Originally Posted by BoilerUP

I went from 121 regional FO to a small two pilot Part 91 Citation II Co-Captain, and was promoted to Chief Pilot after 3.5 months due to then-CP's departure.

I love my job - LOVE MY JOB - but there are pros and cons to both sides of the industry and I could be happy if I went back to 121. Do NOT fall into a "Grass is greener" trap...many people do.

The biggest pro I see is that I feel like I actually contribute positively to the company's success, where at the regional I felt like nothing more than a liability on a balance sheet. The biggest con is that 91 jobs run the gamut - be it a large multinational corporation or small mom & pop company, the job might be good or it might be crap...Fortune 500 is not a guarantee a job is "good".

I work for a small private company (50ish employees) with a president/CEO/owner/founder/HMFIC that is fiercely defensive of the aircraft and doesn't hesitate to use them. He treats his two pilots very well, no micromanagement, complete trust with the operation. The downside to that is I don't know how long I'd keep my job if God forbid he got hit by a bus tomorrow...but I suppose the same could be said of a public company having a terrible quarter or two and needing to satiate shareholders.

I love my job - LOVE MY JOB - and believe it is more personally fulfilling than most 121 jobs would be. That said, I could be happy if I ever went back to 121 because I wouldn't have to answer my phone when I was "off duty", wouldn't have to think about how my absence for any reason would impact the operation, wouldn't fret as much about the company's financial situation, etc etc.

A job is a means to paying your bills, supporting your family, buying toys and saving for retirement. Find something you can enjoy (or at least tolerate) and do it...