Job Scope

Hell, if I could just get in the door somewhere I'd be happy to work the 3rd shift for the rest of my tenure. Not only do I like working the 3rd shift I also like driving after midnight. There are less cars on the road. Walking for exercise from 12am til 6am is unheard of for some people but if you can find a well lit area to walk in you will discover a very peaceful time to walk for exercise. There are less cars and people. Your mind is less inhibited or consumed from the activities that occur during the day enabling it to reflect back on the yester-years. You'll be saying to yourself, "wow i haven't thought about him/her in years" "I wonder what it is like living in my hometown these days".  If your close to the ocean as I am you can do a 40 minute walk along the beach front, then sit down and rest as you hear the ocean and see the bright moon reflect upon the waters. Your mind will do even more wondering as it will take you back in time. Just remember that you can never experience this enlightening unless your a true night monster! "wink"

My first two jobs as a clinical laboratory technologist after graduating in 2004 were day shift positions, and the 2nd included three 12-hour shifts and one seven-hour shift per week!

I also traveled to Lafayette, IN on my first temporary agency assignment in October 2007 to work - guess what? - 1st shift.

I did not start working night shift until my next travel assignment in West Virginia a year ago.  I also worked nights in Texas and now with my current employer.  I'm already going gray at almost 31, so I figure I'll go gray whether I work night, evening, or day shift! LOL

Laboratorians make #2 on this list because this is where all of the employment vacancies lie.  How many laboratory technologist positions posted are for day jobs?  Very few.  Most are for the evening and graveyard shifts.  

Who wants those?  Not many.   Most of us end up working these hours when we are in our early 20's, biding our time waiting to retire to a day position, thus returning to normal waking hours when we are nearly 50 years old.  

Someone mentioned in a different blog posting about how many high schoolers scoffed at our salaries and kept walking on to the other booths....  I bet even more would turn a blind eye to this profession if they knew that they would be working evening and night shifts until they were nearly 50.

Why work undesirable hours for meanial pay when an IT or other career field can offer substantially better hours with faaaaaaar better pay ?