What do you do for a living?

[younggun]

I know this might be a weird question to be asking, and this is mainly to the people who do college football but anyone can answer. I am thinking about getting out of the Air Force and looking for a job I can get into that would allow me to continue to climb the officiating ladder (I realize it is not a guarantee, but I have more of a chance being out than I would being in the service.)  So what have you seen or heard about being great jobs to have that allow you the time to officiate football.

Thanks

[drilsgt_98]

Teach

[busman]

Probably the best would be an independent contractor for sales because you could set your own hours.  Another possibility would be a job with a 4-day, 10 hour week, particularly if it was Mon-Thur.  I know several manufacturing plants in our area use that schedule since they can save energy costs with a three day weekend.  Otherwise, you will need to find something that has a generous leave schedule and your family agrees that some of your vacation goes toward officiating.  My trade-off always was that I might use 4-5 of my 15 days for officiating (especially when I was also doing NCAA baseball), but the money I made would be used to upgrade our vacations the other two weeks.   

[HLinNC]

Most govenment jobs have pretty liberal leave policies.

I've worked in state gov't in the CJ system for 20 years.  At this point in my career I earn about 3.5 days per month.  I also have the ability to flex schedule somewhat so that most afternoons I'm off well before I need to be somewhere. Our furthest trip is only about 1 1/2 hours.

It also helps to ahve a great and understanding boss!!

[504coach]

Teach, or property and casuality insurance (state farm allstate etc.)

Start a tax return business

Any straight commission sales job will work

[Cooter]

This kinda raises an interesting question - how much, if any, does your "day job" help or hurt your chances of calling in college or pros?  Not talking about getting time off, but the quality, or lack thereof, of your vocation.  Does a lawyer have a better chance than a maintenance man if both are equal on the football field?

[HAshleyTX]

I just retired from the Air Force a year ago and work Civil Service now.  It can be pretty flexible but, when necessary I do use my leave to work games.

[younggun]

My background is in Information Systems... and I have though about teaching or going in to a business for myself. I just think the biggest problem is going to be able to find a boss that is understanding of the unique world that is officiating.

[Headlinesman]

Practiced law for 30 years, now working on a Ph.D. so I can teach at the university level.

[gsrc]

I teach at the middle level. It works out well.

[blindref757]

This kinda raises an interesting question - how much, if any, does your "day job" help or hurt your chances of calling in college or pros?  Does a lawyer have a better chance than a maintenance man if both are equal on the football field?

Without a doubt--the lawyer has the advantage.  He has flexibility and he probably has more disposable income for camps, clinics, and travel.  He has a perception of being a professional that must remain calm in pressure situations while looking nice. 

I'm not saying that the maintenance man can't do it, but if he is going head to head with the lawyer, the lawyer will get the nod by most supervisors.

[BIG DON]

I am A full time Fire Fighter 24 hours on 48 off.  On my days off I am a office manager for my Wife's Accounting Practice. 

If I happen to have an game on my tour o Duty days I take Vacation day so I can go call football.

My wife is really good about letting me off for Football

[Welpe]

I am a database administrator with a very understanding manager and flexible work hours.  I work a 9/80 schedule and come in early during football and basketball seasons.  I usually end up putting some work in at home during the weekends or at night if needed.

[110]

I'm a newspaper editor. I have had the unique luxury of being able to set my hours around football. In the last two job transitions, I've openly stated my desire to commit to football. It was OK in this job. In the previous job, my publisher was also a football coach.

I almost tossed him out of a game once. It was an interesting chat Monday, lemme tell you.

Being an editor has presented a few challenges, but neither my current nor past associations have been that concerned. I simply assign someone else to plan and cover football coverage.

[James]

Computer consultant. I work for a company but can set my own hours as long as the work gets done. Typically I work 6am-3:30 pm with some fluctuation.

Another tip - move to Europe. Many countries had 30 days vacation a year!

[KB]

The next computer worker

In Europe, there seems to be a strong correlation between football officiating and the computer business.

I'm a data warehouse admin at the Austrian branch of a big insurance company. Thanks to age, long time at the company and the CBA, im entitled to 32 workdays of paid leave per year. That means six weeks and 2 days.

[Amir]

I'm a technical writer in the construction industry - basically I write instruction manuals for buildings, or rather the bits of equipment inside them like boilers, pumps, fans, air conditioning, electrics etc.

Unfortunately I only get 20 days of holiday a year

[TxGrayhat]

Disrtict manager for a Restraunt Chain.This is a very demanding job on your time. My situation is very rare being allowed to take time for officiating but I have 20+ years with my employer so he has allowed me this little perk. I do have to give time back during the rest of the year to make up for time spent in the stripes.

[PanamaRef]

I  separated from the air force, and officiate full time, other than that I work on my own property raising cattle.  So I can work any games that come up.  Only draw back is not much income to go to clinics that I would like to go to.  Hopefully next year I can go to at least 1.

[younggun]

I  separated from the air force, and officiate full time, other than that I work on my own property raising cattle.  So I can work any games that come up.  Only draw back is not much income to go to clinics that I would like to go to.  Hopefully next year I can go to at least 1.

Wow... that is the same situation I am in... I want to get out of the Air Force to officiate and work some sort of computer job. I did want to go back to Texas and get some land.

[InsideTheStripes]

Software Engineer.

[PGARef]

PGA Tour

[Chester]

PGA Tour??  Player, Caddy, administrator?

[Getting Fat]

so far, PGARef is winning.

[TxKeith]

Assistant Training Manager for hospital teaching all of the American Heart Association classes.  When I transferred into the department I mentioned that I was a football official my manager at the time was supportative of me doing this and stated that as long as classes were covered, I could get off for games.