Ask the Readers: What Do You Love Most About Your Job?
Editor's Note: Congratulations to Sam, Therese, and James for winning this week's contest!
For people who work a 40-hour workweek, almost a quarter of their lives are spent working. Many of people end up working more than 40 hours a week. Regardless of how many hours a week you work, most people have one thing that they absolutely love about their job.
What do you love most about your job? The hours? The benefits? The people? What about your job do you hate?
Tell us what you like most about your job and we'll enter you in a drawing to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card!
Win 1 of 3 $20 Amazon Gift Cards
We're doing three giveaways — one for random comments, one for random Facebook "Likes", and another one for random tweets.
Mandatory Entry:
- Post your answer in the comments below
For extra entries (1 per action):
- Go to our Facebook page, "Like" us, and leave a comment telling us you did, or
- Tweet your answer. You have to be a follower of our @wisebread account. Include both "@wisebread" and "#WBAsk" in your tweet so we'll see it and count it. Leave a link to your tweet (click the timestamp for the individual URL) in a separate comment.
If you're inspired to write a whole blog post OR you have a photo on flickr to share, please link to it in the comments or tweet it.
Giveaway Rules:
- Contest ends Monday, November 14th at 11:59 pm Pacific. Winners will be announced after November 14th on the original post. Winners will also be contacted via email.
- You can enter all three drawings — once by leaving a comment, once by liking our Facebook update, and once by tweeting.
- This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered, or associated with Facebook.
- You must be 18 and US resident to enter. Void where prohibited.
Note: Due to recent changes in Facebook's promotions guidelines, we have restructured the entry format of our giveaways.
Good Luck!
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I love the flexibility my job has
Helping others grow and learn in daily teachable moments....
Brace yourself - this is going to sound corny but .... I love the people I work with. Even the challenging curmudgeons. The mix of personalities makes this place what it is. I like the work I do (mostly writing-based) and the work the firm does (what I write about).
There is nothing corny about that! Sometimes the people you work with really do make your job awesome!
I like the flexibility of my work schedule. If I want a certain shift covered, I can easily swap with a co-worker. My co-workers are awesome, too!
I have the absolute best job in the world. I am a Broadway usher. I get to see great Broadway plays and I can see them often. I get to meet people who are motivated about the theater. Many of my colleagues are focused actors who are talented and supportive of each other. Sometimes we meet the cast or run into them in the theater. It's such a thrill to be part of the excitement of Broadway. If you care to hear it, I'll tell you How I came to this job.
That sounds awesome! How did you get that job?
Believe it or not...Joking around with my Boss. We laugh a lot. Otherwise we would cry!!! LOL
The thing I love most is that I am the only person in my department so I am largely in control of how I spend my time. As a graphic designer, there are days I'm not feeling particularly creative from 9-5, so being able to work at night or on weekends is great.
The people I work with! They're very sweet and kind, and make the day fly by.
I also liked you in Facebook. Thanks!
The thing I love most about my job is the money/benefits. :)
The thing I hate most is the bureaucracy.
My first job -- wife, mom, and homemaker. I LOVE my job. I stay home and school my 2 children, who are wonderful. I get to spend so much time with them, we have a very close relationship, and there are so many things you can do and places you can go as a homeschooling family. (and the hugs are magnificent!) The cleaning part of homemaker is not my favorite by it allows me to do...
...My second job -- small business owner, okay, tiny business owner. I love being creative and Struck My Fancy gives me the outlet to do so. It is fun to see how beads I make with my hands give such joy to others. I love the medium I work with, polymer clay, and little bit of extra money made is great for special projects. (Last year, I took my son to Dallas to visit a friend and my daughter to Chicago to explore the big city for 4 days. Awesome.)
Really, for me it is the best of both worlds. Practicality and Creativity working side by side. LOVE it!
I like that my job lets me work independently and that I don't have work related projects to do at home :)
What I love about my job is EVERYTHING! I have a great boss who understands taking time off for kids, family etc. The women I work with are great and we are friends and we have a great time at work.
That's awesome! I've heard of so many people who are miserable in their jobs, so it is great that you absolutely love yours!
The security of a bi-weekly paycheck.
That is always a plus!
