You're the only civil engineer in a small consulting firm. With the cash flow a bit uncertain, your company's owner doesn't want to hire a civil engineering technician to help you with the dirty work. That means you do your own surveying and soil testing, prepare the reports, and oversee project construction...in short, whatever it takes.

You've jumped to a bigger company with several good-sized regional contracts. Thankfully, that means your civil engineering techs do the down-and-dirty work, leaving you free to write the proposals and reports in your nice air-conditioned (or heated) office.

You've managed to land a nice gig in Puerto Rico...in January. You're working with a large civil engineering firm with tons of federal government contracts. You get to fly all over the country to plan and oversee your company's projects. You don't do a lot of actual work, of course, but you're quite an accomplished schmoozer and golfer.

A few months ago, an executive headhunter called you out of the blue. Her client focuses almost exclusively on building Caribbean resorts. In case that fact didn't register, that means you don't just go to Puerto Rico in January. No, you get to live in the Caribbean...all expenses paid, and with a six-figure salary to boot.

You have a job in a top-notch consulting firm. Yes, you have to go out to job sites pretty often. However, when the job sites are part of uber-upscale resorts, it's not too hard to take. You even got to meet some A-list celebrities, who asked you to consult on some super-secret investment projects. Next week, you're flying to the French Riviera to meet Mr. X on his 100-foot yacht. Better pack the sunscreen and a new Speedo.