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In New York City, among the high paying jobs ( I mean middle class high paying jobs so not thinking of million dollar investment bankers) that pay 80,000 to 200,000 a year, they seem to fit into 3 categories:
1. Jobs that require a specific skill such as doctor engineer, technical crane opperator. The requiements are known.
2. Jobs that require innate ability at a true level: Genuis Google programers or top entry level traders or analysts.
3. Jobs that pay between 60,000 to 120,000 and while growing and changing jobs in the field requires experience,:
1. The employees do not have any super specialized degree like medicine, are not Trump Level heirs, and are not world class talented traders or computer wizes.
2. The work while "professional" does involve college educated employees, but the work itself does not require any deep innate abilities or highly specialized training
3. Any adult who was smart enough to get a 4 year degree could do the job and for that matter most high school grads could do it.
Examples that I know of:
1. A manager of a sales department that makes 120,000 a year. He just spends 6 hours a week delegating work and the other hours doing online day trading. His work could be done by any random adult on this earth who could speak high school level English
2. Middle managers that are on the 14th floor of some generic corporation making 150,000 a year in some non profit adding department like HR, human relations, training, opperations, coroporate strategy.
3. You will countless people in "Marketing" making 75,000 to 120,000 a year in generic jobs that involve brainstorming at a mediocre level, and research that is nothing more than Googleing.
Again, unlike some far left people who claim that all high paying workers are just examples of white privilege or classism,I will admit that being a specialized professional such as a doctor or even a world class real estate deal maker require are a function of training and innate ability,
but what about some generic Dave from marketing who makes 80,000 a year just googleing stuff or Sarah who is a real estate leasing agent (not at the level of Million Dollar listing), but maybe making 120,000 a year renting apartments in a building, where if a person is interested enough to come in they are likely to buy or not buy no matter what the leasing agent says.
Millions of college grads with no specialized skills end up unemployed, yet the above people while not on the track neccesarily to the 1 percent are making a very good living doing work that any unemployed college grad could do and in a few cases some of the smarter NYC Mcdonalds workers and security guards could do.
Again, Tarone who is struggling on minimum wage as a security guard downstairs could do the job of some random Dave from marketing, yet who does he not have Dave's job.
So, my question is "How does one get in New York City, the jobs the private has that pay decently, yet require no specalized skills"?
There are many jobs paying $100k within 3 years of hire.
Air traffic controller , police (particularly PAPD) Many of the many armed Federal Agencies (Department of Homeland Security) Air marshalls etc. All of the above provides on the job training you just need some college credit/college degree/general work experiene.
There are many federal agencies in NYC . Have a look.
Many college grads seek the path of least resistance. They seem to want the lucrative career without the headache of earning a useful degree or being employed in a field that is challenging.
I have stopped telling friends and family when my job and other well paying job that I know of are recruiting. They always seem to have a million reasons why they are not interested or the job requires too much responsibilities.
And many of the college grads can't seem to get through the hiring process. They can pass exams at school but real world skills are severly lacking.
Last edited by LOVEROFNYC; 02-11-2016 at 01:51 AM..
A lot of these people probably came in at lower-level jobs and proved themselves by taking on work above their pay grade. It's not a popular idea, but it works.
When I came to New York City, I knew no one, had a BA, a backpack, enough savings for two month's living expenses and a good attitude. I looked for what was hiring, and what paid well. My first job in New York was driving a 30 foot truck and delivering dorm refrigerators across five New England states. Got it from an ad in the Village Voice. Job was supposed to end 3rd week in September, but they liked how hard I worked so well they made a job for me in the home office -- which was a card table in the studio apartment of the guy who owned the business. He ran into cash difficulties, and I ended up having to take him to small claims court to get my last month's wages.
While I had that job, and was basically living in the cab of a Uhaul, I was already searching for my second job. Cleaned apartments for two other small businesses, got my typing skills up to par, registered with eight temp agencies. Asked all the temp placement officers what they were looking for, and what skills were rare. Found someone who could teach me that software (cost a $1000 for that, well worth it). Earned a rep with the temp agencies as reliable, sane, and a hard worker. Negotiated my rate higher, and specialized in second and third shift work because it paid better and there was more of it.
Always had a budget, always had two-three jobs, and was on the hustle for a third. Looked for work that other people wouldn't do that I could fit in around other jobs. Worked weekends. Dignity comes from working and paying my own bills, I'd do anything that was legal and that I could talk someone into hiring me for. Look for what the demands are, where the gaps are, the jobs others won't do. Another poster pointed out that electricians are in demand. Plumbers, roofers, a lot of the jobs that involve working with your hands -- many of the non-college trade jobs are going to face a lot of retirements. Some jobs that are always hiring: foster care investigator, drug treatment counselor. If you get dirty or have to work with people who are actively drug addicted or dangerous, there will be job openings. If you've got a good attitude, work hard and study your place of employment, you can see where the paths to advancement are -- and yes, that often means you need to cultivate the "right" people -- but you'd be surprised how many jobs have a "hidden" powerbroker who can tip a word in the right person's ear if they are impressed by you.
Always saved, lived in shared apartments, cooked at home, made consistent if small payments every month on the student loans I had from my BA. Planned to go to graduate school, saved for that, took out loans for that, worked part-time through grad school, full time during summer semesters. At every job I volunteered for every job no one wanted, took on extra responsibilities, worked long hours. Looked for free or no-cost ways to get entertained -- museums, self-guided walking tours, reading, clubs. Got a library card my first week in NYC. Was nice to everyone, from secretaries and receptionists, security guards, up to the executive suite. If you don't already know it, one of the most influential people you'll meet, who can sink your job prospects before you even start, is that receptionist or the executive secretary with the Queens/Brooklyn/Staten Island accent you gave attitude to on your way to the interview.
Expensive habits I avoided: Didn't have cable, a car, or my own apartment for the first ten years I was here. Learned a zillion great ways to cook fascinating food for extremely low money. Rarely went out to eat. Didn't buy books, theater tickets, stopped going to the movies when it got too expensive. Cut my own hair, did my own nails, washed my own clothes, avoided dry cleaning. Ate breakfast at home, and packed a lunch. If you do the math, you'd be amazed how much of your wages can be eaten up by the little things -- cell phone costs, a bagel and coffee every morning, and now getting caught in the cell phone/upgrading wars.
It can be done, but you have to really want it.
Last edited by Inquring81; 02-11-2016 at 06:17 AM..
Sounds like the OP is befuddled by dumb people at work. No need to think too much about it, just accept it for what it is. There are too many other factors besides intelligence and skills at play here the biggest of which are personality, looks/vibe, and who you know. But I agree that many people that don't have a special skill and don't have exordinary intelligence making OK money are doing elementary work that any high school student can do.
Last edited by bumblebyz; 02-11-2016 at 08:10 AM..
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