Back to Blog

CoNotes Blog

News, updates and information about CoNotes

Thanks for the enthusiasm!

Posted on May 20, 2008 2 Comments

Hey everyone! It’s been about two weeks since we launched and we are seeing a tremendous response from you. A lot of you have commented that you were in the middle of a job search for startup companies, and that it was perfect timing that we launched when we did. Our aim is to continue to improve CoNotes, so that the job search process is exciting, educational, and interesting. We want the companies that you read about to get your blood flowing, and hopefully that passion translates over into a career that you love.

For job seekers, I want to begin a discussion here around your criteria for selecting a job. For some, it is about the prestige, others the salary, and a good number state it is the location.

For myself, I have always sought out the job that sounded most interesting to me — and for the most part they have been entrepreneurial and technology related. And those two areas are a pretty good summary of where my interests lie. I am a tech guy at heart, but technology in and of itself is not enough. I love the application of technology in interesting ways…and that is where the entrepreneurial interests come in.

There have been many times when I had the option to choose a higher paying or more “prestigious” job. But I hated the thought of not doing something that I loved. Some people say that this approach is very noble or honest, but I think it is just an efficient form of selfishness. Why go two steps (e.g. job to money to happiness) when you can do it in one (job to happiness)?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this.

Post a comment

2 Comments

phaithful

I agree with your sentiments. I’ve had too many college friends who hate their jobs and work simply to earn their paychecks.

I took the other route and pursued what I loved and in doing so, I’ve become an expert at what I do. It wasn’t easy in the beginning, but my employers recognize my passion and commitment to my trade. Over time, they’ve rewarded me financially in proportion to my passion. I’ve always been a firm believer that if you do what you love, the money will always follow.

I think the only downside that I’ve seen is that in larger corporations you’ll find that many of your colleagues don’t feel the same way, and in a sense they’ll stifle your pursuit and growth if you let them. That’s probably why I’m always drawn to the faster / smaller companies that tend to have more people who choose to be where they are, as opposed to settling.

wohck310

Yeah, it is a tough call. To pick a job based solely on a large paycheck or “prestige” is a quick way to a heart attack and a lifetime of unhappiness. At the same time, money may not buy happiness, but it buys relief from stresses like paying for healthcare, living in a good neighborhood that is safe and providing a good education for your kids.

As such, there is probably a scale in terms of money vs passion and different people can handle different tradeoffs of each with some lucky enough to get both. But basically, I think most people should pursue a job they really want within reasonable expectations (qualified talent/education/cajones/etc) and if they have to take a job to pay the bills, well hey…I never heard someone say they wanted to be a janitor or a gardener when they grow up, but someone’s gotta do it and sometimes the kids need to be fed and housed.

Please login or sign up to post your comment.

Subscribe

Stay in the loop. Grab the RSS Feed

Archive