What do you guys do for work/careers?

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CoHi591
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Re: What do you guys do for work/careers?

Post by CoHi591 »

d_baker wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 4:57 pm
ker0uac wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 10:04 am My unsolicited advice to young ppl is to find something you are good at and that pays well. In this way, you won't have to work very much. Pragmatism does really pay off. After college, I applied to whatever job I found. Took the job that paid the most. And overtime, I gravited towards specific functions that were easy to me. I've never felt fulfilled by my job, I've never felt proud of what I do, I've never loved it. But I've never been unemployed and I've never consistently worked over 40hrs/week and I never needed more money that I was making.
From my experience in my industry, those that don't take pride in their work are the same that are not worth having on my payroll.
I definitely take pride in my work in the sense of "you've given me a task and I'm gonna do the task to the absolute best of my ability/feel good about the effort I made and my skill" but I don't take pride in it in the sense of "hi, my name's cody and the first thing I want you to know about me is my means of making money".
I think that's the gist here, maybe. That's my attitude at least. Find something that doesn't suck and meets your needs and allows you to live your life. Not everyone is going to be passionate about their line of work, but you can still be a great worker even if you're not emotionally invested in the specific tasks.
I never felt called to one particular thing that I could make a lucrative career out of (it'd be a different story if I had). So I've never been stoked on my career, it's just a way to enable me to live the life I want. I've also been good at every job I've ever done though, been commended on my effort and attitude, whether it's behavioral health or tech sales or stocking shelves and taking out the trash. And l think I've arrived at a really good balance for me personally. I understand why people go hard in either direction though. My executive friends who make stupid amounts of money look like they're having fun, as do my broke hiking bum friends who entirely reject stability to spend every second doing what they love. Just gotta figure out your priorities.
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Re: What do you guys do for work/careers?

Post by Alpinefroggy »

grad student, atmospheric science.

Mixture of stuff I'd like to do (My hobbies can't sustain me) with stuff I want to do. Field is rich here in Colorado and based on the skillset I will gradute with I will be employable at NOAA, NCAR, or any of the universities.
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Re: What do you guys do for work/careers?

Post by d_baker »

CoHi591 wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 10:15 pm
d_baker wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 4:57 pm
ker0uac wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 10:04 am My unsolicited advice to young ppl is to find something you are good at and that pays well. In this way, you won't have to work very much. Pragmatism does really pay off. After college, I applied to whatever job I found. Took the job that paid the most. And overtime, I gravited towards specific functions that were easy to me. I've never felt fulfilled by my job, I've never felt proud of what I do, I've never loved it. But I've never been unemployed and I've never consistently worked over 40hrs/week and I never needed more money that I was making.
From my experience in my industry, those that don't take pride in their work are the same that are not worth having on my payroll.
I definitely take pride in my work in the sense of "you've given me a task and I'm gonna do the task to the absolute best of my ability/feel good about the effort I made and my skill" but I don't take pride in it in the sense of "hi, my name's cody and the first thing I want you to know about me is my means of making money".
I think that's the gist here, maybe. That's my attitude at least. Find something that doesn't suck and meets your needs and allows you to live your life. Not everyone is going to be passionate about their line of work, but you can still be a great worker even if you're not emotionally invested in the specific tasks.
That's a good response, and is more in-line with what I failed to write or elaborate on.
Ker0uac's post struck me as someone that doesn't give a s**t and just wants the paycheck with zero effort put in to earn it. Maybe I misread that?

Overall, I like my job because I am outside a lot, I move around during the day frequently, and the pay and benefits, and "perks" are decent. The work is also interesting, and seeing a project from start to finish is rewarding.
I have plenty of days I don't like what I do though, and I do bitch and moan about it! But I still try to put in a good effort to get my job done, not always with a good attitude, lol, but I am still responsible for doing the right thing by our clients.
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Re: What do you guys do for work/careers?

Post by TomPierce »

d_baker wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 6:41 am
CoHi591 wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 10:15 pm
d_baker wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 4:57 pm

From my experience in my industry, those that don't take pride in their work are the same that are not worth having on my payroll.
I definitely take pride in my work in the sense of "you've given me a task and I'm gonna do the task to the absolute best of my ability/feel good about the effort I made and my skill" but I don't take pride in it in the sense of "hi, my name's cody and the first thing I want you to know about me is my means of making money".
I think that's the gist here, maybe. That's my attitude at least. Find something that doesn't suck and meets your needs and allows you to live your life. Not everyone is going to be passionate about their line of work, but you can still be a great worker even if you're not emotionally invested in the specific tasks.
That's a good response, and is more in-line with what I failed to write or elaborate on.
Ker0uac's post struck me as someone that doesn't give a s**t and just wants the paycheck with zero effort put in to earn it. Maybe I misread that?

