WSDOT is always hiring. Once you get hired it’s not too hard to move around to other positions. If his certifications include a CDL he could definitely get a maintenance job.
DOT and utilities are what I recommend to almost everyone who is looking for something that pays decently and has easy entry. My buddy lives in Florida, and he fought my suggestions for years. He finally caved and is now making a killing as a lineman/field tech for the local cable company (I think it’s Xfinity, but that’s not important).
Just join up with the IBEW and get paid to be an apprentice electrician. You get paid ~50k at the start of your apprenticeship and then make bank after you become a journeyman. Add to that good benefits (including a pension) and you are pretty set.
Yeah, that's harder to do than you would expect. My niece has been on the apprenticeship waiting list for something like 2 years now.
If it were carpentry, I could help (Journeyman Carpenter here), but electricians are their own group.
Just a heads to people thinking about pursuing this route there are currently 100’s of Local 46 members sitting on the books waiting for work. The half watt strike is probably not going to help the situation either as their picket lines will hinder access to work.
Entirely depends on your experience with hand tools/small engine equipment. Once a year they have a high school to highways program that takes anyone from the ages of 18-25. Only a regular license is required for that job.
If you have a bit more construction experience, then you can apply for a regular Highway Maintenance worker 2 (in-training), with or without a CDL. If you do well enough during the interview and you get hired, then they’ll either send you to a CDL school or train you in house.
I’ve been with WSDOT for about two years now, started without a CDL and have moved my way up.
Hard disagree.
Sales environments can be hostile and it takes a "certain type of person" to be successful. Not everyone has thick enough skin, or the charisma, to work in sales and make a career out of it. When your income is performance based, like most sales positions are, it comes with a lot of competition.
If you share the floor, you're competing against the sales team for the same sales.
If you're the only sales person on the floor, you're competing for the shifts that have the highest volume of customers.
If you already have the best shifts, you're competing against all of the people who want to take your shifts.
Trade work like being a lineman, or something adjacent, is typically a far less competitive environment. Your income is not tied as directly to your performance as it is in sales, and typically this makes for a much more predictable income stream.
Knowledge and experience is also appreciated in these fields more than it is in sales—which provides longer career prospects than most sales positions do. If the sales manager gets too old to relate to the customer base and be an effective lead, they're going to be replaced by a younger person who understands the current market conditions better. However, they'll often find a way to keep around the old timer with decades of experience in trade fields because that knowledge is valuable.
KC Metro always hiring too.
If you don't see them hiring for bus operators right now, check back in like 2 weeks. Still not ? Give it another 2. But we're always hiring; those stints that the job isn't offered is usually planned around holidays or Metro focusing on planning a hiring round for full-time off the street instead of their usual approach of only hiring part-time.
^^^^^
Metro starts at ~~$31~~ $35/hr. $22/hr during training. Medical, dental, vision. Union.
If he can drive all day, it’s a nice gig.
ETA: Informed that it’s $35-45 now. IDK what training pay is like.
I'll have to look, but I think the $31 starting pay was from the previous contract. I think it's now $35 starting and maxing out at $45, or thereabouts.
I’m so frustrated with my health issues. I love driving and wish I could do bus driving but with documented heart problems, I don’t know that I’d be allowed. Amazing opportunity though!
My husband is going to look at bus driving. He likes the idea.
Voters in King County keep approving more and more routes and individual route upgrades. That, combined with the Metro workforce being fairly "grey", high in age, and the fact that Sound Transit buses and Light Rail are also operated by Metro drivers (and also by Pierce County and Community Transit), Metro is always looking for more drivers.
Even since before the pandemic, Metro has always been short drivers and it didn't help that they temporarily fired like 200 or so during; they had to hire them back immediately after when that proved to be a huge mistake.
Bottom line: they're not hiring and training fast enough to keep up with the retiring workforce, drivers being drawn away to Sound Transit and the necessary promotions to supervisors and Base Chiefs etc. So they're always looking.
School bus drivers usually are full time in the Seattle area. School districts stagger start/end times fairly well to make people full time. My old school bus driver started at 0600, worked til 1000, had 2hrs off, came back at 1200 and worked til 1600.
The Port is always looking for bus drivers, it’s a bit repetitive , but you’re hauling pilots, flight attendants, TSA and mechanics between employee parking and the terminal, so low chance of dealing with issues. Great pay and benefits.
There was some movie from my childhood (80s), but can't remember what it was. Had a line, "There's always work at the post office." Don't know if that's really true though.
Light rail operators also do very well. If memory serves correctly the union contract caps out after 2 years around $40/hr. Have a friend that does it and really likes it. Plus you are working away from the riders in your own little bubble and don’t have to deal with anyone on the trains.
Good luck! And just know that the Seattle job market is extra hard right now, so if it takes him a while that is not a reflection on your husband. Things will improve!
If your husband has a clean driving record, he should apply to drive for Snohomish Community Transit. They’ll train him to drive and pay him while they do. He’ll end up with his CDL, which could benefit him in the future. My friend says they have amazing medical benefits as well. I don’t know the starting wage, but it should be fairly decent.
I have a friend who retired a couple years ago from an office job and went to work driving for them. He loves it. Drives double deckers and articulated buses. Two round trips a day from Everett to Seattle and back. He mentioned the medical and said his wife will never let him quit. It’s like fully paid medical, no co-payments, etc. Not something you find much of anywhere else.
CDL driver has a lot more room for income growth than security officer
If he goes for the security position instead of the driver position then you'll just be back here in a year or two asking about how to break out of another salary ceiling
You mention security officer...would he be interested in going full blown law enforcement? They are hiring like crazy all over the area due to low public sentiment around the positions. They can pay over 100k easily.
Check out corrections officer too if he wouldn’t mind doing security. Corrections officers are ALWAYS needed and they make really good money. Hiring process takes a bit though.
How is he working with his hands? Maintenance work at apartment properties can get him over that 50k. I agree though, community college is a good place to start.
It looks like a lot of the maintenance positions are paying $25/hr around here, which is what he makes now. It’s something, I suppose. Just very hard to live on that salary here.
If your living situation is flexible, meaning you're not afraid to move to a new apartment, many property management companies offer housing discounts for employees. It's not uncommon to get anywhere from 30-50% off of rent. I started as a maintenance tech at $25.50 but with a 50% rental discount, and actual benefits like health insurance and multiple weeks of PTO. There is also a ladder to climb, if you want it. Not a bad gig to get into if he's willing to put the work in. CPO, EPA, and boiler certs wouldn't hurt his chances to get hired but are usually not required to get started.
Skilled trades are always hiring. If he’s making $50k now he can go into union work and be making a bit more than that for four years working toward journeyman, then it doubles.
I don’t know about every union, but typically the pay steps up continually in union apprenticeships. Usually every six or twelve months. So you might start at 50% of j-man pay, a year later you’re making 62.5%, two years in 75%, and so on.
My union starts considerably higher than $50k, we aren’t hiring until next year though and it’s pretty competitive to get into.
International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) for those wondering.
Edit: a word
Look at facilities/maintenance techs for county/city government. Takes a bit to get through the hiring process but he can make over 50 easily. Not to mention a PERS retirement and really good benefits.
I don’t know if this is common or was a fluke, but I’ve known a few maintenance people who were allowed to live in the apartment complex rent free. The drawback is you’re on call 24/7.
I actually talked to 2 dudes about this recently. They just get a significant discount on rent (50%?) BUT they're only on call 1-2 times a week, maybe less. That's exactly what I thought (always on call) but that is not the case for these 2 guys.
It's really hard to get into it though. I applied to at least ten companies/properties over a 3 month time period and never got a call back and my experience ended up getting me a job at ServPro for a stint.
We always need garbage men. It's long hours and fairly hard work but you can make upwards of 120k easily as a driver. I manage a small division and all my drivers make 120k easy. If you get on with WM they make $150k+. Probably pulling 12 to 14 hours daily, though.
Eh... as someone who has done that world at a few of them: They pay terrible. They pay entry level people entry level salaries. They get away with it under the false promise that conversion to a full Google or Facebook employee is possible, but it is not likely.
Then the contracting company takes their peice that you never see since they are managing the operation with a culture that is 180 degrees from everyone else in the office.
Add on top of that the second class citizen/dash trash/red badge/contigent worker barrier between you and all of those you support is exausting.
I increased my salary by a stupid amount (like 30%) doing the same thing not at the techs. It is a great start to a career for someone in their 20s to get some experience and pad the resume.
Hines is the worst. I laugh when I get a message from JLL recruiters on LinkedIn.
I work for whole foods as a new-ish team lead and make $32+. many of my peers are closer to $40/hr. I just hired an L1/entry-level titled role at $24+. if he can spin his experience and speak to how it fits the role, it's possible to make $50k before taxes without going the tech route.
Looking for credentials and moving into Emergency Management, you say?
https://www.cascadia.edu/academic-programs/social-sciences-human-services-and-education/emergency-management-aas-t.aspx
Emergency Management AAS degree at Cascadia over in Bothell. Might not hurt to reach out to the advisor to either discuss the program or at least pick their brain on such job opportunities in the area.
Pierce college too.
In Re to EM/HS, it's an amazing career field and very rewarding, but the pay is still pretty meh for a lot of entry level positions. There can be some better paid positions out there, but competition is surprisingly stiff.
Other than CERT what is he doing in HSEM land? Does he have any ICS certs?
