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Started By
Message
More important: job satisfaction or convenient schedule?
Posted on 4/9/14 at 11:55 pm
Posted on 4/9/14 at 11:55 pm
TL;DR version: Choose 1: A. minimal job satisfaction with great schedule, or B. higher job satisfaction with subpar schedule.
I realize ultimately it's a "what's more important to you?" type of thing, but wanted some others' experiences/opinions regarding which you would rather sacrifice.
My dilemma:
I'm 32, recently married, and discussing starting a family soon. I've been at my current job for 2.5 yrs and I'm starting to get bored with it. Ultimately it's not overly hard or stressful. I just feel very unmotivated and have a low sense of job satisfaction. I don't feel like I'm using my knowledge much and have next to zero interaction with other people (just sit at my computer in my office and deal with my co-workers). Those are the things I used to enjoy the most about my previous job.
The main thing I do like about my job is the M-F 8:00 - 4:30, no weekends, no holidays schedule. There are VERY few jobs in my profession with those hours, and if I give this one up, I may not be able to find another one again. Most people work shift work with rotating shifts covering anywhere from about 7AM to 10 PM. Not to mention having to work your share of holidays and anywhere from every other to every 3rd (or if you're lucky, 4th) weekend.
I don't even have kids yet, but am already thinking about how my current schedule would be so much more convenient for family life. But I'm also thinking about how I'm too young to already be getting bored with my job.
And finally, there's not enough difference in pay for that to be a deciding factor for me.
Any thoughts/advice is greatly appreciated!
I realize ultimately it's a "what's more important to you?" type of thing, but wanted some others' experiences/opinions regarding which you would rather sacrifice.
My dilemma:
I'm 32, recently married, and discussing starting a family soon. I've been at my current job for 2.5 yrs and I'm starting to get bored with it. Ultimately it's not overly hard or stressful. I just feel very unmotivated and have a low sense of job satisfaction. I don't feel like I'm using my knowledge much and have next to zero interaction with other people (just sit at my computer in my office and deal with my co-workers). Those are the things I used to enjoy the most about my previous job.
The main thing I do like about my job is the M-F 8:00 - 4:30, no weekends, no holidays schedule. There are VERY few jobs in my profession with those hours, and if I give this one up, I may not be able to find another one again. Most people work shift work with rotating shifts covering anywhere from about 7AM to 10 PM. Not to mention having to work your share of holidays and anywhere from every other to every 3rd (or if you're lucky, 4th) weekend.
I don't even have kids yet, but am already thinking about how my current schedule would be so much more convenient for family life. But I'm also thinking about how I'm too young to already be getting bored with my job.
And finally, there's not enough difference in pay for that to be a deciding factor for me.
Any thoughts/advice is greatly appreciated!
8
Posted on 4/10/14 at 6:47 am to That's BS
Can't beat a great schedule IMO. I'm almost never in the office past 4:30 and I work from home on Fridays and 2-3 other days during the month. I have to work nights and weekends sometimes but I have a lot of flexibility (no one gives me grief if I cut out at 3-something or take a 2-3 hour long lunch)
I LOVE my schedule. Wouldn't change anything about it. It's probably #2 on the list of things keeping me here because my last two jobs kinda sucked in comparison, schedule-wise (even though the work and the people were more interesting in my last two stops).
If you are pretty sure any move will put you in a worse situation as far as hours/schedule, the bump in pay should be enough to compensate you for that. I'm not so sure I would leave a good work/life balance behind for exciting work, especially if you have kids coming. But it's really all personal preference. You might find a job you love with better pay and just get used to a worse schedule. It's hard to tell for sure.
Is there any way you can make your current job more interesting, maybe learn a new skill so you can help out in a different part of the company?
I LOVE my schedule. Wouldn't change anything about it. It's probably #2 on the list of things keeping me here because my last two jobs kinda sucked in comparison, schedule-wise (even though the work and the people were more interesting in my last two stops).
If you are pretty sure any move will put you in a worse situation as far as hours/schedule, the bump in pay should be enough to compensate you for that. I'm not so sure I would leave a good work/life balance behind for exciting work, especially if you have kids coming. But it's really all personal preference. You might find a job you love with better pay and just get used to a worse schedule. It's hard to tell for sure.
Is there any way you can make your current job more interesting, maybe learn a new skill so you can help out in a different part of the company?
This post was edited on 4/10/14 at 6:49 am
Posted on 4/10/14 at 7:39 am to ZereauxSum
quote:
If you are pretty sure any move will put you in a worse situation as far as hours/schedule, the bump in pay should be enough to compensate you for that.