Overall, I like my job because I am outside a lot, I move around during the day frequently, and the pay and benefits, and "perks" are decent. The work is also interesting, and seeing a project from start to finish is rewarding.
I have plenty of days I don't like what I do though, and I do bitch and moan about it! But I still try to put in a good effort to get my job done, not always with a good attitude, lol, but I am still responsible for doing the right thing by our clients.
Yeah, I think somewhere around CoHi and Mr. Baker is where I'm at. I like my field & job quite a bit, some days love it, some days, eh...hate is too strong a word but that's why it's called work, no? I've dealt with many folks in the C-Suite in my career (CEO's, Chief Finance Officer, etc etc.) and realized long ago that at that level their jobs were their "hobbies." It's what they focused on intensely, and I think also how they defined themselves. That level of work-focused intensity is not for me, but I think I'm really good at what I do and really like it...on most days. :lol:

-Tom
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Re: What do you guys do for work/careers?

Post by shredthegnar10 »

d_baker wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 4:57 pm From my experience in my industry, those that don't take pride in their work are the same that are not worth having on my payroll.
CoHi591 wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 10:15 pm I definitely take pride in my work in the sense of "you've given me a task and I'm gonna do the task to the absolute best of my ability/feel good about the effort I made and my skill" but I don't take pride in it in the sense of "hi, my name's cody and the first thing I want you to know about me is my means of making money".
I think that's the gist here, maybe. That's my attitude at least. Find something that doesn't suck and meets your needs and allows you to live your life. Not everyone is going to be passionate about their line of work, but you can still be a great worker even if you're not emotionally invested in the specific tasks.
I don't think the concept of "taking pride in [one's] work" is a black and white thing. As a geologist, a lot of the work I have done inevitably involves natural resource extraction, in one way or another. So, I take pride in the fact that I work hard and do things to the best of my ability to help minimize the potential for accidents and/or events that would result in negative environmental consequences, but I'm not exactly "proud" (not ashamed either ... ambivalent would be the most accurate term) of putting large holes in the earth. I've also had the opportunity to work on some projects building public transit infrastructure, and while the actual work that I did for those projects was a lot more mundane/less intellectually stimulating, I "felt" more proud about the fact that I was helping to build something that would, overall, have a net positive impact on society/carbon emissions.
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Re: What do you guys do for work/careers?

Post by ker0uac »

d_baker wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 6:41 am That's a good response, and is more in-line with what I failed to write or elaborate on.
Ker0uac's post struck me as someone that doesn't give a s**t and just wants the paycheck with zero effort put in to earn it. Maybe I misread that?
If that was a correct characterization of my mindset, I wouldn't be successful. I simply play the part in order to earn a paycheck. It's a business transaction. It ain't personal. They give me a paycheck and I supply them with my utmost dedication within avg of 40hrs/week. That's all. No one in my company is upset that I'm not in love with my work. I do my job, I get s**t done, I get rewarded fairly for it, and that's it. I don't tall about it. It doesn't consume any minute of my life outside of the office. All the passions I pursue in my life were free of the concerns of "how will I monetize that?". It is important to create BOUNDARIES in our lives.

This is not aimed at you db - some ppl here get easily triggered by opinions and switch into acting like I personally offended someone. Chill. You may disagree. Just voice your opinion. What works for me doesn't work for others. But some people dont know yet what works for themselves and they might enjoy hearing multiple opinions.

But if ya'll must know so I as to stop judging me personally, I have a B.S in Engineering Physics, a masters in Financial Engineering, and a MBA. In college, I researched the growth of carbon nanotubes for semiconductor applications. In my first job, I built option models for mortagebacked securities. I am a proud recovering C++ programmer too. I co-founded a consulting company that I am no longer part of. Now I do strategy work for a Healthcare fortune 50 company. I dnt work long hours bc Im good at what I do. I don't love it and I never wasted a minute thinking about that. Ya know why? I was too busy making money and then spending it afterwards on activities I loved.

