Honestly mate, in most cases I think you're better off getting a good paying job so you can go enjoy yourself in your spare time.
I have a friend who's a mechanical engineer working on wind turbines. Any overtime is paid AND given equal time off to compensate. The amount - and quality - of time off they have is insane. Like they typically accrue 1 week leave per month, then turn that into a couple of long holidays plus a bunch of long weekends every year.
Another worked 5 weeks on / 5 off on an oil exploration boat. Offshore work was tax free. Did it for about 10 years, most of it earning over US$250K. For his time off they'd fly him anywhere in preference to his NZ home due to cost, so he was doing 5 on, 5 Canada, 5 on, 5 USA, 5 on, 5 Europe. You get the idea.
He's a full scumbag whitewater kayaker too, so on time off he'd borrow cars and sleep on couches.
His company recently parked up the boat due to no money in oil, and he decided "fuck this, I'm retiring". Bought a house in France and another in Belgium, already owns one in NZ, and spends his days paragliding, kayaking, mountain biking etc.
He's 36 this year.
