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keepthetips t1_jdx2o1y wrote

Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips!

Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment.

If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.

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panthergold2k3 t1_jdx5yqr wrote

I am in this situation right now. I am in my career of choice with intentions of working for big time entertainment companies, but I just took a corporate job where my bosses are understanding, i have flexible hours, and room to grow and lead a team with a terrific salary. I am reconsidering my career path and may stay here for most of my career. Being valued and respected goes a long way!

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SmilingForStrangers t1_jdx6a8w wrote

Can confirm. I went from one of my dream company in a field that interests me to a field that I’ve never thought about working in.

Dream company (roughly 30k employees in my area) treated me like garbage. The new, smaller company (around 1000 employees across the US) pays me more, gives me unlimited PTO, let’s me work at home, and has great additional benefits like paying for my gym membership.

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anshulmathu t1_jdxbb50 wrote

Q. What's your dream job? A. I don't dream about working 😂

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elcheapodeluxe t1_jdxbeav wrote

Oof. Yeah. Had a friend who got her marketing degree and then... got a job as an admin assistant at a certain valuable computer company that rhymes with Snapple. That was a decade ago and she said she really enjoyed working there and wanted to "work her way up". AFAIK she is still an admin. That's her choice to make, of course, but I wonder how many people are blinded by the glitter when there are lots of companies they could be fulfilled at and put their skills to work and be happy at even if they've not got the cachet of "Snapple".

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Academic-Evidence-12 t1_jdxfgea wrote

100%. Your manager has more control and influence over your experience day to day. Any dream company at the end of the day will behave like a corporation that looks out for its interests and not yours. Once you find out how the sausage is made, the luster wears off quick.

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FULLsanwhich15 t1_jdxhm4k wrote

100% agreed. I’m a teacher and while there are other schools I got offers from, I connected better with the admin at lower paying school and took it. I have 0 of the issues teachers talk about on our sub purely because we have a supportive and understanding admin who don’t require a full meeting for something that can be emailed. I’ve told them several times I’ll never leave as long as they’re here. It’s worth it every day

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the_red_scimitar t1_jdxjs72 wrote

Took me most of a lifetime to understand this. Lots of terrible "dream jobs" - good pay awful bosses and no upside for future. Took me 5 years to recognize that my current job is the right one for me.

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dovahkiitten16 t1_jdxs6wm wrote

I never understood the dream company thing. Dream field or dream position? Sure. But companies come and go and some will treat you better or worse than others, and at the end of the day you’ll always be expendable. You don’t owe them loyalty let alone treating one as a dream.

I remember when I decided on my program for school all my older relatives would only ask me “who I wanted to work for” and then act like I was wasting money because I didn’t have a specific company I wanted to work for.

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kdthex01 t1_jdxsc09 wrote

So much this x 1000 million. I got caught up in the “who got the most prestigious offer” rat race during the recruiting cycle and “won”.

One of the jobs I turned down went to a friend - they invested in her and she went on to become a industry leader in our field - mostly because she had time and support to contribute to open source projects and standards orgs. Meanwhile I was maxing billable hours at the expense of my health.

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harrydawgg t1_jdxz7ep wrote

This is anecdotal, and written like it's a sure thing as opposed to what it may be, a likelihood.

I work for one of the largest tech companies in the world, always was a dream of mine and it's been a dream working here.

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throwaway387190 t1_jdy26l2 wrote

Damn, I just don't know what to do

I've got an internship with a great company and I'm already doing the exact thing I am getting my degree for (working with microgrids and renewables). I've been treated with nothing but respect and understanding despite being the goddamn intern. They pay me well, but for dull timers the pay is average or a bit below. But our health insurance is better than the hospital's, plus vision and dental

However, I don't like the area. It's a super small, college town. I'm 26, almost 27, so I'm hitting an awkward demographic. Too old for the college kids, too young for the rest of the community, which is very family oriented. Great town to raise a family in, but I'm single and don't know if I want kids. My team also works long hours, not something I'm into either as a disabled person.

