Liking a Job vs. Making Money

[jaragon126]

I feel like "TitleistWI" ... life sucks if you are broke and can't afford to have fun.

Unfortunately, I have a job that pays me more than enough money ... but it's no fun. I am actually thinking of making a change ... maybe try to work at a golf course part time or on the weekends.

[Gummi Bear]

Life is too short; do something you enjoy as long as you and your family can live comfortably.

Therein lies the dichotomy.

It keeps me up at night. *reporting to you live, still at the office; burned out on my job*

[DDBowdoin]

Well I feel that I can help you with this one as I am roughly 14 months removed from college.

The sad reality is that a bachelors degree in the present job market is essentially equal to a high school degree a few generations ago. Unless you have some brilliant idea if you want to make some serious income you'll need to work every angle in your professional life and obtain degrees in some form of graduate higher education.

I went to a super expensive liberal arts college in New England (Bowdoin) and I was placed in a very tough squeeze because I did very well in high school and decisions were essentially made for me. I decided to go to Bowdoin and while I valued every single moment there it was an extremely expensive experience. Now while I gave a great job now the amount of debt I have makes me live paycheck to paycheck. I'm young and the future is endless but right now I live with my parents because I cant afford rent and my loans with my salary!

Love of the job or the money... I said money. Loving your job is great and all but money makes a lot of things easy.

[joshtpa]

Well I feel that I can help you with this one as I am roughly 14 months removed from college.

Im sorry you are struggling in the job market. But as someone that has a staff of 19 placing people in careers and career counseling, I can assure you, that even in a tough market, a college degree is more meaningful than a HS Diploma

[ERC7.5]

Life....It's all about choices....

I'm in the engineering field. I started late (4-5 yrs. after high school). I took a shortcut (went for a 2 yr associate degree rather than a 4 yr bach.). After school, I accepted a job 2 hrs away from home....and I drove it every day (that was when gas was around half what it is now). So an 8 hr day required 13 hrs of my time (8 hrs + 1 hr. lunch + 4 hrs driving). I did that for a little over a yr.... got laid off and a few months down the road, accepted a job where I currently am.

I started here making ~ $20,000/yr.....but I liked what I was doing and liked the atmosphere. I had many job offers in the meantime....many offering me senior positions and much much more money. I declined because I was happy where I was at. Now, not even 5 yrs later, I'm pulling down close to 2.5 times that/yr (quite well for the area) and still enjoy getting up to go to work. I still get job offers on a regular basis but at this point ..... I have to decline (granted, this could change at any moment). Quite happy with my decision thus far.

Point being....the money/reward will come. It's worth going through "rough times" to get to the point where you're financially stable if you're able to say "I actually enjoy going to work every day" (to me...this is huge!). I know my friends are jealous of me for this. I have a buddy that makes close to 6 figures and is unhappy....I don't envy him........

Good luck in your decision making.

[steve8820]

I'm the same age as you, and all of my friends have figured out What they want to be, while I'm onto something, I still haven't fully committed to it, I took courses next year that will open up alot of opportunities.

Dent, it depends on what industry using Engineering that you are referring to. Commercial, you are probably correct as companies can outsource for cheap talent. In defense, non-US citizens or foreign born individuals cannot be cleared onto programs. I work for a major defense company and there is a major push to get young Engineers in the door as much of the workforce will be near retirement in 10-15 years. Make sure that you LOVE Engineering work as the work environment is not glamorous. Cubicles galore........... I don't LOVE the work, but it pays well and allows me to do things that I enjoy.

[steve8820]

Well I feel that I can help you with this one as I am roughly 14 months removed from college.

Couldn't agree more.......Bachelors degree today is not enough to open doors in most industries. When I came out with my BS Computer Science, the job market was tough but I hired on with a good company. Many of my friends were not as lucky and stayed for their Masters. There are A LOT of people out there with Masters degrees. I just finished mine about a month ago. I went for the Masters not because it will make me more money today, but because it will open doors in the future. What you do with that open door is up to you..........

[DDBowdoin]

no dont get me wrong... I'm not saying a BA and HSD are the same today, I'm saying that a BA today is equivelant to what a HSD was 30 years ago...

my mom doesnt have a college degree and she does really well for herself, thats the generation she's from - college was a luxury then but now its the standard

in the financial industry I'm going nowhere with a BA... I need an MBA and / or a CFA to make serious cash

but that means two things, either I have to go into even more debt or go through a company sponsored program that is free but takes 4 years as opposed to 18 months in a full time program

you have to go into debt to advance yourself that just sucks for people like myself who are stuck in the middle.... my parents werent rich enough to pay for my education but are married, work, own a home... essentially they're honest people and do the right things

if they were smart they would have been unemployed drug addicts, then they'd have subsidized housing, food stamps, free medical care and I would have gone to any college for free

damn the system!!!

[MunkeyGolfer]

I had a job that I made great money for 7 years. But I was miserable and that misery trickled down to all of my family members (even the non immediate ones). I changed jobs (and professions) two years and took about a 10k a year cut in pay. I have been so happy that I won't look back. Happiness is more important than money. My family is happy too!

[Big Padrigo]

I did engineering at university and my first job was as an engineer for 3 years. I hated it, and was really only in it because I knew I could get a decent job. I made a switch to public affairs and am much happier. Money isn't everything, follow your heart!!