I think what eventually happens is you find your dream situation. I've been out of undergrad now for - gulp - 16 years. I'm a creative type, so I was always looking for that dream job that would fulfill something. And Iw as looking for creative work, writing, etc. But now I do have my dream job - and what makes it my dream job is the people I work with and the people I meet as part of my job.

I get to help a lot of people in my work. But I'm not a nurse or a social worker or something like that. I'm in marketing. But I'm a Gen Xer in marketing who does alot of presenting across North America. And I get to meet other Gen Xers who are going through "issues" that I went through and I can 1) Tell them they are not freaks or the only ones and 2) Help them figure out how to get through it. And this makes me really happy - because a few years ago I was so miserable at work and there were a couple people who gave me that boost.

So I believe the dream job is not about the job but about the relationships. Find a work atmosphere filled with people you get along with and you find your dream job.

I was just thinking about this on the way into work this morning about how I've had so many different types of jobs. The ones I enjoyed most were the ones that were compatible with my lifestyle. That sounds picky but I don't mean it to be. It's just that I am recognizing what I need isn't arbitrary but instead pretty important to my job satisfaction.

The jobs I was happiest at had the following characteristics:

- Later start time. I've woken up at 4:30/5am to be at work by 6 and that was fine. But getting to work later? Niiice.

- Flexibility. Some jobs have allowed me to completely pick my own schedule. I am extremely productive when I have this kind of freedom.

- Good management. The bosses who showed they appreciated me were wonderful to work for. They allowed me to further develop my strengths, offered support for training and resources, allowed me time to experiment with various technologies, and were very accessible. They respected my schedule in & out of work, and they respected my commitment to doing a good job. They trusted me. (I'm fortunate that I've had a lot of good managers!)

This also applies to leveling stress: a good manager can tell when more time/resources will be needed and can plan for the work rather than having stress and last-minute deadlines fall directly on staff's shoulders ("Nevermind that birthday dinner, you have to stay late & finish this layout!!") <-- a good workplace will minimize this kind of stress.

- Camraderie. I agree with the previous commenter that having people you enjoy working with makes a big difference.

- Security. You should know you're valuable and not worry that you may lose your job any moment. (We all may lose our jobs at any moment, and should plan to have 8 months [that's the official recommendation] of living expenses saved, but this is for emergencies, and a job shouldn't be like one big emergency.)

- Creativity. I like having a creative outlet at work.

- Independence. I enjoy freedom to manage my work and trust enlisted in me to solve problems.

- Support/Mentorship. I also like knowing I can go to someone if I can't solve a problem; that resources are at my fingertips should I need them.

I thought of all these things and realized wow, they're not attached to what I thought was my dream job. Rather, my dream work place. You could work in a kitchen or an office and still have a great work environment.

Thanks for the great post, very timely as I was just thinking of this today! I think I will expand my thoughts into a blog post of my own. :)

I don't think there's one dream job out there for me. I think there are many possibilities. I'm basically in one of them now. I always conclude that I'm onto something good when I'm able to work a TON and besides sometimes getting annoyed about not having a life, actually enjoying the work I do. Working with good people is a must too.