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Old 04-29-2016, 08:03 AM
 
Location: MetroWest Boston
317 posts, read 430,896 times
Reputation: 412

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Quote:
Originally Posted by 3cents View Post
Some people in their late 30s still can't comfortably afford a $650K house. I'm an example, as I've just started working for a couple of years due to that PhD and postdoc.

Some, as if these people are the exception?
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Old 04-29-2016, 08:13 AM
 
Location: 42°22'55.2"N 71°24'46.8"W
4,848 posts, read 11,805,876 times
Reputation: 2962
Quote:
Originally Posted by massnative71 View Post
I think a lot of people on this MA forum, forget that the average employee in the area earns somewhere around $40-50k per year. It's easy to do if one works in a high paying field and who's acquaintances are all generally within the same vocation and/or similar spot on the economic totem pole. Not any single person's fault, just how things are today. It's apparent in reading the posts on this forum, people really do live in completely different worlds...
Thank you for sharing this. When I started reading stories like this online (on here and on other forums) I just shook my head because I don't know of anyone making that little money in real life. I always related someone's socioeconomic status with their work ethic, but over the past few years since turning 30 I realize that's only a small part of it. I'm pretty embarrassed to admit that I've been in my own little bubble of affluence since I was born. Everyone I know my age works hard, but due to not having the burden of student loans they were all able to afford a house in a nice town as they start a family.

As I get older and meet more people in different companies and industries, I'm starting to realize luck is the biggest factor in a young person's financial success. Once people hit mid-career, I think work ethic and ability becomes more pronounced among people in different socioeconomic classes. Management positions pay well no matter what field you're in. There's only so many years someone can complain about how their family's financial situation held them back when they were growing up. After a certain point, you need to take responsibility and make your own path.
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Old 04-29-2016, 08:48 AM
 
3,176 posts, read 3,693,742 times
Reputation: 2676
Quote:
Originally Posted by Parsec View Post
Thank you for sharing this. When I started reading stories like this online (on here and on other forums) I just shook my head because I don't know of anyone making that little money in real life. I always related someone's socioeconomic status with their work ethic, but over the past few years since turning 30 I realize that's only a small part of it. I'm pretty embarrassed to admit that I've been in my own little bubble of affluence since I was born. Everyone I know my age works hard, but due to not having the burden of student loans they were all able to afford a house in a nice town as they start a family.

As I get older and meet more people in different companies and industries, I'm starting to realize luck is the biggest factor in a young person's financial success. Once people hit mid-career, I think work ethic and ability becomes more pronounced among people in different socioeconomic classes. Management positions pay well no matter what field you're in. There's only so many years someone can complain about how their family's financial situation held them back when they were growing up. After a certain point, you need to take responsibility and make your own path.
Many managerial jobs really don't pay that much and the title of "manager" is often more ceremonial (aka an excuse to work you to death for no extra pay)... I'm not really sure how you arrived at your conclusion that management automatically pays well.

And it's not just about responsibility and path. Most people will never make 6 figures no matter how much or how long they work. They didn't do anything wrong, that's just how the cards fell for them.
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Old 04-29-2016, 09:21 AM
 
Location: RI, MA, VT, WI, IL, CA, IN (that one sucked), KY
41,938 posts, read 36,935,179 times
Reputation: 40635
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dm84 View Post
Many managerial jobs really don't pay that much and the title of "manager" is often more ceremonial (aka an excuse to work you to death for no extra pay)... I'm not really sure how you arrived at your conclusion that management automatically pays well.
Yeah, me either, I know mid career people that supervise dozens, even scores of individuals on a team/teams that aren't ever cracking six figures. Industry has a lot to do with it.
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Old 04-29-2016, 09:41 AM
 
Location: The Moon
1,717 posts, read 1,805,557 times
Reputation: 1919
Quote:
Originally Posted by timberline742 View Post
Yeah, me either, I know mid career people that supervise dozens, even scores of individuals on a team/teams that aren't ever cracking six figures. Industry has a lot to do with it.
And with OT, some of us subordinates make quite a bit more than our managers.

