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Would you rather be over-paid for doing minimal/no work or be under-paid for doing valuable work?
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Fisayomi Oni
I would rather be under-paid doing valuable work. For me, money is important but creating value is more important.
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@fisayomi_oni Agree with you. Creating some useful things for others and be true to yourself is more important
I'd be over-paid for some useless/minimal work and do my valuable work in between :) Even before startups I was doing side projects like copies, translations etc., so I always had things to do after the working day was over
@aleksandra_vovchenko if you have time to do valuable work in between. Once I was responsible to do much useless staff that was pointless to do while it took my all work time
question, is the reason why you got over paid with minimal work, because you already did the hard work and it all pay off so you have more time now :). just asking :D
@jan_mazurek yeah I understand. sorry if that made sound a bit off. but sometimes there are reasons behind everything, as a developer/creators we are born to create and develop, deep inside us there is this fire and eagerness to do great things.
@jayson_cantones that's a possibility for some. But, personally speaking, if I've already done hard work, I won't be able to adjust with no work. I'd always like to add more value.
From a few years point of view I must say beeing "over-paid for doing minimal/no work" is worse then "be under-paid for doing valuable work"
First of all your client or supervisor does not respect what you are doing, while you are not showing worthy of your job. In other words you are doing job that someone else may do, and may it do cheeper than you!
Secondly you do job that not makes you to improve yourself - you are stuck with old technology / management / selling solutions / etc, that will not be merit when you will search for another job (and one day you will).
@jan_mazurek Or it could be that you have an unusual skill set. And they do respect you for your work because it helps them out greatly and is well worth what they are paying you, but for you it is super easy and doesn't take a lot of effort.
@jan_mazurek Totally makes sense. If you are having no personal growth, it might not be the right place to be in.
Under-paid. I spend too much time for work that I can't imagine doing a low-valuable work!!!
@benoit_chambon this is not about the pay check, this is about contribute and feel useful :-)
The other issue is: there are plenty of underpaid useful and hard jobs and very few well paid easy ones.
I would rather be over-paid for doing minimal/no work so I could work on projects in my free time that create value while knowing I have the bills covered.
@jack_davis7 I was going to say the exact same thing. Currently, that's the position I'm in (for the first time in my life) and it is wonderful.
@jack_davis7 @christine_renee I think that's a nice way to look at things. Creating value is most important.
I would be over paid for doing no work and do something else on the side 😄
I prefer to find a balance between high income and valuable work. When I was a kid, I used to be an idealist. I took it for granted that I have to sacrifice the material life to pursue my dream. Then I met my mentor, and she impressed me with the saying "There's no need to create unnecessary suffering." Dream is not a heavy burden, and it's possible to make it fun instead of struggle. That's why l'm always looking for a high-paying CAREER instead of over-paid WORK.
Unpopular opinion but I think it might depend on your current stage at life. I think if you need the money, there is no reason not to take an over-paid job especially if you need to manage some work-life things. Otherwise though I'd rather to do more valuable work.
An interesting question, actually. It seems to me that if important work was encouraged in every possible way, and the corresponding money was paid for the minimum work, then this would make sense.
I will go with getting under-paid for doing a valuable work. I have been on the other side, and trust me the experience was not very fulfilling for me. There was always a vacuum, and I felt it every single day. Sleeping with the thought that I added value to something is far greater than sleeping with the thought that I added more balance to my bank account.
Depends on my long term plan and current circumstance - in the short term perhaps it would be better to be over-paid for doing minimal/no work as you can use the time to do a passion project, or seek a new opportunity whilst cashing in. I have a chip about being under-paid for doing valuable work as I feel it happen way to often, and it is such a shame when valuable staff are seen as replaceable or not valued in the right way. I feel more people need to 'set the bar' and refuse this type of attitude as it paves the way for future employees to be exploited again and again if nobody speaks up.
That being said it is a complex topic, as money is not the only measurement one should look to, you must also factor your enjoyment, future progression, and work culture amongst other factors.
I wupold like to be paind just the right amount of pay, I used to work as a emplyee and hire people, and I don't understand why i should pay someone for doing no work
I love that input. I think it's very important to get the right value out of your work. No matter how much you earn, if you hate what you are doing the money will not bring you happiness. However, if you are under-paid and you struggle to pay rent or your insurance that sucks as well no matter how valuable the work is you are doing. All in all, I would say I'd rather like what I'm doing and be under-paid as long as I get payment enough to cover all my needs and maybe a little extra ;-)
@shahalica that'd be great. As long as the work you do adds value and provides you happiness, it's great.
I've been overpaid for minimal/no-work however I was still expected to be at my desk working a normal day. I think thats an important distinction. If I was overpaid for minimal work AND only had to "be working" for that minimal time, SOLD. But I'd much rather do valuable work.
For the first few months, it was great, I used the time at my desk to learn, read and broaden my skillset, and periodically try to apply it to the work that was available to me. After that became a fruitless exercise, it became golden handcuffs filled with existential thought about my stalled career. I'm now on the other side, doing valuable work for less money. Too busy for the moment, but it feels much more satisfying.