How many of us

[upnorth]

Actually look forward to going to work. I know most or all of us have other things to do with our time that is more enjoyable than going to work.

I am thinking about this because I have done a little bit of job hopping as of late and originally left a job where most the time I looked forward to going to work in the morning for a couple jobs where I have to force myself out the door. The money is better here and the work is pretty much the same, but the environment is much different.

And no there is not much chance of going back at least to the first one(a lot of co workers wanted me back, the manager not so much), the second one well big shake up going on and there is some talks.

[Steve Foss]

I've always gotten bored after mastering a specific job, and when it got to be an effort to go into work, it was time to change jobs. Either within the same company or by finding a new job with a new company.

Now that I have three small businesses, I'm never bored, because you never know which business someone is calling when the phone rings, and there's a wide variety of things to do in any given week. I may shoot a wedding on Saturday, guide for lake trout on Sunday and rebuild a dock at someone's lake cabin on Monday.

Not a very good way to approach retirement/security, but it certainly has kept things interesting these last 30something years, and has led to a tremendously wide range of job experience.

[upnorth]

I work in IT so it is always changing and never stale. And I don't dislike the work, like working with both technology and people, but just some quirky environments in these last 2 places.

And I agree I couldn't take a job at all where is was the same old, same old day after day.

[pushbutton]

I've always gotten bored after mastering a specific job, and when it got to be an effort to go into work, it was time to change jobs. Not a very good way to approach retirement/security, but it certainly has kept things interesting these last 30something years.

What he said.... have non medicated job ADHD

[Jim Almquist]

I work in IT so it is always changing and never stale. And I don't dislike the work, like working with both technology and people, but just some quirky environments in these last 2 places.

And I agree I couldn't take a job at all where is was the same old, same old day after day.

When I was doing telephone work I called on lots of different accounts. It was not to hard to tell what company's had a bad "culture" and what company's had a good "culture". It did not make my job any easier because at bad company's most of the people seemed to always be unhappy/cranky which ended up making it harder to resolve problems.

[Finns]

Retired with knee injury in July after 33 years on the fire department. Loved at least 30 of those years. Used to go in to work about half hour early just to get info about the days before (on 24 off 48). Didn't care much for classes and tours but all in all, LOVED IT!

[Knoc]

The people you work with will definitely make or break how a person likes the job. I would rather work a job with a great work environment that has the "family feel" to it for less money, than to work for a place where its either all drama or work with grumpy people all day.

[upnorth]

The people you work with will definitely make or break how a person likes the job. I would rather work a job with a great work environment that has the "family feel" to it for less money, than to work for a place where its either all drama or work with grumpy people all day.

I agree, and hind sight is 20/20 here.

[Down Deep]

I've been with the same employer for 30 years, but in many different capacities. About 10 years ago I got my present job. The upside was that the pay was more than excellent and work would be interesting, challenging and I would be very busy. The downside was that there were a couple long term employees that I had to deal with everyday that were right in the dictionary in the A section listed under you know which word. I was wondering why I would endure day to day drugery working with these people. It took awhile for the company to weed them out. Once we did we hired and promoted people who are hardworking, but most of all fun to be with. We all now work for each other and lines between supervisor and employee are blurred. We have a great organization now and are very productive. It is a delight to go to work. In just 2 years I'm going to retire from this job. I been put on notice that my replacement has to fit in as part of the team. I'm not sure I'll have much or a say of who that person will be, but I have my recommendations.

I also keep myself busy with a retail store that the wife and I started about 10 years ago. It is doing very well. I have a consulting business and work for several businesses around the area which is work I really enyoy. I plan to keep both of these busineses after I retire from my day job

Your are right it is the people in the workplace that make or break a job.

[Duffman]

Been at the same place for 18 yrs, we've been bought and sold multiple times. We have two distinct groups at work, the fun group, and the socially inept group. Hmmmmm I wonder which one Duff falls in???

We have the software guys, and the geography guys. Everybody in my group seems to make it a mission to make everyone else in the group laugh once a day. And that makes going into a boring job day after day actually pretty fun. 13 of the 17 people in my group have been working together for 10 yrs or more. The people make my job, it's like the TMZ office, the girls can dish it out as well as the guys. One of best friends is my boss, she's great. Sure everybody has their little quirks that drive everyone else crazy, but we all get along well and do our job well. That kind of atmosphere with the right people can be very productive.

We pretty much have a stress free job, and we all know that, so there's not a ton of complaining going on. Do I love my job? No. I've reached a deadend with the company, but I'm ok with that. When I walk out those doors in the eve, work doesn't even cross my mind till I pull in the parking lot the next morning. "Ride this baby out" is my work thing.

[upnorth]

Well I guess I have learned the grass is not greener on the other side of the fence, it is greener over the septic tank I hate job hopping, but not liking this struggle to get my butt out the door like I have experienced lately. I always said I don't want to be one of those people that you see with a scowl on their face as the drive to work, but I am heading down that path. Worst is it comes home with me and takes it toll on my time off too.

