Habitat Earth: Work as Pleasure

A Change in Direction:

Guest post by Belinda Bekkers

I have always been fascinated with the pathways people tread to find their careers. Some people know what their passions are from an early age and follow them through into their adult life, making new products, launching companies or founding charities. Other people work their way up the corporate ladder, becoming high-flying executives, and have defined their careers in areas they naturally excel.

At 32 I think I'm finally getting closer to finding my path in life. My jobs have always just found me. Sure, there have been times when I have sent out resumes and done the job interview circuit but normally the job I end up taking is one that someone either suggests me for, or it is a job I have not applied for directly to the company.

I have had a wide array of jobs: Market Stall Attendant, Book Reshelver, Naturopathic Assistant, Conveyancing Assistant, Office Manager and Assistant Accountant. I've gotten these jobs through friends recommending me, appointments with someone as a client/customer becoming their employee, and sending my resume to a company which just happens to have the right job, even though I was unaware of it.

My reasons for leaving jobs are as varied as the reasons I got them in the first place. In the end it all came down to the Universe telling me it was time. Perhaps this is a story better saved for another post.

I just wanted to share a few lessons I've learned from my jobs:

Just because a job falls in your lap does not necessarily mean it's the right one for you. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't change anything about the jobs I have had, but I sometimes regret not taking the time to get to know what I really want.
Don't stay in a job out of loyalty. There should be no guilt involved in leaving. You do not owe them for giving you a job. It is business - you do a job and in return you receive a wage.
Everybody is replaceable. That may sound harsh, but do not stay in a job because you think you are the only person who can do that job.
If you have a calling for something else, try and find out if you can follow it. We can't all afford to leave a job when we don't have something else to go to, but that shouldn't stop you from looking.

For me next, I'm looking at something that combines not only my passion but also leans to something at which I'm naturally good. I've narrowed my choices down to a few different options. I have always had a lot of interests and found I excelled at my jobs. Narrowing careers choices to a few is a rather miraculous thing for me.

What about you? Did you find your career, or did it find you?

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