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Oh I could probably get a job lecturing, with a starting salary roughly double my current one. But I'd likely have to either relocate or face a 2-3 hour commute each way - vacancies for a history lecturer with my focus aren't thick on the ground, so a job local enough to comfortably travel doesn't come up that often
There's massive competition for those that do come up - and people with both a PhD and a publishing portfolio are generally preferred.
There are post doctorals, but again, they're few and far between and highly competitive.
I have zero interest in teaching at a school.
I love history and I love doing research and I enjoyed my time teaching and lecturing alongside my studies, but there is something really nice about being able to go to work, get my teeth into something then come home and not have to think about the job or chase deadlines.
J, my best friend, has tenure as a senior lecturer at a university and he earns about 50-60k per annum. Which puts him into a higher tax bracket, and a higher student loan payback bracket. Sure - he can now take on a mortgage, with his and her earnings, but he works seriously long hours for it and has a 2.5 hour journey to work and back.
If you lecture at a uni you're expected to be involved in the academic community - seminars, conferences, events, staff meetings, special events, open days etc. The work follows you home in the form of marking and lesson planning, grant proposals and student emails.
Right now - I'm enjoying what I do and I am doing ok. Maybe it's a waste of the 9 years I spent working my way through bachelors, masters and doctorate - but I started out doing it for the journey rather than the destination and it was a really good experience.
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