Growing up, I heard this phrase a lot from people who worked in the business that I was interested in at the time. I was young, dumb and full of cum so I brought into it. As a young kid, you want your work to be meaningful instead of pointless busy work.
Now I'm nearing my 40s and in the beginning of a career change. I took a class that would prepare me for the certification exam I needed to take. First night of this class and I hear this lins again. It took a lot of strength for me to not roll my eyes in the zoom call.
Maybe I've gotten older and more jaded, but I've come to loath this phrase. Now I've come to view jobs as something I have to do so I can pay my bills, afford groceries and take care of my pets.
I know some jobs truly are a “calling” and it can be more than just a way to make money. However I doubt this applies to like 99% of occupations in the modern world.
Employers should be okay with the fact that Data Market Analyst is just something people do to put food on the table and that their employees put stock and worth into something outside of work.
“It's not just a job” has the same sentiment of “We're a family here.”