News Flash: Liking Your Job is Crucial

Paul’s blog post reminded me of my parents quoting, Mary Kay, “If you act enthusiastic, you become enthusiastic.” We even had a coffee cup with that written on it that would tease me as I was trying to work on a school project, but I was never the most enthusiastic about hard work if it meant staying on task. I like play. I like being outside. I like my hobbies. I can hardly sit still to write this post, but Paul challenged me to live up to my half of this blog. 

A Day in the Life of  Recruiter
I used to work in recruiting and here was an actual conversation I had with a candidate offered a full time entry-level position. “Hmm. I don’t know. This job starts next week? Hmm. Summer just started.” She flips her brown hair over her shoulder. A recent college graduate. When I interviewed her before graduation, she was eager to find a full-time position. However, living at home had become comfortable. Too comfortable.  

“Yes, this position would start next week.” I say as I peek over the computer about to type her name as my cursor blinks like the hand of a clock. 

“Oh, I think that’s a bit too early to start working. I really wanted some time to go to the pool this summer.” She explains matter-of-factually. 

Stunned. I lamely reply, “Oh. Okay. When are you available for work?” Now, I’m frantically wondering how I’m going to fill this position on a Friday for a Monday start. I would be working late. I was not going to the pool. 

Work Ethic and Wrong Field
Yet, I’ve been hearing, “Love the job you have and you never work a day in your life" a lot lately. Is this really true? Where did this come from? My parents NEVER said any advice about loving your work. My Dad did say,“You have to have a FIRE in your belly.” I think this is more accurate. You have to have SOME natural interest in what you are doing for the long haul. For example, Paul became an engineer only after he spent a considerable amount of time in his youth discovering how much he enjoyed tinkering with computers. I think liking your job is important.and a lot of that does boil down to work ethic. Work ethic is, “a belief in the moral benefit of work in its inheritability to strengthen character.” I enjoy working with people that have a strong work ethic or character. They find pride in doing a great job no matter how tedious, minute, or monotonous. If you are in the wrong field like I was; you have trouble mustering up excitement when a coworker proudly shares her accomplishment that she just spent a ridiculous amount of hours (even personal time) looking at a bazillion pieces of data to find a tiny (but vital) error. Okay, so maybe, I did a pump fist in the air with her to celebrate, “Yay! Our spreadsheets will work again!” I was grateful she took on that project, incredulous she was so excited about it, and also wondering where the escape hatch was on the island. 

Career Switchers 

If someone is working to pay the bills, but the the current position is not a fit, they could use any personal time to explore future opportunities. Ideally, you figure this out around 20-something when you have personal time. I am not saying quit your current job and go into debt for another degree. No, I'm saying "Get your hustle on friend." The world is filled of hard-working people that are considered “career switchers.”  These are people that start out in one career and for whatever reason go in a different direction.Yet, age really doesn't matter if you are willing to make it happen. Some people, like the better half I share this blog with, are great with machines, numbers, and people. He’s a “triple threat” minus the acting, dancing, and singing. I think he’s a pretty swell guy, but unique to have figured out where his interests and talents intersect. A lot of people are more in limbo after spending so much time hitting the books rather than hands on job experience. It took me a lot of job hopping to learn that I am better suited to positions that are service oriented and fast paced. 

A few years ago, I was working alone in an office building that was so quiet I often talked to myself to stay focused. At 5pm one evening, the daycare across the street had a fire alarm start blaring. The Director came over during the evacuation and asked if the children could come into our expansive lobby because it was cold outside. We didn’t hesitate to say "yes" and while she called parents to explain where to pick up their children, I thoroughly enjoyed the children. I felt like the time with kids flew by and I came alive. I grew up watching movies from the 80s era like Big Business. So, wasn’t working with children,,, oh wait that’s another blog post entirely.

Go get 'em Tiger!  So, no need to love your job, but do you need to have an interest in it? YES. I do think that there needs to be some passion somewhere for the field to motivate you to stay sharp and keep growing. It keeps you saying yes to more opportunities for more skill development, the confidence of taking on new challenging projects, and not flipping the out when all goes awry. Otherwise, you will be trying to tread water until retirement.  If you find that your current situation warrants it, career switchers, are those that work hard at a job they currently have (stay financially stable) and build up their savings. Then they invest free time (instead of those video games, Twinkies, or um, poolside lounging) in a job that they are more suited to feeling successful at on a daily basis; rather than settling to become a constant clock-watcher.