autoCAD user needed for interview...

Greetings and salutations. My name is Ken Mondschein, and I'm a grad
student in New York working on a careers book for high school students
over the summer to help pay rent. As part of this, I need to conduct a
quick little interview (preferably over e-mail) with an autoCAD
professional somewhere in America. I also need to get an at least 300
dpi headshot of you and one of you at work.

I can't offer any money for this, but, hey, it'll be a service to the
industry, and you get to help guide high school students into
well-paying jobs...

Please respond to my e-mail address if you're interested.

Yours,

Ken Mondschein

 

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

 

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?

 

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?

 

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.
___

 

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.
___