Been a CFI, worked for a very small regional, a big regional, and now a major. I can say being a CFI was fun, I lived where I wanted to live, created my own schedule and was finally getting paid to do what I loved. Flying for my small regional was a bad, but necessary experience. Lived in bumville North Dakota, stuffed in a 1 bedroom crash pad with 8 other dudes, making below minimum wage, working longer hours than I’ve ever worked. Only time in my career where I second guessed my choice. Then the bigger regional started hiring so I left. Better pay, better schedules, better plane, overall better everything. The pay was still not much but it was at least livable at this point. Then I made it to a major and life has completely changed for the better. As a Line holder, I’ve never had less than 15 days off, or if I bid reserve I can get most weekends and holidays off. Pay is phenomenal. And finally living where I want and feeling settled for the first time in a while.
I’ve seen many people quit this career in the early stages and it’s usually because they can’t make the money work. Luckily I had a sugar mama, and I was young with very few responsibilities. I don’t know if I would be where I am if I had started later in life with a kid when I started. The job itself is like what others have said, it’s what you make of it. Go out with your crew members and explore every place you go, and it’s fun. If you slam click on every layover you’ll be miserable and make others around you miserable.