How long do I put up with being part time?

Nildog

Member
Hi all, as you may know from my previous posts, I am looking into UPS to turn it into a career. In order for that to happen, I need to be full time. This leads me to yet another question: How long should I put up with being part time? I plan to work here when I turn 18 and graduate High School next year, and I dont want to be living at home for 10+ years after graduation waiting for full time. What kind of time frame do you recommend making for how long I continue to stay part time? Thanks!
 

1989

Well-Known Member
Work part time while working a full time job or going to school. That way it doesn’t matter how long. You may find a different path altogether.
 

trickpony1

Well-Known Member
What kind of time frame do you recommend making for how long I continue to stay part time?

The path this company is taking is probably one you don't want to get involved in.

As someone suggested, work PT at UPS and either find a decent FT job during the day or go to school. Go to vo-tech and be a plumber. They charge $80 just to walk through your door. A licensed electrician makes at least what a pkg car driver makes.

The unsuspecting public sees the glitter, gloss and dollar signs they hear about at UPS. It's not like that anymore.
 

zubenelgenubi

I'm a star
Hi all, as you may know from my previous posts, I am looking into UPS to turn it into a career. In order for that to happen, I need to be full time. This leads me to yet another question: How long should I put up with being part time? I plan to work here when I turn 18 and graduate High School next year, and I dont want to be living at home for 10+ years after graduation waiting for full time. What kind of time frame do you recommend making for how long I continue to stay part time? Thanks!

I was starting to look for a different career when I got the call to go full time, I had waited 7 years, and had determined that 8 years was my limit. But I was older when I started. You're young, 10 years wouldn't be so bad. You'll have to wait at least 3 years to drive, since you have to be 21. But if it takes longer, you may be able to get into Air Driving, which in most cases would be in addition to your regular part time work. I know people who do ok on just their part time and Air Driving.

Aside from that, if you make yourself available for any and all extra work whenever it is available, sock away the extra money to get you through the lean times, you could probably make part time work for you, depending on the cost of living in your area. Maybe do something like uber if you need to supplement your income periodically.
 

Nildog

Member
When it comes to working a full time during the day along with part time at UPS, is there really much merit in working at UPS then? I mean, how do you balance all those hours?
 

zubenelgenubi

I'm a star
When it comes to working a full time during the day along with part time at UPS, is there really much merit in working at UPS then? I mean, how do you balance all those hours?

You don't generally do both a full time and part time shift in the same day, except during peak season, even then there is a limit. Part timers who are also air drivers may occasionally or regularly shuttle air for an extra few hours after/before their regular part time shift. But if you are concerned about balancing hours, going full time at UPS might not be the right choice for you.

(Edit: I just reread your post, wasn't sure who you were responding to. You can also work another part time job to start out and see how the hours are working for you)

I realize you are trying to figure out the direction for the rest of your life, and I commend you for that. But you should prepare yourself now for the many rude awakenings that will soon be coming your way. Life is much, much harder than you think it will be. The silver lining is that you can handle much, much more than you think you can.
 

Nildog

Member
I currently work at a fast food restaurant. Initially, I had planned to leave for UPS. Do you guys think it would be wise to stay at the fast food place and work at UPS? P.S., Thank you guys so much for all the input. I greatly appreciate it.
 

silverbullet2893

KILL KILL!!
I currently work at a fast food restaurant. Initially, I had planned to leave for UPS. Do you guys think it would be wise to stay at the fast food place and work at UPS? P.S., Thank you guys so much for all the input. I greatly appreciate it.


Go to trade school. Get in a job in said trade.
 

LarryBird

Well-Known Member
Trade school>UPS>Fast food career. Goodluck!
This is the truth. Go to a technical school and try to pick a path that is in an emerging technology, or in a field that can't be phased out by automation or artificial intelligence, which will be issues you're likely to face in your career given your age.

Even if you can just get into a trade union, and you decide to pass on technical school, at your age it'd be awesome - you'll work as an apprentice while going to classes and working toward becoming a journeyman. All the union trades make at least comparable money to UPS, and some of them leave us in the dust. Electricians, pipe fitters, millwrights, and iron workers in particular do very well. You'll be a master of your craft before you're 30 years old, and you'll have a ton of options in life.

