Take a big-bucks job that's a big bore? How to decide whether to work in a field you love, or one that pays the bills. Plus, more on cursing co-workers.  (Fortune) -- Dear Annie: I'm about to start my last year of B-school and, having worked in both finance and marketing so far in my career, I'm a little uncertain about what to do next. I definitely want to climb the corporate heights, maybe even be a CEO someday, and if I go back to my old employer after I graduate, the surest way to do that is through finance. It also pays far better than marketing, at least in the short run. The trouble is, finance bores me to tears, whereas marketing has always gotten my juices flowing and has been incredibly interesting and satisfying. Do you have any advice for me? -Just Joe Dear Joe: Yes, I do. Here it is: Never take any job just because it pays well. (Marketing often pays just fine as you move up, by the way.) You may well have half a century ahead of you of going to work every day, and if you don't genuinely like what you do - or at least find it interesting most of the time - you'll have a miserable life. Over the years I've gotten hundreds, maybe thousands, of e-mails from readers who have spent 20 years or more toiling away in professions they dislike, only to end up wishing they had pursued their passions instead of padding their pocketbooks. Don't be one of them.
Besides, going into any field just for the money might well backfire anyway. Keep in mind that you'd be competing against people who are as passionate about finance as you are about marketing - and who, for that very reason, are likely to be better at it than you. It's hard to excel at something that bores you to tears. If you really do want to be CEO someday, you'd be far better off choosing work that energizes and inspires you. Cursing co-workers And now, a few more words about co-workers who curse a blue streak and how to deal with them (August 1). I was impressed with the volume of mail that came in on this topic - evidently it's one that strikes close to home for many of you. First, let's hear from the readers who think my original correspondent, signed Weary Ears, should just get over it. "As long as the profanity is not directed at an individual person, let it go," writes S.C. "Stop fixating on the vocabulary of your peers and get back to work." Cecile T. agrees: "I would rather focus on the important stuff. Are your colleagues reliable team members and do they respect everyone on the team? Are they productive and is their work top quality? If the answers are 'yes', then ignore the F- and S- words. They are unimportant in the scheme of things." If you work in a cubicle adjacent to one occupied by a foul-mouthed colleague, several readers offer one suggestion: headphones. Still, an equally large group of readers think Weary Ears should make an effort to get co-workers to clean up their language. "The person who wrote to you should grow a backbone and tell them point-blank, 'I don't want to hear this trashy talk,' " writes D. Anderson. "If that doesn't help, go to the boss, or all the way to the top if that's what it takes. Employers are obligated to provide a healthy atmosphere in the workplace." Indeed, a number of readers drew parallels between gutter language and secondhand smoke: If you've banned the latter, why condone its linguistic equivalent? "I was the manager of an employee who constantly cursed. After repeated talks didn't work, I handed him a 'stress ball' and advised him to carry it around with him as a reminder," writes Sandy Kay. Eventually, she says, this helped. "A co-worker of mine was in the same situation as Weary Ears," writes Brent B. "Her remedy: A centrally located 'curse jar' complete with price list. Colorful language fines range from 25 cents to a dollar. The cursing that remains is a small fraction of what it used to be." And then there's the indirect approach, suggested by a reader named Dan: Weary Ears could print out the column that contained her complaint and post it somewhere conspicuous at the office, such as "the coffee area, the fridge, or anywhere it would be noticed by the offenders." Hmmm... Well, it might be a shade too subtle, but worth a try. Thanks, all! -------------------------------------------- |
| ||||||||||||
