What's Your Job?

Film editor $240,000. Happy enough though I don't know how much longer I can do it. It's not easy.

Cool, r1! Are you editing high profile projects? That's some nice dough. How long have you been doing it? I mean, are you some 20-something-year-old, fresh out of college?

I'm retired and loving every minute of it.

I'm retired too, but I'm thinking about going back to work, but doing something different than what I did before. I enjoyed being an IT project manager (infrastructure, not applications) before I retired and was at the top of my game when I retired at 62. I met my financial goals for retirement so I stopped working. IT project managers can make anywhere from 100,000 to 150,000 annually. Having several (up to 10) concurrent projects was a big plus for me because it wasn't the same thing every day and new projects came along on a regular basis. Learning new technology was very interesting. However, you must have excellent organizational skills, be able to work effectively with a wide variety of people, and able to keep up with new technology.

I'm a baker, I control 6 double rack ovens turning out on average 55,000 rolls and buns per shift. I love my job, it's hard work, can be stressful but I'm well paid and when I go home I never have to think about work.

These are the most interesting answers I've ever read in a "what's your job/salary" thread

I turn tolls for a living. lol

Any pin setters?

Arthur, $12.5 million

I work in higher education administration. You get to a certain point on the ladder and most of your day consists of dealing with problems. It can be difficult to find much job satisfaction in that. I make about $75K. I could seek positions with the same or higher level or responsibility at other institutions and make more money, but more money, more problems, and less quality of life. I don't have to spend 10-12 hours a day at work (and then taking work home and working weekends), like many of my peers do.

I chose it because I loved college. Of course, that was before safe spaces and trigger warnings. There is still a lot to like about working on a college campus, but social media and helicopter parenting is undermining the emotional intelligence and mental health of students. I'm constantly amazed every day with the bullshit some of the faculty and staff can get away with. Then, of course, are the exploits of the administrations. Did you see that story about the president of Portland State stepping down? He'd been there two years and had gone through FOUR provosts. Ridiculous. One university in my area has, in the past five years, gone through three presidents and at least three provosts, not including interims.

I won't even get into the whole college admissions scandal, as that's been discussed ad nauseum.

Librarian. About $76K a year. Can't imagine doing anything else.

UK here. You Americans are funny when answering the question, "What do you do?". The usual reply is, "I am X and I earn Y".

Over here the reply is, "I am X". Rarely, if ever, would you get anyone reply with how much they earn, even if they are in the most successful of jobs.

R11, to be fair there is a strong argument that making salaries more transparent helps to eliminate discriminatory pay discrepancies.

Advertising agency creative director in LA. I love it. The work, the city, the people, everything.

What do provosts do, r9?

I'm a secretary and absolutely hate it. I'm 53 years old and make my living having to be a goddamn servant to other people. Believe me when I say this is so not what I had planned for my life. Yes, I'm grateful to just have a job and it's provided me with a decent living but boy oh boy, the things I've had to put up with ... it truly tests your limits on how much you can take. So often you're just a punching bag for someone else to hit when they're having a bad day and what can you do but take it because the rent's gotta be paid. I've thought often about trying to find other kinds of work but, at this point, I don't really know what else to do, plus as a single person, there's no one else for me to depend on, so with no support system I can't exactly take much in the way of risk. Still, at the same time, I'm not ready to just give up on my life, so I still consider ways of escaping.

I actually appreciate the creation of this thread because it gave me this opportunity to vent (and thank anyone who took the time to read it). I usually try not to dwell on it much otherwise.

Composer 550k

r15, are you able to put money away for retirement?

Self-employed translator (Dutch, French, and German into English).

Statistician, $300,000. Love the work, hate the agency.

Drag queen, $100,000

If only, r20.

Drug dealer. $ky’s the limit.

R9

Nothing

R11 -- before you post take a look at the actual question -- it says "Does it pay well." So no, most people in America do not tell people how much they make when asked what they do -- but on an anonymous board, where you can make up your salary, as it seems most posters so far have, why not answer the question?

Myself, I'm a free-lance artist and I make 15 million a year.

Marketing Director for a startup. I love it. Best job I've ever had. $150K/year plus a chunk of equity in the company.

Sorry that should read R14 - Provosts do nothing

I'm a college professor, tenured, I make about 100,000 year - which would be a decent salary were it not for the fact that I live in an area w/an extraordinarily high cost of living.

I used to love what I do - but not anymore. Research & teaching seem to have very little value by university administrators. Rather, it is now a service industry - and one that is increasingly unpleasant. Some of my students are wonderful young people, but their parents are nightmares. Students now consider a B+ a failing grade and threaten lawsuits about grades. I have to emergency preparedness training -for active shooters. Barely a term goes by when I don't have at least one female student in my office who shares with me her recent sexual assault - and thus can't complete her work. The list goes on and on and on - and now I have a 'count down' ap on my phone that is set to my retirement date - and that date can't come fast enough.

New Home Sales for a major builder. Like it and hate it $180 - $200K

Physician. Makes me want to shoot myself, but money's ok.

Retired GS-14 Federal employee. Pension around $105K. I retired at 58.

I'm a LTC with the Army Corps of Engineers. I make $125,000/yr. A bit more with the housing allowance included. I love what I do. The travels and life experience I've garnered along with the people I've met and worked with, sometimes under some really shit conditions, make it priceless.

I work in a hotel. $30k a year. 39 years old. It's the only thing I know how to do. I have no savings, I'm living paycheck to paycheck and facing eviction. I truly hate my life and contemplate suicide daily. I'm a failure.