When I die, I'll not wish I had spent more time worrying about my career, "oh if only I had told my boss how much I loved answering his emails". When I die, I'll be glad I didn't waste my time trying to get the world to validate my value and monetize my passion. What I'll remember is the time I quit my job and spent 6 mo traveling in SE Asia and became a scuba diver instructor. Or the time in Guatemala when I took a s**t at an outhouse of a stranger and cleaned my a**hole with used toilet paper. Or the deserted beach in Colombia where I slept on a hammock for 3 days and then rode back to town with an ex-FARC. Or the near kidnapping in the Sinai peninsula on my way to Sharm. Or the time I got robbed at gun point in Brazil. Or the time I got beat up by Thai drug dealers in Thailand. Or the time I was attacked by a pack of coyotes in Calif. I don't have a lot of funny/crazy stories about climbing so that's a miss for me so far.

It's fine to ask the question what you do for job/career. We are all curious. But don't be upset when people dnt give a f**k about your job/career. Your over-attachment to your career doesnt make you more successful than anyone. It only makes u a slave to your career. Life is too short to be just one thing.
Last edited by ker0uac on Mon May 03, 2021 9:24 am, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: What do you guys do for work/careers?

Post by ker0uac »

justiner wrote: Sun May 02, 2021 12:17 pm ]the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!”
:lol:
[/quote]

This made me laugh so I appreciated that. I read that book during my first job and it stuck with me. I won't be able to explain the contradiction on a blog post but I embrace my contradictions. I am like the law of averages. I tend to stick true to my ideals in the grand scheme of things.
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Re: What do you guys do for work/careers?

Post by Dave B »

ker0uac wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 8:55 am This is not aimed at you db - some ppl here get easily triggered by opinions and switch into acting like I personally offended someone. Chill. You may disagree. Just voice your opinion. What works for me doesn't work for others. But some people dont know yet what works for themselves and they might enjoy hearing multiple opinions.
Bro, according to you we're all nerds with stupid jobs who should instead be cops, ranchers, race car drivers, and astronauts. Save the philosophical bulls**t for a thread where your pseudo-objectivity isn't contradicted by previous posts.
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Re: What do you guys do for work/careers?

Post by GreenHorn »

ker0uac wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 8:55 am

If that was a correct characterization of my mindset, I wouldn't be successful. I simply play the part in order to earn a paycheck. It's a business transaction. It ain't personal. They give me a paycheck and I supply them with my utmost dedication within avg of 40hrs/week. That's all. No one in my company is upset that I'm not in love with my work. I do my job, I get s**t done, I get rewarded fairly for it, and that's it. I don't tall about it. It doesn't consume any minute of my life outside of the office. All the passions I pursue in my life were free of the concerns of "how will I monetize that?". It is important to create BOUNDARIES in our lives.

This exactly! I work for a company that is constantly trying to measure "employee engagement" as a measure of success. I more or less give this answer on every survey. I'm good at what I do and am therefore successful. I made a choice over 20 years ago to go into a field that would provide financial security and soul-sucking boredom for 40 hours a week. I've just got to ride it out now for a bit longer.
Last edited by GreenHorn on Mon May 03, 2021 10:21 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: What do you guys do for work/careers?

Post by highpilgrim »

Dave B wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 10:10 am Bro, according to you we're all nerds with stupid jobs who should instead be cops, ranchers, race car drivers, and astronauts. Save the philosophical bulls**t for a thread where your pseudo-objectivity isn't contradicted by previous posts.
Dude, ease up on him; it's really hard being the master of all you survey, and at the same time being so...modest, objective and succinct.

And to your list, don't forget bull fighters.
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Re: What do you guys do for work/careers?

Post by ker0uac »

Dave B wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 10:10 am
ker0uac wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 8:55 am This is not aimed at you db - some ppl here get easily triggered by opinions and switch into acting like I personally offended someone. Chill. You may disagree. Just voice your opinion. What works for me doesn't work for others. But some people dont know yet what works for themselves and they might enjoy hearing multiple opinions.
Bro, according to you we're all nerds with stupid jobs who should instead be cops, ranchers, race car drivers, and astronauts. Save the philosophical bulls**t for a thread where your pseudo-objectivity isn't contradicted by previous posts.
I don't believe I said the word stupid but either way it was clearly a joke to poke some fun. Who cares? And I never replied to anyone's post in this thread to specifically attack them. But Im sorry that I hurt your feelings. I keep forgetting the massive fragile ego of the people here. If it helps, I believe in climate change.
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Re: What do you guys do for work/careers?

Post by rijaca »

ker0uac wrote: Mon May 03, 2021 8:55 am I have a B.S in Engineering Physics, a masters in Financial Engineering, and a MBA. In college, I researched the growth of carbon nanotubes for semiconductor applications. In my first job, I built option models for mortagebacked securities. I am a proud recovering C++ programmer too. I co-founded a consulting company that I am no longer part of. Now I do strategy work for a Healthcare fortune 50 company.
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