Do you enjoy your job?

[PRICEPLUS]

I do a number of things and yes I have a college degree! I usually enjoy the work I do. I like some aspects of it more than others though!

[MonkeyMama]

Interesting Thread...

What do you do? Accountant
Where did you graduate? Public University
GPA? 4.0+
What degree did you earn? Bachelor's
starting salary and current salary? $32k vs. $72k
was paid overtime then and still am now.

And the most inportant, Do you enjoy your job?
Yes Indeed!!! I love my job.

The only thing I am really not enjoying lately is the lack of qualified accountants, work load is crazy. Future looks bleak (As far as working less, maintaining less responsibility - I Am completely thrown to the wolves as usual). At the same time you can't beat the job security and crazy rise in pay as a result - just got my CPA a few years ago, and my income has doubled since. Just enough to make a little more than the new kids out of school - good field to get into right now, if you enjoy numbers! We need some HELP.

Oh yeah - I could have taken the $60k job out of school (boring) or if I Wanted some super high stress and to never see my family, the $100k job today. But I Am indeed luckly to be in a field where working less hours and settling for less stress pays pretty darn well. Just happens to be my field of choice - loving my job was always far mopre important to me than the pay.

[pearlieq]

What do you do? write database logic

Where did you graduate? small liberal arts college outside Chicago

GPA? Don't recall for sure. 3.5ish if I had to guess. I was a big time slacker in college.

What degree did you earn? BA in Psychology

Starting salary and current salary? $31,500 to start, $54,000 currently.

And the most important, Do you enjoy your job? I do. I like my company, I like the people I work with, and I usually enjoy the work too. There are some things I'm not so crazy about, but on the whole I'm very fortunate!

[tabbycat31]

My last day at one of my jobs is tomorrow.......... I was working for a collection agency, it did not pay well (not on commission) and I was super stressed out, and the abuse I've been taking from customers has been effecting my personal life, so when I gave notice, I felt like the weight of the world is off my shoulders.

My other job's as a tax preparer. I love it but it ends April 17.

[Coleroo]

What do you do? - I am a payroll / scheduling specialist for a non-profit organization that provides communication services for deaf & hard of hearing people

Where did you graduate? - a technical college a few miles from my home; I am going back to a university this summer (been accepted as a junior! yay!)

GPA? 4.0

What degree did you earn? Business Management and Marketing; will be starting on my early childhood education degree this summer!

starting salary and current salary? 7.75/hr.... $10.90 / hr

And the most important, Do you enjoy your job?

I LOVE my job. We provide a great service, and even though Im not front line, it gives a good feeling. My center is awesome too - the people here are so fun to be with. I laugh every day, and all of us on the management staff are close. I guess I was very lucky to find a place with a great culture.

[nanamom]

What do you do? SAHM MOM who homeschools
Where did you graduate? Duquesne University BS in Education, Cornerstone Masters of Theology, currently 3 credits and one thesis away form MDiV.
GPA Undergrad 3.0, Current 3.9
What degree see previous questions
Starting Salary and current Salary Ummm, my DH gives me his paycheck does that count?
I love what I do. I have only taken one job in my life that I didn't like and it was to feed the kids. I believe it is very important to work where your heart is, no matter what you earn. We could do alot more if I was paid but we choose to have me stay at home while DS2 is young (like up to 18 or so)

[Fizgig]

What do you do? - Engineer working on human space flight

Where did you graduate? - State University

GPA? 3.1 (Engineering programs grade HARSHLY. 2.6 was my department average.)

What degree did you earn? B.S. Aerospace Engineering

Starting salary and current salary? 41k (2001), 62k now

And the most important, Do you enjoy your job?

I adore it. It's such a rarity to have a job that is personally important to you, and I feel lucky going to work every day. I could be making double my salary if I were working on intercontinental ballistic missles or something, but I'd feel awful every day.

[Scanner]

What do you do?

I hope you don't mind me being a little verbose here. I am a chiropractor and a radiology technologist. I hold both licenses and split my work between both fields right now. I am in a state of transition and come Monday morning, a radiology group is voting on bringing me in to function as a makeshift, hybridized, bastardized radiology practiticioner assistant as I go for even more long distance education. I may be doing some minor procedures and may (<------ operative word) have an opportunity to read and sign interpretative statements in the future.

I would be combining all my education and experiences from diffferent fields to this newly emergent profession/field.


Where did you graduate?

