To think that SOME high earners don't work that hard?

[Usernamemcname]

I'm a domestic cleaner. The people I clean for are usually quite well off, five bedrooms in a posh suburb of an expensive city. They are often in whilst I clean, sometimes they come back whilst I'm here.
I see a lot and I know they are in quite high paid jobs. Yet they always seem to be 'working from home' also known as fannying about the kitchen a lot and playing X Box. A lot of them either start late (10am so they miss the traffic) and finish early. One dad picks his daughter up from school every day even though his wife is at home!
I was always told that you have to work hard to get what you want in life, so why do I have to work two jobs whilst my partner works 45+ hours and we just scrape by? What have these people done to be so lucky? They're not old, seem around my age, what jobs do they do and why can't I do them, I have a degree.
Life just seems unfair sometimes. Unless it's a doctor, I'm sure I could have a crack at it.

Op whilst certainly life does not come with a level playing field and other get more of an push start, you are where you are. So the key is where you go from here.

You say:
“I'm currently working every extra shift that comes my way, volunteering in training new starters, helping out with fundraising, using conversations I have with people during lunch break to make connections with those in better positions.”

Ok well I go back to my opening activity v progress point. What is it you are attempting to achieve here? What is your goal? Are you seeking higher graded roles in what you do here and is that what you really want?

But let’s say a more senior version of what you do now is the aim. Then you need to look at how do you get that - what is the process? What is the criteria (I’m assuming the nhs interviews re points based) and how do you get the best scores? Then you map that against what you are doing. So for example does doing every extra available shift actually help you get there, perhaps not. Now if you’re doing it for the extra cash that’s fine but don’t confuse the two.

Also you mention leaving at 3, great lifestyle point sure. But the number of professional jobs that in their early years gives you that type of flexibility is tiny. Normally working limited hours is picked up by long serving experienced professionals who have a lot of value add. So if you want to professionalise you’re going to have to accept that comes with its own compromises.

my posh friend presents herself terribly! Greasy hair, body odour, un-ironed clothes. Does posh trump presentation? We worked together and she used to be a band 5 admin whilst I'm a band 3. So she was on considerably more money.

She is one example of someone who is lucky. Thats not the rest of us. Because your rich friend found it easy doesnt mean the majority do.

I suffer from depression and anxiety and was brought up with someone with a personailty disorder. I am also a woman. So yes disadvantaged.

And no it hasnt been easy. I have said over and over that I have constantly worked at it. Researched how to write a CV, a cover letter, what courses help, what wont help, what experience, what evidence. Keeping my CV online upto date, pushing for more money.

Some people call it luck and there might be a small element. But I was found by a head hunter because my CV is 20 years in the making. You could do my job if you spend the next 20 years building your CV and 13 years specialising and always improving your knowledge and experience. I listen to TED talks 3 or 4 times a week. Constantly research. Everything I do has my CV in mind. I dont take jobs with no progression. I dont do courses because I enjoy them. I do them to fill a gap. I did not have great parents to show me the way.

Yes, people from well off backgrounds may have it easier. But it's still possible.

Sorry to be harsh but its seems you think because some people have it easy you should have had a lucky break. Facts are most people have to put a lot of work in. Some people win the lottery. Is that not fair?

I fundamentally disagree with people earning more than they need because we are not all on an even playing field to begin with

And that's always the same. My son has aspergers. Not matter how much I earn, he isnt on a level playing field.

Who gets to decide how much 'need' is? What will drive people to improve? To keep working harder. Some people will still strive to improve but lots wont.

I can bet you would think differently if you had at least met some of your goals.

Fact is you need to change your thinking. Doesnt matter what your rich friend does. Moaning isnt really improving anything for you, is it?

It seems that it doesnt matter that many of us were in similar or worse situations than you, you just keep saying 'but my rich friend....' or 'no one has given me a chance'.

I want to look like a Victoria secret model. But I really like cake and not fussed about the gym, or stunningly gorgeous. I can either keep moaning about that or accept it. If I want to look like a VS model I need to seriously overhaul my diet, add exercise and probably get loads of cosmetic surgery done. Moaning wont sort it. I either overhaul my life or accept things as they are. It's the same with you. You want the high earning money, but dont want to change what you are doing

I've met a lot of clueless middle upper class kids in my life whose parents write their CV's and apply for graduate schemes on their behalf, ring in favours with friends, offer work experience swaps with other well connected people.

I believe it.

The thing is, on this thread, no one has said that is how they got where they are today. Despite this, you keep coming back to the idea.

You do really need to let that part of it go.

To earn well you need to have a combination of luck, hard graft, smart brains and be a risk taker. Just one of those elements on their own isn't going to get you anywhere. my job you definitely won't be able to do. Not cos your not smart. I'm sure you are. You'll need a few years real technical deployment as well as qualified and examined technical knowledge to do what I do. Very very few people do, because of that...and I'm paid a top wage. If things go wrong, I'm responsible for millions of $ and hundreds of people's livelihood. If it goes wrong in your job, very few suffer. . I grafted 20+ years to be able to do what I do. Do I work hard, no I don't. But I work ultra smart. Going professional rates is £300+ an hour.

