Are you happy with your current Rate, MOS, Specialty, or if a civilian your Job?

2014-05-31T12:22:25-04:00

Do think some of people are not happy with what they do? Some just had to pick something as a speciality. Others thought the job was better than it actually is. I'm OK with my current......However, I believe I can do better......I have more to offer than this position asks......Not using all my talents correctly........Currently searching for a better fit......How do you feel? Happy, OK, disappointed, or sad, other? Comments.......

Response by SSgt Gregory Guina made May 31 at 2014 12:26 PM

2014-05-31T12:26:20-04:00

O love my MOS however I wish I had been able to promote higher. I will soon retire from the Marines and all the leadership training that I have recieved will make my transition into the civilian workforce easier. I do not necessarily want to continue working as an electronics technician but I have the skillset and desire to run a shop.

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made May 31 at 2014 12:29 PM

2014-05-31T12:29:53-04:00

I love my job. Both deployed and at home, I get to spend every day working to prevent deaths and help the wounded live better lives. This is why I joined and I'm amazed daily that I actually get to do what I do. When I was young, this is what I imagined as the perfect job - well, short of the whole going PhD vs MD thing. The one big bonus recently is making O-4. Got tired of being called a "young captain" when I'm sitting there at 40 yrs old with a PhD. Funny how my opinions suddenly became more relevant just by changing 1 patch.

Response by PO2 Rocky Kleeger made May 31 at 2014 1:42 PM

2014-05-31T13:42:31-04:00

I like the work. My problem is that I am the only one on the contract that knows how to do my job. That being said, even though no one what knows what my job is, they are convinced I do it wrong

Response by CW2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 31 at 2014 1:55 PM

2014-05-31T13:55:31-04:00

I love my job because I went to college to work in that field. Unfortunately, I feel like I have much more to offer and plan on becoming a warrant officer. The Army is downsizing my job and it's even harder to get promoted past SSG.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made May 31 at 2014 2:00 PM

2014-05-31T14:00:02-04:00

I wanted to be an MP when I joined and I was told I couldn't. If I knew then what I know now I would've walked out of MEPS and I probably would've gotten it. Instead I picked mechanics and later became a recruiter. I actually like mechanics if for no other reason that when I go buy cars or take mine to the shop after I'm treated like a dumb women I am able to shock them with what I actually know. I became a recruiter on a whim and I love it, I never know who I'm going to meet. There are times when I'd like to do something else because I do get bored but at the end of the day I'm very happy with how my career has been going.

Response by GySgt Joe Strong made May 31 at 2014 2:01 PM

2014-05-31T14:01:37-04:00

I loved my time in the Corps, and thoroughly enjoyed my MOS and the places it took me. I was privileged to work at all echelons of Maintenance and repair except Depot. I loved being Bench tech, doing QC, and field work where I was allowed to continue 4th echelon work. I worked a while in the Purple aspect of the Services and really enjoyed seeing how the other Services did the same or similar work.
As a Civilian your supervisor and coworkers can make a much bigger impact on how you feel about your situation. Look for a civilian job with as much autonomy as you can get.

Response by SrA Private RallyPoint Member made May 31 at 2014 2:04 PM

2014-05-31T14:04:24-04:00

I feel the same way, PO1. Although I have been extremely blessed to work where I work at Edwards and working around "Big Bang Theory" characters, I feel like I am not maximizing my potential. I am actively looking for other federal opportunities and hope something comes up where I can work in the capacity I desire. I really like helping my fellow veterans and find that this is where I'm most happy despite working around a military community. I can always do better. But, in the meantime, I'm staying here in my current position, at least until I finish my Master's degree or another position opens...

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made May 31 at 2014 3:08 PM

2014-05-31T15:08:27-04:00

I love being a Unit Supply Specialist, its the same job I did in the Civilian world for over 4 years before I joined so Its better in the military because of nearly set hours, FREE PT, great benefits and my family has a great roof over thier heads, overall Much better than corperate america

Response by LCDR Doug Nordman made Jun 1 at 2014 12:31 PM

2014-06-01T12:31:03-04:00

I almost always loved the job (well, except for that COMSUBPAC staff Ops gig). But no matter how fun or challenging or fulfilling the jobs may have been, the dissatisfiers almost always outweighed the satisfiers.

I wanted more time for family & myself-- I resented having to deal with rush hours and meetings and bureaucracy and redundant paperwork and command socializing. Even on sea duty I was much happier underway than inport because we could do our mission without all the interference and distractions.

Today (1 June) marks 12 years of retirement. When I get the occasional job offer or entrepreneurial opportunity, I'm not willing to take on the hassles. I'm much happier on my own. When I want to write then I can write all day. When the surf is up then I can put down the keyboard and paddle out. I have "enough", and it's the best job ever.

Response by COL Vincent Stoneking made Jun 1 at 2014 1:02 PM

2014-06-01T13:02:53-04:00

I am happy with both my military and civilian gigs. That's not to say I don't have ambitions/plans for more, but I love what I do. When I don't I'll stop.

It's actually a bit of an issue for me in my civilian job, because I am capable and "ready" to move up the food chain a bit. However, I am really good at my current job, really like it, and am SEEN as good at it. My long-term plans don't call for me homesteading in this position. I think I would really like the next logical step, once I take it. But it's.... nice where I am.

On the Reserve side, I loved my BN command, but I'm glad to have that 20-25 hours a week back (Yes, that's accurate. I'm not sure how you do the job well in less time. In the first year it was even more.). I expect to like my new gig, and I've got War College to suck up some of that "spare time." :-)

Response by LCpl Steve Wininger made Jun 1 at 2014 11:27 PM

2014-06-01T23:27:39-04:00

PO1 Bargar, I think the only time I was really happy with my job was while I was in the Marines. Unfortunately, to much drinking and the wrong attitude led me to believe differently. It mas almost a decade later, after I became a dad and quit drinking that I realized I missed the Marines.

I have told my daughter on many occasions to figure out who she is, what she wants in life, and pursue it with everything she has. The sooner she can figure out her place in the grand scheme of things, the happier she will be.

I am 49 years old, a sophomore in college pursuing something I should have done a long time ago. My motivation for such a drastic change was unhappiness. I always felt there was more out there than serving some rich unappreciative customer who throws a tantrum because his light went out in the middle of the day.

My motivation is not money, if that was what made one happy then I would be pursuing something besides writing. My desire is job satisfaction and fulfillment, none of which I got in previous jobs. I always had this question that kept playing over in the back of my mind, there has to be more to life than this.

So after getting my second wind I made my move. The older one gets the scarier a job change can be, let alone a career change, but hey, you only live once.

My biggest piece of advice I can give to anyone facing a career change, transitioning, or higher education, know yourself. ever heard the saying we are our own worst enemies? When one can really look inside and figure out what they really want out of life, then the choices are easier to make.