Why do you work where you work?

[Skywalker3]

I ask myself this question every January.....when I come off seasonal furlough and get ready to go back to my customer service phone job.....picking up my equipment in the morning!
I was a public librarian for almost 15 years, and loved my job in Louisiana......then we moved, then I had to care for my father, also had little ones, libraries weren't hiring where we moved for a while, etc. so somehow just never went back...now I feel like a dinosaur, being out of the library world almost 13 years.
I do still feel like I'm helping people get the information they seek and need, which was one of the primary reasons for being a librarian. I just have to deal w a LOT more people now who don't always like the info I give them.....but it's got some benefits to it. will continue to be working from home.

 

[starry_solo]

I enjoy my job and my career. Great benefits and guaranteed pension. If I want an ok pension, I can retire in 8 years. If I want a great pension, I can retire in 14 years.

 

[MamaLema]

I really don’t want to work but my current job was just given to me after being a SAHM for 15 years. I wasn’t looking but they wanted me. I tried to quit last year and they doubled my salary. I’m overpaid and work about 14 hours a week and pretty much make up my own rules. I’m there for the $$$.

Sounds like a dream job You’re very lucky.

 

[texaslover]

I worked in HR and corporate training for 10 years and loved it. Took a little time off to stay home with DS and found it hard to find a job in the same field. Got my masters plus teaching certificate and started teaching to have good hours for raising DS. Taught in the classroom for 12 years and was promoted to an ESL specialist position and have done that for the last 3 years. I enjoy working with the kids and being a mentor and coach to teachers which plays to my corporate training strengths.

The downside is I handle a lot of legal paperwork for 2 campuses and all of the ESL state testing which is hard to balance and causes some stressful months. Also constantly changing unrealistic uexpectations and more and more added to our plate (don't just mentor and advise teachers but teach with them 3 times per week and do your other duties at home making for 10 plus hour days, pull out all of the newcomer students and teach them for 30 minutes every day even though you are at 2 campuses and not physically there every day , etc.)

I am 55 and have 10 more years to retirement bc I entered the profession late. It's a little daunting to be honest. I also provide health insurance for my husband and I (he owns a small business) so even though it's $800 per month and not great insurance I feel trapped. I don't dislike my job but I dream of working in an office where I can do my job and enjoy my co-workers and then go home each day. Now I run after angry kids, cover classes for teachers who are sick, run back and forth between classrooms trying to meet the needs of all of the ESL kids, create content and lessons at home bc there aren't enough hours in the day, and do lots of cafeteria, carpool, recess, and lunch duty.

I truly love the kids and I enjoy my coworkers at both campuses. I think I'm just old and tired for the demands of the job and knowing I have another 10 years makes me weary. Somehow I will make it and I'm very proud of the impact I've had on many children and families' lives!

 

[clh2]

I lost my previous job as a result of Covid. For what I did, I felt under paid, and under appreciated, and over worked. Benefits were horrible, and expensive.

Took me 10 months to find a new job, so worth the wait! I am making about 5% less. The benefits are phenomenal, the 401k matches up to 6%, and is 100% vested. Paid time off is awesome, Health insurance premiums are great, and the high deductible max out of pocket is great, etc…and, I always am WFH on Fridays, as well as any other day I need/want to!

Oh, and I love my boss, and feel appreciated. I should add, I am 60. So this job will take me to my retirement. And in a couple of years, I am hoping I can drop down to 24 hours, which still qualifies for insurance.

 

[MamaMermaid]

I teach high school. And I'm not sure why anymore...

 

[Dan Murphy]

reported

 

[Nagle]

They continue to pay me so I continue to show up. It’s kind of a deal we have.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I work in a small field. It's what I was trained in college to do. Not a lot of employers in the city that I could work for.

 

[Planogirl]

My job has continually disintegrated into a worse and worse mess. I’m just counting the days now. It’s too much trouble to change jobs again when I just want to retire early.

 

[mrodgers]

Too difficult after 9/11 when the working class went to the crapper to start over somewhere else. At that point I was married, had a mortgage and a child. I couldn't afford go backwards somewhere else to work my way up again.

 

[Princesca]

The place I used to work was extremely toxic. I was literally doing the work of five people and hadn't gotten a promotion in my entire tenure there. I have a very niche job, so it's hard for me to find other opportunities, but when I do, they're pretty lucrative. An opportunity came up at a new place and everything just fell into place seamlessly, but unfortunately they weren't able to quite match my base salary. After negotiation, I was able to get a financial package that was a lateral move in the first year, but by year two should pay ahead of what I was making, and it's 100% work from home, which I didn't have before. Time spent with my son is worth $$$$ to me.

And the real kicker is... soooooo much less work. So much less stressful, so much less toxic. And the company is super inclusive and employee focused. I am so glad I took the leap.

 

[rangerxenos]

Because I've always worked here, I'm close to home, and they treat me well. 40 plus years now, but I will say if I wasn't so close to retiring I would probably be looking to leave at this point as I lost my position a few years ago and am not all that happy in the new one, but I don't want to start over again at this point.

 

[jimmalru80]

From day one they treated me like family. They have been incredible in every way, and it won't be long until I've been working here for 40 years.

 

[rangerxenos]

From day one they treated me like family. They have been incredible in every way, and it won't be long until I've been working here for 40 years.

Isn't it nice to work for a company that treats you well? There's a reason we have a low turnover rate.

 

[Toolulu22]

We have great salaries and benefits. I’m a teacher and would love to say it’s the kids, but after the past 2 years- can’t and be entirely truthful.

 

[aprilgail]

I worked a job I really did not like for 30 years- benefits (even after retirement they pay 100% of my benefits), pension vacation, sick personal days all the reason I stuck it out there and now that I am done there and have paid medical and a pension I am working where I like- at a charity that helps children with cancer.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

reported

I assume there was a spam message at one point?

 

[hhisc16]

I teach high school. They recruited me while a senior in college. What a crazy last 2 school years though...

 

[Wendy1985]

I am self employed because I need the flexibility for doctors appointments and I love to workout