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zekele

zekele

Rough_Rock
Joined
Dec 29, 2005
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For those who work full-time or part-time, what do you do? Do you enjoy it? Did you have to go through a lot of schooling to get to where you are? Is it easy to balance your job with your personal life?

I am asking this as someone who is dissatisfied with her professional life. I am a research technician at a state university laboratory that is studying Alzheimer''s disease. It sounds like noble work, but I feel like I am working myself into the ground without really making any progress in my research project. Since my position is low-level I get a lot of "desk work" heaped on me that is really difficult to juggle with lab work, and I always work overtime and am tired all the time. I''m on vacation right now (yay!!) but I feel like if I stayed in this job, I would never be able to work a regular, low-stress schedule to make time for a family. That is partly what is driving my unhappiness; I want to start a family in the next few years, and every night when I get home at 8 or 9 p.m. I think to myself, "If I had a child, I''m coming home just in time to put them to bed." They say that if you want to work in science, you will never work a regular schedule. I''m so unhappy with my job right now that I am thinking perhaps I should not be in science. I''ve actually had a few nights on this vacation where I haven''t gotten any sleep because my mind was racing, stressing about my job
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And did I mention that I get paid peanuts?

I want to change careers, but preferably stay in a health or science-related field. Right now I am thinking of entering a training program to be a diagnostic medical sonographer (aka ultrasound technician). It sounds like it is flexible, doesn''t have the stresses associated with a research project-driven job, and pays much better. If anyone has any input on this, I''d like to hear it, but mostly I''d just like to hear from people who are satisfied with their jobs (or if you aren''t, why not?).
 
Zekele, your story sounds a bit similar to mine. I hold a bachelors degree in Textiles, Apparel, and Merchandising (translate: either a retail or buying career)...upon graduating from college, I spent the next 5 years in retail management and although I was good at it, the hours were hellish, and the pay wasn''t enough for me to justify spending so much time at work and never being able to go home for the holidays. I got married two years ago, and my dad became very ill with cancer, so I decided to quit retail altogether and get a nice 8-5, Monday through Friday J-O-B. It took a couple months for me to find something, I ended up signing up with a temp agency and lo and behold, they found me a dream job 5 blocks from our house! I do billing and data entry for a worldwide company, and while the work isn''t exactly noble or mentally stimulating, I can now focus on marriage, my relationship with my family, and working toward starting a family of my own. It was the best decision I''ve ever made. I''ll always have my degree and work related experience, and later in life if I decide to go back to retail, or start my own business, I''m set.

Having a fulfilling career and lots of moolah is one thing, but you can never get back those hours you spent at work or stressing out at home over work. Can you compromise and find something volunteer-related to fulfill your sense of responsibility to help others? I took some of my newfound free time last summer and organized a group of women to do an American Cancer Society event--something I wouldn''t have had time for working in retail.

I think it''s hard for women who''ve educated themselves, begun a career, and gotten married and want to raise a family to find a balance between careers and their own individuality, and marriage and family life while devoting the right amount of time to both. For me, life is too short to spend half of it wishing I was somewhere else. Things have a way of working themselves out in life, where you think one door is closing there are others waiting to be opened. Good luck!
 
I do like my current job. I''m currently working for a judge as a law clerk.

I graduated from college with a degree in creative writing in 1996. I graduated from law school in 2001. After law school I went to work for a very large national law firm and I pretty much hated every minute of it. The money was great, but I was miserable. Pretty much everything you hear about being an associate at a large firm, the hours, the stress, the people, well, it is true!

So last May I left the money behind and went to work for a state court judge. I took a HUGE paycut, but my time and sanity are definitely worth it!

Lyss
 
Well, since I have a science background myself, maybe I can help you with this question. If you want to stay in the field, it sounds like you need to work for a private company rather than for a university. Universities aren''t known for their high pay scales. I have a biology degree and started out working for a nonprofit organization in a very low paying lab technician job. I then got a job making a little more money at a university. I then got a higher paying job yet working for the city. Finally, at the highest paying job, which I now have, I work for a large company. In all cases I am a lab technician, but the pay scales are much different depending on where you work. I also don''t work long hours, I do my 8 hours and go home. It''s not high stress at all. I''m not in love with my job, but it pays the bills and it will do, at least for now.

If you want to change fields entirely, that sounds good also, but maybe you just need to look for another job doing the same thing you''re doing now instead of having to train for a brand new job.
 
