Career advice

[WhistlingBadger]

 

[Aquaria Pro Aquatics]

If only I could convince my wife. Lol

Dominick

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Actually I can offer two things about work. The first is, if possible, work at something you love. That makes it not work so-to-speak. The second is, if possible, focus on one thing and keep at it. This is how you get to be an "ecpert" at anything. If you keep changing your career and focus, you will never become really good at anything. Being really good is what allows one to earn the most in their chosen field of work. That is not the same thing as trying to make as much money as you can without caring about what you have to do to earn it.

 

[anewbie]

Actually I can offer two things about work. The first is, if possible, work at something you love. That makes it not work so-to-speak. The second is, if possible, focus on one thing and keep at it. This is how you get to be an "ecpert" at anything. If you keep changing your career and focus, you will never become really good at anything. Being really good is what allows one to earn the most in their chosen field of work. That is not the same thing as trying to make as much money as you can without caring about what you have to do to earn it.

I loved my work 'cept management kept getting in the way. If only we could get rid of management it would have been perfect.

 

[Uberhoust]

The first is, if possible, work at something you love. That makes it not work so-to-speak

If you are lucky it works, but I have tried that twice with very limited success. It can make something you love into something you despise. This issue is not usually with the type of work, it is with not being able to work on projects in a way you want to work, administration and business goals often don't align with what currently makes you happy. Just my opinion. I pick work from areas that are interesting but not necessarily something I love; things I love I keep for after work.

I watched some movie, years ago now, where high school students were going to a job councilor, the students were told to look for things the love or enjoy, the one student said that the advice was bullshit because if everyone did that there would be no janitors in the world... not that you should be taking life lessons from a movie but it is a different point of view.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

And that is why I used the words "if possible" in my first sentence.

 

[GaryE]

Work.
I was raised in the idea that I would get some sort of job and work at it because I had to. But with the opening up that was so important in the 70s, with very low tuition, night school and such, I was able to get a degree and do a job I really enjoyed.
At one point I found three different jobs I enjoyed - teaching, writing and working with fish. I hated sorting it all out at tax time, but that's only a short period.
We don't all get opportunities, and while I swept floors and ran a cheap wet and dirty offset press, I still did things I loved - like reading. The book I'm rereading now after many years has suspicious blots of black ink on some of the pages, all hastily wiped off from the look of them. &*&^& those paper jams that made a guy put a novel down.

If it's your job you love, that's great, If it isn't, then find something else that can keep you sane.

 

[Uberhoust]

Found the quote, I am stopping here because I am supposed to be working: https://clip.cafe/office-space-1999/our-high-school-guidance-counsellor/

 

[Abaddon]

That's been my fantasy since I started school, lol. The mountains have always made me feel alive like nothing else. Being around them is the closest thing to a spiritual experience I can think of. Kant had a point with his idea about the sublime.

 

[fishorama]

I've read if you do a job you love, you'll never work a day in your life. But I've also read if you work in the hobby you love, you'll regret it & it will ruin your hobby...& maybe finances too...

Luckily?!? I've never had those options. I worked at a job I didn't like so my husband could finish uni & get the job he wanted...wherever we had to move...it's been fun...mostly.

We advise our nieces to pursue a career that allows them to work in many places rather than be tied to an industry or certain locations. Some skills are very focused in limited areas; some are much more widely saleable.

We spent most of our vacation time going "home" to visit family. So, although we could afford to travel, we didn't get to very often. My sister was kind of jealous that we lived in different interesting places. She has gone on several vacations we couldn't.

So, it's not just about the day to day job satisfaction, although that is certainly important. There are other factors to consider.

 

[Essjay]

I'm lucky that I enjoyed both my jobs before I became a stay at home mother. I worked as a research assistant in a university biochemistry department; then got married and moved away and my next job was a medical laboratory scientific officer - that is, I worked in a hospital chemical pathology lab.

There were two ways to become an MLSO back in the 1970s - either have a degree in a relevant subject or an HND in medical laboratory sciences, the latter usually done while actually working, going to classes in the evening and on day release. We used to have friendly arguments about which was the better method. Those with HNDs said their way was best as they got paid while studying straight from school while those with degrees spent 3 years studying before earning. Those with degrees said that our qualifications allowed us to work in many different fields so we could change career while those with HNDs could only work in hospital labs.

 

[GaryE]

The question of working in the aquarium business is interesting. I knew probably seven or eight club members who tried this over the years. One became a successful freshwater importer and really enjoyed his work - the same for one who imported saltwater fish. All of the others had businesses that went under within a year or two, and none of them keep fish anymore.

I did it part time, and enjoyed that but at the same time didn't have my half of the family livelihood at risk with it. I kept my day job. I know a number of local people who run sideline businesses, mainly with aquarium plants, and they do okay in a small scale way.

All of the young aquarium store people I know have Bank of Parents support, although hopefully their stores will get off the ground in time. Stores used to make their money on dry goods, but you can't compete with Amazon. It's hard to make a go of it with fish alone.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

I've read if you do a job you love, you'll never work a day in your life. But I've also read if you work in the hobby you love, you'll regret it & it will ruin your hobby...& maybe finances too...

Both true. A lot of it is how you approach it, and perhaps even more importantly, who you work with.

The wonderful thing about hobbies if we generally do them how we want, when we want. If I don't like how a fish tank is working out? No problem, I just tear it down and start over. If I compose a piece and I'm not pleased with it, I either fix it or just discard it and make another one. If I make a bow I don't like, I give it away or use it as firewood. No big deal.

But once money and other humans get involved, one's options become more limited by other people's expectations, requirements, and personality/character quirks. Sometimes that is very motivating, and that motivation can actually be enjoyable. For example, I genuinely like my dentist and her staff, and I often take better care of her fish tank than I do of my own.

This is definitely true of making music. The "pressure" of working with other people is generally part of the fun; it motivates one to push oneself, practice hard, and get better. (Getting paid to play music is pretty cool too)

That's all true unless one is working with people one doesn't enjoy. If bosses, coworkers, or band mates are negative, pressuring, or unreliable? Then it's no fun at all.