Do you think your current job matches your values?

jimmycrackcorm · 25-01-2017 04:21PM

If I wanted to have a job that matched my passion then I'd become a hooker.

fg1406 · 25-01-2017 04:21PM

Hell no. Studied engineering, working in finance in a LA now studying for LLM at night. Hate the job. Public sector is soul destroying but bills need to be paid.

wendydoll · 25-01-2017 04:23PM

After 10 years in my career field, I just handed in my notice.

Soul destroying job, terrible money and no chance to progress.

COH · 25-01-2017 04:23PM

Took a bit of leap of faith about 4-5 years ago and decided to see if I could turn my favourite hobby into a career. Not easy, but I'm my own boss, for the most part I'm surrounded by great people and despite the relative uncertainty of self employment I feel like the days are mine.

Malari · 25-01-2017 04:29PM

Vojera wrote: »

I work in a field totally unrelated to what I studied in college (and subsequently worked in for six years).

After my previous contract ran out I spent a few months on the dole and took this job as a stop-gap to pay the bills. Turns out I'm really good at it and I really enjoy it too. I was lucky enough to get in with a good company that treats its employees well and where everyone is sound and happy in their work. Compared to where I worked before this is really a revelation.

So I can't say that I work on something I'm passionate about or that fulfils my ideals, but I work in a job that is full of good people doing their best and that expects you to leave your work at work and enjoy your time at home without worries. That's a good value to live by, I think.

This is similar to my history. I'm still passionate about what I originally worked at but I enjoy what I do well enough, and I'm good at it. I still have plenty of free time for what is now my hobby, I guess. I'd rather it this way than working at what I really love and barely having enough to live on.

Boom_Bap · 25-01-2017 04:34PM

My job is grand. It's fairly flexible, challenging at times and I get to travel a bit.
But it's not my passion at all. I've crunched the numbers on my passion and it just wont work at all.

Winterlong · 25-01-2017 04:43PM

My hobby is something I will make money from after I quit 'proper job' and before retirement.
Tis a long ways away though.

Witchie · 25-01-2017 04:51PM

As a teenager I wanted to write. School guidance guided me in a different direction. 20 years of working in law, education and sport led me to going back to college to study digital marketing, web design and project management.

Now I am bumming around Asia for a year while writing web content for a semi government body.

I think I win. &#55357;&#56834;

Bambi985 · 25-01-2017 05:12PM

strawdog wrote: »

I kept looking for a job that I was passionate about but couldn't find one. Certainly not one that paid enough for a basic standard of living. So instead I went for one that I don't hate that has reasonable hours and doesn't sap all my energy. I pursue my passions outside the job. Not ideal, but the best I could do as a holding pattern until a calling jumps out at me. If it ever does.

yeah totally agree. I "did what I loved" for about a decade which also came with the lovely little bonuses of having no personal life, no financial stability and no time to take care of my own mental and physical wellbeing.

so now i do what i like, what i'd describe as "grand" but in no way a passion, for a lot more money and a lot less stress. i clock out on friday and don't think about work til sunday night.

fcuk dedicating your entire life to your "passion" unless it's rescuing kids from burning buildings or finding the cure to cancer, chances are you're entirely disposable anyway and not making near the impact you think you are

maudgonner · 25-01-2017 05:24PM

Gave up a good, steady career ten years ago to switch to an industry that I was very interested in. Have done many different jobs in this industry, loved aspects of most of them although many aspects are the same no matter what industry you're in (paperwork is just paperwork).

Ten years of the poor pay & conditions, uncertainty of work and bullshít of this industry means that I'm sadly thinking of trying to return to my original career, if that's possible.

I know that I'm better at what I've been doing lately, and care more about it. But you get to a point where that's not enough, and if you're not being rewarded for your work then it's time to call it a day.

25-01-2017 05:25PM

Sleepy wrote: »

Where did this notion of one's job having to be one's "passion" come from? American notions of (a total lack of) a work-life balance?

I can go to work in the morning without a sense of dread and I'm paid enough to cover the bills. For most of mankind, for most of history, that's a pretty good position to be in.

Do I love it? Hell no, only common courtesy would have me making so much as a phone call had I won the 88 million on that Euromillions draw.

I'm not sure I believe that most people even have a passion in life, nevermind one that can be realistically turned into a career and a huge number of those I see trying to do so are deluding themselves whilst draining their parents, or their partners, bank accounts.

