Post #65795 by Monkeyman on Sat, Dec 20, 2003 3:34 PM

Flounder,

I am one of the suits in the group. I was a finance major in college, went through the CPA exam, went back to school for more accounting classes.

I have worked for one of the largest banks in the US and have held corporate jobs for the last decade. Corporate banking, corporate finance, accounting etc etc etc.

I have been consistently employed since graduation from college in jobs that pay just enough to keep up but never to get ahead. My work is consistent and it comes with 2 weeks vacation every year. I usually get an overbearing boss with no spouse or kids or social life who has nothing better to do than work all the time and expect the same of their employees.

You get a 3-4% raise every year unless you do something really fabulous (extremely unlikely). A 3% raise this year would have just covered the increase in health insurance premiums that were forced down our throats ($4000 in premiums per year for a wife and 2 kids).

I dedicated 5 years to my employer delivering consistent results and saving hundreds of thousands of dollars for a billion dollar company. I created most of the procedures in my department and managed to push the department to new levels of productivity at a cost savings.

I created reference binders detailing all the key procedures in the department and cross trained my boss and subordinates to learn all aspects of the department as a loyal responsible manager should. I was a valuable employee. My salary increased almost 15% per year for my first 3 years (reflecting my contributions)

After countless late nights and weekends and 5 years of dedication through several changes in management I was rewarded BY HAVING MY POSITION ELIMINATED 5 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. Apparently I did such a good job making things easier, they no longer beleived that I was necessary to run it.

It is all fresh in my mind because it happened YESTERDAY 12/19/03.

What does my post have to do with yours you may ask? All choices come with a downside.

I hope that your talent can one day afford you the flexibility and true opportunity that those of us in the corporate world know that we will never enjoy.

I come to Tiki Central because of artistic people like you. In my line of work there aren't very many artistic people at all. Very sterile and uninspiring.

Keep up the great work and may your talents yield you the rewards that you deserve.

PS- That artwork I wanted to purchase from you will have to wait. Sorry

[ Edited by: Monkeyman on 2003-12-20 15:37 ]