Throughout my life just like many of us here who have been employed in order to work for someone else in various positions in order to earn a living and acquire experience. Well, I have discovered it is not everybody, including myself, who intends to remain an employee for the rest of their working careers. Each of us has his/her dream of self-employment either through having own business or being engaged in a job one feels passionate about. However, I always need a condition such that there is a job that I could not dream of doing, even though the check is there.
For me this is not just about not liking a certain type of work, I think is understanding at the core of one’s being where we draw the line. That is about understanding that I would have to sacrifice on some things when I take certain professions: maybe they involve working for companies that negatively affect the environment let’s say through pollution or cutting down trees. I don’t think that there is any amount of money which would make me feel comfortable with contributing to such outcome.
There are, of course, jobs where you’re expected to deceive people, which is generally something I cannot do. I have witnessed that some sales jobs demand ‘the hard sell’ approach and what can be described as manipulative techniques to clinch a sale. It is not something I am ready to do because it puts me in a situation that contravene the principles that I hold which include honesty and fairness.
It hasn’t got nothing to do with being picky or ungrateful, rather it is about not giving into the worldliness of the world and remain true to myself. This is something that has enlightened me and helped me realize that it is very essential to know one’s limits and principles in the society in order to have joyful live and be free from worries. For instance, work-life balance is an important factor which I consider crucial. The fact that the job requires one to work for 80 hours a week, and hardly get time for family, friends or personal interests is something that I won’t consider doing.
I also respect the fact that some of the jobs I myself would avoid might suit someone else perfectly, and that’s normal. It is a reminder that our careers are very private decisions that are influenced personal beliefs and realities. For me, not wanting to work for some companies at any price is a way that I do not betray myself. It is something about who am I, what makes me feel fine, what I like and what I am ready, or not ready, to do it for living.
This decision is empowering. It is a statement that my ethics and conscience are invaluable compared to the wages I can get. I have gradually concluded that not all work is suitable for everyone, and that is perfectly understandable. The most important thing is the choice of a profession that personal to me, that I am willing to uphold the values of, and which I get to do without regret.
All in all, it is crucial to establish a work that I wouldn’t be ashamed to have some form of a job that is financially productive and also beneficial for the both of us, most importantly, a job that I personally believe in. That is the kind of job which I would like to have, and that is the sort of work which I am determined to do.