For those who like their jobs, what compelled you to get into your field?

Question

I find it unfortunate that most people are not satisfied with their jobs.  For those of you who do like what you do, how did you manage to do this? What made you realize the best job for you?

RomanticRealist · Accepted Answer

I studied political science and knew I wanted to work in some kind of capacity where I believed in the work I did and felt that it was in some way tied to my politics and my concept of what improving society means. I do nonprofit development - fundraising for nonprofit organizations. I kind of fell into it, but it was within the realm of the kind of work I had always wanted to do.

My initial dreams as a kid were to be a political journalist or a public interest lawyer. However, there was a lot of negative press about both exploding when I was in college. It was 2008 and the financial crisis had just happened. There was all this press about lawyers making less money, not having access to as many jobs as before, and about how oversaturated and miserable people are. I still believed in the lawyer route for a while, but that did get to me. Meanwhile, the internet was increasing in dominance, and people were saying journalism was dying. Now that many publications were making less from paper sales and transitioning online, the fear was that it would be harder than ever for journalists to have security and decent pay. I was really into it before that. I did a high school journalism program at my city's top newspaper, and it was so exciting being in the newsroom and talking to professional journalists. We got to write interesting stories, and they taught us about the different types of articles. I did minor in journalism in college as well.

I still consider law every now and then, but what I realized as I was growing up during my college years was that the average salary touted for lawyers was an illusion. For the most part, it's far more common for corporate lawyers working for rich people to make big bucks right out of college. On top of that, it's advantageous to go to a top school, if you have your sights on corporate law. That's a lot of debt and it's not guaranteed. I wanted to help poor people and "make the world a better place." I realized that in public interest law that meant making an average salary starting out with a shit ton of debt. It's not that black and white for everyone, but this was a reality I had to accept. If I had jumped into law school right after college, it could have worked. However, I didn't - I had already started a career in the nonprofit sector. I would have had to take a pay cut, only to then make about the same amount I was making in my late 20s, but with a load of debt on my back. I was already in an industry where I got to help people, believe in my mission, and build my salary over time at about the same pace as a public interest lawyer in many cases.

So I kept putting off being a lawyer. Instead, I did the AmeriCorps VISTA program for a couple years and got into nonprofit development work. (AmeriCorps is the domestic version of the Peace Corps) They pay you along the poverty line in that program, but I was excited to build the skills and loved what I was doing. I lived at home for those two years. Then I looked for jobs back in NYC, where I went to college, and moved back here. That was years ago. I loved my hometown/city, but I had fallen involve with NY in college. I left because my unpaid internship was the only thing I had at graduation and my free ride from the parents was over. I could have applied for jobs, but instead just moved home to start my career.

Now I'm about 6 years into it, and I would take a large pay cut to become a public interest lawyer. I also have better work life balance than I 'd probably have as a lawyer and arguably help more people in some ways. Sometimes I'm pulled to move closer to more explicitly political nonprofit work or government relations. A friend of mine left her development role to become an executive director at a nonprofit and she does government relations (lobbying legislators to pass bills related to election oversight, etc.). We both went to college together in the same political science program. She thinks I'd love it. I'm sure I would, but I keep getting deeper into the arts nonprofit world and I'm kind of just following the money right now. It's in the back of my mind though. I have an interview for another, higher paying job in the arts nonprofit world and I'll probably take it.

As you get older, money matters a lot more lol

midnightmoon05 · Accepted Answer

I raised my sister who is 11 years younger. She is a smart cookie.. so I figure I’ll be a teacher…thinking all the kids would be like her.
well…20 years. later..:I still love what I do regardless of their background, behavior, intelligent.

I believe all kids can learn. I just want to give them the best education they deserve while they are in my class for that year.

MCheetah · Accepted Answer

I wanted to be a writer, but woke Hollywood put me off of that and I didn't want to have to kiss ass or suck d*ck (figuratively and definitely not literally) in order to make it. I started looking at teaching jobs outside the US, and really wanted to teach in Japan. But the market is too competitive there and the pay is too low, so I chose South Korea and got hired here in late 2019 instead.

I was only going to come here, save up a few bucks, and go home after a year. But my first job sucked. My second job has horrible managers and are STILL abusing foreign teachers to this day (I just talked to my replacement there and she said it was bad enough to make her go back home to Canada). My third job I'm at now is good, but the town sucks. I'm an hour from Seoul, but I still don't like Suwon much.