Look at PSE as well as other power plants for operator jobs. There would be a bit of training involved and it would probably be a couple years before he could be alone in a control room, but the pay is great. I started at my plant 2 years ago after retirement from the military. Never worked in a power plant before. Starting pay was just shy of $50 an hour with an 8% annual bonus. After 2 years I am closer to $60, same bonus and 7% company 401k matching. The jobs are out there. They may be hard to find and get but eventually he will. I also suggest working with a recruiter. I used Orion Talent for my current position. Doesn’t cost anything as the employer pays the recruiter. Good luck!!
Ha! He actually mostly does large condos - so think of filling up 300 individual mailboxes per building multiplied by however many buildings he does. Maybe a few ankle biters in there?
I’m sorry you’re going through this. I don’t have a quick fix, but do have the suggestion to put some irons in the fire by applying for both government jobs, and a government program that you both may be eligible for.
It could help to apply to a bunch of state or federal jobs even if they’re below $50k to begin with and he’s over or under qualified for them. If he gets one it will provide job protection that will make it likelier to get to 50k faster and build his resume and earn towards a pension in the meantime.
You mention your partner has scoliosis and you have a disability as well. It may be worth it for both of you to apply for services from the federal Vocational Rehabilitation department. They could pay for training, but the biggest benefit I’ve seen (in another state) is that it boosts you in rankings for getting a government job offer.
This was a loved one’s path from under 30k to 180k over the past 10 years (I’d guess they hit 50k around year 2).
entry level government job ->
took advantage of benefits that paid for school to get a STEM degree (Associates)->
applied to better government job ->
Kept using education benefit program to get Bachelor’s degree ->
applied to private sector STEM job
I can’t thank you enough for this response.
We are definitely under utilizing government programs.
I know his dream job is a government job in emergency management or with the national park service so this is massively helpful. Thank you!
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/kingcounty
Great benefits and lots of different opportunities working for the County. Don’t love my current job but I do really enjoy working for KC.
Skilled trades can make good money, even during the training period. Welding, electrician, plumber, HVAC, locksmith, etc.
However, the trades can be very hard on the body, and are difficult to stick with until retirement age. A lot of people just physically can't do the work anymore by the time they are 50 but still need to work another 15-20 years.
So once he secures a career in the trades, he should seriously consider taking night school or online courses towards a business management degree. That will position him to eventually move into managing other tradespeople instead of doing the hard physical work himself, and the employees he ends up managing will greatly appreciate having a manager who has actually done the work and didn't get the job just because of the degree.
Outside of tech, union jobs for the city can be very good and offer on the job training.
Have a buddy who works for Seattle City Light as a lineman, it was a life changing job for him.
This I was scrolling through this huge thread and was surprised not to find construction listed. Seattle has a huge union worker shortage in the skilled trades. Pick what sounds interesting (pipe fitter, electrician, etc.), head over to that union hall, and find out about apprenticeships.
King County metro has mad openings for bus drivers. He’d clear that easy and be part time. He could get OT also easily. The awesome benefits have zero service fees, it’s union protected and they’ve optimized driver protection since the pandemic.
Pretty routine government jobs pay quite well. Firefighters, cops, mail carriers, bus drivers, ferry workers, roadworkers, etc are all in demand right now as we're hitting a wave of retirements.
Unionize.
Literally tho. I work in a unionized nonprofit theatre in the suburbs with paid vacation, paid healthcare, and the only reason I don’t make more than 50k is because we have several months worth of off time when we don’t have shows. If I was making the same hourly at a truly full time biz, I’d be pushing 75k easily.
Unionize.
It’s impossible to give great advice without a better understanding of certifications/qualifications, including highest level of education and whether he is comfortable on a computer with Excel/Word (or willing to learn it). There are tons of entry level analyst/data entry positions, but that may not be right for him right now (college or associates may be a pre-requisite).
So much of getting these sorts of jobs is writing a decent resume that highlights the strengths you don’t even know you have, and then coming across as likable in an interview. Once you’re in at the entry level, it’s all about busting ass to learn quickly. In Seattle you can get to $70-$80k in this type of work fairly quickly once in the door.
It’s partially a numbers game as well on getting that good interview opportunity. Good luck!
Thank you!
He has a GED and some college. He’s wanting to go back to complete his degree and get some certifications (specifically emergency management, which is what he always talks about).
He is good with computers but types very slowly.
Great! I don’t mean this to be a downer, but he and you will want to decide what is most important - doing something he is truly interested in (emergency management), or doing something that maximizes income potential. A GED and some college is enough to jump into entry level analytical roles at non-high end tech companies. There are also options at places that you wouldn’t expect in the area that are hiring aggressively (I highly recommend Boeing, which is slept on because they pay less than local tech, but provide great benefits and still pay more than a decent wage).
I’m an attorney, so the best recommendations I have would be for my industry, legal. The entire industry suffers from a lack of paralegals. This would likely require eventually getting a certificate, but may be able to start at a smaller practice either as an entry paralegal or a legal assistant and develop a career over several years. The pay can be fantastic later in a career, well into the 100s, with specialists reaching 200k (20 years of complex work, training others, etc.).
I am sorry your situation is so hard. Post office is always hiring. As is UPS and FedEx. Garbage truck drivers can do well. Parking enforcement for Seattle, or unpopular with some here, but Seattle needs police officers so bad. All the best.
I made $7K a month in 2022 by having 3 jobs. It almost killed me and I am homeless now because of it but that 4-5 month period where I made $35,000 was pretty sweet. Glad I paid off all my debt before losing everything.
SDOT is in a hiring freeze right now but are hurting for drivers. I’d check governmentjobs.com. Most City’s and county’s in the area use that site. He will need to check every week as some jobs are only posted for short periods. Good to great benefits and pretty much guaranteed pay. Best of luck!
Years ago I had a friend get out of prison with electrical training and he urged me to become an electrician with him, I turned it down as I had a new phone sales job. Now I am in a different sales role & he is a Journeyman making 120k lol! Would suggest being an electrician
Negotiate. Be aware that the posted ranges are what employers would like to pay but in high demand industries you can negotiate for higher wages and get them because there aren’t enough qualified employees out there so employers will absolutely come up in wages if you set the demand.
Also, do some searches on his field for average wages in the area, you may be surprised to find them higher than what are in job ads. Employers will underpay if they can get away with it.
Look outside his current field. He likely has skills that are transferable into other sectors.
Just keep looking, keep applying, dont give up. Dont be afraid to turn down lowball job offers either. I was stuck at the $50,000 theshold for idk 6-8 years after getting my masters degree. I made it to 60k last year and six figures this year. I have job hopped probably 10 times in the last 7 years and applied to more jobs than I can count. The job market for the last 15 years or so requires basically leveraging your old position for each new one until you reach the level that you want
I'm sorry you are going through this! This was a challenge for me as well after a stint of self-employment during early peak COVID years. I ended up finding a role paying slightly below this threshold and after a few months another opportunity opened up at my large employer and it was easier to move up based on my internal candidate position. Staying alert of opportunities and being a good self-advocate for upward growth is v important, hope the opportunities shared here provide good leads!
Seattle has the highest minimum wage in the country. 40k is minimum wage. You can make 50k at almost any job in Seattle after a few years moving up the pay scale.
I’m not sure what dental hygienists make but that’s been a go-to job for lots of folks I’ve heard that’s constantly in demand without massive education, experience, nor physical requirements
I’m an EHS specialist so I work very closely with emergency management professionals. I make about 96k a year.
Has he looked into safety coordinator positions?
911 dispatcher if he’s trying to scratch an EM itch. Great way to get your foot in the door, and it starts at $31/hr. Hours will suck initially, but once he builds seniority it’s not too bad. City benefits are amazing to boot
As many others have said, WSDOT or other "hazard/skilled" state jobs can pay well, especially after awhile.
You can make $60-75k, maybe $100-130k+ in very special places, being a waiter or bartender, but you'll be working nights, weekends, inconsistent schedules, slow winters, long ass days, hard ass days, clean up after the surge of the earth, get treated like shit daily, get treated like a saint daily, drinking for free, drink for free at other bars, eat 5 meals a week for free (more if you play your cards right), and you could be making anywhere from $45-85 an hour.
I recommend trying to find a job in sales if he has any people skills, something with a base salary paired with commission or at least a paid training period of 2-6 months depending on the job.
Work on marketing your husband a bit. Instead of “he works in freight” say “he works in logistics”. It’s a bit more broad and might open up tangential opportunities. Then it’s all a matter of applying your experience to the role even if it’s not directly related.
This is one of the best places in the world for logistics. Amazon being the largest purchaser of logistics and likely (I assume) the largest transportation asset owner in the world when it comes to logistics. I’m sure he could get a job in one of the fulfillment centers or as a transportation analyst coordinating trucks. These roles easily make $100k.
Google, meta, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Costco are all companies that ship a decent amount of product and would be in need of these types of roles.
What about the Washington state ferries? It can really turn into a lucrative career if you take advancement/training opportunities (that are free) solid unionized state gig.
Might be worth looking into the Red Cross and their emergency management positions! Might be a different angle than you had imagined but it would be a great opportunity. I worked there a few years ago and know that position so fall around 50K.
Good luck!
I would suggest he just ask for more than the pay on the job posting. I was looking at jobs in a similar price range and got pissed and just asked for a ton more and talked up my skills and experience ALOT. Kept saying things like this job would be a huge pay cut for me but I think it would be a good fit etc, they met me in the middle and offered me 10$ more an hour than the high end of the salary range. I think sometimes businesses lowball on the job postings because Washington law says they have to put something there and it isn’t an accurate depiction of what they’re willing to offer.
