Do You Guys Like Your Jobs? Really? Come On, Be Honest.

[Amy Z]

Yes, I really do.  I don't like everything about it, and the work is 
frequently very difficult; but it's challenging, creative, allows me 
to be a generalist (I was one of those people who couldn't decide 
what to major in because everything was so interesting), and includes 
most of the kinds of work I love best.  (For those who don't know, 
I'm a Unitarian Universalist minister.)

I worked my butt off and spent vast sums of money I didn't have in 
order to get into this field, so it would be rather a shame if I 
didn't like it.  Still, one can do those things and find that the 
work just isn't what one hoped.  I would hope you do have some 
options in your line of work, Cindy, though this isn't the best 
economy to go job-hunting in.

> In my profession, the really fun jobs require you to kill yourself 
> with long hours and travel, and the stable jobs are worse than 
> watching paint dry.  Are other professions/jobs like that?

Um, yeah, that is a bit of a drawback.  Also, the rule that Naama 
notes--the interesting jobs don't pay as well--is definitely true in 
my line of work.

I have major, major objections to jobs that require anyone to work 
more than 40 (or let's say 48, the supposed norm in my job) hours a 
week on a regular basis.  My hours can be irregular and unpredictable-
-if I've already worked a full week and someone dies on Saturday 
afternoon, I'm out of luck and just have to do the funeral on Monday--
but if I have a killer week I make it up to myself the next week by 
doing the bare minimum.  I think it is good modeling for my 
congregants, who also tend to overwork and short-change their 
families and their sanity.  Most of them respect my self-care, as 
long as I work hard and am not pugnacious about setting limits; they 
know that burnout is high among ministers, and they urge me to take 
all of my vacation and model a healthy spiritual life, which means 
making time for meditation, enjoyment, and SLEEP.  The simple fact is 
that we do our work best when we are not overworked and overtired.  
Employers who ask us to burn out make that approach work long-term 
only because having used up one employee, they hire a fresh one and 
burn that one out.  This is not an ethical way to run a business.

I think we might need a white-collar general strike, or rather, 
slowdown--not to half-time, just to full-time.  What would happen if 
*all* of the overworked professionals suddenly began to go home every 
day after 8 hours at the office?  IMO, the economy would not 
collapse, and families would suddenly get a lot healthier.  There are 
lots of countries where it would be unheard-of to require unpaid 
overtime, which is what we consistently require of many salaried 
workers.  They are not in worse economic shape than the USA.

I wonder what would happen, Cindy, if you applied for one of those 
interesting, overly-demanding jobs and informed them, during the 
interview, that you plan to work an average of 40 hours a week in 
order to take care of yourself, sustain a healthy family life, and 
Maybe they wouldn't hire you; or maybe they'd respect it.  (Most 
likely they would hire you and then try to pressure you into working 
60 hours/week <g>.  Good luck!)

Amy Z