Logging Long Hours

Class Location: The Internet.

Description: This course is designed to help students deal with long hours faced at many new occupations.

Objective: Learn to deal with long hours if your job calls for it—it's likely it will pay off in the end.

We've all heard the expression "paying your dues." When entering a high-income professional career, no one expects to make the big bucks and live the easy life right away. You probably figure that if you work the long hours early in your career, at some point, your work load will decrease, your salary will increase, and you'll live the life you always dreamed of. Maybe it worked that way once, but in today's competitive work environment, paying your dues may last your entire career.

In competitive, high-dollar industries like law, consulting, or banking, the 20-something professionals fresh out of school can expect to work until 10 p.m. on a regular basis, often giving up their weekends, as well. But a decade and a few promotions later, will your long hours really lessen? Many lawyers who make partner at their firms claim they still bill as many hours as they did as a junior associate. The same goes for other careers. For example, the investment banker has committed himself to a highly competitive industry. His workload probably won't ease even after his early years of round-the-clock hours.

Sure, an annual starting salary of $145,000 is a lot of money. But after college and grad school loans, taxes, and other expenses, how much disposable income do you have? And just as important, will you have any time to spend it? If you take on a career with regular 12-hour days plus weekends, you're going to have to sacrifice much of your personal life.

As a junior-level employee working long hours, if you prove your worth to the company, you might get rewarded with a promotion and a raise—and a heavier workload. Perhaps with more responsibilities, the work itself will become more fulfilling. Maybe you'll enjoy your work as if it were leisure. But if after a few years of paying your dues, there's no relief in sight, it might be time to reevaluate what's most important in your life. Maybe you'll realize that all the other things you dreamed of doing are more important than closing the million-dollar deal. Or maybe you'll enjoy your success so much that you won't mind spending your life at the office.