To ask if you actually enjoy your job?

[JanuaryJonez]

Five years ago I took a career break from an increasingly demanding role. My DH's business was starting to do well and by cutting back we've managed ok, and it's been lovely, after years in a stressful work environment, to spend time raising our DCs.

The DCs are becoming increasingly independent and it's now making sense for me to go back to work. I'd really like a different direction from my original career and have good transferable skills, but when I think back to the various roles I've had, I can't think of one that I could say I really enjoyed. It was just something I could do to the required standard that paid the bills and enabled the time not at work to be enjoyable. None were what I would call fulfilling (although quite well paid).

I thought most people's jobs were the same, but I've been very inspired by another thread on here where so many people are saying how fulfilled they are by their work. I'd just like to know, if you love your job, what do you do?

I used lockdown to get out of a job I absolutely hated but never had the guts to leave, as it was very well-paid (I'm a solicitor). Changed from private practice to go in-house and slightly changed my job description (on paper I took a step down, but in practice I am better paid and actually love my work).

Also, I have always wanted to lecture at university level and never had the time/courage to pursue it. I have now started lecturing part-time at my former university and absolutely love it.

It's very stressful to combine both, but it feels great to actually do something I enjoy for a living.

pumpkinpie01

I was in insurance purely to fit in with kids. Retrained as a driving instructor. I am my own boss, money is good, fits in with family as I work when I want to and I get to enjoy the sun in the summer and keep warm in my car in winter.

@JanuaryJonez I would love to. Good websites to look at careers in this field would be

www.rcot.co.uk/ or

www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/occupational-therapist

The role is so diverse and you can also work as a rehab assistant (whilst training or thinking about or just as it is a great job!) or get onto an apprenticeship in OT or physio. We work closely with physios and nurses and are quite autonomous in many roles.
It is very common for mature students to enter OT training as life experience is highly valuable to the job. Also a lot of people don't seem to know what it is

Good luck

I quite like my job some days, other days I hate it- NHS clinical manager. What I really dislike is working full time. I'd prefer part time but it doesn't pay the bills and i couldnt do my current role on reduced hours.

I’m a lawyer and I love my job - every day is varied and challenging. I also have a couple of NED/trustee roles which utilise my legal and governance skills.

I gave up work a couple of years ago after selling a successful business but I’ve gone back to it because I really enjoy it and feel like I add value.

Executive Headteacher- love the challenge, the pace and the need to be able to multitask like no other role I’ve ever had. Love working with such a wide range of professionals and agencies as well as of course the most fantastic young people and children.

If I won the lottery I’d like to cut a good few hours to be fair but wouldn’t want to abandon.

I'm a Teaching Assistant and I adore it. I'm working from home during lockdown (medical condition) and I miss school so much.

Hate my job, have hated most of them. I have adult ADD (diagnosed) so feel like a square peg in a round hole most of the time, despite being a high earner.

@Iamthewombat hijacking a thread? You are quite dramatic aren’t you 😂

No, just unamused by your ‘little jokes’.

Forensic / clinical psychologist.
And yes, I love it.

I love my job. I'm in nuclear engineering, so I get to solve lots of problems with the other nerds. Right up my street. Its well paid, varied and satisfying.

I work in Employment Law and absolutely love it.

I like helping my clients (dismissed or discriminated against claimants) and I absolutely love the theatrics of the Court/Tribunal (I was an actor before)

If I won the lottery I would just do pro bono cases.

I was miserable (anxiety panic attacks etc) for years, but comfortable i knew the job inside out and it was a pay cheque. I was made redundant after lock down 1 it was the best thing that's happened for a long time my new job whilst the pay isn't great the management give a toss its a nice environment and interesting(ish!) Had the redundancy not happened i wouldn't be happy.

I also took lockdown and the offer of volunteer redundancy to take a step back career wise into an industry I’ve always wanted to be a part of.

Left a large corporate Business and accepted a part time Assistant funeral director role.

I also admin the keepsake/urn side of the business which is so interesting and rewarding.

It’s tough CV19 wise but peaceful, quiet, a small team as independent and it’s so lovely to be able to help in a small way.
Every day is worth making my way in to work unlike before.

I’m a technical writer (sometimes called technical author in the UK). I work in software, so documenting how a software package works, writing tutorials etc. and I LOVE my job.

I love my job. I’m a uni lecturer. Love helping the students, making a difference to them hopefully. I find the work interesting, varied. I enjoy prepping lectures, reading, researching. The students keep me on my toes as well which is good.

@Limosa

I'm a researcher in the Civil Service and I love it. I love research and would carry on in any setting, but I recently joined the Civil Service and love it. Everyone's lovely and there's a real focus on development, work life balance and you work on really interesting projects that everyone genuinely hopes will improve society one step at a time. I work 3 days a week, flexitime which has been brilliant with small kids and lockdown.

That sounds really interesting and not a job I knew existed. What sort of research, is it one area or does it change all,the time?

I don't hate it and it's relatively stress free, only 35 hours a week, 30 days holiday plus bank holidays and the pay is not terrible. That's basically all I want from a job, I've never been a career person and I don't really have any skills or talents to market

I love my job but I know it’s a bit nerdy and niche and wouldn’t be for everyone. I work for a government body and it sounds a bit twee but even on dull tasks at least I can think about how I am helping people

Well the money is shit, I don't like the politics,bureaucracy or most of the adults.

I love the kids ,working with them,getting the lightbulb moment,forming bonds etc.

So while I bitch a lot about it, I do love the actual job.

I'ma TA.

I love my job.

It’s shift work which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s well paid and we’ve got a good union, which has really paid off in terms of having a genuine covid-secure workplace. Management is pretty good, but generally I’m left to get on with things alone. And I get to drive trains. Every little boys girls dream.

Yes, I’m a train driver!

I hate it, have to walk for 7-10 miles a day, management are useless, doing the jobs of three people by myself. Feel like I’ve been beaten to a pulp by the end of each day, then get forced to do more hours. Sitting on my arsehole in front of a laptop, ‘bored’, sounds like paradise.

I work in children's mental health after having a massive career change about 5 years ago. I absolutely love it, it is my dream job.

Vet here - it can be very stressful, sometimes clients have impossible/unrealistic expectations and the hours can be unsociable but I love it. Just the routine everyday stuff really. Taking care of the animal members of families, throughout their lives, to a kind end where necessary, is actually a privilege.