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How do I become a corporate whore?

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brothersoulshine 28 Aug 2007
I am educated to Masters level but only really know academia or the NHS as places to work. I don't have a penny to my name.

How do I enter the corporate world? I've realised, perhaps a bit late, that I want to earn lots of money.
Bob kate bob 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine: What's you degree and Masters in? How long ago did you get your masters?
 DougG 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

Was this brought on by the news about City Bonuses?

(In reply to your question, haven't a scooby.)
Hotbad Peteel 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

When i went for my first job i was asked how i'd change from the academic to the business world. Replied 'I havent a clue, i've never done it before'. Seemed to go down well.
p
Bob kate bob 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine: You do realise that there is a reason why there are decent wages, you will have to vertually sell your soul. Working days can easily be at least 8-6 and there could well be high stress and some weekend working. Ok it depends on what you want to get into but don't expect that it is an easy ride, because it most definately isn't.
brothersoulshine 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Bob kate bob:

Degree in nursing, masters in bioethics.
 broccoligirl 28 Aug 2007

Excellent thread!

I'm wondering exactly the same thing! I love academia but the pay is rubbish and without a PhD the career path is, well, cr@p.

I am even thinking of pharma jobs but I just don't know if my conscience would let me....
 CJD 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

why do I get the feeling any 'stress' or long hours in the corporate world would be a doddle for you after your other jobs?

am also sick of being skint so am watching thread with interest

 dek 28 Aug 2007
In reply to broccoligirl: I know someone with the PHD, working for the big pharma company (Bayer) She misses the academic life and cant wait to get out of cut throat 'industry' also the pay isnt that great, but the travel opps seem good.
m0nkeyboy minus cookies!! 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

My advise....don't bother!
Missed too many weekends, pub sessions and too much of my life. Either working or just plain knackered.
Trying to master redundancy at the minute...then good bye work, hello life!!
brothersoulshine 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Bob kate bob:
> How long ago did you get your masters?

Graduated last year.
 anonymous1 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

''Degree in nursing, masters in bioethics''

think you've answered your own question with that one
 Ridge 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

How corporate and how whorish? If you want some mega bucks city job then I'm not sure, but Mrs Ridge was forever being asked to become a medical rep. It's not 'big bucks', but it's certainly better pay and conditions than nursing.
Bob kate bob 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine: You could well just be able to get onto a grad recrutement scheme. From what I can remember the pay isn't great (well compaired to other corperate jobs) whilst you are on the schemes but once you finish you end up moving a lot more quickly up the company structure.

Wingman 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

Apply for graduate schemes. You need to start looking between now and Christmas to start next September (this isn't set in stone)

Parallel to this speak to recruitment agencies and headhunters in the physical area and sector you might think you want to work in.

At interview it's easy, just say that you find academia rather slow moving and that your not sure of it's where you want to go with your life, you'd rather have something more challending blah blah blah (don't mention money directly)
 marie 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Ridge: With a pharma co?

So many are going through restructures, buyouts, merges etc, that the ones being hit most are those in management and the reps...

I have a fair bit of contact with medical reps (particularly hospital) and the reps change more than I change my underwear!
 martin riddell 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

Corporatwe whore ? Holds hand up.

Normal working day - about 07.30 to 18.00 ish

Work during evenings when at home - normally a couple of hours or so in front on computer or proof reading stuff

Do not work weekends as a general rule

Stress - who doesn't have stress in their job nowadays ?

Holidays - paid 32 days per year, unpaid negotiable (and I do take them every year for sanity)

Well paid ? Relative for friends/collegues, but there are always people who are better paid than you

Do you realise that you may think you want to work to earn more money to spend on things then not be able to do this due to perhaps increased working time ?
Bob kate bob 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Wingman: Would also be good for the OP to think about what core skills they have that would be useful in the corperate world. Stuff like giving lectures, managing departments budgets, dealing with students and heads of department, gaining funding for Uni research. These skills would all translate to skills that could be useful in the corperate world (depending on what job the OP is looking at going for).
 Ridge 28 Aug 2007
In reply to marie:
> (In reply to Ridge) With a pharma co?

