If you have a job that you LOVE ...

[SunshineAvenue]

... what do you do, why do you love it and what, in your opinion, is the single most important quality you must have to enjoy this work?

Peadiatric nurse. Been doing it 16 years. Love the variety, no day is the same. The kids are hilarious and loads of cute babies to cuddle. Also it's lovely watching frequent flyers grow up. The ones I met as newborns are almost adults now. That makes me feel very old.

Must be organised and compassionate. And also deeply cynical.

Investigator on Modern Slavery team. Love it. Different everyday and fantastic when we rescue people.

Following

Civil Service in forensic type work: im helping the community, fantastic staff, i laugh every day and do a meaningful job. Plus i get to be nosy

To be mentally creative is a must

Paediatric Speech Pathologist. I love working with children and the variety I get day to day. I love problem solving what is causing the speech/language difficutlies and making goals to target the difficult areas. I love the progress. When a child starts imitating, being able to understand what a child is saying, giving them tools to communicate with those around them. It is so rewarding.

Primary school teacher.
I make a measurable, positive impact in someone's life every single day. It is varied, challenging and innately creative.
I think that, in order to be successful, one needs to be organised, creative and perpetually curious about learning and individual learners.

Key Worker in an SEMH school. I love my job, crap pay though. I adore the kids I work with even though they are challenging. Being up close with teenagers with severe ADHD, mental health issues, learning difficulties etc is an absolute privilege and changes ones view of the world.

You need to be adaptable, resilient, have a thick skin and a sense of humour.

Library assistant in a medical library. I enjoy working in a relaxed atmosphere with interesting people, and never having to deal with complaints.

Admin at stables, surrounded by some of the best people ever, best horses ever, fresh air and fun

Mental well-being lead in a secondary school.

Love it. Working 1:1 with a huge variety of students, great team and a huge privilege to meet with young people when they need support. Need a lot of patience and not be easily fazed.

Judge. I have to be clear headed and logical every time I go to work. It is tremendously stressful though and I do have sleepless nights.

Mental Health Nurse. Sometimes I love it, sometimes i'm a bit 'meh' but I do enjoy my job and can't see myself doing anything else. It helps I work with a cracking team, and I look forward to going in. Can be stressful, but never boring!

I'm an educational psychologist and manage a small independent practice. I work in primary schools, both smart independent ones and some in one of the most socially and economically deprived areas of Europe. I think that, to do my job well, one needs to be curious and kind. For children and families ( as well as adults in schools) to let us into their lives, sometimes at a really difficult time, is a privilege that we must not take for-granted.

Run a research group into urological cancers. Am privileged to work with some utterly brilliant surgeons and scientists, and am so grateful to patients who enable our research.

Forensic MH therapist

Love my work but need to earn more money so have to move on and don’t like my new boss

And most only work in forensic mental health for so long I think I’m done now

Data Assistant in a Secondary school.

I love data, spreadsheets and helping staff use the data we collect to inform their practice. It's great to know that staff are targeting their support to the areas/pupils that really need it the most. It absolutely matches my skill set and personality. Plus the hours are fab

Planning production of parts for engines for ships and airplanes. It’s challenging but also outcomes are very tangible and rewarding. You have to be able to see a bigger picture rather than look at things in isolation

Mental health nurse clinical lead for a number of residential services who house and work with young women who self harm and are diagnosed with SMI.

Patience and compassion are utterly key not just for the residents but for staff as well.

Everyday throws me a new curve ball and I get to help shape care on a wider scale than I did as a nurse on the floor or a HCA before that. Also the clients are the absolute best people I've ever met in the majority

Teach. Love it.

Geologist. I love rocks.

Police officer. Love the atmosphere on the team; it’s like a big family, love getting to do things most people aren’t allowed to, love the variety and I love that every day I get the opportunity to change someone’s life.

Academia working with world-renowned experts in this field. The work is fascinating, requires specialist skills and is making a contribution to knowledge.
If I had a choice and no constraints, I’d be a travel writer.

Midday supervisor at a primary school. I love playing on the playground and gently encouraging the children to eat up. The hours are short, but I get to be with my own children every school holiday. Some of the children where I work have complex issues or heartbreaking family circumstances but me and the other ladies in my team all try to "mum" them as best we can to ease their day.