"What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Everyone remembers hearing that question as a child. But the older we get the more I have come to realize that there are plenty of opportunities to reinvent ourselves. To invest in different aspects of the skills we may have started a career with, but can be applied to different industries and positions.
My first job was a maintenance position at a bank. I was 16 years old, and my job was to shred sensitive documents, clean up trash around the building and small maintenance items like picking up used cigarette buds are the designated smoking area. I still remember walking around with my plastic bucket collecting trash, smiling at customers, earning a few bucks for movies and snacks. The job taught me some important things: 1. I hate cigarettes. 2. Company image is very important and 3. Earplugs while shredding stacks of paper is important. Now I only stayed with my first job a little over a year before the bank was bought out and I ended up heading to college, but I was able to use those connections and skills for my next job. I used my college jobs to help me with my first job after college, entry level helped me with promotions and so forth. The interesting thing that I find when talking to peers sometimes is how they lament their current field and position.
The conversation goes something like this:
"My job sucks, can't wait until friday."
"Oh", I'll reply. "What's wrong with you job?"
There will follow a long list of woes.
"Are you applying for other jobs then?"
"No" would most likely be the response.
"Why not?" I'll inquire
There will follow a long list of flimsy excuses.
At which point I'll politely exit the conversation topic.
There's always something that can translate to a new career. Skills that make you a good teacher can make you a great dental assistance. Does it sometimes require getting some training and education? Yes!!!! But staying years in a job you hate seems to me to be a worse solution if you have even half an option to change your trajectory.
Life is too short to not let your passions, changing interest and growing skillsets led to a career of satisfaction. I didn't say perfect. I said satisfaction. Let your passion led you to a satisifying career.
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