No, I currently hate my job. I have a BS in Marketing and have just decided that I do not want to be behind a desk 8 hours a day, so I just put in my two week notice last week and am going to school full-time to become a registered nurse. I''m scared out of my mind and hate change but I do not want to be at a miserable job for the rest of my life and I want to be proud of the work I do so hopefully this is the right path for me! Best of luck to you!
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It''s tough to balance work & family for most people. I work full time for a local newspaper in the marketing area. For the most part my job is easy and I''m lucky that it is pretty strictly 8 to 5 which in theory sounds great. But you know, even 8-5 is tough with kids. My son is 8 and I can tell you that the world of kids is not set up for working parents. The earliest I can drop my son off at school is 7:30...school is about 1/2 hour from my job so if I hit all the lights right I just barely squeak in the door at work at 8am. I can''t tell you how many 1/2 days my son has. 1/2 days are a parent nightmare. I can find daycare for full days off, but 1/2 days are really tough. Then you get to any after school activity...sports have practices at times like 4pm? How am I supposed to do that? I feel really badly that I have to tell him, "No, I''m sorry sweetie, but you just can''t do soccer." And then let''s not even get into orthodontist visits etc. Why don''t they have hours that go until 7 or 8pm? Now, don''t get me wrong, I''m not complaining about my job. It really is a decent job for the money..it''s just that schools, sports & other kid related activities haven''t caught up with the working parent times. I think mothers (and fathers) would be so much less stressed if schedules could be streamlined for the kids. Here''s my suggestions. People think I''m nuts, but it would be so much easier.

School needs to be all day--approximately 7:30 to 5:30. Now, I''m not saying that they need to be in classes all day. I think there should be organized activities that take place at the school for the afternoon. This would be the time for band, art, piano, ballet, Scouts, soccer, any sports etc. But they are at the school...read no hauling kids from place to place. You can sign your kid up for things or pick them up when regular school ends at 3pm. But the point is that the activities are offered in the same place as school so working parents don''t have to figure out how to get the kid from school to practice. I''m willing to pay for this option..not expecting it to be free. I''d have to pay for soccer, piano etc. anyway.

No 1/2 days for schools. They are really hard to schedule around and always result in a lot of scrambling. Just combine the 1/2 days off together to make full days off. Much easier to deal with. Besides, kids pretty much write off the school day on 1/2 days anyway.

All pediatric related doctors should have hours in the evening & weekend. This goes for regular doctors to dentists to orthodontists. It''s just bad for kids educationally to have to pull them out to get their braces adjusted. Not to mention the hardship on parents to leave work, get the kid to the doctor, then back to school then back to work.

But until the times change and the educational system matches the needs of today''s family, I''d really love to work part time. If I could get off in time to pick my son up from school...it would be so much better. Unfortunately I have yet to locate a part time job that pays anything....
 
Thank you, everyone, for your replies!

monach64 and littlelysser - wise words
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. Thanks!

coda72 - Hmm, you''re the first person I''ve talked to who works as a lab tech in industry and likes it. Others I have spoken with tell me that the hours are ridiculous, it''s very high-pressure, and there''s an "assembly line" mentality. It probably depends on the company. I was actually offered a job at a private company and I had a friend who worked there who hated it so much that I turned it down! Since graduating college I''ve had two jobs, the first was at a private university and it was such a horrible experience that I walked off last June. Now I''m at a public university with (somewhat) higher pay and better benefits. You''re right that I might just need to find another job, but I''m also questioning (for reasons I did not go into in my original post) whether I should be in research at all.

angel7 - that''s so funny, I was actually just looking at nursing programs last night
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. I might stick with one of the allied health programs (ultrasound, MRI techs, etc) because it''s less time in school. Best of luck to you!

IslandDreams - I know so many parents who have the same frustration. It is really ridiculous the way things are organized right now. I like your idea and wish it could be implemented! I''m hoping I can find something that will permit me to work part-time if I need to. I don''t know if this is an option for you, but for a while my mom worked as a tutor/driver for the daughter of a family with very busy parents. She would drive the daughter to her various activities, help her with homework, etc. You could probably find a trustworthy person to do this for not too much money, but that doesn''t solve the problem of getting to spend more time with your son.
 

Balance of work and life is a difficult thing that’s for sure! Its something I struggle with as well. I am an architect in NYC doing mostly corporate interiors and marketing centers etc.. It took 6 years of college, in essence year round, to get my BSArch and MArch.