So yeah, I don't know if I want to stay on. Pros are doing the exact type of work I am getting my degree for, really good team and manager, great benefits, peaceful area. Cons are the lower pay, very small town with nothing to do and hard to meet people my age (so harder to find a spouse), and long hours

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7in7turtles t1_jdyavuw wrote

I think this is the difference between having your dream job, and your dream resume. The former is important and the latter is pretty meaningless. I got the opportunity to work at one of my "dream companies" and it was not the greatest experience.

But I was working at one of those companies that I really wanted to work at. I wasn't doing the job that I really wanted to do. That's a huge difference. Having a good job, at a company that may not be your dream company, is better than having a shit job at the coolest place in the world for sure.

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booboogriggs7467 t1_jdybld9 wrote

I was a barback at a hotel bar and I would literally have walked into hell for my managers. Two awesome dudes who knew how to do their jobs. Their boss was an asshat though, and he caused them to quit. Once they were gone, the job wasn't worth it anymore. I'm making more money now doing something else, but I miss those dudes so much

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maskedwallaby t1_jdyf1sd wrote

Well, that’s one way to get more followers. Got any more platitudes?

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vifor50 t1_jdyfydn wrote

Exactly! Be like crabs in a pot, right OP?

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wuvvtwuewuvv t1_jdyh2kc wrote

Your older relatives are massively out of touch lol. There is almost no loyalty at or to companies anymore. Companies will fire you to save a buck. There are almost always a better opportunity elsewhere, and less and less reason to stay where you are.

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JonA3531 t1_jdyjdya wrote

And don't pursue your "dream" career as well. Pursue a career at something that you're good at.

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Zgerv t1_jdylksj wrote

Yup. Most tradesmen I know who feel fulfilled in their field have a particular someone to thank. And they dream more so of being a link in that chain for someone else. If you asked them why this particular trade, they couldn't tell you specifically it just stuck because the 'climate' was right at the time of growth.

Also - LPT: As an employer it's much more important to be engaged with your employees growth than it is their performance. It will pay exponentially more in production in the long term; ironically.

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Biggbenzz85 t1_jdymrv3 wrote

Or work good paying jobs until you find "the one". Took me years but I found it. Been working there for 10 years so far. But now I'm going to be looking again for one that is in a state that respects human life and full of hate (moving from Chicago, Illinois to Texas).

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SwingGirlAtHeart t1_jdynrji wrote

I'm a firm believer in the idea that you don't need to be passionate about your career. You do need to find your passion in life, but that just does not need to be your job. Working in a field you love is a good way to eventually hate the field.

Obviously this isn't true for everyone, but it's true for a lot of folks, myself included.

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redvitalijs t1_jdyoe45 wrote

I think this advice needs to be more complete. Here is my attempt:

Change jobs every 2 years to increase salary (can be in the same company). Deal with all types of bosses, while learning what kind of boss you need. Keep in touch with bosses you liked.

Once you are ready to settle down maintain this strategy until you hit a wonderfull boss, then start growing more laterally and try yourself at this whole one company career knowing that you are supported.

Trying to settle down with a good boss too early can be problematic. Your great boss can't really help you with a salary boost, because that comes from up above corporate anyway. You also are limited to what you can learn about other companies, bosses and yourself.

It's very simillar to dating, know when to move on, know when to settle down before it's too late. Unless you want to be a freelancer. No judgements, it can be very fun too.

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Dyolf_Knip t1_jdyoehw wrote

I tels you, my current Scottish boss has completely ruined me for having an American manager even again. We were halfway through March and the guy is telling me he's worried because I haven't yet put in any requests against my unlimited vacation time.

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iamtommynoble t1_jdyol1l wrote

Feel like it might be easier to look for my dream company at this point…

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redvitalijs t1_jdyon7l wrote

As for working for your dream company I think you should try to get there. Wouldn't want to regret it your whole life, as it can sour your relationship even with the best job you have now. As in it is better to be disappointed.

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DankCringes t1_jdypaar wrote

Isn't this basically a "never meet your heroes" kind of shtick, but for companies?

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BrotherRoga t1_jdystpe wrote

That sounds like a dream company to me. I'm lucky to just find a job, period.

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Snarleey t1_jdyu9hv wrote

This is different from your thoughts on pursuing someone’s dream occupation?

