Fuck all money in it. That's it!
Edit: Qualified as EE, got hired by defence sector, ended up writing code for RF and power test systems. Then I wrote a small EMS system to replace the paper system that was used for test management. Then I ended up writing most of the ERP system for the company. Then I ended up looking after their CAD and Unix systems. Then I got fed up of being paid fuck all and jumped into the IT sector. I doubled my salary overnight.
Wow, so it was all because of your very first job then, scary how luck of the pot can steer your life !
Edit 2: also never do something you love for a job. It will kill it.
I am starting to realize this but 20 years too late, so many years wasted... hence now the feeling of urgency and me having no limits other than space and money for my hobbies. I just do everything I like hobby wise and don't give a fuck about the rest. Hobby is now my top priority and jobs are merely there to support the hobbies. So only criteria for jobs now is quality of life (be close to me so I spend as little time and petrol/money going to / from it, hence more of it available for my personal life), a job that does not destroy my health like aviation has been doing for the past 10 years.
So that's why I am considering going back to electronics if I can (will see, don't know what companies might be in the area), because a tech usually works office hours not shifts (I am done with shifts, killed me) and it's less dangerous... almost died twice in an A350. Once I took a step back in a hurry to let a guy crawl out of a man hole in the center wing box.. didn't have time/think of looking behind me, my foot fell right into the gap between the aircraft and the removable/hinged floor, bad luck.... fell violently and landed on a big fitting an inch from my balls. Nearly lost them as a consequence. A bit traumatic.
Then the next time, was in the front cargo compartment of the center fuselage section. Was trying to walk across a big gap in the floor (temporary floor made of hundreds of small wooden boards / pieces... ) trying to be nice and not disturb guys busy blue painting some rivets on a cross beam. That didn't go well. I lost my balance and fell one mete, straight as an arrow. right leg and bottom of the spine took all the hit. I was so in pain I was white said the guys around me, couldn't even scream, brain was in shutdown mode. That was 4 years ago but I still have spine problems now, hurts all days long and I can't stand up more than a few minutes, and my right leg (which took the hit and rubbed badly against a cross beam during the descent... now is deformed and inflated. That's all for life, will never recover. All that for a misery salary, never a salary increase, not even to cover inflation, and just a bag of crisps when I got fired after 10 years of service !
So yeah... I now don't give a fuck about work life. Only goal is to pay the bills and provide the best quality of life possible. No more shifts, no more risking my life and getting injured all day long in an A/C in all sorts of weird and wonderful body positions... no thanks.
If I am trying to get back into electronics it's to get rid of these problems and have a more "peaceful" professional life... but I certainly won't give a shit about the work itself. I will do it professionally, will do it well, to the best of my abilities... but that's about it. I am not going to work on saturdays for a bag of crisps, or work hard like a slave just for a tap on the shoulder and nice empty talks, and not getting stress get the best of me. If they treat me like shit and keep stressing me to work faster and faster so they can make more money but never pay back.... goodbye, will find another job.
Personal life and hobbies are now my only priorities. Work is merely a necessity to pay the bills, it's not a goal in itself... like I was fooled, manipulated into thinking when I was a kid : "if you work hard at school Vince, you will have a super nice job, lots of money / good life, and have social recognition ". My ass.... studying gets you nothing these days but barely above minimum wage and stagnating salaries.
There is nothing to expect but misery and disappointment from work life.
YMMV depending on location and profile (excluding people working in banking/finances/trading/insurance etc). Talking about Frog land and the average joe / lower middle class / technician level.
Rant over, sorry for the noise...