Is he/she cool?

- Potential for advancement? Can you take more vacation time as a bonus instead of bread?

[The AD]

There are other factors to consider before taking the job:

- Do you want to move? B-ham to Redmond is a lot more than 2 hours during normal commuting times.

Yeah, seriously the B'ham to Redmond commute isn't realistic. If you try that for too long I'll guarantee you'll hate the job. If I was in Grant's shoes I'd keep the place in Bellingham and rent an apartment near Redmond. He should have the cash to pay for both.

[Buster Highmen]

Is Bellingham the place you really want to end up? Do you really just want to ski Baker all your life?

Think about these questions. It might shed some light on what you want to do.

[dbldmnd]

Ahhh, "aerospace engineering" and "weekends off" are sometimes mutually exclusive, btdt...

[yentna]

I'd take the job, pay off some bills, see if it's what you love to do and if you can have your cake and eat it too. I love my job, well, my field at least, and even working full time at one job and part time at another still get 60+ days a season. Not shabby, I enjoy both work and plenty of play. At least build up the experience for your resume, if you hate it then quit next year, at least you gave it a shot.

[Grange]

I agree with the people who say take the job. If you don't like it quit, plus it looks good on your resume. Who knows, maybe you'll have a boss that is willing to work with you on a schedule a that provides as much time as possible to be in the mountains. I know plenty of engineers that work long days Mon. though Thurs. and leave early on Friday for a long weekend.

[PlayHarder]

I know plenty of engineers that work long days Mon. though Thurs. and leave early on Friday for a long weekend.

Lots that take off on powder days and catch up in the evenings, too. My schedule is ridiculously flexible when it comes to fresh snow, as long the job gets done on time.
Ten years ago I'd have never believed it, but it possible to have a "real" job and still ski a shitload.
I do think Mr. MBS has a huge amount of talent behind the lens, though, and would hate to see that get lost completely. If it were me; I'd take the job, dedicate my free time to skiing and snapping photo's and evaluate it all in a year. It may be possible to have the best of both worlds, or it may not. Only one way to find out for sure.

[midget]

I would ask WTF you went through college for if you don't plan to use what you learned, but I'm not sure I'd get the desired response.

That could be an entire thread on its own. That architectual degree is doing me a whole lot of good when I'm taking photos.

The longer you are waiting, the more days are going by BEFORE the season starts that you could make some money, and then quit if it's not working out.

I mean if you have a problem doing that then it's a different story. BUT, I'm pretty sure i could seeing you walk into your boss's office and tell him to go fuck himself at any given moment...

[FigureEleven]

There might just be more engineers than dentists around these parts... I myself am guilty of skiing all over an EE/MBA at the moment.

[LAN]

Grant - PM me. I have a friend who works in aerospace engineering in Redmond. I'm wondering if it's the same company? Might be worth checking into ...

[Foggy_Goggles]

Grant, as tough as it seems, it's a good problem to have. You are obviously talented and passionate about both. I know many have been advising that you take the job, it may be the right call, it may not. I'm just wondering if you'll lose all the benefits of the last few years photo work if you go part time. It seems like you've made some big progress in terms of the images, publishing, recogintion etc. If you move to Redmond, will this be gone? Don't stop now if you're close to your dream. Sure it may set your engineering career back some, but will you ever know if you could be a full-time photog making a decent living until you try all you can? Decisions are often dictated by what you give up. Those saying that you can always go back to skiing might not understand how hard you've worked to get where you are with photography.

[BakerBoy]

Hey Grant, where did you do your summer internship while in college for an engineering degree?

Oh yeah, that's right... Powder Magazine.

[mtbakerskier]

Hey Grant, where did you do your summer internship while in college for an engineering degree?

Oh yeah, that's right... Powder Magazine.

You know whats funny, is that the guys giving me my interview thought that it was a prety impresive resume, even thou it was more ski realted than engineering. The thing is that while this job requires in engineering degree it isnt really an engineering job. Its more along the lines of providing support for Catia. I.E. an engineer running Catia runs into a problem, they would call us and we would than try to figure it out for them, so its more of a custumer support / problem solving deal, but it has a lot of potential for moving up and managing a engnineering consultation service.

This sucks, is a dream job, but just not at the time I want it.

[truth]

This sucks, is a dream job, but just not at the time I want it.

That's life baby.

[The AD]

Is the job with Dassault?

[mtbakerskier]

Is the job with Dassault?

No, but it is with a company that is contracted by Dassault, Boeing and the majority of the companies that are supporting the engineering behind Boeing's current projects.

[midget]

You know whats funny, is that the guys giving me my interview thought that it was a prety impresive resume, even thou it was more ski realted than engineering. The thing is that while this job requires in engineering degree it isnt really an engineering job. Its more along the lines of providing support for Catia. I.E. an engineer running Catia runs into a problem, they would call us and we would than try to figure it out for them, so its more of a custumer support / problem solving deal, but it has a lot of potential for moving up and managing a engnineering consultation service.

This sucks, is a dream job, but just not at the time I want it.

Sounds like you could have a lot of days where you aren't there......The other plus by moving to Redmond you'd get away from your Psycho girlfriend!

[ak_powder_monkey]

Dude this is a tough call on the one hand you are a pretty kickass photog and I think you have a future in that but if you are planning to look for a job after the winter you might not get one thats quite as good. I would guesss though that you will be able to have a job and still take kickass photos, or go to graduate school and get a job as an intern to pay for it, I think it would be cool to have a phd and not really use it.

just ask yourself the question: can a be a corprate whore and still take sick photos? If yes take the job suppot your habit, If no ski

[White Chocolate]

The other plus by moving to Redmond you'd get away from your Psycho girlfriend!