My favorite thing about my job is the quiet. I'm very, very busy at work, but there aren't many deadlines for me so people tend to leave me alone and as long as things are getting done, they tend to forget that I'm even here.
I love my job mainly because of the people that I can learn and gain knowledge from! There are so many people with different backgrounds and experiences that everyday is just another day to grow my own knowledge.
If I had to pick only one thing I love about my job? My colleagues.
I love that every day is different - for someone staring out, that kind of experience is invaluable.
I have a pretty flexible start time at my job, which is a major plus because sometimes I "snooze" excessively.
Also, my job presents numerous lucrative opportunities for me to travel and/or relocate for work. Perfect for me since I get bored very easily. I'd say I relocate once every three years and travel 50-75%, depending on necessity.
That's awesome! I always thought it would be cool to have a job that required travel.
I'm a substitute teacher. I love the flexibility it allows me, and also the variety.
I love that I get to choose my schedule!
Things I love most about my job:
1. Camaraderie with co-workers - we laugh, fight, bicker and do great work because of it.
2. Autonomy - able to prioritize and design my own projects and for the most part come and go as I please.
3. Support - A direct manager that is supportive (personal and professional) of each team member and treats us like individuals with lives in and out of the work place.
I love that it's only 20 hours a week, but pays enough to live on... I hate that I don't qualify for benefits.
I love that my job is relatively stress free and I can leave it at the office!
I love that my job allows me to browse online & check my email (and read emails like Wise Bread!)
flexibility
Facebook liked
I've been disabled for the past decade so I don't have a paying job. I love the fact that my time is now my own to do with as I please. I miss the money but relish my freedom even more.
I teach mostly online, and I love the flexibility.
my coworkers and our great customers!
I love that I can leave my job at work - it's not so emotionally intensive that I have to think about it at home.
That is always a great thing!
I liked you on Facebook!
I tweeted! http://twitter.com/#!/junethomemaker/status/133990629293297664
I love that I have a great boss who when I need to allows me to bring my kid(s) to work so that I can still get my job done yet not have to stress when my babysitter backs out!
That is a great perk!
I like that I work with people who need my assistance, at a community college. I saw what a difference my mom's education made in our family's life and am glad to help others improve their lives in the same way.
Some really nice people that I work with.
The flexibility in my time since I am self-employed, working from home. If the kids have a doctor's appointment or a school field trip or anything else that happens during the 9-5 shift, I can attend and make up work during early morning/later evening hours. It's a trade-off because I still have to do the work at some point, but I can also be available to my kids.
Flexibility and being able to work from home are always fantastic!
I was in a job where the boss was extremely unethical, stealing tens of thousands of dollars from clients. I quit, and found a much better job, where there is a huge emphasis on doing the right thing. They do the right thing by their customers and by their employees. It seems counter intuitive, but I've learned that if you put making money above your integrity, you may make money in the short term, but it's not sustainable. If you keep your integrity, you may not make as much money right away, but it pays off in the long run.
This reminds me of a story about my grandfather, who raised cattle. Before taking the cattle to auction, it was common practice to not feed them, and fill them up on water. This made the cattle heavier, meaning they could get a better price. My grandfather, on the other hand, refused to do this, making sure they were well fed, and well taken care of. This meant his cattle consistently weighed less than every one else's. But, when his cattle came up to auction, the auctioneer would pause, say who they came from, and the price would suddenly sky rocket. The buyers knew that while they were lighter, they were healthier, and would taste better.
Working at a company that has a great ethical code is great! Such a good answer!
I love that it's close to home (<4 miles). I also like the fact that I'm allowed to work at my own pace, and that it's not so busy that I face continuous interruption. I also like the fact that I can wear jeans and listen to the radio. It's little things like this that keep away the stress.
I love that I'm actually being paid enough that I can afford my student loans. I love that even though I work only part-time, I'm eligible for benefits (affording them is another story since student loans own my life). I love that it's a much shorter commute than was my previous job, and I can work as many hours but in fewer days so I have to drive even less! Sooo much to love about my new job!
There are so many great things about my job that it's hard to pick just one. My number one great thing about my job is that I feel valued--people take my ideas seriously and come to me for advice or information about projects. It's a great place to be!
I really enjoy my co-workers but I hate the lack of trust I am given in my job.
