How did you feel about your job when you retired?

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I shouldn't be surprised that an early retirement board tilts pretty negatively about their jobs prior to FIRE, but maybe that's just a "squeaky wheel" thing. I wonder if there is a silent group out there who look forward to retirement, but aren't all that upset with their working lives.

So, how did you look upon your job at the time you finally pulled the string and retired (or as you approach retirement)?

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Needs an option "It was okay when they were paying me buttloads of money, but when the stock option and bonus gravy train petered out, ER was way better...

 

[Nords]

"The work itself was OK, the people were nice, and the pay was fine but I didn't like the commute, the hours, or the funky clothing..."

 

[SteveR]

In my case the current job is way different from the previous one I ER'd from.

Previous job was in a toxic high pressure low esteem negative rewards atmosphere in Megacorp.

Current job is far less toxic, much lower pressure (most of the time), self-rewarding, and much smaller company with a more personal touch. I will survive until I retire and I feel no burning need to jump ship just yet. But, being FI, I know I can whenever I want and there are no Golden Handcuffs to consider; that makes it easier to take the usual corporate BS a little easier.

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

But, being FI, I know I can whenever I want and there are no Golden Handcuffs to consider; that makes it easier to take the usual corporate BS a little easier.

You said it. Amazing how much being FIRE or near-FIRE can make your current situation so much more pleasant, just quietly knowing that you can leave whenver you think the time is right. For some reason, even the things that bug me seem to bug me less now that I have a FIRE plan in place.

 

[boont]

For the first 15 years the company was a fun and exciting place to work. High stress with huge support and big payoffs when products were released to the pubilc.

Huge publicity for products made everyone feel it was all worthwhile.

Last five years or so it all went to hell and I got out.

b.

 

[riskadverse]

I had a job I loved.  Then the company was sold, and sold again, and sold again, and sold again.  Every time it was sold, the work environment degraded.  After the second change in ownership I decided I better get busy on FIRE.  If the company had remained with the original owners, I have no doubt that I would still be working there.  A lousy job can be a great motivator!

 

[JonnyM]

The sugar had fallen off, but it was doable.

The "7 year Plan" was in place long before the sugar fell off the job. My reality was the job got better for a few years, once a specific back-stabbing co-worker left, and better still after my boss who bought into the coworkers load of s**t finally retired and left me her position for my final 3 years.

So while at the end it wasn't as good (interesting, challenging, engaging, creative) as it was in the previous job, that was tempered with a bit more money and a slightly better overall ER payout at the check out line.

All in all a far trade, and the "Plan" still prevailed, in that I got out exactly when I originally planned to, just under slightly different (read better) circumstances. 8)

 

[retire@40]

"The job was the best thing I could think of to earn lots of money, but there are too many other things I would rather be doing and I realize life is too short."

 

[Spanky]

The nature of the job is fine, but politics and deadlines spoil the fun.