Work - enjoyment vs financial compensation

[NoelWatson]

mchammer89 said:

NoelWatson said:

mchammer89 said:

I'm going into my 3rd year of an engineering degree, while working part-time as a Barista. I've worked as a Barista for 2 and a half years now and honestly have no drive for working in engineering anymore because of it, despite the fact that I am probably on one of the best engineering courses in the country in terms of "fun". If I can live comfortably on a job that I love, why would I take a job that I love less just to earn a bit more money? Would you honestly choose being miserable over being happy for a pound or two per hour?

Doesn't being a barista pay better than Engineering?

Maybe better than a graduate Engineer but I doubt that it'd still be paying higher after a few years expereince. I'm hoping i'm wrong though

In my experience, the pay progression as an Engineer is mediocre

[okgo]

NoelWatson said:

mchammer89 said:

NoelWatson said:

mchammer89 said:

I'm going into my 3rd year of an engineering degree, while working part-time as a Barista. I've worked as a Barista for 2 and a half years now and honestly have no drive for working in engineering anymore because of it, despite the fact that I am probably on one of the best engineering courses in the country in terms of "fun". If I can live comfortably on a job that I love, why would I take a job that I love less just to earn a bit more money? Would you honestly choose being miserable over being happy for a pound or two per hour?

Doesn't being a barista pay better than Engineering?

Maybe better than a graduate Engineer but I doubt that it'd still be paying higher after a few years expereince. I'm hoping i'm wrong though

In my experience, the pay progression as an Engineer is mediocre

And boy don't you make it known

[WorAl]

Regarding the OP, I am in the same situation, I could get out by selling the TVR and getting another job but I don't want to as that is the only really really fun thing for weekends right now.

I just look at it as a place I go to 8.30-5pm every day, enjoy the summer nights and weekends to their fullest.

I am trying real hard to get out and set up my own business so I don't have to hate any part of the day anymore.

[V8mate]

WorAl said:

Regarding the OP, I am in the same situation, I could get out by selling the TVR and getting another job but I don't want to as that is the only really really fun thing for weekends right now.

I just look at it as a place I go to 8.30-5pm every day, enjoy the summer nights and weekends to their fullest.

I am trying real hard to get out and set up my own business so I don't have to hate any part of the day anymore.

But setting up your own business, doing what you did for an employer, means you're doing exactly the same thing but for twice as many hours each day and having to find new work too.

More often than not, it's out of the frying pan...

[Landlord]

V8mate said:

But setting up your own business, doing what you did for an employer, means you're doing exactly the same thing but for twice as many hours each day and having to find new work too.

Very true. That's why I studiously avoided looking at starting a business "doing what I do" and went leftfield in to the service industry.

[WorAl]

V8mate said:

WorAl said:

Regarding the OP, I am in the same situation, I could get out by selling the TVR and getting another job but I don't want to as that is the only really really fun thing for weekends right now.

I just look at it as a place I go to 8.30-5pm every day, enjoy the summer nights and weekends to their fullest.

I am trying real hard to get out and set up my own business so I don't have to hate any part of the day anymore.

But setting up your own business, doing what you did for an employer, means you're doing exactly the same thing but for twice as many hours each day and having to find new work too.

More often than not, it's out of the frying pan...

Yes, but whatever I don't like I can change, I can't here.

Plus, it's not necessarily the job I hate, it's the people.

Also, the business I'm setting up is actually what I used to do at my old place, which I quite liked, just not the way it was run.

See, I'm not as stupid as you make me out to be V8 (the man with some sort of vendetta against me )

Edited by WorAl on Tuesday 4th May 13:50

[V8mate]

WorAl said:

V8mate said:

WorAl said:

Regarding the OP, I am in the same situation, I could get out by selling the TVR and getting another job but I don't want to as that is the only really really fun thing for weekends right now.

I just look at it as a place I go to 8.30-5pm every day, enjoy the summer nights and weekends to their fullest.

I am trying real hard to get out and set up my own business so I don't have to hate any part of the day anymore.

But setting up your own business, doing what you did for an employer, means you're doing exactly the same thing but for twice as many hours each day and having to find new work too.

More often than not, it's out of the frying pan...

Yes, but whatever I don't like I can change, I can't here.

Plus, it's not necessarily the job I hate, it's the people.

Also, the business I'm setting up is actually what I used to do at my old place, which I quite liked, just not the way it was run.

