Does the job you have define your 'worth'?

[Ember]

People who treat someone differently because of the job they do are the ones who are worth very little.

 

[beachbunny]

My job absolutely does not define my worth. It says a lot about my personality, because I think certain personalities are attracted to certain professions, but it does not define my worth. By the way, I hate my stinkin' job - but it pays for the Disney addiction.

 

[Disney Doll]

No and it's truly a huge mistake for someone to allow their job to define their "worth" because if you lose the job...well...

 

[HugsForEeyore]

In my family, your job and benefits completely define your worth as a human being. You should hear the discussions that go on at family gatherings - everyone discusses nothing but how great their medical benefits are, how big their retirements funds are, how big their salaries are, etc. Yeah, you can tell I am the black sheep - I have a low-paying pink collar job with no benefits. Uncomfortable to the point where I don't want to be around certain family members anymore. My family never changes - you are nothing without the right job and benefits.

It's so bad that I dream of being adopted by another family who likes you for you. Anyone want to adopt a 30 something? Yeah, I can dream!

 

[FireDancer]

In my family, your job and benefits completely define your worth as a human being. You should hear the discussions that go on at family gatherings - everyone discusses nothing but how great their medical benefits are, how big their retirements funds are, how big their salaries are, etc. Yeah, you can tell I am the black sheep - I have a low-paying pink collar job with no benefits. Uncomfortable to the point where I don't want to be around certain family members anymore. My family never changes - you are nothing without the right job and benefits.

It sounds like some people in your family have real confidence issues. Anytime there is that much importance based on material things it usually means there is a lack of something non-material. It could be love, happiness, confidence, self-esteem, many other things, or a combination of them. Your family needs to get themselves a little higher on Maslow's hierarchy of needs. The problem sounds like them, not you.

Perhaps a well placed quip about not needing <insert here> to fill the gap that <insert here> has left would go a long way towards at least making yourself feel better.

 

[wdwfan16]

My profession does not define me.

OP why did you go to college for a degree in a field you hate? In your case I would get a better job. Do you have student loans? How would you pay them on $23K?

 

[Galahad]

Hi everyone. I am not 'professionally' doing what I went to college to do. I have a job in another field, but whenever I tell people what I 'do'... it's almost a sneer and an eye roll reaction. I don't think that the job that someone does defines their 'worth' in society. What does everyone else think?

For more clarification- I went to school to become a band director, and now work in the Admission Office of the college I went to as the Campus Visit Coordinator for prospective students. Because I'm NOT a band director (mostly by choice because I didn't like it), I get a lot of comments about failing, not wanting to grow up, etc. since I still work at the college I went to. I enjoy the job... but get paid DIRT. Literally dirt. We got a $0.24 raise per hour today... but lets just say that I'm still making less than $23K a year BEFORE taxes (just throwing it out there). Because my pay is so low, and I'm not 'doing' what it is that I set out and studied for, I feel like I'm a failure, but mostly because of comments others make to me.

What is your take on this?

Definitely don't let it get to you. Life's a journey anyway. I went to school to be a band director. Wasn't one. Then went to grad school to be a social worker. Did it for three years. Hated it. I've been in I.T. for 28 years. Tired of it. Retiring from it and going back to music full time. What defines me is me. Those are pretty little people if they are giving you grief for that choice. Seems your chosen job is pretty important to somebody anyway. Hang in there.

 

[Galahad]

My profession does not define me.

OP why did you go to college for a degree in a field you hate? In your case I would get a better job. Do you have student loans? How would you pay them on $23K?

If fairness, you often don't know you don't want to do something until the degree is almost done. Especially teaching - where your major exposure to what the job really is isn't until the end of college usually.

 

[Galahad]

People (including my parents sometimes) act like I'm wasting my talents and education. .

That's too bad. There is no such thing as a wasted education, IMO.