Your dream job you could actually achieve?

Vergilius said:
Mine would be teaching literature at the university full time... I could probably get that if I really went for it...

But these days, working conditions at the humanities where I live are pretty miserable: you are constantly employed on short term contracts. You are competing with your co-workers for funding, creating a hostile environment - and even when you are not, you rarely cooperate... you haven't got much of a relationship with your students.

I'd gain a slightly higher wage and getting to teach higher level stuff to bright people - and a degree of social prestige... but I'd lose a hell of a lot in my current job that makes my life worth living.
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Yeah, adjunct work is laughably low-paying, especially in the humanities. Full-time adjuncts (which is also very competitive) do better but still nothing like tenured professors.

My dream job would also be tenured college professor. You get to research the type of material you're very much interested in and then you get to teach it/discuss it with students. Some of those discussions are amazing and you really can get a "teachers' high" after a good session.

The pay is good and you're very comfortably middle/upper-middle class, but the vast majority of scholars aren't super interested in making as much money as possible anyway. The bad thing is that, like everything else in society, it's becoming more money-driven. Getting grants is the most important thing so that shapes your "research interests." You're interested in a particular topic? Well, it better be interesting to some funding institution as well...
 
Possum Jenkins said:
Yeah, adjunct work is laughably low-paying, especially in the humanities. Full-time adjuncts (which is also very competitive) do better but still nothing like tenured professors.

My dream job would also be tenured college professor. You get to research the type of material you're very much interested in and then you get to teach it/discuss it with students. Some of those discussions are amazing and you really can get a "teachers' high" after a good session.

The pay is good and you're very comfortably middle/upper-middle class, but the vast majority of scholars aren't super interested in making as much money as possible anyway. The bad thing is that, like everything else in society, it's becoming more money-driven. Getting grants is the most important thing so that shapes your "research interests." You're interested in a particular topic? Well, it better be interesting to some funding institution as well...
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Indeed, getting to spend time reading and doing deep research in something that interests you... that would be a dream. But as you say, it's precious few who get to do that, even at the university level as there is a political game to play for funding. It's a bit of a shame.

I teach a few university classes, but mostly do high school. I'm in a position where I am part of a group designing the yearly exams for my subject and I even have influence over the curriculum (these things are less glorious than they sound - there are fun, intellectual moments, but also a LOT of proof-reading and worrying about how people will react to any little change).

...but what I actually enjoy is the daily grind of teaching and having a relationship with a class of young people, whether they are smart or dumb. Young people are so open and alive and, in my experience, respond so positively to any authority figure who actually likes them and enjoys spending time with them. It's not prestigious at all and some people even pity you for doing that job. I occasionally feel that I do all the other stuff just to avoid feeling like a loser socially among friends and family. Maybe I already have my dream job, but am just scared to admit it.

Anyway, that's my diary done for the day.
 
I'm in my upper 30s and still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. I like-ish my job meow, more so than any other despite its difficulties and BS. The effort to reward ratio is good, it's stable and I don't hate going to work.

Maybe taking care of animals or maintaining parks. General labor. I don't know. I definitely like working outside though. Remote work is also appealing. My interests I prefer to do in my off time.
 
Vergilius said:
Indeed, getting to spend time reading and doing deep research in something that interests you... that would be a dream. But as you say, it's precious few who get to do that, even at the university level as there is a political game to play for funding. It's a bit of a shame.

I teach a few university classes, but mostly do high school. I'm in a position where I am part of a group designing the yearly exams for my subject and I even have influence over the curriculum (these things are less glorious than they sound - there are fun, intellectual moments, but also a LOT of proof-reading and worrying about how people will react to any little change).

...but what I actually enjoy is the daily grind of teaching and having a relationship with a class of young people, whether they are smart or dumb. Young people are so open and alive and, in my experience, respond so positively to any authority figure who actually likes them and enjoys spending time with them. It's not prestigious at all and some people even pity you for doing that job. I occasionally feel that I do all the other stuff just to avoid feeling like a loser socially among friends and family. Maybe I already have my dream job, but am just scared to admit it.

Anyway, that's my diary done for the day.
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Same here. Teaching young people that are curious and interested in your subject feels great. You get a few of those at the high school level, but there's obviously way, way more in college.

But aside from the funding factor, getting tenure-track work is also unbelievably competitive, especially in the humanities. I think I read that there are something like 15 new PhDs every year for every newly available position that opens up. It's less in the social sciences and even less in the natural sciences, but even there, there's still more graduates than there are positions.