The reality is that my job wares on me a lot (physically and mentally). On bad days there is a LOT of stress, very very very long hours, and usually little reward for the effort. A lot of times it results in sleepless nights wondering why I do all of this to myself…. Upset and frustrated I am missing out on the rest of my life and things I used to enjoy. It''s really a hard thing to get around mentally and try to come up with a solution.


Of recent, I have begun to develop a strategy for managing my life to what I want it to be. I work earlier in the day as opposed to staying late, no longer work thru the weekend, and limit my weekly hours to 50. It takes some effort, but im happier because of it.


Im not sure what latitude you have in your current position to push / pull your schedule. I think the best thing to do is look up the tree. See who above you has managed to balance their career and life successfully. Maybe even look at a lateral move to similar skill sets away from university to see how you can balance your time better???
 
Oh honey I am so sorry that you dislike your job. I know what you are going though. I am currently a Mortgage broker and cant wait to go back to school and become a cop go back to the medical field. I have to drive an hour and a half two days a week to twik numbers so people can get a house. The bad thing has to be the stress, I mainly work in the Hispanic areas (everyone know my hubby a Hispanic cop). They mainly have no credit score being that they pay for everything cash out right. However it is far easier to work that families that spend like their is no tomorrow. The wonderful thing is the money considering I work mainly from home. I hope you the best and that you find the job of your dreams.
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After reading these postings, I am glad I don''t work yet. I complain all the time about how hard schools is, but it really isn''t that bad. I am currently in graduate school studying Higher Education Administration (i.e. College Admissions ect.)...
 
I may be in the minority but, I honestly love my job. Of couse, there are negatives to it, as with all jobs, but overall it''s great. I am a speech-language pathologist in a public school in southern california for children ages 3-12 for 6 years. I have awesome hours (7:45-3:15) and a great deal of personal satisfaction. I am glad that I don''t have to make every decision all day long based on money and botton lines like my friends in the business field. I get to make a real difference in someone else''s life and get paid to do so.

Like I said, there are negatives though, difficult parents, runny noses, feeling like you shoulnd''t take a personal day (I still do, I just feel a little bad). But overall, it''s great. I still hope I feel like that in 15 years.

Good Luck in finding something you truly excel at
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Date: 1/3/2006 3:29:48 PM
Author: zekele

coda72 - Hmm, you''re the first person I''ve talked to who works as a lab tech in industry and likes it. Others I have spoken with tell me that the hours are ridiculous, it''s very high-pressure, and there''s an ''assembly line'' mentality. It probably depends on the company. I was actually offered a job at a private company and I had a friend who worked there who hated it so much that I turned it down! Since graduating college I''ve had two jobs, the first was at a private university and it was such a horrible experience that I walked off last June. Now I''m at a public university with (somewhat) higher pay and better benefits. You''re right that I might just need to find another job, but I''m also questioning (for reasons I did not go into in my original post) whether I should be in research at all.
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Well, I don''t actually love my job, but it''s ok. I know I could have it a lot worse. Maybe many companies are high pressure, but not mine. Everything is pretty relaxed here, and the workload is definitely not killer. But then, I''m not researching a cure for cancer or anything like that; we are researching how to make paint better. I will admit it is tedious and repetitive, but it seems to me most jobs are that way after a while. This is the fourth lab tech job I''ve had since graduating from college, and they were all pretty much this way.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do!
 
I can honestly say that without a doubt, I love my job. I am a registered nurse and work in Neonatal ICU and I love the fulfillment and satisfaction I get.
I also love the freedom and diversity it offers if I ever get bored where I am. I can switch shifts, I currently work nights, but I am doing it for my kids and this way, I don't need a babysitter.
I can switch the area where I work, I currently work in a hospital, but I can go to a nursing home, doctor's office, school, clinic, etc. I can also work per diem, mean I can work as needed, when and if I want.
If I relocate or can't find a job in my state, I can work in any other state as a registered nurse as well.

Don't get me wrong, there are certain things I hate about my job, in particular two people that I don't get along with, but other than that, everything else I love. My bosses are nice and since I work nights, I never really see them. The supervisor on nights is great as well.

I also do 12 hour shifts, so I only work 3 days a week. IT can be rough at times with the 12 hours, but I figure it's the sacrifice I make so my kids are not at someone else's house from 8am to 6 pm MOnday through Friday.