The world is unfair op. The people that work the hardest usually earn the least. All these people talking about how people who earn lots of money have taken risks - you are much more able to take risks when you have family/money/connections to fall back on. We can't all be high earners, regardless of how hard we work, because the whole capitalist system would fall apart. It is 90% luck.

When I was teaching 30 kids in a classroom my headteacher would be sitting in his office with a coffee and a cake brought by the kitchen staff phoning his mum. I know because he told us.

LOL.

Fact is, no one owes you nothing. Many people in a position to pay the commanded salaries won't agree with you. And all the complaints here won't get you anywhere. There is no such thing as having it easy. Clueless rich people getting it easy. Rich people are fucking brutal with inefficiencies. They will sack you or anyone in their employment whether you a cleaner or a CEO if you didn't deliver on your job. I'm sorry but your lack of experience with the top brass of industry shows. You clean in people's personal space. You don't know about their professional space.

Now look I'm from an immigrant background. I came to UK with fuck all. I still made it. Whilst I was cleaning the toilets in my local cinema, in my time off, I was studying to pass exams, constantly making calls to recruiters. I pleaded with my tutors to give me extra teaching for free in return for my free allocation of cinema tickets. I personally phoned 50 companies a week just to get a single response to know who I should send my CV to. And went door to door in my time off knocking at company receptions, recruiter companies. Finding decent jobs is a full time job in itself but you have to offer something to make you stand out and fucking like you. They want enthusiasm, they want to know you willing to graft and they want to know what they are getting for their money. When you can articulate that well to them, you know you are in the right trajectory. That is upwards.

All these people talking about how people who earn lots of money have taken risks - you are much more able to take risks when you have family/money/connections to fall back on.

That's true it is easier. Doesnt mean that we all had that.

Life is easier when you have those things. But if you dont saying 'its unfair' changes precisely nothing.

It’s bollocks. I know loads of people on 6+ figures and they absolutely do not work harder than minimum wage kitchen staff, or people who work with special needs kids (just 2 examples of people I know at the other end of the economic scale).

All the high earners I know are specialists. Computer programmers and people in film production.

It’s not about hours or effort, it’s about a mix of confidence and specialization. If not a lot of people understand what you do but it needs to get done, you can command more money.

I'm a high earner. You'd see me leave the house at 8 & get home around 5 x 3 days a week typically. What you wouldn't see is the 6h of prep I have to do per day I'm working out the house & if I get it wrong how badly it could go for those I work with

My husband worked 9-5 at university (obviously unpaid) to get a first class honours degree when many students were faffing about doing six hours a week. He worked in his holidays to fund his course. Then he started work and in addition he worked in his free time to pass professional qualifications. He would often have to work on weekends/late into the night.

He's turned up several times a couple of days late on overseas family holidays because of work issues. He's then had to work on the beach to sort stuff out. He's never been to a children's school performance. He leaves the house at 6.30am and gets back at 8.30.pm He also works at weekends and travels about 50-60% of the time, often leaving on Sundays or even Saturdays. Very occasionally he'll work from home. He faffs a bit at points during the day. But then he'll be on a call until 7-8pm. When he's in the Far East he'll work a full day but then often have to take calls until 10pm because of the time difference with London.

I don't know if he's worth what he gets paid. But whether it's worth what he gets paid for what he and the rest of us have to put up with is another question.

I couldn't begin to do his job. It requires superlative professional skills and knowledge, a phenomenal memory of situations happening across the globe, an extremely analytical mind, an ability to negotiate with people, an ability to manage conflict, set boundaries, write reports, do presentations, manage staff, motivate staff, deal with incredibly arrogant and unpleasant senior people at times, deal with regulatory organisations, have excellent decision-making ability.

The grass isn't always greener. Having said all that, I'm sure there are lots of people earning far more than him who work a lot less hard. And I do think the differentials between the people at the top and bottom of organisations are indefensible.

Good choices, hard work and good luck are needed. My dh is just starting to earn big money but he’s been in business 15 years earning an average wage. He works as hard as the next person but the stress he has when things go wrong is incredible. He is paid to keep everyone else he employs in work. The buck stops with him. He creates the work through networking and sales. He deserves every penny. And the bigger the business grows the more profit there is and the more money he makes. I couldn’t do it I’m not a risk taker and wouldn’t sleep through worry. But some people are and do.

Well i worked very hard at school, got good grades but my career has never taken due to bad luck, mh problems and mostly my lack of political skill in the workplace.
As a teacher i worked very hard bit never rose through the ranks...i just don't " have it." Still i'm happy.

Taken off sorry...

The world is unfair op. The people that work the hardest usually earn the least. All these people talking about how people who earn lots of money have taken risks - you are much more able to take risks when you have family/money/connections to fall back on. We can't all be high earners, regardless of how hard we work, because the whole capitalist system would fall apart. It is 90% luck.

