<p>There are three components to a job - safety, fun, and compensation. You usually get to pick two of three. </p>
<p>I have an awesome job that is relatively secure (same company for 27 years), is a lot of fun (consumer electronics development) but the pay sukks. Not bad, but not good either. I guess the idea of 50+ year olds developing cool toys for the rest of humanity and rubbing elbows with Apple, Google, and Microsoft are our rewards. </p>
<p>The elements of a fun job include the people you’re with, your boss, and the future. The people are awesome, most are lifers, together in the same group for 10+ years, plus a few Ashok The Intern types. The boss has had the helm for 14 years and won’t leave for the same reason we won’t. Too much fun. There is pressure, sure, especially when we have to prepare for next year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, but we can get away with things Corporate America would usually have kittens with if they knew. The future? heck, we’re now doing stuff we thought was science fiction 6 or 7 years ago. Miracles, almost (we did Siri-like stuff when voice recognition meant you could recognize your aunt’s voice on the phone 10 years ago…)</p>
<p>The key to this all is that a job - really, a career - is all about picking your fights. You want the Google jobs or the Apple jobs, sure, but once you’re 30 or 35 good luck. Want the high pay of a Hedge Fund manager, sure, put your 80 hours a week pushing Excel numbers and you’ll get it.</p>
<p>In the 14 years I’ve worked for the same guy (3 managers in 27 years) Mrs. Turbo has changed 5-6 employers and more managers than she can ever count. She’s in IT consulting, and is the polar opposite of me. No relationships, no fun, just get the work done and off to the next crisis. She can keep it.</p>