Do you like your job?

[cali]

I'm curious. What's good about it? What gives you satisfaction?

[sakabatou]

1. What job?

[Cereal Kyller]

11. Same with many friends of mine

:banghead:

[elocs]

42. Yep, I've been without a job for 9 months now. n/t

[Cereal Kyller]

50. I'm sorry

I have a job, but many people I know do not. I apologize for not phrasing my post well. :blush:

[elocs]

55. Don't be sorry, I saw nothing wrong about how your post was phrased.

Obviously there are going to be a great number of us who do not have jobs, but I didn't mean to imply there was anything wrong with the wording of your post.

[panader0]

2. I became a bricklayer 40 years ago

I love building things, all kind of things, commercial buildings, houses, walls, fireplaces. Through the years, and because of necessity,I have learned many other trades: concrete, carpentry, drywall, stucco, tile and more. I still love doing a job well, standing back at the end and looking at the work and feeling satisfaction. It's harder now at age 60, but I still work as much as I can (under the table) and start a new stucco job tomorrow. Yeah!

[cali]

5. Cool! Thanks!

[RKP5637]

47. That is great to hear. It's really an art form. You sound like an artist talking about

their work and it's great to hear. I really admire individuals like you! Thanks for posting!
:yourock: :yourock: :yourock:

[rosesaylavee]

3. No.

It pays less than half of what I used to make in 2007. It's mindless activity with no incentives other than trying to stay employed there.

Underemployed but working to figure out another way. Have had several - maybe a dozen possibilities in the last 4 years - but nothing concrete enough to help me make the switch to something that would utilize my abilities. I work a mentally hard 40 hr/week.

[cali]

8. what do you do? And I hope you find something that's more rewarding- in every way.

[rosesaylavee]

25. It's basically an online research-related thing.

I have to create a 'project' every 2 minutes or less so you can see how it is very repetitive and mindless. I have learned some tricks to keep my head in it without losing my mind. Ha. Not exactly what I thought I would be doing at this point in my life.

I will figure it out. I just am not liking this part at all.

[Rincewind]

4. I love my job.

I'm retired.

[bluesbassman]

6. I liked it before I had to work twice the hours for half the pay.

Seriously, and it's not getting better. But as my boss likes to remind me at every opportunity, at least I have a job. I am truly grateful for that BTW.

[KittyWampus]

7. Yes. And I've loved just about every job I ever had.

[Chan790]

9. No. It's soulsucking and evil. I'm great at it though and I need the money.

Honestly, I'm waiting until the next time I find something damning so I can blackmail them with it. I draw great satisfaction from small acts of sabotage in the meanwhile. For my next trick, I'm looking for OFAC violations in our major wealth client-base.

I'm a banker. I earn compound-interest on the investment of my conscience into a withdrawal-restricted monetary instrument.

[mdmc]

10. I miss making money

I love my current job, except the pay.

I help mentally ill adults live in apartments instead of hospitals or group homes..

pros = help people, do interesting work
cons = make little cash, mental illness drama

[cali]

15. I've done similar work; I loved/hated it.

Bless anyone decent for doing that work.

[Odin2005]

73. I get some help myself from folks like you!

For about 4 hours a day 3 days a week I get help with cleaning, going to appointments, etc.

[mdmc]

89. I hope they treat ya right bro

peace and low stress..

[obxhead]

12. I would love it if I had one.

[Initech]

13. Not even slightly.

[MineralMan]

14. I do. I don't work for a company. I created my own tiny business

with just me as the employee. I write web sites for small businesses. Not little sites, but extensive websites for businesses with dozens or hundreds of employees. I work with a web designer to do this, and our web sites are creating business for these businesses. In doing this job, I get to learn about businesses that are new to me, through research and other means, and then create a complete web environment for that business. I've done everything from an international translation company, a clinical skin care clinic and a major fencing company to a hydroponics gardening company that ships products worldwide and a swimming pool builder. Each site is new. Each site is different, and each site is an opportunity to help an individual business get more customers, hire more employees, and be more successful.

I'm good at it. The designer I work with is good at it. Our sites produce results. I'm not paid as much as I should be, but I work for myself, and that makes up for a lot.