So you end up having to move every couple of years chasing postdocs, "visiting lecturer" positions, until you finally get a tenure-track offer... when you're 35... in rural Kansas or something. Some people are so into it they'll chase that until they get their dream job when they're 50 or something. Gotta admire that sort of drive.
 
Opening a marine canvas shop doing boat covers and upholstery. I did an apprenticeship in naval shipyard sail loft and did a lot of containment design and industrial sewing before I shifted careers to my current job, but I still look back fondly from those days.

I do it on the side now, but my space and time is really limited so can only take on small side jobs. I would love to build a shop, quit my job and do the canvas gig full time.

Were doing a home remodel right now with plans to add a big shop, so the plan is to build the space over the next couple of years. Doubtful I'll quit my job since I have great benefits and retirement so planning on just planning on doing it on he side building up clientele and retire as soon as I have age and then run it full time. Dream would be to have my kids work with me and take over the business one day while Dad works for them.
 
There really isn’t a dream job for me. Anything I do, no matter how much I enjoy it, becomes a chore if I have to do it.
 
666 said:
Mine would be a marine biologist diver. I like being in water and exploring the unknown has always seemed sick to me.

I know I'm not ever going to be an astronaut or gynecologist but being the guy who dives into the ocean and helps the marine biologist nerds I feel like I could do it.

So that's my dream job that's actually within grasp. What's yours?
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You can have my PADI C card I never use it anymore. Its all fun and games till a shark thinks ur a seal.
Better get nitrox c card too the bends are no joke.
 
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MXZT said:
Now I thought it over perhaps an Uber driver. lol
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I've actually thought of being a skip the dishes driver in my spare time. That way you don't have to deal with fucked up passengers and still get to drive around really getting to know the area.
 
Already working mine, but my retirement dream job would either be a woodworker, or a range officer. Neither are out of reach.
 
nostradumbass said:
Why on earth would you want to be an astronaut or gynecologist? Astronauts don't just chill in space, it's a really strict nerd job, and Mike Rowe should feature gynecologist on "dirty jobs". It's a bunch of fat old ladies with disgusting vaginas, and if a hot chick in her 20s ever does come in, it's probably because she has some STD and needs you to look at all her scabs.

Wouldn't mind being a boat captain when I'm older and retired from stuff that makes more money.
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Dude being an astronaut would be dope. Especially going on a mission to the moon or some shit. I imagine being on the ISS would be amazing at first but the scenery and experience probably would get a bit old after awhile.

As for being a gyno.. Yea maybe not the best idea when you put it like that. Guess I'd only accept certain patients.
 
Vergilius said:
Mine would be teaching literature at the university full time... I could probably get that if I really went for it...

But these days, working conditions at the humanities where I live are pretty miserable: you are constantly employed on short term contracts. You are competing with your co-workers for funding, creating a hostile environment - and even when you are not, you rarely cooperate... you haven't got much of a relationship with your students.

I'd gain a slightly higher wage and getting to teach higher level stuff to bright people - and a degree of social prestige... but I'd lose a hell of a lot in my current job that makes my life worth living.
Click to expand...

It's actually really hard to get into academia. I'm in academia and been was on the last search committee for our department. My univesity isn't that well known and we have a small department. We still had between 50 and 100 candidates for each position. Many were very highly qualified.
 
I own and run a contracting company. Honestly, this is my dream job. The only thing is I wish I was able to be on the tools more. I fuckin love fixing things and being the guy tbh. I think that feeling of getting a mill running again is better than sex or at least the same.

I quit my job managing someone else’s shit and went full time on my own a few years ago. I decided if I was going to deal with stress, I’d want my name on the trucks and to do things my way. It was really scary and hard to go all in and put my money where my mouth is but it paid off. I saw a niche locally and I was able to capitalize on it.

My father lived his dream too till the day he died. He did very well for a guy who grew up dirt poor. He got out of jail at 25 (beat up a cop) after his minor league hockey career failed and started fixing trucks for a living. Eventually, he started driving too and on the coaxing and leadership from my mom, he became an owner/operator and grew from there. He also owned a restaurant later on which still runs (under different ownership) today.

Being your own boss is far from as glamorous as people tell you it is and there’s a lot of pretentious douches who only want to do it for image. If you can find something you enjoy doing and be your own boss while you do it, I don’t think it gets much better though. My buddy is a plumber and we’ve talked about this a lot. He thinks the same way.
 
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