Today, I just want to talk a bit about what it is I do for a living. The last couple of weeks, Ive had so many topics I wanted to post but I kept not feeling it and thus theyve piled up to the point where now that I have the inclination to write, I dont know what topic to pick. So Ive settled on this one.
I hate working and working for someone else. I mean I really despise it, way above and beyond what most people dont like. But despite this, I am usually pretty good at what I do and looking back, a lot of my work experience was quite interesting.
Medical Industry
My first real career-type job was in the medical industry. I spent about six or seven years in there and learned a lot. By the time I was done, I had such a volume of knowledge and reputation that doctors hired me to consult for them. Before that, I worked for a company that produced software. While there, I not only was exposed to business side of the industry, I also was able to learn a lot about SQL databases. Knowing both proved to be very lucrative. Not only did I have to understand custom software inside and out, I had to understand various types of insurances and the nuances state to state of the same insurance. Then you had to have understandings of various types of practices like if the customer clinic practiced ophthalmology or cardiologytheyre radically different. And on top of that, you had to know all the various phases of the business from patient scheduling and recalls, medical charting (precisely documenting an examination to justify your diagnoses, which are needed to justify the procedures you perform and thus want to charge for), and know medical billing and collections, which is very different animal than any other industrys billing. Everyday I went to work, although the work environment was very bitter, I was excited to see what new stuff I would learn that day.
Sometimes I wonder if I may be one of the very few individuals in the US that is qualified to speak on health care legislation in America, let alone SG! The entire experience was bittersweet as I endured so much crap that afterwards, all other job situations seemed easy, especially since I was able to achieve a successful, guru-type of position in the industry at a young age after enduring everything thrown at me. The best thing I was able to walk away with, however, was a clear understanding of the nature of government interference with business (in this case, through the abomination called Medicare. )
Amusement Industry
I left the medical industry after learning so much about it because of a few reasons. First of all, I wound up in a startup because I wanted to get in on the ground floor of something and thus have a shot at becoming financially independent. But it turned out the companys two core guys were kind of crooked. Second, every moment I spent in the medical industry, I got more and more depressed at the decline of the industry. These two factors caused me to jump at the first opportunity I was offeredand man it was a big one.
My fathers old friend who had met me as a child remembered that I was an odd kid who had an eye on business and finances even in grade school. He decided he wanted me as a manager in the company he was the top boss in now. It was a company based in China that designed, manufactured, marketed and sold its own high-tech amusement park attractions!
The boss and his managers had this plan to get in to the US market, build a shell company and somehow get an IPO (initial public offering of stock) where all of the managers would have granted shares for their contribution of the project. We each could have made hundreds of thousands, even millions, and he needed my help with all of that along with everything else. It was such an exciting position as you can imagine. One day Id be learning about how the internal mechanisms of how companies release stock and raise a lot of capital doing so, another day I would be designing my own large-scale, tabletop and then reviewing a prototype a week later. It was insane.
Although it didnt work out due to world politics, I learned so much stuff that average citizens never get a chance to be exposed to. It was bitter that we didnt succeed but it was an insane ride nonetheless. I also got to visit China, including the Great Wall, Hong Kong and Tianemen Square. They have a LOT of KFCs in China!
Biometrics Industry
My current job is very boring to me, especially after learning so much about the world in my first two careers. But every time I explain what it is that I do to other people, they find it terribly fascinating. I think its the influence of all these TV shows like Cold Case, Bones, NCIS and all of the CSI shows.
Basically I work for a company that makes very expensive systems that let government agencies identify people from their fingerprints. Were also trying to make similar systems for chemicals and also other identifiable body parts like irises of the eye. Therefore, I know a lot of real life forensics experts, CSIs and law enforcement people, sworn and non-sworn. and Im not exactly Mr. Law Enforcement either, if you know what I mean. I have a ton of access to all sorts of sensitive data and a truckload of security clearances for that access.
The one good thing that comes with this job is that the amount of problem-solving I have to do is insane. So my skills in that area increased tenfold compared to when I was doing sales/marketing and project management for my previous company. But the sacrifice I had to make was my budding writing career. It's been a few years since I've tried to write anything professionally and my skills deteriorated badly. Writing never came naturally to me so I needed constant practice. But now I'm very rusty.
None of this technology is very interesting to me. Its not fun like amusement park stuff; its not as robust or socially relevant like the medical stuff. But it pays well for an everyday job and I do get some interesting stories from time to time.
Side Stuff
On the side I've dabbled in my comic book business, been a photographer's assistant and am now currently trying to start a web business.
- R
I hate working and working for someone else. I mean I really despise it, way above and beyond what most people dont like. But despite this, I am usually pretty good at what I do and looking back, a lot of my work experience was quite interesting.
