What Makes a “Good” Job?

Bruno Huang 黃鼎翰 / 老黑
6月6日
讀畢需時 5 分鐘

已更新：6月9日

什麼才是「好」工作？

During a speech I gave at a high school in Zhudong, I asked the students a simple yet profound question:

“What job do you most want to do when you grow up?”

The answers were full of ambition: president, astronaut, the next Bill Gates… The students dreamed big, as they should. But one boy quietly said, “I want to go back to the countryside and help my family grow vegetables.”

The moment he said that, the classroom erupted in laughter.

Some thought he lacked ambition. Others even mocked, “Is that even a dream?”

So I posed another question to the class:

“What if one day, the whole world was full of presidents and scientists, but no one was left to grow food—what would happen?”

The room went silent.

That moment stayed with me, and it made me revisit an old question:

What truly makes a job ‘good’? 在一次前往竹東高中的演講中，我向台下的學生們問了一個簡單卻深刻的問題：

「你長大後，最想做的工作是什麼？」

答案令人振奮：總統、太空人、比爾蓋茲……孩子們對未來有著無限想像。只有一位男同學低聲說出：「我想回鄉下幫家裡種菜。」

他話才剛說完，全班哄堂大笑。有人覺得他沒有志氣，有人甚至嘲笑：「這也算是夢想？」

我反問全班：「那如果有一天，全世界都是總統和科學家，但沒有人種菜，會發生什麼事？」

教室頓時安靜下來。

這個小插曲，讓我重新思考一個老問題：到底什麼才是「好」工作？

How Do Different Cultures Define an “Ideal” Job?

Japanese society has long valued lifetime employment and big corporate culture. Most graduates aspire to join established companies like Hitachi or Mitsubishi, choosing stability over personal interest. Even if they dislike the work, “endurance” is seen as a virtue.

However, in recent years, younger generations in Japan have embraced the side hustle culture and rural revitalization movements. More and more are leaving the city to start cafés, become artisans, or launch local businesses. They are actively challenging the idea that one must stick to a single stable job for life.

世界各地怎麼看「理想工作」？

日本社會長期以來推崇「終身雇用制」與大企業文化。多數畢業生希望進入如日立、三菱等大型企業，追求穩定而非熱情。即使不喜歡，也會認為「忍耐」是一種美德。

然而，近年日本年輕世代興起「副業文化（複業）」與地方創生熱潮，越來越多人選擇離開城市，回鄉創業、開咖啡店、做職人。他們用行動挑戰「一輩子只能做一份穩定工作」的老觀念。

In the U.S., “follow your dreams” isn’t just a slogan—it’s a cultural value. From Silicon Valley entrepreneurs to indie musicians, Americans are encouraged to take risks and pursue innovation.

“Do what you love, and the money will follow” is a common mantra.

But this freedom comes at a cost. Without strong social safety nets, many young people experience high stress, insecurity, and lack of healthcare while chasing their dreams. As a result, those from less privileged backgrounds often feel compelled to choose high-paying, high-pressure jobs like finance or tech.

在美國，「追求夢想」不只是一句口號。從矽谷創業家到獨立音樂人，美國鼓勵冒險與創新。「做你熱愛的事，錢自然會跟著來」是許多人的座右銘。

但這樣的自由也有代價。缺乏健全的社會福利制度，讓很多年輕人在追夢的同時也面臨高壓、焦慮與醫療保障的缺失。因此，許多家庭背景較弱勢者，仍不得不選擇高薪但壓力大的工作，如金融業或科技業。

Germany has a well-established dual education system. After high school, students can choose between academic paths or vocational training. The apprenticeship model is respected, and becoming a skilled tradesperson, carpenter, or chef is not seen as a “lesser option,” but a long-term career strategy.

In this cultural framework, doing what you enjoy and earning a stable income are not mutually exclusive, because the system itself values a diverse range of professions.

德國有完善的「雙軌制教育」，學生在高中後可選擇升學或職業訓練。學徒制被視為一種專業榮譽，成為技術工人、木匠、廚師並不被認為是「次等選擇」，而是一種長期職涯的規劃。

在這樣的文化下，「喜歡做的事」與「穩定收入」往往不衝突，因為制度本身就尊重多元職業價值。

In Taiwan, becoming a doctor, lawyer, or engineer has long been the expectation placed on children by their families. This mindset stems from the economic boom era, where such careers were symbols of success.

But for the current Gen Z, they’re facing a different reality—sky-high housing prices, immense pressure, and low wages.

A student who loves writing may be told to take the civil service exam. Someone passionate about handmade crafts might hear, “Can you actually make money doing that?”

This kind of culture gradually extinguishes passion as people grow up.

在台灣，「成為醫師、律師、工程師」長年是許多家庭對孩子的期望。這種觀念源自於經濟起飛時代的成功模型。但對於 Z 世代來說，他們面對的是一個高房價、高壓力、低薪資的現實環境。

喜歡寫作的，可能被建議去考公職；喜歡手作的，可能被質疑「做這個能賺錢嗎？」

這樣的文化，讓許多人的熱情在成長過程中被慢慢熄滅。

Three Reflections on Choosing a Job

1. Do you really have to choose between passion and a paycheck?

Not necessarily. Many successful people started with survival-focused choices, and slowly transitioned toward their passions.

You can take a stable job during the day and pursue your passion at night. Or build resources in a mainstream industry and later pivot to what you truly love.

三個反思：當我們面對工作選擇

1. 喜歡與薪水，真的只能二選一嗎？

其實不是。很多成功的人，都是在職涯中「先選擇生存，再慢慢靠近熱愛」。你可以白天做穩定工作，晚上經營副業；或先進入主流產業，之後用資源轉往熱情所在。

2. How do you define “valuable work”?

Society needs presidents—but it also needs farmers.

No job is inherently lowly. What matters is whether you respect your own choices, rather than relying on other people’s approval.

2. 你如何看待「有價值的工作」？

社會需要總統，也需要農夫。沒有一份工作是低微的。真正重要的，是你是否尊重自己的選擇，不以他人的眼光為準則。

3. Work isn’t the end goal—it’s the stage for growth

Every job experience—whether it’s one you love or one you tolerate—can feed into your next chapter.

The greatest danger isn’t choosing the “wrong” path; it’s never facing what you really want out of life.

3. 工作不是終點，而是成長的舞台