Our latest site was a 300 page behemoth for a real estate broker. I basically wrote a complete real estate guide for the 15th largest metro area in the country, including individual city, community and neighborhood profiles and much more. It's already increased their business considerably, and it's only been online for a couple of weeks.

So, yes, I like my job. It's worthwhile work, and it's challenging. I can't ask for more.

[cali]

20. No, you can't ask for more.

I love my job. First of all, it's only 4 months or so a year. Secondly, I work for my closest friends Thirdly, what I do makes people happy. Fourthly, the place I work is incredibly beautiful- and quirky. The pay isn't great, but it's not bad either. the work is creative and funny and the atmosphere is positive.

http://perennialpleasures.net/

[Odin2005]

75. That sounds like an interesting job!

[MineralMan]

79. Keeps my old brain working, that's for sure.

:rofl:

[cordelia]

16. Haven't started yet, but think I will.

Got an offer for Thursday. Background check, drug test results are pending.

Contract job, but could become permanent at some point.

[Rhythm]

17. It's a dead-ender, but i love it anyway

I work as a cook in a storied pub in a college town.
It's not what i'll do forever... but for now I love what i do.

We've got a diversified menu full of delicious things, plus i get to create my own specialties on the weekends!

I don't work for some faceless corporation. The guy who owns the pub lives a few block from me, and in difficult times looks out for his employees in ways that only a friend would.

[panader0]

21. I wannna go!

[no_hypocrisy]

18. I've been unemployed 5 times in the last 40 years. Every day is a good day at work.

[aikoaiko]

19. faculty -- yes I like my job.

I'm doing some admin work now which is not as much fun, but pays a little better.

[Beacool]

22. No, I don't.

But I'm grateful to still have a job, although there's rumors of another round of lay offs by the end of summer.

I joke that I'm now bipolar. I thank the Lord every day for having a job, but I'm in the seventh ring of hell. Management has changed. It's a common complaint I hear everywhere from a lot of people (those lucky enough to have a job). Where before the economic collapse most companies treated their employees with some semblance of consideration, they now treat them like rented mules. They know that for every job there are at least 5 people who would be glad to have it and take the abuse.

I've now become a worrier. I worry about my job, my family, my coworkers, my friends, people at church, people here who I don't even know, the country at large, etc.

What has happened to this nation of ours? How can only 18,000 non farm jobs have been created in June in the #1 (for now) economy in the world???? There are freaking 300M people in this vast country and we only scrounged up 18,000 new jobs???? It's beyond pathetic. Besides, what kind of jobs are they? Are they full time well paying jobs or part time at a fast food joint?

Oh don't mind me, I'm in a funk.

:(

[HughBeaumont]

71. A lot of that job loss is due to the public sector firings.

Gee, what happened in November? That whole wave of Slash-N-Burn Fascist Govs who campaigned on job creation but instead have been responsible for the bulk of state and local layoffs (numbering in the 300,000 range for a period of 11 months now). That's what's been dragging the jobs numbers down in recent months . . . that great Republican takeover, how's that working out for all of the ones who wanted to "stick it to them Demmycraps"?

[Beacool]

95. Yes, those jobs used to be secure in the past.

But there's no such thing anymore, whether it be in the private or public sector.

:-(

[SheilaT]

23. I like my current job.

I work the information desk at the only hospital in town, 4pm to 8pm Monday thru Friday. I have no real responsibility and I can brighten someone's day. I have pretty good benefits.

It does make me a little crazy that the info desk is staffed with volunteers from 8am to 4pm, because the volunteers, as well-meaning and good-hearted as they are, simply don't know enough to avoid giving bad information to the public. Unfortunately, I think most hospitals choose to staff their information desks with volunteers. It's appealing to management because of course it saves money, but it would make a lot more sense to use actual paid employees who understood a lot more about the hospital and how it works.

The one job that I liked the most I was fired from after only two days. Sigh.

[abelenkpe]

24. I love my job

Truly. Best job in the world working with lots of super smart talented people at a great company.

[Beacool]

26. Do they have an opening?

:D

[Curmudgeoness]

27. I have a love/hate relationship with my job.

I love the work, I love what I do, which is accounting for a trucking company.

