What are the most satisfying work experiences you have had?
Is there a connection between those experiences and INFJ characteristics?
Is there a connection between those experiences and INFJ characteristics?
[INFJ] Great Work Experiences
- Thread starter Learner
- Start date
The most satisfying was a temp job as an elementary school secretary. Not only was I secretary to the Principal, but the staff and students too.
386 students! Grade pk through 5. I was responsible for getting fill-in teachers, TAs, and paraprofessionals if some one called out. I had a part time assistant that worked mornings so I was able to visit the class across the hall. My favorite class.
It was the special education class across the hall from my office.
The principal ordered me a rocking chair and put it in the classroom after we learned I'd be there the entire school year. I would squeeze into the little chairs and help the kids with their reading and the kids would laugh and laugh at me trying to get up from those little chairs, but the principal thought I needed my own size chair.
That was very satisfying, causing them to find joy in their day. Some would climb up on my lap while I read outloud. Many of them had a tough set of challenges ahead of them. I was happy that I could inspire them too keep at their studies, especially reading. It's the key to knowledge I believe.
This was made possible because I started at 7am, my helper started at 8:30. So I would get all my work taken care of in the hour and half, let it "rest", then go over to the classroom for an hour or two, or until the boss needed me, then go over my own work.
The challenging part, yet still a lot of fun, were the morning and afternoon announcements. I was very nervous the first time. To overcome that I brought in a stuffed parrot on a swing, hung him in the corner by the mic and read all the announcements to him...no more stage fright, lol. The staff and the kids loved my office, it looked like a jungle by the end of school year...monkeys, birds, and such...I even had a stuffed panther and one of the student teachers brought me a zebra and put it in its front paws. We told the kiddos they were hugging, lol
In the end though the woman that I was filling in for was to return so I was to go temp in the administrative building for the same district. The staff threw me 3 going away parties, with one off campus for adults, lol.
The sad piece to the job was my Principal. She called me in her office a few days before I was to leave to tell me that she was retiring in July. She did not like the woman that was returning and after working with my good-natured attitude she couldn't go back to working with her. She actually cried. However, that was the best work review I've ever had. ♡
Looking back, I think it was my being an INFJ that made that a fun job...but, it was all those I convinced to go along with it too.
386 students! Grade pk through 5. I was responsible for getting fill-in teachers, TAs, and paraprofessionals if some one called out. I had a part time assistant that worked mornings so I was able to visit the class across the hall. My favorite class.
It was the special education class across the hall from my office.
The principal ordered me a rocking chair and put it in the classroom after we learned I'd be there the entire school year. I would squeeze into the little chairs and help the kids with their reading and the kids would laugh and laugh at me trying to get up from those little chairs, but the principal thought I needed my own size chair.
That was very satisfying, causing them to find joy in their day. Some would climb up on my lap while I read outloud. Many of them had a tough set of challenges ahead of them. I was happy that I could inspire them too keep at their studies, especially reading. It's the key to knowledge I believe.
This was made possible because I started at 7am, my helper started at 8:30. So I would get all my work taken care of in the hour and half, let it "rest", then go over to the classroom for an hour or two, or until the boss needed me, then go over my own work.
The challenging part, yet still a lot of fun, were the morning and afternoon announcements. I was very nervous the first time. To overcome that I brought in a stuffed parrot on a swing, hung him in the corner by the mic and read all the announcements to him...no more stage fright, lol. The staff and the kids loved my office, it looked like a jungle by the end of school year...monkeys, birds, and such...I even had a stuffed panther and one of the student teachers brought me a zebra and put it in its front paws. We told the kiddos they were hugging, lol
In the end though the woman that I was filling in for was to return so I was to go temp in the administrative building for the same district. The staff threw me 3 going away parties, with one off campus for adults, lol.
The sad piece to the job was my Principal. She called me in her office a few days before I was to leave to tell me that she was retiring in July. She did not like the woman that was returning and after working with my good-natured attitude she couldn't go back to working with her. She actually cried. However, that was the best work review I've ever had. ♡
Looking back, I think it was my being an INFJ that made that a fun job...but, it was all those I convinced to go along with it too.
The most satisfying was a temp job as an elementary school secretary. Not only was I secretary to the Principal, but the staff and students too.
386 students! Grade pk through 5. I was responsible for getting fill-in teachers, TAs, and paraprofessionals if some one called out. I had a part time assistant that worked mornings so I was able to visit the class across the hall. My favorite class.
It was the special education class across the hall from my office.
