life-view question: careers

[Keller]

I was just reading a thread and had a little point of disagreeance with a post and decided instead of high-jacking it, like I usually would, I'd ask the question in another thread.

What do you look for in a career?

To me my time is all I truly have. It is the one commodity that I can dispense as I please within certain limits. It is very precious.

In the current economy time is the currency people trade in. We value time with the quantity of money a person recieves in return. Thus for me, my career ambition is to make my time worth a modestly significant sum that I might work 15-20 years living a modest yet stress-free lifestyle during and after my professional career. I hope not to hate my career, but I am definately not choosing to pursue my dream career -- at least until I've earned enough to put my whole into the venture regardless of monetary gain.

[StrayRogue]

Something that stimulates me creatively. I won't work a bum-fuck job that is dull and boring, even if it pays millions.

[Back]

Originally posted by Keller
What do you look for in a career?

Well, my career is set. How did I pick it? On one hand I fell into it, but on the other I stuck with it because it was something that had always interested me.

As far as jobs... well, always looking for the new challenge, the chance to grow. Of course, always looking for more green, but in ways that will expand my depth in the field.

[Edited on 5-5-2005 by Backlash]

[longshot]

Originally posted by Keller
I was just reading a thread and had a little point of disagreeance with a post and decided instead of high-jacking it, like I usually would, I'd ask the question in another thread.

What do you look for in a career?

To me my time is all I truly have. It is the one commodity that I can dispense as I please within certain limits. It is very precious.

In the current economy time is the currency people trade in. We value time with the quantity of money a person recieves in return. Thus for me, my career ambition is to make my time worth a modestly significant sum that I might work 15-20 years living a modest yet stress-free lifestyle during and after my professional career. I hope not to hate my career, but I am definately not choosing to pursue my dream career -- at least until I've earned enough to put my whole into the venture regardless of monetary gain.

You just described the antithesis of law school, and the legal profession.

I'm very confused.

[HarmNone]

I really enjoy a challenge, and I enjoy working with people. Money is secondary to me. I feel the salary should be in line with the expectations, but I also factor in secondary gains. The opportunity to do something I feel is worthwhile, and to build a workable system of product delivery, will offset some monetary issues.

I'm fortunate to have a position that offers me the ability to manage my own time (for the most part), offer a service that people need and appreciate, and work with some very giving, caring people. For me, it's a great place to be.

[Back]

CLICHÉ ALERT!!!

Do what you love and the money will follow.

[Artha]

I really enjoy doing graphic design, but I don't see myself making a career out of it. I like programming, even though it's tedious at times, and I'll probably end up doing something like that eventually.

In a career, I'd like to make decent money, be located in a nice area and not hate my job.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Originally posted by Backlash
CLICHÉ ALERT!!!

Do what you love and the money will follow.

What he said, it's the truth.

[Edaarin]

Money buys happiness.

[Gan]

I looked for and finally found a career that challenges me intellectually, allows for me to travel to different places and problem solve, work with professional people who arent idiots, and pays well with the opportunity to make more comiserate with the effort applied. Growth is even an opportunity should I seek it through upward mobility or through professional knowledge and education.

Thats what I look for in a career.

[longshot]

On a serious note, Keller...

You are going to law school.

This means you are taking out a considerable amount of money in loans. You are going to have to work for a BIGLAW to pay that back. It's the contract you sign with the devil when you go to lawschool.

To become wealthy, you do not maximize your hourly rate. You're still an employee. People get rich by making money off of other people. Even if you make $150 an hour, you are making someone else money.

After what you posted, I would seriously reconsider going to lawschool... unless you enjoy trying to take a shit in six minute intervals.

While money doesn't necessarily buy happiness, it can get you out of doing things that you hate...

To leave the face of the Earth and know that I helped other human beings as much as I could. To destroy any notion of the ideology that doing good should be rewarded through financial measures.

[longshot]

These are pretty lofty goals Stanley.

While it's great to think big, I suggest you try something a little more concrete...

Like, "One day at a time".

[The Cat In The Hat]

Well, I'm in school to be a court reporter. I love the legal system and I'm a Court TV and CNN junkie (Whenever I actually watch TV) So I'm doing something along the lines of what I'm interested in, and it will pay well.

All I really want is a secure future for my daughter. I watched my mom struggle to support us while I grew up, I don't want her to watch me struggle.

[Keller]

Originally posted by longshot
On a serious note, Keller...

You are going to law school.

This means you are taking out a considerable amount of money in loans. You are going to have to work for a BIGLAW to pay that back. It's the contract you sign with the devil when you go to lawschool.

To become wealthy, you do not maximize your hourly rate. You're still an employee. People get rich by making money off of other people. Even if you make $150 an hour, you are making someone else money.

After what you posted, I would seriously reconsider going to lawschool... unless you enjoy trying to take a shit in six minute intervals.

While money doesn't necessarily buy happiness, it can get you out of doing things that you hate...

Yes. The hazing will commence once I graduate and I understand this. However I don't know what professional career I would pursue at this stage of my life that would have the same financial rewards.

Say everything goes according to our dreams. I become a compliance officer at a major university and my wife gets a job teaching at the university and does a decent job of publishing. Between the two of us we'd have our dream jobs and be making enough to put quite a bit in the bank, assuming our lifestyle does not increase with our salaries.

Even if I do have to take a big firm gig to pay off my loans, it's not going to hurt me in the long run and will only teach me to appriciate the next 15 years as the first couple will be the worst.

If you have any good ideas outside of entrepreneurship I'm all ears. My dad has owned his own stores his whole life. His finances are never secure and he's gone from being a multi-millionaire to having next to nothing. I'd like to chose a more guranteed path to financial success.

And, just to be sure, I shit in under 90 seconds.

[Soulpieced]

I'd like to chose a more guranteed path to financial success.

.

Work a 9-5 and don't be an entrepreneur. Invest in 401k and Roth IRA, save. Done.

[ElanthianSiren]

In the words of trent reznor:

I wanna know everything.
I wanna be everywhere.

That extends to a career. I'm really happy right now trading stocks because I *learn* something EVERY DAY.

I'll be just as happy when I finish school though if I go into a field where I *learn something every day*.

My dad says that a day you don't learn is a day you should have stayed in bed. I love the feeling of laying down at night and knowing I've learned something significant that I didn't know the day before.

-Melissa

[DeV]

Originally posted by Keller
However I don't know what professional career I would pursue at this stage of my life that would have the same financial rewards.
I wholeheartedly agree with this assessment. I've weighed the pros and cons of a career in law far too long, and I understand exactly what I'm in for. Not to mention, I love the challenge that will accompany this profession. It is exactly what I've wanted to do ever since I can remember my mother going through her first and only year of law school, and learning more about torts, contracts and property law than I wanted to at the time. However, my interest was peeked and my path was set from there. I would be deceiving myself if I failed to recognize the potential monetary gain and financial security as my primary motivators.