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.

@Moonlaserbearwolf isn’t it so heartening! Good luck with your career change, sounds awesome. Which route have you taken?

@Applesandbaynay life is too short and I’m lucky I can retrain in a couple of years time. I can see how your job would be v rewarding, the justice element but also the process of problem solving and the thinking challenge. That’s something that appeals to me. Hopefully the system is beginning to change!

I have a bullshit job tbh but my BIL is a personal trainer who works with people rehabilitating long-term injury and illness. A lot of his clients are ex-military, amputees, people who’ve been in car accidents, that kind of thing. He also gets GP referrals of people who are significantly morbidly obese. He finds it really rewarding.

I'm a dog walker.

I love my job! The only bad aspect is having to deal with other peoples' badly trained dogs running up to mine

I set up a social enterprise. Run a small health business that puts all the profits into supporting positive stuff in my local area. I love it.

Secondary school English teacher. Very rewarding and fulfilling.

Came to teaching later (32) and felt it was an asset - some life experience pre-classroom stands you in good stead.

I work in a policy setting position in the civil service and I love it. I find it very rewarding to take data and evidence, analyse it and then lobby internally for a policy move even on small issues.

Read that as 'bullshit jobs' and missed the NOT - was going to say Prime Minister...😂

I am a manager in a psychological therapy service (NHS). There are lots of meaningful careers in mental health. Because I'm a manager there is unfortunately a level of bullshit, but on the whole it is rewarding.

My role involves mentoring business owners, I love seeing people get the confidence and clarity to progress their careers, most clients are wonderful, little bureaucracy/management or rules around it which works best for me.

The teaching bit of teaching is absolutely brilliant (although preferably in a normal year!). The politics and general teacher bashing do get me down sometimes but you usually get enough positive feedback from people you actually deal with on a day to day to balance that out.

If I wasn't happy where I was I would definitely look to go back into an SEN school though, that was a whole extra level of rewarding.

I'm a school office manager after years in the private sector and I absolutely love it. My average day is often wildly different from my job description, but this makes it varied and interesting and certainly never a dull moment. I feel a real sense of purpose that I am supporting teachers, children and families and we have so many laughs every day.

The money isn't brilliant but I took the view that as long as we could manage on my lower salary it would be ok, and I've never regretted it. I work all the year round too so that helps.

I could be you OP, mid 30's, worked in HR for quite a few years, realised I hated it and wanted out. I went into it thinking I was going to help people, but it was just a load of corporate box ticking bullsh!t, and management who didn't really care enough to make any actual changes. I thought it was just the first company I was with, but after moving a few times, including to a non profit, it was all very similar. The pay and benefits were good, the colleagues were nice, but the actual day to day work just wore away at me.

I eventually moved to a Learning and Development role (which might be an option for you if you want a sideways move), which was a little better but found that I was sick of corporate work in general. Like you I thought if I'm going to be doing this for another 30 odd years I want to do something I feel is worthwhile.

Anyway I am now retraining, doing a course in Animal Care with a view to becoming a Veterinary Nurse. I know the hours will be long and the pay will not be as good, and there isn't much scope for career development. But I'm ok with that. I don't have a family to support so I can take the chance.

Maybe have a think about whether you want to do something office based, classroom based or outside? Do you want hands on physical/ practical job, or lab/research, do you want to work on your own or in a team? Thinking about these might help you narrow it down.

Also you could try volunteering, or shadowing someone in a role you think you might like just to see if the reality lives up to expectations.

Good luck!

I’m loving this thread! It’s filling me with optimism.

@Timeisavirtue I have worked in retail and I loved chatting with the customers. It was in a book shop which was an interest but you do get the chance to make a difference, we had a few customers with learning needs who would come to us daily as part of their routine and it was lovely helping them. It was also nice just meeting lots of different people as you say.

@ImBoiling

I’m an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor. I help high risk victims of DV during crisis point while they are at high risk of homicide, I work within a multiagency setting with other agencies. I also support and advise on civil orders and court proceedings. I could say I have actually made a difference to women and children’s lives, and probably saved a few lives too. And I absolutely love working with clients. The job can be great, but it’s awful pay for the amount of responsibility and stress. I’m on 22k. I go to meetings where agencies look to us for guidance and every member is on almost double. The pace of it is unbelievable, it’s relentless and fast paced work where referrals come in thick and fast and all are urgent. The role desperately needs development, but I guess the powers that be like paying shite money for what is a really specialist role and placed it in the Third Sector which is usually low paid. Unfortunately it means I will have to be looking for something else this year, as there is little progression available.

I'm interested to read this. I used to work in a role that involved close contact with IDVAs and I personally found it very frustrating dealing with repeat victims. I did lose faith in it in the end and moved into another area of safeguarding.

