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Just curious. I've run into people that go into a field because the money is good, or they do well in it, but they aren't really that interested in it - it's just a means to an end for them.

So.

Are you in your career because you enjoy doing this work?
Are you in it due to the circumstances of your life, but it's not what you want to be doing?
Do you enjoy your work, but you can't really say you're passionate about it and would do it in your spare time if it wasn't your job?

Would you rather do what you love for a living, or do a profitable job, and enjoy your free time doing what you love as a hobby?

As much as I rag on my job, it could be a lot worse. But if I had my druthers, I'd not work at all. So I guess you could say, if I have to have a job, I like this one. It doesn't pay the best, but the autonomy and the security is something I'm glad to have. So... passionate? No. But I'm not QUITE this guy yet.

You don't become a professor for the money or the fame! I do love my job and I hope to love more when I have perfected it.

Facets of my job are awesome, such as helping people save money, getting people across the retirement finish line in good order, coming up with creative ads for tv, radio, newspapers, diving deep into statistics to figure out why people take certain actions, etc.

Other facets aren't so awesome, like chasing the guy playing with himself while staring at our tellers out of the lobby.

I think the best thing about the job is I can believe in the organization and the work they do which is pretty rare for a financial company.

I like my job. Even at it's most stressful it's still fun. If it payed decently I wouldn't really worry about finding something better. I can't say I'm passionate about it though mostly because I'm just not that kind of guy.

Don't get me wrong though, I strive to do it as best I can, but if I were doing something else I'd also strive to excelle in that. Ya know?

All right fellow teachers,

Hate it with every ounce of my fiber but it's a means to the end. My next job direction is exactly where I want to be. BSA department..... Banking security...

I don't really have my career yet I am still earning that right to ask to be allowed to have that job......

I love this job. I could see myself retiring from this job, all frustrations with the public and the internal politics aside.

However, I'm still trying to get back in the military... because I feel as though I have much more to give of myself there. This is a career... but my spirit is in the Corps, and will probably always be there. If that makes any sense...

my job is hilariously awesome, and while its not what I want to do with the rest of my life, it pays the bills and allows me to continue accruing the right to my career of choice!

I'm a public school teacher. I'm damn sure not doing it for the riches or the fame. If I didn't love it I would run screaming in the other direction.

Y'all who are teachers get the UTMOST respect from me... at least I can do something about it when folks get lippy with me... y'all are hamstrung.

Officer_Charon said:

Y'all who are teachers get the UTMOST respect from me... at least I can do something about it when folks get lippy with me... y'all are hamstrung.

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Psh. Only if someone reports said teacher.

Which they always do. That is one of the reasons I decided against going into education. Moron parents who have no expectations of their kids and blame their faults on the teachers and also blame the teachers when they discipline the kids because they aren't getting any discipline at home.

I am a computer tech. When I am not at work, I am browsing tech forums and giving tech advice (such as on this board). When I am not online, I am usually playing a computer game or fixing/upgrading my computer or someone else's computer or giving someone else computer advice (it's a family pastime).

So...yes, I do enjoy what I do. So much so that the hardest part about it is that it is hard to push myself to achieve something greater, since what I do now is so satisfying.

--Patrick

makare said:

Which they always do..

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...which was exactly the joke? Hence the ?

I hate my current career, but that's why I'm going back to school. I'll get back to you when I have my final degree.

ThatNickGuy said:

...which was exactly the joke? Hence the ?

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I wasn't really disagreeing with the joke part just using it to jump start my own comment...

I'm doing graphics design for a company that creates touchscreen naval training software. Its a good job, good pay, I'm learning a lot, I like the people there, but I can't really say I'm really passionate about it. Its not exactly what I envisioned myself doing when I was younger. Still, don't get me wrong, I really like this job. If they have more work for me when this contract is up, I'll be all too delighted to keep working for them.

I'm a translator and interpreter. I ended up doing this because I'm too lazy to work hard at anything else, and had to fall back on the fact that I'm bilingual. I don't hate it, but I do prefer not working to working.

bhamv3 said:

but I do prefer not working to working.

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I love my job. There are few jobs I've truly disliked. This is obviously my favorite. My students are clever, and my coworkers challenge me every day to do my best.

"If I had known that a 4 year degree and $75,000 in student loans would lead me to a job I despise where I consider killing myself every day, I would have done more ecstasy in high school. A WHOLE lot more."

I love being a scientist, although sometimes I wonder if I would've preferred another field (such as astrophysics) instead of neuroscience. Regardless, I love what I learn, I love what I do, and--even if my experiments fail and my project is difficult--it's all worth it when I find something and realize, "I am the first person in the world to have this knowledge."

I have the opposite problem. My one great passion is food and cooking. Now I don't have a job yet (still a student) but I could never be a chef in a restaurant. Hearing from my uncle and seeing it on tv, I'd be afraid the stress and pressure would ruin my love for food. I don't want that to happen. So my work could never be my passion, probably.

That's part of why I left culinary school. I loved cooking and learning more about it, but the pace and stress just weren't for me.

That's actually a piece of advice I like to give people nowadays, when they ask me about what they should study at university, or what career they should go into. I said think of your biggest passion, and then avoid specializing in it, because you'll probably end up destroying your enthusiasm for it. Pick your second biggest passion to be your career.

I guess it was a good thing I didn't get accepted into the Military then...

But my "Contract" job is still alot of fun.... though sadly it's not frequent enough that I could live off it.... I really need to stop taking those Pro-Bono jobs...

But there are just so many people who deserve it...

Not even close. I've been in my current job for 3 1/2 years, and while I used to really like it, I've never been passionate about it. In recent months, it's become more of an issue and taking a mental toll on me daily. Any redeeming value in my job has slowly faded. As such, I've started to interview to get back towards something I can feel more passionate about, but can't afford to quit here (and not receive unemployment) until I have somewhere else to go.

The biggest problem is I am my biggest critic and am entirely too self-aware. The less passionate about this place that I become, the more it shows in my work ethic and my performance...and then I get down on myself about that, but as much as I'd LIKE to change or fix it, I just can't/won'...as I continue to spiral downward. Although, at times, it does feel somewhat liberating to just not give a shit...

I work at a big box electronics retail store and run the video game department. It's christmas time. Need I say more?

I work as the de facto director of software development/database administrator/web developer at a smaller private college.

Pros: I have tons of responsibilities, endless creative freedom, and enough job security where I can basically set my own schedule and basically schedule work around my family life. The entire place relies on me so I feel like I affect thousands of people a year.

Cons: I'm severely underpaid. There is no further job advancement, since I'm basically at the top of my field. I'm rarely challenged to do more or even evaluated accurately, because there's nobody else around with any ability to push me technically. Because of this, I feel less motivated to push myself to learn new things or do complex things, and it pisses me off regularly.

I am a pc tech for a school district. I have been doing that for a full year now and love it as much as the day I started. I came from 8 & 1/2 years of phone support and could not stand to do that ever again.

Love my job, hope to be better at it before they notice.