I had friend of mine kinda in your situation [R 31]….. he picked himself up and went to welding school ( I know, I know) but he did.... He is now NEVER unemployed and works for Chevron $75,000/yr..... The point is there are trades that pay great money, and your active not sitting behind a damn desk all day. My friend is neither the most masc nor effem, just normal guy. He loves his job and surprised the shit out of all of us...….just sayin...

I'm a lobbyist. Almost $100,000, looking for a raise soon.

I retired at 55 and was making about $130K at the time. I'm 62 now and am sitting on over $2.5 million. I travel when and where I want and buy pretty much whatever strikes my fancy,. Life is good!

You are NOT a failure r31! You’re holding down a job and you’ve got skills. It’s not your fault the job pays poorly. Maybe you can get a job at a fancier hotel that pays more or parlay your experience into some other sort of job in the future, such as concierge at a resort or on a cruise ship-you could travel on the job. Even if you’re just a housekeeper, be proud. Keep on trucking, keep saving, keep dreaming, and keep scheming.

{r11} we are on an anonymous gay site. I don't go around telling people my salary in public! Most people don't.

{r2} yes I work on high profile projects, but I edit movie trailers not the actual movie. About 10 years out from retirement. Money is great but the business is changing.

R31 Someone who works as hard as you IS NOT a failure. I hope this doesn't sound facetious, but please don't give up. I know things may look bad now. My mom was an immigrant, single parent who barely spoke English, and had to raise me and my older brother with barely any assistance from my dad; his medical condition meant frequent hospitalizations. The electricity went out on us every now and then. We lived paycheck to paycheck too, but through my mother's sheer hard work, she was able to work her way up at a software company (she's in sales, had no background in this before) and help me pay for college.

So please, please don't give up. Is there a union to defend your interests? Can you ask for a raise or look into other jobs locally? I'm rooting for you!

Exec assistant, making a little over 100k, love my job.

[quote] Exec assistant, making a little over 100k, love my job.

Do they travel anywhere interesting (and do they take you)? Do you get to be a bitchy gatekeeper? Are you the real power behind the throne? Tell us, EA.

ALERT - THIS IS THE DL STALKER WHO GATHERS YOUR INFO & TRIES TO FIGURE OUT WHO THE FUCK YOU ARE. STOP ANSWERING HER QUESTIONS.

i am a jeweler .... i design for a famous singer... its been a great job and she is a wonderful boss... she is totally authentic .. i make about 150 to 200k a year and i am very lucky .... my hubby is a retired teacher he retired with 75k a year... we were both very lucky to find jobs that we loved and things that we do....

Current Federal Employee. Earn $200+. I do love it; we have good management and I accomplish something meaningful for the citizens that pay my salary. 40 hr week, great benefits, good pension when I retire in 10 years or so

And you can't afford capital letters.

I am 55 and I look like i'm 25. I make $250,000 a year. I'm a high powered professional in a position of authority.... My boyfriend is a 28yo muscular Latino top with an 8 inch cock and fucks like the energizer bunny. I live in a rent controlled apartment in NYC. I take fabulous vacations around the world. I'm a jet setter. I'm slumming it by posting on datalounge, you're lucky I even talk to you people.

[quote] I retired at 55 and was making about $130K at the time. I'm 62 now and am sitting on over $2.5 million. I travel when and where I want and buy pretty much whatever strikes my fancy,. Life is good!

And your job was???

[quote] Current Federal Employee. Earn $200+. I do love it; we have good management and I accomplish something meaningful for the citizens that pay my salary. 40 hr week, great benefits, good pension when I retire in 10 years or so

Geez, are you in management? That sounds like a good gig.

“Do they travel anywhere interesting (and do they take you)? Do you get to be a bitchy gatekeeper? Are you the real power behind the throne? Tell us, EA.”

They do travel, but without me. Not a bitchy gatekeeper, our biz doesn’t allow for bitchiness. Not the real power, but close.

Hey R19, without getting to personal, do you mind disclosing how long you've been in the field and if you have a sub-specialty? My partner is in the field ( with the same employer for a while for a while) and I've been trying to convince him he's woth more. Oh if you don't mind to, if you have a Ph. D. Thanks.

Financial consulting - hate it. Travel, stress, not truly friends with anyone I work with, deal with aggressive angry greedy people. Everyone is there for money and to support families. Just trying to save as much as I can. But slow going - even $100,000 year is only $50,000 after taxes - though the $17,500 pre tax 401k is useful.

Not sure I can waste another 10 years of my life doing this - absolutely miserable and stressed and exhausted all the time and on free time, I just want to sleep. I’ll probably die before retirement and it’s all for nothing. Capitalism sucks.

I was a pharmacist. I picked the career solely for the money. I fucking hate it. I work at an insurance company now, making a lot less than I did working in a drug store. Working in insurance isn't great, but it's a hell of a lot better than working with the public. The cut in pay is worth it to me

r50, where do you live where you pay 50% of your income in taxes, Sweden?

I'm a ho. I make $500,000 a year.

[quote]I was a pharmacist. I picked the career solely for the money.

Do you have to go to medical school for that?

I work in public administration. No, the salary is not great. It's ok though.

In NYC, taxes eat up to 50% - especially if self-incorporated as a consultant. Now with the Trump “tax cut” which actually INCREASED taxes for everyone from NY and CA, taxes are a significant impact. Basically Trump has made us pay doible tax - city/state and then taxes on that to the IRS.

Still make more in NYC than I would elsewhere, so not an option to move to some tax-free haven. But when trying to get out of debt and save for retirement, the working salary slave is being taxed and beaten by the 1%

R54, no, but I went to college for 7 years. And it cost a fortune