White collar to blue collar

[Anonymous]

Anyone switch from a white collar job to a blue collar job? What do you do now, and do you like it better? Do you bring in less? Do people respect you less? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

I’m a nurse and I work with several second career nurses who had white collar jobs for their first career. They are usually earning less and command far less respect, but switched careers because they were looking for something more fulfilling. Most of these people have higher earning spouses so they can afford to take a pay cut for more flexibility and satisfaction.

[Anonymous]

Worked in accounting, now an RN. Hated sitting behind a computer all day. Love it!

[Anonymous]

Nursing is not a blue collar job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nursing is not a blue collar job.

PP nurse here, not being snarky, just curious, if nursing isn’t a blue collar job, what is it? I’m a BSN first career nurse and have always considered myself blue collar. I’m not ashamed of it at all, I just don’t consider myself in the same category as someone who works in Big law or a CEO.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nursing is not a blue collar job.

PP nurse here, not being snarky, just curious, if nursing isn’t a blue collar job, what is it? I’m a BSN first career nurse and have always considered myself blue collar. I’m not ashamed of it at all, I just don’t consider myself in the same category as someone who works in Big law or a CEO.

pink collar

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nursing is not a blue collar job.

PP nurse here, not being snarky, just curious, if nursing isn’t a blue collar job, what is it? I’m a BSN first career nurse and have always considered myself blue collar. I’m not ashamed of it at all, I just don’t consider myself in the same category as someone who works in Big law or a CEO.

pink collar

Fair enough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nursing is not a blue collar job.

PP nurse here, not being snarky, just curious, if nursing isn’t a blue collar job, what is it? I’m a BSN first career nurse and have always considered myself blue collar. I’m not ashamed of it at all, I just don’t consider myself in the same category as someone who works in Big law or a CEO.

pink collar

Another second-careeer nurse here with a BSN (bachelor’s of science in nursing). I love this career! In many respects I prefer it to my past life as a lawyer. The intellectual demands are every bit as high as they were when I practiced law, although I suspect that has much to do with my particular area of nursing.

Thinking about the people attending multidisciplinary rounds with me today at the hospital....Is a physical therapist a blue collar job? Dietician? Social worker? I suspect the dcum public would say not. I think because nursing was historically a feminized profession it will be viewed as blue/pink collar for the foreseeable future. Many of us do work with our hands and wear a uniform, so that certainly checks some boxes in the definition of blue collar.

To OP, I make less than I did of course. Financial planning is the key if you’re contemplating a similar shift. Or maybe not - my cousin is a welder in New Jersey and makes $150,000 a year. He’s 28.

[Anonymous]

Up till 30 years ago most white collar folks were blue collar first. I was a Janitor, Painter and moving man during HS and College. Cleaning used tampons out of a jammed toliet in 90 degree heat in a public bathroom will make you study more

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Nursing is not a blue collar job.

This is what I was thinking. I guess on DCUM it is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nursing is not a blue collar job.

PP nurse here, not being snarky, just curious, if nursing isn’t a blue collar job, what is it? I’m a BSN first career nurse and have always considered myself blue collar. I’m not ashamed of it at all, I just don’t consider myself in the same category as someone who works in Big law or a CEO.

Blue collar jobs don’t require a college degree. Outside of the obvious blue collar jobs like plumbing and construction, I tend to think of secretaries, bookkeepers, and hairstylists as having blue collar jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Up till 30 years ago most white collar folks were blue collar first. I was a Janitor, Painter and moving man during HS and College. Cleaning used tampons out of a jammed toliet in 90 degree heat in a public bathroom will make you study more

Jobs in college don’t count.

[Anonymous]

some days I'd love to give up my office job. college degree working in my field. but now that i'm in management, mos t of my time is spent managing people, and not utilizing my degree and doing what I love.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nursing is not a blue collar job.

PP nurse here, not being snarky, just curious, if nursing isn’t a blue collar job, what is it? I’m a BSN first career nurse and have always considered myself blue collar. I’m not ashamed of it at all, I just don’t consider myself in the same category as someone who works in Big law or a CEO.

Blue collar jobs don’t require a college degree. Outside of the obvious blue collar jobs like plumbing and construction, I tend to think of secretaries, bookkeepers, and hairstylists as having blue collar jobs.

Same. Nursing is definitely a very hands-on job but it is a high skill position.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nursing is not a blue collar job.

PP nurse here, not being snarky, just curious, if nursing isn’t a blue collar job, what is it? I’m a BSN first career nurse and have always considered myself blue collar. I’m not ashamed of it at all, I just don’t consider myself in the same category as someone who works in Big law or a CEO.

Blue collar jobs don’t require a college degree. Outside of the obvious blue collar jobs like plumbing and construction, I tend to think of secretaries, bookkeepers, and hairstylists as having blue collar jobs.

Agree. Nursing is not a blue collar job!