# How many people actually enjoy their job?



## charlyboy81

Hi everyone,

I am currently entering a crucial phase of life (which also brings along a huge dilema (souds so dramatic  )): the beginning of a professional career. I have been studying marketing and all sorts of business related subjects and I am finishing my internship very soon. So I have to start looking for a job to make a living and blablabla. But I also have a passion : music; I started to play out this year and I am very into it. I find work boring and not exciting; I have no motivation or whatsoever. I wish I could just play music and have fun, but I know it is not so realistic... 

So I would like to ask you guys: are you happy with your job? How much effort does it take you to wake up in the morning? Are you having a blast working 8 hours a day?

Maybe it is also interesting to compare answers of different nationalities (I have the feeling that it may differ from one geographical zone to another  )


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## maxiogee

Get a job which combines both your hobbhy and your qualification (I presume that you have some interest in the area you studied!) and you will have the best of both worlds.
The happiest people I've ever met have been those who have been able to say "This is great, these idiots are paying me to do something I would gladly do for nothing."
The "music industry" is all about marketing.


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## charlyboy81

Yes that is the point, I have to find something related to music; the thing is that the music I love (drum and bass) is not commercial at all and very few people can make money out of it... Anyways I can always try other things. I guess I have to be more open minded and dare to do things


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## Sallyb36

I've been working in Customer Service for 7 years and I love my job.  It's never a problem coming into work, (unlessI feel ill of course).  Obviously I'm glad when it's time to go home at the end of the day, and love my free weekends, but I do love my job.


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## ukuca

I've worked for several companies in several types of work but I've never liked any of my jobs. Employers were alwasy too greedy and it was impossible to satisfy them. They give a little money and ask for everything to handle. I think finding a suitable job is very difficult thing.


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## Dindin

I find this topic very interesting.
Where I'm from very few people enjoy their work.. Over here it's a metter of survival (it sounds a little bit stronger).. so you're happy to have a job at all.. Anyway on the subject - I'm an office manager and translater in an Italian company. I've always worked for Italians although I live in Bulgaria. To say I LOVE MY JOB wouldn't be 100% true, but let's say I'm doing ok. I think that a job is considered good/great when you have either strong motivation, very good salary or you're love doing what you're doing literally. I would like to be a photographer, but I'm not good enough to make any money as a photographer and it's only my hobby.
I totally agree that the best thing is when your hobby is your job (art, music etc.) My husband is a soft developer, but he started doing it at age 10 as a hobby.. He is really good now. I wish I could find something I'm really good in and I would probably love it.


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## kertek

> the music I love (drum and bass) is not commercial at all and very few people can make money out of it


Ah, c'mon, don't tell me you're giving up just like that! Can you find a middle ground where you're working part-time and devoting half of your time to setting up a project? Friends of mine have started this kind of thing just by getting in touch with small, up and coming bands and offering to organise and promote gigs for them - at first for very little, but once you know some people, and if you're good at what you do, things have a way of working themselves out...

Oh - to answer your question, I am in a similar position to you: recently qualified, internship-hopping, working short-term contracts, adjusting to life without much money and loving it.


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## veronapc

Hello, I´m from Nicaragua, Studing in Costa Rica (Lain America).....I´m in the same possition as you..Just finishing my carrier in Marketing, and working in a company in Customer service.....And I love to paint......Right now I dont hat my job...becouse it pays the hours that I´m sitting here...bored...BUT I dont love it.....You just have to find a place where you can enjpoy what you are doing.....for example, I was working in a MArketing Company, and we organize events..That was so good, really I felt so happy every time we had to plan an event and the day of the event was allways perfect!!! I was allways enjoing it....but that was 1 time very 2 months..the other days were so boring...and they were paying me so little money,...I had t leave...
I love to paint, so now my dream is going to Europe,and study arts....And if you really, really want something you will get it, becouse it is up to you to make averything happen.
I dont have the money to go to Europe..but I will find the way to go, and study..
Wish me luck!!!
and good luck to you all!