The principal ordered me a rocking chair and put it in the classroom after we learned I'd be there the entire school year. I would squeeze into the little chairs and help the kids with their reading and the kids would laugh and laugh at me trying to get up from those little chairs, but the principal thought I needed my own size chair.
That was very satisfying, causing them to find joy in their day. Some would climb up on my lap while I read outloud. Many of them had a tough set of challenges ahead of them. I was happy that I could inspire them too keep at their studies, especially reading. It's the key to knowledge I believe.
This was made possible because I started at 7am, my helper started at 8:30. So I would get all my work taken care of in the hour and half, let it "rest", then go over to the classroom for an hour or two, or until the boss needed me, then go over my own work.
The challenging part, yet still a lot of fun, were the morning and afternoon announcements. I was very nervous the first time. To overcome that I brought in a stuffed parrot on a swing, hung him in the corner by the mic and read all the announcements to him...no more stage fright, lol. The staff and the kids loved my office, it looked like a jungle by the end of school year...monkeys, birds, and such...I even had a stuffed panther and one of the student teachers brought me a zebra and put it in its front paws. We told the kiddos they were hugging, lol
In the end though the woman that I was filling in for was to return so I was to go temp in the administrative building for the same district. The staff threw me 3 going away parties, with one off campus for adults, lol.
The sad piece to the job was my Principal. She called me in her office a few days before I was to leave to tell me that she was retiring in July. She did not like the woman that was returning and after working with my good-natured attitude she couldn't go back to working with her. She actually cried. However, that was the best work review I've ever had. ♡
Looking back, I think it was my being an INFJ that made that a fun job...but, it was all those I convinced to go along with it too.
What a great story! Your enthusiasm as you describe it is so genuine! There is such a need in Special Education for the support and interest you have shown. Is it something you have ever considered pursuing?
What a novel approach to using a stuffed parrot to get rid of the jitters on morning announcements.
I couldn't agree more with your comments about the importance of reading. I have read where reading on grade level by grade 3 is a powerful indicator of future success.
Thanks for sharing your story!
What a novel approach to using a stuffed parrot to get rid of the jitters on morning announcements.
I couldn't agree more with your comments about the importance of reading. I have read where reading on grade level by grade 3 is a powerful indicator of future success.
Thanks for sharing your story!
Only in a volunteer capacity.
When I was younger, (at that time I was in my early 30's), I didn't have much confidence to speak to a group. That job helped me build my public speaking skills. Now I can turn up a room with no worries.
Reading is an important skill, however, comprehension is the key to opening up the world to a student, especially so for those with physical or cognitive difficulties.
Some of the students at the time were in that classroom because of severe ADHD and behaviorism issues. Getting them to sit still during a book reading was quite the challenge. I often think that's why the teachers and principal made it possible for me to be available to do it. After all I was Secretary/Admin Assistant not a assistant teacher, lol. Either way, it worked. We had a few students that were able to matriculate back into a general classroom once they mastered their behavior better.
you're welcome. I enjoy telling stories from that time. In all honesty I look back with fond memories but remorse for not having the opportunity to continue.Very interesting comment on 'looking back with fond memories but remorse for not having the opportunity to continue.' I have felt the same way on a few occasions throughout a very long career. It was both satisfying and sad...sounds contradictory, but it's not. I guess it's all part of the transitions that life provides.
One of mine was my time working for the British Antarctic Survey when I was young. I've got some thoughts about it in Nightspore and I'll link it here rather than recreating it:
https://www.infjs.com/threads/nightspore.35972/page-5#post-1132803
I think looking back though that there are other less in-your-face things that are just as satisfying, or even more so. One of them, as a manager for several decades, is seeing that people who were in my teams have made good, and overtook me in the way their careers developed. One guy who was very good at his job moved from my IT team to HR, built on his skills and experience there and eventually became HR VP in more than one company. Another lady I recruited became my manager many years later, and another lady became a senior manager in another department. There were others too. It's really very rewarding seeing people that you have helped to develop become successful like this.
Do I think these things were related to INFJ characteristics. Probably - the other people who went to the Antarctic were less interested in the romance of being there than I was in the way that I was. I could combine that with good scientific and technical skills, and I was good at getting along with a small number of idiosyncratic people isolated from the rest of the world for over 6 months, which some of the others weren't.
In my manager's role, I used a management style akin to that of the head gardener in a large estate. I guess that's about as INFJ as you can get lol.
In my manager's role, I used a management style akin to that of the head gardener in a large estate. I guess that's about as INFJ as you can get lol.