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Original poster

Does anyone really enjoy their job? What do you do?

61 replies

eddm · 25/03/2004 10:43

Am being made redundant this summer... have applied for similar job but is chance to reassess what I really want to do when I'm grown up. Have had mad ideas about doing something completely different... but thought would be interesting to find out what jobs people actually enjoy. So, if you are happy at work, tell me what you do and what's so great about it!

OP posts:
littlerach · 25/03/2004 17:41

Slinky, me too!!!
It's fun working with the children, not too stressful, I only do part-time plus DD gets cheap childcare!!
But crap pay!!

jampot · 25/03/2004 18:14

I enjoy my job - I do marketing/business development for a law firm. I get to work from home and it's like being my own boss. I love planning/organising events so would love to be an event planner or similar.

katzguk · 25/03/2004 19:02

i love my job, i work as a researcher within the university, i make bone cement!!! i feel like i'm contributing to medical science, the hours are go, very family friendly, excerllent maternity package, wages not great but hey can't have everything

Mirage · 26/03/2004 14:10

I love my job.I'm a gardener & am self employed.I am not on a fantastic wage,but work the hours I want where I want,so that makes up for it.

The downside is,if the weather is too bad to work,I don't get paid,nor do I get holiday pay.But it is a totally stressfree job,just the birds & bees for company.

hmum · 26/03/2004 14:19

I love my job. I am an Inspector of care homes. get to meet loads of people, can work from home when doing reports. Child friendly employer makes life so much easier.

jac34 · 26/03/2004 14:43

I'm a Dental technician, I specialise in orthodontics, but have worked in all fields of dental technology. I work in a Dental school of a university hospital, so we see a wide variety of cases, some very extreme.We are an accute centre for the treatment of cleft babies,and as we are a teaching hospital,are involved in teaching under and postgraduate students.
I love my work ,it's very varied, but I still love sitting at my bench bending wire, and creating appliances, it's the creative aspect that first attracted me to the job.I still can't quite believe, that I get paid to sit about fiddleing and making things all day, even after 15 years.

meanmum · 26/03/2004 15:15

I'm in human resources. I love the challenges of the job. It can be shitty when you do redundancies but the variety the job offers is fantastic. I realised I needed a job with variety after working in the media industry as a traffic co-ordinator. This is where you organise satellite links for live events to tv stations around the world. Each event is unique with different requirements based on your clients and generally the satellite link goes down at some stage during the feed which gives you a few moments of made panic.

By pure chance I ended up in human resources when I moved country and intend to stay in it from now on. Variety comes from the people you work with as no two people have the same request and each situation is unique. It's challenging trying to do right by the employee whilst always remembering that you are employed by the company and your ultimate responsibility is to them. Finding a happy medium for both parties is not always possible but if you have the justification then whichever side is slightly worse off can usually understand and appreciate the decision.

chrissey14 · 26/03/2004 17:26

hi all

i work as a theatre nurse in neuro ,have been doing the job since i qualfied 4yrs ago, really enjoyed b4 i had my dd 2yrs now.

find it more demanding now as it,s 8-6pm we work 4 days a wk i do 3 now since sept last year , 4 days was begining to be too much,plus there,s on call commiments ,i do one a week as that,s all i can do and one weekend a month,which has now been split so we r doing every other weekend now 12 hrs on call a day.

feel like i need a change now ,but not sure what direction to go in?still enjoy being nurse ,anyone knwo any fellow nurses that could offer me some advice

tc all
chrisseyxx

Fisil · 26/03/2004 18:43

I teach and I love it. It can be very stressful - but isn't that true of all jobs. I love the variety and the contact with people. And the holidays (actually, not quite true, I get bored and can't wait to get back to school in the summer holiday).

Sorry about the redundancy. I also recommend the Parachute book.

hatter · 30/03/2004 16:36

I'm a policy adviser for an international NGO (non-governmental organization). It's not what you'd call fun - I read some pretty depressing stuff on a daily basis. But it's interesting, can be very academic and challenging and I'm always learning. And though there's little in the way of immediate rewards (pay is low for SE; praise a rarity) I enjoy doing something I believe in.

lavender1 · 30/03/2004 16:55

I am a gardener, have been for nearly 2 years. Found this job using "What Colour is your Parachute?" (the flower is worth doing in there...everything in the flower relates to my job now almost),,,couldn't recommend it more highly...yes do love it most of the time and if hadn't read book wouldn't be doing what I love doing now...always look forward to going to work...hope your redundancy gives you the chan ce to research what you really love doing

Pook · 01/04/2004 08:10

I am a town planner. I love(d) it - but have been on mat leave for 9 months now. Mixed feelings about goibg back, but comforted by fact that employers are really flexible. I'll be in 2 days a week, and may do a little from home to bump up the cash.