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## moirag

I'm a teacher, and I enjoy my job. When I was a student, I did various jobs, mainly working in pubs, and I enjoyed that, too. I've had one or two jobs I hated, and it really is awful, dreading going to work. You are still very young, and have time to try out different things, so don't feel you've got to get it right first time.


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## Hakro

I'm one of the lucky people who are paid for their hobby. I was interested in automobiles since I was kid and I found a career as a motoring journalist. I loved every job I had (although I didn't love every employer). What's even better, during the later years I have had the possibility to choose the jobs I do.
But one should also consider that during the first years I worked seven days a week, 25 hours a day (lunch time too). Well, in fact I still do because I enjoy my job.


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## ILT

I have to say that I am one of the fortunate ones. I've loved every single job I've held (not the same for the bosses), and currently sometimes I can't believe I get paid for what I do. I find myself turning on the computer even on weekends while my family is asleep just to do a little work. In addition to loving the translations, I telecommute! It gives me the time and freedom to enjoy the little luxuries of life: time with my family and friends. I've been asked if I would change my job, and the answer is a definite no, I love translating and I love being available for my family.

Of course, this hasn't been like this always, there were times when I spent 14 hours a day at the office, and I did it because it was required but also because I loved what I did. I think the good thing is that every job I've held has been perfect for that specific moment of my life, like the job I held teaching English while I was in college. It gave me opportunity to share my knowledge while getting a career. I finished my university studies and then was able to get a full-time job in the area of the subject I liked the most. 

Summarizing, I really love what I've done for a living through the years. No regrets here.


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## tonyray

I've had over twenty-something different jobs since I was 14 years old when I got my first job as a dishwasher and I've hated every one of those jobs. The only job that I came close to liking was that of selling cars and sales jobs are just too high-pressure (at least in the US they are). 

I think the key is to do something you love and not worry too much about how much the pay is because I've been there and done that. If you don't enjoy what you do for a living, you won't be doing it for very long or you'll end up just being miserable having to get up every morning, look at yourself in the mirror and wishing you didn't have to go to that awful job. Believe me, I've worked at restaurants, retail stores, in customer service call centres, construction, fast-food, mechanic shops, landscaping, and as a car salesman. 

I'm facing the same dilemma now that I'm graduating from the university, it's time to find a job that I actually like.


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## Cereth

Hello Charlieboy!!

Well i just felt like you a few months ago...i think you are about to start one of the most difficult season of human life: transition from student life to professional life...ahhh such a tough battle...i´m psychologist and finding a job in my country was (well still is) some kind of  imposible mission, burocracy, government stupidity,blah, blah...i even found myself in a depression period..fortunately i have english language skill and now i work as translator for a pharmaceutical company , I did research and "worked" as clinical psychology before but in the hospital i was they wanted  that i keep working for free, sadly i had to say "no" , i love my career but i gotta eat you know...one day that i just felt everything was going to hell I found this job, this awesome job!!  
I hope you don´t think i´m chatting !! i told you this little story of mine because i think it´s pertinent.
I say that you have to find a balance and be real about what you want to do and how you are going to do it, many people will tell you is a lie, and many will think i´m corny but "you have to fullfil your dreams, that´s what is life for".
Cereth


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## danielfranco

I am going to be very, very, very, very honest here:
If I didn't have to, I wouldn't.
There, I've said it.
I have always worked because I have responsibilities and others depend on me for their well-being. I do not begrudge the fact that I must work. I do the best job I'm able to do (but I have not always done so!), and I will probably continue working until very close to the day I die. That's what I percieve as my duty.
But if I didn't have to, I wouldn't. For reals.


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## tonyray

Danielfranco, I agree with you....that's just how the real world is. There's a reason why the call it "work"....it's work and it isn't always pleasant. That's reality man.

