# "Find A Job/Career You Love" -- Unrealistic Advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 13, 2001, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-job-career-you-love-unrealistic-advice/54311 "2001-02-13T15:48:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2001, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-job-career-you-love-unrealistic-advice/54311/21 "2001-02-14T19:58:03Z")
“If you hate your job, then leave. Go get another one.” The older you get, the less likely THIS option becomes. I am trying to change careers in my 40s and guess what? No one wants to hire a middle-aged woman, when they can get a 20-something who will work for half my salary. So it’s either selling violets in front of the opera house for me, or working alongside Ukulele Ike, in that factory that makes little straw hats for horses . . . ---
**Author:** ![kaiju](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/a587f6/32.png) [@kaiju](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaiju)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2001, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-job-career-you-love-unrealistic-advice/54311/22 "2001-02-15T18:51:53Z")
Try and find a job you love. I started out with two majors that have no earning potential: theater and english. I tacked on an education degree to make it more palitable to my parents. I survived student teaching, just barely. I hated it. Still do. I can’t think of a worse job then teaching. I never worked in that field, unless you count a couple of hours teaching tech school comp. But, although everyone told me it was impossible to get a job in theater, I worked in a costume shop for 10 years. The pay wasn’t great, and I do have a husband that supplies the majority of our income, but, had I been alone I would have been making a living wage. We had kids and I needed a career change to take care of them. I decided to sell out to the establishment and get a real job. Big mistake. I’m not a real job kind of person. I got therapy. I got anti-depressants. I got a masters of library science. I have a part-time job as a librarian, and am not in love (as I was with theater) but am at peace. And since it is half time, I can still job in in theaters, and write in my spare time. And although it is also “impossible” to make money writing, I’ve sold a couple of things and am working on a novel. I’ve had a variety of scut jobs to fill in the blank spots in my career history, and I only survived them because they were temporary. I firmly believe that some people are suited for certain careers and are doing themselves a great disservice if they settle for money when they could have love. And, Xekul, if you wanna be a writer, pharmacy ain’t gonna cut it. English majors that speek Java are a vary rare breed. Tech writing might not make you rich, but it may make you happy. And it’s the most practicle and profitable use of an English degree. Tell your parents some complete stranger on the internet said it was ok. THat will make them feel better. ---
**Author:** ![keeper0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@keeper0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/keeper0)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2001, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-job-career-you-love-unrealistic-advice/54311/23 "2001-02-15T19:39:42Z")
Freedom said: > [@](#): > > It took 7 years, but this year we finally moved our office out of my attic and got a secretary. and > [@](#): > > (My fiance) sees herself going nowhere in her job, so she feels like she is just marking time and suffering throughout the day. She hates her boss. She hates the policies. Well, then you shouldn’t have hired her as your secretary. 😉 Your story reminds me of a nice piece of advice I received once. A fellow was talking about job hunting. He described what he was looking for to a recruiter/job counselor what he was looking for. Something like “Interaction with clients, some travel, participation in product develpment…” The recruiter responded, “Jobs like that aren’t offered, they are made. You have to take a job and make it what you want.” ---
**Author:** ![Freedom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Freedom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freedom)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2001, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-job-career-you-love-unrealistic-advice/54311/24 "2001-02-15T21:26:12Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, then you shouldn’t have hired her as your secretary 😉 ::Putting Keeper down on my list:: ---
**Author:** ![Adolph\_Peewee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Adolph\_Peewee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adolph_Peewee)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2001, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-job-career-you-love-unrealistic-advice/54311/25 "2001-02-16T13:54:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by kunilou \* > \*\*Define what you mean by “love.” > > If you mean “Every day I look forward to sitting at my desk and putting in 8 or more hours at this place, on this day,” then no, there aren’t a lot of jobs like that. > > If you mean “I enjoy this and I’m good at it and I can’t imagine doing anything else,” then yes, it’s good advice. > \*\* job satisfaction is what I would call it! I’m in the medical profession. Even tho I’m still only in the training stages, I love it. Being able to help people when they so badly need it, gives great satisfaction. Especially in emergency situations when you bring them back from the brink! [bighead mode] mmm…I HAVE THE POWER!! MWAHA HA HA HAAAA! [/bighead mode] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/find-a-job-career-you-love-unrealistic-advice/54311.md?page=1)