Absolutely. I got a job last year that's fine, guys I work with are good craic, there's no bull****, I don't dread coming in. Pay is poor enough for now but there's progression opportunities. Better than most people get and enough for me.

25-01-2017 05:39PM

Melisandre121 wrote: »

Does your job reflect your values and what you're passionate about?

Mine does but at times it's tiring work so I may need to leave and find a similar area of work. I find working in an area that doesn't align with your passion and what is meaningful to you is crushing.

What do you think AH?

Obviously it is, we'd all love to be the personal bra fitter to the stars!! travelling first class world wide would indeed align itself with my passions, in an ideal world eh!! see Carlsberg ads for details!

that talk of alignment, culture, values and integrity sounds like American business psychobabble bull**** to me... I'll bet you love those who moved my cheese and my iceberg is melting books too dontcha :mad:

25-01-2017 06:20PM

Its outside factors that are never take in to account, a so so career or job can be elevated by the fact it is a pleasant 20 min commute from home and the individual has a fulfilling intimate relationship/family/ hobbies and interests.

25-01-2017 08:56PM

My work is my passion. It's more than a job to me, it's almost part of who I am. There are some weeks when I haven't two euros to rub together. This is changing thankfully but I'll never be wealthy, financially anyway.

Sugar Free · 25-01-2017 10:15PM

It certainly reflects what I'm interested in and what challenges me. It affords me a comfortable lifestyle and occasional trips to interesting and/or beautiful parts of the world I might otherwise never get to see (for the sake of balance there are also plenty of boring trips to the same place).

The company culture doesn't reflect my own way of doing things really but you learn to adapt. I also enjoy knowing that the work I do plays a small part in the eventual benefit of many people, even if the motives for the company doing so are in no way altruistic!

Permabear · 25-01-2017 10:32PM

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25-01-2017 11:42PM

So I went to school, to get a good job....finished it and was told to I had to go college to get a good job....finished that and was told I had to go Australia to get a good job....did that and came back I was told I had to get a bad job and do exams to make my bad job a good job. Did that.....

My life has been designed from a young age to getting a good job. Getting a good job doesn't necessarily mean happiness so find out what does make you happy. As Jim Carey said " you can fail at what you dont want, so you might as well take a chance at doing what you love"

So ive applied for voluntary redundancy, started hosting my own radio show, and have been accepted into a broadcasting course.

Adyx · 26-01-2017 12:31AM

I've never really considered what "My values" are. I work in a bar/restaurant and I suppose I am somewhat passionate about hospitality. I have a few unrelated 3rd level qualifications but I'm very good at my job and most of the time I enjoy it. I also enjoy food and drinking so... :P

Harry Palmr · 26-01-2017 12:34AM

Yes as it happens, even on a dark cold winters morning I'm still fairly happy about going to work, as the weather improves that'll just be more so it being outdoors.

Katgurl · 26-01-2017 01:10AM

Yes I spent five years retraining while working in my old (very well paid) job and now I make significantly less but love my work.

Bizarrely I don't find money a problem; I think i overspent to match my salary before.

FizzleSticks · 26-01-2017 01:34AM

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Cantona's Collars · 26-01-2017 03:03AM

My job doesn't, I came from a position where thinking for yourself and doing what you felt was the best way to get the job done to one where the attitude is "sure we always did things this way, why are you doing it that way?". Nonetheless I still do stuff my way.
I tolerate the job as it pays the bills and I don't have to get up at 5.30 am and get home at 8pm.Co Wexford isn't exactly a booming place employment wise and at least I work local which is a bonus compared to some of my friends who trek up and down to Dublin every day.

26-01-2017 06:02AM

Not really sure how it ties in with my values but I guess it's a good fit. What I do now is better for me than the two years of hedge fund accounting i did after I graduated.

I've been teaching English in a Vietnamese private secondary school for like five years and still try my best and care about it so that's good. I never see my boss, there aren't any meetings and no one checks on me. As long as the kids, parents and assistant teachers are happy, no worries.

The biggest thing is that I don't have to worry about standardised tests which is what ruins teaching for people. In each class, I can take a different approach, speed up or slow down.

And they fit all my classes into a three and a half day schedule. No sitting around wasting time, making small talk or pretending to work. Hated that in old jobs when it was quiet.

Of course, teaching can be annoying, it's pretty intense and it's possible to care too much at times. Rich kids with rich parents are often a nightmare.

mansize · 26-01-2017 06:06AM

I very much enjoy my current job, but I'm only in it 4 months

Do you think your current job matches your values?

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