Do you actually like your job?

[Phoenix87x]

Seriously considering quitting my job. I've been there 10 years and I'm just tired the of same BS day in and day out. The same people and the same non-sence. Nothing ever changes.

Before I do anything drastic and run for the supposed greener grass on the other side, I just wanted to ask:

Do you guys actually enjoy your job? Or is every place you go to inevitably going to have some patience testing, frustrating aspect to it?

[King Postwhore]

11 years and we finally won Site of the year. My employees rock. This is our party tonight. 

[XJDenton]

I get to play with giant X-ray lasers. So yeah, the job is good.

[Animal]

My job - a freelance translator and editor - is sometimes hard, sometimes frustrating, but thoroughly enjoyable. There are parts I could do without, like uncertainty - one moment, I don't know if I'll have any work in the next couple of weeks, and a day later, I can get insanely busy working through days and nights and making more money in a week than many people in my country make in a month. Also, taking a badly written and hard to understand text and making it into something at least a bit less jarring and more comprehensible can be an exercise in frustration. But i can't think of any other job I would prefer to this one (apart from the ones in "pipe dream" or "the ship that has sailed" category).

[lordxizor]

I mostly like my job since I was promoted last summer. I've got a group of 11 and we're building a new service offering for my company from scratch. I feel valued by my boss and the people above her, which is probably the biggest part of why I'm liking it.

That being said, if I didn't have to work for financial reasons, I'd be out of there in a second.

[Adami]

I provide psychotherapy to students at a big university in New York and I truly love my job.

[T-ski]

I just quit my job two weeks ago, not quietly either.

Been in retail for almost 15 years, the last 6 at a sporting goods store. I actually enjoyed most of my time there but the last six months it’s been a complete shit show. Short staffed, overloaded with stock, no support from upper management, just a mess.

Felt bad for my fellow employees that were good to work with that I bailed before Black Friday weekend, but I needed to leave for my own sanity.

Now I’m 50, looking for something new to do, preferably 9-5 M-F.

[lonestar]

I'm cool with my current gig... I run a foodservice operation for a division of a very prestigious law firm. My current clientele is about 40 people a day on top of constant caterings for various events and meetings. My compensation package is good, I have a certain amount of freedom with how I run the place, and my small staff does well.

[Adami]

I'm cool with my current gig... I run a foodservice operation for a division of a very prestigious law firm. My current clientele is about 40 people a day on top of constant caterings for various events and meetings. My compensation package is good, I have a certain amount of freedom with how I run the place, and my small staff does well.

But how big is your kitchen?

[Lonk]

I've been at my current job for a year now and I wouldn't say I love it, but don't hate it either (I finally earned management trust). Would I love to do something different, yeah, but its descent pay and not so much work.

But to answer your last question, I think that you are bound to have some frustrating aspects on any job, specially when you have different types of personality in the same team/work group.

[Awaken]

I've worked for a fortune 100 company for 25 years, the last 5 in the IT area tasked with design/implementation of digital self service platforms.  I put together puzzles all day long with awesome people.  The leaders of the org long ago made a conscious effort to prioritize 'culture' (which, admittedly can go in many directions) - and it has paid off in spades.  Negative attitudes, poor work ethic, etc - they performance themselves out of the org quickly these days.  The culture is winning as a team and it's so refreshing from 'the old way'.  There is nothing worse than trying to build things with negative or lazy people.

So yeah, I honestly love my job.  So much so that I usually don't participate in these discussions with family/friends because I know so many people aren't happy with theirs and I feel a little guilty. 

[lonestar]

I'm cool with my current gig... I run a foodservice operation for a division of a very prestigious law firm. My current clientele is about 40 people a day on top of constant caterings for various events and meetings. My compensation package is good, I have a certain amount of freedom with how I run the place, and my small staff does well.

But how big is your kitchen?

The Barbie Dream House has a bigger kitchen than mine.

[gmillerdrake]

I'm just now starting to get comfortable in my current position. I work as a Construction Project Manager for a pretty large firm, and....prior to this position I worked in Construction but as an Owner's Rep.  This side of the game is quite a bit different so I've been here 13 months now and am starting to kind of find my footing.

