Hi guys!
I'm currently working at a library as an IT-librarian. Pretty chill gig, decently paid (around 68k US$), lots of great benefits and no stress what-so-ever.
I just finished my MA in Digital Library and Information Sciences in order to increase my salary at my current job. (About the degree - yeah, it's a random degree, I know, but I did it primarily as I could combine the MA studies with full-time work. I'm from Scandinavia, so no tuition costs. I've basically worked 100% and studied 100% for two years).
I sent out a couple of applications after finishing my MA just to test the waters, and it turns out that several IT consulting companies want me as their employee (!)
I've already got several interviews lined up, and one job offer at 85k$. So that's pretty cool.
Hoooowever, I have absolutely no desire to climb the corporate latter. I already save 70% of my take home pay and will be able to FIRE in about 7-8 years with my current salary. I live mostly for my hobbies - music and language studies. I work part time as a musician, and can only do that due to the lack of stress / over-time at my current gig.
So, to all of you guys out there in the private sector working in IT consulting - what would you recommend me to do? Stay put in the safe and stress-free government job at 68$ a year? Or bust my ass for some years in the private world for a potentially much higher salary?
I might be negative here, but I do not believe in "fun" jobs. I hate working for other people with a passion, and when I did the interview with the IT company that made the job offer I was able to pull off the interview, but I had a gut feeling that the "Here at our company you get free lunch, iPads, nap time, social activities, company trips, blablabla" stuff they told me had the hidden, small-text postscript that said "In exchange FOR YOUR SOUL!!!".
But I might just overly skeptical, maybe it's a cool job...