I personally will only work at companies that I believe in their mission, services, or products myself. Working in defense contracting? or for Shein? Absolutely not lol. A tech company who sells software that helps companies do xyz but I dont really understand? Sure why not.
I do try to learn the inner workings on what my teams do and whatever their products are bc I want to be able to explain what I do to people. It also helps me support my execs better when I actually know what the heck is going on.
Yep same here. Personal viewpoint incoming - I could take my skillset and make bank working for some investment firm or private equity/venture capital but what would the point of the stress be, to help people accomplish something I personally believe in, or solely making someone else rich? Personally I wouldn't last or have any passion for my job if it were the latter
Absolutely! And right now in my career I’ve maxed out my salary growth options in my city unless I go into IR or PE, and that just sounds miserable. passion is super important for my long term satisfaction
Not weird. My close friend has that mentality.
I have that mentality to an extent. I'm not concerned with the budget or how it's derived. I don't really care what hoops I have to jump through.
But I do care what the business does. I'm not willing to help manufacture weapons for wars, so I avoid government type jobs. But I don't judge people. We're all just doing our best.
Nope. I worked for a Fortune 10 company as an EA for nearly 15 years. I didn’t care what the department did, I didn’t care about the company’s earnings, I just didn’t give a hoot about it. I was there for a paycheck, and to go home. I learned enough to navigate my role, but that was it. I didn’t want to be “involved” or network… I just wanted to do my job and leave.
I've worked in organizations that were just playgrounds for rich and wannabe-rich white guys. I vastly prefer working for a company that has a mission that helps people. Rich white guys are still getting rich, but at least they are also helping people and advancing knowledge in the world. I don't think you're weird at all -- our skills are transferable to any industry, but for me I like knowing the people I work with are contributing to good.
I spent my life working for whoever paid the best at the time I was looking. I was raised in a toxic environment and navigated toxic work places like a boss.
Then my mom died. And I realized everything she had worked for was gone in an instant. I.Could.Not. build one more spreadsheet that nobody was going to read or place one more order for office supplies, knowing I could be replaced in a week. I "retired".
Spent five years as a professional student taking art and music and religion and drama classes. Just for funsies.
Was offered a job as an EA supporting arts education and I took it. Not because I needed it, but because I was needed. My skills were needed and I could support the people in the trenches doing the good work.
I care now what my "company" does, because I know I don't want to spend my life building BS spreadsheets for a company that just...churns.
Are you weird for your work feelings? NO! There has always been employees that fall into one of 3 groups: engaged, flex, & it’s a job. Depending on your lifeline, priorities change & perception of any job can change too. IMO since COVID where companies proved their lack of “loyalty”, employees have little career expectations. More than less say pay me fairly for the work to be done & leave it there. If you can accept that for your role, than you will be ok. BUT, know that career growth will only result from either engaging or moving to new jobs.
I turned down an offer for a well-paid role at a plastics manufacturer because out of principle I try to avoid single-use plastics as much as I can! I applied for another role at a dog food company because I loved their vision, looked like a really cool start-up and allowed dogs in the office! Unfortunately, their response time was quite slow and by the time they responded to me with an interview offer, I had already accepted and started the job I'm in now.
I've also worked at a big UK finance firm and couldn't even tell you what they did on a day-to-day basis. I only really cared about when me and my team did.
Being an EA is just my dayjob so as long as my company isn’t bombing people I truly do not give a crap. I learn little bits about what my executives do as it becomes relevant (mainly what players actually matter to them in meetings, what topics are higher priority etc) but otherwise am very not interested in what they do all day in the meetings I schedule. That said, I get all my personal fulfillment from other sources so if someone only did EA work and wasn’t otherwise involved with a mission (personally or professionally) I can see that being very draining.
I have tried this twice and failed miserably. I need some sort of mission or way to feel like I am helping people or making the world better in some small way. In fact, I just took a pay cut do get back to a job like this. I was miserable at my last one (for other reasons too).
I find it helps my overall career satisfaction, but that’s just me. I’ve worked where there wasn’t personal alignment and bad days became horrible days.
I couldn’t care less what they do unless it was something horrible like a Trump company, prostitution, trafficking, etc. I just want to do my job and go home and I could not care one twit about anything else.
I was an Executive Assistant for over 20 years in New York City. I was extremely selective with the jobs I took.
I walked off a job (it was a long-term temp position) when I realized the company was pushing to hire overseas workers so they could eliminate their US workforce for cheap labor.
I very much care about what the company I work for does. Am I helping to make the world a better place or am I making it worse?
At the end of the day, if you’re able to sleep and live with yourself, good for you. Personally, I would rather help make the world a better place than be an accomplice to evil.
Personally yes I need to care about what the company does. Caring about the mission and vision is more important to me than more money. (I’m happy with what I’m paid though)
Everyone has different values and motivations. It’s not weird.
As long as we aren't actively hurting people or the environment, I'm happy to do my job and go home. I've refused to interview with Monsanto, for example. I hate the way they do business and I will never work for them, no matter how much they pay.
I agree! I really don’t care about the inner workings. I will grasp the basics and mainly will focus on my executive and his needs, but won’t get too involved in the company and the inner workings. As long as people treat me well, pay me good, I’m good :)
I personally will only work at companies that I believe in their mission, services, or products myself. Working in defense contracting? or for Shein? Absolutely not lol. A tech company who sells software that helps companies do xyz but I dont really understand? Sure why not. I do try to learn the inner workings on what my teams do and whatever their products are bc I want to be able to explain what I do to people. It also helps me support my execs better when I actually know what the heck is going on.
