Tell me about your non bullshit jobs

[MrsCremuel]

I have a meaningless job that is crushing my soul. It pays the bills and that’s what gets me through.

I’d love to hear from those of you that have jobs that give you a sense of purpose and that have meaning. The good and the bad aspects! I’m trying to be realistic before I plan my escape.

I work in a school as a pupil support assistant. It's 9-3, Mon to Fri, term time. I enjoy my day in school, love working with the kids, I have lovely colleagues and I walk out the door at 3pm with no worries about deadlines or planning for the next day, able to enjoy my life outside of my job and of course we get 13 weeks holidays and don't have to worry about holiday childcare for my own children.

However, the flipside to that is that I earn £13k per year and there is no room for progression. Sometimes I do feel a bit restless and that I could do more but actually I think I find more enjoyment in this work/life balance. This may change but for just now I enjoy what I do.

I develop renewable energy projects. Deep sense of purpose, takes a long time but rewarding.

I’m a teacher (secondary English). It’s exhausting and there are definitely bullshit aspects to it (bureaucracy) but it’s definitely extremely rewarding and fulfilling.

I work for a charitable organisation that supports children and families. It’s not too late to change to something you find meaningful OP. Do you have any particular passions? Any charities that you support?

I work on the railway in a management role. I am responsible for the safety and security of my staff and the travelling public. It's a really varied job and the hours are good, as is the pay.
On the flip side it can involve a lot of responsibility and can be traumatic sometimes, for example if there is a fatality. It's also extremely male dominated and it's borderline impossible to implement much meaningful change.

Well I don’t know about a sense of purpose on a big scale, that it benefits the world but my job gives me a sense of purpose. I’m a cleaner. I enjoy cleaning, it gives me great job satisfaction (I can literally see what I have achieved), I’m self employed so while I don’t have sick pay or holiday pay, I know that all my sweat is converted into money that I will receive, (minus my costs and tax/NI of course) rather than working my ass off for minimum wage so an already wealthy retail chain can become wealthier off my work. I also have total control over the hours I work, who I work for, what I charge and what I’m willing to do. And maybe I’m kidding myself but I do believe my clients appreciate the work I do. Some of them are very open with their gratitude and I don’t think it’s fake. So I feel like I’m helping in a small way.

@summerisler my passions are history, literature and (perhaps more usefully) women’s health and general mental health.

I don’t think I could teach - I would like a job I didn’t take home so maybe the latter two? Have some volunteering experience in mental health.

I’m a primary teacher. It’s so lovely.

@Chiffandbip love your username haha, I remember those books? Is it not incredibly stressful? That’s all I hear about teaching and it puts me off.

It’s not stressful if you know your rights, use your union and have very firm boundaries about what you are and are not willing to do.
If you’re a people pleaser it will eat you alive.

I work in a school, doing a lot of reading support (dyslexic children, mostly), maths support and similar.

The pay is utterly rubbish, but the rewards are amazing. I was asked three times the other day by a former reluctant reader if I could see him today, please, any chance? When I did sit down with him I said, 'Do you like reading now?' 'YES!'

I'll move heaven and earth to get him onto the maths catch-up next academic year.

I'm marketing manager for a high tech company that protects hospitals and universities from professional fraud.

It's fascinating, and useful, plus I can work from home, so no commuting.

I had a horrible minimum wage job which was mind-numbingly boring. Studied whilst working around my degree and am now a doctor. It is difficult and stressful and hard, but I love my job and it feels meaningful and challenging (in a good way).

@Washyourtoes that’s AMAZING. How long did that take? How old were you when y oh trained if you don’t mind me asking?

You trained, sorry for typos!

I work in widening access at a university, it’s an events management/project management sort of a role where I run projects and events designed to support disadvantaged students to progress into university. As part of it I also do some 1-2-1 work with students, that part of my job is more of a careers advisor role.
It’s interesting, fulfilling work that I enjoy and the benefits (pay, holidays, how I’m treated) are very good.
Downsides are there’s a fair bit of politics, often short deadlines and times of year (like right now!) where it’s very busy.

Teacher here too of children with reading and maths difficulties. Fab job. So rewarding and not stressful doing the teaching but a bit stressful doing the paperwork mostly because l hate that stuff. If you like working with people make sure your job choice has people in it or you will forever feel the lack.

Civil service policy development can be very rewarding.

Civil Service.
The downsides are well publicised. It can be frustrating and the pay isn’t great for comparable London roles in the private sector but what I do (operational sector) is important and I feel valued and well cared for. It’s a great job for women IMO.

[quote MrsCremuel]@Washyourtoes that’s AMAZING. How long did that take? How old were you when y oh trained if you don’t mind me asking?[/quote]
Depends if you already have a degree or not. Grad entry medicine is four years. I didn't have a degree, so did a degree with the open uni initially and then applied. Was worth it for me. :)

I teach in a special school; this year my class are all on the autism spectrum and mainly pre verbal or have very few words. It's really busy, very challenging, very full on (need eyes in the back of your head) and the hours are long. However I know I make a difference because the parents tell me how much their child has improved. I think it's worth my effort and energy and the kids are great.

I work in a job center outside of UK. I get to talk to mostly lovely normal people who for one reason or another are out of work. Give them courses if it helps, feedback on CVs and applications, placements. Love it. Very rarely do I need to have words because they havent done whats needed.

Read Finding Your Element and also look at Ikigai.

@MistySkiesAfterRain thanks will look at these.

I’m in my 30s with many working years ahead and I’ve been unhappy in my ‘career’ for too long. I work in HR if that’s any insight!

Hearing from lots of teachers and teachers who specialise in additional learning needs it seems. I like the idea of primary teaching and did do a couple of weeks shadowing in my 20s and really liked it, lack of confidence got the better of me I think.