Plus, I don't know many jobs where someone fresh out of college with only an Associates Degree and absolutely no previous experience can have a starting salary of $70K with full benefits and 4 weeks vacation, working nights. I forgot to add, and 10 paid holidays off.

I tell everyone I know to go into nursing. It's probably the best choice I have ever made!
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Hey
Date: 1/3/2006 10:28:22 AM
Author: IslandDreams

School needs to be all day--approximately 7:30 to 5:30. Now, I''m not saying that they need to be in classes all day. I think there should be organized activities that take place at the school for the afternoon. This would be the time for band, art, piano, ballet, Scouts, soccer, any sports etc. But they are at the school...read no hauling kids from place to place. You can sign your kid up for things or pick them up when regular school ends at 3pm. But the point is that the activities are offered in the same place as school so working parents don''t have to figure out how to get the kid from school to practice. I''m willing to pay for this option..not expecting it to be free. I''d have to pay for soccer, piano etc. anyway.

No 1/2 days for schools. They are really hard to schedule around and always result in a lot of scrambling. Just combine the 1/2 days off together to make full days off. Much easier to deal with. Besides, kids pretty much write off the school day on 1/2 days anyway.

All pediatric related doctors should have hours in the evening & weekend. This goes for regular doctors to dentists to orthodontists. It''s just bad for kids educationally to have to pull them out to get their braces adjusted. Not to mention the hardship on parents to leave work, get the kid to the doctor, then back to school then back to work.

But until the times change and the educational system matches the needs of today''s family, I''d really love to work part time. If I could get off in time to pick my son up from school...it would be so much better. Unfortunately I have yet to locate a part time job that pays anything....
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hi IslandDreams,
I completely understand where you are coming from, which is one of the reasons I decided to stay working nights, even though I could have gotten a day position. This is what I have been doing.
I work 12 hour shifts and I work every other day. If I work the night before, the morning I come home, my husband drops off my daughter in school and watches the baby, so that way I can sleep. He usually leaves for work at 1:30, so that is when he wakes me up and then I can go and pick up my daughter.
When we get home, I do her homework with her, make sure she eats and then I take another nap. Since I don''t have work that night, I can sleep when my husband gets home, which is about 10 pm.
On half days, I just sleep less, I figure since I don''t have work that night, it''s okay, because I can catch a nap sometime in between.
We have been doing this routine for a while now and it seems to work out fine and we don''t have to pay a baby sitter either.

Also, with regards to your school from 7:30 to 5:30 schedule, I am surprised you don''t have a latchkey program in your school. Maybe you can suggest it.
At my daughter''s school, there is a latchkey program, which is basically some kind of afterschool program for the kids. They get help with homework and they have school activities as well. I think it runs from 3:00p to 6:30 or 7 pm and any one can join.
There is a fee of $110 per month, but it beats paying a babysitter. And if you have more than one child, you get a discount for the next one, etc.
Maybe you can suggest it.
I don''t know the complete details, but I can look up the paperwork for my daughter''s school for you. PM me if you want more info.
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I love what I do but very very very very very badly hate my job.
I love computers and love helping people with computers but i hate hate hate hate hate hate everything else that comes with it.
So many in the field are con-artists and scammers.
Yea there are customers that totally get on my nerves but for the most part they are just regular people that want their computer to work.
Dealing with viruses and spyware and nursing 5 year old computers into another year of life for customers who refuse to spend money on vital equipment and never pay there bills gets to be a drag at times but it is also challenging and fun at times.

The sad thing is that talking to others in my field its the same all over.
Crappy bosses, crappy pay and no benefits.
The lucky ones have jobs working as in house IT for one company but more and more companies are shooting themselves in the foot by going to outside consulting/outside techs route.

call me burned out and bummed out.
 
So sorry you are unhappy with your job, Zekele. I consider myself pretty lucky to have the job that I do. I am a medical transcriptionist. My office is in my house which has enabled me to stay home with my children and make a living too. Funny thing is that I ended up in this profession 15 years ago quite by accident.

Prior to this, I was an interior decorator. I tuly loved what I did, but I was on the road all the time, and as most people know, dealing with the public is not always peachy. My husband and I had always agreed that I would stay home to raise our children (when we had any), just as our mothers did for us. My husband and I tried for several years to have children with no luck. I ended up going through several more years of fertility treatments which, at that time in the late 80s and early 90s was not covered by insurance. I thought a part-time job would help pay the bills. My decorating job kept me out most evenings and weekends, but I had many hours free during the day. I stumbled upon a local mom-and-pop transcription company that was willing to train me in medical transcription. I had experience as a secretary prior to my decorating business, so I could type fast and accurately and use the computer with no problem. I just needed a few hours of work during the day for extra money to pay for my medical bills.

