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 Expert
Posts: 2492
  
| I'm trying to research different careers. Who here loves their job and what do you do for a living? Can you describe what your typical work day is like? I'd appreciate any and all input on how you got started and what the pros and cons are. Thanks in advance! | |
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 Balance Beam and more...
Posts: 11511
  
Location: 31 lengths farms | Does it count that I love being employed???? | |
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Expert
Posts: 2492
| run n rate - 2013-12-18 5:03 PM
Does it count that I love being employed????
Sure! I love being employed too and am blessed to have a job with an above average salary and great benefits. The problem is that I'm not happy with the type of work and environment that I find myself in and would like to explore different options. | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 623
Location: /ARKANSAS | I graduated in 1972 from highschool, started to college and dropped out a year and a half later, decided I did not want to be a nurse! My marriage was going bad and I found at 22, I was going to be a mother....told myself I had to return to college and finish, I knew I would probably be the only support for this child. I loved being a Registered Nurse, evening shift for 13 years at a 50 bed hospital. It was serious, emotional roller coaster, women that primarily work together are jealous, backstabbing, and relentless with criticism. I survived most of the hospital personalities, got divorced, fell totally in love with a doctor, imagine that? I never remarried being the captain of my own ship was very important. As a registered nurse, I was in charge, I took the extra classes to be certified in cardiology, emergency medicine, pediatric resuscitation and obstetrics, always pushing to be better. In 1990 I graduated with a bachelors degree in nursing and became an advanced practice nurse, worked nearly to death in the rural clinic that paid back my loans. The same female pettiness followed me there. My SO developed prostate cancer and I asked to go to three days a week. No was the answer, so I gave my 30 day notice, there was a lot of drama within the clinic with that news. I left there and went to work with my SO in a private office and filled in for him and did some hospital work for him. I had a great time the cattiness with the women was there but a lot less to live with. Two years later he was killed in an accident and I just didn't exist for several months. He died in June and in December a doctor in another town close needed someone to fill in while he recuperated from hip replacement. I never left there, he ask me to stay, he had practiced in this small town for 40 years, that was 11 years ago, best job I have ever had, the nurses have been wonderful and I have learned to slow down and I had time to heal from what felt like a war for 25 years. I am still there and will turn 60 in 4 weeks, not happy with aging but I tell people that I will never retire. The Dr. is 78, still working, he has been through a few bumps, but has rallied each time. I am someone that does not like change and I stayed in a few of these jobs too long, but when you are a divorced mother, a job is the most important thing next to your child. Jobs and people are hard to deal with long term. I can't imagine why people look forward to retirement... | |
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 Hawty & Nawty
Posts: 20424
| I am really happy. I am able to stay home and write. | |
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Expert
Posts: 2492
| fastwrapn3 - 2013-12-18 5:45 PM
I graduated in 1972 from highschool, started to college and dropped out a year and a half later, decided I did not want to be a nurse! My marriage was going bad and I found at 22, I was going to be a mother....told myself I had to return to college and finish, I knew I would probably be the only support for this child. I loved being a Registered Nurse, evening shift for 13 years at a 50 bed hospital. It was serious, emotional roller coaster, women that primarily work together are jealous, backstabbing, and relentless with criticism. I survived most of the hospital personalities, got divorced, fell totally in love with a doctor, imagine that? I never remarried being the captain of my own ship was very important. As a registered nurse, I was in charge, I took the extra classes to be certified in cardiology, emergency medicine, pediatric resuscitation and obstetrics, always pushing to be better. In 1990 I graduated with a bachelors degree in nursing and became an advanced practice nurse, worked nearly to death in the rural clinic that paid back my loans. The same female pettiness followed me there. My SO developed prostate cancer and I asked to go to three days a week. No was the answer, so I gave my 30 day notice, there was a lot of drama within the clinic with that news. I left there and went to work with my SO in a private office and filled in for him and did some hospital work for him. I had a great time the cattiness with the women was there but a lot less to live with. Two years later he was killed in an accident and I just didn't exist for several months. He died in June and in December a doctor in another town close needed someone to fill in while he recuperated from hip replacement. I never left there, he ask me to stay, he had practiced in this small town for 40 years, that was 11 years ago, best job I have ever had, the nurses have been wonderful and I have learned to slow down and I had time to heal from what felt like a war for 25 years. I am still there and will turn 60 in 4 weeks, not happy with aging but I tell people that I will never retire. The Dr. is 78, still working, he has been through a few bumps, but has rallied each time. I am someone that does not like change and I stayed in a few of these jobs too long, but when you are a divorced mother, a job is the most important thing next to your child. Jobs and people are hard to deal with long term. I can't imagine why people look forward to retirement...
Thank you very much for your in depth response! I'm very sorry for the loss of your SO. I'm also inspired by your work ethic. I've considered nursing. I'm just not sure I would enjoy working around people, though I have excelled in my classes every time I've certified as a first-responder. Our paramedic is pushing for me to move up to EMT. | |
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Expert
Posts: 2492
| RidenFly - 2013-12-18 5:55 PM
I am really happy. I am able to stay home and write.
