That sounds like an interesting job, bubelah. I very rarely had a bad shift in 8 years of bartending. I often wonder should I have stuck with it or got my own pub or something.
I read a book called "Three Signs of a Miserable Job" last week. It's a fable and the message is that the, well, three signs of a truly miserable job no matter our level or status are: anonymity (your boss/firm takes no interest in who you are as a person), immeasurability (you have nothing you measure and compare regularly for your exact job function - ie not department sales or something) and irrelevance (you can't see how your job function impacts other people). I have to think about that a bit, both for myself and in terms of how I manage people.
deepali
· 1 year ago
I love it. I have a friend who worked with IOM in Cambodia. There is something about a rewarding job that makes the miserable salary ok. :) I have done some volunteer work with agencies that resettle refugees in the US. It was some of the most fun ever.
I love my job too (same acronym incidentally, and also nonprofit). I've been at it for 5 years. I get paid a decent amount. I could probably get paid more for similar work elsewhere, but my job has two amazing benefits: 1. an ability to network like no where else, and 2. awesome flexibility. I have an excellent working relationship with my boss and have been able to flex my schedule to accommodate classes (in another city) and volunteer work. Between this job and my masters program, I have had so many doors opened to me. The only downside is that I'm starting to feel like I'm out outgrowing the work. But 5 years at a job is a long time! Time to move on, though I will miss it.
Ruth
· 1 year ago
When you find a person who loves his/her job, it generally is the case that the job doesn't pay all that well. There are a lot of low-paying jobs that are miserable, of course. Conversely, jobs that pay well are often quite awful, though there are certainly high-paying, highly satisfying jobs. But G416 is right in that people are willing to put up with low pay if they feel that a job is satisfying, or provides the possibility of making a real difference. As a teacher, I am often tired beyond words and feel oppressed by rules and administrators, but there have also been peak moments that will be with me forever. There is the ongoing satisfaction of feeling that I am a small but positive force for good. I feel that what I do helps some children, sometimes, in some small way, and that makes the lack of a high salary tolerable. Bubelah described a similar experience that was satisfying, but probably didn't pay incredibly well.
So, to be happy at work, do you have to be willing to tolerate a small salary? Other than entrepreneurs, are there really very many high-salaried professionals? It's quite the conundrum, isn't it?
All Comments
I read a book called "Three Signs of a Miserable Job" last week. It's a fable and the message is that the, well, three signs of a truly miserable job no matter our level or status are:
anonymity (your boss/firm takes no interest in who you are as a person), immeasurability (you have nothing you measure and compare regularly for your exact job function - ie not department sales or something) and irrelevance (you can't see how your job function impacts other people). I have to think about that a bit, both for myself and in terms of how I manage people.
I have done some volunteer work with agencies that resettle refugees in the US. It was some of the most fun ever.
I love my job too (same acronym incidentally, and also nonprofit). I've been at it for 5 years. I get paid a decent amount. I could probably get paid more for similar work elsewhere, but my job has two amazing benefits: 1. an ability to network like no where else, and 2. awesome flexibility. I have an excellent working relationship with my boss and have been able to flex my schedule to accommodate classes (in another city) and volunteer work.
Between this job and my masters program, I have had so many doors opened to me. The only downside is that I'm starting to feel like I'm out outgrowing the work. But 5 years at a job is a long time! Time to move on, though I will miss it.
So, to be happy at work, do you have to be willing to tolerate a small salary? Other than entrepreneurs, are there really very many high-salaried professionals? It's quite the conundrum, isn't it?
Mike