Which is harder - a labour job or desk job?

[V]

Originally Posted by Yanda

See.. this here makes your entire arguement invalid. It doesnt matter how "mentally" tired you claim to be after work.

What argument? I think my job's a lot easier than trades work.

I don't think that people who thrive in trades work can do what I do, though. People like my brother would go stir crazy. And he couldn't take the stress.

[NuclearFart]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Not really. Office workers tend to be compensated more because they (in general), have a higher level of education and more specialized skills. It has nothing to do with the hardship of the work. As I said above, I made a paltry $6/hr at the hardest job I ever worked.

That has everything to do with the hardship of the work, and why there is relative financial compensation for it. If it was easier AND you made more money, there would be no blue collar workers.

[-TC-]

I find it very taxing to be on the golf course all summer long entertaining clients.

Futhermore, the frequent trips to Vegas, and Silicon Valley are difficult due to the amount of dining out and entertaining I have to endure.

it's really all I can take sometimes....

[SeeBass]

Originally Posted by normtwofinger

Desk jobs are easier for sure. One reason why is pay.

In an everyday office job, would your boss ever hold back some of your pay because he/she doesn't think you did enough work to earn it? We get held back hours of work all the time, on a whim of the boss.

Some construction companies don't pay proper overtime and vacation/holdiday pay. And it's easy to say, report them and go find another company to work for, but there is not much choice right now with the economy. Would this happen in an office job? No.

You would be wrong in your thoughts.

Salary makes you also work extra till a job is done and there is no extra pay. Many peope in offices work on bonus and commission and that pay changes on whims too.

[Cheap Shot]

Originally Posted by shermanator

Slightly off topic, but I have numerous mechanic friends who use the term "c**t hair" as a unit of measurement. Is this frequently used throughout all trades or just some?

I'd love to be able to infuse this into my daily office job...."Your JIBs were off by a c**t hair"

This is funny. I can't speak for all trades but I can verify it is used as a unit of measurement in the oilfield.
I had a desk job for 2 years after I got my business degree but I left it for the patch 10 years ago.
Labour jobs are hard work but much more gratifying.
Being able to yell profanities all day is also a nice perk. Try that at your desk tomorrow.

[puckluck]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

Not really. Office workers tend to be compensated more because they (in general), have a higher level of education and more specialized skills. It has nothing to do with the hardship of the work. As I said above, I made a paltry $6/hr at the hardest job I ever worked.

Do office workers really make more? The starting wage in construction where all you do is hold a sign all day is $21 an hour. A friend of mine makes $30 an hour and he's been in construction for 2 years.

I really don't know who makes more, but there is good money in labour jobs.

[Sainters7]

Prob depends what type of person you are. I'm the total pencil-pusher type and a smaller guy and have been working landscaping all summer, its the worst. To me, landscaping is way worse. Work seven days a week a lot, especially near the end of summer. Never know when you're gonna be off, 12-15hr days are the norm...landscaping by a mile IMO.

One plus to that type of work though is the camaraderie's awesome. Having the tunes cranked all day while you drop f-bombs from 30 feet away and chirp each other all day is pretty awesome, def can't do that in an office.

[squiggs96]

I was a hot tar roofer at one time. Yeah, I remember that day.

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by shermanator

Slightly off topic, but I have numerous mechanic friends who use the term "c**t hair" as a unit of measurement. Is this frequently used throughout all trades or just some?

I'd love to be able to infuse this into my daily office job...."Your JIBs were off by a c**t hair"

It absolutely is a unit of measure. You can even break it down into different types of c**t hair to signify fractions of the measurement. I personally use:

C**t hair
-"curly"
--"half a curly"
---"blonde one"

Similarly, something can be characterized as very accurate by saying it's "right on the nuts."

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Pacem

Now I work at a pawnshop. So I spend enough time on the computer and I have to move stuff around in the back. Clean stuff. And we are constantly renovating this old building. Moving shelving around. Installed flooring one year. Gotta do more again this year on another section of the store. So I get a nice balance of monkey work combined with desk work.

My current job, by definition, is easy but I know a large majority of the population could not handle this job. Its not for everyone. And I think that goes for the hard labour vs desk job discussion. Not everyone can handle either type of job.

Now that is a job I would love. What pawn shop?

[Rathji]

I was thinking about this today, and realized that my answer that labour was harder was actually wrong.

If I spend 4-5 years getting a degree, busting my ass off in school to get to the point where I am at now, to be able to sit in a desk to do my job, that counts for something. It really is part of how hard my job is.

To be able to mindlessly hack apart a dead cow is actually pretty simple compared to the work I put into getting where I am.