University of Delaware - BA in Biological Sciences
Logan College of Chiropractic
Cumberland County College - AS in Radiology Technology


GPA?

God, you are set on embarrassing me, huh?

2.7 at Delaware
3.0 at chiro. school
3.3 at rad. tech school

My academic career is less than stellar.


What degree did you earn?

See above.


starting salary and current salary?

My salary over the years has been ups and downs. As DisneySteve laments, insurance/managed care have all posted 20% profits every years and practiticioners across the board have taken hits as the years progress.

My starting salary was 0 to give you a fair answer, maybe even a loss the first year (actually, I think I made 11K). My current salary is around $60,000/year, no bennies but I only work about 28 hours/week, with maybe one overnight and two weekend days per month.

If the career transition comes of light, I will make 80-100K/year plus benefits as a RPA. I also plan to lecture post-grad. and use my chiro. credential to lecture to other RPA's on orthopedic x-ray. This is a 5 year goal though. I eventually expect to make $100-120K/year with my position within the group and my part time business of "seminars."


And the most inportant, Do you enjoy your job?

I bore easily and need a creative outlet. I would say I have been bored with chiropactic now for quite some time. So, on a scale of 1 to 10, I give it a 5. Although it's rewarding to help people get out of pain immediately, straighten up immediatly upon exiting hte office, develop long term, trusted relationships but it's pretty much the same thing - low back pain, neck pain and headaches. And things don't change much in the field. Scientifically and technologically, it's a stagnant field. I just need more intellectual stimulation. And when you become bored in practice, it starts to suffer, I'll admit. Chiropractic is a kind of field where you need to be constantly schmoozing to drive more business into your office. While that was fine for 2 or 3 years, I don't want my entire career to be about it.

Still, it IS satisfying to work with your hands, make independent decisions. . .I should be thankful for that (as I type this out). I just think I will do better in a group setting than a pure solo setting like I have been in for 10 years.

I enjoy collaboration.

I expect the new RPA/DC job to be a 9.5 on a scale of 1 to 10. I am very excited. The opportunity to create and synthesize a unique career is exhilerating.


If you are uncomfortable discussing any of these it is perfectly fine. I am currently in college and am still looking to what field I want to go in. I know what degrees it takes to make a very desirable salary; but why work somewhere you hate and takes away from family. Any information you can give would be much appreciated. God bless and have a wonderfull day.

Not, not at all uncomfortable (well, than other than asking about my average GPA, LOL)

I like your attitude on looking at degrees from a "business perspective" - a return on investment. I think with the cost of education, you need to be "business-like" in your decisions. I don't want to pick on anybody's field, but I know "social work" used be kind of picked on - you spend 80K on a degree that lands you a 20K/year job or something.

That's not fair. But I am sure some people enjoy the rewards that come with that job. But from a business standpoint, it doesn't make much sense.

I would say if you want to make a "desirable salary" and that's #1 (and nothing wrong with that), I would point you towards the business degrees. America is a country that values big business, both economically and politically favored in that regard.

Since we have all posted here, what's your definition of a desirable salary? Just curious.

WIth the chiro. degree vs. the rad. tech degree, just from the monetary standpoint, the rad. tech. degree makes better sense from a return on investment standpoint.

Good luck with your research.

[crabbypatty]

Originally Posted by Scanner

I don't want to pick on anybody's field, but I know "social work" used be kind of picked on - you spend 80K on a degree that lands you a 20K/year job or something.

That's not fair. But I am sure some people enjoy the rewards that come with that job. But from a business standpoint, it doesn't make much sense.

LOL the numbers aren't quite that bleak but it is a good point. (I know you weren't picking on SW, but it's am opportunity for me to chime in)

SW starting salary is probably about 35k with a 60 credit 2 year FT masters (pretty much required in the field, as is licensure) But you could get undergrad and grad degree's at state schools at a reasonable cost much less than 80k. Advanced placement classes in undergrad shave off a year of grad classes, further lessening cost of tuition. And if you work for social services right after undergrad they often will pay your grad tuition, plus many jobs offer loan forgiveness programs.

Other financially related benefits are associated with social work. No one expects you to dress in designer clothing, there is little shmoozing on a golf course, business lunches etc. Also, you see firsthand how other poeple live. Perhaps this motivates you to manage your meager salary wisely. It may also "prove" to you that you can survive without a lot of luxuries.