Peace


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## vitovona

Hi Charlyboy,
my name is Vito, I'm from Italy, Milan. I understand quite well what you are feeling. I graduated last year, I studied literature, I've found a job I don't like but the worst is that I do not know what I want to do, what kind of work would be good for me. It is not a problem waking up early in the morning, the real one is coming back at 7 pm, when the day is almost over. to make it short it is very difficult to find a person who is happy about his job, burt don't loose your hopes, some people are very lucky and they enjoy their job..life is beautiful and the sun is shining outside the window of my office...things change very fast sometimes...
good luck mate


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## Poetic Device

Right now I have three jobs:  a wine-maker assistant, administrative clerk, and waitress.  All of these jobs have their ups and downs, but I would have to say that my least favorite is the waitressing job.  You just get too much crap from people that expect you to wipe their toochas and such with a smile.

With the wine making I get to learn so much about the product and it helps me with a lot of things in my life.  I have to be careful when it comes to making the wines and such so I have learned to pay more attention to detail.  

The administrative clerk position is a lot of fun as well in its own ways.  I think what makes or breaks a job is really the pwople that you work with.  If you have great co-workers then you will have no problem going to work.  If you work with a bunch of @$$ es then you are going to hate your job.


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## charlyboy81

Thanks you all for the replies, which I found very interesting. It also kinda cheered me up hehe.  I am gonna try to find a part time job and keep on doing what I love the most, music . 

I'll let u know how i'm doing hehe

Cheers,

C.


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## charlyboy81

ps it is true that the people you work with matter A GREAT DEAL to make the job enjoyable ...


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## emma42

Iworked in music, having left a lucrative job in law.  I did not have as much money, but it was so worth it.  I would never join the "music industry", as in the big-time, manipulative, soul-destroying monster we all know and love.  I played the music I wanted to play (mainly!) in cabaret clubs etc and it was wonderful.  I am planning to go back to it at some point, but have found something else very interesting to do for the time being.  If you really want a mortgage and regular holidays and nice furniture, don't take a chance.  Do your boring job and waste your life (not _you_, just talking generally!)  But I believe with all my heart that life is oh so short and if one is able to live it happily, one should do so.  It's almost a sin not to.  Except I don't believe in sin, but if I did, it would  be!


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## moura

I began to study languages and after literature and ended with a career of about 15 wears in a Telecom's Com & Inf department where those were sparsely used. 
But I found happily that business jornalism and communication are also fascinating, because they mingle with language and criativity. 

All this to tell that perhaps not the ideal graduation we have decided are the only ones fit for us, but there can be rather different good hypothesis that life may offer(or we may catch) .
The work I'm doing now is quite different - translation - and I miss sometimes my heterogenous collegues and the stress work of a big thousand employees/enterprise (chiefs I may spare...), but there are other colourful condiments.
And hours passes in "seconds" which for me is a good syntom for liking what I'm doing.


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## BoredAtWork

charlyboy81 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I am currently entering a crucial phase of life (which also brings along a huge dilema (souds so dramatic  )): the beginning of a professional career. I have been studying marketing and all sorts of business related subjects and I am finishing my internship very soon. So I have to start looking for a job to make a living and blablabla. But I also have a passion : music; I started to play out this year and I am very into it. I find work boring and not exciting; I have no motivation or whatsoever. I wish I could just play music and have fun, but I know it is not so realistic...
> 
> So I would like to ask you guys: are you happy with your job? How much effort does it take you to wake up in the morning? Are you having a blast working 8 hours a day?
> 
> Maybe it is also interesting to compare answers of different nationalities (I have the feeling that it may differ from one geographical zone to another  )


 

Hey there,

i know exacly how you feel..i have been in the same sitiuation..
i absolutley hated going to work. I always feelt that nothing ever gave anything to me. I feelt trapped in a prison and i always wonderd if theres something wrong with me. Wonderd how come everyone else seem to be happy with their job. They can take it as it is and be happy with it..for me work was pure slavery. i was never happy there..i keep question myselfe " is this all there is?" . 

