What Are the Most Important Factors in Choosing a Job?

[Fern]

#1 for me is what i would call 'lifestyle' considerations....are the hours flexible, is OT minimal, is the commute okay, does the boss seem like someone you'd like to work with

#2 salary plus benefits...i weigh these together since better benefits can outweight a lower salary

[jIM_Ohio]

What are the most important factors to you in choosing a job? The job itself, the type of boss you will have, the salary, the benefits, the hours, etc? Has what you wanted changed over the years? I personally find a flexible schedule to be of utmost importance to me. What about you?

1) You need to be motivated/ inspired to do a good job. Depending on the job/company this comes from different places.

For example, I worked worked for a company where the CEO was a buffoon, but because I did not interact with him, the supervisor and managers around me did a good job of insulating front line employees from the idiocy as much as possible.

The same company now has much better leadership, but some of management and co-worker changes have made it less than desireable to stay in my current position.

2) I have to trust my boss regardless of #1. The key to being successful is looking out for #1, without stepping in #2. If my immediate supervisor is an idiot, I will switch jobs. For example, I was hired by manager A to do project xyz. project XYZ completed and I am still in manager A's group, but now get assignments from one of his team leader's who is a bonafide idiot. I have interviewed already to leave my current position and won't be here too much longer.

3) What I want always changes and always stays the same. I always want a new challenge and I always want more money.

4) I work as much as possible now so I can stop working sooner. More money now is more important than much more money later... meaning pay me now, I can invest it and do better than the promise of future riches.

[Scanner]

Has what you wanted changed over the years?

I'll just field one of these questions. Back in my 20's. . .I wanted to own my own business. I had the small business bug in me and I'm sure it will never totally leave me.

But as I have gotten older, my attitude has become, "Been there. Done that. Have the t-shirt."

While it's good to have never had a boss to be accountable to, in a way, it's harder to be accountable to yourself. Being a sole propreitor can be lonely from many different angles - the management angle, you are taxed all get out, and health insurance is a huge wild card. We have totally relied on my wife's benefits over the years.

You couldn't talk to me 10 years ago about benefits, stability, etc. but as I get older, I am looking to cash the business out, invest it, and "work for the man."

When self-employed people go into the marketplace for a paycheck, they say they have an attitude like no other - absolutely grateful to be relieved management pressures and just show up to work. I am kind of that way now with the per diem rad. tech work I do. The other people in the dept. complain about their jobs/workplace but I want to say you don't know how lucky you are.

I think the compromise here is to be a partner of sorts. . .have someone else to be accountable to at times (the partnership) but have a degree of independence.

I am looking to this as I get older.

[wakkus]

Maybe since I don't have kids yet, I don't have huge financial or time obligations to people. I would have to say the number one thing about choosing a job is whether or not I'm going to enjoy doing it. It has nothing to do with money. I was making obscene amounts of money being miserable, and now I make almost nothing but I'm ecstatic.

[jIM_Ohio]

I'll just field one of these questions. Back in my 20's. . .I wanted to own my own business. I had the small business bug in me and I'm sure it will never totally leave me.

But as I have gotten older, my attitude has become, "Been there. Done that. Have the t-shirt."

While it's good to have never had a boss to be accountable to, in a way, it's harder to be accountable to yourself. Being a sole propreitor can be lonely from many different angles - the management angle, you are taxed all get out, and health insurance is a huge wild card. We have totally relied on my wife's benefits over the years.

You couldn't talk to me 10 years ago about benefits, stability, etc. but as I get older, I am looking to cash the business out, invest it, and "work for the man."

When self-employed people go into the marketplace for a paycheck, they say they have an attitude like no other - absolutely grateful to be relieved management pressures and just show up to work. I am kind of that way now with the per diem rad. tech work I do. The other people in the dept. complain about their jobs/workplace but I want to say you don't know how lucky you are.

I think the compromise here is to be a partner of sorts. . .have someone else to be accountable to at times (the partnership) but have a degree of independence.

I am looking to this as I get older.

I work for the man by day, and do my own thing at night. Some people make a living with what I do at night (coach/ train youth soccer teams), but that could be a difficult road).

I invest/save most of the soccer earnings, outside of a few vacations we take each year. I get many tax write offs for doing soccer, plus a good income (around 9k per year- not bad for part time work). Because I like doing it, it's not really work, getting paid is a bonus.

[carsensejoe]

the most important questions are do you like what your doing? and is it paying enough?

[Aleta]

It depends on where you are in life and your age. For some people where one spouse already had a good health insurance program, that benefit may not be as important. You may be looking for better pay to contribute to the household income. There are also those that health insurance is more important than the money that they make. It just depends on where you are at the time and what your particular needs are.

[Saving in So Cal]

When I first started in my current career, I was terribly afraid of landing in a "dead-end" job. So, I looked for jobs with solid employers, good wages/benefits, and the potential for upward mobility. I usually found myself disappointed in all three respects and I had to work long hours, too.

I took about 18 months off when I had my daughter -- just enough to know that I still wanted to work, but could not devote the same amount of energy to my career as I had in the past. So, I looked for a job that played to my strengths and wouldn't require long hours (i.e., a dead-end job). My current job fit the bill. I thought I'd be bored within a few months, but it turns out to be the best job I've ever had in terms of job assignment, pay/benefits, employer, and co-workers. Although there isn't much upward mobility, I don't find that to be much of a priority at this stage in my life.

[shengmei]

Well, after literally being a starving student for so many years, I would consider the salary first. Even if I hate my job, I will still feel better knowing that I can finally afford the convinences in my life that make the parts of my life that are outside my job more enjoyable.

I desperately need to pay off my student loans--fast, and I am willing to suffer even the most hellish jobs in order to provide some kind of financial stability for my family.

[carsensejoe]

flexibility is awesome money is a necessity

[papakron]

I have stressed out a great deal on this topic, but things are looking up. A little background information-

I'm 21, and got a union job through a family member right out of high school. At first, it was great worknig the graveyard shift with a bunch of other people the same age, goofing around, etc. After a year or so, I began really resenting the job. The people I'd socialized with either quit, or ended up betraying me due to the fact I received a 'Letter of Recognition' for my work (looked down upon by bitter union employees).

Anyways, I left to start an apprenticeship which only paid 12.00 an hour, but decided it wasn't what I wanted. I was foolish to go back, but the company took me back with open arms with no loss of seniority. The job as good benefits, pays near 20.00/hr and is VERY easy work (but monotonous, uninspiring, and unfulfilling.)

I just got a new job offer to start next Monday, and my boss has given me time off to try it out (he's a stand-up guy, too bad I can't say the same for the job). There is room to move up, and after I put in my hours can be making over 28/hr.... at my age! I'm ecstatic, and looking forward to the challenge.

[carsensejoe]

if u can smile all day come home smiling and make enough to be free of money worries thats a dream job

[carsensejoe]

yo papkron,
keep on chugn youve got a cool boss check out this new job maybe you'll like it if not maybe another will come along... all the while you keep getting your hours in at the union and get raises...if your not happy go to school in the daytime for something u have interest in and take that up