I would think a dream employer is such because they treat employees well, at least partially.

How does one end up with a dream employer that isn’t a dream employer?

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drunknixon t1_jdyukb3 wrote

I was interviewed in 2020 and got two offers. One was a really cool company, doing lots of stuff I wanted to be involved in, the other was just meh. I went with meh because they never called or emailed after hours or on weekends, and seemed very nice. 2.5 years later I’ve been promoted twice and got 3 raises. My colleague who got my dream job is still in the same position as before

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diplodocus91 t1_jdyv15m wrote

I worked with adidas. And as big as a company like adidas it had absolutely rudimentary operations that didn’t make things easier rather more tougher. A set of rules and guidelines that while important made progress and processes even slower. Last the politics were at a different level. While i gave the company 33% growth in my field. Almost every year in my 36 month period. Another candidate was promoted after spending just 18 months in the company. So well.

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Morden013 t1_jdyvcwi wrote

There is no dream company.

There is only what you get in exchange for your work + the environment where you actually perform your work. If that fits - that is a solid company, and you should work for it.

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Coldkane t1_jdywlmd wrote

Couldn't agree more. Who manages you on the day to day is probably one of the most important thing at a job. Having a good manager who actually supports you is an absolute game changer.

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Brilliant-Aioli-6589 t1_jdyy5ac wrote

Thank you for this. I needed to hear this. I turned down a FAANG company last year and decided to work for a mid level tech company. I’m unhappy here and regretting why I didn’t take the other choice but I wouldn’t know if it’s any better. I’ve been chasing my dream company with no luck, and I’ve never had a good boss who believes in me at all the companies I work for. Maybe I should pursue a smaller company to find a better boss and team.

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vinbone44 t1_jdyy7et wrote

I don’t understand how you could even have a dream company unless it is the pinnacle of some artistic pursuit. Like animator for Pixar or something. Like why would some accountant dream of working at a certain firm for a reason other than it being the highest paying?

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ZombieJesusaves t1_jdz5b7l wrote

I have the most amazing job ever at a small manufacturing company which I never heard of before I applied. Amazing pay, amazing bosses, amazing benefits, awesome coworkers many of who me I have formed real lasting friendships with. I have opportunities that would have taken a decade or more to build at larger better known firms and I love my work as much as someone can love corporate office work stuff. The big guys will use you up and spit you out all while leveraging their good name to pay you less and abuse you more. Fuck them

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ChipLong7984 t1_jdz7ize wrote

They definitely don't have to be mutually exclusive either though

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gorillamagnet t1_jdz7lyg wrote

This is absolute truth. This whole thing of work needing to be ‘fulfilling’ or you needing to ‘follow your passion and you’ll never work a day in your life’ is complete and utter horseshit.

A great manager I once worked under summed it up best: ‘Work is work. If it were fun, they’d call it something else.’

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brewsandbutts t1_jdz8bev wrote

Oh my god, yes. Went for working my “dream” job with 60-80 hour weeks at horrendously low pay, no appreciation, no time off, etc., just to say I worked for Company A. I ended up having a nervous breakdown, had to quit and move back home. I felt like a failure… until I found a job working at a small company I used to freelance for. Now, I have a boss who appreciates me and tells me every day, I get to affect change, do fun things for free, get a ton of time off, and I’ll have an amazing resume and experience when I move on eventually. This is the best advice I’ve seen on here.

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Penis_Bees t1_jdz9j33 wrote

It's also terrible wisdom that just sounds good. There's no reason why your dream company has to be bad and why a small company has to be good.

Honestly small businesses are more likely to take advantage of you because they can't afford not to. There's a reason why there's a stigma around companies that pretend you're family.

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h2man t1_jdz9tb9 wrote

I’ve had 3 companies I’ve always wanted to work for based on the products, innovation and industries they’re in.

This year interviewed for the last of them and the commonality is that they’re shit.

In one of the interviews I, then with a masters and 15 years experience from field tech to management, told me a guy taking jis bachelor whilst working for them is more valuable than me… followed by an offer to continue the process but the maximum salary was a 25% pay cut of where I was. :/

The other ignored stuff done by me in the same role at a different company in their industry (which indirectly benefitted them) as not that big of a deal and were arrogant as fuck during the interview. Luckily they didn’t make an offer as I’d have uprooted my life just at the outset of Covid only to join in as they declared bankruptcy.