But I do enjoy the industry as it's really satisfying working with a team of people to build/create something from nothing. It can be stressful, like any other job, but....as I said....it is rewarding. And, I'm making a pretty decent living so that is certainly a plus.

[El Barto]

I'm comfortable here. At times it's quite annoying. Most of the time I'm left to my own devices to post on music forums, though. My perspective is that I hate work, or more precisely, I hate having to work. I'm not going to be particularly crazy about any job I could have. With that in mind being comfortable is what matters to me.

[Dublagent66]

Not anymore.  Burnt out on 37 years of corporate bullshit and retarded executives.  Sick to fucking death of it.  Can't wait to retire in 3 1/2 years.

[hefdaddy42]

Honestly, I love my job.  I arrived at this company 6 1/2 years when I moved to Raleigh, and it's been the best job I've ever had.

My wife, however, is currently hating life at her job.  She works for a software company that was recently bought out, and the merger details are driving her crazy.

[hunnus2000]

I kind of like my job. I work for the State as an IT PM. My role is to manage multiple programs like WIC for the Department of Health managing developer finance and offering technical direction for their applications.

But here's the deal, I work with a majority of women to the tune of about 80-20 percent and the problem I have to deal with is moodiness for lack of a better word. I had one lady who complained that I was talking down to her after I thought we had a GREAT and FUN conversation. I find out later that she was 1 month into her pregnancy so of course she was going to be moody. Then I had another complaint from a lady only to find out she was going through a bitter divorce after only being married for only about a year and a half of marriage. Think she wasn't bitter? The latest was this one lady, whos' a director, was heavy in my grill for stuff I didn't do, only to find out she had been hassling others as well. She retired and her last day was this past Wednesday. She was forced out. Do you think any of us had a chance?

This is NOT a knock on females at all and all my female friends tell me that women are the worst and indeed, I have had dickhead male managers but this is my reality as it stands today.

[cramx3]

I have a love/hate relationship with my job these days.  I work for a good company that everyone knows and is often rated one of the best places to work... but there's been a lack of management lately.  I think a lot of people are not happy because of recent changes (including myself) and the morale has taken a hit.  It's very noticeable to me even though I work remotely and almost have 0 face to face time with other people in my company.  My job has allowed me to do quite a bit of travel, but it's all to the same places I've been tons of times before so the travel part isn't really interesting anymore other than allowing me to earn travel points.  I've stopped learning anything new and feel like I'm hitting a wall with progressing to something else.  I have a lot of incentives to stick around (I've been granted stock options that start vesting next year for example and will continue to get more of these) but I'm almost at 9 years here.  I kind of want to hit that 10 milestone, but I'm thinking my long term outlook is I will need to find a new job to stay happy in the coming years.  As for the recent changes, I've been told come January management is going to try to correct the wrongs that have been made, but my confidence is low.  If they can fix things like they have stated they want to, I think there's a possibility to be very happy, but I put that at like 10% chance of happening. 

[jammindude]

I’m so happy someone brought this up. I’ve been suffering from some varietal of “survivors guilt” because of the job I landed. It’s almost like when you’re in love…really in love…and you want to run around yelling it at the top of your lungs from every rooftop how wonderful it is. But I usually keep it to myself, because it occurs to me that if I’m speaking to a group of people that is mostly miserable, I’m just going to make them feel bad.

Part of it is because I just changed careers from something I hated. I was an electrician by trade for over 20 years. I originally started in 88 and walked away from it in 90 because I *HATED* it. Then, after my son was born and I had a realization that I wasn’t going to be able to take care of my family by daydreaming of being a rock star, I came back to it in 93. Then I left again in 96 because I ****HATED**** it. Worked in retail for 4 years, worked in banking for 4 years (briefly worked a video store in the mix) but then when my wife had to start staying home full time to take care of her mother, electrical became the only thing I knew how to do that paid enough to take care of everyone.  And I still ********HATED********* it!! I did a job I truly loathed from 2004 to 2021. Then in Nov 2021, I was carrying a very heavy bundle of pipe up 3 flights of stairs to a railway platform in the sideways rain and 40 degree weather, and I thought “There’s NO WAY I can do this til I’m 65.”

