Career Goal

Career goals have changed over the years.

When I was a teen, responses to "What do you want to be when you grow up?" ranged from "A Doctor. You get to help people, make lots of money, and nurses go crazy for you." to "A Trucker. You get to listen to Johnny Cash songs all day long, make lots of money, and Flo at the Diner goes crazy for you." Making lots of money and having an active social life were constants.

Career goals changed in the 80s. Suddenly, teens wanted to grow up to be CEOs. You still got to make lots of money (more on that later) and your social life would be unbelievable, trading in one trophy wife for another on a whim. After all, somewhere in the world, Donald Trump's next supermodel wife is being born.

The current issue of The New Yorker cites the salary and perks package received by Jack Welch, former CEO of General Electric as an example of why business schools are chock full of aspiring top dogs. Besides a $20 million annual salary, Jack received free lifetime use of a company Boeing 737 (in case he and 100 or so of his closest friends needed to hop to Hawaii), box seats for both the Red Sox and the Yankees (you never know which of the two will make the World Series), and exclusive use of a company-owned Manhattan apartment (it's so hard to find mid-town digs). Since $20 million doesn't buy what it used to, GE also threw in fresh flowers daily for the apartment, dry-cleaning, Internet service, tips for his doormen, and even free postage. You don't get these perks as a doctor or even as a trucker.

Of course, another standard career goal is "professional athlete." Granted, Derek Jeter makes $20 million per year and has dated Mariah Carey not to mention a few Miss Universes. Still, wise Guidance Counselors would recommend the CEO career path over that of athletics. Jack Welch and Donald Trump make as much money as Derek Jeter, but Jack doesn't have to stand in line at the Post Office and The Donald literally owns the Miss Universe Pageant.

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