I did have like $11,000 saved up, but have spent much of it on self-improvement. Dental surgeries, skin treatments, the weight loss surgery I talked about, martial arts classes... I have spent a lot of money trying to improve the thousand and one flaws about my outer shell.

So I still have at least a few years here in South Korea. It's not like I have anything to go back to, in the US right now anyway. No family, no girlfriend, and no job prospects back there. I'm fine being here for now.

I do try to make all my classes good for the kids, and I am genuinely grateful for my job, so I never forget to do it for the kids. But as an ESL teacher, I have to balance between making the kids happy, the parents happy, the other teachers happy, the managers happy, and corporate happy. A lot of people to keep happy. But the general rule is, if the kids are happy, the parents are happy, and you keep your job and keep getting money every month.

The hardest part is trying to balance making the class fun and getting the work done. Most of the time, I prioritize fun over work. But sometimes, kids will be kids and bored, no matter what.

So yeah, 15 year old me NEVER thought I'd be a teacher! All my teachers sucked! However, besides being a fat-ass (and I got the gastric sleeve surgery, so maybe by next year, I won't be anymore), I think 15 year old me would see me as a respectable teacher. I'm not the kind of teachers I had back when I was young. I relate to these kids, cause I'm mentally closer to their age, than I am my real age. (22, not 10, ya freaks! Twelve years apart is still closer to their age than thirteen!)

AviatorTom · Accepted Answer

When I was a young kid, I liked to build things. I had an older cousin who was an electrical engineer and I often spent time at their house with his family. He was like a second father / big brother to me. For my birthday one year (I think I was 8), he gave me an electronics kit. I played with that for months, building everything in the instruction manual at least twice.

So there was never any doubt that I would become an engineer. I graduated college with a degree in Electrical Engineering. My first job was with an electric power utility, then I switched to railroads, where I've had a long and enjoyable career doing various engineering tasks, from software to electric power to computers and eventually doing systems engineering.

Still-alive · Answer

im a grubhub/ubereats delivery driver. i like it because i get to set my own schedule, no bosses that get in my face or try to micromanage me, and i can do it at my own pace.

Phoenix98 · Answer

It’s just something I kinda got lucky on I guess.

But i stuck around because I enjoy working with my hands and I’m not the type who can do an office job I couldn’t sit around for that long. And what I do matters easily one of the most important fields on the planet.

exitseven · Answer

I was in sales for many years. I did not like it and it looked like the place I worked was going out of business. I was 30 and needed to find something that I might be good at, paid well and was in demand. I was either going to law school or get a degree in computer science. I had taken some classes before so I decided on IT. It has worked out pretty well.

FilmGuy93 · Answer

I kinda just fell into it. I knew I was a good storyteller. I knew I was a good photographer. So I just started finding ways to help people tell their stories.

ThisDudeHere · Answer

Nothing much, just the education field I took. I started out with an art-school. Aftert that, the principal advised me to go into architecture and so I went.

jamesgoldman · Answer

My uncle made an off the cuff remark that started my thoughts about the field and opportunity because that business we were involved in has subsided and I needed to do something and that was about a decade ago

Miladin · Answer

I put an effort, had chances, got lucky, worked hard, was ambitious and motivated and I imagined my dream job for a while aaand I got it. It's even more than I expected because it brings me way more cash than expected and I feel appreciated.

Katebfun · Answer

Sounds like most people "fell into it"😂😆 go figure.

Zolly99999 · Answer

I fell into my job by accident. I had a friend that said her dad needed help at his company for 1 day... well it's 20 years later and I own my own company now. Lol😁😁

JaxiCats · Answer

I’m not at a job that I’m passionate about but it is a simple job

Guardian45 · Answer

The ONLY thing I like about my job is public service and the people I work with. EVERYTHING ELSE SUCKS!

Jltakk · Answer

It saved me from my darkest moments of my mental health. I like giving back and doing my part for those that saw something in me when I was at my lowest as a person.

Jamesshinobi · Answer

it paid more bills then factory work and i didn't have to kill people.

Anonymous · Answer

I'm very analytical and enjoy running numbers. It was a natural fit for me.

Andres77 · Answer

Dreams and opportunity

For those who like their jobs, what compelled you to get into your field?

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