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Ask HN: High paid job with low accountability?

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Re: Ask HN: High paid job with low accountability?

#21

Post by mbesto »

jacquesm wrote: post #4
nilsimsa wrote: post #2

Basically any middle management position in a large enough company.

That's accountability by definition. Your ass will be on the firing line for every decision that doesn't work out, whether done by those below you or above you doesn't matter. You're labelled mr. or mrs. Expendable.

It's incredibly difficult to fire someone in a large company, not to mention you basically just have to "hit your numbers". As an example if you go work for a company like SAP or Oracle, you can literally coast along on a 9-5 (sometime unpaid overtime can happen) and make $80k+. The real problem usually ends up being the ability to get in (depending on role).

Source: I worked as a support consultant working for SAP and the amount of 9-5'rs who just skated by was shocking. I got paid well.

Re: Ask HN: High paid job with low accountability?

#22

Post by frequentflyeru »

Run for Congress...

No accountability, don't really have to do anything, high salary, no real job requirements except age and citizenship, not a lot of work expectations, and if you are an incumbent your re-election rates are 90% for House and 91% for Senators.

Perfect fit.

Re: Ask HN: High paid job with low accountability?

#23

Post by lazythrowaway »

howeyc wrote: post #6
jacquesm wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's accountability by definition. Your ass will be on the firing line for every decision that doesn't work out, whether done by those below you or above you doesn't matter. You're labelled mr. or mrs. Expendable.

That has not been the case everywhere I have worked. Also not anywhere I have been as an outside contractor. Perhaps it's the industry. Anyway, all I've seen is a bunch of "Cover Your Ass" and reluctance to make decisions by middle management. I think OP would love such a position. Very little "work," just a bunch of delegating and meetings to review progress. Be ready to embrace a life of looking at Excel spreadshee…

This does sound the best so far :)

Re: Ask HN: High paid job with low accountability?

#24

Post by ChuckMcM »

By and large I have concluded that except in extraordinary situations that job doesn't exist. Sure a lot of people will look at job from the outside, not knowing what it entails, and make statements/generalizations about it requiring no work to pull down some big salary, but having been on both sides of that window my experience was that it was an illusion.

That said, at an abundant salary and a young age, you can go the mr money moustache route. Save your way into an early retirement. That is probably the easiest thing to do, then any money you make from working is just 'bonus' and you can take jobs that pay less, don't challenge you much, and are perhaps less stressful. I expect you will get bored though.

The situations where you can get a sinecure (the name for the job type your looking for) is when you are in a relationship with the ownership and simply your presence is valuable enough to justify your salary. Some very large names in a field for example can get by with just having their name on the employee list as their 'value' to the company. You can also find spots in companies which are actually covers for a differently funded activity. An acquaintance of mine worked at a restaurant which was used to launder cash from some criminal group. There wasn't a lot of business so they didn't have to do a lot of work, but they got paid anyway. Granted it was at a much much lower wage but I expect there are larger companies with similar alternate agendas.

Re: Ask HN: High paid job with low accountability?

#25

Post by deweller »

I'm in a position like that right now. And it is driving me crazy. Sure the pay is good. And the responsibilities are well-defined and reliable.

But the challenge and enjoyment is not there. I find myself working like crazy after hours to carve out a new career while still maintaining the income of the day job.

The balance between stressed-out and challenged can be hard to strike. But I know that for me I need to be challenged to be enjoying my work life.

Re: Ask HN: High paid job with low accountability?

#27

Post by lazythrowaway »

ChuckMcM wrote: post #24

By and large I have concluded that except in extraordinary situations that job doesn't exist. Sure a lot of people will look at job from the outside, not knowing what it entails, and make statements/generalizations about it requiring no work to pull down some big salary, but having been on both sides of that window my experience was that it was an illusion. That said, at an abundant salary and a young age, you can go…

Seems like step 1 is to become a thought leader in a field respected by all, and then parley that respect into a cushy job at a big company. Sounds ideal once one gets there!

Probably the best way is to look a list of sinecure's (thanks for the word, by the way!) and work backwards from their work history.

Re: Ask HN: High paid job with low accountability?

#30

Post by tdicola »

frequentflyeru wrote: post #22

Run for Congress... No accountability, don't really have to do anything, high salary, no real job requirements except age and citizenship, not a lot of work expectations, and if you are an incumbent your re-election rates are 90% for House and 91% for Senators. Perfect fit.

On the contrary congressmen are incredibly busy people. Something like 60-70% of their time is campaigning and raising money for the next election. If you aren't raising money for your election, you're raising money for your party. See: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/08/call-time-congressi...
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