Job Hopping

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Job hopping Category: Jobs, Work, Careers Several weeks ago I was updating my references for work, and there was one reference in particular that I felt good about at the time, but now don't feel so good about. It was a previous supervisor that I had. We got along well, but I really didn't like the job. There was a time when I thought that I'd never get a job (or career, for you uppity types) that I could handle. I had left several jobs because I couldn't really perform. Well, I could perform, but I felt like I wasn't really doing the world any good, and I couldn't keep myself motivated to work hard. I found myself looking for excuses to quit. I felt like maybe I was just the kind that would never have a long-term, fulfilling job. My two most recent jobs have not been like that, and now I recall a third. They are being a nurse's aide, a rehab therapy aide, and before, an English as a Second Language teacher. These have been jobs that I have really enjoyed. I could do them for the rest of my life and be happy. I haven't wanted to quit. I haven't been in any danger due to low performance. In my case, I think that it's really just that I feel like I can make a significant contribution to helping others become better. It makes me feel good. I'm sure that when I'm a speech therapist, it will be the same. And thinking about how, if I'd never found these jobs, and wasn't in school to be a speech therapist, I would probably by extremely depressed, and feel worthless as far as my usefulness. I have judged others, and I think that most of us do, based on their ability to have a successful career. People that have gone from job to job won't have the money, and will be seen as failures to some degree, by others in society. Those that have had success monetarily, or have been steadily employed over long periods, are seen as dependable. I think that some of these people that have not had success, have been like I easily could have been. Maybe it's not really some moral failing, but rather just that they've never found the kind of employment that allows them to feel successful and happy about working. What do you think?