What's your job and do you enjoy it? I'm sick of mine...

kjdowd

I started out doing what you're doing, although a bank rather than a uni. The answer for me was to specialise in cyber security. I know run a cyber security biz and find it fascinating where broader IT just doesn't really do it for me.  

That being said, being my own boss is a big part of the enjoyment as others have said on this thread. 

DLM

@57Deluxe Ah, rhyming slang! Thanks, and from my OH's work as a music teacher I understand completely.

CHRISB50

I'm a senior SAP consultant for an electrical manufacturer. It used to be fairly interesting, but not so anymore. I should have left a long time ago but it suits while my two kids are growing up. Spending more time with them in the afternoons is great. I'm home by 4pm at the latest (7am start), and when I walk out the door, that is last thought I have about work until the next day. Problem is, I've become far too used to living in my comfort zone.

We were told last year that if the UK leave the single market the company would relocate to mainland Europe. So it looks like new beginnings will be on the cards. If I'm truthful I'd love to do something else, but I'm not sure with the commitments I have if that would be realistic. I have a lot of thinking to do.

Flink_Poyd

I had an interview for a taxi driving job the other day, got lost on the way there and ended up arriving 20 minutes late. I start tomorrow.

olafgarten

I'm still in Uni but spent a Month last summer doing work experience as an Applications Developer, it was great fun but I don't think I would like doing it for too long.

The issue with doing difficult programming tasks is that you never stop working, the problems you are trying to solve stick in your mind and you end up waking up in the middle of the night with the solution and then quickly writing it down before you forget.

thumpingrug

I manage a charity in Dorset that helps vulnerable people with debts/benefits and general life shit.  Have a staff team of 13 and a further 35 volunteers. Every day is different and the job satisfaction levels within my office are high.  Pay is crap, carer progression is none existent and the head office that we belong to (its a bizarre franchise arrangement) don't give a toss about us nor do they supply any of the resources we need.   That said Ive been doing it for over 30 years and cant imagine doing anything else.  Given the crap pay and pension Ill probably doing it for another 30 years.

Kebabkid

I work for the main music royalty company in the UK (we credit composers and publishers royalties for their public performances, be it radio, live, tv, online etc and licence music).

I've been there for over 30 years and love it. Good people. Many of them are creative types and most of my bands and band mates have come from there, as have some good, close friends. Oh, and I met Mrs.KK there.

I now work from home 4 days a week, which suits me down to the ground after years of commuting into Central London. It allows me to balance home life and the one day I'm in the office is pleasant enough as we're now in the new uber hub of King's Cross but we also have an office in Streatham and I can choose to work at either site.

Although an administrative and analytical job, I've been involved in both the in-house and industry music events which regularly take place there and also helped set up rehearsal facilities on site with a backline etc so employees get use of that for free. That's the biggest perk and occasionally getting to meet and play on stage with well-known musicians.

Conditions are good, pay is ok-ish and I'm content there. When I leave my job at the end of the day, that's it. There's rarely any stress and I take it for what it is i.e. wage provider for food, mortgage, family whilst allowing me to indulge in my passion of music. Although I left the place in 1990 to work professionally in music (hated it), I tried a few other things in different sectors but came back to this after 18mths. It's home for me and is probably where I'll stay until I retire (about another 13 years but who's counting).

gubble

Nobody has owned up to being a Dentist yet...........

Mr_Bluesman

Video Games Artist - please tell your kids - DON'T DO IT

monquixote

olafgarten said:

I'm still in Uni but spent a Month last summer doing work experience as an Applications Developer, it was great fun but I don't think I would like doing it for too long.

The issue with doing difficult programming tasks is that you never stop working, the problems you are trying to solve stick in your mind and you end up waking up in the middle of the night with the solution and then quickly writing it down before you forget.

Personally I would say this is one of the best things about being a programmer. I expect a lot of the people who've said their job leaves them feeling completely brain dead would jump at the chance to do something so engaging.

paulnb57

Prison Officer in my 35th year, retired at 55 and went Part Time, met some amazing people Screws and Cons, but now I hate it......I carry on because it pays for hobbies and shit, but I resent every minute I am there, useless managers, no support, no pay rise for years (austerity) stressed to buggery.......couple more years and I'm out!

VimFuego

"stressed to buggery" in your line of work that can be a real issue!!

ThePrettyDamned

monquixote said:

olafgarten said:

I'm still in Uni but spent a Month last summer doing work experience as an Applications Developer, it was great fun but I don't think I would like doing it for too long.

The issue with doing difficult programming tasks is that you never stop working, the problems you are trying to solve stick in your mind and you end up waking up in the middle of the night with the solution and then quickly writing it down before you forget.

Personally I would say this is one of the best things about being a programmer. I expect a lot of the people who've said their job leaves them feeling completely brain dead would jump at the chance to do something so engaging.

Different strokes. 

I can concentrate very intensely, doing tricky or repetitive tasks pretty fast, but working like that is extremely exhausting. If my job demanded that (my last one did) I have to leave it behind at the end of the day for the sake of managing my depression. 

I live for my free time now, so I'd like a creative job with responsibility but one that I could leave behind at least a couple of days a week. I wouldn't like to work from home, unpaid, every single day. 