I love writing too! I even have a blog, though I won't divulge the name of it to anyone. I've actually been working towards a bachelor's in English. That goal seems to have stalled out due to a lack of classes in my area and I'm not sure what I would use an English degree for. | |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 623
Location: /ARKANSAS | Sounds like you are good material, when other people see your possibilities, it inspires you. | |
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 Money Eating Baggage Owner
Posts: 9586
Location: Phoenix | I am in the same boat as you....really good at English, not sure what would make me happy.
Right now I work as an Administrative Assistant for a major car rental company. I would probably love my job if I got paid more. I enjoy the people I work with, and my bosses are great. But for the level of involvement and the decisions I make, I need to be paid more. And there's no opportunity for that unless I do the Management Trainee program, which puts you more on a path for branch manager and sales-y stuff, which I'd rather do more back-end stuff.
I answer phones, answer questions about the rental contracts, issue credits, make reservations, give directions, do account receivables (customers keeping car longer and needing more payment), calling customers to come in to renew the paperwork, dealing wih insurance rentals, doing callbacks to ensure they get areceipt for when they drop at diff. Locations or after-hours. I also do a lot of problem solving like figuring out what car is on contracts when I can't read the handwriting, figure out what happened when one car goes on two different contracts....it's somewhat mundane, yet always different. I enjoy helping people but not actually being face to face with the customer. If I were getting paid the median pay grade of secretaries in the area, I'd be totally content. But at this rate, I could work fast food for the same pay. :/ | |
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Regular
Posts: 97
| I graduated high school in 2004, went to the technical college for a year learning the printing/publishing industry, while working part-time in data entry. Decided i didn't want that career, went back in the fall for one semester in agriculture but dropped out due to sever depression and was unemployed. In January of 2006 i got a job working at a race horse farm taking care of the foals/yearlings. I loved working with the horses but in September of 2007 i quit and got a job working as a housekeeper at a holiday inn. I worked my way up to a room inspector/office but eventually quit in april 2011 and got a job as a supervisor for a commercial cleaning company. In march of 2012 i decided to go back to school and got a technical diploma as a CNA, I got hired right out of school as a CNA at a long-term care facility. I've been doing that since june 2012 and i love it! Best decision i ever made, it takes a special person to do this kind of work as its very demanding both physically and emotionally. But the joy you bring to the elderly is something you will never forget and you develop bonds with them. Yeah the pay sucks but its worth it. I am also taking some online class's towards getting a degree as a Medical Assistant. I also am going to get a degree as a EMT over the summer. | |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | It's complicated to describe my job. I work for a large power company and an extra service they offer is to dispatch linemen and answer phones after hours for a variety of power coops in several states. It can be very stressful, but other times it can be dead for hours. The managers all keep telling me I could be set for the rest of my life if I stay here and move up the ranks. And I could be. But I don't think I want to sit in an office for the next 40 years. I'm in college now, so this job is great because the hours fit and I make way more money here than I did working in the restaurant business or retail. I'm at a loss. I have no idea what I want to do. | |
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 IMA No Hair Style Gal
Posts: 2594
| I am a teacher, and I love it!
Typical work day....babysitting? Just kidding!
Get to work around 7:15 and pull up my email. Pull up everything I need for that days lesson on my Smart Board and my computer.
Write the current date, learning target, and agenda for the lesson.
7:45 I go to the hallway and watch and greet kids as they go to their lockers.
7:55 announcements come on-and around 8:00 I get my first group of 5th grade kids. Start the lesson (whatever it may be) and make adjustments as needed. One lesson we did was Buddy the Fish. I had a sponge fish that was in a beautiful clean bowl of water. His name was Buddy. As a class we went on a journey and polluted his water with all different types of contaminates from fertilizer to oil to litter....THEN we talked about non point source pollution and point source pollution. We identified each type of pollution that Buddy went through. Then we reveiwed the engineering design process.
From there the kids were given certain materials to design and test a water filter.
THEN from those mistakes they got to redesign and retest their filter.
That was a short summary of a three day lesson-and each grade level and each class I make adjustments as needed. So no day is ever the same.
During my plan time I grade and update my gradebook, I do planning for future classes, make copies, e-mail as needed, and go to any scheduled meetings; whether it be a PLC, with a parent, or an ARC meeting....or a meeting related to programs or clubs I am working on getting implemented.
6th grade then shows up at 10:55. I take them to lunch and eat my lunch from 11:03-11:28.
I pick my kids up and teach two 6th grade classes. Then I teach two 7th grade classes. 2:35 announcements come on. I am contracted to stay until 3:00...but normally stay until 3:30. Today I had science club so I didn't leave until 4:30.
Again-love my job. No day is ever the same!
Pros-the schedule, the kids
Cons-very demanding, everyone thinks they can do your job better, tons of paperwork, and lots of controversy. | |
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 Veteran
Posts: 114
| I am a paramedic. I love my job.