My brother had been an inspector for the state for years and was always trying to get me to throw my hat in the ring. But it was about a 40% pay cut and I just didn’t think I could afford it. But at a certain point, I got desperate and started looking around. And I saw a job posting for an electrical inspector for the small City of Des Moines Wa.  Cities (usually) pay much better than the state. So I decided to take a shot.

And on Jan 1st 2022, I got the job. I’m salaried, I have government benefits, and they are training me in other building codes so I can do more inspections. The stuff I’m learning will allow me to become a master code professional which will keep me in demand even after I retire. I’m in a small jurisdiction with only 5 people in the building department and we all love each other and work well together.

One year later, I still lean over to my wife nearly every night and say, “I can’t believe I got this job! Pinch me because I must be dreaming!”

And I can’t believe how much it affects everything in your life! I mean just not feeling the Sunday Night blues for an entire year is a huge game changer in my personal life. Heck, just not dreading going to work is a huge difference in one’s disposition wherever you go!

I absolutely LOVE my job and I honestly look forward to going to work every day, and it’s the first time in my life I’ve been able to consistently say that.

[Stadler]

I love my job.  My boss is transitioning to another role (outside of my department) and I'm getting a new boss, but she's saying all the right things, and I like her so far, so...

I guess I love my job.

[gmillerdrake]

My wife, however, is currently hating life at her job. 

Same. My wife is a Special School District teacher, has been since 2002. She LOVES helping kids...especially those with Autism and Down Syndrome....but sadly, the majority of her kids these days are just 'behavioral' kids....meaning, they're just F'n brats. She is kicked, bit or beat up multiple times a week by kids who can't hear the word 'no'. You'd be shocked if I told you the lengths that her supervisors go to try and placate to these brats.

She has been to the ER (has to in order to document) 6 times in the past two years from scratches, bites and punches to the face/eyes. She told me recently she just doesn't "believe" in what she's doing anymore. These behavior kids monopolize all her time and effort leaving her unable to teach the kids she really has a heart for (low IQ / Autism / Downs)

She's 7 years away from being able to retire with 100% pay/benefits and she just doesn't know if she can make it. It's taking that large a toll on her. I've known her for 19 years and been married to her for 17 and have never seen her this disenchanted with her job. She's won awards, written curriculum....is well respected and has been a blessing to countless kids over many years.....and she's just 'done' now. I hate seeing her like this.

[Skeever]

It's OK. Pay is decent, benefits are good. Workload is, for the most part, manageable. If only I could shake the creeping feeling like I should be doing something else.

[hefdaddy42]

My wife, however, is currently hating life at her job. 

Same. My wife is a Special School District teacher, has been since 2002. She LOVES helping kids...especially those with Autism and Down Syndrome....but sadly, the majority of her kids these days are just 'behavioral' kids....meaning, they're just F'n brats. She is kicked, bit or beat up multiple times a week by kids who can't hear the word 'no'. You'd be shocked if I told you the lengths that her supervisors go to try and placate to these brats.

She has been to the ER (has to in order to document) 6 times in the past two years from scratches, bites and punches to the face/eyes. She told me recently she just doesn't "believe" in what she's doing anymore. These behavior kids monopolize all her time and effort leaving her unable to teach the kids she really has a heart for (low IQ / Autism / Downs)

She's 7 years away from being able to retire with 100% pay/benefits and she just doesn't know if she can make it. It's taking that large a toll on her. I've known her for 19 years and been married to her for 17 and have never seen her this disenchanted with her job. She's won awards, written curriculum....is well respected and has been a blessing to countless kids over many years.....and she's just 'done' now. I hate seeing her like this.

Hate to hear that, pal.

[gmillerdrake]

My wife, however, is currently hating life at her job. 

