I like my job. Really, I do! I think it’s the perfect blend of working on fun topics, doing serious research, interviewing awesome people, and getting to do what I love most (that’s writing!) a third of the day. (The other two-thirds are, naturally, spent sleeping and eating.) However, the simple fact remains that far from every person likes their job. Plenty of people are gritting their teeth, trying to get to the weekend ASAP, breaking their backs for the next paycheck, secretly daydreaming about a job they’d love.
This article, however, is all about liking your job. Twitter user Mistermoviespod, aka Monsieur cinèma, the creator of ‘Mister Movies Pod Cast,’ sparked a fun and engaging discussion when he asked his followers who actually enjoy their jobs to share what they do.
We’ve collected some of the best responses so have a scroll down, have a read, and let everyone know which jobs sound the coolest to you, dear Pandas. Oh, and if you’re feeling brave enough to share, we’d love to hear whether you like your job and, if so, what it is you do!
Bored Panda reached out to Shiann Aronson from VidCruiter for a comment about the importance of passion at work, what to do if you're feeling a tad overwhelmed or if the spark for your job has grown dimmer. Scroll down for their insights.
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According to Shiann from VidCruiter, putting in some extra effort and showing that you care about your job beyond just your next paycheck can work wonders. "It's important for employees to have passion for their job because it motivates them to put in an extra bit of effort that can increase the quality of their work. When applying for a new job, candidates can showcase any volunteer efforts they have made in the industry, or if they have been a part of any groups or events. This shows that you're willing to go the extra mile, and not just there for a paycheck."
Showing recruiters that the position you're applying for is more of a calling and not 'just a job' for you can also improve your chances of success. "Another way to show passion for a job in an interview is by referencing recent events in the industry. Or, if you're particularly passionate about the company you're applying to, mention specific events and developments that the company has recently been a part of," Shiann said.
Meanwhile, if you feel like you're either overwhelmed at work or that you're simply not as interested in your daily tasks as you once were, it's time for some honest introspection. "Think back to what made you like your job in the first place. What stands out to you the most? Reflect on this, and at the same time assess your current projects and goals for the work you are doing," Shiann said. Getting a proper game plan together and making clear, actionable steps will help you to see where your actions benefit the company as a whole and will give you a clearer picture of your future at the company."
Mister Movies’ thread on Twitter was wildly popular. It got over 102.5k likes in less than two days and really got people thinking about how they feel about their current jobs. Of course, no job’s perfect (personally, I don’t think there’s even such a thing), but there are plenty of things to do that give folks a lot of pleasure.
A lot of it has to do with jobs coinciding with a person’s passions in life. If you’re into nature and animals, odds are, you’re more likely to enjoy working at a zoo or as a gardener/botany specialist than someone who’s way more into architecture or astronomy. Passion drives us forward. Without it, we tend to put in far less effort. Though, to be fair, sustaining passion over a long period of time is a very difficult task.
Anytime you can combine what you love to do with a career that will lead to a rewarding life. As a pianist who enjoyed fixing things as a kid, I ended up 36 years repairing electronic keyboards, organs, and synthesizers for a living. I loved every minute of it!
Quite naturally, some of you Pandas might be thinking about switching jobs. Maybe you’ve had your eye on your dream job for a while now but never had the guts to actually apply. Or maybe you’ve been sending out job applications for months and months without much success. Either way, one thing we can probably agree on is that applying for a job and going to interviews can be super stressful, even if you’re super qualified.
Still just a hobby, but I made that same shift. Went from balsa wood swords and guns (~10 years ago) to suddenly deciding I was going to make a totally custom gaming table from my own blueprints. It turned out pretty great and now I'm seeing problems all over the house that I could solve with woodworking... like a little bookshelf made to fit *exactly there*... it's a great hobby, I'm all-in!
I have deep respect for scientists, especially those who are searching for answers to improve quality of life.
Career coach Jermaine Murray from JupiterHR previously gave Bored Panda some great insights on what to do and what to avoid doing when going to your next job interview. He stressed that the number one mistake that the people applying for a position do is being too humble and not doing enough to highlight their achievements.
I love seeing other teachers who love their job! I absolutely love my job and being in my classroom with my students is one of my favorite places to be. It's more stressful right now with everything going on in the world (especially in the USA), but once I'm in the classroom that all goes away and it's awesome. I love my kids and I love it when a concept I'm teaching just clicks with them and they get it.
I, too, am a cat sitter. I love cats. I love the job. Mostly. Taking care of seriously ill cats can be stressful. Driving many of the same routes, day after day after day, gets monotonous. Coming upon cats whose owners could take better care of their cats bums me out. (Fat cats, dirty cat dishes, cat boxes that have not been scooped in several days.) For the most part, though, the most stressful part about being a cat sitter is finding a parking spot.Good lord! Oh, and not having health insurance. Still, I am very happy being a cat sitter. It is a great job for a socially awkward person who loves the company of cats.
