I want to earn big pots of cash...

RobertoMoir

As I work in local govt, I earn about £500,000 a day judging by some of the "all local govt. workers are parasites" brigade that always pop up on the forums. And they're probably itching to moan that I failed to include my "gold-plated" pension in that figure too. *sigh*

Chris_Hinds

In all seriousness find something that you love doing and do well and go from there. It's not worth spending hours a week doing something you don't enjoy.

For myself I left uni in 2006 age 23 with a 1st class M.Eng in Manufacturing Engineering & Management from Warwick. As a result I got a job on a grad scheme with a well known engineering company. Since I joined the company I have increased in salary by 40% in just under 4 years. The salary is good but in all honesty I'd do the job for what I started on just the same. The good wage is a bonus, it's having a fun week that I love.

It might be an engineering thing but I feel people in my profession seem to have very high job satisfaction. I've yet to have a day where I go to work thinking "I really don't want to go today". I genuinely love what I do (I'm in management not hardcore engineering by the way) and I enjoy making a difference. As for if the profession overtakes my life, well I officially do 08:00-16:15 daily but you do the hours that's necessary. I guess I do on average about 42 Hours a week. I work on the basis that if I'm home before my partner is then that's fair as I leave before she does and I like to spend time with her in the evenings. I admit I do think about things outside of work but I think if you are passionate about what you do then you can't switch off easily.

Good luck finding something that suits you.

Regards

Chris

terra_ferma

No matter how much you earn, it's never enough.... My earnings went up quickly in the space of a few years, from not having enough money to pay my rent to a good salary, but at the end of the month no matter what I earn, I'm always skint!

One important tip: if you want to build a career make sure you don't chose a dead end job with no prospects of promotion. By that I mean a job where you would never be able to build the experience/qualifications to move on, for example if you boss left would you be able to apply for their job?

Retail comes to mind as being one of the worst, while care on the other hand can give good opportunities (very badly paid to start with, but if you have the rights skills you can move on quickly, and study for qualifications as you go along).

DCFC79

I wish i could find something more enjoyable than what im doing now, i just want a job that i enjoy doing plus get payed a fair wage for it, being on 12k and in a job that is about as boring as watching paint dry isnt much cop

Malky

dave4545454 wrote: »

it's all about getting some good contacts, this world is who you know not what you know. there are many high earners who got there just by having the right contacts

Never a truer worth said. I've changed jobs 5 times in 20 years and never had an interview because I knew the right people at the right time.

brokeinwales

dmg24 wrote: »

I would focus on doing something you enjoy and living to your means (easier said than done, but not impossible).

I used to have a well paid job. Like spendaholiceejit's DH, my whole life revolved around work. I now work as and when I want to (accounts, a bit of project management) and am back at uni doing my Masters. After my Masters I hope to do some research, which whilst enjoyable will not be very well paid (I may even end up self funding).

My outgoings are half what they used to be, but I still have nice holidays and go out when I want to. However, I don't go out nearly as much as I used to. I used to feel that I had to go out because my friends were, now I go out when I want to (and often don't drink when I do - a night out for less than £5!).

What do you do at the moment? What qualifications do you have? What do you enjoy doing?

I think what it is is wanting to be in a situation where I don't have to be in the supermarket putting the cheese back on the shelf because I can't afford it you know? I feel like right now my life revolves around work, I go home knackered at the end of the day, work really hard, have no time or energy for any of my other interests or hobbies - and yet I still struggle to afford many of the basics in life. I resent it hugely!

I'm in an admin/finance role at the moment - I'm not that great at it, find it both dull and stressful - but feel like wouldn't mind that so much if I was earning a bit more.

I have a degree and a Masters (but both in soft artsy subjects, and both gained many many years ago - so limited use really). As for things I enjoy - to be honest, I can't think of much I'm that passionate about - I kind of like cooking, and exercise, and making crafty stuff (though I'm not very good at any of those things!). I'm supposedly good at writing - but you can't really earn much of a living from that, and I never have time to do it anyway.
Guess people's response to this has reminded me that I feel a bit trapped in more ways than purely financial. I actually don't recall ever seeing a job and thinking "ooh I'd really love to do that!". Is it just me? Am I just really negative? (and if so, how does one stop being negative?!)

wontfallforit

terra_ferma wrote: »

No matter how much you earn, it's never enough.... My earnings went up quickly in the space of a few years, from not having enough money to pay my rent to a good salary, but at the end of the month no matter what I earn, I'm always skint!

I earn approximately double full-time NMW...and I'm at least twice as skint as when I was earning min. wage, part time :rotfl:

I don't know where it goes. I have no kids, no mortgage and no debts...and I'm not flash (not that there's exactly loads to splash about!).

Sod's law.

brokeinwales

The more creative professions do tend to have much happier workers. I would do cross stitch all day if some machine operator couldn't do it ten times as quickly!

I guess the problem is that if there's something people actually enjoy doing, they wouldn't need to pay anyone to do it because they'd do it for free!

A few years ago I worked part time as a model, but well paying jobs were drying up because so many girls were happy to model for free or exchange for copies of photo's that there was often no reason to pay anyone.

brokeinwales

wontfallforit wrote: »

I earn approximately double full-time NMW...and I'm at least twice as skint as when I was earning min. wage, part time :rotfl:

I don't know where it goes. I have no kids, no mortgage and no debts...and I'm not flash (not that there's exactly loads to splash about!).

Sod's law.

To be fair I think most people do "expand to fill their income"...

laurenjs88

Malky wrote: »

Never a truer worth said. I've changed jobs 5 times in 20 years and never had an interview because I knew the right people at the right time.

Agree with this completely! Just wish i had contacts hehe!


OP I am joing the Police next time they are recruiting in my county, The starting wage is over £20k, you get paid to train, a brilliant pension scheme, plus lots of other benefits. The social life outside of work is amazing & its a very exciting job.

What do i really want to do - Be a radio presenter LOL but that wont happen!

So second choice i guess but a brilliant career none the less