OT: do you like your job?

talk to me...i've been thinking on this all day but am now headed to bed so thinking in shorthand....many of you who have been around have shared aspects of your current employment or past life ...some of you actuially enjoy what you are doing now and it comes thru in your posts......

i know no job is perfect or without headaches- and i know that not each of us could do the job that many do....

i know that sometimes when we leave a job it is in hopes for advancement , sometimes it's family issues, sometimes it's just time for a change....

have you ever had a job/career that you truly truly loved??? you enjoyed getting up and going to work???you looked fwd to it???? you weren't stressed when you came home???
what was so special about it? the ppl? the pay? the perks? what????

have you ever had a job that you absolutely detested -you don't have to name names or workplaces!!!! what was it about the job you didn't like or that stressed you? the hours? the pay? the boss? the commute?

have you ever been tested to see what your perfect job would be??? do you agree with the tests???

are you willing-even at our age-to continue your education to get ahead??? get a better job? start a new life???

anyhow- i think you get the drift of what conversation i am trying to start....since i am not winning PCH or the lotto; i will have to work for about another 15 years AT LEAST!!!!.....i'm interested in your thoughts on all of the above!!!!

I have "liked "most of my jobs. The hardest was when I did family support in homes with families who lost kids to foster care, I would take the kids home for supervised visits and work on issues for unification, also did visits for a phy office and testified in court. It was stressful and I had to drive all over with kids of all natures in all kinds of neighborhoods. Ice, snow,car broke into. Parents saw me as the enemy ( hey I was trying tohelp) Hard to describe, I loved the work but it was so hard and stressfull,Best money I ever made, but not worth it. that was the worst one. I made it 4 years ,the average was 2. I love love my job now, but I have made no bones that I do not like my boss now, she is ruining it for me. Parents volunteer to be in the program, no courts, it is up beat and fun. I work with a fun group and am encouraged to grow in the job. Leaving tomorrow afternoon for my infant massage certification training. So my job will only grow and I willbe able to take the skill into a lot of places, I have a shelter for homeless moms about 8 blocks away. I can work with moms on bonding and touch..No I think we are never too old to learn. I didnt get my college degree untilI was over 40. No one could have been more surprised than me . I have always liked simple uncomplicated jobs with the public, store work, I just love working with people.If I could stand Iwould love to work in a museum or something like that teaching people. I could go on and on..But I had better finish packing and go to bed.. 

I love my job  -  teaching at a college.   I've worked at the same place for 18 years; before this job, I never stayed in the same employment for more than 3 years.  All the other jobs bored me eventually  - this one never has.  I expect to retire in about 3 years, so I think that I'll stay here - I don't want to leave anyway.  And I'm paid very well.
There are times when I find it stressful  -  a difficult student or administration being jerks, for example, but I can't imagine trading my job for any other.  And there are mornings that I don't want to get out of bed, but that's because I am tired, not because I don't like where I work.  In fact, I feel very responsible to my students and hate being sick and missing a day.  I know that they have gotten up and driven to the college with the expectation that I will be there.  It's a let down for them and I always feel bad about it.  I don't  recall feeling like this in any other job. 
I've gone back to school on several occasions to improve my qualifications.  I have two undergraduate degrees and a masters.  I don't think that I'll go back to school again especially while I'm working -  I couldn't teach the number of students that I have and mark their assignments and tests and then concentrate on or have time to do my own homework!   Ugh  -  that's a horrible thought.  It would make me a very crazy woman!!  LOL
I once worked in a welfare department and absolutely hated that job.  I "escaped" from that job and returned to school.  The Welfare Act, at that time, was very punitive in nature and certainly didn't encourage a positive relationship between case worker and client.  Now I hated going in to work when I was a caseworker.  The clients hated us and the administration never backed us up.  I don't think that anyone in that department liked his or her job.  So I decided to go back to school, which in hindsight was one of the best decisions of my life.  I wouldn't be where I am today if I hadn't gone back to school when I had the chance.
I may not return to school, but I may reinvent myself after I retire.  I love creative things, so I may get more involved in doing something that I can sell  -  I love to knit and I used to knit purses for little girls that I embellished with lots of things.  Maybe I'll do that again or ...  who knows?
I don't know if I've really answered your questions.  I do know that I love where I am today and hope to stay here for a few more years and move on to something else that I will enjoy.
Interesting questions, Margo.  I'll be interested in seeing other answers.
Hugs
Margaret

have you ever had a job/career that you truly truly loved???  I am probably disgusting, but I have loved every job I have had.you enjoyed getting up and going to work???  sleep is just someting I do between jobs.  you looked fwd to it???? I look forward to every day.  The only thing I do not like is my time away from Mary.  We even worked together for 2 years and loved it.  And we have taken part time jobs together.  you weren't stressed when you came home??? Sure I get stressed some times.  But I realize that is what I get paid to do.
what was so special about it? the ppl? Every job I have worked has had great people to work with.  There were some people that were not great, but every job did have some great people.   the pay?  I will never be rich unless I hit the lottery.  But I have always made my way through the payscale rather quickly.  At my current job, I maxed out a two years ago, now I only get a 3% or so raise yearly.  I am paid well for what I do.  In my eyes, probably too much.  And I did have one job that I was fired from because I made too much money. the perks? My current company has excellent benefits.  My WLS was paid 100%.  I had medical and vacation benefits from day one.  They match contributions to 401k by 125% (up to 5% of your pay).  And on and on. 

have you ever had a job that you absolutely detested -you don't have to name names or workplaces!!!! what was it about the job you didn't like or that stressed you? the hours? the pay? the boss? the commute? Of all the good jobs, the worst I had was because of a commute of about 1 hour each way.  Originally I worked in the town I lived in, but they opened a new office and wanted me to go to it.  So, they gave me a gas card and said it was for all my gas.  Business and personal.  I worked for over 2 years without ever paying for gas in my car.



are you willing-even at our age-to continue your education to get ahead??? Not at all.  My current job keeps offering me a promotion to supervisor, telling me all I have to do is be "working towards a degree".  They will even pay for the classes.  I would have to be taking just one college course a semester.  I told them no thanks, I am 58 years old and have no desire to work towards a degree.  Not even a sham of one.get a better job? start a new life???