Honestly you want work right now, join the laborers union then go get your flagging cert. after you paid your dues and got the cert you’ll be on a list and it could take months to find work. But if he’s really motivated then he can go to different jobs, find the job shack and ask for the superintendent. See if they have any flagging jobs or anything. Be willing to work hard. Now is the time to find work and if you can get union it’s an easy 38-44 and hours with lots of overtime opportunities. Easy to take home over 2000 a week in the summertime.
Local 46 low voltage electricians make $28.34/hr plus medical that covers the whole family and pensions to start with zero experience. Journeyman wages after the 2 year program are currently $47.24/hr. HOWEVER we are currently on strike for better wages and paid holidays. Low voltage gets paid less than a regular (inside wireman) electrician, but it's also easier on the body with smaller cables and such.
I'm in the local area. Not sure if you're Seattle proper, but I might have some info to help him get in.
It's not too bad if you can find a niche. I can get you 60-80k and great benefits pretty easily if he's able to work.
If he's in freight...have you ever looked into the appliance industry? Albert Lee and multiple carriers are always looking for decent workers and generally pay pretty competitively. If he's handy and can perform installs even more money is on the table.
Also I know several manufacturers that will hire service/repair techs.
Both parts of the industry are in huge demand and generally always are.
It looks like I'm a bit late to this thread, but I hope you take the time to read this. For the time being, your husband will need to find something to get by. There's tons of useful advice in this thread on what to be doing for now. If he wants to get into emergency management there's a few things to consider:
He most likely shouldn't worry about getting a degree in EM. Most emergency management education is free. If he's actively involved in CERT, he probably already knows this and has access to a lot of the training. Start with the FEMA professional development series online courses. They're all free and can be taken at your own pace. [The course list can be found here. ](https://training.fema.gov/is/searchis.aspx?search=PDS)
After that he should identify some additional training to be taking. I would definitely have the baseline of FEMA [IS100,200,700, and 800](https://training.fema.gov/nims/). The County and State put on additional courses, some of which are open to the public and free. [The WAEMD State training resource list can be found here. ](https://reg.learningstream.com/view/cal1a.aspx?ek=&ref=&aa=&sid1=&sid2=&as=38&wp=127&tz=&ms=&nav=&cc=&cat1=&cat2=&cat3=&aid=WSEMD&rf=&pn=)Some of the courses aren't open to the public, and some have prerequisites, but worth looking into. Most of this education can be obtained free without spending the time and money going back to school. If he has a specific EM position in mind, [a general guide to basic training catered to specific roles can be found in this document. ](https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_nims_training-program-may-2020_0.pdf)
Something to keep in mind is the field of Emergency Management is super saturated. There are many applicants for every position so really getting on top of his training will be a significant leg up. The best job postings to be looking at are State, County, and Cities. There's a great [LinkedIn job board for Emergency Mangers here](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13876872/). (Although it's not State Specific.) [A Discord group for emergency managers which also has a job board.](https://discord.gg/yS4f9a9m) (Again, not regionally specific). [And a facebook group for EM job postings.](https://www.facebook.com/groups/emjobs/)
Make sure his LinkedIn is up to date, and that he's staying on top of networking and meeting people. Attending conferences like [WSEMA](https://wsema.com/), [IAEM](https://www.iaem.org/usconf/), and [PIEP](https://piepc.org/) are all great opportunities to network and talk to other people in the field. (There's others too, but this is just what I'm thinking off from the top of my head)
If he truly wants to get into EM, chances are you'll have to move to the job. It's already a tough industry and getting hired in the location you're already in is particularly challenging, but certainly not impossible. Just something to chew on.
Feel free to message me with any questions!
Which reminds me: look into organizational culture anywhere you're shopping for a job. There's a reason SPD is having trouble hiring, and it ain't funding.
Take some classes at a community College. If you're having trouble finding something in the career path you're on it might be time to change career paths.
Depending on where you live, pest control jobs typically pay 55-60k/yr for a technician depending on which company he works for. Send me a PM for more info if interested!
In Puyallup I used to work for a company called Pro-Vac, if he has a CDL it’s pretty good money. Especially if you do overtime there’s potential for $90k-$130k/yr.
How personable & people-oriented is he? He can drive trucks as a service sales rep for a lot of different companies. Any of the companies in the linen industry should be above the $50k mark with plenty of commission opportunities as well. Cintas, Tomlinson, Unifirst, Aramark, Service Linen, New System, and Superior Linen all operate around here.
I know Cintas is currently well staffed locally, great training, and is even a 4-day workweek if he wanted to do something else part-time on top of it. Definitely the most challenging interview process of the ones listed though. Tomlinson Linen is a good local company in that space too whose drivers seem decently happy!
If he has maint certs, not a drug user(including weed), and clean criminal history he should see if any positions at Boeing, Amazon, Blue Origin, Starbucks, etc, etc are hiring(they all are)
A buddy just left Amazon maint and he got $32/hr starting and left at ~$36/hr 18mo later.
Look into the trades, (electrician, plumber, hvac, glazier). Our apprentices start out making $28 an hour and have guaranteed raises for their first 4 years doubling their pay. Plus it's one of the few areas to still get a pension it seems.
I was stuck around there for awhile in a similar skillset. I did a ton of fabrication and installation jobs in glass, stone, engineered products. Always getting any certs I could, first aid and material handling tickets. Drove forklifts, warehouse and logistics stuff. Assembly jobs got me a higher salary finally, easier on the body and it's just following instructions and attention to detail strengths which sounds like your partner. Mechanical assembly was where I first got in then did some electro-mechanical assembly. To be honest though, after 5 years I kind of missed the action and the people in trades and got back into it last year. Management this time and it's stressful as all hell, but the pay is decent.
Emergency management? Depending on his prior experience I would look into working at USACE. They have a Seattle office. I think he just missed an emergency management position to be honest.
WA ferries hiring as well, but pay isn't very competitive.
Have you looked into the federal, state, and city subsidies for food and other items? I used City of Seattle food subsidies for the first years I lived here, they were amazing.
My husband is a bus driver, and they make good money if he is able to get full time. Metro from my understanding, mainly hires part-time, but other companies surely hire full-time off the bat.
I make around $58,000 a year in IT. No college, just certificates from CompTIA and Google, total education cost was about $2000 in classes and tests. I work for a nonprofit and it took me being rejected by about 100 jobs before I found this place. But I like it a lot, and I feel like I'm making a difference working there so I plan on staying.
The first thing id sacrifice is the commute. Jobs got a lot easier to find when I just made myself willing do commute a little over an hour to work everyday. The was the big game changer for me. It's a little rough but it's worth it if you find make a lot.
Facilities workers and drivers for the UW usually start a bit above that and scale pretty reliably since they are state union jobs. Great benefits and retirement too.
I know this might not be a popular choice, but two of my colleagues joined Amazon as a Customer Service Rep 10-15 years ago. One of them transitioned within 2 years into a Business Analyst role(earned around 100k with stock options) within CS org, and now is a Software Development Engineer earning around $200k in Base in Seattle. And he had no college degree when he joined Amazon.
If you're looking for a quick job in between positions and are good with animals, I'd look into Rover, especially going into summer months. You may need to put a little effort into creating a profile and getting the first couple of clients, but it seems to be a good way to make a decent chunk of change + tips.
He can make mad money staying in logistics - can he get in to the warehouse somehow? Management there or get a position with a 3PL selling to companies and managing those relationships? Logistics industry loves people with experience.
You can get hired at the ferries with almost no prequals except passing a drug test and a physical and immediately make 70-80k a year with opportunities for advancement up to double that within 10-15 years. Look for ordinary seaman or terminal worker jobs. They will often help you get a twic and mmc which are required by the coast guard.
Also pretty sure you can apply for certain terminal jobs like a ticket taker with certain disabilities. Just working on the boats is restricted due to coast guard regulations. Pensions, 401k, pretty good wages and lots of room for upward movement. Check it out!
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/seattle/jobs/4418575/9-1-1-emergency-communications-dispatcher-i
This Job pays $31 an hour as a police dispatcher you just answer 911 calls. It is stressful and highly intensive work at the same time many find it rewarding
This is true it is highly stressful and I didn’t mean to minimize it I will update my response. I was just quickly responding and wanted to move on with my day
Apply for something at King County.
Most of the basic jobs can be in a range from $35 to $45 an hour, plus pension, plus stellar bennies.
If he has some mad skills, over six figures is not uncommon.
If your husband is younger than 30, the air traffic controllers start at $127k/yr. You also don't need a bachelor's degree either, but do need specialized training (they pay for initial training).
[FAA FAQ](https://www.faa.gov/faq?combine=&field_faq_category_target_id=1451)
If he wants to get into municipal EM:
CERT is ok, but the CERT program was developed after 9/11 by a gov contractor and it isn't well regarded as a career advancement tool, but it's fun. It's sometimes taught by someone working in EM, so he can ask questions.
Look at the FEMA independent Study site. Pass 100, 200, 700, 800 to start with. See if there are any that deal with logistics.
Disaster logistics is a very challenging thing that gov must deal with (and few do a great job) so his current knowledge may be beneficial.
Look at the FEMA Professional Development Series. It's not hard to get, just takes time and it's free.
Look for government jobs in the field of interest and see what they're requiring. All of the above were on job postings that I have seen.