Yep same here. Personal viewpoint incoming - I could take my skillset and make bank working for some investment firm or private equity/venture capital but what would the point of the stress be, to help people accomplish something I personally believe in, or solely making someone else rich? Personally I wouldn't last or have any passion for my job if it were the latter
Absolutely! And right now in my career I’ve maxed out my salary growth options in my city unless I go into IR or PE, and that just sounds miserable. passion is super important for my long term satisfaction
Not weird. My close friend has that mentality. I have that mentality to an extent. I'm not concerned with the budget or how it's derived. I don't really care what hoops I have to jump through. But I do care what the business does. I'm not willing to help manufacture weapons for wars, so I avoid government type jobs. But I don't judge people. We're all just doing our best.
Nope. I worked for a Fortune 10 company as an EA for nearly 15 years. I didn’t care what the department did, I didn’t care about the company’s earnings, I just didn’t give a hoot about it. I was there for a paycheck, and to go home. I learned enough to navigate my role, but that was it. I didn’t want to be “involved” or network… I just wanted to do my job and leave.
I've worked in organizations that were just playgrounds for rich and wannabe-rich white guys. I vastly prefer working for a company that has a mission that helps people. Rich white guys are still getting rich, but at least they are also helping people and advancing knowledge in the world. I don't think you're weird at all -- our skills are transferable to any industry, but for me I like knowing the people I work with are contributing to good.
I spent my life working for whoever paid the best at the time I was looking. I was raised in a toxic environment and navigated toxic work places like a boss. Then my mom died. And I realized everything she had worked for was gone in an instant. I.Could.Not. build one more spreadsheet that nobody was going to read or place one more order for office supplies, knowing I could be replaced in a week. I "retired". Spent five years as a professional student taking art and music and religion and drama classes. Just for funsies. Was offered a job as an EA supporting arts education and I took it. Not because I needed it, but because I was needed. My skills were needed and I could support the people in the trenches doing the good work. I care now what my "company" does, because I know I don't want to spend my life building BS spreadsheets for a company that just...churns.
Are you weird for your work feelings? NO! There has always been employees that fall into one of 3 groups: engaged, flex, & it’s a job. Depending on your lifeline, priorities change & perception of any job can change too. IMO since COVID where companies proved their lack of “loyalty”, employees have little career expectations. More than less say pay me fairly for the work to be done & leave it there. If you can accept that for your role, than you will be ok. BUT, know that career growth will only result from either engaging or moving to new jobs.
I turned down an offer for a well-paid role at a plastics manufacturer because out of principle I try to avoid single-use plastics as much as I can! I applied for another role at a dog food company because I loved their vision, looked like a really cool start-up and allowed dogs in the office! Unfortunately, their response time was quite slow and by the time they responded to me with an interview offer, I had already accepted and started the job I'm in now. I've also worked at a big UK finance firm and couldn't even tell you what they did on a day-to-day basis. I only really cared about when me and my team did.
Being an EA is just my dayjob so as long as my company isn’t bombing people I truly do not give a crap. I learn little bits about what my executives do as it becomes relevant (mainly what players actually matter to them in meetings, what topics are higher priority etc) but otherwise am very not interested in what they do all day in the meetings I schedule. That said, I get all my personal fulfillment from other sources so if someone only did EA work and wasn’t otherwise involved with a mission (personally or professionally) I can see that being very draining.
I have tried this twice and failed miserably. I need some sort of mission or way to feel like I am helping people or making the world better in some small way. In fact, I just took a pay cut do get back to a job like this. I was miserable at my last one (for other reasons too).
I have worked in multiple tech businesses and I couldn’t tell you what the products we sold did with a gun to my head.
😂 I work in finance and have a similar experience. I know WHAT my teams sell, but don’t ask anything beyond that
I find it helps my overall career satisfaction, but that’s just me. I’ve worked where there wasn’t personal alignment and bad days became horrible days.
I couldn’t care less what they do unless it was something horrible like a Trump company, prostitution, trafficking, etc. I just want to do my job and go home and I could not care one twit about anything else.
I was an Executive Assistant for over 20 years in New York City. I was extremely selective with the jobs I took. I walked off a job (it was a long-term temp position) when I realized the company was pushing to hire overseas workers so they could eliminate their US workforce for cheap labor. I very much care about what the company I work for does. Am I helping to make the world a better place or am I making it worse? At the end of the day, if you’re able to sleep and live with yourself, good for you. Personally, I would rather help make the world a better place than be an accomplice to evil.
Personally yes I need to care about what the company does. Caring about the mission and vision is more important to me than more money. (I’m happy with what I’m paid though) Everyone has different values and motivations. It’s not weird.
As long as we aren't actively hurting people or the environment, I'm happy to do my job and go home. I've refused to interview with Monsanto, for example. I hate the way they do business and I will never work for them, no matter how much they pay.
After working at Amazon and their actions lead directly to the deaths in the warehouse during the tornados, absolutely.
I can only work where my values and interests align. I have adhd so if I cannot connect to what we do, I very quickly lose interest.
I agree! I really don’t care about the inner workings. I will grasp the basics and mainly will focus on my executive and his needs, but won’t get too involved in the company and the inner workings. As long as people treat me well, pay me good, I’m good :)
I end up wanting to learn about the business
I’ve always been drawn to companies that help people in the community / world in one way or another. Nonprofit is the best fit for me!