"They humble themselves when they need to be boasting. If you understand why the work that you were doing was important and how it impacts your org (project) then you should be explaining that to the interviewer without holding back. How did you go above and beyond to make sure things worked? What creative ways did you come up with? Show off,” the career coach told Bored Panda.
Yup- the café half of my dream "job"- couple the good cuppa with a good book and you're onto a winner IMHO.
According to Jermaine, both our body language and our tone of voice during interviews are “super important” when it comes to performing well during job interviews. He pointed out that we should “always want to be perceived as confident and capable,” and our body language should reflect that.
"If your body language or tone says otherwise, you destroy the perception of your skills. Once that's gone so are your chances of landing the job," career coach Jermaine warned that impressions really do matter and that we ought to do our best to appear confident (even if we’re actually really nervous).
"You can teach someone to be a better coder but it's near impossible to teach them how to be a better person. Recruiters will always value personality first, but technical skills are a very close second," Jermaine said what recruiters are looking for in candidates.
"Hiring managers keep that in mind and try to make sure candidates they like can perform competently. Different things contribute to this bar that aren't based on the candidate but the organization's internal ability to support and develop someone. Once those two elements are present, a hire will happen,” he stressed how hiring processes work.
We can dye our own hair but not a dye that rubs/fades out in a week or less? People are so uptight.
So, dear Pandas, which of these jobs did you personally find to be the most interesting? What does your own dream job look like? Is there any chance that you've already found it and you're as happy as can be every single day? Share your thoughts in the comment section, we can't wait to read what you have to say.
I know someone who (pre-covid) moved hemispheres twice a year to be a ski instructor year round!
I seem to detect a correlation between people working jobs that have a union and them having a good life without worries about job security.
I hope this will be me soon! I’ve been a photographer since I was a kid and recently left the corporate world. I miss having a studio and photographing kids most of all😌😌😌
I teach at a technical college and I love it. Honestly, I cannot for the life of me understand why society does not like adolescents and young adults > they are the absolute best! 15-25 year olds are kind, curious, strong, sociable, tolerant, full of humor, full of life, serious, knowledgable, forgiving, and just naive enough for me to have a bit of fun with. My students are 90% guys and they are fantastic (yes, even the a**holes - I like these best anyway). And they keep me up to date with social media and share the silliest videos (because, yes, I want to see those!). And if you want an honest opinion without adult snark and viciousness, these young guys are the ones to go to.
I'm not liking my 16 yr old much today. He's been super angsty lately and keeps blaming me for his own self-inflicted misery. Usually we're good though.
Load More Replies...Disproportionate number of scientists, artists, and artisans. Interesting. But I'm a research scientist and I love my job! I study the persistent behavioral & cognitive effects of psychedelics using rat and fly experimental systems. Since rats don't have any expectations from the drugs, we know that our results aren't placebo effect. And with flies we can use DREADDs to turn on and off certain neurons to investigate the ones that contribute to our desired effect.
I am a research regulatory manager for an IRB. Though you would submit IACUC from the sounds of it since you are using animals. Working for an IRB is sometimes really great because you get to help researchers and look over all this really neat research. Though it also sucks because if a study has a lot of issues, some PIs get nasty about it and say we are hindering research. Most researchers are very nice and see us as helping, but it only takes a few nasty emails to ruin your day.
Load More Replies...I teach at a technical college and I love it. Honestly, I cannot for the life of me understand why society does not like adolescents and young adults > they are the absolute best! 15-25 year olds are kind, curious, strong, sociable, tolerant, full of humor, full of life, serious, knowledgable, forgiving, and just naive enough for me to have a bit of fun with. My students are 90% guys and they are fantastic (yes, even the a**holes - I like these best anyway). And they keep me up to date with social media and share the silliest videos (because, yes, I want to see those!). And if you want an honest opinion without adult snark and viciousness, these young guys are the ones to go to.
I'm not liking my 16 yr old much today. He's been super angsty lately and keeps blaming me for his own self-inflicted misery. Usually we're good though.
Load More Replies...Disproportionate number of scientists, artists, and artisans. Interesting. But I'm a research scientist and I love my job! I study the persistent behavioral & cognitive effects of psychedelics using rat and fly experimental systems. Since rats don't have any expectations from the drugs, we know that our results aren't placebo effect. And with flies we can use DREADDs to turn on and off certain neurons to investigate the ones that contribute to our desired effect.
I am a research regulatory manager for an IRB. Though you would submit IACUC from the sounds of it since you are using animals. Working for an IRB is sometimes really great because you get to help researchers and look over all this really neat research. Though it also sucks because if a study has a lot of issues, some PIs get nasty about it and say we are hindering research. Most researchers are very nice and see us as helping, but it only takes a few nasty emails to ruin your day.
Load More Replies...