What is your work ethics?

[daj]

Just interested in what other people think about working and there attitude towards it?

recent change in circumstances for me have REALLY made me starting to think about what is important in values to my approach to work?

All my working life I would say I have always been a hard worker and never out of work but never a career person I always apply myself and do the best I can achieve. but deff not a live to work person, I progressed well through my original company and left after 9 years (long story of a new life that all went wrong) with this attitude.

Jump on a few years and been in a few more jobs none that have been particular great in company/pay etc BUT all of them I settled in great, enjoyed my times and always had a grin but in the back of my mind kept thinking I could be doing better.

Similar to last job it had no particular future , a very poor company that paid enough to live and was close to home. I had a love hate with it ...I loved the people and worked hard and looking back actually enjoyed the job but got VERY frustrated with pay and working conditions (they really were pretty poor!) but there was no pressure from bosses everyone was pretty decent certainly never had a bad day there.

Again was thinking about doing better (5th job at 37 so not a serial job jumper!) then got the push I needed when made redundant and here I am now ....

I have dropped into what seems a pretty decent company with a pay increase to last job (not massive but better) but what has become clear its a pretty stressful job (im 4th in 2 years! :shock: ). I am commuting upto 2 hours a day on top of at least 4 out of 5 days being a day of hell the stresses are pretty bad (im prob exaggerating) but tends to feel like that...

So my summary is what is actually more important to me? I guess I thought it was getting the salary back up with working for a decent company in decent conditions but sitting here now I am thinking its not about that at all for me personally .....

I guess there is someone out there who is going to say "at least you have a job" which I agree but this is more about what is your values to your approach to work.

 

[legrandefromage]

At least you... Oh you've done that already.

Its hard. Company loyalty makes us do odd things. My job at a famous F1 satellite company was the most stressful I'd ever known but I wouldn't have given it up for the world. Whereas the 6 years in the taxi was the easiest but the most soul destroying. I now have a job that is both easy on the soul and pays well. I had a paid day off today in full knowledge of my boss simply because of a couple of cancellations. But tomorrow could be a 12 hour day with 250 miles of travel.

There are jobs and there are jobs. Some pay well but make you curse the day you joined. I loved my bike shop job. Low pay but a cycle to work meant it would be tough but it would work out. What didn't work out was the arseholes I worked with - they really were areses.

 

[The History Man]

Perspective. Can you afford not to work? Probably not. Are you comfortable with your life? Could you enjoy more on less if you had to?

A job can be a means to an end, a career, a way to fulfil your responsibilities or something you enjoy or more than one of these.

Your health and happiness and that of those you care for is far more important. Take it from one who knows.
You're only here once. Life is not a rehearsal. Start looking. Stay working though? Times are tough.

Regards

 

[The History Man]

What didn't work out was the arseholes I worked with - they really were areses.

What does astrology have to do with it?

 

[MarinMartin]

I would choose enjoying work over the money any day. Im currently in the unfortunate position of not having a job but my last job (only a temporary contract) was the best. the pay was rubbish but I survived on it. but I enjoyed it, working outdoors, always different locations and always learning something different and even though some of the group were complete and utter arseholes, there were a good few people who I really liked working with.

I spent a very short time working in a well known company and hated it with a passion. the job I could almost cope with (was my first ever job) but the manager was a cow and the organisation was a shambles. it was like £2 an hour more than the next job but I preferred earning less and not wanting to quit every day I worked there.

currently am only doing voluntary work in a place that restores bikes and furniture which gets donated/salvaged. I know I get no wage for it but I really enjoy it and thats all that matters to me.

 

[marc two tone]

In the grand scheme of things, Your example of the last 15-20 years is quite typical, in job terms.

You are not alone with your reflection, the whole "where have i been " and, "where am i going" ? Yeah, been there too.

The fact is that we get thicker skins and less tolerant to work place bull'. The reality is that we get to come full circle and more or less stall, when not in a career anyway.
For 'happy just to work and pay your way' people it is just a case of having outside interests to keep you enthusiastic.

Ethics? Well, i believe in hard work and sponging up information. Meeting people and learning skills has always lead to other jobs for me. 20 years of that approach has kept me going .

I'm not uni or even good college educated but have qualifications and experience in building trade, leisure, industrial cleaning and even, management. Neither of those i execute right now as i learn when i'm 'trapped' and even getting mugged-off and, simply move on.
Some jobs you can build on and move up, so to speak, but can be a false sense of elevation too. I just stick to the level i'm satisfied with and ride it out.
Even folk that have excelled and, 'live the dream' can find themselves bored and stagnating.
The bottom line is you can't take it with you, so rest by the sword and enjoy what you can, when you can.

 

[suburbanreuben]

Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow!

 

[RadNomad]

A big topic with many facets, but in a few bullet points i would say:
- Avoid long commutes. Under 30mins each way is preferable.
- Always chase knowledge not money. Chase knowledge your career will grow, chase money it will stall. Try to gain knowledge which compliments other knowledge to build a more focussed CV. Top employers want competent people, not jacks of all trades.
- If you sense you have higher potential but weak qualifications, consider further education if possible, night school etc. The sacrifice is temporary but it's rewarding and a good financial investment in the long term.
- Avoid judging others and getting into petty office politics. People who think others are a$$holes should look in the mirror first. Even if they are a$$holes, so what? Gravitate toward decent, positive, optimistic types who rise above that bull$hit.
- If you seek career progression behave and dress in accordance with the position above yours or the position you really want. If you act and look like a manager you are more likely to be seen as a future one. The workshop clown is unlikely to become the next foreman, for example.
- Never under sell yourself. If you are honest, dedicated, decent toward others and try to take pride in doing a good job, you already have a lot going for you!
- Avoid excessive job-hopping. Employers don't like to see a succession of short tenures in different companies, it suggests lack of loyalty, inability to progress, lower dependability. Choose a job carefully then hold it for at least 2 or 3 years to demonstrate that you succeeded in the role. When i look at CVs i am likely to disregard anything below 1 year since the person didn't prove they succeeded in the role.

 

[RadNomad]

Sorry maybe it wasn't career advice/opinion you were after.. Responding to your question about work ethics and attitude to work i would say the important thing is that it pays enough to live reasonably, enables you to extract some sense of job satisfaction and helps you get where you want to be in life. Family and love are more important than any job - never take work pressure home and have it destroy or weaken private relationships.

 

[legrandefromage]

Arseholes turned me into a newt!

Unfortunately those same arses also lost me my job so I couldn't really ignore them.

Strangely enough I had the same conversation today. I'm not so much bothered by money now, I just want to get further into my job. It's taken me 9 years to get back where I was in 2004 just before redundancy screwed it all up.

Funnily enough I mentioned further training today too as I feel that's the next step.