Mowing is not a job... then what else do you call it?!

[knox gsl]

Its not a job its your business. I have been jobless for almost 5 years now and love it. I have alot more freedom and income than when I was clocking in daily.

As far as school goes, I wish I had gone to college and got some kind of formal education. I consider myself a smart person, but wish that I was better educated, and there is a difference.

[Glenn Lawn Care]

It's not a job if you enjoy doing it.... that's how I look at it!

[GreenI.A.]

the problem you state is because many kids get nearly useless degrees. How may major in Art or History with high hopes, then graduate and maybe a few get there dream job, but many of them find they can't fand anthing paying for that degree other than teaching. I know a guy who works a large national landscape comapany. Worked there all through college when he got his History degree, now after graduating he is still working for brickman because that pays better than anything he can do with his history degree untill he finishes graduate school. On the other end, I'm running what most here would consider a successful company, and I'm back in school working on towards my masters degree. Last semester we were in a class where we had to talk about anxieties and a common one for many of the students was finding a good job after graduating. Students were saying that if they could find a job paying in 50k+ a year then they wouldn't be in school. I just laughed and told them I'm 10 years older than them, make more than that, and I'm here. Learn from my mistake and get it done right away. The important thing is don't just go to get an easy degree, if you don't have your heart set on something in particular go for general business. Atleast then if you decide to stay in this industry you'll have a degree that you can use a business owner. At the minimum gat an associates degree, it will help you learn to run a business and if you decide to go further you will already have a good amount of credits.

I could poll 1000 people right now in all different industries, and I am sure many more will say they wish they went to school than will say they wich they hadn't.

Plus the biggest reason is college is filled with girls

Originally Posted by CL&T

best thing to do is stay in school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I disagree. Who do you think many of those lowballers are? College grads who can't find work or those that had a good job then got laid off. You are way ahead of the game working and earning money right after high school instead of partying four years in some diploma mill, getting yourself $200K in debt then not finding work.

Don't get me started on how 50% of kids do not belong in college. If you don't have a clear goal and an excellent chance of employment upon graduation in your field when you enter a college you don't belong there.

On of the reasons this country is in the mess it's in is because of thinking like yours. We have a generation whose parents, mostly hard workers like ourselves back in the 50's, wanted a "better life" for their kids. So every kid had to have a college education and the result was they don't want to get their hands dirty, have an attitude towards those who do and feel entitled to as much money as possible.

Being in the trades or doing manual work today is considered a stigma and so our workforce is rapidly declining as we retire and our sons or daughters aren't taking our places as they once did. So we are inundated with illegals "doing the work nobody wants to do".

There's the rest of your lowballers.

[flyingdutch16]

@ReddensLawnCare, thanks for lenthy reply reallly appreciated your response. Sure made me feel better about my little mowing opperation. You're right I mow those property's for $35, now most of you will think that this is lowballing, I'm not gonna deny it, it's pretty much lowballing. Anyways I still make a good profit after i take off gas,equipment cost, and insurance so im not complaining. I do have to say tho every lawn that i get from now on I will start charging at least $45. Anyways lots of you said stay in school, and dont worry my parents and I my self will make sure that I stay in school. Im thinking about taking either business that way if i dont like the landscaping/mowing business i also have a genereal education in business and can find a job in a different line of work. On the other hand i really like what im doing right now and would love to own my own company and get an education in agriculture or landscape design. But hey ive got a couple years to decide to so not to worried about it right.

Just wanna say thanks so much guys for all the responses, it just really shows how good of a community this forum has and how one can learn from this forum!

[CL&T]

Originally Posted by GreenIndustryAssociates

the problem you state is because many kids get nearly useless degrees. How may major in Art or History with high hopes, then graduate and maybe a few get there dream job, but many of them find they can't fand anthing paying for that degree other than teaching. I know a guy who works a large national landscape comapany. Worked there all through college when he got his History degree, now after graduating he is still working for brickman because that pays better than anything he can do with his history degree untill he finishes graduate school.

Right. Those are the 50% I'm talking about. High school used to get you ready to deal with life and employment. Sadly today, all it is is a preschool for college. Doesn't matter if you are not college material- that's all you are given and then you are made to feel like you were riding the short bus if you go against political correctness and decide not to "stay in school" by going on to a trade school or employment. By the way, "stay in school" used to mean complete and graduate from high school. So that's why there are so many kids with useless degrees, unemployable and in debt when they are only 22.

Originally Posted by GreenIndustryAssociates

On the other end, I'm running what most here would consider a successful company, and I'm back in school working on towards my masters degree. Last semester we were in a class where we had to talk about anxieties and a common one for many of the students was finding a good job after graduating. Students were saying that if they could find a job paying in 50k+ a year then they wouldn't be in school. I just laughed and told them I'm 10 years older than them, make more than that, and I'm here. Learn from my mistake and get it done right away. The important thing is don't just go to get an easy degree, if you don't have your heart set on something in particular go for general business. Atleast then if you decide to stay in this industry you'll have a degree that you can use a business owner. At the minimum get an associates degree, it will help you learn to run a business and if you decide to go further you will already have a good amount of credits.

