What would be your dream job?

[Eddy]

Hello guys!

I was in my bed some hours ago, and I was wondering: ''what would be my dream job?'' and due to the influence of this community, then I asked myself: ''what would be my pre- and post-retirement job?'' (It's impressive how much my perspective has changed from reading MMM)

Then, I started wondering about you. Almost everybody in this community has a job and they are working to reach FI, but as life still goes on, what would people do after they are retired? What would be their ''job''? And by job I mean every activity that you would enjoy doing long-term, it doesn't need to bring any profit.

In my case, my dream job would be a location-independent Internet business where I help people to learning languages while I travel through different countries and cultures. I wouldn't like to charge too much, just some few dollars for the material, and based on that I could live and travel around the world and share my experiences. I just think of that and start dreaming!

[Donovan]

I'm curious about what other people say as well :)

For me, my short term -> long term plan is to try and re-vamp music education (because I've been through it and much of it sucks right now). It's my side-job right now with just a small guitar education website in the works, but I hope to expand that into my full time business within 5 years. That's the support myself / for-profit plan.

Long term, my wife and I plan on opening a small animal shelter, with the specific goal that it would accept and rescue exotic pets in addition to the standard cats and dogs.  We do some work with local shelters and love it, and it seems like we are always running across strays and helping them get home anyway, so it's kind of just a natural extension of that once we have the never-ending-fountain-of-money set up and flowing :)

[fallstoclimb]

I'd like to work on bike advocacy in my area, get paid to be around horses in just about any respect, and have free time for reading/blogging/thinking.  I would also really enjoy any part-time job that involved minor manual labor/actual work I could do while listening to a podcast.  Or any volunteering that uses my current skills.

[rubybeth]

I currently work in library administration, and some days, I miss just being a lowly circulationlibrary assistant, checking out books to people for a few hours a week. I think when I quit full-time work, I'll either volunteer or substitute so I can pick my own hours and work locations. Working in a bookstore was fun, too, but there were pressures to sell and meet goals, etc. Maybe just shelving at a bookstore, because those shifts are usually early morning and I was often off by 11am, with afternoons and evenings free. I think the minimum for Barnes & Noble was 2 shifts a week.

[forestbound]

I would like to train a search and rescue dog. I love hiking with my dog, and I am pretty good at training. I have looked into it and it is a major time obligation. I would also need to be able to leave to go to different locations on demand as well. If I were freed up from my client obligations, that is what I would do.

[El Gringo]

I would want to work as a consultant helping cities in developing countries grow and develop in a smart and sustainable way.

[smalllife]

Totally optional and flexible hours for a start :-:

Bike advocacy is high up there, as is teaching others about making your own cleaning products/personal care products, or creating community share centers for tools and other useful resources.   I'd love to do these while also working full time, so at the "independently poor" part of the journey I plan on dropping to part time to explore other opportunities in these areas.

[GuitarStv]

My experience has been that it's not so much the work that makes a job fun . . . It's really the people around you, the boss you work under, and the flexibility of the work.  I'd be miserable playing guitar professionally if the other guys in the band were dicks.  I'd be miserable if I was paid to browse the internet for all day if it was expected that I'd have to go in to an office at 5:00 am and work most weekends.

My dream job involves me getting a task with a reasonable budget, then being allowed to plan out my own work schedule . . . And if I get the task done early, I'm allowed to screw off until the time period allotted for the task is over.  Flexible hours, not the highest or the lowest pay, and no stupid requirements ( having to go to pointless meetings, having to be physically in an office for no reason, and nice people to work with.  Meet those requests and I could get along with just about any sort of work.

[Nancy]

Pre-retirement: I have a few jobs I want to try- teaching, YA publishing, technical writing (I know-boring! but I'm weird), working at an organics collection facility.

Post-retirement: working to bring organics (food scrap) curbside pickup to my and other communities, volunteering as a master gardener, volunteering with a sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation center, working in an after school program, working 15 hours a week as a circulation assistant at the library.