In the beginning, the terminology was extremely tedious. It took close to a year before I really felt like I was making a worthwhile amount, but I stuck it out and the extra income eased the stress of the medical bills. When I finally became pregnant with my first child, it was time to give up my decorating business. No regrets there whatsoever. I ended up keeping the transcription job since I worked from home and could tailor my workload to my family responsibilities. Eventually, I had a second baby and continued to transcribe.

I have since left the local company (6 years ago) and now work for a much larger company. They subcontract accounts to me, so technically I''m self-employed. Although there are times when my job is stressful, I can''t imagine doing anything else. I have been able to stay home with my children (who are now 13 and 11), and my work hours have enabled them to participate in many extracurricular activies. There would be no way to accomplish that if I was at an office away from home until 5:00 p.m. everday. If my kids are ill and stay home from school, I can take care of them and still continue to do my job. School closures due to bad weather are no problem. I was able to volunteer 100+ hours a year at my children''s elementary school for all the years they were there. Couldn''t do that with a normal office job.

Oops, this post has run on way too long. Guess I need to get back to work.
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I hope you find what you are looking for, Zekele.
 
butterfly--thanks for the description of your family works the family-home issues. My son''s school does have an after school care which I utilize, but it doesn''t connect to any of the other activities--sports etc. All those practices are elsewhere. The after school care is basically like day care...the kids have activities, can do homework (if they can concentrate over the screaming of the other kids). I am thrilled the after school is an option. They canceled the program a couple years ago and it was a nightmare. Parents really put up a fuss and we got it back.

I honestly don''t love my job. It''s not a bad workload, but I feel like what I do is pointless. I am actually database marketing for a local newspaper. I have had 7 bosses in the last 8 years. I work for the General Manager but the GM position keeps turning over because people leave. Every time I get a new boss, I pretty much start over justifying my existence, budget etc. Every boss has different ideas on what database marketing is and I usually have to dump what I''ve been doing and start with something different which just isn''t the point with databases. I''ve been really thinking about what I''d like to do with my life. I really want a job that is not sitting in front of the computer all day long...and anything in the database field would be in front of the computer. I''m not sure I could handle nursing though. Oddly enough, the medical field was the one area where I''ve never been tempted. My first husband died of cancer and I was his nurse for several years...giving shots, cleaning ports, administering IVs etc. Even my then-husband laughed about how I wound up doing medical things even though I hated it. I still keep trying to get interested in nursing or other medical areas because we have several huge hospitals and they will pay you to go back to school.

Wish I could figure out something to do that I would really enjoy doing AND that pays half-way decent. I''d love to do something with jewelry but not much around here except sales.
 
I work from home doing misc. paperwork/accounting in for my inlaws/huband''s partnership and pick my own hours. The job is boring, BUT, I wouldn''t trade for more stimulating work if this meant having to work outside the home and juggle life around work/family & try and keep some demanding boss happy! I like that I just get my hours in while my kids are in their PT preschool, but if one of my boys is sick or the preschool has a holiday (like the day after Thanksgiving & the monday following) I can toss work aside and try and keep up with my boys instead.

I know many parents, like Butterfly, who schedual they work around so their children aren''t in daycare/preschool. One of my friends (who is also a nurse
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) does this too & works the 12 X 3 days per week. I think this is great! Whatever works & keeps the family happy is worth while!
 
No, in fact, I just quit!!!

Scary but very exciting!
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I don''t hate my job, but it can be boring, even if it pays well. I''m in administration (think step between secretary and engineer). I work 32 hours per week so I have Friday''s off. I''m working now to help put our two boys through college because we didnt'' want them to have to work their way through the way we did. But, my all time favorite job, the one that was outgrown (not by me, but my boys) was being a full time mom. The most rewarding, fun experience of my life. The one job I will never, ever regret. I had plenty of individuality and identity and lots to do as well as getting the honor of being with my boys and when they were in school, being a volunteer there and knowing all their teachers, their friends and their friend''s parents. We gave up material "stuff" to do it, but I didn''t miss it and don''t regret a minute of it. We worked our budget around one income. It can be done.