I dont really agree with this. I started my own business- took a huge financial risk. I have no family, no connections and I wasn't rich to start with. Both my parents died before my kids were even born ( I had to nurse both of them through serious illnesses and they died relatively young) and I have no siblings, or extended family, so I had no-one to even help me babysit the kids whilst I started my business. I did all of it alone. I worked damned hard and am now making a big success of my career. It was all down to hard work, not luck, and I find it kinda offensive when people tell me I'm "lucky" because luck had nothing to do with it.

I dont deny the capitalist culture we live in, but in my own experience and in the experience of all the business people whom I spend time with, we have all noticed that the harder we work, the "luckier" we get. Funny that.

But I do agree that life isn't fair. Its not fair that my mum never got to meet her grandkids, or that my dad suffered years of illness before he died. Or that prior to me starting my business I had to put my career on hold to look after him. Life isn't fair. Noone ever promised it would be. We ALL have things in our lives that aren't fair but instead of moaning about it, focus on what you DO have because no matter much your life disappoints you, there are people out there in the world who would give anything to be as "lucky" as you because their lives are 100% harder.

The people that work the hardest usually earn the least.

It is 90% luck.

Utterly utterly disagree with both these statements

There's no point feeling life's unfair though - yes, it is. Lots of people have rich dads and can work for free to gain experience in competitive industries. Lots of people have high IQs and can do complex tasks in 2 hours instead of 7. At school I tried really hard at sprinting yet still came last. That's life.

I'll never be tall or sporty, so I'll never be a model or athlete, but I'm good at maths and other things. You have to play to your strengths and use what you have, not lament over what you never had. If you have a skill that other people don't, use it. Or if you really want to do a career that loads of other people want to do too, go for it but accept it will be dog-eat-dog and long hours.

What is important to you in a career? Money, fulfilment or sociable working hours? All 3 are very hard to find. Work out what is most important to you, Google everything you have to do to get there and just work towards that goal every day.

DH had the 'good luck' to get a scholarship to a private school. He made the most of his education, then went to uni and got a first class honours degree in computer science.

He had the 'good luck' to get a good job in his field - which he had researched as having a skills shortage, and a very bright future.

After 28 years in the industry, and 10 years in this company, he has company and industry knowledge second to none in his company. He is as close to indispensible as you can get. He has singlehandedly saved dozens of jobs, regional centres. He has criss-crossed the globe so many times to do it, it's not funny. He has been away for birthdays, for anniversaries, for massive earthquakes, everything but Christmas really!

He has days that begin at 3am and end at 11pm, due to time zones.

Sometimes he works from home, faffs about, takes me out for a leisurely lunch, and we go to the gym. Sometimes he goes to work late so he can take a kid to the doctor, has a day off to look after an el sicko, or comes home early to take a girl riding.

Fair enough, we deserve some of his time and attention too, and we give up a lot also. Of the past five weeks, he's been here a grand total of one. With calls in the evenings and early morning.

I'm pretty damned certain I couldn't do what he does. He earns every penny of his moderately big bucks.

If you want to make lots of money, you usually either have to MAKE or SAVE lots of money for your company. The people I know who make lots of money are revenue generators. They make money and they get to keep part of what they make through their salary and bonus - the rest goes to the company. It's pretty simple really.

For some reason most people in positions of privilege don't like to admit that their privilege helped them get where they are. Even though it's basically unarguable to suggest otherwise.

If you average it out over 20 years, higher earners probably worked longer hours. If you go on the last five of those 20? Not so much.

Oh, and if you're in a position to help your DC by writing CVs/ securing placements, why wouldn't you? Small penance for missing many sports days 😉

The people are the bottom doing all the hard work are just as much, if not more, the revenue generators...

It isn't always fair with how earnings are worked out. My partner works very very hard in a manual job every day and earns minimum wage, whereas I work from home and get paid £20 an hour for one client, £60 an hour for the other (different job types), and work about 20 hours a week (can be across two days sometimes, so 2 days in, 5 days off) and still bring home almost double what he does each month.

Even though it's basically unarguable to suggest otherwise.

Can you tell me my privilege that I am unaware of?

From your replies I feel I have a much better understanding of what a lot of you do that means you are 'worthy' of your salary. I don't have technical knowledge, further education nor have good maths skills. I can't pretend I want to work in a lot of the industries which will pay huge salaries. I don't actually want to be rich.
What I can tell you is that I think my skill set is also quite rare. I work on a forensic men's ward for men who have committed crimes whilst mentally unwell. Some have committed terrible crimes, some are not very nice people (in the same way that some people in the financial industry aren't very nice people.) I go onto the ward multiple times a day and I enjoy spending time with the service users, we have a laugh and I hope that I make their lives better. We plan things together like social events, how to co-produce meetings and raise money. I can adapt my register to speak to both S.U's who may have spent most of their adult life on crack and the head consultant. I don't think everyone could help make smoothies with a group of people responding to voices and most of whom aren't allowed to use knives or even metal spoons.
All I ask is that this job pays me enough for me to live. I had to cancel my dad's gymnastics classes as we couldn't afford it. Yet the lady I clean for has three bathrooms and doesn't even think her sons should have to flush the loo before I clean it. Life just seems unfair, wealth distribution seems unfair.