The third one was a month ago, a massive conglomerate like the first one. Didn’t bother to structure an interview process or have the interviewers actually plan the interview or more than one person witnessing the interview. So it was all over the place ranging from the very basic shit to stuff completely unrelated to the job like IT infrastructure. To top it off? Flat out saying that they won’t come anywhere near where I am salary wise should they make an offer.

So now I really only care about what’s in it for me rather than working for X or Y.

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itgoesdownandup t1_jdzaicz wrote

Yeah, I don't know if it's specifically saying small businesses are better. But it does feel weird since I feel like most dream jobs are literally about being so good in terms of comfort and luxury. I mean I guess it's something to keep in mind still.

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pejsata t1_jdzatdo wrote

Here’s a word from experience - even your dream company is a dream company only in your head.

I clawed my way to mine which took me 4 years. After a year I left with an explosion and vigorously flipping them the bird.

I am now also a broken person.

Don’t expect perfection from a company or a position or you’ll be up for great disappointment.

Cheers

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TygerJ99 t1_jdzefra wrote

Jokes on you, your describing my dream company

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sammedina t1_jdzgv8w wrote

OP writes this as if you can’t have respectful considerate bosses at your dream company. I can confirm that both can exist at the same time.

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Equatical t1_jdzn76j wrote

Exactly. And remember anything you have can be taken from you at any moment. Why not work for the best people then? Can’t take away respect or courtesy or human compassion. That’s not a motto in corporate thinking. Do what’s best for all! Avoid corporate. Be happy with what you have :)

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Gargomon251 t1_jdznef6 wrote

You marked this thread NSFW because you have nudes in your profile?

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Psihycho t1_jdztp63 wrote

damn op playing 4d chess with that OF promo over a copy pasted lpt

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bigflagellum t1_jdztvlv wrote

Lol dude at which point in her only fans career did she learn this. Chill I don’t care that she does only fans it’s just obvious that she’s copy and pasting this to make money . Not very honest if you ask me

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itgoesdownandup t1_jdzufjv wrote

I mean you don't just learn wisdom from experience purely. She could've learnt it elsewhere and on top of that onlyfans isn't usually just someone sole way to get income. I'm more just having a problem that it feels weird to be like, "where did she get this wisdom from. She does onlyfans." Kinda just makes it sound like you are calling them dumb. Also I mean yeah I agree it's copy and paste in fact your original comment was worded as a question so in my last comment I was telling you it was a copy and paste lol

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heir-of-slytherin t1_jdzweic wrote

Yep! As long as your job provides well enough to fund your lifestyle and hopefully save for the future as well, it’s okay for a job to be a job. Your hobbies can be your passion. Your job doesn’t have to be.

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dr_reverend t1_jdzwl00 wrote

But remember to only work there for no more than 3 years because staying with any company for longer makes you a chump.

  • Most people on any discussion about employment it seems.
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bigflagellum t1_jdzwpp8 wrote

You just admitted you believe this was copy and pasted so she obviously didn’t learn this elsewhere and I was right to assume her age and profession did not lead to this wisdom. Nor did she learn this from anywhere else other than where she copy and pasted it from. Btw here is the definition of wisdom

the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; the quality of being wise. "listen to his words of wisdom"

You can see experience is listed as the first requirement.

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itgoesdownandup t1_jdzyohg wrote

Uhh yeah what I'm saying was never about whether it was copy and paste or not. I said that in the beginning that it was, and that's not really a counter to my point. I'm saying it's just a little sus to be like saying people are dumb because of something they do. I mean I get maybe you are saying you are surprised that she knows this due to age and what is the only profession of hers we know of. And that's why I was writing it like saying it kinda sounds like you were calling her dumb or that you can't be wise and have an onlyfans, but from this I think you are just saying it's from age and work. Not that she's dumb. So we cool.

Also that's a list. Knowledge is included. What's written first doesn't even matter.

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SmilingForStrangers t1_jdzzwls wrote

It’s interesting, and I’m coming from hospitality, so it scares me sometimes.