No, selling endoscopy scopes associated stuff. The reps tend to be ex-nurses with experience of the kit, and seem to stay in the jobs long term.
 John_Hat 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

Corporate Whore. Yup, that would be me....

Working day varies from 9-6pm as a minimum to much, much longer - I've been in the office until 4am on occasion. Probably average about 40-50 hours a week. Will often work weekends (though generally only an hour a day or so). Normally do an hour or so in an evening as well.

Cash. Yes. Ok, there are always people who earn more, but I'm comfortable, though I don't have expensive tastes, so its pretty easy for me to be comfortable.

Note that when you get to the higher grades in corporate whoredom they will expect you to put the job before family, friends, partner, hobbies, etc and they **will** sack you if you do not. Christ knows why I'm still here. Fast excuses, I think...

Suggest that you have a look at the graduate training schemes for the type of whorage that appeals!
loulou 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine: Glad I am not the only one! I am pondering the exact same question. See my recent "advice for life" thread.
petealdwinckle 28 Aug 2007
In reply to John_Hat:
Agree with all you say and would emphasis your point that to be a real corporate whore you have you will not have time for family, friends, partner, hobbies etc.

I spent four years at senior consultant level after masters level graduation; 200,000 air miles a year, 300 nights a year in business hotels, 12 hour days every day and expected to work irrespective of location or circumstances. Good money, yes but cost me marriage.

 jonfun21 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

Corporate Whore. Yep that would also cover me.

Hours are variable e.g. 5am until 2am the next day the other week + weekends at times (work in corporate strategy and M&A). But flip side is I can take time back and have early finishes, days off, when not as busy.

Worked in management consulting before this, less demanding (wierdly), but despite greater demands enjoy my work now as feel part of a company and have the ability to shape what it does.

Positives: Challenge and requirement to use my brain, earn a lot given my age, potential for advancement, working with motivated people

Negatives: Work can end up dominating your life, frustration and stress of dealing with multiple stakeholders

The advantage of trying the corporate life is that if you don't like it you can drop back into academia.

Wingman 28 Aug 2007
In reply to jonfun21:

'multiple stakeholders'

you have really have signed up haven't you!?!
 jonfun21 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Wingman: Oh indeed, I enjoy a good name of corporate b*llsh*t bingo...problem is I end up using the phrases myself.

Said "lets take that offline" the other day, contemplated ending it all for a while.
 Humperdink 28 Aug 2007
In reply to jonfun21: House!! (corporate bingo is ace) my other favourite is "there appears to be a disconnect here"
 Humperdink 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine: Decisions, decisions… for what its worth I did degree and PhD then realised I wasn’t good enough for academia and so “sold out” and got a job with a pharma company (in R&D though). Pluses are that it’s relatively well paid, I can go home early on occasions (though usually do 8-5.30) and I do get a reasonable amount of holiday. Negatives are; it’s no where near the proper research I did in academia, its very cloak and dagger, there’s a huge amount of corporate nonsense (I’m a scientist damn it - stop that!) and worst of all its no where near any climbing. If I’m still here in another 10 years I will be forced to shoot myself as I will have morphed into a clone of some of my co-workers. Reckon I’ll go for a “less well paid but better quality of life” type move before then but then maybe the grass is always greener……
 duncan 28 Aug 2007
In reply to martin riddell:
> (In reply to brothersoulshine)

>
> Normal working day - about 07.30 to 18.00 ish
>
> Work during evenings when at home - normally a couple of hours or so in front on computer or proof reading stuff
>
> Do not work weekends as a general rule
>
> Holidays - paid 32 days per year, unpaid negotiable (and I do take them every year for sanity)

> Do you realise that you may think you want to work to earn more money to spend on things then not be able to do this due to perhaps increased working time ?

About the same hours and more holidays than I take in Academia. Job security here is nothing like it famously used to be either: many people work from contract to contract and the equivalent department to mine in Southampton Uni. have just fired 1/3 of it's staff including many in tenured posts. However, I have a lot of flexibility about when and where I work, which is priceless to me. Work is also extremely interesting, satisfying, and fits with my over-developed morals.

