That not all jobs are equal

[Jobqualifications]

There’s often a lot of heightened emotions about salaries on here, where low wages jobs are equally, if not harder work than high paying jobs.
What do people think makes a high paid job? Why do people seem to resent them?
I’ve been a SAHM, and for me that was my hardest job ever….predominantly out of boredom and monotony.

Pay has never really reflected how hard you actually work.

There are people on millions who spend all day golfing and people on sub minimum wage working 20 hours a day.

If we all just accepted it and stopped with the fake outrage of "but I work hard for my money" it would be a lot easier to have a frank discussion.

Your wage is directly related to how much your employer can profit from what you do. This has nothing to do with how much effort that job is.

I disagree….surely the mental effort a vet puts in is higher than that of someone at the supermarket checkout

Not necessarily working “hard” but the mental capacity required

In my organisation I’m on a higher salary to many others due to level of responsibility rather than how hard I work (63k so not a huge salary). I carry the can, have to resolve a lot of issues in a ‘live environment’, change practices overnight in a world crisis, deal with seniors expectations, and so much more. Whereas most of the team do the bread and butter work, which brings minimal responsibility. Many say to me they couldn’t do my job. I have done theirs, or similar when I first started. I don’t work harder as such but have a lot more stressful days than they do, their day’s are pretty similar, mine are not.

Well if it’s more stressful it’s harder?

I think high skilled jobs that not just anyone can do should be deservedly higher paid.

For example, a brain surgeon can work in the supermarket but a supermarket worker can’t do his/ her job.

I completely agree, but a lot of people here seem to think it comes to hours worked

I think when someone says a low paid job is harder, they mean there is less financial reward for the daily drudgery... and they struggle to meet the cost of living.

A higher paid job has more responsibility, more knowledge needed etc.

Jobs absolutely have different mental and physical differences that make one easier or harder to do.

But that has nothing to do with how well it pays. Profit is the only thing that affects pay.

So a more profitable job is not harder than a less profitable job?

Exactly, it may be more tedious but not necessary more difficult

So a more profitable job is not harder than a less profitable job?

Sometimes it will be, sometimes it won't.

Working as a child protection social worker was harder in every sense than working in junior sales jobs but less well paid. Because as a SW I cost money and created no revenue.

I agree with @DoAWheelie

@siameselife but you still create value, albeit harder to quantify

My job is moderately high paying - but it is not a vital job like a heart surgeon or a fireman or a mid-wife. Or a structural engineer or a water scientist.

If I get it wrong, no-one dies.

It is well paid because I make a lot of money for my employer, and, I suppose, because that money maintains quite a few people's jobs. I have a relevant degree and 30 years experience. I'm head of department and carry the can if we miss target.

I work in a young industry where buyouts are common and jobs disappear overnight so there is also a reasonable amount of risk associated with my income. And hours are 'as needed' so if I'm required to work on a Sunday then that is expected for no extra pay.

I am lucky that at 60 I still actively enjoy my job.

We live in a capitalist world where money/profit trumps everything else. Its the way the the economy is designed.

Therefore higher paid jobs are always those that generate the most revenue, regardless of how hard the person works. The only caveats are either government employees (where income is often irrelevant), or those who benefit from the physical work of others (Ie the bank which makes money from Joe paying his mortgage interest, off the back of Joe working in a factory etc).

But again, you are carrying the responsibility of the department

But everyone can work the same hours, it’s the mental load that differs

Well of course not all jobs are equal. There are so many factors not just ‘mental or physical load’, or hours worked. A lot have been mentioned already.
if you work for a profitable private large organisation you are likely to earn more than the same role in a smaller organisation. If you work in public sector it may be less again.
if you have further relevant education you are more likely to earn more than if you didn’t. If you have rlekvsnt experience which is valued you are likely to earn more.
some roles are higher paying than others simply because they are more rare and therefore the amount of people that can do the role is less.
you really can’t be binary about this and think that what you deem to be ‘hard/easy work’ determines monetary recompense.

Isn’t salary based on how hard you are to replace?

I think skill and responsibility separate jobs
rather than how busy/hard you work

I used to work in a bar min wage never stopped from the moment I started to the moment I finished that wasn’t an important job

I never get how people who say they never stop at work think they are hard done by your paid to work so why would you stop

@CoralReader
Isn’t salary based on how hard you are to replace?

Have you tried to get a cleaner recently?
there are thousands of vacancies for teachers and nurses.

so no, salary isn’t based on how hard you are to replace.

You disagree that a vet can make more profit for a business than a checkout operator?

A supermarket's top line profits are usually under 5%.

A veterinary practice's much higher.

I would add though, that the checkout operator's job is more valuable in keeping society afloat than the vet's.

We can cope without pets, and we can cope with fewer farm animals. As a society, we can't cope without food.

*I would add though, that the checkout operator's job is more valuable in keeping society afloat than the vet's.

We can cope without pets, and we can cope with fewer farm animals. As a society, we can't cope without food.*

Sidebar- Vets look after farm animals that aren't pets that are part of the food chain so also important for that.

That's exactly why I said we can cope with fewer farm animals.

Sorry just saw your farm animal ref, but disagree with it. Cows are still gonna need vets.