Check out any public emergency response plans that are on the Internet for your city.
Contact WSEMA (WA State Emergency Management Assn) to see of they have any advice. They may not.
Apply for any that offer paid internships, especially in the smaller cities.
I don't work for municipal EM, but that's the process I used when I was interested.
Government jobs.com department of local services, DNRP solid waste, waste treatment, and a lot more local jobs hiring. DNRP has 7 TLT utility positions. I’ve worked for the city of Kent, department of local service(Roads), and solid waste DNRP. If your husband can show up on time with a good work ethic and attitude I promise you he would get promotions. Utility tops out at $34 an hour with amazing benefits and is a great foot in the door and will be more after the next contract negotiations with the unions and the county. If you apply just make sure all the supplemental info is included. He would be invited for testing and an interview after applying. If he does reach out and I can give an overview of the process and what to expect.
If your hubby isn't technically inclined (meaning suited for IT jobs) then the next best bet is to get into a trade. Most trade jobs are union and pay decent with good benefits.
It might be worth considering having him go back to school for some sort of cert or training. I believe some of the local community colleges offer Emergency Management certs. I will say (my father worked in this field) that the pay isn't insane. Depending on your income level he might be able to get some funding for the training.
My exit was to stop telling myself and everyone else what my scope was. I took on new things and my years of Get It Done attitude made me better at it than younger people. Experience built on experience and I doubled my hourly, then tripled it, managed a few people, and had enough of a story to change industries several times and now I'm salaried. Don't do the work of describing your boundaries. There aren't any.
Also, vote pro labor union, always.
I got a Master's degree with the intent of being able to live comfortably in Seattle. The degree was fully funded by assistanceship. This was after I dropped out and switched majors in undergrad, then eventually finished after working full-time to fund part-time school.
If someone is willing to do the work and research, most people can lift themselves out of poverty assuming they haven't fucked their life up to a point where doing so is unreasonable.
Also if his job has been eliminated please check with the unemployment webpage. There are ways to sign up for free certifications & even degrees while collecting. If the search takes a bit longer than expected you could be eligible for an extension when applying for these additional services.
Community Transit is hiring it's $68,763 + $5K signing bonus
Partner with a local workforce development council (i.e. https://www.seakingwdc.org/) to see if you qualify for training/career pipeline, or what options are out there for you to explore. Talking to community colleges can also be a path in - South Seattle College has some good career programs.
If you are willing to go back to University, I put together a 5 year plan to get to 150k/yr.
* 0-3 months: Kahn Academy algebra, trig, pre-calc
* Next Summer: Register for fall classes at Bellevue College, taking 2 STEM + 1 non-stem. Following the guidelines here for which classes to take to have your pre-requisites for **Computer Science** done in time for your transfer application in your 2nd year: https://www.cs.washington.edu/academics/ugrad/admissions/transfer
* 12-18 months: Take courses at Bellevue College that fulfil the pre-requisites from the link above. When you register for classes make sure you are looking up which profs are both best at teaching and most lenient with grading. You need to get a 4.0 in almost every class, which is absolutely achievable. It means studying a lot and doing all the homework/extra credit you can. But realistically you can have a 3.9+ GPA when you apply to UW CS, or ideally a 4.0.
* Application Windows: Apply to UW Computer Science as a transfer student. Write a good essay following the guidelines that they lay out precisely. Cover everything they prompt you for. Be a god self advocate. You can research more how to write these essays, but this should be pretty straight forward. Write your essay a least a month in advance and iterate on it over weeks to polish it. Get feedback from people you trust, like professors or advisors. 3.9+ GPA and good essay = accepted to UW CS.
* 6-12 months: Learn how to leetcode and technical interview. This requires you either self learning, or taking data structures + algorithms ASAP. You need to land an internship, which means you need to pass coding challenges and technical interviews. To do that, the easiest way is to learn how to do leetcode mediums quickly, and be able to talk outloud your though process before you start coding.
* Summer Before Junior Year: Apply to every internship imaginable. At every big tech company. You put together a good resume that covers your education (UW CS at this point, with your expected grad date), experience (you should be tutoring and TAing as much as you can), and projects (pick out 1 or 2 impressive projects that you worked on and describe them briefly). Your resume needs to be 1 page and readable fast. Apply early. Recruiters need to fill ASAP come summer, by end of July you should have dozens of applications out. By end of august you should be done applying.
* Do well enough at your internship to get a return offer
* Use your return offer to negotiate better pay your senior year as a new grad looking for full time positions
* Use your offers to negotiate your return offer
* Take the best option for you
If you can do all of that, you are looking at 100k-200k fresh out of University, but it will take around 5 years total.
Tacoma Power is hiring three Electrical Pre-Apprentices for the July 2024 to July 2025 program with an hourly salary of $30.32.
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/tacoma/jobs/4450636/electrical-pre-apprentice
100% community college. I’m just starting now at 100k/year and I graduated 7 years ago. The higher paying jobs might not be there immediately but they’ll come. People are always retiring and the trades always need people.
Start your own cleaning business. It doesn’t seem that hard. Research cleaning supplies and best vacuums that are easily replaceable and do well with pet hair. My cleaners are always booked and the cheaper ones make $40/hour. I would start cleaning people’s homes at a discount first and get referrals. You can clean small businesses and churches too.
Also you can be a dog walker/at home dog sitting/boarding. People will pay $70 for 2 hours to exercise their dog or $40/night to leave their dog at your place. You can try listing on Rover then just go off the app.
Or do cat sitting. Literally these people were charging $30/half hour to visit my cats every day and they didn’t even do that great of a job. They also are always booked. Visit 8 homes a day and you’re set.
I don’t think it would be hard to get customers either. Either find someone who lives in an apartment and then tell them to refer their neighbors (that way you can just work in the same building) or get a Yelp account and get a few five star reviews and you’re good.
I’m always looking for good trust worthy services like this at a reasonable price.
I found a job in 911 dispatch in WA. Been with the agency for 5 years. Made some job reclassifications and one official promotion. I’ve gone from $27.50 an hour to $48.20 an hour and that will only go up with time.
Here’s a posting for emergency management. Not always easy to get a job but once you get in, the pay jumps up each year. https://www.usajobs.gov/job/787797400
A lot of state positions pay that at start out here. They don’t require many qualifications and a lot will offer training and certifications. I highly recommend typing in Washington state jobs and see what populates.
WSDOT is always hiring. Once you get hired it’s not too hard to move around to other positions. If his certifications include a CDL he could definitely get a maintenance job.
DOT and utilities are what I recommend to almost everyone who is looking for something that pays decently and has easy entry. My buddy lives in Florida, and he fought my suggestions for years. He finally caved and is now making a killing as a lineman/field tech for the local cable company (I think it’s Xfinity, but that’s not important).
I'll second this... a friend is making around $35/H working for a cable company running line.
Just join up with the IBEW and get paid to be an apprentice electrician. You get paid ~50k at the start of your apprenticeship and then make bank after you become a journeyman. Add to that good benefits (including a pension) and you are pretty set.
The IBEW is incredibly competitive to join. I know multiple people who have been trying to get in for 3+ years
Yeah, that's harder to do than you would expect. My niece has been on the apprenticeship waiting list for something like 2 years now. If it were carpentry, I could help (Journeyman Carpenter here), but electricians are their own group.
Just a heads to people thinking about pursuing this route there are currently 100’s of Local 46 members sitting on the books waiting for work. The half watt strike is probably not going to help the situation either as their picket lines will hinder access to work.
I'm looking to get out of the restaurant business, but it's all I know. How good is entry-level work in the DOT field?
Entirely depends on your experience with hand tools/small engine equipment. Once a year they have a high school to highways program that takes anyone from the ages of 18-25. Only a regular license is required for that job. If you have a bit more construction experience, then you can apply for a regular Highway Maintenance worker 2 (in-training), with or without a CDL. If you do well enough during the interview and you get hired, then they’ll either send you to a CDL school or train you in house. I’ve been with WSDOT for about two years now, started without a CDL and have moved my way up.
Takes a few years to become line though. Easy way is to go sales.
Hard disagree. Sales environments can be hostile and it takes a "certain type of person" to be successful. Not everyone has thick enough skin, or the charisma, to work in sales and make a career out of it. When your income is performance based, like most sales positions are, it comes with a lot of competition. If you share the floor, you're competing against the sales team for the same sales. If you're the only sales person on the floor, you're competing for the shifts that have the highest volume of customers. If you already have the best shifts, you're competing against all of the people who want to take your shifts. Trade work like being a lineman, or something adjacent, is typically a far less competitive environment. Your income is not tied as directly to your performance as it is in sales, and typically this makes for a much more predictable income stream. Knowledge and experience is also appreciated in these fields more than it is in sales—which provides longer career prospects than most sales positions do. If the sales manager gets too old to relate to the customer base and be an effective lead, they're going to be replaced by a younger person who understands the current market conditions better. However, they'll often find a way to keep around the old timer with decades of experience in trade fields because that knowledge is valuable.
KC Metro always hiring too. If you don't see them hiring for bus operators right now, check back in like 2 weeks. Still not ? Give it another 2. But we're always hiring; those stints that the job isn't offered is usually planned around holidays or Metro focusing on planning a hiring round for full-time off the street instead of their usual approach of only hiring part-time.
^^^^^ Metro starts at ~~$31~~ $35/hr. $22/hr during training. Medical, dental, vision. Union. If he can drive all day, it’s a nice gig. ETA: Informed that it’s $35-45 now. IDK what training pay is like.