*disclaimer: My education isn't really totally required (read: complete overkill) for what I do and plan on doing in the near future, but there are many people who this does apply to.

[Sylvanfan]

Whats worse, laying awake at night because your mind won't shut off, or because your back hurts so damn much you can't lay in bed?

Both suck, but it's a personal choice of which one you'd rather deal with.

Although...us office stiffs can wear out our bodies too...than you're stuck awake because your back hurts and your mind is still going.

[Coach]

It's getting pretty hard to look through the window into my bosses office and subsequently out his window to see what a beautiful day I'm missing.

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by CaramonLS

Ever worked Salary?

Get paid for 40 hours a week. Every week. Even if you work more like 60. If your boss is feeling nice, maybe you get an extra day off here or there.

I think it is far too easy to classify as "desk vs. labour" - plenty of people I know that are in desk jobs are complete tools, don't have to critically think in their job and have a pretty easy schedule.

Other "desk" jobs are mentally taxing and draining - dealing with a multitude of problems, deadlines and projects causing far more stress than your average construction dude.

On the whole, most people in labour are there because they don't have the brains / willpower to work at a desk. Yep, I know that's a pretty DB comment, but it's pretty true.

Well, since we're already classifying people's intelligence by whether they're behind a desk or not, on the whole I would have to say that most people behind desks are there becaue they're too scrawny, fat, or effiminate to lift and/or move anything outdoors.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by HPLovecraft

Well, since we're already classifying people's intelligence by whether they're behind a desk or not, on the whole I would have to say that most people behind desks are there becaue they're too scrawny, fat, or effiminate to lift and/or move anything outdoors.

This is probably close to the truth. Trending closer to the truth the longer they've been behind said desk.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by Stay Golden

Labour jobs are physically taxing. Most longtime office employees would not be able to endure that routine. Same as most true labour job employees would wig out in a office.

This, totally this.

[Yanda]

Ever be in a Dirty Port-a-Potty at 30'c? How about -25'c?

[normtwofinger]

Originally Posted by SeeBass

You would be wrong in your thoughts.

Salary makes you also work extra till a job is done and there is no extra pay. Many peope in offices work on bonus and commission and that pay changes on whims too.

At least there is the option for commission and bonuses for you office guys. We barely get a thank you at the end of the year. Also try doing your office job outside in the winter when it's -40.

[BlackArcher101]

Originally Posted by normtwofinger

At least there is the option for commission and bonuses for you office guys. We barely get a thank you at the end of the year. Also try doing your office job outside in the winter when it's -40.

Commission? Bonus? Not all office people get them.

So far I've done 60+ hours of OT in the last month and a bit. No reimbursement.

[Bindair Dundat]

I do both ends of the spectrum...

My phone rings...

"I've got this totally crappy (1960's, 1970's, 1980's) bathroom/ kitchen/ flooring/ house. What can we do about it?"

Me: (in that suave, debonair, snake-oil salesman tone of voice) "Well...why don't we come on over and take a look at this fiasco? How's your budget, by the way?"

Cut Scene.

Next day:

Them: "Here it is nice Mr. contractor man...whatever shall we do?"

Me: "Ummm...your budget says "shoot, shovel, and shut up", but perhaps we can find another way to make this work..."
"Let me do a few drawings and crunch some numbers and we'll see what we can do..."

Image: Snideley Whiplash, wringing his hands in glee

Me: At the desk; drawing 1/4" scale plans, calling suppliers/ subs for quotes on mats/S&I's, cabinet layouts, plumbing/ HVAC designs etc...etc.

Cut scene (a day has passed)

Me: "Well...here's some number's to work with. We managed to include most of your important features and remain within the budget..."

Them: "Oh...we found these great guys from "Allahualakbar Contracting" who will do it for half the price..."

Me:

DISCLAIMER: While I have encountered the above situation, this is in no way meant as a slight against those of "occidental" extraction who operate legit businesses...

In all Actuality:

For the most part...my work is all referrals. The job's are pretty much sold, before my phone ever rings.
I do all of the design work, sub co-ordination, material purchasing, and pretty much build and install all the finished materials myself.

Someone mentioned (upthread) that the most important thing is to go out the door every morning (or sit down at the desk), looking forward to the challenges of that particular day.

I have that...in spades.

I am challenged, on both the physical and mental levels, every single day.

...and I sleep very well at night.

...And, I work exclusively on contracts..."it will cost this amount and I will do it for this amount". It's up to me to sink or swim, based on the work that I do both at the "desk", and in the "field".

I'm booked til Xmas, but anyone in the edmonton area that has things they want done, can certainly PM me..