Airline Pilots: Is Anybody Interested in Being One? (AVWEB)

[Di_Vosh]

The problem of comparing careers is that no-one ever looks at the complete picture. Everyone just sees dollar signs *, guaranteed employment, or whatever they want to see without seeing any downside.

* (taken from the latest tabloid press about what that profession earns)

Has it occurred to some of you that in a mythical place like PDrRuNe or PLLBRuNe there are doctors and lawyers complaining about their work and how they should become a pilot because we all earn $500k p.a. and work 25 hours per week?

It's obvious that some of you guys have absolutely no idea about other professions, except what you get from the media. (And we know how accurate the media are... )

I know a few Doctors and Lawyers and I was an I.T. professional for 18 years. Trust me; it's not all rosy in those professions.

Medicine: Years at Uni, doing one of the more expensive degrees. Work as an intern, then resident at a major hospital. Reasonable wage, but you're working over 80 hours per week and have to study as well. One of my friends had 120 hours as the record he'd worked in a week!
The hours don't drop to something reasonable (like 45 hours per week) until a few years have gone by, and if you want to get to the dizzying heights of Surgeon (be called Mr, instead of Dr) there are years more study.
Someone mentioned Guaranteed employment? Sure, but where? You've got to be in the top 10% to get based in a capital city hospital.
GP? Sure, plenty. Mainly in the country, but you're working well over 40 hours per week; high pressure environment (lots of patients); and poorly paid and lower status than other branches of the profession.
And any medical discipline requires continuous study!

Law Depends, really. Assuming you've got the marks (or connections) to get into a major firm you'll get well paid, but will work well over 50 hours per week for the next ten or so years (assuming you want to become a partner).
Plenty of other legal work out there. Want to become a Barrister? Easy! Join the queue. Problem is, you wont earn much unless you've got solicitors behind you putting work your way. Many Barristers don't earn much at all until they've established a reputation. Some never do.

I.T. It's been a little while since I left I.T, but while graduates can earn up to 60k, many more earn in the 40's - 50's. Full-timers can expect to work more than 40 hours per week (no overtime) and generally don't earn above 100k until they're very senior. Contractors earn more, but you've got to maintain not only your skill set, but you've got to gain experience in the skill set (very hard to get a contract in a skill that you've just learned; they want some years experience in that skill).

Almost all the people I knew in their 20's have changed their careers. All the people I knew in I.T. have either left or are unhappy in their workplace but can't leave due financial reasons. Every lawyer I knew who went to Law after uni are now in other professions (except my friend who quit Blakes after becoming a partner. She is now the legal rep at a homewares company). Of my doctor friends, only one is still happy with his choice. He's now a Surgeon, but still works two days per week in Ballarat as there isn't a full-time position for him in Melbourne. One is a GP in Wangaratta (couldn't get a job in a Melbourne hospital), one is an anaesthetist and hates it, and the other one "dropped out" and is now working for MSF. Her job is very rewarding and challenging, but she earns less than $20,000.00 per year.

Moral: Be careful when comparing with other professions. You might not be as badly off as you think you are.

DIVOSH!