I hate how I am treated by my boss most of the time, I hate that I am paid so much less than other people at the company who have less responsibility but are "producers". You see, accounting does not bring in customers, we just deal with paying bills, paying payroll, paying taxes...you get my point....paying.

But every day that I am there, I am so thankful to have a job at all with so many people out of work. And I tell myself that I love my paycheck so just keep on going.

[devilgrrl]

28. I'd probably like it more if I were working for a different company.

I won't disclose who employs me but its one of the most loathed corporations in the country.

[Edweird]

29. Yes. I enjoy it. I am a journeyman power lineman but I have a lot of experience with traffic signals

I am currently in the signal field due to lack of line work. I enjoy both trades. I'm intense and high energy so I need a physical job with minimal 'customer service' involvement. I also have a couple of brain cells bouncing off each other so I enjoy the challenge of trouble work and engineering issues. Signal work involves a lot of highly specialized computer experience as well as physical strength and stamina. That suits me perfectly. The danger and fearlessness required along with strength makes linework lots of fun as well.

They keep trying to promote me and I'm forced to remind them that I'm an 'outside dog' and if they lock me in the office I'll chew up the furniture and shit foam pieces everywhere.

[Texasgal]

30. I'm a surgical nurse.

yes, I love helping people see. We do cataract and retinal surgery.

I also enjoyed ER work but the hours were too long.

[femmocrat]

31. Most of the time! (Teaching)

It is both the most rewarding and frustrating career at the same time.

I enjoy the kids, hate the stress, love my colleagues, can't stand the administrators. I am very grateful to have this position, though! It is nearly impossible to find a teaching job anymore.

It pays very well and the benefits are excellent. I am off now for the summer and I actually miss it. In a few weeks though, I know it will take over my entire life for the next 9 1/2 months.

[Sherman A1]

32. Like anything else in life it has it's ups and downs

Mostly I enjoy it and the people with whom I work. It's does have it's moments, but what in life doesn't?

[jimmyflint]

33. Environmentalists and corporate robber barons colluded in

out sourcing my jobs. Timber industry used to be good jobs though. I remember lots of the small towns in the PNW had at least one or more mills, putting folks to work. Manufacturing was okay for a while, but those jobs went to mexico,Indonesia, and china. All the fuck heads that killed those industries told us all we would get jobs in the new tourism industry, but they were full of shit.

[RebelOne]

34. I loved it while I had it, but was laid off in 2010.

I was a copy editor for 30 state fishing and hunting magazines. I hate hunting, but I loved the job. Unfortunately, my job was terminated because the company had to downsize.

[stevedeshazer]

35. Yes. But it pays half what I made ten years ago.

I can leave behind everything at the end of each day and start over again.

But I'm broke.

[Speck Tater]

36. I'm retired but I did love my job back when I worked. nt

[tammywammy]

37. Yes n/t

[MurrayDelph]

38. I got laid off a year ago

from a job I hated. Seriously. It was the first time I had not "fallen up" after a layoff.

After a year of unemployment, it still beats working for those jerks.

[proud2BlibKansan]

39. I love it

But I'm sick of the teacher bashing.

[GoCubsGo]

40. No. I do not.. It's killing me.

Besides the fact that it's temporary and will go away Sept.1, it pays two-thirds of what I was making when I had a permanent job, and has no benefits. I spend ten hours a day in a swamp, with biting insects, cottonmouths and other venomous snakes, poison ivy, briars and other thorny, flesh-shredding plants, and muck that will suck the boots right off of you. And, it's fucking hot and humid. This week, we're expecting triple digits. Yippee. Yet another week of trying to fend off heat exhaustion, and spending the day in sweat-drenched clothing. More rashes from heat, poison ivy, and god knows what else. More scars from thorny vegetation we encounter, and from scratching the damn chiggers. More bruises. More damaged toe nails from the ill-fitting boots I wear. And, it's basically an entry-level job. I have a master's degree and 20 years of experience in my field. By the time I get home, I'm too damned exhausted to much of anything, including looking for and applying to permanent jobs. Or, trying to ready my house to put on the market, since after Sept., I'll have no means of paying for it.