I see a purpose in what I do now. I don't necessarily see what if any difference I make personally, but I see a point and a benefit to it. Which I didn't in my old job. I was just someone to be screamed at.

@Mulletsaremisunderstood it really is corporate bullshit wrapped up in a load of guff about wellbeing and employee support which is just lip service really. It’s a special kind of hell having to spout the party line when you just know it’s hollow and a lie, basically. I too went it wanting to help people, we spend so much of our lives in I wanted to make work a nice place to be. Feel very disillusioned by it all!

Think a non office job is definitely for me, I am lucky that I have some money earmarked for training and a DH who earns enough to support the family. But I want to work and earn my own money too, so retraining it is.

I think shadowing is a must. Have considered Occupational Therapy so would be interested to hear anyone’s experiences of that!

I work as a special needs teaching assistant in one of the largest SEN schools in the UK
It's very fulfilling but also extremely exhausting on some days. The pay is not the best but it is far more fulfilling than previous jobs I have had.

[quote MrsCremuel]@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![/quote]
Have you thought of working for a union? You could be using your HR skills to help the employees, rather the company.

@Choccyp1g I have toyed with that idea actually as I often find myself being the advocate for employees within my dept and being shot down! Often have the feeling I am on the wrong side.

I work “in computers” for a software firm – basically when people have a problem that they think is related to our software, they call first line support, 2nd line support, global support...and then if they can’t sort it, it comes to me!

The people who work closer to the customers are absolute saints! but we all like the feeling of making progress when some poor soul gets in touch and we can - at the very least - make them feel listened to, that someone's on the case, and then tactfully walk them through the tests and information gathering needed to find out what's needed to sort it all out.

I do wonder if you just need to move firms, because our HR department doesn't seem the way you describe yours. They do a lot of soft-skills training (really helped me deal with upset customers and awkward colleagues!), they try and sort out policies, procedures and benefits so the company's not just attractive to work for, but does everything in a legal way, they arrange hiring (important when you have work and need someone to help do it!), and, firing too: you may laugh, but when you have the Colleague From Hell, the sight of HR carefully and legally arranging his departure is like a new dawn! Yes, HR are to protect the business ultimately, but that is what pays us after all, fair enough.

I remember when I wasn't super happy in my technical career and was thinking about what else I could do - once I moved to a nice family run firm I was much happier.

I’ve been a nurse for over 12 years, mostly in theatre with a 3 year stint in HDU/ICU.

I’m back to theatre now and its very fulfilling in that we see some progression for the most part. Patient comes in with X problem, we fix them. In ICU I found it very difficult as the progression was very slow if at all and I took a lot of my work home with me, mentally.

I will say though I’ve thought about leaving nursing a lot over the last almost 5 years since having kids. I’d love to do a job that meant I could work my own hours, plan my own day etc but it’s unrealistic for me. I started my training at 20 so this is pretty much all i’ve known bar working in pubs and shops.

If you are good at soaking up info and can work hard - had you thought of retraining as a solicitor? The ones I know enjoy helping people, all seem happy, and the hard work does pay off financially - it's a big step but seems quite common for arts / humanities people to do that after a few years in the work place.

I am a child protection social worker and is rewarding when it’s going well, frustrating when it isn’t and you are bogged down in admin.

Following the earlier poster, I trained with a view to becoming an IDVA but as mentioned the pay in domestic abuse services is really not high enough especially given the level of responsibility.

To the original poster, have a Google and look up Think Ahead- it’s a scheme for people to train as mental health social workers and you get paid to do it. It’s fast track as well. Might be up your street?

Sorry for hijacking @MrsCremuel but what don't you like about HR?

I've been thinking about switching to HR as I thought it'd be more meaningful than admim - eg, flexible working, fair recruitment etc.

@Camomila hey, I made the move for similar reasons. Lots of my colleagues love HR and get a of meaning from it but for me, and it could be the place I am, a lot of it feels tick box. We say we offer flexible working but actually it’s limited or we say we care about wellbeing but only as far as it’s convenient. Essentially the company comes first and that can be hard when you have someone you really want to help.

I have progressed well in my role and the conditions are good but I just don’t enjoy it enough and can’t get passionate about it. There is a lot of dragging managers to do what we need them to in terms of recruitment etc, lots of conflict with employee relations cases which I find very draining.

@FourEyesGood

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.

Me too. I’ve been teaching English for 25 years now and I live it. I think it’s absolutely not for everyone, you have to be flexible, resilient and enjoy all the engagement . You also need to find the right school; some now are very toxic and full of pointless admin. Very interesting and satisfying and fun.