All that being said, it's tough going when you choose a profession with a low salary. Feeling good about the work you do and knowing you are making a difference doesn't protect you from worrying about how to pay the mortgage. It's also very discouraging when you know that even if you are the most effective money manager, you just don't earn enough for certain luxuries.

If it is very important for you to maintain a certain lifestyle, choose your profession accordingly.

[Scanner]

CrabbyPatty,

Yes, I hope I am not coming off as judgemental. I know there is a difference between a job, a career, occupation, and a vocation (like being a mom or a minister). I think social work is as much a vocation as it is a career/occupation. At every point of most people life, you pursue one or the other. I have a friend who has also left chiropractic after a nasty divorce with bankruptcy and is pursueing a PhD in Physical Education. He wants to write, do research and teach.

His starting salary is expected to be 38K. Now, I'm sure colleges have generous benefit packages.

But jeez, I don't know, after all of his education and maybe most of all, lost earnings during the time spent developing that degree, I want better for him than that. So I am kind of worried about him. The college also puts stipulations on outside income (such as non-college affiliated lecturing) But he's as happy as a pig in mud so who am I to judge?

All the more reason to have your financial house in order - I think every college should teach personal financial management as a graduation requirement whether you are going to be a mom, doctor, lawyer, priest, social worker, whatever.

Because lotsa degrees anymore is no guarantee of a positive net worth. "Professions" have taken a downturn the last 10-20 years. It used to be you made it to a "profession" and you had it made.

Not so anymore, IMHO.

[th_tan]

What do you do? Sweep and clean parking lots
Where did you graduate? community college 9 week truck driving course
GPA? ----
What degree did you earn? certificate/class A cdl license
starting salary and current salary? 12.00/hr..should go to 13 by summer

[thekid]

What do you do? Lawyer specialized in venture capital corporate financings.

Where did you graduate? Law degree from a french Canadian university / Masters degree from Oxford university in the UK.

GPA? I kinda got lucky and graduated in top 3% (a "1+" under our system)

What degree did you earn? Law / Master in international commercial law

Starting salary? 73K$

Current salary? 108k$ Thinking of taking a government job in international relations (salary scale between 64k$ to 78k$). Lots of pros and cons about that move. Haven't come to a conclusion.

And the most important, Do you enjoy your job? No. I wouln't be thinking of changing otherwise. Some people seem to enjoy this type of work, most seem to mostly dislike it (it sounds all nice and dandy, but really is kinda boring and stressful - never thought those two would combine). People usualy do this for the money. A lot of the lawyers that I started out with, and that are still doing this, seem to have grown into it and are fine doing it.

[zetta]

I'll answer with my pre-SAHM career:

What do you do?
Software Engineer

Where did you graduate?
Private university, ranked in the top 25 by US News & World Report

GPA?
3.7

What degree did you earn?
Two Bachelor of Science degrees -- I double majored in Computer Science and Electrical Engineering

starting salary and current salary?
starting: $36k (in 1993). Current starting salaries are around $50k -$60k in CA. My raise averaged $5k - $10k each year.
most recent: $110k (as a team lead/1st level manager). We were hiring people with 10 yrs experience at a range of $95k - $110k.

And the most inportant, Do you enjoy your job?
I have mixed feelings about it. The first 5-8 years I was very passionate about it and really enjoyed it. If I could recapture that passion and find the right working situation I might enjoy it very much again. In last few years of working, I got burned out by a manager that cared more about pushing everyone to work 50-60 hour weeks than about making a quality product. My husband is currently in a similar situation -- we both hate working Saturdays. Since women still make up only about 10-15% of the field, making the job fit with motherhood is totally dependent on whether your manager is supportive. I've seen some women negotiate great part-time situations, and others looked down upon (and get laid off in the next downsizing) because they had to leave by 5:45pm to pick up the child from daycare. Personally, I'm bored with the programming part of the job (other people love it) and would prefer to manage people or projects. I had just become a manager when I finally got pregnant, and chose to become a SAHM rather than work 50-60 hour weeks during my son's first years. I worry about how I will re-enter the field after a 3-5 year absence.

If you have the aptitude and inclination for this kind of work I would still encourage people to go into it, despite the outsourcing of engineering projects to India and China. I think there will still be engineering work in the US for some time yet, as well as a need for technical folks here to oversee the outsourcing. It's also a good career to do for your first 10-15 years, build up a good financial base, then pursue another dream that pays less.