If you love your job and feel like you're making a positive difference in the world,

[smiles33]

I really love my job and have been here for 15 years. While I have my law degree, my primary role now is as a law school administrator/Student Affairs professional. I love working with students, I love the academic workplace, and I'm fortunate to be at a place with extensive resources. So folks with a "specialized" degree might also think about going to work as staff for the school in your particular disciplines!

[Liziz]

I'm a SAHM right now, but spent years in Healthcare Administration. I loved it. I get the "feel-good" part of healthcare, but to do it in a way that uses my skill sets and passions (direct clinical work is not for me!). Sometimes healthcare administrators get a bad rap and I do think you have to pick your jobs carefully, but I always found it very fulfilling. I looked for jobs where I would work directly with providers and patients. I was always very well compensated for my work, but the trade-off is that it required a decent amount of education (I have a masters') and I did work long hours. It can also sometimes be hard to leave it all at home because you're dealing with people and their health. But I love it and am excited to go back to it in another year or two.

[klwa]

Another civil engineer here. There are parts of my job I truly love and parts I hate. My main job is bridges, including designing new ones, rehabbing old ones, and determining what repairs need to be made. Or well, now I supervise those who do those things. I love knowing that people are a little bit safer because of me. Two years ago, though, I hated the thought of walking into work. We were going through, well, most places would call it layoffs, and all of a sudden those of us left had to pick up the pieces and handle more than ever before. Even now, we're being asked to do more with less, and I stay stressed about it. But I love the people, I love the design side of things, I love seeing how things can go together. While I'm not artistic in the least, I like the art that goes into coming up with the best most economical design. I love taking math and making it into a picture so it can be built.

[acmom]

I really love my job and have been here for 15 years. While I have my law degree, my primary role now is as a law school administrator/Student Affairs professional. I love working with students, I love the academic workplace, and I'm fortunate to be at a place with extensive resources. So folks with a "specialized" degree might also think about going to work as staff for the school in your particular disciplines!

I am a former classroom teacher and hoping to go this route. I have been supervising student teachers (very part time and not much pay unfortunately) and found I love working with college students! I'm hoping as my youngest goes to school I can find something more full time at the university I work at now. Its hard to figure out the best way to get into a more full time spot as qualifications and pathways to positions seem very diverse...at this point I am just keeping just keeping my ears and eyes open. Unfortunately, although I did love elementary/classroom teaching when I did it, I'm not sure I ever see myself back there. I would have to change the way I teach or parent or both if I did bc there wouldn't be enough time to go around and so many of the recent changes have made it look less enjoyable. I feel like some of the pieces I enjoyed teaching the most and felt were really valuable have been cut out of curriculum and classrooms.

[squimp]

Another environmental scientist here. I love my job and I feel like I do make a difference in several ways. I love doing outreach with students and communities to help them meet their goals. For my work, it did take a PhD plus 25 years of experience on top of that to get to this point, so it's not a fast path.

[citymama]

I am a fundraiser at an environmental non-profit. The pay isn't great, but I have tons of flexibility, work 32 hours a week, most of my co-workers are women, and there is a great work-life balance. And I am doing something something that I believe in, definitely making a difference. If I was willing to work full time, with a longer commute, I could make a lot more money, but the balance is what I'm looking for at this stage. It's not very stressful, most of the time, and not too hard. I feel like it's a good place for a parent, and I'm proud of my work.

My background is that of an ecologist, so I like being around scientists and not doing it myself.

Another environmental scientist here. I love my job and I feel like I do make a difference in several ways. I love doing outreach with students and communities to help them meet their goals. For my work, it did take a PhD plus 25 years of experience on top of that to get to this point, so it's not a fast path.

High five, fellow greens! I'm also in the conservation/environment field, truly love the work and what I do. I'm in the nonprofit sector, so compensation is not what it would be if I was a consultant or in government/industry/academia, especially with 20+ years of work experience and advanced degrees. But I didn't get into this work for the money. I travel to interesting, beautiful places - sometimes just before or while they're being destroyed, which can be heartbreaking, but sometimes I can play a role in preserving them. The travel is great but as a parent also challenging (and an extra burden on the spouse who stays home!). I generally enjoy the people I work with and get to collaborate with scientists, academics and non-profit partners internationally. I work off the clock all the time - weekends, nights - but I also have flexibility, working from home most of the time, and being able to adapt my schedule when I am not on the road.