Medical Industry
My first real career-type job was in the medical industry. I spent about six or seven years in there and learned a lot. By the time I was done, I had such a volume of knowledge and reputation that doctors hired me to consult for them. Before that, I worked for a company that produced software. While there, I not only was exposed to business side of the industry, I also was able to learn a lot about SQL databases. Knowing both proved to be very lucrative. Not only did I have to understand custom software inside and out, I had to understand various types of insurances and the nuances state to state of the same insurance. Then you had to have understandings of various types of practices like if the customer clinic practiced ophthalmology or cardiologytheyre radically different. And on top of that, you had to know all the various phases of the business from patient scheduling and recalls, medical charting (precisely documenting an examination to justify your diagnoses, which are needed to justify the procedures you perform and thus want to charge for), and know medical billing and collections, which is very different animal than any other industrys billing. Everyday I went to work, although the work environment was very bitter, I was excited to see what new stuff I would learn that day.
Sometimes I wonder if I may be one of the very few individuals in the US that is qualified to speak on health care legislation in America, let alone SG! The entire experience was bittersweet as I endured so much crap that afterwards, all other job situations seemed easy, especially since I was able to achieve a successful, guru-type of position in the industry at a young age after enduring everything thrown at me. The best thing I was able to walk away with, however, was a clear understanding of the nature of government interference with business (in this case, through the abomination called Medicare. )
Amusement Industry
I left the medical industry after learning so much about it because of a few reasons. First of all, I wound up in a startup because I wanted to get in on the ground floor of something and thus have a shot at becoming financially independent. But it turned out the companys two core guys were kind of crooked. Second, every moment I spent in the medical industry, I got more and more depressed at the decline of the industry. These two factors caused me to jump at the first opportunity I was offeredand man it was a big one.
My fathers old friend who had met me as a child remembered that I was an odd kid who had an eye on business and finances even in grade school. He decided he wanted me as a manager in the company he was the top boss in now. It was a company based in China that designed, manufactured, marketed and sold its own high-tech amusement park attractions!
The boss and his managers had this plan to get in to the US market, build a shell company and somehow get an IPO (initial public offering of stock) where all of the managers would have granted shares for their contribution of the project. We each could have made hundreds of thousands, even millions, and he needed my help with all of that along with everything else. It was such an exciting position as you can imagine. One day Id be learning about how the internal mechanisms of how companies release stock and raise a lot of capital doing so, another day I would be designing my own large-scale, tabletop and then reviewing a prototype a week later. It was insane.
Although it didnt work out due to world politics, I learned so much stuff that average citizens never get a chance to be exposed to. It was bitter that we didnt succeed but it was an insane ride nonetheless. I also got to visit China, including the Great Wall, Hong Kong and Tianemen Square. They have a LOT of KFCs in China!
Biometrics Industry
My current job is very boring to me, especially after learning so much about the world in my first two careers. But every time I explain what it is that I do to other people, they find it terribly fascinating. I think its the influence of all these TV shows like Cold Case, Bones, NCIS and all of the CSI shows.
Basically I work for a company that makes very expensive systems that let government agencies identify people from their fingerprints. Were also trying to make similar systems for chemicals and also other identifiable body parts like irises of the eye. Therefore, I know a lot of real life forensics experts, CSIs and law enforcement people, sworn and non-sworn. and Im not exactly Mr. Law Enforcement either, if you know what I mean. I have a ton of access to all sorts of sensitive data and a truckload of security clearances for that access.
The one good thing that comes with this job is that the amount of problem-solving I have to do is insane. So my skills in that area increased tenfold compared to when I was doing sales/marketing and project management for my previous company. But the sacrifice I had to make was my budding writing career. It's been a few years since I've tried to write anything professionally and my skills deteriorated badly. Writing never came naturally to me so I needed constant practice. But now I'm very rusty.
None of this technology is very interesting to me. Its not fun like amusement park stuff; its not as robust or socially relevant like the medical stuff. But it pays well for an everyday job and I do get some interesting stories from time to time.
Side Stuff
On the side I've dabbled in my comic book business, been a photographer's assistant and am now currently trying to start a web business.
- R
VIEW 3 of 3 COMMENTS
Not for the government. At all. BUT, everyone over the age of 50 seems -convinced- that every fingerprint censor is networked to the FBI / CIA / every three letter agency, and will put up an EPIC battle against registering with us, screaming of conspiracies, Big Brother, this, that & the other.
It's amazing, really. I kind of .. love to watch them flip out. We have notes under the names of the most paranoid clients, to remind each of us not to even slip & ask for their fingerprints [it's habit] .. lest we get reamed.
Um. Really, though? Tanning salon = probably not high up on the government affiliation ladder.
.. Er. Tangent. :]
There's a huge store near my house that sells a bunch (just an incredible
amount) of items ranging from gaming systems (I bought my Panasonic/Nintendo Gamecube there)
to entire collections of manga.