This takes some start-up time, but accounting can work for this. Without higher ed you can get various low-level positions in large corporations and if you’re smart you work up quickly. The work process is likely to be old and very inefficient, with some computer savvy you can streamline your work and slowly phase out duplicated labor. And the work naturally comes in cycles—quarter-ends are rough, the rest of the time is fairly light. It’s been a few years, but now (aside from 2 weeks per quarter) I only actually labor for 20 hours/week. The down side is that you do still have to be at the office for 40 hours, but if you can be productive at your computer, or read surreptitiously (eReaders are great), that time isn’t lost. And it pays fairly well.
Do you find the office environment conducive to doing your own reading or projects? I remember just being at school could be draining, even when I didn’t do much of anything. Would you mind describing the kinds of things you’re actually doing when you’re working? Does it pay well enough to save up a couple years of living expenses quickly?
I can read fine, I’ve taken up writing, and I do most of my online-doable chores & blog reading. And reply to LW posts. ;) I suppose it depends on your office but mine is cool.
When I’m actually working it’s a lot of number juggling on spreadsheets, pulling data from databases, and tracking down where money went and why it wasn’t entered into our system the way it was supposed to be. About half of it requires little enough concentration that I can listen to podcasts while doing it. The other half takes actual mental effort.
The pay right now—yeah. Starting pay is lower, I’ve been in the game for a while. And it depends on how you live. After bonus I make aprox 66k/year, which isn’t spectacular, but is more than enough for me, and seems fair based on how much free time I get at work. I’ve had to start investing my money, because it was piling up and doing nothing.
This takes some start-up time, but accounting can work for this. Without higher ed you can get various low-level positions in large corporations and if you’re smart you work up quickly. The work process is likely to be old and very inefficient, with some computer savvy you can streamline your work and slowly phase out duplicated labor. And the work naturally comes in cycles—quarter-ends are rough, the rest of the time is fairly light. It’s been a few years, but now (aside from 2 weeks per quarter) I only actually labor for 20 hours/week. The down side is that you do still have to be at the office for 40 hours, but if you can be productive at your computer, or read surreptitiously (eReaders are great), that time isn’t lost. And it pays fairly well.
Thanks, potentially helpful, upvoted.
Do you find the office environment conducive to doing your own reading or projects? I remember just being at school could be draining, even when I didn’t do much of anything. Would you mind describing the kinds of things you’re actually doing when you’re working? Does it pay well enough to save up a couple years of living expenses quickly?
I can read fine, I’ve taken up writing, and I do most of my online-doable chores & blog reading. And reply to LW posts. ;) I suppose it depends on your office but mine is cool.
When I’m actually working it’s a lot of number juggling on spreadsheets, pulling data from databases, and tracking down where money went and why it wasn’t entered into our system the way it was supposed to be. About half of it requires little enough concentration that I can listen to podcasts while doing it. The other half takes actual mental effort.
The pay right now—yeah. Starting pay is lower, I’ve been in the game for a while. And it depends on how you live. After bonus I make aprox 66k/year, which isn’t spectacular, but is more than enough for me, and seems fair based on how much free time I get at work. I’ve had to start investing my money, because it was piling up and doing nothing.
As a former boss of mine used to say: “Bloody five o-clocker”