The pay would be pretty much the same. Definitely not enough to sway me one way or the other.
quote:
You might find a job you love with better pay and just get used to a worse schedule.
There are plenty of people I know in my profession that have kids/family and deal with their schedule just fine. I just know it wouldn't be as ideal. Hell, I'm already thinking 6-7 years down the road and how I'd like to be able to coach my future kids' youth basketball and baseball/softball teams! Maybe I'm thinking too far ahead, but I just know jobs with these hours are hard to come by in my profession.
quote:
Is there any way you can make your current job more interesting, maybe learn a new skill so you can help out in a different part of the company?
Not really. I had to learn a new skill for this job (get trained/certified), and that's pretty much all I do now. I'm a pharmacist working in healthcare IT at a hospital. My sole responsibility is the build/maintenance/upgrade of the pharmacy component of our electronic medical records software. It was interesting at first, but now I'm kinda over it and think I would prefer getting back to a normal pharmacist job...at least in regards to job satisfaction. I kinda enjoyed working with patients and other healthcare workers as opposed to sitting at my computer in my office and only interacting with my fellow healthcare IT people. That schedule tho...
Posted on 4/10/14 at 7:41 am to That's BS
If the convenient job allows you to monetize the use of your free time in some way, that's the route I would go, all else equal.
Posted on 4/10/14 at 7:50 am to That's BS
Man, I've done it both ways.
Couldn't imagine having a moving schedule with kids. Love going home at the end of the day and rarely thinking about work until I get in the next day.
If you aren't feeling challenged, that's a great motivator to pick up some side work and make a little extra. It's not a ton, but I pick up about $1000-$1500/month doing some side work that rarely takes me more than 3-4 hours a week.
Couldn't imagine having a moving schedule with kids. Love going home at the end of the day and rarely thinking about work until I get in the next day.
If you aren't feeling challenged, that's a great motivator to pick up some side work and make a little extra. It's not a ton, but I pick up about $1000-$1500/month doing some side work that rarely takes me more than 3-4 hours a week.
Posted on 4/10/14 at 8:12 am to That's BS
quote:
I'm a pharmacist
quote:
That schedule tho...
OK, that definitely makes sense.
We're talking a pretty big change in schedule. At least you don't have to worry about job security or pay!
Man, that's a tough call. I work in MIS so I'm a little biased but I'd personally hold onto that IT gig. But you did go to school for pharmacy and if you're missing the traditional work, maybe it's time for a change.
I will tell you that's it's never too early to think ahead as far as the kids are concerned...I have 4 (soon to be 5) and I would have hacked off a finger to have the schedule I have now when they were smaller. It's just night and day to me how much easier life is, especially when you're as involved as you want to be. But...like you said, plenty of people work the kind of schedule you'd be returning to and are perfectly fine.
What's the job market like where you live in Healthcare IT? I'm guessing you could go back easily if you really wanted the schedule back.
This post was edited on 4/10/14 at 8:14 am
Posted on 4/10/14 at 8:33 am to That's BS
I good schedule is important with kids. My wife switched jobs and took a decent pay cut to have a better schedule when we had our daughter. Her previous job had her working nights at least 3-4x a week. Having dinner every night as a family was important to us so the change was totally worth it.
Posted on 4/10/14 at 8:41 am to That's BS
Pay being equal, I'd take the schedule every time.
Personal satisfaction is one thing, but I'd rather try to find something in the current job (or the free time) to keep me interested and sane than to move to a shitty schedule. Especially with kids it's worth it.
Personal satisfaction is one thing, but I'd rather try to find something in the current job (or the free time) to keep me interested and sane than to move to a shitty schedule. Especially with kids it's worth it.
Posted on 4/10/14 at 9:08 am to ZereauxSum
quote:
OK, that definitely makes sense. We're talking a pretty big change in schedule.
Yep. Most hospital pharmacists work 10 hr shifts with some starting as early as 7 AM (til 5:30ish) or ending as late as 10 or 11 PM (starting at 11:30 or 12:30). And everyone usually has to work their share of evenings and of course weekends/holidays. If I went to retail, I'd only do that at an independent (mom and pop) pharmacy. I could probably find one that has hours in the neighborhood of M-F 8am - 6pm and only Saturdays 8:30-2... give or take. So that wouldn't be AS bad. I have no interest in working for the big chains.
quote:
What's the job market like where you live in Healthcare IT? I'm guessing you could go back easily if you really wanted the schedule back.
I'm not really sure. This job kinda fell in my lap. Healthcare IT is a fairly small/new niche in the pharmacy world. And my only area of expertise is with a specific, though very popular, EMR (electronic medical records) software. There aren't many other hospitals in my immediate area, so I'd have to find one that uses/plans to install this software within a reasonable driving distance that has an opening. Haha So I definitely don't think I could easily go back. Might be very hard actually.
