I’m lucky. I love my work—always have. You can too.

The headline read: Why You Hate Work. I just had a conversation about this very topic with a friend who has her own recruiting business and of course, this is something I discuss with clients when we work on what they need and want from their jobs and careers.

Read the article to learn why we hate work. However, if you want to know why I have always loved my work and how you can too read on.

I felt valued and appreciated every single day for the contributions I’ve made. 

My first professional job was working for The Gillette Company where I was the first female sales representative in a macho men’s product division. I fought hard for my achievements and, with the help of my champion (aka mentor), was recognized and promoted quickly. My office was my tiny expense San Francisco apartment and the buying offices of every key account in Northern California. Headquarters was Boston, a 3-hour time difference no one seemed to remember, and so every day I awoke to a 6:00 am phone call from headquarters, “ Jane what’s your opinion on this new product launch plan? Jane, can we include this product in the All-Star promotion? Jane, help. Why isn’t this product selling through at retail?” I remember telling another salesperson about those early morning calls. His reaction was horror. Not mine. I knew those phone calls where about my value to the organization. When I was promoted into a headquarter position, my transition was easy. I knew people in sales, marketing and promotion, and they knew what I could contribute.

▪ Find ways to contribute that go above your job expectations. 
▪ Find a champion—a person who helps to teach and guide you. 
▪ Dare to be different.

I was challenged by my work. In all put one company, I had the opportunity to focus on the things that were important to the organization achieving its goals.

When I moved to the agency side of marketing, I became the lead on the agency’s first consumer packaged goods (CPG) business. The agency excelled at fast food, banking and a few other categories but clueless in every respect about CPG. Now the agency had Tyson Foods; a little know company at the time that had chickens (yes, I visited smelly noisy chicken coops, spent a day in the kill factory and still eat chicken) but no packaged products for retail. I didn’t know much more than the senior management team but I took on and loved the challenge of learning all aspects of the business, creating product ideas, working in the test kitchens, developing the channels of distributions, getting the product into retail and developing Tyson’s first TV spots. In a year, Tyson launched two product lines. I helped Tyson achieve its goal and the agency had a very high-profile client with the revenue to match. 

▪ Vow to be a life-long learner. 
▪ You will have to do both, but knowing the difference between value-add work and non-value add work can make a difference.
▪ Know how what you do fits into the bigger picture.

I knew the work I did was meaningful.

Working at the Quaker Oats Company in the ‘90’s was one of my most meaningful experiences. The pet foods division had created a truly human-centered culture that put its people first because it recognized that people are the key to creating long-term value. When the company laid-off the 120-person promotion department I was in, I was the only one saved by being hired into the pet food division. That was all the validation I needed to know the work I was doing was meaningful to the division and to me.

▪ Learn the company’s strategic plan, priorities, and goals and identify ways you can contribute.
▪ Show up every single day.
▪ Earn the trust of your co-workers and trust them.

I get to do what I do best.

Before I started More Than A Resumé, I was at a career crossroads. Marketing no longer met my criteria for doing work I loved. I asked questions: 

1. What are my skills/talents—the things I do very well?
2. What are the skills I enjoy using the most?
3. What value do these skills offer the marketplace?
4. Who wants/needs those skills? 

I asked my peers, colleagues, former bosses. When I had the answers, I set out to do what I do best.

I don’t consider myself a lucky person. I’ve felt pain and heartache from my failures (many) or jobs I never should have taken (only two.) However, I do consider myself someone who knows how to love the work I do.

(@#@!!! Once again blogger has messed with the formatting. Sorry.)