Basically, as long as my time off is granted, I get paid for it. I don’t have any set limit of 2 weeks per year or anything. Taking days off is encouraged. My boss told me recently that I wasn’t taking enough time off, so I took this week off. It’s really taking me some time to trust the system, but it’s absolutely wonderful

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bigflagellum t1_je00wws wrote

At what point did I say this person is dumb. At what point did I show prejudice towards this persons only fans career. You are continually making negative assumptions about my tone that others are no inferring. Take a moment to reflect on why it is that you are so easy to trigger. Nor do I agree with your understanding of the word wisdom

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itgoesdownandup t1_je021bm wrote

You didn't. I wrote my comment that way because it was sorta to probe your brain I guess. In my first comment I was asking why it matters. And in the second I was pointing that people can still have the knowledge and it can be weird if you are are just saying she's dumb. You replied I said we were cool. So I'm sorry if I said something upsetting. I guess it was being accusatory, so it makes sense why it could be. I'm not really triggered. The comment was vague, and it's not unheard of for people to think doing onlyfans or whatever = dumb.

My understanding of wisdom is the definition you used? I didn't add anything to it. I talked about knowledge being an aspect of wisdom and I pointed out your definition literally said knowledge as well?

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uneasyonion t1_je04nat wrote

It is wonderful working for a federal job with a union. Have the full deserved right to not take any crap from "superiors".

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killbot0224 t1_je07ork wrote

"Aiming for your fl dream company" is a terrible idea in general.

"Dream companies" are usually the dream company of lots of people.

Know what that means?

Excess labor supply

It means you're probably going to be paid poorly, and your workload will probably be dramatically higher than your paycheque warrants, and your managers will not give one shit about you because they've had a thousands "passionate" new hires, and they just turn you all over to keep it cheap.

STOP GIVING FREE LABOR TO COMPANIES

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killbot0224 t1_je08oun wrote

That's tough. What industry? (and how much travel really?

If that much travel is required, I'm curious because that implies that being shorthanded could be costly.

Pay more and aim 10+ years older, is my "first peek" thought.

My second would be "hire double (and combine with other roles?) and cut travel in half"

But I'm just a stranger who likes juggling logistical/personnel problems as mental exercises.

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Tweed-n-Sizzle t1_je0edtf wrote

Lmaoooooooooo "I'm depressed, here's my pussy, give me money". This society is fucking trash

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daghst t1_je0fce5 wrote

Iono my boss (me) is very strict and doesn't respect or value my work.

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Automatic_Tear9354 t1_je0h024 wrote

100%. A good boss is so under appreciated. They can make a shitty job great or they can make a great job shitty. If you have a good boss make sure you let him/her know because it’ll go a long way.

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Ruadhan2300 t1_je0ie0f wrote

Dream Team/Boss is a much more achievable goal than Dream Company.

I like my boss, he's a decent man who respects my time and skills and understands when something is unreasonable to ask for.

I like my team, they're a great bunch, good humour, no egos. We get on well.

The company? It's an automotive finance company.
It might not be changing the world or challenging my best skills, but it pays well and that's enough.

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borisHChrist t1_je0nyp6 wrote

Does such a boss even exist?

I’ve been badly treated by every boss I’ve ever had and I’m so strung out I’m starting to believe even the concept of working is just pain personified. I’m not even kidding

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IShallSealTheHeavens t1_je0tf0p wrote

Unlimited PTO is a trap, sounds good in theory but you don't really ever get to use it. It's usually subject to approval, which means It can be denied or more easily denied since you didn't "earn" any time off. Plus, since you're not accruing any PTO, nothing is cashed out if you ever leave. It really ends up depending on the company, but I've never heard of anyone who has unlimited PTO ever get to take advantage of it.

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Olive2887 t1_je0w8yr wrote

LPT ignore mediocre people are pursue greatness.

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deadfermata t1_je13nc1 wrote

take advantage of the unlimited pto.

data shows most workers who have “unlimited pto” end up using less of it than those who don’t.

also “unlimited pto” is a way for the company not to pay you out anything if you leave or if they let you go.

so take advantage of it. use it. 👍🏻

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the_red_scimitar t1_je14dju wrote

I was, but there was outside influence that warped that to some degree. Society does an awful lot of telling you what a good job is, and most of that is flat out wrong. Knowing what you want is like saying know yourself - super easy to say, rarely ever attained.

