Oct
24
The Other Glass Ceiling – Not the Gender One.
October 24, 2008 | Comments Off
I have a totally unscientific theory: There is a non-discriminating glass ceiling: one that doesn’t discerns between men or women, or between whites, blacks and browns. One that will not be punished by the court system and may even be encouraged by lawmakers. I call it the $200,000 glass ceiling.
Graduate from college and you get a $40,000/year salary right out of it. If you study a very special career you get up to double that ammount to start. Between a bunch of promotions and 4% yearly salary increases your yearly compensation will probably be maxed out at $150,000/year at the end of the career. If you work hard, and are lucky, it may be a bit more than that…, maybe $180,000 or so for one or two years, but difficult to sustain.
Three major exceptions to the $200,000 glass ceiling rule:
- You go for medicine.
- You become Vice President or above.
- You start a business. (Even in conjunction with others, even if you get venture capital. Law firm partrners or engineering firm partners may fall into this kind of category.)
Could it be that this idea is actually true? I do not have scientific data to prove it or disprove it. But I am begining to think that it is.
Why could it be? Maybe because… (Not in favor of any of them, but are ideas!)
- People do not want to go beyond. Not strongly enough.
- People do not need more.
- People do not deserve more.
- Corporations are just plain evil — yes, even the yupie-popular Steve Jobs.
- Joe the Plumber doesn’t want you to know his secret?
- People do not see beyond the horizon.
- They do not make mass produced, fashionably forward products beyond the glass ceiling.
You get the point. Trying to find a reason is difficult. But just knowing there may be a ceiling and the exceptions to the rule may help people plan their lives and careers.
Now… if only I could find if this idea is true.
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