That being said, I'm grateful to have the paycheck. I knew what I was getting into when I took this job, because I did it the last two summers. I have a great boss, and the kid I'm working with this summer is wonderful. She's not a smug, know-it-all, like the crew I worked with last summer. But, I'd rather be back at my old job (or one like it), doing the sort of thing I spent 3 years in grad school training to do. I'm too old for this shit. And, if anyone ever tells me that the unemployed are lazy and don't want to work, they'll be consuming the remainder of their life's meals from a straw.

[Liberal_in_LA]

88. What is this job?

[Brickbat]

41. I work from home as a freelance writer and editor. I love the actual work, but I hate scaring up

clients.

Mr. Brickbat is a locomotive engineer. He loves the work but the company does everything it can to make it a shitty job. It's infuriating.

[RC]

43. Hell yeah. Retired and making a good living wage.

I'm one of the lucky ones - - so far.

[stuckinarut]

44. I just started a new job...

It's at a local co-op grocery store. I am working the deli.
It is union, the pay sucks but the benefits are real good. For two years out of college, I have yet to find a "career job", and am starting to question whether they exist anymore...but you have to pay the bills.

For the record, I worked at a deli/butchery before going to college and mad 4$/hr. more.

Funny how that works out, huh?

[The Hitman]

45. Immigration Lawyer

It's the best. Because despite all the bullshit, I still think this is the greatest country in the world and every day I am reminded of that and get to aid people in coming here.

[Capitalocracy]

51. They sure don't make it easy, do they?

My Argentine wife and I have pretty much given up on it... that financial requirement may not seem like much to some people, but for us poor folks, it's a tough limit to reach, even without kids.

[The Hitman]

67. You mean meeting the poverty guidelines?

Or do you mean paying for a lawyer?

[Capitalocracy]

98. I mean the 125% poverty guidelines

we never considered paying for a lawyer even an option

[Starry Messenger]

46. I do.

I teach high school ceramics. I wish I had smaller classes, so I could do a better job. It's hard work, but I'm not a cubicle rat and I get to make art with (mostly) fun and inspired young people.

[TK421]

48. hate it

[AsahinaKimi]

49. Yes.

Doing something I never expected to do..got lucky, I guess. The best part is I can work at home, and set my own hours.

[greendog]

52. I really enjoy the job but...

...the company is a bit disfunctional and the pay is pretty low.

I service a couple dozen retail accounts over a 700 mile route in one of the most beautiful parts of the country. Almost all of the people I deal with are great. The job is physical enough to keep me in shape but (hopefully) not too hard on my body. Most of the driving is on rural highways in Montana. Lots of mountains, lakes, forests, prairies to look at in all kinds of weather. Lots of wildlife. I take a sketchbook and camera to use on my break time. I've been doing it for 6 years and will probably do it for a couple more years. Eventually I'll have to find something that pays more.

[On the Road]

53. I Develop Numbers for a Large Telecommunications Company

Regulatory, Finance, Marketing, and Product Management all need statistics not contained in ordinary reporting. They tend to be from different sources are and often not easy to put together accurately. Have been with the company over twenty years now and have diverse but relevant experience. People ask me nicely and grateful for the results.

It's satisfying in a way, and I guess I could say I like it. There are certainly a lot worse jobs, and I did many of them when I was younger.

[Archaic]

54. Love it

Just wish it would slow down a little. We just added another person to the team because there are so many new projects we can't maintain the old ones.

Hope is not the answer when you work in infrastructure. We shouldn't have to hope nothing breaks while we are doing the other stuff.

I get satisfaction from knowing that I'm helping my company be agile enough to start new projects by building up a robust and flexible IT infrastructure.

More than the physical part of the job, I'm creating the mindset so that the entire team takes it seriously which means I'll get paged less. :-)

[quaker bill]

56. Most of the time

and I hope to keep it. (layoffs coming in a few weeks)

[grahamhgreen]

57. I LOVE my job!!!!!!

[w8liftinglady]

58. I've been a nurse for 27 years. Most of the time,I love it.

healing people and helping them and their families deal with death are two spectrums of my work.Both are satisfying. Kissing administration's ass... not quite so satisfying.

