# What are the advantages of your chosen field? Disadvantages? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 16, 2012, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417 "2012-07-16T16:02:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/21 "2012-07-17T23:27:24Z")
Non-profit organization promoting science and technical education for disadvantaged youth Pros: Get to play with liquid nitrogen, potato cannons, and robots See kids who have never succeeded at school get excited by learning Very flexible schedule My kids think my job is cool Organization is well known and respected in the community Cons: Low pay Uncertain future Constant shilling for grants and money ---
**Author:** ![core\_dump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dec6dc/32.png) [@core\_dump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/core_dump)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/22 "2012-07-17T23:43:56Z")
Trader / White Collar Crook Pros: Make as much money as you you stomach Always something new to learn Never having to go into work or take crap from anyone, except oneself Cons: No ideas that month, no $$$ No clear distinction when the work day is over so turns into 24/7 Impossible to explain what you really do, at family gatherings Revenooers ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/23 "2012-07-18T00:00:21Z")
Deli Owner: Pros: I get to feed people good food and that’s a ton of fun. I love the interaction with the customers. Home by 4 or 5 every day. Cooking is easy and enjoyable, usually. Potential to make a very decent living. No boss telling me what to do. Cons: Very rare to get a full day off and even then it’s a Monday so everyone else is working. Not profitable yet. Working with my husband 24/7 is not really good for our marriage. I hate peeling potatoes. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/24 "2012-07-18T00:03:17Z")
Embedded device driver programmer for cell phones Pro: Free cell phones, usually very high tech and unreleased. Con: Always looking over my shoulder for the next round of layoffs -D/a ---
**Author:** ![ASanders](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asanders/32/3367_2.png) [@ASanders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASanders)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/25 "2012-07-18T00:06:08Z")
Executive director, professional association Pros: High level of autonomy Work with interesting people in an industry I am passionate about Calls for a multitude of skills\* on a regular basis, is never boring Good job security since I’ve been there forever Much potential to affect success on many levels (individual, team, project, organization) Great flexible schedule, work from home as often as not Perfect amount of travel Great benefits Is never boring (bears repeating) Cons: Won’t get rich doing this, though I am decently paid \*Every so often my diplomacy skill is stretched to the limit, dealing with writers–some of whose egos are second only to those of actors ---
**Author:** ![2gigch1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/2gigch1/32/3313_2.png) [@2gigch1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2gigch1)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/26 "2012-07-18T00:22:04Z")
Local TV News Photog / Reporter Pros: Never the same day twice Out of office most every day Get to meet interesting people Get to witness great events Get to play with some cool technology Some really great co-workers Get to work in a job where success or failure often depends solely on my own talent Cons: In order to shoot news must go work in hurricane / blizzard / heatwave / whatever Odd hours, may have to stay very, very late if needed Keep a packed bag with me, may go out of town for days without notice Work most holidays Horrible on family / marriage High back / shoulder injury rate Absolute deadlines Nationally 70% of jobs pay very poorly, 20% liveable wage, 10% decent to good No-one really understands what we do but sure as hell thinks they know ----(Ex: my political agenda, my willingness to break the law, whatever people think I do) Harassed by everybody (police, citizens, etc…) Having to talk to people during the worst days of their lives Some companies are epicly mismanaged / evil Some doubt this industry will survive much longer ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/27 "2012-07-18T04:17:44Z")
College professor – see High School teachers, but add one big advantage: Only once have I had to deal with a parent. If they call about Young Biffy’s grades , I say “Have the little Biffmeister call me himself.” Biffy doesn’t. Poor Biffy. But happy me. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/28 "2012-07-18T11:08:53Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > Deli Owner: Heh. I initially read **Dell** Owner, then tried to understand the rest…😃 ---
**Author:** ![Iggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iggy/32/3364_2.png) [@Iggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iggy)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/29 "2012-07-18T12:26:16Z")
9-1-1 Center supervisor Pros: Being the crucial help in a time of crisis Reasonably recession proof job Occasionally get thanked for what I do Work with some amazingly talented people Never know what each day will bring Relatively portable job. There are 911 centers all over. My pay is pretty ok. My benefits are very good. Some pretty cool tech at my fingertips. Cons: Callers have poor understanding of what constitutes an emergency Need to press callers for information when they are going through something horrible Need to suppress my own emotions when dealing with something that hits close to home Hearing some pretty horrifying things. Dealing with drunk callers. A lot. Never know what each day will bring. Staffing is always shorthanded Abusive callers. Pay generally is poor in the industry. In some places you might earn more working McDonalds. Performing job performance appraisals Every single center does things their own way. No continuity. The pretty cool tech breaks far too often. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2012, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/30 "2012-07-18T12:54:36Z")
