What did your father do for a living and how has it affected your job?

[dtf]

My dad was a English Lit Ph. D. (Shakespeare) and I was the worst student he could've ever dreamed of as a son. At work these days (I'm 45 years old now) people say 'Dave you're such a good writer'!.. My Dad is rolling with laughter in his grave! He tried hard to make things stick and I guess some things did!

[MTI]

My father was an electrician, but from the stories I've heard from other family members, he was also a bartender and other tradesman. Just before graduating high school, he casually mentioned that he could get me into the electrician union's apprentice program. I told him that from my childhood memories that he had to go to work too early in the morning for my liking. He laughed and said it was a good idea that I go onto college, since he was pretty sure I'd electrocute myself anyway.

[kramlavud]

My dad just turned 84. I am grateful for everything he did for me, for both the things I saw as they happened, and for those I now - at 55 - understand. It is through his example that I learned that I could build, repair, or replace, i.e. "fix" things. He also intorduced me to classical music before I was 15. A great man.
Thanks Dad,
Mark Duval

[drbrandini]

My Dad is a technical engineer and builds airplane engines for General Electric. He has been doing this for 32 years now and served in the air-force prior. I can only hope that one day I have the work ethic that my dad does. At age 56 he works a minimum of six days a week and many times takes only sunday mornings off in order to go to church. I like the fact that he's had numerous chances for a cush desk job but declined the offers so that he can keep getting his hands dirty.

[G-Benz]

My Dad and I held opposite opinions on everything while I was growing up...

He had an illustrious military career, but I eschewed structure and discipline. Wanted me to take advantage of an opportunity that wasn't available to him...the military academy.

In my senior year, I managed to maintain a solid GPA and good test scores and he was appointed to the academy selection committee...can you say "shoe-in"? I was interested in aviation back then, and was all but accepted to the Air Force Academy...I chose not to attend...too much partying left to do! He was crushed!

Later he retired from the military and stepped into the education arena. At one point, he was the college dean and eventual VP of a school I was attending, though I cut classes regularly and was a slacker for the most part.

He managed money fastiduously, while I lived by the "more debt is better" mantra...

Still, it took getting married and raising a family to understand his value system.

We still don't agree on everything, but I have begun to take on some of his habits (so says my wife)...

[MineMapper]

My Dad was a Technical sales rep for a large multi-national chemical company, and later migrated to management training for the same. He took early retirement a few years ago, after 33 years with the same company, when the package they offered became too good to turn down.

While he undoubtedly had a great work ethic, and did well with his company, the thing that he instilled in me most is that vacation time is there to be used. All too often, especially here in the US, it is common for the pursuit of the almighty dollar to overcome the needs of family life. So while I may never be the CEO, I will always make sure that I work to live, not live to work.

[dtanesq]

My dad was a civil engineer and the design supervisor for a county highway department. I am a lawyer and I do project finance transactions. What he did for a living and how he did it influenced me in the following ways:

1. Management style. He was very popular with co-workers and subordinates, mostly by simply being a human being. He was funny, empathetic and a great listener. The summers that I worked for the department I learned this and it was good for me to see him that way. My dad could be a total arseopening at home.

2. Leaving something tangible behind. My dad designed or supervised the design of some nice projects around Phoenix, and later, when he was town engineer - Scottsdale. Many of them are still standing today. My favorite deals are those I've done to help finance the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Los Angeles Convention Center (I met my wife on the latter financing).

3. Don't bring the job home. This one is a little different for me, because my wife and I are in the same industry (she's an investment banker). We're helpful to each other, though.

There are two other things which affect me, but don't really relate to what he did for a living.

1. Persistence. My dad was an immigrant and his command of English was very poor. He managed to survive in his industry and be well-respected despite his unfortunate ability to lapse into being totally unintelligible. Half the time I didn't even understand him. It took guts, which he had in spades, but he plowed through it. He wasn't a very patient man, but he was persistent.

2. Patriotism. My dad came here from a country where his brothers were imprisoned and abused during WWII for simply being of the wrong ethnic extraction. I suppose it was assumed that they were either actual or potential spies or sabotuers. He came from a culture which wasn't really going to permit him much movement given his place in the family. His new country afforded him both the opportunity and the tools to grow and prosper and enjoy his life in a way he'd only dreamed of as a kid growing up.

He also got to see plenty of baseball.

[R Leo]

Dad was a cop. If pulled over at night, I ALWAYS keep my hands in sight.

Oh, the job thing. Because of his hours, I hate night work/shift work and have spent the better part of my career avoiding positions that might possibly turn into anything other than 8-5.

[euronatura]

My dad was/is an Economist with a PhD. He mainly worked in International Organizations. Also, he had a few other careers/university studies before finally sticking with economics - dropped out of law school 6 months before graduation (used this as an excuse to party the first two years of college) and also had a year or so of pre-med. In short, his higher education and knowledge of lots of things (he reads consistantly) has had the effect of me pushing myself to know as much as possible about anything.

RE: The job - in fact my former boss used to work at the same international organization as my father did many years ago. In fact during my initital interview, after he found out how I ended up in the states, he said that he knew of my father. Mind you, this was an interview for a job in Guatemala, done in Miami but referenced time some 20 years ago in Washington, D.C. What a small world! In short, what my father did and currently does effects my current job in the matter that I do everything as best as I can because my father would expect no less. (have come to terms with this and I am fine!!!)

Iggy

My dad was a secret service agent. My uncle was a secret service agent. My grandfather was a judge, and my great uncle was a judge (still is).

I'm not off the couch yet, so I don't know the extent of the effects, but I'll post my findings in a few years.

He originally practiced law and hated it. He has been a law professor for thirty years at a local law school. For the past 19 years or so he's worked as an Administrative law judge while teaching law at night. He's a super laid back guy with all of his priorities in the right places. I however, was the hellion child. I got into trouble and was a terrible student as an adolescent. Staying out all night and partying in addition to working on cars was my perogitive at the time.I pretty much ironed myself out as an early adult, largely in-part to the morals and values instilled by my parents. I must have over-compensated, at 29 I work 70-90 hours a week, am married and a Republican! I still however work on cars.

[R Leo]

Originally posted by hotskillet
I must have over-compensated, at 29 I work 70-90 hours a week, am married and a Republican! I still however work on cars.

Don't worry, you can still change; it's not too late.

[Lebenz]

My dad owned a business for over 30 years. I'm on year 16 of owning mine.

My dad knew to see beyond the bad times and he never sat around fretting when things weren’t great. At times he played golf and at times he played with his boats.

I played golf as a youngn and later gravitated towards other activities.

All and all, dad was a really good influence, even though I never realized he was until after he died.......................................

[Kestas]

My dad was a transmission design engineer for Ford, working on leading designs. He holds 15 patents, most of them related to automatic transmissions.

His most notable patent was the split torque design for 2nd gear in early Escort transmissions. The torque converter would lock up in 2nd gear, giving a 2 mpg increase in EPA city driving cycle.

He also came up with an infinitely variable transmission back in the 60's using sliding fluid pumps. Prototype testing showed this design was too noisy and the idea was shelved.

Another idea of his was to use coarse plastic thread woven into material as an alternative to sweaty vinyl. It had the benefit of breathability without loss of durablity. It was used in Ford seating in the late 60's/early 70's.

[IanMB]

My father is a retired banker. My grandfather was a banker. I am... a banker.