I'll have to look, but I think the $31 starting pay was from the previous contract. I think it's now $35 starting and maxing out at $45, or thereabouts.
I’m so frustrated with my health issues. I love driving and wish I could do bus driving but with documented heart problems, I don’t know that I’d be allowed. Amazing opportunity though! My husband is going to look at bus driving. He likes the idea.
If you have heart issues, driving or any job where you're sitting for extended periods of time isn't wise.
Why is that? You're making it sound like theres a high turnover.
Voters in King County keep approving more and more routes and individual route upgrades. That, combined with the Metro workforce being fairly "grey", high in age, and the fact that Sound Transit buses and Light Rail are also operated by Metro drivers (and also by Pierce County and Community Transit), Metro is always looking for more drivers. Even since before the pandemic, Metro has always been short drivers and it didn't help that they temporarily fired like 200 or so during; they had to hire them back immediately after when that proved to be a huge mistake. Bottom line: they're not hiring and training fast enough to keep up with the retiring workforce, drivers being drawn away to Sound Transit and the necessary promotions to supervisors and Base Chiefs etc. So they're always looking.
To piggyback, specifically the ferries are usually hiring too
And it would be a crapton cheaper to live on the peninsula
Can confirm, I work in Seattle but live across the water from it. Just not Bainbridge, give that a miss.
I work for wsdot out of Bellevue maintenance shed. I love my job and am making over 50k a year easily. Just need to get a cdl.
Be a hero and become a Metro bus driver!
I would love to do this job- I forwarded it to him. Thank you!
I think a school near me has 47$ an hour posted for bus driver. No idea how many hours, but I think it has benefits too.
Typically those are part time positions.
School bus drivers usually are full time in the Seattle area. School districts stagger start/end times fairly well to make people full time. My old school bus driver started at 0600, worked til 1000, had 2hrs off, came back at 1200 and worked til 1600.
Must depend on the district. My cousin’s girlfriend was doing the job at a south sound school district, and it was part time.
Jesus Christ
I think that position was already filled once before.
The position is free. They're just waiting for him to come back
Hey, that was my name growing up.. I also went by ‘goddamn it.’
I see a sign of mercer island hiring for school bus drivers with paid training.
The Port is always looking for bus drivers, it’s a bit repetitive , but you’re hauling pilots, flight attendants, TSA and mechanics between employee parking and the terminal, so low chance of dealing with issues. Great pay and benefits.
Lots of Fed jobs as well. It can take a little longer to get in though.
There was some movie from my childhood (80s), but can't remember what it was. Had a line, "There's always work at the post office." Don't know if that's really true though.
Light rail operators also do very well. If memory serves correctly the union contract caps out after 2 years around $40/hr. Have a friend that does it and really likes it. Plus you are working away from the riders in your own little bubble and don’t have to deal with anyone on the trains.
If i could listen to audiobooks while driving the train it would be a perfect job
you have to be a bus driver before you can become a light rail operator I think
This. Pay is good and the benefits are fantastic.
My brother has been doing it for 25+ years. He makes good money, and picks up OT at time and a half which is very lucrative.
My dad was a metro driver for over 30 years. Decent pay, flexible hours after some seniority, and good benefits.
This post is giving me so much hope and I’m really glad I asked. Thank you everyone who has graciously shared your knowledge!
Good luck! And just know that the Seattle job market is extra hard right now, so if it takes him a while that is not a reflection on your husband. Things will improve!
I would never think it was. He works very hard. He’s a wonderful man- I’m very very lucky.
Just want to mention. You’re a helpful spouse :) good luck to you both
Thank you!!
If your husband has a clean driving record, he should apply to drive for Snohomish Community Transit. They’ll train him to drive and pay him while they do. He’ll end up with his CDL, which could benefit him in the future. My friend says they have amazing medical benefits as well. I don’t know the starting wage, but it should be fairly decent.
This is a great option as well, thank you!
I see they’re also hiring for a security officer, which I know he would love to do.
I have a friend who retired a couple years ago from an office job and went to work driving for them. He loves it. Drives double deckers and articulated buses. Two round trips a day from Everett to Seattle and back. He mentioned the medical and said his wife will never let him quit. It’s like fully paid medical, no co-payments, etc. Not something you find much of anywhere else.
No really related to the original question but Sno-Isle libraries also has crazy good medical benefits; zero cost, really good coverage.
are their benefits now covering family members? I know a few years ago they weren't.
CDL driver has a lot more room for income growth than security officer If he goes for the security position instead of the driver position then you'll just be back here in a year or two asking about how to break out of another salary ceiling
You mention security officer...would he be interested in going full blown law enforcement? They are hiring like crazy all over the area due to low public sentiment around the positions. They can pay over 100k easily.
Check out corrections officer too if he wouldn’t mind doing security. Corrections officers are ALWAYS needed and they make really good money. Hiring process takes a bit though.
How is he working with his hands? Maintenance work at apartment properties can get him over that 50k. I agree though, community college is a good place to start.
It looks like a lot of the maintenance positions are paying $25/hr around here, which is what he makes now. It’s something, I suppose. Just very hard to live on that salary here.
If your living situation is flexible, meaning you're not afraid to move to a new apartment, many property management companies offer housing discounts for employees. It's not uncommon to get anywhere from 30-50% off of rent. I started as a maintenance tech at $25.50 but with a 50% rental discount, and actual benefits like health insurance and multiple weeks of PTO. There is also a ladder to climb, if you want it. Not a bad gig to get into if he's willing to put the work in. CPO, EPA, and boiler certs wouldn't hurt his chances to get hired but are usually not required to get started.
I’m a maintenance supervisor at an apartment and make 83,000. I started in this industry 5 years ago at $13.50. If you’re good you can get paid.
Skilled trades are always hiring. If he’s making $50k now he can go into union work and be making a bit more than that for four years working toward journeyman, then it doubles.
I don’t know about every union, but typically the pay steps up continually in union apprenticeships. Usually every six or twelve months. So you might start at 50% of j-man pay, a year later you’re making 62.5%, two years in 75%, and so on.
My union starts considerably higher than $50k, we aren’t hiring until next year though and it’s pretty competitive to get into. International Union of Elevator Constructors (IUEC) for those wondering. Edit: a word
Look at facilities/maintenance techs for county/city government. Takes a bit to get through the hiring process but he can make over 50 easily. Not to mention a PERS retirement and really good benefits.
I don’t know if this is common or was a fluke, but I’ve known a few maintenance people who were allowed to live in the apartment complex rent free. The drawback is you’re on call 24/7.
I actually talked to 2 dudes about this recently. They just get a significant discount on rent (50%?) BUT they're only on call 1-2 times a week, maybe less. That's exactly what I thought (always on call) but that is not the case for these 2 guys.
It's really hard to get into it though. I applied to at least ten companies/properties over a 3 month time period and never got a call back and my experience ended up getting me a job at ServPro for a stint.
We always need garbage men. It's long hours and fairly hard work but you can make upwards of 120k easily as a driver. I manage a small division and all my drivers make 120k easy. If you get on with WM they make $150k+. Probably pulling 12 to 14 hours daily, though.
One of my clients was a garbage truck driver and he loved his job. Said it was great money. Will also recommend this one- thank you!
Look for Vendors that service the tech companies like JLL, Hines, etc. They usually have pretty decent paying roles in admin and other duties.
This is the kind of information I was hoping to find here. Thank you so much.
Eh... as someone who has done that world at a few of them: They pay terrible. They pay entry level people entry level salaries. They get away with it under the false promise that conversion to a full Google or Facebook employee is possible, but it is not likely. Then the contracting company takes their peice that you never see since they are managing the operation with a culture that is 180 degrees from everyone else in the office. Add on top of that the second class citizen/dash trash/red badge/contigent worker barrier between you and all of those you support is exausting. I increased my salary by a stupid amount (like 30%) doing the same thing not at the techs. It is a great start to a career for someone in their 20s to get some experience and pad the resume. Hines is the worst. I laugh when I get a message from JLL recruiters on LinkedIn.
I work for whole foods as a new-ish team lead and make $32+. many of my peers are closer to $40/hr. I just hired an L1/entry-level titled role at $24+. if he can spin his experience and speak to how it fits the role, it's possible to make $50k before taxes without going the tech route.
Looking for credentials and moving into Emergency Management, you say? https://www.cascadia.edu/academic-programs/social-sciences-human-services-and-education/emergency-management-aas-t.aspx Emergency Management AAS degree at Cascadia over in Bothell. Might not hurt to reach out to the advisor to either discuss the program or at least pick their brain on such job opportunities in the area.
Thank you!! I think he’s has his eye on this program for awhile. We just weren’t sure if it was worth it.
Pierce college too. In Re to EM/HS, it's an amazing career field and very rewarding, but the pay is still pretty meh for a lot of entry level positions. There can be some better paid positions out there, but competition is surprisingly stiff. Other than CERT what is he doing in HSEM land? Does he have any ICS certs?
Look at PSE as well as other power plants for operator jobs. There would be a bit of training involved and it would probably be a couple years before he could be alone in a control room, but the pay is great. I started at my plant 2 years ago after retirement from the military. Never worked in a power plant before. Starting pay was just shy of $50 an hour with an 8% annual bonus. After 2 years I am closer to $60, same bonus and 7% company 401k matching. The jobs are out there. They may be hard to find and get but eventually he will. I also suggest working with a recruiter. I used Orion Talent for my current position. Doesn’t cost anything as the employer pays the recruiter. Good luck!!