I too have a friend who works two 12 hour shifts a week in a NICU and loves her job, but also loves the fact she''s there during the day with her kids. She''s been doing it for more than ten years and it gives her the flexibility she needs since her husband is home when she''s at work and her kids are able to stay a few hours on their own now. She could quit anytime, but loves what she does and feels like she''s contributing something important and taking nothing away from her family.
 
Date: 1/5/2006 6:08:05 PM
Author: Momoftwo
I''m working now to help put our two boys through college because we didnt'' want them to have to work their way through the way we did. But, my all time favorite job, the one that was outgrown (not by me, but my boys) was being a full time mom.
...​

We gave up material ''stuff'' to do it, but I didn''t miss it and don''t regret a minute of it. We worked our budget around one income. It can be done.
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Our politics may be miles apart, but I am completely at one with you on the importance of mothering.

You and your husband had to work for your educations, so you wanted better for your sons. My parents paid for my education, so I have always saved to make sure we would be able to do the same thing for our daughter.

My mother went back to work (as a teacher) when we (my brother and I) were in high school in order to help make money for our college tuition. I am home with my daughter as my mother was with us, but I will gladly return to work to ensure that my daughter can study when she is in college.

I guess that says what I do: I am a housewife/ homemaker.

Deborah
 
I recently switched careers...I spent 7 years in Marketing climbing the corporate ladder at each company but last year right before our wedding, our group was dissolved in my last company and I was unemployed. I got a great package and it actually worked out great because it enabled me to spend the last month before the wedding focusing solely on getting that stuff done, insane how I thought I would work my job and finish off the wedding, SO would not have happened.

Anyway when we got home from the honeymoon, I started to think about looking for a job, but I was really burnt out on Corporate Marketing. I was tired of working for large companies where I was just a cog in the wheel and nothing I did REALLY mattered to the bottom line of the company or to me. So I put out my resume to the typical next level jobs at competitors and other companies around here, there were a bunch of jobs so I knew I could easily get one. Interviewed at my old company's main competitor and could have done the same exact thing I did there for Internet Marketing...but it was SO not exciting to me.

Through a twist of life, I actually ended up hearing about and interviewing with this small company for a sales position for marketing promotions...so my clients would be large companies like the one that I had just left. Having never done sales, this position was intriguing because it was solely commission (yes 100%) and no salary and it was very unstructured. I waffled for a month and a half between my old life and this new one, we had just gotten the puppy so I was taking my time figuring out what I wanted to do. Finally, with Greg's blessing on the new venture I decided to go into sales and try my hand at something new and interesting. We gave me one year to be making what I made at my last 'salaried' position in Marketing or else I'd have to return to corporate marketing so that our future goals and lifestyle didn't suffer. It was a hard first 6 months and at times I thought I'd made a huge mistake...drumming up new clients, dealing with existing clients, mining accounts, dealing with the switch from 'behind the scenes marketing' to 'front line sales'..the job is a cross between real sales and account management...but after the 7th month things got more stable. I had long-term clients, I was doing well, and having fun.

Fast forward, it's been a year and a half now...I made and exceeded my old 'salary' and I really love the job for the most part. It's challenging, intriguing, I never know what each day will bring me...a large sale gained which could just make my entire month, or a client lost, or something in-betweeen. It's very fast-paced and can be stressful, and I have to be creative and salesy at the same time depending on the client. I do all my own marketing and lead generation so my old job and life comes in handy, and some of my old companies are now my clients...I work for some of the people I used to work with at times which can be a little odd but is always interesting. I work from home about half the time, which is great and I have easily gotten used to the non-corporate lifestyle at our small family-owned company, the co-workers are great, everyone is part of a team.

What I love most about the job is that each day is different...and that *I* am in charge of my own 'destiny' if you will...if I work hard then I can make things happen and make money. But if I don't work hard or at all, then I don't make money and that's bad for our future goals. So the motivation is there for me to work hard and keep up my commissions. The amazing thing is that there is so much money out there and it's all up for grabs. I find that I am not a huge salesy person but I can turn on the charm when required.
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It's actually amazed Greg how nice I can be when the situation requires charm...hee hee. However I never want to be that salesperson who is always 'on' and I refuse to take my job out with me at night and always be on the hunt.

