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My best job(s) were at two smallish tech companies.
In the first one, two years after grad school, I was actively involved in developing solutions for large manufacturing companies using advanced, innovative automation technology. I worked with a bunch of smart, motivated guys from leading universities with a can-do attitude. Lotsa sleepless nights, but, loads of fun! Unfortunately, the technology didn't quite take off and the business declined, but, it was merged and acquired a couple of times over and is still around in a big corporation.
The second one was management consulting type of work, where I would work with prospective companies to identify how they could improve their operations and business performance by using innovative tech solutions developed by the company that I worked at. Again, worked with a bunch of smart cookies from leading institutions around the US. Lots of sleepless nights, tons of travel all over the world, but, loads of excitement and fun! This one too ended badly, and the company was acquired by a larger outfit.
Cowboy on a large cattle ranch during summers, weekends and holidays during my first two years of college. Back-breaking work but very satisfying and sometimes a lot of fun.
I am intrigued by a basic trend in a lot of the responses so far, namely that the best job has been, for many people, a part-time job, or a summer job, or a job preliminary to or outside of our "career" job. These jobs were not well paid, but were the most enjoyable and engaging. Very interesting.
I think that starting about 9th grade was some of the most exciting years of my life being that I had saved since 8 years old for a car. Summer of 9th grade I got my license thru driver ED. and bought a 1957 Chevy Bel-aire. It opened up a new world of freedom and I loved working at the A&P Store thru out my college years. The company was very good as they viewed younger workers as their future management especially those who went to college. But it was car plus money in your pocket at a time when I had boundless energy. We closed at 8:00PM were not open on Sunday ;so that left time for Friday and Saturday night for the local drag and Sundays for the beach after church. The money made it possible. No responsibilities basically ;just work then off and play; great times.
I've never made a huge salary in any job I've had - including my current job... (but yes, I AM saving for retirement )
But the job I enjoyed the most - was as a unit clerk in a very large teaching hospital in San Francisco. I was in my 20's and worked in med-surg, oncology and the best placement - Critical Care. The sense of community with the nurses and the residents/interns was wonderful. We laughed and played and worked like hell to save lives. We even survived an earthquake (Coalinga) - when the power went out and the backup generator didn't turn on for 20 minutes. We had to bag the patients. I made very special friends there - both nurses and doctors.
I also learned very important lessons - about what I wanted out of life and end-of-life lessons and what I do and don't want to happen at the end of mine.
I was at that job for 8 and a half years - up until my current job - the longest stint anywhere.
I would not have missed that experience for the world....
Like many here, the best (i.e., for me, most FUN) jobs seem to have been the casual jobs before the "career" jobs (which were mostly very serious and often miserable corporate shenanigans) . . . waitress (when I moved to a tiny town out-of-state with my husband who was in the service and I couldn't really find anything else) . . . it was very fast-paced, gratifying, and fun - extremely tiring - you knew you had put in a full day or night's work and I loved to count those tips at the end of the night . . . I think it was real, tangible, daily satisfaction.
Another one I truly enjoyed was a crazy job as a "batch clerk" in a hospital, literally counting charge slips and adding up totals (preparing charge slips for data entry back in the day) . . . I think I have OCD because I loved this "job." (It was also fun to know everything about why people were in ER, why they were admitted into the Psych Unit, etc.). It satisfied my OCD-ish penchants for counting and nosiness . . . and I was crammed into a small office space with a bunch of other young, crazy fun people . . . there was never a dull moment.
Last edited by imcurious; 06-22-2013 at 06:40 PM..
I am intrigued by a basic trend in a lot of the responses so far, namely that the best job has been, for many people, a part-time job, or a summer job, or a job preliminary to or outside of our "career" job. These jobs were not well paid, but were the most enjoyable and engaging. Very interesting.
Well, the stress and responsibilty aren't there...like I would ADORE my current job if everything wasn't so drastic or dire and all on my shoulders (even when others don't do their part, it is still my fault).
What I liked about my job at the hospital (besides the actual job, literally counting things, for which I was very well-suited) was the camaraderie of the hospital community. It was literally a small town . . . and part of my job was walking around to every department on every floor . . .so I got to know everyone. And there was the cafeteria (and the food was very good) . . . it was really wonderful and filled so many needs . . . humor, friendship/camaraderie, tangible work (counting things), feeling part of a group (the department, the larger community), knowing details of what was going on in people's lives (from details noted on the charge slips) . . . I was even a "whistle blower" when I found a doctor reporting charges for someone I happened to know had been dead for months (the doctor was getting insurance reimbursement). I was so young I was not believed (or he was too important, don't know which), but years later I read he was busted and I had a little pride that I was one of the first to know (even though I was ignored at the time).
Hospitals are wonderful places - or at least they were - to work.
My hospital cafeteria experiences were not as great..... but when in the teaching hospitals - the residents/interns published a review book of all of the surrounding restaurant take outs.... VERY helpful. This was in San Francisco - where the restaurant fare is diverse.
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Trend of the responses to the thread so far