[NumberCruncher]

Ah...this question...

surprised no one has linked this yet:


I'm figuring out the answer to this question right now. Post-retirement, I really want to be able to devote more time to the hobbies I'm working on now, while taking classes, learning, traveling, volunteering. My dream job would be attempting to become a professional Renaissance woman. :D

[johnintaiwan]

gynecologist to the stars

[stpetesean]

With any luck I'll be moving to Africa to work in endangered species conservation in about 12 months...definitely my dream job/life.

[umterp1999]

Nothing, absolutley nothing.  Actually I would like to work at a baseball park on the grounds crew.  Lining and dragging the field.  Bringing out a tarp for rain delays.  And watching ball games.  Cant beat it. 

[El Gringo]

With any luck I'll be moving to Africa to work in endangered species conservation in about 12 months...definitely my dream job/life.

Where to?

[socaso]

Something along these lines:
http://www.lazymeadow.com/
Or roadside attraction operator. I'm still waffling between giant concrete dinosaurs and Sci-Fi putt putt.

[Thegoblinchief]

Something outdoors but not straight up manual labor, though I do enjoy that.

Mustache guru (think a cross between personal trainer and financial planner)

Urban ecology (urban homesteading, sustainable exterior landscaping, energy efficiency consulting)

Being a stay-at-home parent is also quite fun. I can't call it my dream job, but it kicks my weekend job' sass by a long shot.

[lauren_knows]

I have two different dream jobs:

1) Owning and operating a Gym/Microbrewery (you read that right). Lift weights, go home with a post-workout craft stout.
2) Programming web-based games with a small group of fun people.  I only have a limited knowledge of programming, don't do it for a living, and don't really have any game-specific experience/skills... but I have so many damn ideas that I think it would be fun.

[BFGirl]

Running my craft business and doing some contract legal work and/or technical writing on the side.  Always wondered what would have happened if I had done technical writing rather than law.

[nawhite]

I think the dichotomy of pre and post retirement dream jobs is interesting. Personally, if I have the dream job, then why am I retiring? My personal plan is to get enough in the retirement accounts so that I can go get my dream job (or something similar) and just make enough money to not worry about staching money for retirement ever again.

On that note though, my dream job is to own a whitewater kayak instruction business where I take clients to cool places around the country, set up lodging and food and entertainment for them in the evenings and teach kayaking during the days. In the winter I'd continue the plan in the Southern Hemisphere.

I'd also like to be a financial planner for young ski bums and raft guides to get them to step 0 of finances.

[ace1224]

head microbiologist at the CDC

[Spartana]

I was in the US Coast Guard. Loved it and would do that again. Retire at 38 after 20 years of fun with a pension and medical benefits. Post retirement I'd play professional beach volleyball and then ride my bike around the world checking out first class resort hotels for those pricey bike touring companies. 

That's dreaming. In reality, post retirement (where I'm at now) is volunteering at the VA hospital and with animal rescues, budget travel, non-pro beach volleyball, bike riding and other recreation stuff.

[Emilyngh]

I have it: a tenure-track professor at a small liberal arts college.   It's mostly teaching, but without an insane teaching load, decent support for research, but relatively low research expectations.   So basically, I teach a few courses, do a little research (really as much as I want), do a little service (committee work, etc), and feel like I can do it well while still having a ton of autonomy and free time.

Only down-side: I have a few bat-shit crazy colleagues.   So, I guess maybe I should change my answer to: my ideal would be same job I have with a few colleagues retired and with officially having tenure (shouldn't be a problem to get, but won't be ideal until 100% secure).   Or maybe I can get the same effect as the crazies retiring mentally by continuing to work on ignoring them and not letting them bother me.

[going2ER]

I'm not sure what my dream preretirement job would be.

But once I am FI I would love to take in sibling groups of foster children. It breaks my heart that if these children come from a family of more than 2-3 then in most cases they end up separated. I'd love to take them camping, spend time cooking and baking with them and just give them a safe place to be while they need it.

[enigmaT120]

Manage my forest land.  Max 4 hours per day.  A lot of that time is spent sitting around looking at things.

[Dee18]

+1 Emilyngh
I also have my dream job...as a tenured professor at a small university.  Finished all my grading yesterday and have 7 weeks until  I (voluntarily, for extra pay) teach a summer session.  Research and writing on my own schedule will be mixed with family time and a vacation. And I can still go into the office if I want a break from family time.... Only thing that could make it better would be getting to choose my city, but for me that was the trade-off to be in academia.