I know I can't do this forever, I could easily see how people get burned out in this industry after about 5 or 10 years, but the positive is that if we do decide to have kids, I can continue to cultivate my long-term clients and make a decent living and still stay home with the kids. That is a huge bonus about this job, the flexibility. And also that it can be done remotely as well, so even if we decided to move away to another STATE...I could cultivate new clients there and still work with my old ones remotely. Lots of possibilities.

And then when the time comes to move on....I will have sales skills to add to my marketing and we will see where that takes me in the future. But for now I am really happy with my move and as I see all my old coworkers and friends kind of trudging along in their daily jobs, I DO NOT miss that corporate grind one bit....dealing with the crappy boss and the internal politics. Sometimes I miss the stability and the non-stressful 'getting a salary' part but for the most part I have been really pleased with how things have gone. My wish for this year, resolution or whatever you call it, is to double my sales! Oh if only...the funny thing is that if I land a new large client, it could easily happen. Oh I can hope.
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Oh my gosh I really feel for everyone that does not like your job!

I LOVE mine! Everything about it is fabulous. I've been a massage therapist for 6 years working in resort spas. I also came from a science background but found out early on that being couped up with my microscope was not for me. I went on to learn to do nails, opened a salon, then later married and stayed home with my daughter who is now 16. My working life has gone perfectly for me that is.

So for me Human anatomy has become my science, the science of healing others through the work I do educating them about how to be healthier, less stressed individuals. What's not to love about that!

The enviroment I enter into everyday is fabulous, the money is very good, the benefits are excellent. The company is always one of Fortune's Top 100 companies to work for and at 30 hours a week I'm full time with benefits. My schedule is flexible enough that it changes when I need it to. There is minimal stress associated with the entire job and actually its very therapuetic work for me. Spa people are a special group and wonderful to work with. There are so many people that look down at what I do because it is the "service" industry but I'm the one laughing quietly inside.

I also want to add that there are many many former nurses in my field, most say their burned out from shift work.
 
The answer to your question: when I was working, Heck no! (I quit in June when I found out I was pregnant). I worked at the Venetian in Las Vegas. Honestly, I dont ever want to work in the tourist industry ever again. it''s incredible how mean people on vacation can be. Dealing with folks from all over the world is very stressfull. Well, I consider it punishment for not going to school and getting a degree. I don''t know what I am going to do when it comes time to go back to work
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Date: 1/6/2006 5:02:19 PM
Author: VegasAngel
The answer to your question: when I was working, Heck no! (I quit in June when I found out I was pregnant). I worked at the Venetian in Las Vegas. Honestly, I dont ever want to work in the tourist industry ever again. it''s incredible how mean people on vacation can be. Dealing with folks from all over the world is very stressfull. Well, I consider it punishment for not going to school and getting a degree. I don''t know what I am going to do when it comes time to go back to work
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Congrats on your pregnancy! Hope you''re able to stay home with your little one for a while before heading back to work.
 
Aww, thanks MC! I'm going to stay home as long as I can. My husband thinks I wont go back to work at all, lol. The long break has been good for me, I was so burnt out in my last position. I think i'll be in good shape when it comes time to get back to work. I'll probably be stuck in a casino but doing something else this time around.
 
Date: 1/6/2006 5:02:19 PM
Author: VegasAngel
The answer to your question: when I was working, Heck no! (I quit in June when I found out I was pregnant). I worked at the Venetian in Las Vegas. Honestly, I dont ever want to work in the tourist industry ever again. it''s incredible how mean people on vacation can be. Dealing with folks from all over the world is very stressfull. Well, I consider it punishment for not going to school and getting a degree. I don''t know what I am going to do when it comes time to go back to work
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Congratulations!!

About your job: I''ve heard others say that about tourism, as well. Don''t worry - there are a lot of things you could pursue even without a degree.

BTW, I almost decided to have my wedding at the Venetian but I guess that''s another forum
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Just thought I''d update...I still don''t like my job but my boss just offered to pay for me to go to graduate school. So I guess it''s not all bad!
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Thanks Zekele! :)

I Know that right now i''m not willing/able to put 100% into college, so why go? Perhaps down the road when I am ready to apply myself I will go to college.

One thing I can say about the Venetian is they can pull together some kick A$$ weddings. The wedding chapel is so pretty & if a couple is not shy the gondola & bridge weddings are so cute.

your boss will pay for grad school? Lucky you
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I really like what I do, I''m an appellate attorney. Which means I write briefs and send them off to people like littlelysser and her judge, who then read them and go
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