[Duffman]

There's nothing wrong with seeking to return to your previous job, although you said it's probably not in the cards. We've had multiple re-hires over the years, some guys have even come back twice after testing the green grass elsewhere. And they are welcomed back, well, most of them, the ones that don't pass the social mustard test generally aren't re-hired.

There's a reason why they call me "The Godfather" at work.

[Steve Foss]

There's a reason why they call me "The Godfather" at work.

You talk with a wheeze?

[THavas]

wow.... i just started a thread, then saw this one :-) similarities in them both

[upnorth]

One place is talking about trying to get me back, but they are in the midst of some major changes and they not really ready to go that route. And the other place the general workers want me back but I don't think the manager really got over me leaving. Her handling of my notice of resignation was not real professional! But I guess she did things the best she could at that moment in time.

[TylerS]

It's funny, but my favorite job of all time was working with a concrete crew during my summer break from college. The work was backbreaking, but I got to be outside, and I learned what it meant to take pride in a job well done.

But what made the job really fun was exactly what you people have described: family atmosphere. All the guys had been together for years, and when I came in I felt like their little brother. They dished out a lot of [PoorWordUsage], and for a while I thought they didn't like me. Then one day I dished some back, and sort of earned a little bit of respect. That went a long way, and before I had a job lined up after graduation, I honestly was planning to go back and work for them full time.

It would have been ironic, really. They warned me when I started that every single person on the crew either was a college dropout, or had a college degree but never found a job in their field. I guess I was the first one to break that cycle! Kinda of bummed about it, in a way, but in hindsight it was probably for the best. We had a lot of work during those summers, but when the housing bubble burst, I heard they really struggled to get jobs.

Guess it was for the best

[Dave S]

My new job really hasn't been a bed of roses. Been told by a few that "we're more 'reactive' here". They're not "proactive" that's for sure.

The majority of the people I have to deal with are recovering alcoholics or drug addicts or not recovering at all. Some have psychological issues and are either bi-polar or suffer from war-time injuries.

Then there's the constant struggle of having everyone around you trying to throw you under the bus.

I was told it was a different company from 22 years ago when I was there the first time. They sure have that right. It's gone downhill.

[upnorth]

I feel for ya, that constant chaos of crisis management sucks.

I took my present job with some info being withheld too. I won't go into details I was told something entirely different than reality.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I can't say I look forward to going to work, but I can easily say I"m happy to have a job to go to. Not too long ago the company I work for was bought out, and the lay offs came. I survived.

The job I have now is the best job I"ve ever had. The hours can get interesting, but I like what I do, and the guys I work with are pretty cool.

[upnorth]

O don't get me wrong I am happy to be working. Just I left something better for something not so good. Grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence, the grass is greener over the septic tank.

[Dave S]

I feel for ya, that constant chaos of crisis management sucks.

I took my present job with some info being withheld too. I won't go into details I was told something entirely different than reality.

The main thing is, it is a job. I'm going to stick with mine as long as I can before I bail out in hopes of finding something with a higher level of "normalcy". It's tough to argue with the pay and the 4 mile commute at the moment.

[upnorth]

Yep working and paying the bills is a good thing. Can only complain so much.

[harvey lee]

I have been retired for the past 14 years.

I always worked in sales of some type and I really enjoyed the challenge and all the people I worked with.

Now I enjoy the fishing, hunting and racing. Spending alot of time with the grandkids is a blast also.

Gotta stink if one has to go to work every morning knowing you hate your job. Long day it has to be.

[Down Deep]

A week ago Sunday all was well and I was sitting around in the late afternoon watching some football. About 5:30 pm my guts begin to growl and I felt like I had some really bad gas. An hour later I was doubled up and darn near passed out and on my way to hospital. I was admitted at mid-night with severe inflammatory colitis. I never had it before and I hope you never do. To kill the pain they hooked me up to some morphine. On Monday morning I was in a semiconscious state due to the morphine and had been quarantined while they completed some tests. I was hooked up to the morphine until Thursday night. I didn't get out of the hospital until Friday afternoon and still haven't been back to work. I didn't write this to inform you of my illness, so here is the point.

I've mentioned earlier in this thread that I work with some very dedicated and professional people. Today, I finally looked at my emails and there was a note from our IT Manager that my company passwords had been changed and to see her when I return to work. I then called in and found out that the reason for the change of passwords was that two of the supervisors that work for our company and who I work with on a daily basis had requested access to use my computer which was allowed. They decided on their own to get my calendar and contacts and do as much as my work as they could. I spoke with one the Supervisors today and she assured me that most of what I needed to do this and last week had been taken care of. We then spoke for another half/hour about what had happened to me. About an hour later there was a knock on the door and both of them walked through. They brought a chocolate malt and cup of some really good coffee. When they were ready to go they both assured me that they would take care of just about everything I needed to do while I was out. I"m pretty sure they've been working some OT because they are very busy with their jobs. This is why I feel lucky to work where I do. There is some good food and beer in their futures.

[upnorth]

I would have got a call to see if I could work from home til I got better. Happens pretty much every time I take a sick day.