Hi Margo,
I love my job, look forward to coming into work everyday. I work in Volunteer Services, enjoy working with people...yep I'm a people person. I'm a Pollyanna.

What I enjoy most is working with my volunteers from age 14 to 92. The young ones I enjoy mentoring to, teaching them responsibility of showing up and matching them to a position that they will be passionate about. Some enjoy volunteering in ER, as a greeter escort, in critical care helping the families and more....

The seniors, I especially love them, I enjoy hearing their stories, they teach ME about life. They stay engaged, helping others, serving others and they want to be here volunteering.

Part of my job is to make sure they feel welcomed, appreciated and happy.

This truly is my dream job. I also volunteer here on the No One Dies Alone program. I will sit with end of life patients that have no family or family is out of town. Sometimes we sit and give the family a break.

Yes, I'm blessed. I thank God everyday for the gifts that I was given.

I talk about my job a lot on here. I'm a Language, Speech and Hearing Specialist (LSH Specialist, Speech Pathologist, or Speech Therapist- all the same job) and I have worked in elementary, middle and high schools. My preference after 30 years is to work with K-2, but I have enjoyed every age. I started my career by working with severely handicapped children (thinking that that was my niche) but I actually prefer working with the regular education children the most. I have done it all... I feel so lucky and intuitive that I was able to choose a career that was so perfectly suited to my personality and skills. I think the trick for me, to be honest, was that I evolved and changed as I tackled the details of the job. My first 5 years were Ohhhhh SO Boring... I used the same techniques, the same games, the same lists...until I felt as if I could just sleep the day away... then I gradually made the job suit ME....using my creativity and intelligence to make every day exciting and fun. I have spent many thousands of dollars on hands-on materials- but they are as important to me as they are to the students.
I do have to say that I have worked with a number of impossible people- one school that I worked in was toxic- the teachers were driven, but insecure- the principal was weak... I stayed 5 years and then said "not one more minute" and transferred to a wonderful school. That was the year I got cancer...
I'm nearing the end of my career but I love to learn... I got a 2nd Masters in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling about 10 years ago and a specialization in Autism a couple of years ago. I will retire when I get an offer that I can't resist, but I will substitute off and on after I retire. I will be the perfect person to cover women going out on maternity or medical leave, though I will only work part-time in retirement. I have lots of ideas for retirement. My biggest is to raise butterflies- monarchs. I want to bring them back into the classrooms. They are magical- the metamorphisis is awe inspiring and they are becoming so rare around here. I also want to teach a card-making class at the Senior Center.

I'm currently not employed but have had a couple of jobs that I absolutely LOVED!

-My first job was the manager of a small retail store in town.  I liked it.
-My next job was the Music Director at a Radio Station - I was liaison between the station and the record companies.  I chose the songs we would play, created the playlist and weekly Top 40.  I saw every concert and met every singer/group of the time.  It was the BEST job and I LOVED IT!
-My next job was in management and I liked it
-My next job was Vice President of Accounts Payable and Process improvement and I loved parts of it because I got to work with a great staff and was able to mentor many of them as they grew in their career.

Right now I'm at a crossroad and not sure what I want to do next.........Actually I would LOVE to be weight loss consultant to the youth.  I'd love to help them avoid the mistakes and trials I went through as an overweight adolescent and then obese adult. 
In the meantime I think I'll be furthering my real estate involvement from "flipping" an occasional house to actually obtaining a real estate license.  That way I can work flexible schedule and possibly develop the weight loss thing too.  I'm working on the business case to see if it makes sense.

All I know for sure is in my next job I want to do something I enjoy.

I have to ask  -  who did you meet when you were the music manager? 

Hi!
Seriously I met everyone who had a record out from 1980-1989. 
 
Some of the highlights for me were meeting
Paul McCartney (and Linda) - the biggest thrill of my life!
Michael Jackson
Billy Joel
Sting (met him a couple times, with and without the Police)
Gloria Estephan
Madonna
Tina Turner
Whitney Houstin (and her family)
Rod Stewart (OMG I had such a crush!)
Bruce Springsteen (and his band)
Kool and the Gang
Lionel Richie
Rick Springfield
Tony Bennett (that was a treat!!!!)

Hall and Oates....this was the only group I met that I absolutely did not like! 

I'd have go pull out my box of backstage passes to make a full list...

I got to see many artists before they became BIG...like.....Whitney Houston

Those are just the highlights..........there a many, many more great and awesome memories.

TTFN
Ruth

I was a huge Beatles' fan when I was a young girl, and I probably would have fainted if I'd met Paul McCartney!!!  You are so fortunate!  Sometimes, I think that my mind is still that of the 14 year old I once was because I get so excited seeing live acts that I have loved for a long time  -  can't imagine meeting them!
Wow.  I am envious  -  you've met so many wonderful people.
Thanks.
Margaret