Goingcrazy · 04/04/2004 20:48

I gave up my job as civil servant(hated it) after birth of 2nd DD 8 years ago. Since 2nd DD started school 4 years ago I have been working as Classroom assistant in KS1 school and love it. I start a PGCE in September and (hopefully) will be a qualified teacher by July 2005. At the age of 40 I feel that I am getting a 2nd chance career wise.

Mammababa · 05/04/2004 11:59

Hi,

Just wanted to ask "Mothernature" how you become an estate agent? I'm currently working as a PA (one of the better paid ones..) but will be giving up work when we have second child (still not pregnant though but we're having fun trying ) However, the plan is to go back to work when child no. 1 starts school. And I quite like the idea of selling houses but haven't got a clue how to break into this carreer. So I'm just curious as to how you found your job. Definitely NOT going to work as a PA again. It's like being a glorified maid and not much chance of developing the role as you're "just a secretary"... Hate it. Especially taking minutes - brrrr

jodiemay · 05/04/2004 12:03

I am a SAHM now but before ds, I was a sales rep for a food company. I love cooking and selling cake mixes etc was my idea of heaven! No boss breathing down my neck, just 1 day a month, and 1 night a month to stay away from home for a sales meeting. Meeting new people every day, newgoals every day, get a car fully expensed and I even had a lap top too! When 2nd child (only got 1 ds at mo) is at school, then this is what I shall go back to being! It doesn't suit everyone though as you are on your own 80% of the day!

Helsbels · 05/04/2004 12:22

I love my job - I do IT support and also practise some alternative therapies- In the day (at my proper job) I think it is more down to the people than the work - I work with 5 blokes and they are the best - they really look after me especially now I am pg!! I am almost sad to have to leave for 6 months......

lazyeye · 05/04/2004 12:27

'nother librarian here - but on the systems side. Agree with Marina et al re helping students find their stuff, though I'm not too involved with that myself. Not well paid. I've enjoyed my job very much but am thinking about a change now.............

rsv1000r · 05/04/2004 18:09

I am an office manager (public sector) and I do enjoy my job - I also think it makes me calmer for the time away from the kids (2).

I am very lucky in that my employer is very understanding and realises that sometimes childcare can let you down and that children get ill.

I also have a partner who works shifts and does a considerable amount of childcare any my mother who lives nearby - she owns her own business so took the kids in to work with her - as well as 2 days a week at a local nursery.

They are now both in school and so childcare has got a bit easier

peamo · 05/04/2004 18:29

On maternity leave and thinking about what will/should happen in five months when Maternity Allowance stops... I am Swedish and have an MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management but only worked with web project management for two years (in London) before giving it up to do an MA in Creative Writing. Now working on film script, but slowly and knowing it is a hard sell. Have since lived in Sheffield, six months in India and one year in New York, now back in London. I have been working in mental home, as sales admin, as illegal waitress, temping and I do prefer the lousy pay and freedom to the 9-5 so could perhaps make a writer... Thinking of going for it staying home and writing articles, copy, translating... anything to keep the freedom and be creative! Any freelancers out there with tips to share?! Motherinferior?!

wiltshire · 06/04/2004 00:13

I work on an Underground Train System. I love it as it's very very busy and it's totally the career I never thought I would have. I always wanted to be a Librarian whilst growing up. Big career change for me as an financial adviser/estate agent. However I really really hate trains. God knows why someone would sit and take their numbers (why & for what reason???).

wiltshire · 06/04/2004 00:15

Oh forgot to add, been playing with trains for about 7 years now.

Issymum · 08/04/2004 14:17

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at OP's request

Susha · 13/04/2004 16:50

I love my job, I work for myself helping people save money on their phone and home utilities. I can save them on average as much as £300 per annum. In this day and age everyone wants to save money and I can fir my work in around my children and earn good money while I do it. I am in control at last which is great

bayleaf · 13/04/2004 21:08

I do, I do now, part-time,and I always have in the past fulltime - I'm a teacher.

goosey · 13/04/2004 21:26

I love my job too, working for the ambulance service.