To the OP: we get a steady stream of people wanting to get out of the corporate world and into a health/caring career...

rich 28 Aug 2007
In reply to jonfun21:
>
> The advantage of trying the corporate life is that if you don't like it you can drop back into academia.

not without a recent publication record you can't

or at least you can't without making it a long hard drop (and that's even after you've persuaded someone you're not weird to want to do it . . .)
 niggle 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

I'm a corporate whore.

I'm in the office from about half nine till six most days, but I'm extremely lazy and really only work two or three hours a day. The rest of the time I post here, play video games or table tennis, nap or drink coffee and stare out of the window. My stress levels are almost zero most of the time and I work round the corner from a good bouldering wall which I can visit pretty much when I feel like it.

I have no idea how much I get paid but it's quite a lot i think.

It's possible to have a good job (I think mine's quite good I think) and earn good money, but it pays to be picky about who you work with and for - if you join a company full of assholes which does work for assholes, you can be pretty sure your job will suck.
 CJD 28 Aug 2007
In reply to niggle:

how do you not know how much you get paid? I can't imagine a day when I don't lurch from payday to payday. They call it a 'career' but I think of it as 'careering' in its slightly more out-of-control sense when I think of it applied to my life
rich 28 Aug 2007
In reply to CJD: when i had a proper job i knew my headline salary but would have struggled to tell you my take home pay and would never have been able to tell you what was in my bank account

i obviously didn't need it all

now the period between the mortgage going out and me getting paid is on a bit of knife-edge

am i happier though?

not really
 Ridge 28 Aug 2007
In reply to martin riddell:
> (In reply to brothersoulshine)
>
> Normal working day - about 07.30 to 18.00 ish
>
> Work during evenings when at home - normally a couple of hours or so in front on computer or proof reading stuff
>
> Do not work weekends as a general rule
>
>
> Holidays - paid 32 days per year, unpaid negotiable (and I do take them every year for sanity)
>
> Do you realise that you may think you want to work to earn more money to spend on things then not be able to do this due to perhaps increased working time ?

I hate to break this to you, but as corporate whores go that's pretty feeble

Most people work those sort of hours, and usually have less holidays. If you're getting corporate whore money it sounds a nice little number!
 niggle 28 Aug 2007

> how do you not know how much you get paid?

I just haven't looked recently. My pay's probably gone up quite a lot from what I first agreed to when I joined and there always seems to be plenty of cash in my bank account for mortgage and climbing.

I could ask or check but it just doesn't seem very important. I find money terribly stressful stuff.

 Ridge 28 Aug 2007
In reply to niggle:
>
> [...]
>
>
>
> I could ask or check but it just doesn't seem very important. I find money terribly stressful stuff.

Anyone biting yet?
Cerulean 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

If you're not 'middle-class' pretend to be

If you didn't have a 'private' education pretend you did

And finally, and most importantly, abandon your principles, morals, and faith in humankind.
Wingman 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Ridge:
> (In reply to niggle)
> [...]
>
> Anyone biting yet?

actually I know several people who have exactly that attitude. Everything is done by direct debit, their income easily covers their life style and they very rarely look at their bank balance (probably every 3 months or so)
CC 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine: ah, think carefully, it's not all its cracked up to be, I've seen a couple of my friends get very very very unhappy. what are you passionate about? You spend a lot of your life at work, you need to care about what you're doing. It's taken me a long time to find what I want to do, still not sure, but don't be scared to move around, accept it might take a while to find the right thing. work life balance is often underrated, but how many people say on their death bed 'I wish I'd spent more time at work?!'
 John_Hat 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Wingman:

Yes I used to be like that. It worked well up to the point where the credit cards and my overdraft maxed out....

That was not a happy moment (or for several months/years thereafter) Nowadays I am sensible.
 winhill 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

Get yourself a good pimp
 31770 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:
A slight sad truth is: find someone you know in corporate whoredom and ask them to put in a good word for you (give them your cv, listen to their advice and take it).

