How does your spouse/partner feel about his/her job?

[Farrar]

Dh has mixed feelings about his job. "Content" is probably too strong a word, but he appreciates that he has a good job even if he doesn't always love it and he does like aspects of it and definitely doesn't hate the work. When he is getting up the resolve to go in, he gives melodramatic sighs and says things like, "Time to make the donuts."

[dbmamaz]

Dh has mixed feelings about his job. "Content" is probably too strong a word, but he appreciates that he has a good job even if he doesn't always love it and he does like aspects of it and definitely doesn't hate the work. When he is getting up the resolve to go in, he gives melodramatic sighs and says things like, "Time to make the donuts."

 

:laugh: I did one day at a donut shop!

[Farrar]

:laugh: I did one day at a donut shop!

 

Mmm... donuts...:drool5:

 

I figure at least he has a sense of humor about it even when he's not excited to go in. Usually it's late at night and he's tired anyway.

[Crimson Wife]

Likes the job, hates the hours, and hates all the instability in his industry. In April, he was told, "if you're in this room, you don't have anything to worry about in terms of layoffs." Then in July, his employer cut the entire team and DH had to go scrambling to find another team willing to take him. His current boss' contract is up at the end of 2013 so who knows what will happen then. It's been a roller-coaster for the past 5 years and there is no end in sight :(

[Barb_]

Seeing my husband sitting on the bed, trying to get up the resolve to go in to another day, made me wonder how common this is.

 

:grouphug: to both of you. We went through this on and off for about 10 years and it was very hard on all of us. He was miserable and sad, I felt guilty, the kids felt neglected because he was depressed and snappy. It was awful. He moved to Chicago to switch from for-profit, publicly owned companies to a not for profit company. Even though we won't be following for a couple of years (or until the housing market turns), we still manage to make it work and on the whole we are all happier and more functional than when he was spending 80% of his waking hours commuting or working at a job he hated (at least one weekend day and after hours work at home before bed). Blech.

[kalanamak]

Seeing my husband sitting on the bed, trying to get up the resolve to go in to another day, made me wonder how common this is.

 

I love my job, there are parts of it I hate, it feeds us, it is a big part of how I picture myself, but every morning in the shower I work up the resolve to go. I blame arthritis. Before that, I didn't think twice. Is he ill?

[tex-mex]

He hates it. It's physically demanding, dirty, and exhausting.

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

 

We are blessed to have dh working during these tough economic times. He works hard manual labor and his body is paying the price for it. He has a Master's partially completed... but no salary jobs in his area of expertise to be found. So, he works at a job he really detests. He loves the co-workers, but the morale and boss are horrible. And pay (low wages hourly & no benefits) is sub-par. But hey... it is a job!

[Stayseeliz]

My husband was miserable for many, many years. He drove a forklift because that's the only job he could find even though he had a master's degree. He would come home crying, etc. He was miserable. He lost in job in 2008 and while it was scary at the time it was a blessing in the long run. He has been selling insurance for 4 years and while it's difficult at times it's a good job. He is thankful for it.

[Luckymama]

My dh loves his career. He loves helping people at different stages in life, loves economics and statistics, loves researching, you name it :) He's a Certified Financial Planner by way of an English/studio arts degree a few decades ago :lol:

[dbmamaz]

I dont think my husband has any health issues, aside from allergies - another reason i was really hoping the job in wisconsin would work out. we hate VA - its so hot most of the time, he cant exercise and even with the a/c on he has trouble sleeping because of the heat. I really feel like he's just ended up with 4 awful bosses in a row. He said he hasnt had a good job since he came to VA (he's canadian). There have GOT to be jobs with better attitudes. In fact, there was one he refused to interview for - because it would require him having to do some certification on his own time and he refused. But i felt like that company would have been a better fit for him. He chose this one because he thought he would be able to work with a specific technology he wanted on his resume, but the company culture is bad, and of course he never was able to work on what was promised to him. He is depressed, definitely, but isnt interested in addressing it, so what can I do?

[Kirch]

I needed a multiple choice poll. I chose "underemployed/in wrong field and looking," but "hates his job but does it to support the family" applies too. :(

[gardenmom5]

dh opened his own business - so he has complete control (well, except for the ever increasing govt regulations). He works as much or as little as he wants. He works from home, and meets with clients on his terms.

[razorbackmama]

I answered that my hubby's job identifies him as a person (or however it was worded LOL). However, that's because he's pretty anti-social and works 50-60 hours a week, so just due to what he spends the VAST majority of his time doing, that's how he's identified.

 

He likes the IDEA of his job. He is a public health veterinarian and works with food safety. However, he deals with so many idiots (sorry, but it's true) and so much politics (literally...he works for the government), and he's SUCH an extreme introvert, that he is always cranky. And he is a heart attack just waiting to happen from the stress.