[Albert]

I currently have a great job doing a top level research and I'd like to continue for as long as I can. When FI I might choose to do it in a different capacity somewhere else. Maybe move from industry to academia…

[SDREMNGR]

gynecologist to the stars

I have your morning schedule for you. 
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0924508/mediaindex
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005280/
http://listverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/jocelynwildenstein-1.jpg

[soccerluvof4]

gynecologist to the stars

I have your morning schedule for you. 
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0924508/mediaindex
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005280/
http://listverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/jocelynwildenstein-1.jpg

The last one scared the shit out of me! cross that off list!

[zataks]

I'd like to work in a food truck.

[milla]

I don't have a dream job... is that weird? I love my current job but then again I'm always changing what I do. I do have a long list of things I'd like to learn to do.
Maybe professional student?

[meadow lark]

No job is my dream job.  Unless you want to make a job out of puppy kissing, napping,eating cake (with no tummy aches), surfing the net, and ending world poverty.  Excuse me while I go nap and kiss a dog.

[Gray Matter]

No job is my dream job.  Unless you want to make a job out of puppy kissing, napping,eating cake (with no tummy aches), surfing the net, and ending world poverty.  Excuse me while I go nap and kiss a dog.

Let's do a joint venture--sounds right up my alley!

[expatartist]

+1 Emilyngh & Dee18

My dream job starts in August: artist-in-residence at a school in China. Great salary & benefits for what I do -- it's what I'd do anyway, in my free time. Plus a studio and all supplies I need. Could do without all the pollution, but to live in this country, it's the price you pay at this time in history.

I have a couple of small arts-related businesses I'm starting now, and will continue those or similar projects post-FI, while we plan plan to be more hands-on with our real estate investments.

[JustTrying]

Being a travel writer would be my dream job!

[johnintaiwan]

gynecologist to the stars

I have your morning schedule for you. 
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0924508/mediaindex
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005280/
http://listverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/jocelynwildenstein-1.jpg

Maybe something else then ...

[Ian]

I'd like to be able to pursue various creative projects, which could work either as a dream job or post-FI. I get a lot of pf pleasure from creating, and it's a career for many, but it's also difficult to break into and/or support yourself.

[CarDude]

Studying car crashes.

[Insanity]

I was in the US Coast Guard. Loved it and would do that again. Retire at 38 after 20 years of fun with a pension and medical benefits. Post retirement I'd play professional beach volleyball and then ride my bike around the world checking out first class resort hotels for those pricey bike touring companies. 

That's dreaming. In reality, post retirement (where I'm at now) is volunteering at the VA hospital and with animal rescues, budget travel, non-pro beach volleyball, bike riding and other recreation stuff.

Damn I was going to see if you needed a partner for that volleyball... 

I'd love to get back on the beach, unfortunately my shape is now too round.

Pre: i'm doing it more now.  I'm helping business develop secure software initiatives and build more secure software.  Trying to convince them to stop making excuses.  It is hard work, but the upside is it is in high demand and pays well and will hopefully expedite my retirement / work slow down capabilities.  I'm running my own consulting company now so the contracts aren't easy to come by, but being able to dump a nice chunk into my solo 401K makes a huge difference in the retirement plan.

Post:  Beach volleyball, video game programming, software engineering, and spending time with my kids.

[Daisy]

Can I join in on the volleyball?

I think I posted elsewhere that it's not so much a dream "job" I want, but a dream existence. By ER-ing, I want to get away from the concept of a "job".

I don't want strict schedules that dictate my time and leave me little time to do enjoyable things and the ineveitable chores in life. It would be a dream existence where I'd get to do what I want - when I want. This can include artsy things as well as volunteer (or lowly paid) activities that feed the soul.

I'd want to switch up what I did every couple of years.

Kayaking, volleyball, tennis, cycling, art, reading...these are things that would take up most of my time. I'd also like to work at a science museum with kids.