Aside from that analyse everything you've done deeply. This provides you with your ammunition for interview when you get asked the inevitable "can you tell me when you showed some leadership skills" and the like.

p.s. if your thinking of graduate jobs remember you don't have to put your age on your CV so they can't favour someone younger (i.e. strait off a degree) and that your skills you've developed doing your masters / nhs work are attributes no one else your up against will have so use them to your advantage.
 John_Hat 28 Aug 2007
In reply to CC:

What annoys me is the attitude to people who have "sold out". Ok, I used to have a poorly paid job, I used to live on the breadline, I used to be on the dole. I used to wander Leeds City Centre at night looking for change in the kerb so I could buy my next meal (true, and you can make good money that way). I made a choice and worked d@mn bl**dy hard over a decade to get to a position where I am "comfortable". I don't earn a fortune, but I can afford my own round at the bar. Luckily, as I said above, my own lifestyle is fairly frugal and hence I live within my means.

Unfortunately plenty of others who have worked either not at all, or less hard than me (at one point I was averaging 80+ hour weeks over a year and regularly working 100+ hour weeks) appear to hate my guts for it. Or, alternatively, suddently you turn into "the bank" for all your "friends" who can't afford their own beer, mortgage, rent, whatever.

Quite apart from the abuse. I recently had one guy after looking at my cams (I have quite a few - most bought cheaply) making snide comments that if I was rich enough to buy cams then I was rich enough to pay someone to carry my rucksack for me.

Why, why is it something that makes people hate your guts? Of course, it might be something else! **grins** - I might just be a horrible individual, but frankly I don't **think** thats the case and neither do my g/f and many friends, most of which are about as far from corporate whoredom as you can get (but are people that do not sponge...).
Cerulean 28 Aug 2007
In reply to CC:
> (In reply to brothersoulshine) ah, think carefully, it's not all its cracked up to be, I've seen a couple of my friends get very very very unhappy. what are you passionate about? You spend a lot of your life at work, you need to care about what you're doing. It's taken me a long time to find what I want to do, still not sure, but don't be scared to move around, accept it might take a while to find the right thing. work life balance is often underrated, but how many people say on their death bed 'I wish I'd spent more time at work?!'

Wise words.

You really do need a passion, or at least a solid interest, in what you're doing for a living. You spend so much of your life at work it needs to matter. To put it in context, I am a self-confessed disillusioned 'city' worker working 12 hour days who has grown to hate money. I'd love to get out but for the fact that, like many, I have constructed a life I need to keep affording, so moving to a lower income is a real challenge, both mentally and financially. Once driven by ambition to get money to clear the student debts and early credit cards my drive has since ebbed.

I'm prepared to do it though now to find some satisfaction or desire for what I spend so long doing. The problem in finding this new career (apart from the fact the missus has gone back to uni for a year) is that persistent tiredness and financial security have fogged the mind...
 jonfun21 28 Aug 2007
In reply to John_Hat: IMHO it is that the british sometimes struggle with the concept of success and immediately like to "question" anyone or any organisation who is doing well and has got there by hard graft.

In addition the current government seems hell bent on trying to tax, ban or guilt trip people who have made a sucess of their lives.
 Ridge 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Cerulean:
> (In reply to CC)
> [...]
>
> Wise words.
>
> You really do need a passion, or at least a solid interest, in what you're doing for a living. You spend so much of your life at work it needs to matter. To put it in context, I am a self-confessed disillusioned 'city' worker working 12 hour days who has grown to hate money. I'd love to get out but for the fact that, like many, I have constructed a life I need to keep affording, so moving to a lower income is a real challenge, both mentally and financially.

On the flip side to that, earning pennies doing something you're passionate about is also a pretty lousy lifestyle. There's absolutely nothing wrong with working a lot of hours in a high paid job you dislike if it provides a secure income.
10 or 15 years in one of these supposedly horrible but high paid jobs should set you up nicely for the future. Once the mortgage is paid off and there's a few quid in the bank is the time to start looking for these more 'passionate' jobs.
 John_Hat 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Ridge:

"10 or 15 years in one of these supposedly horrible but high paid jobs should set you up nicely for the future"

Or kill you. I know personally of two individuals who have attempted suicide after time in one of those jobs. I know one who succeeded.

When I was working 100 hour weeks I was a mess. I could function (just) at work, but I'd get home at, say, 11pm, try and make a cup of tea, pour the sugar into the kettle and put the tea on the worksurface (without a cup) and then pour boiling water over it. Oh, and then break down.

A lot of people say "oh, just do it for a couple of years and then you'll be set up for life". Possibly. Possibly you'll be dead, possibly you'll have a mental breakdown, possibly you'll lose your family, children and friends.

