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I worked in an office all my life, and hated every minute of the politics and being cooped up. Since I took my SS early, I now work event security. I'm not stuck in an office, and get to interact with different people whenever I work. When I sign out from that job, I'm done with it, until the next one. No phone calls, emails, stacks of work, or people looking for me. Plus, it's flexible. If I don't want to work, I just don't call in for work.
I'm closing on early (semi) retirement age and can't wait to get out of sedentary office work and into something active or at least partly on my feet. It could add 10 years to my life. Most of the time I've found the office environment (whether corporate or gov't) somewhat toxic with ridiculous politics and very little joy. Even retail seems joyful to me over the office.
I prefer office work myself. But my husband, who has more formal education than me, and also makes a LOT more money than me, wears a hard hat and steel toed boots just about every day, and makes as much or more per year than most people with an advanced degree. Office work isn't for everybody but it's a great fit for many people.
In fact, though I prefer a professional, white collar environment myself, I have to have a type of job that allows me to get up and out and move around a lot - without a lot of interference from management. In other words, I prefer autonomy and successes measured by individual productivity and I like being given the freedom and flexibility that good production numbers often offer. I don't want someone watching the clock to be sure I don't come in ten minutes late from lunch, when I can crank out more productivity in an hour than many people can in a day. So I don't like smothering office environments at all.
Oh, I just thought of someone else who is a good example of a valid choice based on personality and interests - my son in law, who has a 4.0 GPA and a bachelor's degree. He's smart as a whip but working in an office environment just kills his spirit. So he got his CDL and some other certifications and is working in oil and gas. With good career planning, he could be making at least $10,000 a month in a few years and it can go up from there. But a person has to have the type of personality that likes outdoor work, doesn't mind getting dirty, doesn't mind pulling all nighters or weird hours.
My husband for instance, is working Christmas and he worked Thanksgiving and sometimes he comes home really really dirty. We're crying all the way to the bank.
I've been in an office for 35 years. I have never enjoyed it. When I was younger, I totally rebelled at being in an office and became a bike courier. I really enjoyed it but it wasn't much money and after my third bike was stolen, I decided to go back to the "real" world. I have been bored to tears ever since.
Most of the time I've found the office environment (whether corporate or gov't) somewhat toxic with ridiculous politics and very little joy. Even retail seems joyful to me over the office.
As someone who has worked both retail and in an office, I fully agree. However, the unfortunate part is that office work is much more desirable on a resume than retail, which is often looked down upon by hiring managers.
As someone who has worked both retail and in an office, I fully agree. However, the unfortunate part is that office work is much more desirable on a resume than retail, which is often looked down upon by hiring managers.
I always liked working in retail, but not enough pay. So I work in an office. But I will definitely do retail in retirement.
Ok folks... I'd just like to say that I LOVE working in an office. I know... it's weird.
But I was a mechanic for YEARS prior to this second career. I worked in greasy shops with drug addict co-workers and illiterate bosses. I've rebuilt diesel engines in sub-zero weather with the snow flying. Worked on combines and oil rigs when it's 110 degrees out and no shade for two miles in any direction. Hauled illegal loads in excess of 100,000 pounds, witnessed fraud and environmental violations that could send people to prison under the right circumstances, seen co-workers pass out in the heat while we worked on agricultural equipment in the mid-day sun with no shade.
All that's over for me now. These days I wander into the office about 7:00. Chat with co-workers about ridiculous things like fresh-ground coffee or where we'll go to lunch today. Answer a couple of emails, do some design work, bull**** about the latest Star Wars movie or whatever nonsense we're talking about today. Sitting there in a pleasant 73 degrees with our comfortable, clean offices-clothes (I wore greasy uniforms for 16 YEARS). Seriously... I don't even CARE if I never get another promotion. I'll happily ride this gravy-train 'til I'm old and irrelevant. I'd do this job for a THIRD of what they're paying me. I'll NEVER go back to working in a shop if I can help it... I'd sooner be on unemployment.
You office-workers out there... count your blessings. If you're making enough to pay the bills and working in a nice air-conditioned office... you're living the good life. That college edumucaton was the best thing I ever did for my career. My only regret is that i didn't finish it 10 years earlier.
this makes me feel better about my office job -- thank you for that!!
Been working in a office since 1999 and loved every minute of it. Those are the jobs I make sure I apply for because I know what types of jobs I like. Never in my life have I experienced going to work miserable because I don't apply to the wrong jobs.
My grandfather was a roughneck for many years.He hated office work so much that he retired shortly afterwards but he was over 30 rigs in the 70's.He actually liked working the rigs more than white collar work.I think blue collar workers are happier than white collar workers and generally live longer if they survive their jobs.Also blue collar people tend to have higher net worths than lawyers and doctors.I on the other hand am opposite because I am a CEO.I believe in the Davis-Moore Theory of Social Stratification.Every one has different talents which makes better suited for different roles in the economy.The New Testament uses that metaphor to describe the role individual christians serve in the Lord's Kingdom here on earth.I believe that came from the Apostle Paul.
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