I liked Wisebread on Facebook!
I work at the Girls and Boys Club as an education assistant/ tutor. It's a wonderful feeling to help children learn new things.
What I love most about my job is the people I work with! I manage condos and I get to work with amazing co-workers, owners and guests. I get to meet people from all over the world and learn about them and their families. Makes coming to work everyday great.
I am a wetlands biologist in Louisiana, and I love that my job is different every day. Some days I am in the office, but other days I get to ride out in the boats collecting data. It's the best job ever!
Variety is always an awesome thing to have at work! That way you never get bored!
The people on my job make it a great place to work. Good pay and benefits help too. :)
Having a job where I'm NOT stuck in the office all the time.
Answered on Twitter. https://twitter.com/#!/1bets1/status/134039355047165952
Liked you and the post on Facebook.
I like to help people. As a lead technician, people ask me a lot of questions.
The hours, and and the people, Where I currently work we can start as early as 5am most days, and get to leave around 1:30pm most days, with some overtime we still leave by 3-3:30 most days. This leaves lots of time in the early evening for things, and traffic is not so bad leaving before 3:30. Next the people are nice where i work. Pay helps too!
That sounds great. I would love a job like there, since I'm an early riser myself. Also, being able to avoid rush-hour traffic would be a huge plus. What type of work do you do?
I love working on cutting-edge technology and knowing that I'll eventually get to see my products on the market!
Basically, my job is telling other people about cool new books coming out. What's not to love about that?
https://twitter.com/#!/lilmsmoneybags/status/134063721445195776
At my last job (WIC clerk), I loved holding the babies!
I work in a Chicago public school and I love my coworkers and my students. I could certainly do without the budget cuts, union busting, and the way assessments are used to harm students instead of help them.
My company is just really cool to work for. Every holiday, they have something fun for us, whether we're having Halloween costume contests or a nice Christmas party or hunting down Easter eggs. We even celebrate the company's "birthday" with a catered party with open bar and prizes. I've never worked for such a fun company. I've already won a flat-screen TV and jewelry box, although other coworkers have come away with such prizes as iPads, round-trip flights (even to Europe), and 3D TVs.
Wow, that sounds awesome! What a fun work environment!
My office is located in a skilled nursing facility and the best part of my job is the residents that live there. The interaction that I can have with them is amazing. Many of them are just great to talk to and spend time with if only for a few minutes. The history of lives can be fascinating. They make my job each day.
I love the intellectually challenging aspect of my job. I learn something new every day.
I love the creativity my job as a writer affords me. It's always fortunate to have a passion for the work you do.
I'm an academic librarian at a public college that's dedicated to educating a student body wherein the average family income of our students is about $40K (in a very expensive city), and many are the first people in their families to attend college. Our students speak over 100 languages at home. There are so many things I love about my job, but if I had to pick one, it's the incredible shared ethic of being extremely dedicated to teaching and to helping our students. They really, honestly care, and work incredibly hard to make a genuine difference in the lives of the students. Other things I love include: 1) working with really smart, eclectic people who are incredibly tolerant of differences and even eccentricities; 2) the fact that it is utterly impossible to ever be bored as a front line reference librarian, because one minute, you're helping a faculty member construct a good sociology research assignment using statistics and government data, the next you are helping a tutor construct good remedial math tutorials, the next you are helping a student learn to search a business database, and the next you are looking up biographical information on an African writer for an English course - you are constantly learning new things, in dozens of disciplines; 3) a wonderfully supportive boss - unlike many academic administrators with whom I've worked, my current Provost understands library issues, and is a really strong supporter; 4) being able to learn new things, at no cost (we are able, through the college, to take workshops and continuing ed on just about any topic, and we can also take classes toward any degree offered in our system, including graduate degrees, all for free); 5) getting to work with the latest technologies; and 6) having a terrific work environment, with decent (if not spectacular) pay and superb benefits (I have tenure, decent health benefits, good vacation, and a pension plan in which I was vested after 5 years, though I have to stay 30 to get a full pension, and if I stay for 15, I will be eligible for health benefits when I retire. I know well that most people in North America don't get this level of retirement benefits - but they should! We should all get the opportunity to trade the bigger paycheck we might get in the private sector for the benefits, which is what we do in academe.) I truly love my job, and the very best thing is that I know I will be able to continue to do it, as long as I am able to work. I have worked in 8 different colleges and universities, a government agency, a non-profit, and several private sector corporations (not counting all the blue collar work I did to pay for school and living expenses until I got my career going), and this is the first place I have ever thought I'd be happy to stay for the rest of my working life - and I hope it works out that way. The one thing I hate is the fact that, as a public institution, with the big drop in state and federal support, we are constantly struggling for money, and we have, in the last 2 years, lost almost 25% of our funding for our library collections, and some for staffing. We hope to slowly restore it, through a variety of means, but I really hate having to consider things like cutting library hours and canceling subscriptions to some of the databases our students and faculty need.
