Deciding on a career-Money or job satisfaction?
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Original post by glelin96
I have a dilemna, need to decide between chasing money, or having job satisfaction?
If you chase money, you might get it, but you might end up in my position where you're pretty damn unhappy. I guess it's true that money doesn't buy you happiness.
Original post by glelin96
Well, I really don't want to sound like a snob, so please don't take it that way...My parents are both on very good salaries, with my Father being a QC, and owning businesses, and my Mother being a Judge. I have been brought up in an environment where money has been important. I don't know whether I would be able to live a lifestyle I have become accustomed to if I was to earn around £30000. I have however been brought up to be very independent, and today I had my first shift at McDonalds, so please don't think of me as a snob! 
I know nurses on double that, hardly a poor wage, you just need to be good at what you do.
As a quick guide
Basic NHS nurses are band 5 £21388 starting with annual increases for 7 years until you're earning £27901
Specialist nurses are split into higher and lower level so band 6 or band 7, band 6 starts at £25783 and the wage increases for 8 years to £34530. Band 7 starts on £30764 and goes up to £40558.
Matrons are band 8A members of staff, starting on £39239 and increasing to £47088.
Nurse consultants are varied, as are heads of nursing, they are generally an 8B or C, 8B starts at £45707 and the top of that scale is £56504 and 8C starts at £54998 rising to £67805.
Those are the 2013 figures, hardly a poor wage, however I don't feel the wages reflect the work that nurses have to do. Also to work your way up you need to be dedicated to working hard throughout your career, things change in healthcare very rapidly, new products and techniques are being developed all the time and i have witnessed some nurses once they are happy on a band 6/7 stop putting in the learning they have to do. I don't judge you for saying you don't want the step down in living, it's common sense! But you don't have to necessarily choose between a job you like and money, my OH is on double the average wage and he loves his job.
ETA I found this link with information about the levels of nursing: http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/nursing/pay-for-nurses/
(edited 11 years ago)
It's not an easy choice and the answer will be different for everyone.
Most people only find out after doing something for years and discovering they wished they had done something else. A bit like 'the grass is greener on the other side' syndrome.
Here's the dilemma: One of my close friends dad is a CEO of a respected company. He loves his job, gets a huge salary and can afford the toy's most of us only dream about. My friend (when she was still at home) lived in a big house with a garden measured in hectares. Here's the thing, she hardly ever saw her dad. He was always away on business, or coming home after the children had gone to bed, or leaving before they woke in the morning. And holidays were no better with work going with them. She always said that he compensated by buying them stuff. In short, she wishes she had what she thinks of as a normal life: a dad who was there and loved his family more than his work and she would trade all of the trappings for that.
So it comes down to a balance of doing something that you enjoy enough to keep you motivated but also with prospects of career advancement if you so choose and that all important mobility because careers can and probably will change in the future.
And keep in mind that your motivations/concerns/aspirations today may not be the same at some time in the future, like, when you are ready to settle down and have a family for example.
Most people only find out after doing something for years and discovering they wished they had done something else. A bit like 'the grass is greener on the other side' syndrome.
Here's the dilemma: One of my close friends dad is a CEO of a respected company. He loves his job, gets a huge salary and can afford the toy's most of us only dream about. My friend (when she was still at home) lived in a big house with a garden measured in hectares. Here's the thing, she hardly ever saw her dad. He was always away on business, or coming home after the children had gone to bed, or leaving before they woke in the morning. And holidays were no better with work going with them. She always said that he compensated by buying them stuff. In short, she wishes she had what she thinks of as a normal life: a dad who was there and loved his family more than his work and she would trade all of the trappings for that.
So it comes down to a balance of doing something that you enjoy enough to keep you motivated but also with prospects of career advancement if you so choose and that all important mobility because careers can and probably will change in the future.
And keep in mind that your motivations/concerns/aspirations today may not be the same at some time in the future, like, when you are ready to settle down and have a family for example.
Seek balance. Money is important to have a roof over our head, feed your family, pay bills and afford holidays. Remember, that you won't get any job satisfaction or money if you're poor at that job. It all comes down to being good at your job. You don't have to love it with all your heart but you must tolerate it very well. In other words, there will be loads of bad days and bad situations but these must not compromise your job satisfaction. Consider whether you like more independent or teamwork. For me it is all individual work. Thus I do programming. I like to think for myself, solve puzzles on my own and report my completed work when necessary. On the other hand, when I'm bored(which happens quite frequently, I'm all for a chat and discussion about problem a team is trying to solve). Thus I balance individuality with communication which is the most important skill for anyone to possess. You won't have ideal career in the beginning but it's all about thinking through and balancing it during it.
