To ask what your high-paying jobs are?

[patienceandprudence]

My DD is in uni doing History. We’re working class through and through, and while she we were chatting about jobs she said that more than anything she’d like to earn a good amount. I’ve no idea what to suggest and DD only came up with a role in the Civil Service.

I always see people on here with high-paying jobs. What could she do with a History degree?

In London that is.

Large scale IT sales. Basic salary of £100k plus and double that OTE. It's ridiculous really, it's not saving lives but guess it's a demand thing

As a graduate I had NO idea what some jobs paid. I thought £60k was high. Went in a different career direction to friends and now some are living in £2million houses that they bought entirely from job income. Some people from my year at uni are now on £500k or more a year. If I was still in the civil service I’d be on about £50k.

My suggestions for £:

1. Banking, especially the trader type stuff. Stressful, long hours, and they’d be dealing with shouty wankers, but they can also retire a millionaire at 30.
2. Management Consultant at a top firm. Can be on 200k within 10yrs and much more if become a partner.
3. Barrister at a top chambers in commercial law or solicitor at a magic circle firm. Not worth doing unless can find a firm/chambers to pay for the conversion course and training, which they will do for top candidates. If not a top candidate pribably not worth bothering. There are plenty of low paying jobs in law.
4. Accountant at a top firm. Dunno much about this.

For more fun / shorter hours stuff that still makes good money, try advertising.

Don’t touch anything public sector if money is a priority.

I did history and I'm a HR Director on 6 figures at the moment (early 40s).

I'm a humanities graduate and make what I consider good money (not six figures, but over 65k) as a technical writer for a software company. I'm only 5 years out of university so my compensation will continue to increase.

I know lots of people working in different roles in tech companies with humanities degrees. Even a lot of the software developers didn't study computer science in uni and instead did 1 or 2 year conversion courses.

Another thought is Financial PR.

If she is smart and driven, I’d suggest a grad scheme with a multinational.

Law conversion, followed by a training contract at a Magic Circle or US law firm: www.rollonfriday.com/news-content/exclusive-weil-ramps-nq-pay-ps145000

She should look at getting on a grad scheme. I had no idea they existed when I graduated and rue that everyday when I see the amazing training, support, mentoring and progression i see with grads in my organisation

[quote patienceandprudence]@RosesAndHellebores History is her passion, wirh education being a close second, unfortunately neither of those interests will ever lead to a highly paid job. The plan was primary teaching until we met her favourite primary school teacher last summer, who told her she had left teaching and to never ever go into it.[/quote]
I don't know, two head teachers I know are on six figure salaries.

It is possible to get to over 40k in quite a short time in teaching if you are good at it, ambitious and put yourself forward for things that give you evidence to go through threshold to the upper pay scale. The problem is that once you’ve got to about 45k there is nowhere to progress from there unless you get a very rare lead practitioner job or want to come out of the classroom and in to the leadership team. History won’t attract the large Head of Subject payment that the core subjects do either.

But as others have said, it depends what she thinks is ‘good’ money.

I think it would help if the op shared the genre of her dd's uni and her predicted degree.

Magic Circle firms/Chambers to the best of my knowledge are looking for firsts from top uni's rather than a 2:1 from a post 92. A language helps as does a diversification of interests.

@Sciurus83

I wouldn't recommend civil service if you want to earn like people on here claim to! (9 years civil service)

Really? I would!

I have a history degree and went into policy. Took me about 5 years to break £50k, within another 5 I should hit £100k (this is London)

Anything in software/digital products such as software engineer, product manager or UX designer. There are lots of 1 year Masters she can do after her History degree that will equip her with the necessary skills for a career in Tech.

If you’re looking salary wise

1. ibd or sales and trading grad programme at a ibank ( best to start by applying for internships by the end of first year uni, it’s the easiest way in as you get an offer forvthe grad programme if you do well)

2. grad programme with mgnt consultant ( like McKinsey , Bain , bcg) pays a bit less than the banks but work is more diverse / varied and possibly more open career path after .. she had to applied in her penultimate year or it will be too late

3. grad programme at big 4.. there’s audit / accounting / m&a dd paths etc etc.. not as prestigious as ibd or mgmt consulting and not as well paid, but still good training support etc

4. or if she has an interest in abything commercial , look for a grad programme offered by a big firm in that industry.. pay might not be good as 1-3 above, but she will still get good development prospects / training and something to start her cv well with

Law in magic circle or US firm. But she'll have to work bloody hard for it.

Has she had something like career analysis done? Might be helpful.

There's also something to be said for a steady £45/55k over 40+ years with the opportunity to work flexibly when required. It doesn't have to be all £100k+ and possibly burn out after 10 years.

It's hard op. I've one doing a PhD and determined to try his fist at academia (bloody history and politics although fairly niche) and one who's contemplating going back to the conservatoire route (liberal arts but with Arabic thrown in) who we are encouraging to do something like speech therapy or teaching so she can always earn something. You have to let them follow their dreams and reach their own conclusions about their lives. even though you wish they'd do a grad scheme or chartered accountancy

Business. Pick a function- Finance, Marketing, HR, Sales, IT. If she can get into a high growth company with a good culture, the sky is the limit. Our Exec are all on north of 200 base, same in bonus and same again in shares. Level below that 80-120 plus benefits.

You need to be close to money to make money!
I work in construction, the QSs out earn everyone else.

Big 4 tax - associate director by 27 outside of London on about £70k. Equivalent in London c.£90k

More than 9-5 but absolutely not the same hours as investment banking / magic circle law.

(I did history at a Russell group uni)

[quote patienceandprudence]@RosesAndHellebores History is her passion, wirh education being a close second, unfortunately neither of those interests will ever lead to a highly paid job. The plan was primary teaching until we met her favourite primary school teacher last summer, who told her she had left teaching and to never ever go into it.[/quote]
I was a primary teacher, then a head and now work in education

I earn £120,000 a year.

The degree isn’t as relevant as the skill set behind it

If she likes writing and interpreting sources and presenting it to be relevant to an audience, I highly recommend PR
It suits a more extroverted personality but is financially and personally rewarding

I joined a PR agency as a new grad on £20k a year and was on £100k before I was 30

Financial and corporate PR pays much better than fashion/food/travel
In house roles (working for the head office of M&S/a bank/Vodafone/whichever big company) gives a better work life balance than working for an agency

But most London-based career paths will get you on a six figure salary if you’re good and committed
If you’re really good and really committed and want a top job, you can expect to earn £250k+
And every household name company (and many more you’ve never heard of) has a head of comms earning that, so there are plenty of jobs for people who are good

I think it's important to remember that a degree isn't a golden ticket to a high paying job. Has your DD got a job at the moment? What other skills will she have beyond a degree?

Law. She can get six figures as a matter of course but it's long hours. I couldn't imagine doing a job that I didn't have at least some affinity with it, no matter how well it paid.