 

I HATE seeing him like this. And truth be told, it puts a huge burden on our family as well since his job is number one. But anytime I have tried to bring up doing something different he says that "anything else would drive him crazy...he needs something challenging." And I get that...that's why *I* am crazy - I dislike my job very much (that's another topic though LOL). But goodness...his goal is to get through the next 20 years alive so he can move off to the country where he never has to see anyone else again.:001_huh: I'm thinking there has GOT to be a better option!

[IsabelC]

DH likes his work, but he would prefer to do it in fewer hours per week and have more time with us.

[Georgiana Daniels]

I'm guessing DH likes his job--he's there 14 hours a day, 6 days a week!

 

Honestly, there are things he doesn't like, but that's to be expected. But he is fabulous at selling food (he's a Schwan's man) and he's one of the top salesmen in the nation. I'm so proud of him! I know he works as hard as he does so I can stay home with the kids, and he is a gem!

 

Someday he'll slow down, but today is not that day....

[Kelly1730]

My dh enjoys his job. There are frustrations that go along with it ( but what job doesn't have them at times?) but I can't imagine him doing anything else. We are very blessed that he has a job he enjoys and provides an income that allows me to stay home.

[Laura Corin]

He is not thrilled by his usual employment, but it's an awful lot better than having not job. He's 55, so he won't be changing career at this stage.

 

Laura

[LaxMom]

Mine is content in his job, though (like any long term interpersonal relationships) there are some things that bug him here and there. He can retire in 5 years (20 years in), but I don't know that he will. There are a number of different retirement job possibilities, but I don't think they're as appealing to him.

[TXMomof4]

It depends on the day. James Bond is career military (16.5 years so far) and identifies himself strongly with his job. There are days when he really enjoys what he does (I'm not entirely certain what he does as we can't talk about it) and other days where he hates it. He's deployed right now and he mostly hates it. He's working 16 hour days, 7 days a week and hasn't had a day off in almost 4 months so he's really, really hating it right now.

 

He likes the security of his job (he's nowhere near being on the chopping block, thank goodness) and the fact that we have healthcare. The paychecks aren't nearly enough for the amount of work he does and the number of hours he puts in (even when not deployed), but they are decent and allow us to live comfortably.

 

There are days when I hate his job. I hate when he works until 10 or 11pm and has to go in on weekends or is TDY (gone) for weeks or months at a time, and I really, really, really hate deployments, but it's all part and parcel with military life. No matter how "family friendly" the military claims to be, they own him and the needs of the Army come first.

 

:iagree: DH doesn't just enjoy his job - it's who he is. There are days that he could scream and throw things he's so frustrated, but there are days when he is absolutely in love. He's in school right now, so he's sick of that part, but he enjoys what he's learning. He does have security and he does like the benefits.

 

He gave up a great civilian career to go full time Army. He was Nat. Guard for 8 years and he was torn the whole time. Two deployments and multiple TDYs later he decided he couldn't do both anymore and we agreed that the Army would be more fulfilling even if it meant way less money. Some days I'm thrilled for him. Some days (especially when I think about moving to El Paso :ack2:) I wish I could just go home and see all my friends and forget all this. But - it is what it is.

[In the Rain]

My dh loves his job now, but he has gone through periods of employment in the past that he didn't really enjoy. It was tough on him and tough on the whole family. I hope your dh can find something that suits him better. :grouphug:

[Tarreymere]

My dh is a social worker. He loves his job. Of course, it doesn't pay much but he is perfectly content to live on very little.

[amy g.]

My husband loves his job. It is challenging, and rewarding for him.

 

In May, I went to Barcelona with him on a work trip. It was so interesting to see how much of an extended family the people he works with have become for him.

 

We spent most of our time with a couple 10 years older than us, and a couple 10 years younger than us.

 

The wife of the young engineer told me that her husband idolizes mine, and wants to be an exceptional husband and father to a big Catholic family because of my husband's roll model. They are now expecting their first child.

 

Really, my husband just got so lucky. He happened to pick a college major that he is well suited for, and he lucked into a company with great people and fantastic benefits.

 

No wonder he won't interview for other jobs when I try to talk him into it.

[dbmamaz]

However, he deals with so many idiots (sorry, but it's true) and so much politics (literally...he works for the government), and he's SUCH an extreme introvert, that he is always cranky.

This sounds like my husband! except he refuses to work overtime. he really needs to go back to being a consultant, where he can come in, figure everything out, and solve the problem, and then leave, without having to try to fit in to company culture. I would love to see him go out on his own as a consultant, but he doesnt have the confidence right now. Maybe once i'm working again.

 

He's just been exceptionally down since i broke my toe, and I'm sure that has something to do with it.

[dbmamaz]

and its also great hearing about men who are really happy in their jobs! I'm not sure my husband has the personality to be content with something long term, but at least I can hope he will be less miserable some day