With that said, I have my dream job and that would definitely require a lot of extra work. It would make me incredibly happy, though, which would balance well. 

Danny1969

I was talking to a friend the other day about what I do and how much I love it,  and what he does and how much he hates it and we worked out although he earns about £700 more a month than me about £400 of that was actually going back in to support the job, the cost of the car, the fuel, maintenance. So he's actually working all those hours for £300 more than I earn. Then the hatred of the job compels him to reward himself on impulse credit card buys that end up never getting used cos he's too tired after work to go mountain biking or get out in the countryside and take photo's on the £350 camera gathering dust on the shelf. 
If you take care to minimize your expenses you can get by on surprisingly little money. I don't spend any money on gear ... if I need something I have plenty of time to make it or repair what I already have. I use a bike rather than a car. I get the shopping at different shops cos I have plenty of time to shop around. I use wifi all the time rather than data allowance on a sim only contract. Don't need a gym membership, got plenty of time to run through the countryside or swim in the sea in the summer.  Learning to live spending as little as poss actually gives me the same buzz that earning thousands in one day did back in the nineties when I was running Clones and turning over half a million a year.  

Everyone has different ambitions and outlooks on life but I think it's important to remember life is always now, I see little point in slaving away 50 hours of work and commute a week so I can retire at 65 and spend it on what ? .... golf, dribbling on the sofa ? you never know whats round the corner, some of us won't make 60.  

randella

monquixote said:

olafgarten said:

I'm still in Uni but spent a Month last summer doing work experience as an Applications Developer, it was great fun but I don't think I would like doing it for too long.

The issue with doing difficult programming tasks is that you never stop working, the problems you are trying to solve stick in your mind and you end up waking up in the middle of the night with the solution and then quickly writing it down before you forget.

Personally I would say this is one of the best things about being a programmer. I expect a lot of the people who've said their job leaves them feeling completely brain dead would jump at the chance to do something so engaging.

Plus you learn to manage it.  I had a problem magically appear last night which needs sorting by the weekend.  Switched the computer off and, walking to the car, figured out what I was going to do in one of those flashes of inspiration @olafgarten mentioned.

Got in the car and forgot about it, now I'm about to implement the solution and all's well with the world.  Just comes with a bit of experience.

Sometimes you can't switch it off, big project deadline times are the worst obviously, but that's what you get paid for I suppose.

VimFuego

@danny1969 that has basically been my way of thinking for quite a while now. I worked hard initially in my "career" to clear off the mortgage as soon as possible. We got lucky in that our 1st house was a derelict shell when we bought it so only needed a small loan to top off the savings we had. We did the house up ourselves which took about 3 years, I'd never done any DIY before that, by the end I could do brick work, carpentry, electrics, plumbing etc, and lived with mrs F's folks while we did it to save money. We were able to sell that house to buy our current one outright. Now we live as simply as possible, which means cheaply. Sometimes I miss having a disposable income (I'd love fiddle lessons for example, but would struggle to afford them) but I have so much time to do things I enjoy.

thomasross20

(student) loans, mortgage, pension - once those are ok, I'd consider something else. Live for the day, though... I regret not buying a house and getting married earlier as Sheena has months to live and she could have had even more happiness had I not been a tightwad. Money isn't everything (unless you have little and need it, in which case it is everything).

colourofsound

@thomasross20 I'm not bothered about student loans too much - it's the best loan you'll ever get, and I think mine's been interest free for the last few years because economy so...but yeah, live for the day is right. Hence, I want a new bloody job!

I'm sorry to hear about your situation. Bloody awful that; I can't possibly imagine.

TTBZ

@Danny1969 completely agree. I posted a thread about commuting a while back and I'm so glad I didn't take that job. Although the pay is better and I'd have been working for a massive name in the industry I would have missed my son growing up due to the commute into london and long shifts. And like you say the majority of my extra pay would have funded the commute. Luckily my new job came along and I'm in the perfect position for me right now - slightly less pay but at a company I'm passionate about, working 10 hours less a week, every weekend and bank holiday off and the biggest bonus is a tasty staff discount on amps

Haych

Database developer for a financial services provider.

Do I enjoy it?  Well, I don't hate it.  There's a good deal of problem solving involved and I do quite like that.  The company I work for has a pretty good culture, there's very little pressure and my boss is very supportive. 

Most people I work with are good people too and I only work with one AH really.  I get to go home at five everyday and apart from the odd call-out in the middle of the night I don't really have to think about the job after I've locked my drawers for the day.

I currently only work four days a week (by choice) and still earn enough to pay the mortgage and have a few little luxuries.

Overall I'd say it's a good gig.  Obviously there are things I'd prefer to be doing but none of those things would provide me with the kind of lifestyle I have now.  I'd love to work in the music industry in some capacity (not as a rock star) but there's no money. 

I often dream about having my own workshop for building and repairing instruments but the startup costs are huge and I know bugger-all about it.

I've also always wanted to have my own American 50s style diner too, strangely.  Checkerboard floor, bar-stools, vinyl clad booths and a jukebox, and of course pretty bus-girls with short dresses   If you've ever been to an Eddie Rocket's in Ireland then you get the idea.