Who Likes Their Job?
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For some reason I ran across quite a few career articles last week and wrote a few times on the telecommuting DBA. I've actually got another one coming to follow up on the other editorials and incorporate some of the very interesting comments I've seen as well.
We all hear about the problems with our jobs. In fact, I've seen quite a few people post recently about issues, complaints, and other things that they don't like. We all remember all to well the office griper, who complains about everything or nearly everything the "company" does. So when I saw this article about happy workers, I had to stop and take a look.
What started out as another survey about bad experiences turned out differently after most of those surveyed said they hadn't had a bad IT job. I really, really wish I was in that group, but I've had a few that I wasn't too fond of. Not that I regret the jobs; I learned a lot and they fit my life when I took them, but I wish I'd known more going in and tackled them differently while I was there.
Overall I've really enjoyed most of my jobs, including my current one. My friends from JD Edwards, 4 of whom work together at one place, are a group I'd really be looking to work with again if something changed here. Actually if it were possible to turn back the clock and go rejoin JD Edwards, I might do that tomorrow.
You should enjoy your job. It's where you spend a lot of your life and I hope that most of you out there have fond memories of most of the places you've worked.
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You know, until this article I never really thought about liking or not liking my job! But looking back, waaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy back, I can’t remember a job that I didn’t really like. After high school I joined the Navy and became an electronics tech working on air and surface search radars and I really liked that job. Later moving into passive electronic counter measures, I really liked that job. On getting home from Nam in 68 in time for Christmas, I first worked in an auto plant as a machinist on turret lathes and multi function machine operations and I really liked that job. I got into construction, home improvement and I really liked that job. Later working for Detroit Edison as an assistant plant operator and I really liked that job. From there I got a job with the state of Michigan working for the Council for the Arts on the Artrain project taking it on a western tour of states on its first out of state experience and I really liked that job.
In 74, I went to work in a local hospital as a Bio-Clinical Engineering Tech, a job I held at three hospitals for almost 28 years, getting my primary degree going to school nights in the field and I really liked that job. Finally, six years ago, I fell into this DBA/Programmer position at a major hospital and I find that I really like this job. At 61 years young, I don’t know what my next career might be, but whatever it is I hope I like it as much as I have enjoyed my last working years. I think the key in any job is keeping the mind active and focused on what you are doing and just keep doing. The only job that I can think of that I might not like is the one coming up in the next 10 years, retirement. That one I might have to do something about!
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This may seem silly, but one of the featured professionals used the word holistic to describe the problem solving/planning culture of a work place. I hate that word used in an IT sense. Solutions are parts, you have to get the parts right no matter what the vision. Holistic is a word used by executives and charlatans. Rant over..
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I have to agree with Jim, I haven't had a job I didn't like yet. I am currently at the beginning of my IT carrier, but even before I worked in IT I have always had wonderful bosses and a great work environment.
I do think that a lot of it has to do with the workers mentality. It is much easier to like a job if you are passionate about the field it is in.
Jereme
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Over the years, I've had maybe 10 or 11 jobs... of those, 3 I really liked (current included), 6 or 7 were temp jobs, and I was really pretty indifferent about them, and 1 job that I just really hated. That's everything from washing dishes to programming to management. But the one I hated was due to a combination of bad management, and a single employee that management gave a job the employee was incapable of doing. The line lead was expected to pick up the slack for the person who couldn't do their job. Overall, the job was all well and good untill I got bumped up to the line lead position. Only job I ever walked out on.
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Well - I'll agree with Jim too except for the part where he says - "The only job that I can think of that I might not like is the one coming up in the next 10 years, retirement."
- I keep having this argument with my 66 yr. young colleague whose constant refrain is "I can't retire and twiddle my thumbs - I'll go crazy" - retirement does not mean sitting on the couch and becoming a potato or twiddling your thumbs or whatever "inactive definition" that people want to bestow on it..it can be as active or even more active depending on what other passions you have that your career hasn't let you pursue due to pressures of keeping a roof over your head, paying your bills, sending the kids to college etc..
**ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI !!!** -
I have a whole bunch of personal projects I'd love to get the time to work on. Half the time when I have a 3 day weekend, I spend atleast a day of it doing some serious programming... For me retirement's still quite a while off, but when it gets here, I'm sure I'll still be itching to work... just for myself...
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I have worked for over 10 companies. Sometimes the project was exiciting and sometimes the work was bored. There was only one job that I felt liked I could not wait to go to work everyday. However it changed when the company had a new VP.
Also, it is not just the job, it also depends on the environment, the company, your boss and your co-workers. Even the job is exciting but you don't stand the company politics, the upper management's direction and there is no communcation among your boss and your co-workers. Will you stay at the job?
