professional/salaried jobs

[mkt]

I never said it wasn't...I'm just saying that with the mass amount of unemployed you have a slim chance of getting employment no matter what your education status is.

I agree... but rather than lose hope at that, I'm viewing it as an opportunity to improve my credentials and should the economy recover, I'll be better positioned to get a higher paying job off the bat.... or conversely, should it stay in the crapper, I'll either be better positioned against the mass of candidates fighting for the jobs, or I'll be a better candidate for either a work permit or permanent residency in a country with better prospects.

 

[elisatonks]

They can't pay them a decent wage, but you are right... they are desperate for teachers. If you have an advanced degree, why don't you try to become adjunct faculty at a college?

Actually the pay over here in the US is alot better than what teachers earn in my native Country (UK), the average starting rate in florida is $35K, compared with 21K in the UK (a teacher in the UK is lucky to reach beyond 45K in there whole career, unless they become a headteacher, yet the average wage in FL is approx $45K, and in Ca, its in $60'sK) I can easily live on $35K comfortably, esp when you add DH wage to it. Plus when Disney start hiring seasonal again, i can always apply to go seasonal and can work during the school holidays. :ROFLOL:

The thought of teaching in a college doesn't appeal to me, i would prefer to try and help ensure every child is given the opportunity to learn enough to get to college in the first place.

 

[cm1988]

60K jobs at WDW

Sounds like you do training or training development work. You would have to be hired as Manager to earn $60k over there.

As mentioned previously, higher pay is in the technical areas. I worked in one of those for over 10 years... after over 5 years working in the parks.

What I found was those first five years were the classic "working at WDW" experience that many people seem to crave. Ok, I admit to being one of those people who just had to work at Disney. As a result, WDW gets thousands of unsolicited applications every week. Welcome to the slush pile!

Or, troop on into the Casting Center, as I did, and take a huge pay cut and stand out in the parks with the College Program folks and everyone else not earning enough to live on. It's like being at the base of a really wide pyramid and a lot of people at every level are struggling to climb up just a little further. I applied to over 100 opportunities internally before someone finally just created one for me... no interview, no competition, just a new role. That does happen from time to time but as you wait for that, years roll by and you are not making enough money to live on. Your savings diminish or you get two jobs or your spouse gets a paying job.

Once you get to the higher level... like the 60K you speak of... you are not onstage experiencing the magic. You are in a business very much like any other business. See "Office Space" by Mike Judge or read up on Dilbert. You are making decent money, but you have lost the main reason you came to WDW in the first place.

If you are young and can afford to do the College Program, hey, do it. You will have fun, experience the magic and learn about working for a big corporation. It won't be 100% fun but certainly worthwhile and a good career start.

If you are older and have a career elsewhere, my suggestion would be join DVC or just plan on taking periodic vacations at WDW resorts. Yes it is magical, but don't try to make a career of it. Just have fun!

 

[KeithVH]

And not to pile on her but when you end up in corporate, you then get to worry whether the axe will fall and you'll get RIF'd, especialy as low person on the totem pole You need to do two things - (a) find a role which makes you indespensable to the company and (b) demonstrate how your performance has business impact and affects the bottom line. As a manager that's the kind of thing that I look for