When i read your post i feelt exacly what you mean.

Since i can remember all i wanted to do is music..
i have had many jobs in economi and so on..But it was never becuse i wanted to it was becuse if i didnt work i would be poor obiusly.

days passed by and i got ver depressed..keep asking myselfe there must be more. I want more..i wanna make music as a living.

So what i did was that the monney i got from my boring work o bougth myselfe a computer, a midi keay board with sound card, a microphone, headphones and mixer..

Got the program abelton wich i produce my music in..

i quited the job and was without a job for a year..everyday i went up and turned on my pc and started doing music..i was freaking happy even though there was days without insperation.

i camed in contact with people who do the same music as me " trance ,house, techno " you name it  all electronic music.

i sened over some of my work and we started to work togather..after just 3 months of doing music i got signed on the biggest trance and electronic label Armada wich is Armin Van Buurens record label.

I got my first song to nr 1 in the top 10 list on beatport and audiojelly.com 
 and it got supported by big big djs like Tiesto,Armin van Buuren, Paul van dyk, Pete Tong, Above and beyond, Carl cox and many many more..

even with this great succes i havent got rich on it..well at least not yet..im still a starter...

The song is just promotion..i mean obiusly i do this becuse i wanna do music more then any other thing in this world..but its not teh track that you get monney from its all the gigs / Conserts that you get on the road that makes you rich.

rich or not i am doing what i always wanted to do...it went very fast but it was possible ...i think if you really really really want something and you feel that you could do it then do it.. becsue we only live once..


i went in 1 year from a worker who felt lost and hated it to a hard working buissnes woman..today i have my own record label..i work almost 24/7 but its only becuse this is what i burn for..this is what i wanna do until the day i die..

and it dosent feel like work..even thougth its not always sunshine..but it feels like life...i dont not sit in a office for 8 hours staring in a pc...i wake up everyday and i cant whait to start to work..this is how it should be..

so try to take the chanse..if it goes bad at least you tryed and you can always go back to your old bopring job..but always remember..everything is up to you..


Best of luck and may your dreams come ture 

cheers!


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## salvador_1_99

BoredAtWork hey it seems you created the account just to tell your story which by the way is inspiring and kind of unreal, I would like doing the same as you did, I am still trying to find a job which  I feel comfortable in,  I studied electronic  and after university I started working in electronic maintenance however It was not what I was hoping regarding work at least in this area.

 I like electronic I think i just need an area (branch of electronic) which i feel satisfied, Currently I am workin kind of  obligated in another area  completly new for me in image design using computer this job is not filling me  however I have time to post here hehe and keep studying english and doing something else that could help me in the near future, I would like mixing my university studies with english, it would make me feel good, We must not stop trying to do what we like doing, as boredatwork said we can use  "the boring job"  to reach our goals.


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## BoredAtWork

Yes its exacly what i mean..we can use the boring jobs to work us up to our goals..it took me more then a year to get monney to buy all the things i needed for a music studio.Meanwhile i worked on a terrible job that didnt give me anything.Sometimes i just feelt like i have to quit this job rigth now but then i thugh well i still dont have a complete studio that i can work with..so i keept going with the job and everyday i had to remind me that : no this is not forever.

i know im a dreamer but thats whats keeps me going.if i had no dreams i think i would be down in a grave rigth now.

Its hard to build something up that you really wish for..but hey you have all your lifetime and its exiting to see ur dreams grow up.

Nothing comes to you if you are sleeping and i know its easy to be lazy and just do a normal 8-17 job and thats that. some even like it that way and thats great aswell 

but for those who wants something more or different then i think you have all the potential.you can make mistakes..but we all leran something and we have to pick ourselfe up again and try until it works.