I hope it helps.
I hope it helps.
For me, it's all about the people I'm working with. If I can have a bit of fun at work with some people I'd most likely be friends with outside of work, I'm much less likely to dread going in. So yeah, I think the most important thing for me is being happy to be at work, as long as I can make all the ends meet, I'm not after major luxuries.
It's the age-old dilemma. I say go for money because it's easier to switch from a high-paid job to a low-paid job, even if you have to retrain. You should evaluate whether you have failed in your quest for money, as so many must necessarily do in an economy of limited resources.
I agree with Woody above in that the most important factor for enjoying your job is the people there. This is why it's best, in the medium term, to look not only for the right career but the right workplace.
I suspect that you would enjoy law more than accountancy, as really any sane person would, but then you may well find yourself comparing yourself to your family.
I agree with Woody above in that the most important factor for enjoying your job is the people there. This is why it's best, in the medium term, to look not only for the right career but the right workplace.
I suspect that you would enjoy law more than accountancy, as really any sane person would, but then you may well find yourself comparing yourself to your family.
I'd say have a balance of both! Nursing pay isn't bad, I earn what my parents do combined and only been doing it 6 months but you've clearly had a privileged upbringing so you're probably expecting that to continue. Except those in finance and medicine etc. do work very long hours so despite earning a lot you might not have the time to enjoy it, and are material possessions really everything?!
Watch TED talk on stuff. It changed my life. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XRPbFIN4lk
Original post by RachaelBee
I know nurses on double that, hardly a poor wage, you just need to be good at what you do.
As a quick guide
Basic NHS nurses are band 5 £21388 starting with annual increases for 7 years until you're earning £27901
Specialist nurses are split into higher and lower level so band 6 or band 7, band 6 starts at £25783 and the wage increases for 8 years to £34530. Band 7 starts on £30764 and goes up to £40558.
Matrons are band 8A members of staff, starting on £39239 and increasing to £47088.
Nurse consultants are varied, as are heads of nursing, they are generally an 8B or C, 8B starts at £45707 and the top of that scale is £56504 and 8C starts at £54998 rising to £67805.
Those are the 2013 figures, hardly a poor wage, however I don't feel the wages reflect the work that nurses have to do. Also to work your way up you need to be dedicated to working hard throughout your career, things change in healthcare very rapidly, new products and techniques are being developed all the time and i have witnessed some nurses once they are happy on a band 6/7 stop putting in the learning they have to do. I don't judge you for saying you don't want the step down in living, it's common sense! But you don't have to necessarily choose between a job you like and money, my OH is on double the average wage and he loves his job.
ETA I found this link with information about the levels of nursing: http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/nursing/pay-for-nurses/
As a quick guide
Basic NHS nurses are band 5 £21388 starting with annual increases for 7 years until you're earning £27901
Specialist nurses are split into higher and lower level so band 6 or band 7, band 6 starts at £25783 and the wage increases for 8 years to £34530. Band 7 starts on £30764 and goes up to £40558.
Matrons are band 8A members of staff, starting on £39239 and increasing to £47088.
Nurse consultants are varied, as are heads of nursing, they are generally an 8B or C, 8B starts at £45707 and the top of that scale is £56504 and 8C starts at £54998 rising to £67805.
Those are the 2013 figures, hardly a poor wage, however I don't feel the wages reflect the work that nurses have to do. Also to work your way up you need to be dedicated to working hard throughout your career, things change in healthcare very rapidly, new products and techniques are being developed all the time and i have witnessed some nurses once they are happy on a band 6/7 stop putting in the learning they have to do. I don't judge you for saying you don't want the step down in living, it's common sense! But you don't have to necessarily choose between a job you like and money, my OH is on double the average wage and he loves his job.
