If you enjoy your job, what do you do?

[UsernameShmusername2024]

Have struggled for years to really understand what I actually want to do. I've mainly worked in public sector policy type roles and currently am in a reasonably senior role where I manage direct programme delivery and also lead strategic decisions about programme design and aligning with local and national govt policy, etc. This is challenging and it's constantly an uphill battle to get different politicians to agree, to find internal funding to invest in projects, etc.
In some ways it's a great job - we'll paid, flexible, great manager and team, and I believe in our mission. BUT it also has the usual way-too-massive workload, I constantly feel like I'm not good enough for it and lack confidence - this sort of strategy role always involves slowly chipping away at things and it can be very demoralising and just generally hard work!

I'm early 40s so have years of working ahead of me and just can't imagine doing this sort of role forever but have no idea really what I'd be happy doing. If you enjoy your job, what do you do? Would love to get some ideas!

Teacher and Leader

I think I would like a HR job.
Have worked in NHS and public sector frontline all my career I need a change.
Is there anything voluntary I could do to help my chances?

Senior Occupational Therapist in social care. Used to be in the NHS but MUCH prefer social care 😁

Literally sounds like my ideal job!

wow, 3 OT's so far!! well 2 practicing and one retired.

Buyer for a well-known supermarket. Love it.

Data scientist. It's like searching for buried treasure - hunting for meaning and insights that can't be seen with the naked eye. Great pay, constantly learning, never bored. Writing code is weirdly stimulating to the creative part of my brain.

Bookkeeping. I love creating my own systems for things and making sure things are done right.

I oversee a team working in vocational mental health. My team work with the NHS to support people with severe mental illness to find meaningful paid employment. Oversee 38 staff. It’s rewarding, flexible (work from home mostly) have a good team around me, and fairly well paid with decent other benefits. Can’t imagine doing anything else now.

Secondary English teacher. Have been doing it fifteen years and still love it

Me & DH own a business, been doing it for 16 years. My role is pretty boring, admin, fee proposals, credit control and staff management...as the company has got more successful I have been increasing my hours and pretty much FT now ....the benefits (we work remotely and live abroad) are priceless and our income has given us an amazing life ...but I'm now thinking how I can hand over part of my role to someone, problem is I'm a control freak 😀

IT Support for primary schools - having previously been an Admin Assistant in a primary school. Best decision I've made in ages - now working in a fun, collaborative environment where my skills are respected.
Was previously treated like a child - even everyday emails needed proof reading by SLT and my IT skills were taken for granted / time for it was given only grudgingly. Though I'm aware every school is it's own empire - I was a Governor in another school & the working environment was set different.

CEO of a charity - love my job although it is very demanding and pays far less than private or public sector would for what I do

I own a fabric & yarn store
Almost everyone I speak to enjoys their time in my store and is happier when they leave.

Occupational Therapist in a psychiatric setting.

@UsernameShmusername2024 I used to be employed as a professional declutterer which was amazing!

I currently work as a coach/therapist.

Clinical Learning and Development manager for a healthcare company. I enjoy supporting people to learn and grow.

After working in retail for 14yrs and becoming Store Manager (which absolutely broke me dealing with zero support from upper management, extremely short staffed and expected to do 4 job roles at once.- 2 store locations) I left, took 6 months off work and enjoyed summer with my 6yr old and 18 month old. In September 2023 I impulsively applied for my current job - GP Receptionist. I agonised from I submitted my application, through interview and even when I accepted the job if I was doing the right thing. Honestly the best job I have ever had - I love the work, dealing with patients, all of it. Best decision I ever made. Great colleagues, very rewarding and I'm not going home mentally or physically exhausted. I'm in NI and our GPs are very much into getting into the old way of how surgery used to be. So we have pre-bookable in advance appointments for the next 4wks with GPs, Practice Nurses, MH Practioner, Treatment Room. Urgent phone calls and face to faces that open each morning at 8.30am everyday as well as the routine pre-bookable. Our GPs are really great. Sorry was so long, I usually see alot of negative comments regarding GPs and Receptionists (with good reason when I read how some surgeries operate now) and wanted to highlight we aren't all bad ☺️ best job I ever had, honestly.

This is such a lovely read. So many people enjoying their public sector/caring/charity roles and no one solely motivated by money. I am also in a healthcare role and have interesting and challenging work and great colleagues.

Paediatric physio, working with children with complex needs. I love the variety, the teamwork but most of all I love getting to know the children and families. Been in same area for 11 years now and its crazy seeing children I treated as babies now preparing for secondary school - their needs are often lifelong, they 'join' our team as babies and stay with us until 18/19 years old. We get to know their siblings, parents, grandparents, go through highs and lows with them. I have sadly been to some of their funerals, but being invited shows the mutual respect the families and teams hold for each other.

This is such an interesting thread - thank you for starting it. I’m a fairly senior NHS manager, and whilst I find it pretty interesting for the most part, my job is at risk and there’s going to be cuts everywhere for the forseeable future. Maybe there’s a completely different path for me to take?

I retrained as an airline pilot after 15 years working in healthcare.

Best job in the world, and wished I'd done it sooner.

Was a long and expensive journey to get here, but now I'm 47 and been a pilot now for 8 years.

You can do anything you set your mind to, just takes commitment and a good dollop of self-belief.

Senior Board Director for a very large company.

I’ve done it so long now that it has become very repetitive and pretty tedious. I enjoyed working behind a bar when I was a student more than I do my current role.

The pay is huge though so I very much enjoy the impact that has on my life and future security for my DS.

Secondary school teacher. Part time. Love it!

SENCO at a specialist primary school