Same. My wife is a Special School District teacher, has been since 2002. She LOVES helping kids...especially those with Autism and Down Syndrome....but sadly, the majority of her kids these days are just 'behavioral' kids....meaning, they're just F'n brats. She is kicked, bit or beat up multiple times a week by kids who can't hear the word 'no'. You'd be shocked if I told you the lengths that her supervisors go to try and placate to these brats.

She has been to the ER (has to in order to document) 6 times in the past two years from scratches, bites and punches to the face/eyes. She told me recently she just doesn't "believe" in what she's doing anymore. These behavior kids monopolize all her time and effort leaving her unable to teach the kids she really has a heart for (low IQ / Autism / Downs)

She's 7 years away from being able to retire with 100% pay/benefits and she just doesn't know if she can make it. It's taking that large a toll on her. I've known her for 19 years and been married to her for 17 and have never seen her this disenchanted with her job. She's won awards, written curriculum....is well respected and has been a blessing to countless kids over many years.....and she's just 'done' now. I hate seeing her like this.

Hate to hear that, pal.

Yeah....it's never good so see your wife (significant other) go through tough times and not being able to really help or do anything about it. I hate it for her because I know how great a teacher she is and how much she loves to do it. She's just been literally beaten into submission at this point.

[SeRoX]

I love my job.

From elementary school to high school I've  just loved everything about biology and science in general. I ended up being Genetic Engineer. My speciality now is Leukemia and I'm now resarching/studying ancient genes that couse gene souce illnesses.

Exciting to say the least and everyday I learn something new. And it's a good feeling that I do something good for all living creatures.

[bosk1]

If only I could shake the creeping feeling like I should be doing something else.

Well, to be fair, Godzilla really was meant for a higher calling, as this beloved essay from Jamie Metzl illustrates:  https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/t/lmao-read-these-essays/592163

I love my job.

From elementary school to high school I've  just loved everything about biology and science in general. I ended up being Genetic Engineer. My speciality now is Leukemia and I'm now resarching/studying ancient genes that couse gene souce illnesses.

Exciting to say the least and everyday I learn something new. And it's a good feeling that I do something good for all living creatures.

That's really cool.  I had no idea that is what you do, SeRoX.  Mad respect.

[Samsara]

I love what I do. It was a long road to get where I am, along with a lot of hopping around early in my career, but what I do matters and I'm fortunate to be in the position I'm in. It scratches my creative/analytical/management sides.

[SeRoX]

That's really cool.  I had no idea that is what you do, SeRoX.  Mad respect.

Thanks Bosk. Appreciated.

[MoraWintersoul]

I work in the kindergarten with a group of 1-to-3-year-olds. I'm pretty stimulated by all the demands of the job - trying to remember tiny details and see everything that's going on in the room even under major sensory stress, getting every routine complete on time, and working in my third language with vocabulary I was previously totally unfamiliar with, those things were huge adjustments to me, but I'm kind of enjoying the fact I'm actually capable of pulling it off. At the same time, I feel like I've been run down by a truck almost every day I come home because we're chronically short-staffed and the job is stressful as it is. I'm not sure if a job that's validating but difficult goes into the "like" pile but I don't know if I dislike it, at the same time. It certainly seems like the grass is greener everywhere except in healthcare and some schools at the moment.

It's difficult to have *so many* moments during the day where five minutes after you think you should have been even kinder, more patient and more alert. I don't normally ruminate over what could have gone wrong or think about less-than-optimal social interactions - I never could relate to those memes where you stay up at night thinking about all the awkward things you have ever said - but boy will this job make you do just that! The other day, a three-year-old pulled a heavy shelf made of real wood full of toys down and I stopped it with my hand and shielded him from everything that was on top of it with the other, and about three seconds later I had to remember to acknowledge the other kids' feelings about the scary event but convince them the event was over, check him for injuries, then tell him he has no visible injuries in a way he can understand, then two minutes after encourage and foster equally exuberant play (of the kind that pulled the shelf down in the first place), and that's just... like... a day. I haven't even had to deal with serious behavioral issues that day, or entertain the thought that someone's parent may be mildly neglectful or anything like that. Not a lot of other jobs have those considerations and they do bother me.

[SwedishGoose]

For the most part I like my job yeah.
I would not have stayed for 22 years if I didn't.