Even since I start this job a year ago, I never put out a post. That means I never learn anything new and exciting. Also I don't have anyone to talk to in the company.
I am thinking I should take the job at Walmart !!!!!
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I think it's those of us who aren't actually working in IT who hate our jobs. Computers have been just something I do for as long as I can remember, but I haven't managed to land a real IT job yet; I'm 24 now, and have worked jobs in agriculture, education, foodservice, and currently ::shudders:: sales. Hated every last one of them. The good ones I just watch the clock until I get home, the bad ones I don't want to go to sleep at night because I know as soon as I wake up it's off to work.
The moments spent dealing with the work computers are my only haven from the unpleasant reality of what I'm actually getting paid to do. Got a decent history on Sourceforge, have created a Postgre and MySQL system (meaning set up the database, users, and made the GUI) each from scratch, an am generally confident that I can handle an IT job just fine, but have yet to be accepted somewhere. Waiting and hoping. (Got one possibility open though.)
Can't see how anybody would like any of the jobs I've personally done.
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Wow, there are some lucky people out there. I've only had two companies that treated me as a professional. One I had to leave due to moving, and the other I'm working for now (thank goodness!)
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Jobs I've loved:
- Working for 2 different contractors at Kennedy Space Center. I think a lot of it has to do with the whole space nerd thing.
- Writing for sqlservercentral.com. No doubt, that was cool.
- Working for non-profit organizations (one for Senior Services and one for Mentally Handicapped).
- Working for the restaurant business (in a restaurant and also at corporate office).
Jobs I've hated:
- Working for a marketing company like the ones that call your house and drive you crazy or send you mindless ads in the mail.
- Working for municipal government.
- Working for higher education.
Reasons for loving a job? Good purposes and good people.
Reason for hating a job? Mixed up purposes involving politics and greed.
Reason to love IT? Job security.
Reason to hate IT? No job security (look what happened after "Dot Bomb").
Favorite job in IT: Software Instructor vs. MCSE vs. Technical Writer vs. Developer vs. DBA? It's a toss up between Developer and Technical Writer 'cause I love the creativity in both.
All the best,
DaleAuthor: An Introduction to SQL Server 2005 Management Studio
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Not necessarily luck. I've turned down a whole lot of job offers, I'm very picky about what I take up front, and I try to minimize the chances that I end up in a short-term job. When I accept an offer, I plan to be at that company a minimum of 5 years.
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If you have a job, the pay and benefit is alright. The comapny is alrignt but you have to drive 45 minutes to work each way. Also, the IT department is spread out all over the country. I belong to a team and I am the only one work in NY, the rest of the team either works at hom, or Chicago or California.
My boss works in Minnesota. I saw him last year 4 times. I come to work everyday and no one talks to me. I know less than 10 people in the company. Each group is just liked its own kingdom and it did not allow poeple to join them.
I a lonely and bored. I suppose to be a data warehouse developer but I just write store procedure, not much designing or anything. SHould I find another job?
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I doubt I'll ever retire, but I'd like to find something more interesting than what I do to put food on the table.
I'm a very energetic 36 year old that would like to find that perfect nich in life that would keep me happy and continue to provide my family and I enough money to survive.
I enjoy IT, woodworking, carpentry, electrical-work, plumbing projects, landscaping, mowing-the-grass, and helping anyone that needs to talk to a house-hold project. Of course, there are some things I can't stand to do, but we all have those kind-of-things.
When I'm not doing work I like to be with my Wife and 3 awesome boys (ages 1, 2, and 3) spending every waking moment playing with them and helping them to learn new life-interactive things.
Life consistently changes just like IT and I doubt I'll ever retire, but at some point I'd like to get out of IT and concentrate on more personal hobbies than to be stressed from some manager or some coworker that can't hold there own.
Maybe I'm at a cross-road in life where I have so many interests, but I just don't know what will make me totally happy.
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I suppose I am little spilt, since I have only ever had 2 jobs.
10 years in the navy - which I only left because I decided to put my family first.(it was a great job - I really enjoyed it - got to see a lot of the world and do many and varied things.. but alas the person I was when I joined at 19 and single - wasn;t the same person that I was married with three children and 28 years old)
And coming on 7 years here at a university in Melbourne, well I guess it's safe to assume that I am having a pretty good time here too.
Mind you, the lack of a "real" (enforced) designated start time is a real luxury. Especially with three kids in primary school that always seem to have some emergency that needs your attention - when you really should already be well on your way to the office.
There are most certainly times that I feel that I have outgrown my current role - but luckily there whenever I get that feeling there walys seems to be something new I can take on and stay enthusisatic about my position.
Gavin Baumanis
Smith and Wesson. The original point and click device.
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