What is the best RE-related 9 to 5 job?

[Nick Gray]

I am a relatively new buy-and-hold RE investor at age 24 who is looking to make a career transition and who needs some advice. My long-term goal is to go full-time as an investor, but in the short term I of course need to maintain a steady job to pay the bills and fund future deals. I have been working as an aerospace engineer for 2 years since graduating college, but I have lost passion for the profession and need a change (no offense to the other engineers out there, it's just not for me and I've become too fixed on real estate). I would like to find a full-time job in real estate to increase my experience and contacts in the industry, as well as to simply enjoy my work more. However, I'm not sure what job is best. I just got my RE salesperson's license and will soon begin selling homes, but I recognize that won't provide fixed income and could take a while to get going. Given this, I think that I still need a 9-5 job for now.

What RE-related 9-5 job would others recommend in my situation? Property management? Working for a RE investment firm? Something else that I'm not aware of? 

Money is not everything, but salary is a factor and I wouldn't want to give up too much, if anything, of what I currently make as an engineer. If it matters, my education includes a B.S. from Cornell and an M.S. from Stanford, both in mechanical engineering. I have no formal RE education, but I self-manage my own rentals, read RE & general business books incessantly, and have strong communication skills. 

Thank you in advance for your advice!

[Thomas S.]

Money is by far the most important factor in investing. You are investing money. You should prioritize your income ahead of your job. If you have a good paying job adjust your attitude and stay with it. Work is not intended to be enjoyed. Go to work, shut down your mind, do your job and collect your paycheck. Shake the millennial attitude regarding needing value in employment, it is greatly over rated and every job regardless of what it is you will lose interest.

You will not likely find anything to compare with your present income and jobs related to real estate are irrelevant to being a investor.

If you were a lowly blue collar worker it would be different, I would be advising a construction trade, but in your position your present job is your investment future. Your only purpose in working is for the pay check....adjust your attitude and trudge on like everyone else. Set your sites on your true goal and use what you have to achieve it.

You are already standing in tph green pasture you don't need to waste your time looking for something better.