I can only comment on my particular job. I work for a contractor who does work for a branch of the armed forces. My office and lab are located on base in an R&D facility. **Electrical Engineer** _Advantages_: Excellent pay. Good job security. Fairly laid back. Wear jeans and T-shirt most of the time. Boss leaves me alone. Get to play with cool hardware. Get to solve problems that perplex other people. Everyone \*thinks \*I’m real smart. I’m the “go to” guy when it comes to electrical/electronic stuff. If they only knew I’m not as smart as they think I am… _Disadvantages_: No major ones. Schooling was a bitch. Too much time is spent on paperwork and writing. Being government/military, things often do not progress as logically as they should, and inefficiencies abound. Younger engineers want me to mentor them. Some people like to look over my shoulder when I work. (I \*\*\*hate \*\*\*that. I stop working and stare at them when they do this. They eventually get the hint and go away.) Most of the people I work with are boring, conservative, white males; I wish it was more diverse. ---
**Author:** ![Battle\_Pope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Battle\_Pope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Battle_Pope)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/31 "2012-07-19T03:21:53Z")
Cartographer _Advantages:_ Interesting work. Deal with a lot of different areas of the country. Constant work load, good pay (public service). Occasional outdoors work. _Disadvantages:_ Specialised field so changing jobs can take a while. Mostly PC based work so stuck in an office. When I was in a publications area: dealing with clients who didn’t know what they wanted, just that they wanted something. No-one seems to know what a cartographer does these days ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Mouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mighty_mouse/32/7776_2.png) [@Mighty\_Mouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Mouse)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/32 "2012-07-19T03:36:30Z")
Middle manager in Finance in gigantic global corporation. Pros: Surprisingly interesting and varied challenges and projects to work on. Pay and perks pretty good. Most of the people I work with are quite intelligent, well educated, and from all over the world. Cons: Some of the positions I have had in the last 15 years have been very boring and/or frustrating. Having to deal with incompetent people we have been forced to hire because they have some connections with higher management. Quite a bit of overnight travel, miss time with my young child. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/33 "2012-07-19T12:23:29Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Heh. I initially read **Dell** Owner, then tried to understand the rest…😃 Our maintenance guy is named Dell if it helps. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/34 "2012-07-19T13:14:21Z")
Librarian in a public research university: **Advantages** : A lot of autonomy - as long as I get my job done in a timely manner, I have a lot of choice in how I do things. (there are exceptions - HR stuff and the like, but in general) I’m faculty - I get to study and write about things that I care about Libraries are changing. Higher ed is changing. I’m not sure what my job will look like in two years, but it’s fascinating to see where it’s going I get to work with students and a lot of them give me a lot of hope for the future with their enthusiasm and drive **Disadvantages** : Librarian stereotypes I have faculty status without tenure - I still have to fulfill the service and scholarship requirements, but I without the security of tenure. Librarians can be hell to work with. We’re often pedantic and passive aggressive (no, not all of us, but the profession does have some stereotypes for a reason). Add this in to the faculty governance system that’s part and parcel of most of academia and…yeah, there’s sometimes too much talking, not enough DOING for me. Managing librarians/faculty is hard. Really hard. A friend elsewhere compares the experience to herding cats. That’s pretty accurate. Budgets - less here than at my last job - there’s a lot of “everything’s online, why do you need this budget” and “I just go to the journal site from my computer and I have access” -we’ve done so well at making things seamless on campus that people don’t realize the access is paid for by us. And it costs a lot. Students - there are the ones who are very needy, but needy without being willing to learn ---
**Author:** ![Tad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/278dde/32.png) [@Tad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tad)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/35 "2012-07-19T14:06:18Z")
> [@Rachellelogram](#): > > Commercial Insurance Call Center > > **Pros:** Fairly recession-resistant. Everyone needs insurance on their cars and businesses. I can leave my work at work. Overtime is usually available, but not mandatory. Good amount of PTO and nobody cares when or why we call off (up to our annual unplanned PTO limit). All the floor employees are pretty much interchangeable, with the exception of some special assignments. But even then, they aren’t so time-sensitive that they’ll be negatively affected by a call-off here and there. The office is always cool in the summer and warm in the winter. It’s a sit-down job, and thus disability-friendly. Doesn’t require a college degree, yet provides access to a living wage and affordable health insurance. > > **Cons:** Well, it’s a call center, making it the most stressful and ridiculous job most people can imagine. We’re constantly affected by heavy turnover. I stopped trying to make nice with coworkers, after the ones I met kept leaving the company. Our stats are micromanaged, the customers suck, and nobody ever stays helped. It’s just a grinding, unremitting, awful job. Most people are unhappy, and it tends to exacerbate latent mental illness in a way that many other jobs do not. It’s a combination of the repetition and being micromanaged to the