ETA I found this link with information about the levels of nursing: http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/nursing/pay-for-nurses/
Yes, there is a possibility for a nurse to advance to higher salaries within the career. But the salary that you mentioned as the highest is only £4000 above what my brother earned after he qualified as a barrister. After around 3-4 years he is now a self-employed practitioner earning in the region of £80000. After upwards of 10 years of practise, one can expect to be earning up to £1000000, which is what can be expected for many.
Honestly the only thing that matters in life is happiness. I know you think that you need to have the big house and the expensive cars to be happy, but honestly once you've spent a few years living off an average wage you'll be surprised at how happy you can be. You'll also be surprised how disenchanted you can become with even career paths you have a genuine interest in and spending a huge proportion of your life dragging yourself through a job you hate will lead to far more unhappiness than living in a smaller house or having a second-hand car could ever bring you. Don't make life decisions you will regret for fear of disappointing your parents. If you measure success purely by monetary terms then you're right - you probably won't be more successful than your dad, but if you measure it by happiness and life satisfaction then you are in with a real shout as long as you make decisions that will make waking up every day a pleasure and not just another day to endure.
Only you can make the decision - just be aware that there is far, far more to having a happy, successful life than how much money you have to spend.
Only you can make the decision - just be aware that there is far, far more to having a happy, successful life than how much money you have to spend.
I would always choose job satisfaction, whether that be in a job which is highly paid or not. Wouldn't you rather wake up and feel happy to go to work? It's a personal choice really. Some people may enjoy jobs which other may regard as 'boring' or 'tedious', whilst also being highly paid.
Original post by glelin96
Yes, there is a possibility for a nurse to advance to higher salaries within the career. But the salary that you mentioned as the highest is only £4000 above what my brother earned after he qualified as a barrister. After around 3-4 years he is now a self-employed practitioner earning in the region of £80000. After upwards of 10 years of practise, one can expect to be earning up to £1000000, which is what can be expected for many.
Considering the average wage is around £20000 you wouldn't be scrimping and saving though. If your grades aren't expected to be that great you would be unlikely to make it as a barrister anyway (not impossible though), you'd have to put in extra work to bring your grades up and if you're not that motivated to do it, it could be a lot harder. In theory it shouldn't be impossible to pull your Bs up to As. Also, I find that money feels different when it's your own. I could NEVER have imagined working for less than £20k (that was whilst I had no rent/bills and with the aim of working my way up to a higher wage quickly!) but my first wage was £9500 a year and I still managed to pay for everything (by this time it did include rent and bills) as well as having money to spend on luxuries, by the time I was earning £20k a year I didn't even notice money since I had enough. Clearly we come from very different financial backgrounds but I still took what I imagined would be a big step down but I didn't feel it as much as I thought I would. Hope this helps and doesn't come across as patronising, sometimes I struggle to articulate myself on here.
Original post by wanderlust.xx
I guess it's true that money doesn't buy you happiness.
That's BS. I doubt you'd be permanently unhappy if you had millions in the bank and could simply hop in your Bentley down to the airport, jump in your private jet to fly to your private villa in the maldives and relax for a few days. No debts or bills to worry about.
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I worked in a retail shop as an christmas temp one year. It was a horrible job. The pay was slightly above what my friends were getting, but that didn't make it any more of a good job.
I think it depends on the job in question and the salary. If it's a life changing salary then i'd do the job, but if it's just a bit better than your current salary, then I wouldn't bother.
Job satisfaction is - for me - much more important. I would rather earn £25k doing a job I enjoy than £65k doing a job I hate.
Though there are limits - whatever people say, money is important. Some jobs are just so poorly paid that enjoyment can't necessarily make up for it.
Also, as a very disillusioned law student, I would definitely say be wary of law - and particularly the bar.
Though there are limits - whatever people say, money is important. Some jobs are just so poorly paid that enjoyment can't necessarily make up for it.
Also, as a very disillusioned law student, I would definitely say be wary of law - and particularly the bar.
It's a tough one. I grew up living quite well and if I am to buy a house of the standard my parents have or better, both me and my future partner have to earn well. On the bright side, I do have profits from my inheritance on the side, which will give me extra cash per month. So even if I chose to have a low paying job in the arts, I won't exactly starve.
I can't imagine a good life not being able to travel and eat well. I study business but I won't be working in finance. First of all because it bores me, secondly because I know it will occupy a lot of my time. The people I know in finance who makes seriously good cash works so much they barely have the time to spend it.
