Job Satisfaction - Criteria

[buckeyebri]

I'm interested in hearing what others use for criteria to rate your job satisfaction. I am not trying to be insensitive here to those who may have lost jobs recently or that their jobs are in jeopardy. I am merely interested in seeing what motivates people to be satisfied in their jobs or seek alternative employment.

Some obvious criteria are (please feel free to add your own):

Money
Benefits
Working Environment (causual and friendly or controlled)
Co Workers
Boss
Work Hours (too many or freedom to come and go)
Personal Fullfillment (do you like what you do, are you challenged or bored)
External Environment (Clients or consultants)
On a scale of 1 to 10 for me on the above criteria:

Money (8) - who wouldn't want to make more, but I do make enough to live comfortably

Benefits (10) - very good package and don't have to pay for medical (yet that is).

Working Environment (6) - Downtown location, old building (not modernized), expensive lunch choices.

Co Workers (7) - Okay folks, but most are on a different wavelength (i.e.:few football/sports folks).

Work Hours (9) - No qualms here, can come and go as please.

Boss (5) - New guy, jury is still. Not sure of vision or support.

Personal Fullfillment (4) - Here is where I really struggle!

External Environment (7) - Real mixed bag here, some great, some terrible!

Overall Job Satisfaction (7)

What's yours? Is it good or is it time to move on if opportunity presented itself?

 

[gbearbuck]

Pay is important

benefits are important

the fact I enjoy going to work is important

freedom to do as I please, w/o a boss over my head 24/7 is important

dealing with people/helping people is important

the material I deal with is something I enjoy, and am good at (important)

not so important is the social stuff at work (the folks are good people, and sports does come up, however I frankly don't spend too much time talking to folks in the office... so that isn't too important on my list... if I was with a bunch of folks I didn't get along with, that could be a different story)

I don't mind the long hours, however when my wife and I deceide to expand the family, the hours might need to be cut back.

overall, I enjoy my work and cannot think of a better job.

 

[NorthShoreBuck]

I really think it depends on where you are at in your life.

When I was younger I was willing to work 80 hours a week. My co-workers were my drinking buddies. I could care less about benefits.

Now with a family I value the time more, although I make a lot more now than then.

Also with a family benefits are critical. Medical, dental, and vision are great. My company will match 50% on the 401K which is also nice.

I have always had to be challenged, to learn more or to contribute more. A 9-5 desk job where I do the same thing every day would kill me.

I also do not socialize with anyone I work with outside of work.

I have worked out in the field in nuclear power plants, oil & gas and other industries. The commute and the environment you work in has a great effect on your health and personal happiness. I now live 5 minutes from work. I do travel extensively which I like.

Great thread, made me think and be thankful for what I have now.

 

[The KSB]

Using 1-10 in the areas you mentioned

1. Money - 8, very important but only up to a point. I have no real desire to get rich, but I want to be able to live comfortably and send my children to the college of their choice

2. Benefits - 10, No way would I go w/o decent insurance

3. Working Environment (causual and friendly or controlled) - 8, I need to work in an environment that emphasises professionalism.

4. Co Workers - 5, I could take 'em or leave 'em. I not particullarly social

5. Boss - 6, take 'em r leave 'em. Just so long as I'm able to do my job.

5. Work Hours (too many or freedom to come and go) - 6, While I will burn the midnight oil if need be my family comes first.

6. Personal Fullfillment (do you like what you do, are you challenged or bored) - 10, I need constant callenges and get bored easy if I'm doing the same thing for too long.

External Environment (Clients or consultants) - 5, take 'em or leave 'em

 

[RugbyBuck]

Realistic advancement/ownership potential.

 

[ashlandbuck]

Join the military and you can break things and kill people.
That is quite satisfying to a great number of people.

 

[MyDixieWrecked]

Good thread, I am not really rating my job, but the criteria I use. I am 26, single, don't intend to be a company man and hope to retire in my early 40's. I graduated from a very good college and intend to go back for my MBA at a top 10 school.

Money (11) - screw the potential to make more money in the future. I will be with a different company every couple of years, until I settle down. Give me the money now, I need to save as much as possible before i get married or have kids. Show me the money!

Benefits (4) - Vacation is very nice and I every job I will get will have health and dental, but I do not have a family and an HMO will work.

Working Environment (6) - The city is very important, I am in San Diego now, which is where I want to be, it is nice to have a decent office and work in a place where people don't hate the company, every company has a different personality.

Co Workers (4) - I am usually the youngest guy in my department, I get along with just about everybody, but most seem to be into sports, but they are at a different phase of life.

Work Hours (7) - I usually work 45-50 hours a week, willing to work more, but I will have to be compensated to do so. I really like flex time, which I do not currently have. I hate having to be at work by 7 or 8 AM.

Boss (8) - Probably the most important aspect to enjoying work. If the guy is an ass and just wants to ride you to get the most work done so he looks good for his boss, you will not enjoy work. If the guy is reasonable and looks out for his team then your stress level will probably be reasonable.

Personal Fullfillment (2) - Never been too important to me, I enjoy volenteer work and would probably enjoy developing drugs to cure cancer, but that is not what interests me, so I work in an industry that does not provide such a great service to society and I don't think about it on a daily basis.

Resume Building (7) - Real important for me to be able to take progressive steps so that I am in line for another job that will be a step up and a large salary increase.

Overall Job Satisfaction (7.5) - I like my company, I like my bosses, my co-workers are OK, I like my location, but I do not like the industry I am in or the projects I work on.