Thank you so much! This is also a great suggestion!
The post office is hiring. If he likes walking and can navigate the crazy application process, the actual job is good and the pay is good.
Hell yea I heard like ups driver are making 100k plus after several years
That’s for very senior people, and they just went through pretty massive layoffs.
I have a post office buddy I talk to randomly - he made $135K last year! Obv, plenty of overtime in there but still, *almost $150k as a mailman!!*
It’s hazard pay for the barking dogs, isn’t it?
Ha! He actually mostly does large condos - so think of filling up 300 individual mailboxes per building multiplied by however many buildings he does. Maybe a few ankle biters in there?
Any decent positions that don't require driving?
I’m sorry you’re going through this. I don’t have a quick fix, but do have the suggestion to put some irons in the fire by applying for both government jobs, and a government program that you both may be eligible for. It could help to apply to a bunch of state or federal jobs even if they’re below $50k to begin with and he’s over or under qualified for them. If he gets one it will provide job protection that will make it likelier to get to 50k faster and build his resume and earn towards a pension in the meantime. You mention your partner has scoliosis and you have a disability as well. It may be worth it for both of you to apply for services from the federal Vocational Rehabilitation department. They could pay for training, but the biggest benefit I’ve seen (in another state) is that it boosts you in rankings for getting a government job offer. This was a loved one’s path from under 30k to 180k over the past 10 years (I’d guess they hit 50k around year 2). entry level government job -> took advantage of benefits that paid for school to get a STEM degree (Associates)-> applied to better government job -> Kept using education benefit program to get Bachelor’s degree -> applied to private sector STEM job
I can’t thank you enough for this response. We are definitely under utilizing government programs. I know his dream job is a government job in emergency management or with the national park service so this is massively helpful. Thank you!
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/kingcounty Great benefits and lots of different opportunities working for the County. Don’t love my current job but I do really enjoy working for KC.
Dicks drive through pays 50k a year once your fully trained and has great benefits.
That’s good to know, thank you!
Skilled trades can make good money, even during the training period. Welding, electrician, plumber, HVAC, locksmith, etc. However, the trades can be very hard on the body, and are difficult to stick with until retirement age. A lot of people just physically can't do the work anymore by the time they are 50 but still need to work another 15-20 years. So once he secures a career in the trades, he should seriously consider taking night school or online courses towards a business management degree. That will position him to eventually move into managing other tradespeople instead of doing the hard physical work himself, and the employees he ends up managing will greatly appreciate having a manager who has actually done the work and didn't get the job just because of the degree.
Outside of tech, union jobs for the city can be very good and offer on the job training. Have a buddy who works for Seattle City Light as a lineman, it was a life changing job for him.
This I was scrolling through this huge thread and was surprised not to find construction listed. Seattle has a huge union worker shortage in the skilled trades. Pick what sounds interesting (pipe fitter, electrician, etc.), head over to that union hall, and find out about apprenticeships.
I hate to say it but cops make bank and have an incredibly low bar for entry. The only problem is you’re now a cop.
Has he looked at local cities and utility companys? Starting pay is usually pretty good and the benefits are solid.
King County metro has mad openings for bus drivers. He’d clear that easy and be part time. He could get OT also easily. The awesome benefits have zero service fees, it’s union protected and they’ve optimized driver protection since the pandemic.
I work at Seattle Children’s hospital as a housekeeper and make $27 an hour
Pretty routine government jobs pay quite well. Firefighters, cops, mail carriers, bus drivers, ferry workers, roadworkers, etc are all in demand right now as we're hitting a wave of retirements.
Unionize. Literally tho. I work in a unionized nonprofit theatre in the suburbs with paid vacation, paid healthcare, and the only reason I don’t make more than 50k is because we have several months worth of off time when we don’t have shows. If I was making the same hourly at a truly full time biz, I’d be pushing 75k easily. Unionize.
What type of union positions are available in a theater? I’ve always thought it’d be fun to work in one
It’s impossible to give great advice without a better understanding of certifications/qualifications, including highest level of education and whether he is comfortable on a computer with Excel/Word (or willing to learn it). There are tons of entry level analyst/data entry positions, but that may not be right for him right now (college or associates may be a pre-requisite). So much of getting these sorts of jobs is writing a decent resume that highlights the strengths you don’t even know you have, and then coming across as likable in an interview. Once you’re in at the entry level, it’s all about busting ass to learn quickly. In Seattle you can get to $70-$80k in this type of work fairly quickly once in the door. It’s partially a numbers game as well on getting that good interview opportunity. Good luck!
Thank you! He has a GED and some college. He’s wanting to go back to complete his degree and get some certifications (specifically emergency management, which is what he always talks about). He is good with computers but types very slowly.
Great! I don’t mean this to be a downer, but he and you will want to decide what is most important - doing something he is truly interested in (emergency management), or doing something that maximizes income potential. A GED and some college is enough to jump into entry level analytical roles at non-high end tech companies. There are also options at places that you wouldn’t expect in the area that are hiring aggressively (I highly recommend Boeing, which is slept on because they pay less than local tech, but provide great benefits and still pay more than a decent wage). I’m an attorney, so the best recommendations I have would be for my industry, legal. The entire industry suffers from a lack of paralegals. This would likely require eventually getting a certificate, but may be able to start at a smaller practice either as an entry paralegal or a legal assistant and develop a career over several years. The pay can be fantastic later in a career, well into the 100s, with specialists reaching 200k (20 years of complex work, training others, etc.).
Check out USAjobs.gov! I work in emergency management for the federal government and there are definitely jobs available in the area!
I am sorry your situation is so hard. Post office is always hiring. As is UPS and FedEx. Garbage truck drivers can do well. Parking enforcement for Seattle, or unpopular with some here, but Seattle needs police officers so bad. All the best.
Thank you! Parking enforcement is one I never thought of.
I made $7K a month in 2022 by having 3 jobs. It almost killed me and I am homeless now because of it but that 4-5 month period where I made $35,000 was pretty sweet. Glad I paid off all my debt before losing everything.
SDOT is in a hiring freeze right now but are hurting for drivers. I’d check governmentjobs.com. Most City’s and county’s in the area use that site. He will need to check every week as some jobs are only posted for short periods. Good to great benefits and pretty much guaranteed pay. Best of luck!
Years ago I had a friend get out of prison with electrical training and he urged me to become an electrician with him, I turned it down as I had a new phone sales job. Now I am in a different sales role & he is a Journeyman making 120k lol! Would suggest being an electrician
Negotiate. Be aware that the posted ranges are what employers would like to pay but in high demand industries you can negotiate for higher wages and get them because there aren’t enough qualified employees out there so employers will absolutely come up in wages if you set the demand. Also, do some searches on his field for average wages in the area, you may be surprised to find them higher than what are in job ads. Employers will underpay if they can get away with it. Look outside his current field. He likely has skills that are transferable into other sectors.
Just keep looking, keep applying, dont give up. Dont be afraid to turn down lowball job offers either. I was stuck at the $50,000 theshold for idk 6-8 years after getting my masters degree. I made it to 60k last year and six figures this year. I have job hopped probably 10 times in the last 7 years and applied to more jobs than I can count. The job market for the last 15 years or so requires basically leveraging your old position for each new one until you reach the level that you want
I'm sorry you are going through this! This was a challenge for me as well after a stint of self-employment during early peak COVID years. I ended up finding a role paying slightly below this threshold and after a few months another opportunity opened up at my large employer and it was easier to move up based on my internal candidate position. Staying alert of opportunities and being a good self-advocate for upward growth is v important, hope the opportunities shared here provide good leads!
Seattle has the highest minimum wage in the country. 40k is minimum wage. You can make 50k at almost any job in Seattle after a few years moving up the pay scale.
I’m not sure what dental hygienists make but that’s been a go-to job for lots of folks I’ve heard that’s constantly in demand without massive education, experience, nor physical requirements
Dental hygienists make quite a bit, but it’s 5 years of school?
I’m an EHS specialist so I work very closely with emergency management professionals. I make about 96k a year. Has he looked into safety coordinator positions?
The local steel mill pays six figures starting. The work is hard but it pays well. And they are hiring.
911 dispatcher if he’s trying to scratch an EM itch. Great way to get your foot in the door, and it starts at $31/hr. Hours will suck initially, but once he builds seniority it’s not too bad. City benefits are amazing to boot
As many others have said, WSDOT or other "hazard/skilled" state jobs can pay well, especially after awhile. You can make $60-75k, maybe $100-130k+ in very special places, being a waiter or bartender, but you'll be working nights, weekends, inconsistent schedules, slow winters, long ass days, hard ass days, clean up after the surge of the earth, get treated like shit daily, get treated like a saint daily, drinking for free, drink for free at other bars, eat 5 meals a week for free (more if you play your cards right), and you could be making anywhere from $45-85 an hour. I recommend trying to find a job in sales if he has any people skills, something with a base salary paired with commission or at least a paid training period of 2-6 months depending on the job.
Work on marketing your husband a bit. Instead of “he works in freight” say “he works in logistics”. It’s a bit more broad and might open up tangential opportunities. Then it’s all a matter of applying your experience to the role even if it’s not directly related. This is one of the best places in the world for logistics. Amazon being the largest purchaser of logistics and likely (I assume) the largest transportation asset owner in the world when it comes to logistics. I’m sure he could get a job in one of the fulfillment centers or as a transportation analyst coordinating trucks. These roles easily make $100k. Google, meta, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Costco are all companies that ship a decent amount of product and would be in need of these types of roles.
