I really wanted to start a thread about why you dislike your job, but I'm trying be more positive these days so I figured I'd include both. What are 3-5 reasons you both like and dislike your job, or working in general? You should probably say what your job is too!

My Job: I work for a non-profit that helps low-income high school students get involved in politics and activism. I run our Elections programs.

Why I like my job:
1. I get to wear jeans and sandals to work almost every day
2. I get to hang out with HS kids often, but I'm not their teacher, so they tend to like me (I'm also pretty damn cool)
3. I really feel that the work I do makes a difference, not only in the lives of my students, but also a real difference in the political discourse of Chicago
4. The people I work with are my age and fun to be around
5. I don't work for a corporation, and we don't take any profit for our services, which I truly love

Why I dislike my job:
1. I have to sit at my desk and stare at my computer screen for 8 hours a day whether I like it or not on most days, I especially hate this when it's effing beautiful outside like it is today
2. STRESS, Bigtime
3. I can't travel very much, because I have a job, this occurs at any job, therefore my goal is eventually to not have a job.
4. The population of kids I work with forces me to deal with hard issues. I deal a lot with teen pregnancy and parents, horrible parents, gun and other violence (one of my students got shot a month ago, another's cousin was stabbed and killed recently), gang pressures, hunger, etc.
5. People don't understand what a non-profit is. I get stupid ass questions all the time: "So like, do you get paid?"; "How do you guys make money?"; "What's the point?"; "That's nice for now but when are you gonna get a real job?"

Ok, you're turn =)

I work for the NHS in the acute cardiac setting - as part of the team treating patients in the middle of a heart attack.
I like my job because:
1. We save lives
2. Every day is different, interesting and varied, no boring office work for me!
3. The holiday time is great, 6+ weeks per year - fab for travelling
4. You have to think on your feet and the adrenalin is pumping (yes it can be a rush!)
5. I've been able to work round the world in this capacity

I hate my job because:
1. Some people die despite our best efforts
2. The pay is fairly crap
3. We have to work nights, weekends, bank holidays and christmas

I work for a large corporation, like most people. I'm in the accounting department and work specifically in asset management. I also pay people's expenses, one of those little responsibilities I picked up due to recession downsizing.

I like my job because
1 - I enjoy the people I work with
2 - My company has a good education policy and is paying my tuition.
3 - I have a lot of variety in my work, so if one project is boring me I can do something different.
4 - I get every second Friday off.
5 - We get some occasional extra perks - just got back from playing lasertag on company time (and the company dime).

I dislike my job
1 - I hate waking up on a schedule
2 - Sitting at a desk 8 hours most days isn't much fun
3 - My responsibilities are at times kinda vague, so it's hard to figure out exactly what it is I'm supposed to do.
4 - I am somewhat underpaid for my level of responsibility. Wages here were always at the low end of competitive and we're now going into our second year of wage freezes. I didn't even get a raise when I switched into a higher responsibility role.

Overall, I'm in no hurry to leave. I keep an eye out for interesting positions, but it's pretty rare that I spot something that interests me...maybe two or three per year. And none of them have even gone to interviews yet. I'm actually happy enough with my vacation situation...one more year and I hit 4 weeks. My major restricting factor is money, not time.

5. People don't understand what a non-profit is. I get stupid ass questions all the time: "So like, do you get paid?"; "How do you guys make money?"; "What's the point?"; "That's nice for now but when are you gonna get a real job?"

Seriously? This seems so bizarre to me. Seems to me that when I was a student, a good chunk of summer jobs were in non-profits, so it seems strange that people wouldn't know that there's real jobs in that sector. Of course, I'm still involved with non-profits as a volunteer, so maybe I'm just below average on the clueless scale.

What I like about my job:

1. it's easy and not demanding
2. there is very little supervision over me

What I hate about my job:

1. everything


TIME TO GO MY FRIENDS. 3 MORE MONTHS THEM IM OUTA THIS BIAAATCH

2wanderers wrote:

5. People don't understand what a non-profit is. I get stupid ass questions all the time: "So like, do you get paid?"; "How do you guys make money?"; "What's the point?"; "That's nice for now but when are you gonna get a real job?"

Seriously? This seems so bizarre to me. Seems to me that when I was a student, a good chunk of summer jobs were in non-profits, so it seems strange that people wouldn't know that there's real jobs in that sector. Of course, I'm still involved with non-profits as a volunteer, so maybe I'm just below average on the clueless scale.

Seriously, people are ridiculous. I'm always sort of astounded. A lot of people don't consider it a "real" job, whatever that is.

Frugal, hang tight man. I'm in the same boat, but I have 5-6 more months. Luckily I don't hate EVERYTHING about my job.

Why I like my job:
(1) Casual attire -- jeans and sneakers are ok
(2) Somewhat flexible hours -- you can arrive at work anytime from 8-9 am
(3) Compulsory one-week break between Christmas and New Years
(4) Decent vacation time for North American standards (around 3-4 weeks a year) aside from the break listed above
(5) We get every 3rd Friday off
(6) Flexible spending account which we can use to pay for gym memberships, laptops, sports instructions (like snowboarding lessons), etc.
(7) Tuition support for educational courses which I am currently using to pay for my travel writing class
(8) Lately, they have been sending people overseas for work through staff exchanges or through conferences abroad (I was sent to work in Australia last year for 3 months)
(9) When I do have work to do, I quite enjoy it
(10) I don't find it as stressful as other people (deadlines are set realistically and quite flexible)
(11) Great and respectful manager who doesn't go on power-trips and who allowed me to take off for 3 months to travel around Europe and 2 months to travel around SE Asia
(12) It pays relatively well -- enough to put down a downpayment at 24 years old

Why I dislike my job:
(1) Not particular to the job but I have this feeling of wanting to get out of the city I live in
(2) There are times where I have nothing to do so I end up surfing the internet for 8 hours (yes, I dislike this part)
(3) I stare at the computer screen all day
(4) I don't find it challenging enough
(5) Office politics, gossips, envious co-workers -- the normal stuff
(6) I don't feel like I make a difference to other people
(7) Not particular to the job but it prevents me from doing an RTW trip or a working holiday somewhere
(8) Not particular to the job but I feel like I'm wasting my youth by settling down to a particular job


Anyway, these are the reasons why I have a very hard time quitting my job. I'm afraid I might not find something similar.

What I hated about my first job:

MICROMANAGEMENT. My boss sat right next to me and would eavesdrop on my phone calls, and give me advice on how to handle myself over the phone the next time. So annoying. Made me feel like she didn't trust me, and that I was incompetent.