High Paying Jobs

As you've probably noticed by now, I have a somewhat unique perspective on many different issues. A blog is a great place to share these, because it's a reflection of what I personally think. I invite you to read them and respond to them, and I ultimately hope that people will be challenged in their thinking by reading my entries.

Today's topic is quite popular, although my perspective on it may not be. I just saw an article on the internet telling the top ten US cities for having strong job markets and are predicted to begin several new high paying jobs. When I hear people talk about pursuing high paying jobs, I cringe on the inside for three reasons.

First, it's foolish to dwell on money so much that it becomes an idol. As the Bible says, "The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil." The love of money may lead to dissatisfaction, greed, envy, theft, lying, or a host of other negative things.

Second, I believe that the amount of compensation a person receives should be related to factors such as how much physical effort or stress the person exerts in order to do the job. I do not believe that it should be based on how important the job is. For example, physicians and pharmacists are able to charge lots of money for healthcare because people need it at certain times. At those vulnerable times, people pretty much have to pay whatever the cost is, and I don't think that is fair. It would be best for all employees in the country who work the same number of hours and exert the same level of physical effort or stress to be paid the same amount. For example, a manual laborer could be paid the same amount as a business executive if their jobs require similar levels of effort. Similarly, receiving a raise should not necessarily be automatic (except to adjust for inflation). Rather, raises should be merit-based. When a person demonstrates that they are doing a better job since the time of their last raise, they should be eligible for another one.

Third, whenever I hear about somebody earning a lot of money, I stop to ask, "Where is that money coming from?" In a private company, the money ultimately comes from consumers. In a public position, the money comes from the state or federal treasury, which in turn comes from taxpayers. Either way, I'm paying for part of the salaries of private and public employees, so it's hard to get excited when a friend tells me that they earn a lot of money.

I'd like to cast a vision for a new approach. I would recommend salary caps based on the level of difficulty of jobs. People would then choose jobs based on what they really want to do, not just based on what pays the most money. Employees would work hard for their raises and be aware of the possibility of a pay cut if they are not working up to standard. If people choose jobs based on what they really want to do, there would probably be a lot less grumbling about job-related frustration.

Apart from socialism, this idea probably would not be able to be enforced (it may not even work with socialism). But although I cannot change the whole country, I'd like to encourage you personally to evaluate your perspective on your salary. What are your motivations? What are your frustrations? When and why do you think people should get a raise? How does your salary level impact the organization or community as a whole?

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this, so please leave a comment.