The company I applied for is definitely not the same as the one I'm woring at now.

When I started in december of 2000 we were a company of 9 individuals (Mikael Åkerfeldts bride and divorceeto be included).


Now we are part of an organisation having around 3000 employees around the glode.

From day one and until today I have always felt like I'm iimportant for my company. I'mthe lead developer in my part of the organisation and most days are different fro each other.


My knowledge and experience is apprciated and I have good people around me who all strive towards a common goal.

My pay is perhaps not exeptional but Ifeel like I earn enough to get by and put a bit aside for the future.

Would I work here if I was wealty enough to not have to worry.... probably not. But I would not leave on the spot. I would stay on to make sure they got by without me.

[Skeever]

If only I could shake the creeping feeling like I should be doing something else.

Well, to be fair, Godzilla really was meant for a higher calling, as this beloved essay from Jamie Metzl illustrates:  https://talk.collegeconfidential.com/t/lmao-read-these-essays/592163

That is amazing 

I love my job.

From elementary school to high school I've  just loved everything about biology and science in general. I ended up being Genetic Engineer. My speciality now is Leukemia and I'm now resarching/studying ancient genes that couse gene souce illnesses.

Exciting to say the least and everyday I learn something new. And it's a good feeling that I do something good for all living creatures.

This is indeed amazing. Is 35 too old to get into this?

[SeRoX]

This is indeed amazing. Is 35 too old to get into this?

No, not at all. If you start from the beginning it sure will take time. If you are interested in biology give it a try. I don't know your bachelor's degree but maybe you can find a course from it. Presumably biology has biggest sub-branch of all discipline. You have to know what is your interest or goal in it.

My second goal is astrobiology. I applied some science institution from England and Switzerland and be accepted by ETH Zurich 3 months ago for 2 researchs. It may take 2-3 years to finish. But it is worth.

[wolfking]

I'm not sure how to answer this.  Some days I like it and some days I hate it.  People management has its difficult moments for sure but a lot of it comes easy also.  The politics within the local government that I work make me hate the job a lot of the time though.  Pool safety also has its easy days and its challenging days and the same with working with the public.  Doing 70-75 hours a week though at the moment can be challenging. 

I've been doing the same thing going on 15 years now so I've definitely had moments where I've thought my time has come to move on, especially this year but on the flip side the pay is decent and I really can do what I what.  Although those screws have been tightened this year too which is challenging.

[Cool Chris]

Same. My wife is a Special School District teacher...

If I knew this, I had forgotten. My wife does the same going on nearly 25 years. She is also seeing a big rise in behavior issues in her class. She has told me about kids being "little shits" more in the past 18 months than I have heard in the previous 10+, and she rarely uses profanity. She attributes some of it to Covid and kids being away from socialization for so long, but recognizes that excuse can cover only so much. There has also been massive turnover at the district level, and where there was once stability and support there is now a clusterf*** of inefficiencies, paperwork, reports, and a general lack of communication and teamwork.

She is 46 so retirement isn't on the radar, but she has considered what else she could do. It's the only job she's ever wanted since she was a kid (her mom did the same thing).  I want her out of it, but they pay and benefits are nice, and at this point in her life it's part of her identity.

[JayOctavarium]

I do. I work for an Amazon Delivery Service Partner, which is basically a 3rd party contractor that delivers for them. No delivery drivers are actually employed by Amazon.

It's a dead end job and far from Glamorous... But it really checks a lot of boxes for me. I get to drive around all day in parts of the county I already would drive around in just go kill time.  The areas I'm usually in are pretty laid back and the people are nice (and the women... Are cute

I have lost 60ish lbs in the 15 months I've been doing this... And though the weight loss has slowed down, I'm still feeling fantastic compared to a year ago. It's far from a forever job, but it will make a great stepping stone to maybe get into something better, especially since my company paid for my DOT medical shit and certs to drive stepvans (the ups syle trucks).

I also do like the owner of my company. He does tend to try to run his business by the mantra of "happy employees do a better job and are less of a liability than disgruntled employees"