Spin off from the "is your job fun" thread. A few people were pretty emphatic that they had no fun at work. It made me wonder about what people value most in a job. Is having fun at work worth making less money? Are you simply there to earn a living and put as much money in your family's pocket as possible, regardless of whether you like the job? Are you looking for personal fulfillment from the work itself, etc?
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I haven't read that thread. But having employers that value my contribution to the company and acknowledges it is definitely near the top for me.
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It's important to me that my contributions are valued and appreciated. I also think that it's good when the company an find a way to make their employees feel like they are appreciated as people. The culture in my workplace has changed so much in the last six months with a CEO who does not make us feel valued and appreciated.
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I'm not going to lie and say money isn't my number one priority with work. There are many other things I could do that would be more personally (and professionally) fulfilling, but what I'm doing now is making my family enough money to be plenty comfortable and allows my husband to SAH. My work will always be important because of the profession, just the specialty I'm in right now is pretty boring.
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For me, it's extremely important that my employer realize that my family comes first, but that putting my family first doesn't mean I can't make valuable and important contributions at work too
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@NavyRN2012: I don't think there's anything wrong with that! Helping to provide for my family's future is a big reason I work. For right now flexibility is more important to me than maximizing my earnings, but I'm only able to make that choice because my husband is the primary breadwinner.
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DH and I both have non-traditional jobs in our field that allow us flexibility and a good work-life balance. So that's probably my #1 priority. Feeling appreciated is important, too.
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Personal fulfillment is my number one priority and number two is the money. I would not be able to go to work everyday and do something that bores me or makes me miserable. I really love what I do.
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With a baby and a 3 year old the flexibility to put family first is number 1. I won't work while I'm with the kids and I'm not sleeping enough to work at home/at night at all right now. My boss respected my work restrictions due to pregnancy and hasn't asked me to travel since I got back from maternity leave. If family wasn't #1 they would have lost me a while back.
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I've thought about this quite a bit lately. I don't love or hate my job. However, one thing that keeps me there is the fact that I love my boss and she knows and also agrees that family comes first. I have peace knowing if something were to happen and I'm needed, I can leave at a moments notice. I also have seniority in my office, feel valued and am at a point where I have a decent amount of vacation. All things that would be difficult to leave.
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Right now the work life balance. They are understanding I solo parent a lot and that means I can't work late.
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Flexibility and security and the fact that this was the only type of law I had interest in practicing were why I took this job out of law school. I knew I was going to get paid far less than my friends in the private sector but I also knew I wanted a family and with my government job I have extremely secure employment, excellent and cheap health benefits, and the ability to work part time. It also helps that my department has almost all working parents, collegial colleagues, and bosses who like me and have been extremely supportive of my family first mindset. Frankly, after daycare and commuting costs, I don't bring home much money, but I'm good at my job, it keeps my license current, and my family has a good groove right now (granted I'm due with #2 in May!). I figure I will work like this for a few years until my kids are older and reassess my hours as time goes on.
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Money and flexibility !
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To me, personally, my job has to really mean something and I have to feel like I make a real difference. Fun at work is also good. But my priorities are not top of the list right now, my family's priorities are - and they are 1) Money 2) Flexibility. I hate my current job but it pays really well and is super flexible.
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Flexibility is most important. We live far away from any family help so one of us has to be flexible for our LOs. I really love what I do and get a lot of personal satisfaction from my job and being my own boss. As for fun, I think most people would find my job boring, but I enjoy the nerdy challenge...it could be somewhat akin to doing crossword puzzles all day.
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Work life balance and flexibility. Basically I don't want to work a crap ton of hours and if my kid is sick I want the back up support at work to stay home with her.
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I value money. Then flexibility and feeling valued. I work in an industry where flexibility and high pay is the norm, so I have high standards. The job market is extremely hot right now - we can barely get qualified candidates in to interview. So I feel like in my industry there are higher expectations for culture, fun, money, etc.
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A decent boss. I have had two jobs where everyone really disliked the boss and it makes for a really negative and stressful work environment. Both jobs I ended up quitting, along with several other people.
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Flexibility and knowing my contribution matters.
With this move I will solo parent alot, and it's just now hitting me how hard it will be 4-5 mornings and 3-4 nights in a row caring for a baby plus doing my job is going to be. I'm able to go at my own pace now because my job is flexible and all I have to do is worry about me. The 60-90 minutes I jump on the computer every morning before leaving for the day is going to become a thing of the past I'm certain.
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Money first because I wouldn't be here if it wasn't "worth my time".
Secondly the family life balance. I have no pressure to stay past 5pm, I can take off when needed for sick kids, etc.
Other than that I think enjoying co-workers and feeling like I'm accomplishing something helps.