We migth say oooh its so hard to do it..i say if you really want it then dont just sit home wishing that one day will come...just do it..start it rigth now. As joda says in starwars even..dont say..just do.

i hope all dreamers will dare to take the step  there will be people who would love to help on the jurny aswell even if you dont know them yet 

cheers


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## BoredAtWork

also i do wanna say that i admire those people who can work 8-17 everyday in a office.
i could not do it for all my life..those people must be very strong not to drive crazy


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## Wertis

charlyboy81 said:


> Hi everyone,
> 
> I am currently entering a crucial phase of life (which also brings along a huge dilema (souds so dramatic  )): the beginning of a professional career. I have been studying marketing and all sorts of business related subjects and I am finishing my internship very soon. So I have to start looking for a job to make a living and blablabla. But I also have a passion : music; I started to play out this year and I am very into it. I find work boring and not exciting; I have no motivation or whatsoever. I wish I could just play music and have fun, but I know it is not so realistic...
> 
> So I would like to ask you guys: are you happy with your job? How much effort does it take you to wake up in the morning? Are you having a blast working 8 hours a day?
> 
> Maybe it is also interesting to compare answers of different nationalities (I have the feeling that it may differ from one geographical zone to another  )



Well, I see what you mean. To start working 8 hours every day is a bit difficult when you've never done this before. I remember the time when I was employed to do a permanent 6 years ago. I can't say that it was really difficult for me because at that time I was studying and hadn't yet finished my master's course and so I had a right to work half the time that was necessary - 4 hours. Then I changed the job, when 2 years had passed, and started working 8 hours every day. My chedule was rather flexible and I could sometimes come at work later than expected because I was paid for result I provided rather than for the amount of time spent in the office. I worked as a draftsman and was responsible for designing different mechanical systems that were later used for trains. I was part of a big team of professional draftsmen and designers. Now I sometimes do odd jobs, which bring me income. As you can guess, I don't have fixed working hours there and I can choose the most convenient schedule. I suppose that the main thing is your attitude to work and career. If you aim to get a high position and earn enough money, you'll manage to cope with the problem of spending 8 hours in the office every day. However if the job has become a bore, that's worse because to achieve success you need to really love what you do and never doubt you're doing the right thing. By the way, I like active jobs as well where you can travel somewhererather frequently. Probably my next job will belong to this very type of jobs.


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## uchi.m

Writing software had always been a hobby for me. I remember myself writing small chunks of it when I was 14. Dad was always outraged when he found out that I managed how to fix that damned old 8-bit computer which no one liked, at his office. But I always have done the right thing, so he's got used to it some time later.

Dad always thought of me as a famous engineer because of my keen intimacy to science and maths. One sunny day of a summer, he came to me and said, "son, how about majoring in Chemical Engineering? they earn a lot, you know?". I was just a lad and had no excuses to not except that trait, since I liked to tinker with machines (I remember tearing down all gadgets and toys I was always given), and liked Chemistry at school so much.

After three years of university and no professional experience in the field, I felt miserable. All I wanted to do is to travel the world, or, at least, move away from my parents, who wanted me to graduate so badly in Engineering. I had a lot of spare time during college time because classes were not scheduled in a row, that is, I had a lot of small gaps in my schedule, which couldn't be filled in with a nice gig in a chemical plant. So I had to deal with it, filling in small in-site (at the uni) internships.

The only real ability I had at that time was computer programming, so I chose to apply for positions on software development. And so I did, for 3 years, during college time, while resenting being in the Engineering school.

After a year in an exchange program in Japan and back, I had to face the truth: I was not born to be an engineer. I had more professional experience as a computer programmer than as an engineer. I forcefully graduated on ChE in 2005, despite of my interest in computers.

I have even applied for a public job opening in my majoring field, which required me to pass a national technical contest. It would be a nice way to tell my parents that all that hard work at the uni was worth it, and that I was worth it. I passed the examination and worked over there for two years, but my heart was always calling for a computer to be programmed.

After two years, I quit. But not before having a good opportunity somewhere else--- and with software development. I love working over there now (but hate my boss, though) and, to be honest, wouldn't ask for that much money to be doing the thing I always wanted to do in my life.


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