What you have done comes from maturity and some life experience. Asking a 17 year old kid who's only experience is an iPhone and xBox to decide what they are going to do for the rest of their life is insane. Some do have a career mapped out but most don't. That level of maturity just isn't there any more. It's been taken away by coddling parents and schools. Advising to at least get a business degree isn't going to help if that kid has no aspirations in that direction (if they have any aspirations at all). It's much better to do what you did- figure out what you want to do then educate yourself in that direction.

Originally Posted by GreenIndustryAssociates

Students were saying that if they could find a job paying in 50k+ a year then they wouldn't be in school. I just laughed and told them I'm 10 years older than them, make more than that, and I'm here.

I think what they were saying was that they are in school because they couldn't find a job. It's just something to do.

Originally Posted by GreenIndustryAssociates

I could poll 1000 people right now in all different industries, and I am sure many more will say they wish they went to school than will say they wish they hadn't.

See, that's just wishful thinking at a time when times are tough. The grass is alway greener until you get to that other side and find that it's not so green after all. I can say that I wish I had done many things differently in my life but I can't say with any certainty that things would be any different than they are today. On the other hand I can wish that things had happened differently in my life but unfortunately none of us has that power.

[KrayzKajun]

So what yall are saying is my degree in clay pottery isn't gunna help me?
Posted via Mobile Device

[GreenI.A.]

Originally Posted by KrayzKajun

So what yall are saying is my degree in clay pottery isn't gunna help me?
Posted via Mobile Device

Hey, thats not to bad. I know a girl who got her bachalers in weaving at a school thats 20k a semester. She has about 200k in students loans, and now she is starting her masters for it. By the time she is done she'll be close to 350-400k in debt and all she'll be qualified to do is teach weaving at the university level.

[flyingdutch16]

Originally Posted by GreenIndustryAssociates

Hey, thats not to bad. I know a girl who got her bachalers in weaving at a school thats 20k a semester. She has about 200k in students loans, and now she is starting her masters for it. By the time she is done she'll be close to 350-400k in debt and all she'll be qualified to do is teach weaving at the university level.

I sure as hell know a better/ more profitable way to spend 350 k

[TimNNJ]

Good thread...your young..no matter what you do...always keep learning...take classes..go to seminars...go to college..never stop learning...I went to college..have an Art degree...I wish I was a math major..it would of been easier then all the hours I had to put into the art program...but now I have all the design background which helps with designs and what not...miss my pottery class..that was a good one..graduated college..kept bartending/waiting/landscaping...got a job at a big brokerage house..worked two years..hated every minute..came home one day and told my wife now that I was going to quit my job and I wouldn't care if I was poor from now on..I would never go back to it..that was 2006...back to bartending/waiting/landscaping...this is my fourth season full time...going through the growing pains...but couldn't be happier ....that is just my little rant ..your very young and have a while to figure things out..but never stop learning..and i'm 31

[MowingMowingMowing]

Originally Posted by CL&T

best thing to do is stay in school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I disagree. Who do you think many of those lowballers are? College grads who can't find work or those that had a good job then got laid off. You are way ahead of the game working and earning money right after high school instead of partying four years in some diploma mill, getting yourself $200K in debt then not finding work.

Don't get me started on how 50% of kids do not belong in college. If you don't have a clear goal and an excellent chance of employment upon graduation in your field when you enter a college you don't belong there.

On of the reasons this country is in the mess it's in is because of thinking like yours. We have a generation whose parents, mostly hard workers like ourselves back in the 50's, wanted a "better life" for their kids. So every kid had to have a college education and the result was they don't want to get their hands dirty, have an attitude towards those who do and feel entitled to as much money as possible.

Being in the trades or doing manual work today is considered a stigma and so our workforce is rapidly declining as we retire and our sons or daughters aren't taking our places as they once did. So we are inundated with illegals "doing the work nobody wants to do".

There's the rest of your lowballers.

So far from the truth...

First off, the only way you will have $200K in loans is if you go to an ivy league school with no scholarships. State school college can be done for roughly $15K a year in most Midwest states (even adding in living expenses, you are no where close to $200K).

If you don't have a clear goal and an excellent chance of employment upon graduation in your field when you enter a college you don't belong there.

Are you serious? While I agree that it is good to have a clear plan coming into school, it is not the end of the world if you don't initially. Gen eds are going to make up the majority of your first 2 years anyways, plenty of people don't figure out their major until then. "Undecided" as a major is pretty common for freshmen, you're statement is simply not accurate.

Alternatively, I do agree with the other posters about how you shouldn't waste your time getting a worthless degree.

One last thing I will throw out there, is my opinion on business degrees. DO NOT major in marketing or general business. If you are GB, many employers see this as you have no expertise. Regarding marketing, those guys have a really hard time getting a job out of school, not enough jobs in the field. I also view management as a bit of a waste too, all you learn is theory.

IMO, if you're not sure what you want to major in, choose finance, accounting, or economics. Finance and accounting actually provide some quantitative skills that are of value, they are not just memorizing theory.

Also, no matter what you're degree is, networking is almost as important. The old phrase "It's not what you know, it's who you know" is still true today. Reach out to alumni (you can use LinkedIn for this), go to events, career fairs, etc.

Finally, if you actually want a shot at getting a job upon graduation, you need to have done summer internships. If not, you're just one of the thousands of resumes employers get. You have to give them a reason to give a sh** about you, the best way to do this is by gaining experience, which internships do.

There you go, that's some free advice right there!