If you have any questions about emt/ emt-p PM me, I would be glad to answer them. I will say if you do not want to work with people then you may not like this field. when I went in to this I honestly thought I would have fast pace high adrenalin calls all the time..... the truth is that most of the time I am more of a comfort/ support system to my pt than I am a caregiver. I am not naturally a people person so I have had to push myself to develop people skills so I can do my job | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 764
Location: Stephenville, TX | I work for an oilfield company doing the payroll mainly but help out with accounts payables and human resources when needed. We have great benefits and good pay. I work with a handful of awesome ladies who create a positive atmosphere. Definately a plus! The only downside is having to help the guys with their paperwork constantly, from time sheets to log books to insurance/401K benefits. Job security I guess. | |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 492
Location: East TN | I am also a paramedic and love it....EMS is a job that you have to love because you aren't going to get rich doing it. I have had a few calls that have left me standing there saying," this is why I love my job"....very rewarding but also stressful. I only wish the pay were better...I work full time as a critical care medic and then also work two part time jobs one of which in is the local ER and the other is for our county ambulance service. | |
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Expert
Posts: 2492
| Rainbow118 - 2013-12-18 6:51 PM
I graduated high school in 2004, went to the technical college for a year learning the printing/publishing industry, while working part-time in data entry. Decided i didn't want that career, went back in the fall for one semester in agriculture but dropped out due to sever depression and was unemployed. In January of 2006 i got a job working at a race horse farm taking care of the foals/yearlings. I loved working with the horses but in September of 2007 i quit and got a job working as a housekeeper at a holiday inn. I worked my way up to a room inspector/office but eventually quit in april 2011 and got a job as a supervisor for a commercial cleaning company. In march of 2012 i decided to go back to school and got a technical diploma as a CNA, I got hired right out of school as a CNA at a long-term care facility. I've been doing that since june 2012 and i love it! Best decision i ever made, it takes a special person to do this kind of work as its very demanding both physically and emotionally. But the joy you bring to the elderly is something you will never forget and you develop bonds with them. Yeah the pay sucks but its worth it. I am also taking some online class's towards getting a degree as a Medical Assistant. I also am going to get a degree as a EMT over the summer.
I too worked at a breeding farm. It was a small operation, but I learned a lot and really enjoyed my job. Too bad it is nearly impossible to make a living in the horse industry.
I've wondered what a career in printing or publishing would be like. I guess more of the publishing aspect than the printing sounds interesting. | |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
Location: Kansas | I'm an administrative specialist here at the Kansas department of agriculture. .....I crack the whip to get all the scientists in order in my department, without me they would be lost......As in they barely know how to fax a document LOL. I notarize all the permits and documents that come through the door and handle the main phone line for the department. I also and going to start training new employees to be my assistants to take over some of my work load.....I'm doing about 5 jobs all rolled into one title. It's fast paced, you have to be very organized with a quick eye when proofreading documents and getting documents out on time. I love my job, and once our company moves, I will hopefully be advanced to senior administrative specialist | |
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  Potato Soup Queen
Location: Alabama | I LOVE my job. I'm a Realtor so my hours are my own, I schedule when I want to work most of the time. I make good money, I help people achieve their dreams of home ownership or sell a home they need to sell.
Prior to this I was a farrier and I LOVED that job also...if it wasn't for my back issues, I'd still be doing it. | |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 929
| I *love* my job...but I didn't get here just by chance. I work at one of the major sports boots and saddle pad manufacturers in the customer service department(I won't say which one, because I might have spoken to one of y'all on the phone, and we can't ALWAYS do what y'all want us to.) To be honest, that is the ONE drawback about my job...customers can be unreasonable. But I thank God every day, unreasonable customers and all, that I work where I do.
Before that I was a horse trainer, again...I left this job because of the unreasonable clients (if YOU don't practice the things we learned over the week how can you and your horse improve?) I became frustrated when people were on the SAME lesson month after month. Honestly, I want you and your horse to be able to ride independently without me teaching!
Before that I worked in several veterinary offices for about 10 years, both small animal and a practice exclusively devoted to caring for exotic animals. The medicine was amazing...the people who worked there, like the person who is the RN said, not so awesome.
Before that...I worked at our county's Animal Control office...and that whole situation just sucked, the lazy county employees AND the duties that you are required to do. Good thing they fired me or I would have probably gone postal on someone eventually.
Before that I was in college and on the Dean's List, and was being groomed by my professor who was an attorney to get into law school. Unfortunately she had an inoperable brain tumor and succumbed to it before I could finish getting my bachelor's degree. I kinda got derailed as far as college goes after that. Honestly, I think it all comes down to the people that you work with. One of my co-workers says if I decide to move, our competitors will want to snatch me up in an instant...but I am afraid that the office atmosphere won't be as fun or relaxed...and then it will suck. I don't care WHAT I am doing, it is the people around me that make it bearable.  | |
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 I'm Here!!
Posts: 4583
Location: Is it Summer Yet? | I went to university, got a management degree, with an accounting major. Then I went on and got my accounting designation. I would not recommend anyone do this unless you want to live in the city, which I don't. I work at a gas plant, shipping propane and butane and doing payroll. Payroll I could do without, however the propane and butane, love it. Spend my day dealing with railcars and truck drivers, never a dull moment! | |
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