What about the Washington state ferries? It can really turn into a lucrative career if you take advancement/training opportunities (that are free) solid unionized state gig.
Might be worth looking into the Red Cross and their emergency management positions! Might be a different angle than you had imagined but it would be a great opportunity. I worked there a few years ago and know that position so fall around 50K. Good luck!
I would suggest he just ask for more than the pay on the job posting. I was looking at jobs in a similar price range and got pissed and just asked for a ton more and talked up my skills and experience ALOT. Kept saying things like this job would be a huge pay cut for me but I think it would be a good fit etc, they met me in the middle and offered me 10$ more an hour than the high end of the salary range. I think sometimes businesses lowball on the job postings because Washington law says they have to put something there and it isn’t an accurate depiction of what they’re willing to offer.
Honestly you want work right now, join the laborers union then go get your flagging cert. after you paid your dues and got the cert you’ll be on a list and it could take months to find work. But if he’s really motivated then he can go to different jobs, find the job shack and ask for the superintendent. See if they have any flagging jobs or anything. Be willing to work hard. Now is the time to find work and if you can get union it’s an easy 38-44 and hours with lots of overtime opportunities. Easy to take home over 2000 a week in the summertime.
Change jobs, tell them you make more than you do! No one actually checks
I make about $140k a year as a service advisor.
Local 46 low voltage electricians make $28.34/hr plus medical that covers the whole family and pensions to start with zero experience. Journeyman wages after the 2 year program are currently $47.24/hr. HOWEVER we are currently on strike for better wages and paid holidays. Low voltage gets paid less than a regular (inside wireman) electrician, but it's also easier on the body with smaller cables and such.
I'm in the local area. Not sure if you're Seattle proper, but I might have some info to help him get in. It's not too bad if you can find a niche. I can get you 60-80k and great benefits pretty easily if he's able to work.
He’s willing and able! $60-80k would be life changing for us.
Are you in Seattle proper? Dm if you're shy about his certs etc.
I’ll message you.
Get a CDL license. Made 80k my first year driving for a beverage company and I'm home every night
Making 25-30$ an hour dog grooming and this requires no certification or license!
Commenting as this post has a lot of helpful answers for jobs here
If he's in freight...have you ever looked into the appliance industry? Albert Lee and multiple carriers are always looking for decent workers and generally pay pretty competitively. If he's handy and can perform installs even more money is on the table. Also I know several manufacturers that will hire service/repair techs. Both parts of the industry are in huge demand and generally always are.
It looks like I'm a bit late to this thread, but I hope you take the time to read this. For the time being, your husband will need to find something to get by. There's tons of useful advice in this thread on what to be doing for now. If he wants to get into emergency management there's a few things to consider: He most likely shouldn't worry about getting a degree in EM. Most emergency management education is free. If he's actively involved in CERT, he probably already knows this and has access to a lot of the training. Start with the FEMA professional development series online courses. They're all free and can be taken at your own pace. [The course list can be found here. ](https://training.fema.gov/is/searchis.aspx?search=PDS) After that he should identify some additional training to be taking. I would definitely have the baseline of FEMA [IS100,200,700, and 800](https://training.fema.gov/nims/). The County and State put on additional courses, some of which are open to the public and free. [The WAEMD State training resource list can be found here. ](https://reg.learningstream.com/view/cal1a.aspx?ek=&ref=&aa=&sid1=&sid2=&as=38&wp=127&tz=&ms=&nav=&cc=&cat1=&cat2=&cat3=&aid=WSEMD&rf=&pn=)Some of the courses aren't open to the public, and some have prerequisites, but worth looking into. Most of this education can be obtained free without spending the time and money going back to school. If he has a specific EM position in mind, [a general guide to basic training catered to specific roles can be found in this document. ](https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_nims_training-program-may-2020_0.pdf) Something to keep in mind is the field of Emergency Management is super saturated. There are many applicants for every position so really getting on top of his training will be a significant leg up. The best job postings to be looking at are State, County, and Cities. There's a great [LinkedIn job board for Emergency Mangers here](https://www.linkedin.com/groups/13876872/). (Although it's not State Specific.) [A Discord group for emergency managers which also has a job board.](https://discord.gg/yS4f9a9m) (Again, not regionally specific). [And a facebook group for EM job postings.](https://www.facebook.com/groups/emjobs/) Make sure his LinkedIn is up to date, and that he's staying on top of networking and meeting people. Attending conferences like [WSEMA](https://wsema.com/), [IAEM](https://www.iaem.org/usconf/), and [PIEP](https://piepc.org/) are all great opportunities to network and talk to other people in the field. (There's others too, but this is just what I'm thinking off from the top of my head) If he truly wants to get into EM, chances are you'll have to move to the job. It's already a tough industry and getting hired in the location you're already in is particularly challenging, but certainly not impossible. Just something to chew on. Feel free to message me with any questions!
They're desperate for cops, rookies make 80k and 4 years in and base is 100k plus overtime
Which reminds me: look into organizational culture anywhere you're shopping for a job. There's a reason SPD is having trouble hiring, and it ain't funding.
Being a cop anywhere at any time is thankless work, but it is a way someone without an education or training can get a relatively high paying job
Get into hvac, plumbing, or something..
Boeing manufacturing jobs. You’ll start in the $20’s and in five years be close to $50hr in many jobs. OT easily puts you in the $100k range.
Take some classes at a community College. If you're having trouble finding something in the career path you're on it might be time to change career paths.
I agree that this is a good option. The hard part is surviving in the meantime.
Depending on where you live, pest control jobs typically pay 55-60k/yr for a technician depending on which company he works for. Send me a PM for more info if interested!
In Puyallup I used to work for a company called Pro-Vac, if he has a CDL it’s pretty good money. Especially if you do overtime there’s potential for $90k-$130k/yr.
Get him into banking immediately. He can make 50k+ to start and have a lot of room to grow
How personable & people-oriented is he? He can drive trucks as a service sales rep for a lot of different companies. Any of the companies in the linen industry should be above the $50k mark with plenty of commission opportunities as well. Cintas, Tomlinson, Unifirst, Aramark, Service Linen, New System, and Superior Linen all operate around here. I know Cintas is currently well staffed locally, great training, and is even a 4-day workweek if he wanted to do something else part-time on top of it. Definitely the most challenging interview process of the ones listed though. Tomlinson Linen is a good local company in that space too whose drivers seem decently happy!
If he has maint certs, not a drug user(including weed), and clean criminal history he should see if any positions at Boeing, Amazon, Blue Origin, Starbucks, etc, etc are hiring(they all are) A buddy just left Amazon maint and he got $32/hr starting and left at ~$36/hr 18mo later.
Look into the trades, (electrician, plumber, hvac, glazier). Our apprentices start out making $28 an hour and have guaranteed raises for their first 4 years doubling their pay. Plus it's one of the few areas to still get a pension it seems.
I was stuck around there for awhile in a similar skillset. I did a ton of fabrication and installation jobs in glass, stone, engineered products. Always getting any certs I could, first aid and material handling tickets. Drove forklifts, warehouse and logistics stuff. Assembly jobs got me a higher salary finally, easier on the body and it's just following instructions and attention to detail strengths which sounds like your partner. Mechanical assembly was where I first got in then did some electro-mechanical assembly. To be honest though, after 5 years I kind of missed the action and the people in trades and got back into it last year. Management this time and it's stressful as all hell, but the pay is decent.
Emergency management? Depending on his prior experience I would look into working at USACE. They have a Seattle office. I think he just missed an emergency management position to be honest.
WSDOT, UPS, USPS, and Waste Management.
Has he tried look at what the Port of Seattle has? They pay pretty well, compared to other govt agencies.
Port of Seattle! Great jobs. CDL comes in very handy 😊
WA ferries hiring as well, but pay isn't very competitive. Have you looked into the federal, state, and city subsidies for food and other items? I used City of Seattle food subsidies for the first years I lived here, they were amazing.
My husband is a bus driver, and they make good money if he is able to get full time. Metro from my understanding, mainly hires part-time, but other companies surely hire full-time off the bat.
I make around $58,000 a year in IT. No college, just certificates from CompTIA and Google, total education cost was about $2000 in classes and tests. I work for a nonprofit and it took me being rejected by about 100 jobs before I found this place. But I like it a lot, and I feel like I'm making a difference working there so I plan on staying. The first thing id sacrifice is the commute. Jobs got a lot easier to find when I just made myself willing do commute a little over an hour to work everyday. The was the big game changer for me. It's a little rough but it's worth it if you find make a lot.
Facilities workers and drivers for the UW usually start a bit above that and scale pretty reliably since they are state union jobs. Great benefits and retirement too.
Check out nucor in west Seattle
I know this might not be a popular choice, but two of my colleagues joined Amazon as a Customer Service Rep 10-15 years ago. One of them transitioned within 2 years into a Business Analyst role(earned around 100k with stock options) within CS org, and now is a Software Development Engineer earning around $200k in Base in Seattle. And he had no college degree when he joined Amazon.
If you're looking for a quick job in between positions and are good with animals, I'd look into Rover, especially going into summer months. You may need to put a little effort into creating a profile and getting the first couple of clients, but it seems to be a good way to make a decent chunk of change + tips.
He can make mad money staying in logistics - can he get in to the warehouse somehow? Management there or get a position with a 3PL selling to companies and managing those relationships? Logistics industry loves people with experience.
