Potential Career Earnings dilemma.....please help

mildred1978

MiddyMum wrote: »

Yes I know, it's just usually some ward managers will see that someone has worked the last two christmas's and then will alternate it the 3rd year so you do the night on christmas day and have the day to spend with your family. It doesn't happen on all wards, but it does happen on some which is why I said it was unfar in camio's case. Although there could be staff shortages there too.

You can't possibly forecast what the situation will be if/when you qualify. Much of the NHS will have been privatised by then, and working conditions wont be better than they are now.

Much better to expect to work every day and then be glad of the ones you get off!!

danielanthony

Don't forget after PAYE your take home salary will be much less, check listentotaxman.com. As you are very money focused, I'd advise going into a profession where you can go contracting, accountants fall into this category, despite easily earning six figures as a contractor, your take home can be 70%+

hardworking_mummy

mildred1978 wrote: »

Im not sure what you expect. It's the same in any of the emergency services. It's not uncommon to have 1 Christmas off in 7 years.

I have family members in this situation. We just do Christmas another time.

My husband is a police sergeant. We have had one Christmas day together in the entire time I have known him - and that was on our daughter's first Christmas. Last year he worked back shift on Christmas day so he left at 1pm (after an early lunch) and came home at 2am. This year he is on dayshift so will be gone from 6am until at least 5pm. We will therefore be having Christmas day on the 27th when he is off. You get used to it and work around it. In the great scheme of things it's a tiny blip! Don't let holidays influence your career choice. When your kids are teenagers I am sure you won't see much of them on Christmas day anyhow!

Jamie1981

Your ambitions to achieve the best earning potential possible is commendable and you should do well with the drive and determination to match.

Just a couple of pointers though that other posters may have said or alluded to.
You are better off doing something your heart is in and you would enjoy because no matter how much money you are on, there is nothing worse than having to drag yourself from your pit in the mornings to go to work when you feel thats the last place you want to be.

Also, you are planning out promotions and the bands they come with with timescales providing you work hard enough etc.
In reality, it wont work out like that the majority of the time as you will face competition from others that share your ambition that may have no children etc and are purely there to fashion the best career possible.

Also, with more remuneration comes greater responsiblity. As others have said, this will involve managerial responsiblity for others and accountability. The stress that comes with this will take up alot of your time and what you may get in salary will be taken from family time.

I am an area manager with full accountability for my area. I have had to sacrifice family to get where I am and it's time I wont ever get back. If someone makes a mistake in my area I carry the can. I dont have my problems to deal with but the problems of 25 other people. You could be a great midwife, but not necessarily a good manager that can deal with the pressures that come with it. The managerial side of things is something you would have to develope to seriously be able to cope with the demands.

You also talk of saving for the future and IIRC, giving your daughter the best possible chance at life. When you climb the career ladder and your earnings increase, it is very difficult to switch off to the fact you could have so much more. As a branch manager on £30,000 per annum and the ford focus in the drive can very easily become the area manager on £55,000 per annum with the bmw 5 series in the drive. You live to your means (for most people) but when your means increase, so do your wants and can have's etc. All I am saying is try not to nail on everything now as things can change rapidly and you need to be flexible if this does happen.