second. Of the 15 people in my training class 4 years ago, there are 4 of us left. Most quit within the first year. The rest of us are lifers, and I can see the toll it’s taking on me and on them. Most of my coworkers started getting doughy pretty quickly. Lots of call center workers take up smoking and frequent snacking, even if those weren’t past habits. > > But hey, it’s better than living with your parents! ☹ I worked at a few when I was younger and because they always hire anyone. My track record at every single one of them was awful because it’s the most emotionally and spiritually degrading and undermining work in the world. Everything you said in the CON section is exactly what it is and I can’t even believe you wrote any kind of PROs to it. I would call off “sick” weekly at every single one of these jobs. At one job, one I had as a teenager, I didn’t even go in anymore for something like six or seven months, and on the day I got back I got a raise. Then I just kept calling off because of how bad it was. Ditto for the other one, even though I needed the money, because it was actually affecting my mind. I just couldn’t live that kind of life and I swear, no matter what happens to me, I will never work in that kind of environment again. Not for any reason. Never. Just never–ever. Ever. Ever ever. Ever. Good luck to you. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/36 "2012-07-19T14:58:39Z")
Police Officer Pros: Every now and then when you do your best to help someone, they appreciate it. Being able to help people in a time of need. Decent pay. Good benefits at the end of 25 years. New challenges every day. Once you get some seniority you are able to pick a shift or work schedule that better fits your life. Cons: Despite picking my shift, long hours. The good benefits mentioned above are being eroded daily. Seeing people at the worst moment of their lives day after day. Having everyone who has watch Law and Order think they know your job better than you (“I know my rights!” Apparently you don’t). Not knowing if the next day will be filled with boredom or terror. Or the next hour. Or minute. Dead people. Dead babies. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/37 "2012-07-19T15:50:08Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Law > > _Advantages_. Can really work on achieving “justice” for people who have been harmed financially or physically (or both). Can learn something new every day. One day I might be figuring out how Freon effects the heart, and the next day how an insurance company evaluates a residential fire loss. Compensation can be good to very good. (many lawyers are struggling, however). > > _Disadvantages_. Public misconception of what we do and the value of doing it. Highly paid and well funded adversaries doing everything they can to frustrate our work. A friend said it was like trying to fly a 747 while someone else was hired to make you crash. Long hours, and you always have deadlines looming. I’ll add a couple more. Advantage: if you find yourself out of a job, you can always hang out your own shingle and be self-employed. It’s not perfect, but it’s at least a viable fallback. Disadvantage: you’re always dealing with other lawyers, and they’re not always the most “fun” bunch. They also have problems giving straight yes/no answers to any question put to them (I’m including myself in that statement). ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/38 "2012-07-19T16:21:58Z")
Earth Scientist/Engineer for a large O&G company Advantages: [ul] [li]Get to live and work in a variety of countries.[/li][li]Paid airfare for two R&R’s and one home leave. [/li][li]Because of a lack of college students earning degrees in this field I get good raises, foreign service premiums, and the occasional retention bonus.[/li][li]Get to learn a new language and experience diverse cultures.[/li][li]No unannounced visits from relatives. :)[/li][li]No WalMarts here. :D[/li][/ul] Disadvantages: [ul] [li]Hydrocarbons are usually found in third world countries so infrastructure is lacking or breaking down[/li][li]Traffic and shopping can take quite a bit of time. You have to go to different stores and markets. No Walmarts here. :mad:[/li][li]Difficult to get work visas for spouse so they have to find ways to occupy their time.[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/39 "2012-07-19T16:54:45Z")
High School Teacher: As noted above by **Manda JO** and **greenslime**. Additional Pros: -I make a difference. I teach. -Seeing the light come on behind their eyes makes most of the Cons worth it. -When you have the kids for 4 years (like my Debate team) you get to see amazing growth and development. Additional Cons: -Educational in-fighting is among the most vicious and petty in the world. That’s because the stakes are so low. -Nothing is more dangerous than an assistant principal with a Vision. (See Army Rule #7 - Nothing is more dangerous than a second lieutenant with a map.) -Sometimes you can’t save them from their stupid. [Ultimate comment on the field.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK4syxU) ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417/40 "2012-07-19T18:00:38Z")
Psychotherapist - agency based, not private practice Pros: Love the job Using my brain instead of my back, I can work without vision, legs, even deaf. As long as the brain holds out… Physically comfortable Make a difference a decent percentage of the time, sometimes dramatically Good job security/decent pay/benefits. Pretty good mobility if I wanted it (I don’t) My work helps me make better choices in how I live my own life. Smart, funny colleagues. No on-call/extra hours, etc. No pager. Generally respected profession. Constant variety - I do individual and marital therapy, run groups, give psychoeducational lectures… Cons: bureaucratic constraints on resources Can be exposed to a lot of emotional pain of others. Risk of burnout if I don’t do ongoing stress management (that’s really more of a neutral…) Tom Cruise doesn’t believe in what I do for a living. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-advantages-of-your-chosen-field-disadvantages/628417.md?page=1)