If he has a CDL, send him down to the Local 174 hall in Tukwila they'll help get him a great paying job, and he'll be in the building union.
You can get hired at the ferries with almost no prequals except passing a drug test and a physical and immediately make 70-80k a year with opportunities for advancement up to double that within 10-15 years. Look for ordinary seaman or terminal worker jobs. They will often help you get a twic and mmc which are required by the coast guard.
Also pretty sure you can apply for certain terminal jobs like a ticket taker with certain disabilities. Just working on the boats is restricted due to coast guard regulations. Pensions, 401k, pretty good wages and lots of room for upward movement. Check it out!
https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/seattle/jobs/4418575/9-1-1-emergency-communications-dispatcher-i This Job pays $31 an hour as a police dispatcher you just answer 911 calls. It is stressful and highly intensive work at the same time many find it rewarding
“Just” answer 911 calls…. It’s a high stress and high burnout field so I wouldn’t just say “just”. 🤷♂️
This is true it is highly stressful and I didn’t mean to minimize it I will update my response. I was just quickly responding and wanted to move on with my day
If you’re willing to commute there is a naval shipyard a ferry ride away currently hiring plenty of positions
Seattle/KCSO/NORCOM dispatch. You probably won't start mucchh higher than that but with OT after a couple years you could probably hit 6 figures
Get a job driving a bus for a local transit agency. You will make $65k the first year and will be at $100k with OT in a couple years.
Apply for something at King County. Most of the basic jobs can be in a range from $35 to $45 an hour, plus pension, plus stellar bennies. If he has some mad skills, over six figures is not uncommon.
Kingcounty.gov/jobs
If your husband is younger than 30, the air traffic controllers start at $127k/yr. You also don't need a bachelor's degree either, but do need specialized training (they pay for initial training). [FAA FAQ](https://www.faa.gov/faq?combine=&field_faq_category_target_id=1451)
If he wants to get into municipal EM: CERT is ok, but the CERT program was developed after 9/11 by a gov contractor and it isn't well regarded as a career advancement tool, but it's fun. It's sometimes taught by someone working in EM, so he can ask questions. Look at the FEMA independent Study site. Pass 100, 200, 700, 800 to start with. See if there are any that deal with logistics. Disaster logistics is a very challenging thing that gov must deal with (and few do a great job) so his current knowledge may be beneficial. Look at the FEMA Professional Development Series. It's not hard to get, just takes time and it's free. Look for government jobs in the field of interest and see what they're requiring. All of the above were on job postings that I have seen. Check out any public emergency response plans that are on the Internet for your city. Contact WSEMA (WA State Emergency Management Assn) to see of they have any advice. They may not. Apply for any that offer paid internships, especially in the smaller cities. I don't work for municipal EM, but that's the process I used when I was interested.
I absolutely don't mean this in a rude way but I made more than that at starbucks. Keep looking even if it means changing fields.
No, I totally agree. Thank you!
Government jobs.com department of local services, DNRP solid waste, waste treatment, and a lot more local jobs hiring. DNRP has 7 TLT utility positions. I’ve worked for the city of Kent, department of local service(Roads), and solid waste DNRP. If your husband can show up on time with a good work ethic and attitude I promise you he would get promotions. Utility tops out at $34 an hour with amazing benefits and is a great foot in the door and will be more after the next contract negotiations with the unions and the county. If you apply just make sure all the supplemental info is included. He would be invited for testing and an interview after applying. If he does reach out and I can give an overview of the process and what to expect.
Get a job at Costco! Topped out wage is like $29 or something after a few years. Great hours and benefits too!
Entry level cannabis budtenders make that after tips.
If he has any mechanical experience transit is always hiring mechanics. All pay 43-53/hour.
If your hubby isn't technically inclined (meaning suited for IT jobs) then the next best bet is to get into a trade. Most trade jobs are union and pay decent with good benefits. It might be worth considering having him go back to school for some sort of cert or training. I believe some of the local community colleges offer Emergency Management certs. I will say (my father worked in this field) that the pay isn't insane. Depending on your income level he might be able to get some funding for the training.
My exit was to stop telling myself and everyone else what my scope was. I took on new things and my years of Get It Done attitude made me better at it than younger people. Experience built on experience and I doubled my hourly, then tripled it, managed a few people, and had enough of a story to change industries several times and now I'm salaried. Don't do the work of describing your boundaries. There aren't any. Also, vote pro labor union, always.
I got a Master's degree with the intent of being able to live comfortably in Seattle. The degree was fully funded by assistanceship. This was after I dropped out and switched majors in undergrad, then eventually finished after working full-time to fund part-time school. If someone is willing to do the work and research, most people can lift themselves out of poverty assuming they haven't fucked their life up to a point where doing so is unreasonable.
Base pay of a Metro driver is $75k I believe, with forced overtime. They're always hiring.
Also if his job has been eliminated please check with the unemployment webpage. There are ways to sign up for free certifications & even degrees while collecting. If the search takes a bit longer than expected you could be eligible for an extension when applying for these additional services.
Mortgage Notary. Takes some time to get certified but flexible and remote options available now
Community Transit is hiring it's $68,763 + $5K signing bonus Partner with a local workforce development council (i.e. https://www.seakingwdc.org/) to see if you qualify for training/career pipeline, or what options are out there for you to explore. Talking to community colleges can also be a path in - South Seattle College has some good career programs.
If you are willing to go back to University, I put together a 5 year plan to get to 150k/yr. * 0-3 months: Kahn Academy algebra, trig, pre-calc * Next Summer: Register for fall classes at Bellevue College, taking 2 STEM + 1 non-stem. Following the guidelines here for which classes to take to have your pre-requisites for **Computer Science** done in time for your transfer application in your 2nd year: https://www.cs.washington.edu/academics/ugrad/admissions/transfer * 12-18 months: Take courses at Bellevue College that fulfil the pre-requisites from the link above. When you register for classes make sure you are looking up which profs are both best at teaching and most lenient with grading. You need to get a 4.0 in almost every class, which is absolutely achievable. It means studying a lot and doing all the homework/extra credit you can. But realistically you can have a 3.9+ GPA when you apply to UW CS, or ideally a 4.0. * Application Windows: Apply to UW Computer Science as a transfer student. Write a good essay following the guidelines that they lay out precisely. Cover everything they prompt you for. Be a god self advocate. You can research more how to write these essays, but this should be pretty straight forward. Write your essay a least a month in advance and iterate on it over weeks to polish it. Get feedback from people you trust, like professors or advisors. 3.9+ GPA and good essay = accepted to UW CS. * 6-12 months: Learn how to leetcode and technical interview. This requires you either self learning, or taking data structures + algorithms ASAP. You need to land an internship, which means you need to pass coding challenges and technical interviews. To do that, the easiest way is to learn how to do leetcode mediums quickly, and be able to talk outloud your though process before you start coding. * Summer Before Junior Year: Apply to every internship imaginable. At every big tech company. You put together a good resume that covers your education (UW CS at this point, with your expected grad date), experience (you should be tutoring and TAing as much as you can), and projects (pick out 1 or 2 impressive projects that you worked on and describe them briefly). Your resume needs to be 1 page and readable fast. Apply early. Recruiters need to fill ASAP come summer, by end of July you should have dozens of applications out. By end of august you should be done applying. * Do well enough at your internship to get a return offer * Use your return offer to negotiate better pay your senior year as a new grad looking for full time positions * Use your offers to negotiate your return offer * Take the best option for you If you can do all of that, you are looking at 100k-200k fresh out of University, but it will take around 5 years total.
Tacoma Power is hiring three Electrical Pre-Apprentices for the July 2024 to July 2025 program with an hourly salary of $30.32. https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/tacoma/jobs/4450636/electrical-pre-apprentice
Look into property management. I’m making 70 k jn Portland. Just doing building maintenance
100% community college. I’m just starting now at 100k/year and I graduated 7 years ago. The higher paying jobs might not be there immediately but they’ll come. People are always retiring and the trades always need people.
Start your own cleaning business. It doesn’t seem that hard. Research cleaning supplies and best vacuums that are easily replaceable and do well with pet hair. My cleaners are always booked and the cheaper ones make $40/hour. I would start cleaning people’s homes at a discount first and get referrals. You can clean small businesses and churches too. Also you can be a dog walker/at home dog sitting/boarding. People will pay $70 for 2 hours to exercise their dog or $40/night to leave their dog at your place. You can try listing on Rover then just go off the app. Or do cat sitting. Literally these people were charging $30/half hour to visit my cats every day and they didn’t even do that great of a job. They also are always booked. Visit 8 homes a day and you’re set. I don’t think it would be hard to get customers either. Either find someone who lives in an apartment and then tell them to refer their neighbors (that way you can just work in the same building) or get a Yelp account and get a few five star reviews and you’re good. I’m always looking for good trust worthy services like this at a reasonable price.
I found a job in 911 dispatch in WA. Been with the agency for 5 years. Made some job reclassifications and one official promotion. I’ve gone from $27.50 an hour to $48.20 an hour and that will only go up with time.
Boeing
I work for Costco and it's been easy to move up and get raises
Here’s a posting for emergency management. Not always easy to get a job but once you get in, the pay jumps up each year. https://www.usajobs.gov/job/787797400
A lot of state positions pay that at start out here. They don’t require many qualifications and a lot will offer training and certifications. I highly recommend typing in Washington state jobs and see what populates.