autoCAD user needed for interview...

Actually, here are the four questions. If you could just e-mail me an answer - preferably attaching a 300-dpi picture of yourself - I'd greatly appreciate it. And, hey, you get to be in a book!
-How did you get your job? -What do you like best about your job? -What's the most challenging part of your job? -What are the keys to success?
Thanks!
Ken

yes
yes
no
yes

I sleep with the boss. I sleep with the boss. I sleep with the boss. er, I sleep with the boss?
and I am darn good at what I do. (no, silly, I mean autocad) no problem, back to work. the boss is gone and I can actually get some plans out.....

I was a Mechanical Designer/Draftsman when Autocad came to be. I took several courses and stumbled through AC at work until getting the hang of the program. I am currently self-employed and hire myself out to anyone who will pay my fee. At the moment I work 30 +/- per week and that suits me and my family just fine.
Changes are a breeze - no more carefully erasing lines and hoping that you didn't take off too much of the "tooth" of the mylar to re-draw what was needed. Flexibility in working environment - home / office. E-mail finished work so no trip (read miles on the car) needed to deliver drawings.
Working at home and staying focused. I usually play music either bold instrumentals (I love march music.) or something I can sing along with. Also just sitting all day in the same spot gets old. I've developed a dandy case of "stenographer's spread".
Know the program and how to use it to speed up the work. Draw the same type of detail on most drawings? Create a library and save several versions of the detail. Always be certain the right line is on the right layer, so when you need to only show, for instance, return ductwork, diffusers and text, you can turn off everything else and print just that. Don't be afraid to listen to someone else's way of creating a drawing. I usually learn something different/positive about Autocad every few months.
Plus a good all-round good work ethic is a must - just as in any job. No problem.

how do you get most of your workload? prior employers?

I am currently self-employed and hire myself out to anyone who will pay my fee. At the moment I work 30 +/- per week and that suits me and my family just fine.
well, if you insist on being serious, you and I are in very similar setups. I don't think I am "employable" any longer in the real world. the lovely wife, aka "boss", accuses me of being retired.
(oh, the pain...)
but SINCE YOU WANT SERIOUS, the best part of the situation, aka "job", is controlling your own work environment. got a little Blues Traveler going on right now. computer geek, I recorded my albums & cd's to my hard drive and I can make the most amusing play lists together in short order and have tunes for the day.
Janice, sedentary is a bad thing. diabetes speaking here. make sure you don't make the mistake I did by sitting too long at a time. the road back is not pretty. (kind of like me) but I endeavorer to persevere.

Yeah, that sittin' all the time is bad news. Unfortunately I'm not into exercise, but must make an attempt. ugh. Roy, work environment truly is the biggest reason to work at home. Also after being laid off in 1987 I swore I would never be laid off again. Work has been slow, but not having an employer to fire me is wonderful. That's so stressful.

Yes, I know several engineers who are one-man companies and they call when they need help. One in particular I work for the most and have a key to his office. It's a great relationship. I can organize my weeks to suit both me and the engineer.
When the work is available, I work alot. When it's slow, I clean the house. My house is messy right now! ! !

The only real problem is that you are NOT earning credits toward Medicare or SS. You will likely need to have a W-2 job before you retire - 62-65?? Only earned income from employment count - then again you could set up your own co, pay payroll taxes etc. and hire yourself.
j

As for as I know, paying my self-employment taxes gets me the same consideration for Social Security and Medicare as anyone else. What do you know that's different? Or do you think I'm not claiming my income?
joe wrote:

It sure does. Been there, done that. SS, Medicare and all of the other bennies are just as good for us former non-W2 folks. It amazes me how many misconceptions there are out there about the "disadvantages" of self-employment. ___

just last year we became an LLC. felt so good, we did it again. the wife is not satisfied with drawing house plans, has to be a GC as well. wanted that turnkey satifaction of getting to pick out the details to make the design what SHE wanted.
I cannot blame the cubicle dwellers for not understanding the life of the self employed. but I don't waste too much time on pity either.
:)

You are all correct - in theory. Reality is that self employed have a way of arranging their affairs in such a manner that taxes are kept to a minimum - perfectly legal. Being in business does not mean an automatic profit each year - deducting those years and college etc. Years with 200k -500k profit are capped. Losses of a similar magnitude. Years doing investing or speculation (typically with large sums of money) also does not count toward SS. I know of several people that fit that bill perfectly and have almost no SS. They did have a good time but all except one will need to keep on working.
Some good friends of friends here where I live,they worked together their whole life as a Housekeeping couple for many and varied rich and famous people (Hollywood and Government). They never paid attention to their SS earnings until they started to get close to 62 and then it was too late. Most of their employers did NOT pay SS on them and so now they are struggling,really struggling with $1200/month for both of them. He is 80 ,she is 72 and they are still working at odd jobs for extra money. I feel so bad for them.
j

Had they been operating a legitimate business, they would have reported their incomes, and paid their income and self-employment taxes, like honest folks. I have no pity for the cheaters. ___