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@Mrs. Goose: oh yes, I'd definitely put that right behind money! A bad boss can truly impact almost all aspects of a job!
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To me a job is just a job. Bonus if the job is fun, enriching, etc.
My job isn't really fun, but I'm not miserable here or anything. If the job is so bad that it's impacting me negatively in terms of emotional health, then that's a problem. But I've always maintained that I don't particularly love my job but it's a means for me to support my family.
I think the thing I value most is that it works for my need for a good work/life balance. My job right now is only 20 min from my house, and fairly flexible and not much OT so that's why I'm here.
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Being passionate about my job is #1 then flexibility and money. Currently looking for a new job and hoping I can find all 3 in the same position.
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I put my time in and I have been rewarded with flexibility. I appreciate that I am trusted to do what I need to do without a lot of micromanagement. My situation is unique, I get that, this employer has been the stuff of dreams for 20 years.
I also want my time to be respected. Do not impose things on me that are disguised as perks to keep me there later than is needed to complete my work.
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1. Hours. I love picking up DS by 3pm at the latest every day.
2. Doing something I believe in.
3. Money. I'm a teacher, so it's not really #1 -
Personal fulfillment comes first, which means the work has to be interesting and challenging. Money is also obviously important. Fun is important but not in the way described in the other thread. I'm in my mid-30's - I don't want to have wii tournaments at work or play with Legos, that's just not the kind of "fun" I'm looking for at work. I can do those things at home. Good conversation, supportive managers/team/coworkers and interesting work full of challenges is fun enough.
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@T.H.O.U.: This, verbatim.
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@Truth Bombs: I care about decent colleagues. If I like the people around me, I like going into work and it matters less exactly what type of work I am doing (corporate law).
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I don't know that I would qualify my job as "fun" but I do love it. I think the biggest thing for me is having a job that I enjoy and find interesting and fulfilling. I'm proud of what I do and that goes a long way. I also picked a career that is known for being good for working mothers. My specific job also has better flexibility than most positions in my field, which is really nice. And, for me, it's really important that I get along with my coworkers and bosses. Honestly, money is pretty far down the list for me. My husband makes a good salary and we could get by without me working at all. But I like working.
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Flexibility matters, and having good coworkers and management. Money didn't use to matter when I was single, but with two kids in day care and having to move to a bigger place, it matters big time. But I think I'd still pick this job over one that pays more, because no one chews me out if the kids need me and I work from home here and there.
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I've been thinking about this alot, because I've had some recruiters contact me recently and I even did a phone interview with another company. In the end, I decided that my current job is where I want to be, even if someone else offered me more money. So my priorities right now are:
1. General enjoyment - includes the fact that I like my day-to-day responsibilities, my values are aligned with the company's, and I get along with co-workers and bosses
2. Flexibility and work-life balance
3. Money -
@yellowbird: this exactly! There are many careers fields I perceive to be easier or harder than mine or more prestigious etc but I always say I wouldn't do that for a million dollars a year. I love my job and take pride in it. Money is second important because there's no denying the role it plays in security and lifestyle.
Flexibility, good bosses and coworkers, benefits are all bonuses too.
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Family life balance and a sense of purpose
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This question comes at a very timely moment for me. I just (6 weeks ago) switched jobs due to a great pension plan and free health insurance. I went from a tiny consulting firm where I was extremely valued and respected by my client and where my coworkers genuinely cared about me and my kids to a state govt position where I'm expected to stay in my box and do the same type of thing day in and day out. It's also a lot slower pace than consulting, I really thought it would make for a great work life balance and its is amazing leaving at 3:30 and not thinking about work until the next day but I have quickly realized that I need to have value and while I'm new here and I realize that takes time but even my coworkers are unhappy they know they are a cog in the wheel of an organization and are here for the benefits. My old job hasn't been filled and I want to go back but the new job is better on paper by far and my husband and I have been going back and forth via text about how much the pension matters. Hopefully this weekend we will have time to actually discuss it. We have 25-30 years to retirement and I can't imagine staying here for that long unhappy.
All of that to say that to me the flexibility and culture of an office along with feeling value matter more to me than money.
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I value interesting and challenging work and a flexible schedule.
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I'm surprised more people didn't mention the culture! I've had good and bad experiences with this and the bad ones sent me running super fast. If it's a positive helpful environment that encourages employees to be friends instead of enemies I think that makes up for not being paid a lot or even doing what you love. So basically interaction with your manager can make or break things.
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Money and flexibility! I don't care if I have fun or am miserable at work if I can come and go when I want and I make sufficient money.
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1. Flexibility/Work Life Balance
2. Being Valued
3. Enjoying the work -
@Modern Daisy: the culture is what has me wanting to run currently
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