[Suit]

I'm currently a lawyer and love my job but there are two things I've done that I've loved more that I'd consider for retirement:
1. Working at an MRDD preschool
2. Volunteering at disaster sites (coordinating volunteers, cooking, repairing homes, etc)

[stpetesean]

With any luck I'll be moving to Africa to work in endangered species conservation in about 12 months...definitely my dream job/life.

Where to?

Senegal!

[basd]

Pretty much what I do now (I'm in IT), but:
- without the need to be in a client's office for 40 hours per week
- with the freedom to work when and where I want
- more opportunities to travel the world and learn and teach about my field

[MrMathMustache]

My job for the last 9 years after working in finance for a few years out of college: teaching middle school mathematics with a fair amount of private tutoring on the side.  There is a lot of nonsense in education, like all professions, but I love the seasonality of the job, the influx of new students every year, and the energy that comes from working with young people and their families.  I'm on track to reach FI by the time I turn 40, but I plan on doing this the rest of my life just because it's so much fun.  Teaching is not for everybody, but I knew from a young age it's what I always wanted to do.

[AlexUK]

I'm a bit of a strategy geek, so I would love to be involved in helping charities or causes take stock of their options and creating/directing strategies for more exposure, more efficient ways of working, getting more people to support etc.

I'm currently in an industry which is designed to make people lose money and although I have no ethical or moral problems with this, I also think my 8-15 hours a day could be much more helpful if it were aiding research, cure development, prevention or education. Unfortunately, those areas have little money to spare - so when I hit a comfortable level I will hopefully have enough experience and financial security to become a consultant.

[boy_bye]

I have a great job now -- good pay, nice co-workers, travel to fun places, and lots of freedom. As stated up thread, I think it almost doesn't matter what you do if you have a good environment.

But ... I'm a writer, and what I would love to do is travel and write. I do both now but would like to do them more, and without having to go to work in between. :) I'm working on it!

[NewStachian]

My short list:

1) Keep working on my iPhone games. My first one was a lot of fun to make, and I'm brainstorming new ideas now. Although making money isn't going to be a big deal, I'd like it to make more than the $2 my first one did from ad revenue.
2) Hit my stride with my blog. I enjoy writing about many different things and haven't been able to come up with a solid theme to tie it all together. How many people are interested in personal finance, iPhone programming, and philosophy?
3) Something related to brewing. I've just been getting my feet wet after MMM's article on how to turn fruit juices into alcoholic drinks. My Apple cider was a bit strong, which I believe was due to over-fermenting it, but the pear juice I transferred to the fridge yesterday smelled pretty good when I was filtering out the yeast.
4) Work at or start a small coffee shop, maybe not even for a profit. I LOVE making lattes. I have had friends who don't drink coffee convert over after having my lattes. The challenge of getting the perfect taste with nothing but milk and coffee with nothing else added is very enjoyable to me.

I'm happy that I've at least started all 4 of these things, even if it's at a small scale. The last one probably won't happen - I get more satisfaction making coffee for myself and friends, plus my area isn't exactly hurting for coffee shops.

[Silvie]

Being a travel writer would be my dream job!

+1 to this. I was surprised it hadn't come up yet.

[GuitarStv]

gynecologist to the stars

I have your morning schedule for you. 
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0924508/mediaindex
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0005280/
http://listverse.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/09/jocelynwildenstein-1.jpg

The last one scared the shit out of me! cross that off list!

I was gonna say . . . gynecologist sounds great until you realize, the vaj you want . . . you ain't seein'.  The vaj you're seein' . . . you ain't want.

[Mississippi Mudstache]

Manage my forest land.  Max 4 hours per day.  A lot of that time is spent sitting around looking at things.

Perfect. I want to have some forestland to manage as well. I want to spend the rest of my time building things. House, workshop, outbuildings, furniture - whatever strikes my fancy. No deadlines, no rush. I can build whatever I want, however I want, with no deadlines or time constraints. And I want to source as many of the materials as possible from my land. That is my dream "job" and the reason I am working a "real job" today.

[skunkfunk]

I'm going to play and teach music, restore cars, tend an acreage of some sort, and volunteer. I already do some of that but I might even go back to school to learn some more about this stuff. 20 years down the road, I think.