Ben Addington's Career Blog

Ben, one thing that I feel is totally essential in a work place is having superiors and co-workers that value your efforts and treat you as a professional. No one wants to feel like they are not adding value to the team.

Ben-

I agree with Chandra, a healthy work environment is very important when choosing a job. Do you like the work you are doing? How do the people get along with you and with each other. You have to remember that you will be spending a major portion of your waking hours in that environment and want to think carefully before you make the commitment.

Also when chosing a job it's only natural that someone would consider salary as one of the highest priorities. Especially when you are just entering the workforce and you will have living expenses on top of student loans. But just remember this: money cannot buy happiness.

Ben,
You've done some good thinking here--and you posed a great question for your seminar-mates. Good work.

I would add to Betsy and Chandra's thoughts that over the course of my career, I have moved 'intellectual challenge' or howwever you want to think of it, to the top of the list. I have found that the less a job 'feeds' me (stimulates me, challenges me, provides satisfation, etc.) the less energy and attention I have for friends,family, hobbies, etc--no matter how much time I actually have.

"Attention"--the ability to focus on and draw energy from various activities for me comes from work that puts me in the 'Zone' as they say. When my job takes up my attention but does not fuel me, then I have less available for other things.

Take a look at the book "Finding Flow" by M. Csikszentmihalyi for more info on how creativity and attention work together to produce energy--plus it's just a really good book.
Money is certainly important, but as the fellows who wrote "Now Discover Your Stengths" point out in their first book, once a minimum threshold is met, most people judge their jobs by satisfaction, etc.

You don't always need as much money as you may think, but you do always need room to grow. . . hence, if you must take a job for money, make a transition plan for later on.

Sarah

Ben, I just would like to say that you are definitely not alone. The questions you pose in this blog or posting or whatever we call these things, keep me up most nights. Most of my friends and I are graduating in May and have no clue if we have made the "right" decisions. The best advice I can give, or at least what has helped me , is to remember that everything happens for a reason. If you can put faith in that thought and realize that nothing is final, you might have some peace of mind. If you try a job and u dont like it, you leave and try something else. No worries. :)

A career is built over time and involves many layers of experiences. Here is my husband's story - take from it what you like. Graduated college with a bachelors degree in english - creative writing-poetry. Started an MFA program in writing, all the while working as an editor, customer service rep., sweepstakes writer for rebate co. and brueggers bagels. Anyway, he has now found his 'passion' in the newspaper business and although started as a reporter 18 mths ago, he is now the news editor- two promotions later. There is no way to know if the job you are applying for / have is the right one for you, but it may contribute towards something more rewarding down the line.

Your thoughts?
Betsy

Betsy

While I am aware you are at the beginning of a career life, I have discovered that happiness is much more important than money. I have had many jobs that have paid well and in which I excelled, but the jobs in which I was happy were the ones in which my overall health was the best. I often chose my jobs based on what I could buy with the money. I thought this would be enough to make me happy. The money does make you happy, but in my case it was very expensive happiness. I was always spending the money I made to make life tolerable during the time I wasn't at work - and even during lunch hours (fancy restaurants became the norm). In other words, I would have spent less money trying to be happy had I chosen a job which was satisfying, challenging, and enjoyable versus one that I would dread, but which paid a lot. I eventually got out of the career field at a 75% cut in pay, but was much happier--and eventually healthier. There always seems to be a panic to find the right position especially when you're in a transition time, but it is definitely worth while discovering work that sustains you and with which your beliefs and philosophies match. The money seems to come naturally thereafter.

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