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SmilingForStrangers t1_je14gvc wrote

100%. I’ve already used about 60/70 hours this year and my boss has been getting on me about not using it enough.

I think they are really trying to eliminate burnout. I can see it being used nefariously, but I think they just actually want us to be happy, as opposed to the theme park that I came from, which has a more “hire an 18 year old when this person burns out” mentality

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Raven_Strange t1_je16bnl wrote

I've worked for stressful organizations that put me in stressful, often dangerous situations without a lick of support or care, and now I'm at a place that offered me a paid day off after a similar stressful situation happened; one that all the previous company's wouldn't have cared about.

I didn't feel the need to take time off, partly due to the previous trauma making me sort of numb to it, but my boss insisted. When came back, I was inundated with emails and messages from people checking in on me. It's a strange feeling when all you've known before is apathy.

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albino_kenyan t1_je17vvo wrote

i work in software, and the only job i really disliked was where i worked on a product i was actually interested in (k-12 ed software). much more interesting projects where i worked at semi-crooked banks doing boring financial software. Most software problems aren't industry-related, it's all the same CRUD stuff.

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shayanrc t1_je1b2b1 wrote

It's like the concept of negative freedom: you don't want to protest against anything right now, but you wouldn't move to a country which explicitly bans public protest.

I have unlimited PTO, but I have only taken 6-7 days off in the last 1 year. But knowing that I will be able to if I need it definitely counts as a perk for me.

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IShallSealTheHeavens t1_je1c1zk wrote

But in that same vein, you would have banked 2 to 3 weeks of PTO that you can also freely use which is something tangible and owed to you if you decided to leave your company today. But yea, it really comes down to where you work. Imo if you're not using at least 3 weeks of paid vacation per year at a company with unlimited PTO, you're losing compensation unfortunately.

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marcosrmguerra t1_je1e63q wrote

Worked for big names before, but landing a job at an unfamiliar company has been my best career move yet!

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EggCouncilCreeps t1_je1o72w wrote

I pursued "working for my dream company" and it left me miserable. Now I have a crappy job for the best boss. I hate the actual work I do but they make sure I'm happy, paid appropriately and able to do the work (which is literally a first in my career). I just need 35 more hours a week and I might be able to, you know, earn a living.

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zoeheriot t1_je1riz0 wrote

I got lucky and get to work for my dream company tho. <3

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ChaChaGalore t1_je1rs2q wrote

Previous co-workers thought I was nuts for not job hopping for higher pay. I definitely could have made more money. But I work regular hours, get paid OK, unlimited PTO, decent health insurance, 401k with 25% matching, ability to WFH, and flexible time when I need to take care of my elderly parents. Is it perfect? NO. But I'm here and it's fine. Those old co-workers... all scared of being laid off due to them being the most recent hires.

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itgoesdownandup t1_je1va52 wrote

Might be done with the conversation which is fine and I'm not trying to start anything anyways. I just came here because I thought I should also apologize for not writing my apology sooner. I wrote my apology about how it was accusatory and upsetting, but I think it's worth saying I'm sorry about not writing it earlier. I could've written the apology earlier if I thought more about your perspective. So sorry for not doing so.

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OtherDirection t1_je2rzv8 wrote

Currently in my dream company and it’s an absolute nightmare.

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daveescaped t1_je2syaz wrote

I’d go even broader and say don’t worry about finding a dream job. Find something you can make a nice living at and then learn to like it or adjust employers, bosses as you go.

I found a career that is lucrative but I didn’t love it at first. In fact I really didn’t like it. I stuck with it and learned to like it. Now I truly love my job. Along the way I’ve never struggled financially like I would have had I “followed my dreams”.

Jobs often start out hard and stressful but as you develop expertise you earn respect and and you enjoy your time at work. I’d nearly do my job for free now.

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knockinforthesugar t1_je6fnjc wrote

Yeeep and not to mention many of the bad employers prey on this dream mentality.

1