One of the individuals who tried suicide went into it with a "just a few years" attitude. She tried suicide after six months.

I'm sure some people can cope. I couldn't, and didn't - I managed to reduce my workload and regain some semblance of sanity, and have been here in the "working hard but not stupidly hard" category ever since. Others don't have such a happy outcome.

Sorry to put a low note into the thread, but working yourself to death is something you have to be careful not to take too literally! **grin**

 Mooncat 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

Most of the posters seem to have had it pretty cushy, I had 12 years of 80-90 hour weeks, 3 months before I'd decided I'd had enough I was made a director when it got a little easier. The money was great and enabled me to retire at 43, but years of almost living on the M6 and M1 covering 100,000 mile plus a year took it's toll.

I'd be interested to hear from Mr Rushby on this thread, think he has it something similar.
 Ridge 28 Aug 2007
In reply to John_Hat:

All valid points. That said you'll get people who can't cope in any walk of life. It's quite possible to be driven to the brink of despair by working excessive hours in a minimum wage job with no responsibilities. The difference being that there's no way to 'downshift' from your job in the Offal rendering plant.

The 100 hours plus jobs aren't worth it, IMHO, but there's been a few replys on here quoting 50 hours and a bit of time in front of the laptop at home. That's normal now in almost any job, and probably pays far better than what brothersoulshine is doing at present.

The 'working hard but not stupidly hard' ethos is probably a good one.
 CJD 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Mooncat:

my twin brother routinely does 80 hour weeks, works weekends, works till midnight, drives minimum 50k/year but doesn't get the salary that a lot of people on this thread suggest. He's been working that way for five or so years and it's taking its toll.

my big brother, on the other hand, *is* a corporate whore, if you count investment banking as such - probably works 10 or 11 hour days, doesn't seem to have to work at the weekend, doesn't have lots of travelling, seems reasonably serene, and earns tons of money. I can't help but think there's something wrong with the picture.

My twin bro does seem to love his job more. I suppose it's a handy thing to be able to remember, when you're coming home at midnight for the fifth time that week...
 John_Hat 28 Aug 2007
In reply to CJD:

One friend of mine (very corporate whore) has her largest ever payslip on her bedside table.

Hence when the alarm goes off and she is flailing around trying to turn it off in a "WHY THE HELL DO I DO THIS JOB???" kind of way her hand will often find the payslip.

After peering at it for a few seconds in a blearly-eyed kind of way she says "oh, yes, that's why", and gets out of bed and goes to work.....
 Timmd 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Mooncat:My dad used to get up at half five or six o'clock quite a lot to drive down south to places for his buisiness. He's self employed/the boss though,so it was always for him,but if you're a father like brothersoulshine is it's not the best thing to have to do a lot,i think my Dad found it a struggle sometimes to get the balance right between working for his family and being around as a Dad,though from my perspective he did okay.

There's a lot to be said for parents who are as much as possible constantly there,and not always tired or in a hurry,or trying to relax and can't be doing with anything too emotional from thier children,because of wanting to unwind and not be stressed. I guess it's a balance all parents struggle with,having time and money for thier children.

Cheers
Tim
 niggle 28 Aug 2007
In reply to CJD:

Ridge was at the pier of a small coastal Scottish village when a small boat with just one fisherman docked.

Inside the small boat were several large fish. The tourist complimented the Scotsman on the quality of his fish and asked how long it took to catch them.

The fisherman replied, "Only a little while."

The tourist then asked, "Why didn't you stay out longer and catch more fish?"

The fisherman said, "With this I have more than enough to support my family's needs."

The tourist then asked, "But what do you do with the rest of your time?"

The man replied, "I sleep late, fish a little, play with my children, take a nap with my wife, stroll into the village each evening where I have a few whiskies and play cards with my mates. I have a full and busy life."

Ridge scoffed, "I can help you. You should spend more time fishing; and with the proceeds, buy a bigger boat: With the proceeds from the bigger boat you could buy several boats. Eventually you would have a fleet of fishing boats. Instead of selling your catch to a middleman you would sell directly to the processor; eventually opening your own cannery. You would control the product, processing and distribution. You could leave this small coastal fishing village and move to Edinburgh, then London where you could run your ever-expanding enterprise."