For me, the best thing would be a combination. Since I have some extra on the side, I can potentially work part time and the rest of the time work on my own little thing, whether it'd be a swimsuit line or a cookbook. So hopefully I can earn well doing what I like
It's worth noting that most jobs, even in fields you love, won't be exciting every day. Work will to a large extent be routine, the question is whether you get exciting projects every now and then.
I can't imagine a good life not being able to travel and eat well. I study business but I won't be working in finance. First of all because it bores me, secondly because I know it will occupy a lot of my time. The people I know in finance who makes seriously good cash works so much they barely have the time to spend it.
For me, the best thing would be a combination. Since I have some extra on the side, I can potentially work part time and the rest of the time work on my own little thing, whether it'd be a swimsuit line or a cookbook. So hopefully I can earn well doing what I like
It's worth noting that most jobs, even in fields you love, won't be exciting every day. Work will to a large extent be routine, the question is whether you get exciting projects every now and then.
(edited 11 years ago)
Original post by Runninground
That's BS. I doubt you'd be permanently unhappy if you had millions in the bank and could simply hop in your Bentley down to the airport, jump in your private jet to fly to your private villa in the maldives and relax for a few days. No debts or bills to worry about.
------------------------------
I worked in a retail shop as an christmas temp one year. It was a horrible job. The pay was slightly above what my friends were getting, but that didn't make it any more of a good job.
I think it depends on the job in question and the salary. If it's a life changing salary then i'd do the job, but if it's just a bit better than your current salary, then I wouldn't bother.
------------------------------
I worked in a retail shop as an christmas temp one year. It was a horrible job. The pay was slightly above what my friends were getting, but that didn't make it any more of a good job.
I think it depends on the job in question and the salary. If it's a life changing salary then i'd do the job, but if it's just a bit better than your current salary, then I wouldn't bother.
You wouldn't be permanently unhappy, but the money won't help you make your own decisions to make yourself happier. You'll still need to decide where you want to go, the job you do, the people you meet. In reality, if you were alone and you were hopping into your Bentley on your way to a private jet, how would you actually feel?
I'd imagine the initial satisfaction of the money would be totally worn out by real life: finding the time to go on holiday, working long hours, dealing with incompetent people (more money means more responsibility) and after all that, you're going alone on a holiday. What's the point of all the money?
There's a reason why fables and children's movies are based around the concept that money itself doesn't buy you happiness. It's because it's an ultimate truth. Money does not buy you happiness. The lack of money can certainly make someone unhappy, but that is simply what it is. When people focus on their own needs (stable home environment, friends, a job you enjoy), that's when they'll be a lot happier for themselves, rather than chasing money and fortune.
Original post by RachaelBee
Considering the average wage is around £20000 you wouldn't be scrimping and saving though. If your grades aren't expected to be that great you would be unlikely to make it as a barrister anyway (not impossible though), you'd have to put in extra work to bring your grades up and if you're not that motivated to do it, it could be a lot harder. In theory it shouldn't be impossible to pull your Bs up to As. Also, I find that money feels different when it's your own. I could NEVER have imagined working for less than £20k (that was whilst I had no rent/bills and with the aim of working my way up to a higher wage quickly!) but my first wage was £9500 a year and I still managed to pay for everything (by this time it did include rent and bills) as well as having money to spend on luxuries, by the time I was earning £20k a year I didn't even notice money since I had enough. Clearly we come from very different financial backgrounds but I still took what I imagined would be a big step down but I didn't feel it as much as I thought I would. Hope this helps and doesn't come across as patronising, sometimes I struggle to articulate myself on here.
My brother only got BBBB at A-level, but due to his excellent work experience, working in both the chambers and the courts as a barristers clerk with my father, and marshalling with my Mother, he went on to a top 5 university and got a first. He was predicted a first from the beginning, and as my parents are in the industry it was very easy for him to get work experience during his studies. I know that I can do it, just don't know whether or not I want to. I'm in the same position as you were, I can't imagine not being able to live a fairly extravagant lifestyle, going on holiday twice a year, having a shiny BMW on the drive and having NO worries about money. I just don't know whether I'm willing to sell myself short and enjoy my job, but hate my lifestyle. I know exactly what you're saying, and completely take it on board. I know that only I can make the decision, I'm just hoping that seeing the opinions of others will help me to decide.
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