[MrSlayer]

59. Not particularly. It's not great but not horrible.

I can't support my family on songwriting and stories so my real career is in construction. I'm a union electrician. What's good about it? The pay and benefits, no dress code, camaraderie with my co-workers. What's bad about it? Starting at 7 am, dirty, subject to weather and very dangerous. Some jobs are great, some really suck and a lot of that depends on the disposition of the foreman. Some dudes are really knowledgeable about the trade and know how to treat the men, some guys are dangerous idiots who care more about being on time than doing the job safely and competently. I do get some satisfaction out of the gig but not much. I do like the fact that it's a thinking trade, you work with your brain as much as your back so it can be interesting and challenging.

I'm against working in general so there isn't much that I would truly enjoy doing unless I could get paid for my writing and performing. But that wouldn't be work.

[Kind of Blue]

60. I Love my job!

I love what I do. Don't make lots of money but I'm self-employed. It's a tradeoff and I've time to pursue my interests. I really have to say Bush's selection and 9/11 shocked me so bad, figured that I could not live in fear, ventured off on my own and haven't looked back.
KnR!

[Philippine expat]

61. I retired 4 years ago

but loved the job I had when I retired.
What did I like about it.
1) Small company 7 employees
2) 4 weeks vacation paid vacation plus up to 1 week for paid professional meetings

[Shagbark Hickory]

62. I enjoy it lots and lots. Even though it's stressful as hell. nm

[trackfan]

63. Unemployed 14 months now. That said, I've never really liked any job I've had

where I'm working for somebody else. It seems like slavery to me. Work good. Boss bad.

[Kermitt Gribble]

64. Yes,

I don't like having to go to work every day (just a fact of life, I guess), but I do like my job. It challenges me to learn new things, it allows me to be somewhat creative, and it gives me a sense of responsibility because a lot of people see the product of my work.

The company I currently work for really values it's employees. I've worked there 7 months. My previous employer, however, was the exact opposite.

Thanks for asking!

[susanr516]

65. I'd like to have a paying job nt

[rpannier]

66. Yes I do

I do government defense work -- not with the US Gov't
I make money, I travel, National Health Care which is inexpensive and I got a good retirement.
Just wish property values weren't so damned high

[ipaint]

68. No.

I'm 55 working 5-6 days a week cleaning the dirty to downright disgusting houses of the upper middle class for just above minimum wage (after I pay my taxes as an "independent contractor").

Not the least bit enjoyable. Cleaning these people's houses and their spoiled children's rooms and bathrooms is like visiting a right wing, selfish, bubble fantasy land of every conceivable want met. Ignorance abounds.

It's beyond bizarre and childish.

[Broderick]

69. I love my job in some ways

I am a business owner, and on one flip of the coin I like a bit of freedom it gives me and I love my customers. On the other hand though, it is hard to survive in business now and I made a lot more money working for other people in the past.

[Le Taz Hot]

70. What is this "job" thing

to which you refer? :shrug:

[Odin2005]

72. I'm the book guy/checkout guy at a thrift store. It's OK.

I love getting old books. We got a very rare 70s hard-cover graphic novel that's worth $50.

[TBF]

74. Stay at home mom -

yes I love it. I didn't know if I would, but jobs were already scarce in the middle part of this decade when I had my 2nd child. I decided to "take a few years off". My husband has stayed employed so I've been home nearly 5 years now.

I think the best part is not being chained to a desk - lots of windows in the house and I can go out whenever I want to. These days I do a lot of driving - taking kids to their activities. We also have a big dog so I spend time walking and playing with him.

The one thing that bothers me is that although I know my "work" is important, it is so looked down upon in this society. For that reason I'd like to have paid employment again at some point, but I think more in terms of working from home, or starting some kind of business. We'll see.

[PragmaticLiberal]

76. Yes, I like my job.

I work for the State Department.

I don't make great money but I'm comfortable.


Even though I've yet to do it, the best part of the job is the opportunity to travel.

[They_Live]

77. Been looking for 4 years now.

none...

[raccoon]

78. Don't like it as much as I used to. More work, same pay. (Imagine that.)

I'd like it a lot better if I had benefits.

I do like working with the customers; they are the bright spot in this scenario.

Work in my department has become more aggravating and stressful in recent years. (Imagine that.)

[slackmaster]

80. Yes. My job provides ample opportunity for me to exercise my problem-solving skills.

But after working three consecutive 50+ hour weeks including several all-nighters without a single word of thanks from ANYONE, I don't feel like going in this morning so I'm about to email in sick.