Posted on 4/10/14 at 9:16 am to That's BS
I would stay in the job you have and start a side business and do something that interests you so when kids come you can put it on the back burner when you want to.
Posted on 4/10/14 at 9:16 am to LSUtigerME
quote:
Pay being equal, I'd take the schedule every time. Personal satisfaction is one thing, but I'd rather try to find something in the current job (or the free time) to keep me interested and sane than to move to a shitty schedule. Especially with kids it's worth it.
Yeah, I was just thinking on my way to work how I probably couldn't attend as many Pelicans games if I didn't get off work until 6 (mom and pop store) or later.
I'd still have plenty of free time, just on off days or at odd hours. Prior to this job, I voluntarily dropped down to a 36 hr position so I could work 3 12's. The days I worked sucked, but being off 4 days/week was
. Great schedule for a young single bachelor! Now I'm married and would prefer to be home when the wife and future rug-rats are home. I doubt I could get that schedule back though anyway and would likely be working 4 10's if I went back to the hospital world. Posted on 4/10/14 at 9:24 am to Salmon
Sounds like the consensus is that a good schedule is worth a little sacrifice in job satisfaction. Like I said, it's not that my job is hard or stressful or anything like that. It's just monotonous and tedious sometimes. Don't feel like I'm utilizing my pharmacy education and not getting to help with patient care like I initially got into this profession to do.
As far as picking up a side job, I'm not interested in that. I believe in working to live, not living to work. I think 40 hrs/week is plenty enough and my pay covers our financial needs. The idea is to have more time with the family, not less.
When I was single and working only 3 (12's) or 4 (10's) days a week, I would occasionally pick up an extra shift at another pharmacy just for the heck of it. But once I switched to 5 days/week, I quit that. I kinda like my days off!
Posted on 4/10/14 at 9:37 am to That's BS
I think you need to determine if you want to work to live or live to work. Being bored is fine if you work to live, as you can have more of a life.
Posted on 4/10/14 at 9:50 am to That's BS
quote:
he main thing I do like about my job is the M-F 8:00 - 4:30, no weekends, no holidays schedule. There are VERY few jobs in my profession with those hours, and if I give this one up, I may not be able to find another one again. Most people work shift work with rotating shifts covering anywhere from about 7AM to 10 PM. Not to mention having to work your share of holidays and anywhere from every other to every 3rd (or if you're lucky, 4th) weekend.
I worked 2nd shift for a summer in college and it motivated me to never have to do that again. It's not worth missing the prime hours you get to spend with your family and friends IMO.
Posted on 4/10/14 at 10:05 am to That's BS
quote:
The idea is to have more time with the family, not less.
The idea would allow you more satisfaction... but obviously you already believe your schedule is more important than your satisfaction if you see a side job in something you enjoy as "work."
Posted on 4/10/14 at 10:17 am to That's BS
Sounds like you have the ultimate cush job for a pharmacist. I'd keep the job, but maybe take some IT classes or get an MBA or something if you are planning on moving up.
In the meantime, maybe join the P+T committee or infection control committee at your hospital, which would give you more interaction with people and utilize your pharmacy-specific training.
In the meantime, maybe join the P+T committee or infection control committee at your hospital, which would give you more interaction with people and utilize your pharmacy-specific training.
Posted on 4/10/14 at 11:26 am to reb13
quote:
The idea would allow you more satisfaction... but obviously you already believe your schedule is more important than your satisfaction if you see a side job in something you enjoy as "work."
I get what you're saying, but if my options are keep my current job for time with my family vs. keep my current job for time with my family but add a small side job to improve satisfaction at the cost of time with my family, it'd be option 1 all day long. I don't think any side-job would give me more satisfaction that that amount of free time (that I'm now using for my side job) would. Know what I mean?
Besides, "enjoying" work is a relative term to me. I hear some people say how much they love their job and all, but I'll never have a job that I would enjoy doing more than my time off!
Posted on 4/10/14 at 11:32 am to That's BS
What about volunteering with your family? Make an impact together?
Posted on 4/10/14 at 12:25 pm to reb13
Oh, yeah, I don't mind doing (and do) stuff like that. Personal satisfaction is not the issue. I'm happy with my life overall. It's just those 40 hrs/week that I'm working that I'd like more satisfaction. 
Posted on 4/10/14 at 2:04 pm to That's BS
You must work for a hotel chain. I worked at one during school and you couldn't pay me enough to quit my 8 to 6 work day to go back working the desk at a hotel again. You should try and get a AGM or GM job where you can do whatever the hell you want.
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