Do you enjoy your job?

Stable · **#41**

I think we're pretty lucky to be able to grouse about our jobs. Once upon a time you worked every hour you could to make sure you didn't starve.

Having said that (

)I've just come out of a massive downer about my PhD (I'm in the lab at least 9 - 5 and usually longer, and they give me money for it. I call it a job.) so ask me again in a month or two and I'll have a bit more perspective.

My dream job would probably be to own a bookshop. New or used, I don't care. How did you get into that business Joaz? Is it really as relaxed and fun as it looks? Preferably my imaginary shop would also have a room in the back I could rent out to capoeira classes. I'd love to teach capoeira on the side sometime in the future as well, my old teacher suggested I start up a class, but I don't think I'm good enough yet, there's too many capoeira groups in Glasgow for the amount of students and I'm a bit busy with the whole PhD thing.

Worst things about working in science:
When the experiments don't work for months (years) on end.
Finding motivation when the above happens.
Feeling guilty if I don't go into the lab at the weekend.
The pressure of having a boss who works much harder than I do!

Best things:
Flexible working (I even enjoy having to work at 2am sometimes. It makes me feel like a real scientist.)
All the cool stuff (liquid nitrogen, dry ice, genetically modfying stuff so it glows green etc.)
When the experiments work.

I used to be 100% that I'd go on in academic research when I'm done here. Now I'm much less sure, but we'll see. I still might.

flOvermind · **#42**

Chew Terr wrote:

I've heard of a guy who owns a yacht in the Pacific, and makes his living teaching rich kids how to sail in it. The kids pay to sail his boat for him from island to island. Apparently, they buy and sell goods from island to island, and once he's taught the kids what to do, he sits back and enjoys the ride, in addition to the double income (sold goods and 'tuition'). I know it's probably more work than it sounds like, but I'm still jealous.~

I have met a few people like that. From what I could tell, it's really not more work than it sounds like. But it pays a lot less than it sounds like.

Am I jealous of them? Not really. Ok, they live a pretty worry-free life. They practically don't work at all. But in turn, they are missing out on some of the advantages of modern civilization, too.

Jedo · **#43**

I'm a student, so although I guess it doesn't really count I enjoy my "job" now. After I get out in a few years though, who knows... :roll:

azrael · **#44**

entropi wrote:

Man, it is not so dramatic

I am not really soo unhappy with my job. A job that I would enjoy doing, could for example be as a musician. What I do instead is sitting 8 hours a day in front of a computer and checking whether some stupid technical ideas are inventive enough to deserve a patent. It is not hell, but it is also not something enjoyable.

To be honest, I can hardly imagine anybody really enjoying that job. But the salary is good, benefits are good and it is a relatively secure employment. I don't ask for more from a job, especially after having children. Tommie is a colleague of mine. Tommie, if you read this thread, maybe you would comment on that

My attitude to my job is similar to entropi's. It pays the bills and allows me to do what I want. It is pretty secure and it is unlikely that I get fired. Sometimes I have good days and others I have bad which is basically the same in every profession.

My dream job is to win enough money in the lottery so I don't have to work full time. Than I can enjoy life more.

sumiyaka · **#45**

I like my job. Mostly its because I have some of the most amazing colleagues in the world. I do dislike that I'm doing things completely out of the realm of what I find interesting. But. That doesn't quite matter to me when I see the team/company succeed at something. I'll do whatever is needed to make that happen, because that, I find very interesting.

That being said, I'm trying to find a way to make part of my way with a camera. I've started, I should be on my way, I'll see how it all works out at the end. Its taken quite a bit of my focus lately, so very little Go, very little pleasure reading, etc. I thought about this for 3 years, and realized I could think about it the rest of my life and be grumpy on my deathbed angry I didn't try-- OR I could stop thinking, put the actual work in, and see what happened

Joaz Banbeck · **#46**

sumiyaka wrote:

I like my job. Mostly its because I have some of the most amazing colleagues in the world. I do dislike that I'm doing things completely out of the realm of what I find interesting. But. That doesn't quite matter to me when I see the team/company succeed at something. I'll do whatever is needed to make that happen, because that, I find very interesting.

So, your boss reads this forum?

sumiyaka · **#47**

Joaz Banbeck wrote:

sumiyaka wrote:

I like my job. Mostly its because I have some of the most amazing colleagues in the world. I do dislike that I'm doing things completely out of the realm of what I find interesting. But. That doesn't quite matter to me when I see the team/company succeed at something. I'll do whatever is needed to make that happen, because that, I find very interesting.

So, your boss reads this forum?

Not that I'm aware of...

Seriously, the things our company has managed to do makes all the crap I've been through fade. Yeah, it does sound cheesy though. But... it happens

We are small, less than 30 people, and everyone on there is doing things out of their norm.

wossname · **#48**

i'm writing scala and a little java at an interesting online advertising startup, so things are pretty good right now. the pace of the work isn't too bad, and it often can be interesting! i wouldn't mind pumping out c# or c++ at a less 'cool' company, but i particularly enjoy that i'm getting paid to write in a functional language. probably not much chance of that happening at the next place!

singular · **#49**

I'm flabbergasted at the number of people who either enjoy or 'live with' their jobs. I've never had a job I didn't feel hatred towards; never had one that didn't make me want to deliberately crash my car just to escape entrapment. The madness of it is too much for me to think about.

My goal is to make money while enjoying myself, but it seems a horribly remote possibility.

azrael · **#50**

singular wrote:

I'm flabbergasted at the number of people who either enjoy or 'live with' their jobs. I've never had a job I didn't feel hatred towards; never had one that didn't make me want to deliberately crash my car just to escape entrapment. The madness of it is too much for me to think about.

My goal is to make money while enjoying myself, but it seems a horribly remote possibility.

If everybody did the job/thing that they enjoyed than who would do the boring stuff that makes the world go around (or a more pleasant place)?

Somebody has to do the undesire/boring jobs e.g. binman, undertaker and other important civic duties.

Many other people do a job because they have responsibility such as a family and debts to pay. I know quite a few people who has degree level qualification but is forced to do basic admin job (around 14k GBP a year gross) in order to survive.

Exologist · **#51**

I don't understand people having degree qualifications and resigning themselves to basic jobs. Well, actually I do, but only in the cases of them loving their lower paying job enough / ending up not liking what they got specialized in and a crappy job market.

hyperpape · **#52**

Well, some degrees don't qualify you for a lot of jobs. In other cases, you might be able to move up to a somewhat better job, but not really have anything to aim for. Right now, I'm somewhat in the latter state: I'm underemployed, but while I could probably make more money doing something that doesn't involve so much sweating, I'm not sure what it is that I'd really enjoy doing.

Do you enjoy your job?

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