See, I'm not as stupid as you make me out to be V8 (the man with some sort of vendetta against me )

Does it feel like that? It's only because I care.

[WorAl]

only joking V8.

I have thought long and hard about the business thing though and at least I'll be able to do what I want to do, I need to be in control, I'm not good at being led.

[DangerousMike]

WorAl said:

only joking V8.

I have thought long and hard about the business thing though and at least I'll be able to do what I want to do, I need to be in control, I'm not good at being led.

fair enough, there is a thread you might want to look in general gassing now.

[V8mate]

WorAl said:

I need to be in control, I'm not good at being led.

Your ex led you right up the garden path!

[WorAl]

DangerousMike said:

WorAl said:

only joking V8.

I have thought long and hard about the business thing though and at least I'll be able to do what I want to do, I need to be in control, I'm not good at being led.

fair enough, there is a thread you might want to look in general gassing now.

Which is that?

V8mate said:

WorAl said:

I need to be in control, I'm not good at being led.

Your ex led you right up the garden path!

yes, and I didn't like it either.

[Moose.]

I was in a similar situation (reasonably well paid job that I wasn't enjoying anymore) about 7 months ago. I'm a subscriber to the "life's too short" club so decided to change it. I guess I'm lucky in that I'm single, so didn't have to worry about a family, so gambled pretty much everything I own in a career in aviation.

Luckily, after 4 years hard work re-training, the gamble paid off and I landed (pun intended) my dream job! I'm now earning about a quarter of what I used to but totally loving life! That to me is much more important

[okgo]

It also depends on what you want in life though right?

Sure I want a family and a nice house etc. But I want to own a supercar, and have a very nice house. I can't likley do that teaching people to ski in the Alps can I...

[WorAl]

okgo said:

It also depends on what you want in life though right?

Sure I want a family and a nice house etc. But I want to own a supercar, and have a very nice house. I can't likley do that teaching people to ski in the Alps can I...

If you're good, then why not?

[V8mate]

WorAl said:

okgo said:

It also depends on what you want in life though right?

Sure I want a family and a nice house etc. But I want to own a supercar, and have a very nice house. I can't likley do that teaching people to ski in the Alps can I...

If you're good, then why not?

Yep - start instructing, target families who turn up in Italian exotica, kill them whilst up in the mountains, steal identities and car.

Easy peasy.

[theboymoon]

WorAl said:

okgo said:

It also depends on what you want in life though right?

Sure I want a family and a nice house etc. But I want to own a supercar, and have a very nice house. I can't likley do that teaching people to ski in the Alps can I...

If you're good, then why not?

We paid our best mountain guides 350E per day this season (plus expenses & tips from clients).

They are total legends with years of training/experience/mountain scaryness mind

Reading this thread as I am currently heading down the line of enjoyment over outright $$ and as much as I am much happier than a year or so ago as Nervy on here once said 'fun doesn't pay the bills....'

Cripes, taking life lessons from nerv, i must be desparate

[TedMaul]

theboymoon said:

Nervy on here once said 'fun doesn't pay the bills....'

Cripes, taking life lessons from nerv, i must be desparate

If its the Nervy of 'soft furnishings with organic content' fame then i don't think taking life lessons from him is wise, although i'm sure he can offer good advice regarding detergents and dry cleaners.

[Marty Funkhouser]

I handed my notice in on my 14 year old 9-5 desk job last Friday. In August I'm off travelling for a month (cant afford any longer) before starting a law conversion course in September. I have no idea if it will work out but I do know that I hate every minute of my current job and I would kick myself every day if I didnt try something different.

[mchammer89]

Marty Funkhouser said:

I handed my notice in on my 14 year old 9-5 desk job last Friday. In August I'm off travelling for a month (cant afford any longer) before starting a law conversion course in September. I have no idea if it will work out but I do know that I hate every minute of my current job and I would kick myself every day if I didnt try something different.

Good luck!

[WorAl]

mchammer89 said:

Marty Funkhouser said:

I handed my notice in on my 14 year old 9-5 desk job last Friday. In August I'm off travelling for a month (cant afford any longer) before starting a law conversion course in September. I have no idea if it will work out but I do know that I hate every minute of my current job and I would kick myself every day if I didnt try something different.

Good luck!

Yeah, goos luck, hope it works out for you.