There's gonna be a lot of work in those fields moving forward. Plus there's the added dimension of taking your trade and opening your own business down the road when you've got some experience and made some contacts and customers doing side work. There's really no cap to what you can earn in the trades if you're willing to hustle or take the risk of going out on your own.
 

KoennenTiger

Well-Known Member
We got guys who go full time right when they turn 21 now. Start at 18 and go full time at 21. Their career isn't the biggest impediment to a happy life.

The most important ingredient to a happy life is who you allow to be in your life. This starts with who you date and this is the biggest problem I've seen with the guys who go driver at 21. They date foolish. They get advice from the sad sack divorced guys. Pro tip, don't take advice from guys who have failed once and never won again.

After who you date which friends you allow into your life will be the next most important part of your life happiness. Choose your friends wisely. Don't hang around bucket crabs they will pull you down so they don't have to accept that you can pull your way out of the bucket.

UPS is a good career for the right kind of self motivated person who can look at the glass and say it's half full. Who can see more work every day and think, heck yeah more work means more money. Planning at your age? Pretty smart move. Make sure you take care of the first two things I said and you'll be good.

Family > friends > career
 

LarryBird

Well-Known Member
We got guys who go full time right when they turn 21 now. Start at 18 and go full time at 21. Their career isn't the biggest impediment to a happy life.

The most important ingredient to a happy life is who you allow to be in your life. This starts with who you date and this is the biggest problem I've seen with the guys who go driver at 21. They date foolish. They get advice from the sad sack divorced guys. Pro tip, don't take advice from guys who have failed once and never won again.

After who you date which friends you allow into your life will be the next most important part of your life happiness. Choose your friends wisely. Don't hang around bucket crabs they will pull you down so they don't have to accept that you can pull your way out of the bucket.

UPS is a good career for the right kind of self motivated person who can look at the glass and say it's half full. Who can see more work every day and think, heck yeah more work means more money. Planning at your age? Pretty smart move. Make sure you take care of the first two things I said and you'll be good.

Family > friends > career
You're really analyzing your young co-workers dating lives? That's pretty :censored2:ing weird.

21 year old kids should :censored2: as many women as possible, without knocking them up, and have fun. They should set aside some money and start planning for retirement, yes. But they should also waste some money and have fun. You're only in your early 20s once.

Finding the right woman to settle down with should be the last thing on their mind - it will just happen, especially if you sample many of them. The right one will be a standout, and not in the sack, and not in the looks department. A standout person/personality.

The friends thing is good advice though. You will have "friends" who are on the wrong path when you are young - identify them, and drop them. They will bring you down if you give them the chance, even if it's not their intention to do so. If you're working FT at UPS by 21, you have life by the balls. Keep your grip on them :censored2:s tight, and enjoy the ride - you'll be a wealthy man by the time you retire if you take the right path and start planning at that age. You will be amazed at the magic of compounding returns over a 40 year period.

Good luck, kid. Have fun - YOLO MAN!
 
You can’t drive until your 21, some places seem to take a couple years to get a FT some places take 6 months. Start young so they can mold you, invest in you, and train you, and if you don’t make the cut there’s always fed ex.
 

Box Handler of Dallas

Well-Known Member
When it comes to working a full time during the day along with part time at UPS, is there really much merit in working at UPS then? I mean, how do you balance all those hours?

For me, I work my full time job from 12-9pm and then go in for the night sort at 10:30-2:30ish. The merits? I get an extra $1,000 in my bank account from UPS each month, free insurance, pension for down the road, daily work out and get paid for it.
 

LarryBird

Well-Known Member
But you can't do that forever. It will eventually catch up to you. But I do like your spirit, put some money in a 401k
I dunno, it seems like almost half of the long time inside employees at my building are in the same boat as that guy and they've all been making that work for them for upwards of 20 or 30 years. So it's definitely possible to do it.

I would think a lot depends on what your main gig is, and how physical it is.
 

rod

Retired 22 years
For me, I work my full time job from 12-9pm and then go in for the night sort at 10:30-2:30ish. The merits? I get an extra $1,000 in my bank account from UPS each month, free insurance, pension for down the road, daily work out and get paid for it.
Holy mackerel----I would shake your hand a buy you a beer (I don't even care if you might be underage). That work ethic is almost unheard of today. 2 thumbs up.
 
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