Awesome answer! It sounds like you truly have a wonderful job!
i love flexibility with my job. i can choose my own hours.
i like wisebread on facebook
tweeted http://twitter.com/#!/oshkoshbgosh123/status/134137224856993792
I've worked a decent number jobs for my age (23) and have realized the biggest downfall in most positions is a poor atmosphere. I now currently work at the front desk of a large fitness gym and even though I'm not rolling in the benjamins, I wouldn't trade this job in for where I'm at in life currently. I absolutely LOVE the atmosphere of my workplace. The staff is a team that feels like a family. The clients are always different and you are constantly soaking up new culture and positive energy from people. Life comes down to being happy and content, and if you are spending 40+ hours a week in a crappy atmosphere, then you are burning up time your won't get back!
The opportunity to learn new things. I'm just starting to manage other people in positions below me, and I learn something new every day about how to work with people at different levels and from different backgrounds.
I love the flexibility of my job. I can work out of any of our branch offices, or even just from home!
That is awesome!
On days when I find it hard to love anything about my job, I am reminded that because of my job it was possible for my husband to quit his job and go to law school. We are a team in everything we do, and for this phase in my life I am just incredibly grateful that I can support him in following his dream.
I work for a nonprofit that does amazing work in our community, so what I like most is involving others in our work, especially volunteers.
Over the past three weeks I have started to fulfill a new role, the role of Mom and I wouldn't change it for the world. It's much more difficult than my old 9-5 development job, but it's so much more rewarding to watch my little one grow!
Congrats! :)
Tweet: http://twitter.com/#!/OneFrugalGirl/status/134380372292153344
I love the poeple I work with. I work for a very wealthy, older family but they treat me as an equal. They know about my family and my interests. I am not just an employee, I am like family to them, and them to me. They have really treated me well over the year. I appreciate having such great people to work with and for.
Lunch.
I love that I get to work with young children. I have the opportunity to get to know each child individually. It really is the best job ever!
I love that we get free lunch. An entree, appetizer, dessert and drink, it is so nice to not have to worry about what you're going to take for lunch every day!
That is a really awesome perk!
The best thing about my job, is that I'm on maternity leaven right now. I miss my co-workers, but that's it. I wish my full-time job would remain a stay-at-home mommy...not returning to the cubicle.
I get to do what I want.
Right now I'm a homemaker, so I love not having to commute and essentially being my own boss. But the biggest perk is being around my dog all day which is great for the both of us since we get play and walk breaks!
That's definitely a huge benefit of being able to work from home. I love being able to spend all day with my dog! :)
I love the challenges in my role as the hospital supervisor. I am always juggling several issues at once - staffing, transfers to the "big city" hospital, or drawing blood on a "tough stick". Although the day I had 2 helicopters coming for the same baby was a little too much - I was using the service we had a contract with and the physician had talked to the service at the children's hospital.
What I love about my job is that it keeps a roof over my head. What I hate about my job is that the pay is pretty low, some of the higher ups treat me like a servant and some of the things the corporation does are downright evil.
Yeah, I really need to find a new job.
The people I get to work with every day. They're mentors, they're friends, and while they pay great attention to detail and take pride in their work, they have an excellent perspective and don't take the work or themselves too seriously. We manage to laugh about something at every meeting...while still getting the work done.
What I love the most is the hours. Most jobs in my field almost require overtime. The company I work for doesn't. I'm on-call every 5th week, but it's just a babysitting job for our nighttime processes and usually doesn't require much if any work.