I would never take a management job if my pay was lower on an hourly basis.
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Old 04-29-2016, 10:33 AM
 
15,793 posts, read 20,472,889 times
Reputation: 20969
Quote:
Originally Posted by timberline742 View Post
Yeah, me either, I know mid career people that supervise dozens, even scores of individuals on a team/teams that aren't ever cracking six figures. Industry has a lot to do with it.

Depends on the industry really. In my field, management does pay more.

It also comes with more work and travel and sitting in front of a customer and telling them why your product delay is about to cost them many millions of dollars.


No thanks. I'll stay where I am
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Old 04-29-2016, 10:49 AM
 
3,268 posts, read 3,319,953 times
Reputation: 2682
Default Re

Wow you are all so successful and amazing. I dont know how the world survives without you and you are so much better than the average American. Go you.
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Old 04-29-2016, 12:14 PM
 
Location: North of Boston
560 posts, read 750,975 times
Reputation: 651
Quote:
Originally Posted by Whatsnext75 View Post
Wow you are all so successful and amazing. I dont know how the world survives without you and you are so much better than the average American. Go you.
That is obnoxious.

no one said they are "better" than anyone else. Just outlined their different paths/situations. As mentioned before, people tend to only hang with those in their socioeconomic circle so a little perspective tends to help.

ultimately, some people have it better than you, some worse. Just be happy with what you have.
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Old 04-29-2016, 12:30 PM
 
Location: Ohio
2,310 posts, read 6,822,200 times
Reputation: 1950
Quote:
Originally Posted by timberline742 View Post
Yeah, me either, I know mid career people that supervise dozens, even scores of individuals on a team/teams that aren't ever cracking six figures. Industry has a lot to do with it.
Luck, field of work (industry), and college major - I'd image if a group of college kids all equally smart and hardworking were to be tracked for 20 yrs, the Engineers and Finance majors will have higher salaries than the biology or psychology majors.

I went to a small-medium high ranking liberal arts college. I remember that job prospect was never brought up. When it was time to choose a major (2nd yr), it was only 'what you feel passionate about', 'what you excel at', etc. I think we need to get kids more exposure to real life so they have better perspective earlier. Too many bright kids rack up a load of college loans just to end up with a 30K job. Also, getting a PhD is not guaranteed to equate to a good living. There are actually a whole lot of post-docs doing 'cheap labor' because they have not landed a real job.

I feel I was 20 years too late learning what making a living means. Good thing luck was on my side though - must have done something good in my past life. I simply got bored and jumped ship early in my career from doing pure science (lab rat) to an applied science field (a professional field of work that requires good math & science skills). Then, out of the blue (also out of boredom), applied for a job and somehow got in the door with a large reputable company. Now I'm earning more than 3x more in comparison to what I was doing early on (and I'm sure it's not just all inflation adjustment). If I stuck with my initial field of career, I'd earn much less today.

So in my limited lens, someone making 40-50K is not any more or less smart, hardworking, bright or successful than someone else making 250K+. In fact, one person can have the same job title and essentially do the same job function and earn much less than someone working at another company. Or, someone may have the same job 20 yrs earlier and now is retired with full pension while a young person doing the same job now will not have the pension or medical benefits that would've provided the cushy retirement when he retires in the next 20+ yrs.

Last edited by mmyk72; 04-29-2016 at 01:14 PM..
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Old 04-29-2016, 12:41 PM
 
3,268 posts, read 3,319,953 times
Reputation: 2682
Default Re

seems like everytime i read these types of threads they always end up with people talking about how much money they make and yes basically saying how successful they are in life because of their income. It's like they come here to remind themselves and compare themselves to others. Particularly parsec and mikeboston7 or whatever his name is.
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