Do any well-paid jobs exist in the UK?

captain dilbert

captain dilbert

captain dilbert

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Myself - qualified civil engineer (design [permanent & temporary works) and setting out on site), first class degree; highest salary I've earned was 33k (gross). After tax it left me with little more than a living wage - certainly not enough money to live, purchase a home and start a pension. In fact after paying for business car insurance it left me just about breaking even after a period of intense work and saving - bear in mind I live a very frugal lifestyle and rent a small room in 10 person house share. Came to the conclusion the job wasn't worth the stress for such remuneration, handed in my notice in in July and I'm off the the job centre today. No intention of practising in that line of work again.

If a civil engineer with a first class degree can't earn a good net salary - who can? Conclude 95% of the population's earning nothing more than a paltry living wage?
 
Jacking in your job because you don't like it works when you're a teenager living with parents, but as an adult with mortgage/rent etc. it is a very foolish move imo.
You only do that once you have a better job offer.
Also if you're living a peasantry lifestyle on 33k you're doing something wrong.

This is coming from 29 year old Design Engineer.
 
Better salaries come with experience as you prove you can do the job. Handing in your notice without another role to go to is really not going to help.
 
Not happy with the money you're getting so you quit and go from 33k to job seekers allowance.

Using the same logic, didn't secure another job before quitting the first one. In fact you put in your notice in four months ago and only now are looking for a job... what the heck?

Now no income, no job, just bills.
 
How do you deem 33k as only slightly better than a living wage?

And how on earth do you think you'll be better off on benefits?

The mind boggles.
 
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Move somewhere else where you're not struggling for cash? If you've got savings towards a house you're not going to get anything in jobseekers and they'll want you to apply to roles they have available so good luck applying for call centre and office admin roles that will probably start you off on minimum wage.
 
I'm on more than that at 29 with a 2.1 from a place just about classing as a university in an IT role. There's plenty of well paid jobs going you've just got to find them and get them.
 
I do honestly think some people need a reality check in life.

Anyway - wouldn't take too much notice of this thread - just check the history of the OP's posts in other threads.......
 
I'm on a lower salary than yourself as a trainee auditor with more commitments than you have alluded to and it's more than enough for me to have a great lifestyle.
 
To answer a few recurring (yet irrelevant to the thread title) questions:

I'm leaving rented accommodation and will be residing full-time in a converted van - 'avoiding homelessness' essentially.

33k after deductions (income tax and student tax) is less than a few grand a month. Don't know what job, lifestyle / salary responding posters are partaking / earning, but for the job I was doing on a daily basis - setting out permanent works on building sites which entails a great deal of responsibility, being outdoors in every type of weather (inclement / hot & humid [every day last summer]), daily commuting to alternating locations on heavily gridlocked roads, red-tape and highly pressured site work: <2k per month is not close to a worthwhile income, completely negating the physical/mental health implications. Baring in mind my skills, qualifications, house prices and future provisions; I'd value such a job at 70k net to make it feasible (~138000k gross FYI). So not even close. I'd define a living wage as 1.5k net per month; just covering the basics, there's not much left after living existing on that.

As someone correctly indicated - I quit my job without any lineups, as no jobs pay reasonable salaries - hence this thread to seek out 'well paid jobs' or confirm my belief that 95% of the population are existing on paltry living wages. The UK is not a prosperous country; I never participate in rigged games. Anyway from the few responses it seems as though the majority are content with their small salaries - which is why salaries will remain that way.
 
Surprise as you value your work higher than your employer values it. £70k?!!!! Lol
 
Yes the jobs exist. Yes employers take the mick with salaries - so you need to change jobs to get more money.

You know you've found the right employer when you work your butt off and actually get a promotion and pay rise as recognition.

Yes the majority of the population is earning barely enough to live. No they're not satisfied with that, but they don't know how to fix it.
 
Probably not happy with the working conditions tbh.

I'm on sub 25k and can live to some extent, I could go out on a boozer once a month if I wanted, me and my partner goto the cinema at least once a month, we go out for meals a few times also, so things are do able. My saving grace is rent is cheap for me currently, otherwise I'd be screwed.

Not happy with the wage though? Then yes, look to leave, but only if you HAVE to. Only once have I left a job, and that's because it was destroying my soul and I was in a position that I could leave.
 
captain dilbert said:
To answer a few recurring (yet irrelevant to the thread title) questions:

I'm leaving rented accommodation and will be residing full-time in a converted van - 'avoiding homelessness' essentially.

33k after deductions (income tax and student tax) is less than a few grand a month. Don't know what job, lifestyle / salary responding posters are partaking / earning, but for the job I was doing on a daily basis - setting out permanent works on building sites which entails a great deal of responsibility, being outdoors in every type of weather (inclement / hot & humid [every day last summer]), daily commuting to alternating locations on heavily gridlocked roads, red-tape and highly pressured site work: <2k per month is not close to a worthwhile income, completely negating the physical/mental health implications. Baring in mind my skills, qualifications, house prices and future provisions; I'd value such a job at 70k net to make it feasible (~138000k gross FYI). So not even close. I'd define a living wage as 1.5k net per month; just covering the basics, there's not much left after living existing on that.

As someone correctly indicated - I quit my job without any lineups, as no jobs pay reasonable salaries - hence this thread to seek out 'well paid jobs' or confirm my belief that 95% of the population are existing on paltry living wages. The UK is not a prosperous country; I never participate in rigged games. Anyway from the few responses it seems as though the majority are content with their small salaries - which is why salaries will remain that way.
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I'd say that's on a par with a lot of people's responsibilities including my own.
 
MM-Seat said:
I'd say that's on a par with a lot of people's responsibilities including my own.
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Well I don't have the commute - but same deal as my job really - responsible for two teams of people and a large building, work both indoor and outdoor in all weathers, red tape and lots of pressure.

Don't totally disagree with the OP though - moved back in with my parents so as to actually have some spending money and be able to save for somewhere in the future that wasn't a miserable hovel - in the South and especially South East things have got a bit expensive of late especially if you are single and trying to afford house/flat that is otherwise commensurate with your living standard.
 
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