The Scotsman asked, "But, how long will this all take?"

Ridge replied, "15 to 20 years."

"But what then?" asked the fisherman.

Ridge laughed and said, "That's the best part. When the time is right you would sell your company stock to the public and become very rich, you would make millions."

"Millions?...Then what?"

Ridge said, "Then you would retire. Move to a small coastal fishing village where you would sleep late, fish a little, play with your kids, take a nap with your wife, stroll to the village in the evenings where you could sip whisky and play cards with your friends."
 CJD 28 Aug 2007
In reply to niggle:

hah!

the thing is, though, that perhaps ridge is coming at it from a different side to you, where perhaps he hasn't made the money early on, whereas someone like you sounds to be in less of a position of worrying about money.
 Dave C 28 Aug 2007
We definitely down-shifted when we moved back to Oz. I now have a quiet 9-4.30 job just a 20-minute walk from home which means I'm seated on the verandah with a rum-and-coke by 5pm most days. That'll do quite nicely for the time being.
OP Anonymous 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

Why not become an actual corporate whore, rather than a metaphorical one?

Maybe start whoring for some local companies and then by word of mouth (or 'oral reputation' as it were) be recommended onto larger national and maybe even multinational affairs?

We have a deep tissue masseur at my offices, and it's really only one step beyond that.

(btw, I wouldn't mention your studies in bioethnics if I were you... sounds a wee bit Mengler)
 Ridge 28 Aug 2007
In reply to CJD:
> (In reply to niggle)
>
> hah!
>
> the thing is, though, that perhaps ridge is coming at it from a different side to you, where perhaps he hasn't made the money early on, whereas someone like you sounds to be in less of a position of worrying about money.

Indeedy. Once my fisherman friend loses his idyllic lifestyle due to new EU regulations, he's fecked...

Funny how those who seem to regard money as trivial alway seem to be quite solvent themselves
 Timmd 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Ridge:
> (In reply to CJD)

> Funny how those who seem to regard money as trivial alway seem to be quite solvent themselves

For poor people it's a constant worry.
 Mooncat 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Ridge:

>
> Funny how those who seem to regard money as trivial alway seem to be quite solvent themselves

Nail and head, having been brought up in a council house, Mum and Dad unemployed, I know how lucky I am when I remember how they struggled when I was young, easy to lose sight of these things at times.

 niggle 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Ridge:

> Funny how those who seem to regard money as trivial alway seem to be quite solvent themselves

Heh! Yes indeed.

But it is possible to have a job you enjoy, which is easy and which pays well.
Cerulean 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Ridge:
> (In reply to Cerulean)
> [...]
>
> On the flip side to that, earning pennies doing something you're passionate about is also a pretty lousy lifestyle. There's absolutely nothing wrong with working a lot of hours in a high paid job you dislike if it provides a secure income.
> 10 or 15 years in one of these supposedly horrible but high paid jobs should set you up nicely for the future. Once the mortgage is paid off and there's a few quid in the bank is the time to start looking for these more 'passionate' jobs.

You've kind of summed-up the quandry I mentioned there. The financial security fogging the mind. You're right in one of your later posts where you say that people who begin to find money less important are usually the solvent ones. Spanks of the grass is greener I know but maybe that's natural progression to get comfy and then wonder... Maybe we actually like toil!

You've also highlighted my 'plan'. In summary to earn as much as I can whilst incurring as little pain as possible, so that when my kids are at school I can do the things I want to, like collect them occasionally, take them to karate/ football/ the flicks or whatever they're into, and not just be that grumpy old bastard in the suit that tucks them in at night.

This desire to be comfortably-off obviously has it's origins from being a kid when I'd grown up without carpets, let myself in after school as my parents were at work, 'got out of the way' when my Dad got home, and gone caravanning for £1 a night in Wales every summer. I bloody loved it! I bet my parents didn't though...

I suppose it's sacrifice for the future and doing everything you can to stay sane and focused on YOUR goal (whilst being disillusioned and misanthropic at the same time).
OP Anonymous 28 Aug 2007
In reply to niggle:
> (In reply to brothersoulshine)
>
> I'm a corporate whore.
>
> I'm in the office from about half nine till six most days, but I'm extremely lazy and really only work two or three hours a day. The rest of the time I post here, play video games or table tennis, nap or drink coffee and stare out of the window. My stress levels are almost zero most of the time and I work round the corner from a good bouldering wall which I can visit pretty much when I feel like it.