[slackmaster]

81. Following up, not only has nobody thanked me for preventing a major disaster last week,

I got a ration of grief from a business analyst who was on vacation.

He's upset that I moved some his beta test virtual machines to faster storage and a VMware ESX host that is not squeezed for CPU or memory. He's the kind of man who doesn't like anyone, and he's easily the biggest offender in never thanking me for the work I do. He has three basic operating modes: Bitch, Whine, and Complain, and he copies senior management on everything. It's such a joy working with someone who behaves that way all the time.

A rogue software developer took some unauthorized action last week that nearly brought our whole development and test infrastructure to a halt. I put in almost 30 hours of extra time fixing that, and making it possible to consolidate two whole data centers into one. And nobody has said one blessed word of thanks. The big fat paychecks I get twice each month make up for that problem.

:crazy:

My goal is to paint my bedroom today, and move back into it.

Oh, I just discovered that the door switch on my Whirlpool dryer is broken. Its jobs are to turn off the dryer motor and burner, and turn on the light, when the door is opened. I ordered a replacement part from appliancepartspros.com.

:argh:

[lumberjack_jeff]

82. Yes. I wish I could do more of it.

Self employment is definitely my preferred gig.

I make kits for 8 - 20 foot long wooden power and sailboats.

[supernova]

83. Don't have a job to like or dislike

been out of work since 2008 and having difficulty finding something else, even PT catering assistant. Lasted about one day at that. :eyes:

I'm 49 this month, btw. I think that might have something to do with it.

[Tatiana]

84. I used to love my job. Now... at times I love it, at times I hate it.

The best part of my job is watching students who would ordinarily be written off experience success and move on from high school to college.

Starting the first Gay-Straight Alliance Club was a huge milestone, attending the childbirth of a student, seeing a student with a speech impediment receive a standing ovation during his first public speech... those are the memories I look to when I think about just giving up and trying to find employment in the private sector.

The attacks on education are making it difficult to stay in the field for those of us not close to retirement. It certainly isn't the salary or working conditions that keeps us in the classroom -- it's the kids.

[closeupready]

85. Very, very much like it.

Considering I've known about 8 people to lose their jobs (some of whom, while later finding work, became unemployed yet again) since 2008, I am also very, very grateful for it.

[Javaman]

86. I absolutely loved my old job...

does that count?

my "new" job, the one I have had for 13 years and dying?

If I had a choice, I would run screaming out the door and yell, "fuck you, suckers!"

but alas, I'm a worker drone for the health benefits and regular paycheck.

part of my dream involving having a Single Payer National Health Plan, was going to be telling my boss that I quit.

but alas...

[dionysus]

87. yes, but not the hassle that accompanies it sometimes.

[JackDragna]

90. My job is awesome.

I love teaching. :)

[progressiveinaction]

91. I love my job!

As a cashier at Wal Mart I get to meet interesting people throughout the day! Pay isn't bad either.

[Duer 157099]

92. Yes. When things go well.

When things don't work, it's the most frustrating thing ever.

But then I suppose that's a general truism.

[rucky]

93. I'd love it a lot more if the work were steady. n/t

[Manifestor_of_Light]

94. Dont have one. I can't work with corporate mediocrity.

If you show initiative and creative thinking, and intelligence, competence and education, you get punished and fired.

I wish I could make money being creative: paintings, painting murals, playing music, stuff like that.
I used to string beads and make jewelry but nobody bought it. I even had a website and shopping cart software (Miva Merchant). Made one sale of $12.95 earrings in ONE YEAR.


:cry:


Demand is the key to the economy.

[Capitalocracy]

99. have you tried Etsy?

I don't know how demand is doing, but at least with Etsy someone might see it. Marketing is the hardest part... having your own website is just a small part of it. But apparently people put stuff on Etsy and they can sell some of it. A couple of people post stuff for sale on the DU Marketplace forum and it appears that other DUers buy them.

[JonTheGreat]

96. I hate my job

I hate my lousy job. I barley make enough to live. The employer is the biggest idiot (and republican) ever nd shows extreme favrotism to some workers.

[JCMach1]

97. Yeah, but now having hypertension attacks from the stress

Serious ones...

Going to seriously downshift my life in the next year.