Hardly a corporate whore then! To me corporate whore = getting in the office pre-8am and leaving post 7pm as a minimum. Let's be honest, anything else is pretty lame...

It's possible to earn a ton and enjoy your work though. That's the real trick - finding something you like doing which is profitable.
 Andy Myles 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Anonymous:

> It's possible to earn a ton and enjoy your work though. That's the real trick - finding something you like doing which is profitable.

Couldn't agree more! Nail right on the head.

Having said that... if someone was to offer me 250k per year with bigger bonuses on top to switch from silicon chip design to some sort of supposedly gee-whiz mathematical modelling job in the financial sector (shudder!) then the thought of retiring very, very wealthy by age 42-45 might convince me to drink from the poisoned whoredom chalice for a few years!

Anyone offering? Anyone...?

Andy

 rock waif 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Anonymous:
> (In reply to niggle)
> [> I'm in the office from about half nine till six most days, but I'm extremely lazy and really only work two or three hours a day. The rest of the time I post here, play video games or table tennis, nap or drink coffee and stare out of the window. My stress levels are almost zero most of the time and I work round the corner from a good bouldering wall which I can visit pretty much when I feel like it. ]
>
> Hardly a corporate whore then! To me corporate whore = getting in the office pre-8am and leaving post 7pm as a minimum. Let's be honest, anything else is pretty lame...
>

Somehow what niggle describes does not sounds "lame" compared to what you describe.

> It's possible to earn a ton and enjoy your work though. That's the real trick - finding something you like doing which is profitable.

Or finding something which you enjoy, motivates you and makes you enough money to live a comfortable, prosperous life! Not everyone would be motivated by a job which is enjoyable and generates "profit", some people want to do something which is worthwhile too.

It's a very personal thing what one person considers is worthwhile and gives job satisfaction/motivation, could not matter to others. Some jobs seem obviously "worthwhile", eg paeditrician, paramedic, teacher.



Cerulean 28 Aug 2007
In reply to rock waif:
> (In reply to Anonymous)
> [...]
>
>
> It's a very personal thing what one person considers is worthwhile and gives job satisfaction/motivation, could not matter to others. Some jobs seem obviously "worthwhile", eg paeditrician, paramedic, teacher.

Good points. That's where I am. I don't get excited by money. My car is 12 years old and I don't have the uniform Tag/ Rolex/ Omega watch - or the Saville Row tailoring. I'm still selfishly motivated though, as in I want to do something that means something to me.
 The Crow 28 Aug 2007
In reply to brothersoulshine:

You come across as a really good soul online so I wish you good luck in losing yours to your new joint-stockholding-gods.

My advice to get into the corporate job you want is to research the role you want - canvas the companies concerned, if you really want an 'in' to a company ask them for a months (unpaid) work placement or accept a temp contract (many jobs aren't advertised externally, but once in you can see these and apply - if you're any good you'll be a shoe-in). Getting a job and changing it within 6mths to a role you prefer is a really good game plan. It's worked for me on the two occasions I've been focused enough to try it.

Accept that recruitment consultants are a neccessary evil and use them, but be absolutely clear with them what you want and don't let them steer you into other roles.

And learn to interview well - this is so so important and enables you to pip better candidates time after time! This skill is easier to develop if you know someone (good) who works in HR. Practice.

All the best.
 The Crow 28 Aug 2007
Actually all that advice is as relevant to the Public Sector as the Private, but they don't pay so good.

I know little about Academia to compare, but you do - so that's ok.
 martin riddell 28 Aug 2007
In reply to Ridge:
> (In reply to martin riddell)
> [...]
>
> I hate to break this to you, but as corporate whores go that's pretty feeble
>
> Most people work those sort of hours, and usually have less holidays. If you're getting corporate whore money it sounds a nice little number!


You dont think I realise that ?

I have lived the life as a corporate whore, in the "pressure pot of London" so I know what it envolves

Corporate life does exisit outside London - just that Londoners generally do not acknowldge it

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