When
3 years ago I came up with the idea of this blog, my aim was some kind of writing
exercise and I didn’t intend to actually share it with anybody. Obviously, not
more than one post came out of it. Now three years, a diploma, an internship, a
real job and two months of unemployment later the question of how to make a
living of something I really like doing is still keeping me busy. And trying to
find the answer for myself, I read, watch, collect and analyze tons of
information on this issue mainly online (LinkedIn groups and discussions,
updates from thought leaders, career-related publications, websites, blogs and
posts on FB and Twitter) as well as in good old papers or talks with family and
friends. Being not the only one concerned with the issue – as far as I know, at
least some of my friends and peers are having the same concern at the moment –
I cannot but start sharing the information and insights I already processed
myself. That’s why I decided to dust off my good old blog ‘In Search of My Professional
Self’ and to start posting again as the subject matter is relevant to me as
never before…
Another
reason I started contributing to my blog is maybe also a little, how should I
call it, pragmatic. Looking for a job now, I react to job openings of
communication professionals in a broader sense of the word. And then I already
know how it goes – picture a hypothetic conversation between me and a potential
employer:
EM:
So you have an ambition to become a copyrighter / communications specialist /
pr agent [the list may be continued]? Is there something of you we could read?
ME:
Well, my master thesis, I suppose, would that be all right?
EM:
Do you maybe also write other things, like articles or like a blog?
ME:
Nope…
EM:
Oh, well, don’t you call us, we’ll call you…
Enough
said, there’s nothing of me to read. Time to change this misconception.
So,
communications, huh? And this is really something you sincerely like and are
good at? I don’t know.
What
did you want to become as a child? Nothing in particular, grown-up, I guess.
Then
maybe at school there was a subject you were very good at? Well, like everything
actually, if you consider good grades an indicator.
Maybe
you had hobbies, did something artistic or were a member of some club? I danced
some, sang some and even painted some, but don’t remember being especially wild
about any of these.
How
did you come to choosing your college? I kinda only had a choice of two very
similar ones where I didn’t have to pay the tuition, so I just chose the older
one.
Did
you like what you studied at the college? I think I did, at least I didn’t hate
it. How much did you know of different professions before going to college? Close
to nothing!
I
think this might be my biggest problem. The changing education system of young
and independent Ukraine provided me with some profound knowledge of foreign
languages (in my case, English and German) and maths, but never gave me any
information on some kind of basic professional orientation. Maybe due to the
changing reality where the old occupational system was making place for the new
one, but my choice of a profession was left to my family or simply to chance. And
now 2 college educations further (my second one being closely related to the
first one, but then in the Netherlands) I still doubt the choices I made were
the right ones. And therefore looking for a job without a real focus of someone
who knows what he wants…
In
the Netherlands it seems to be a hype at least of the last decennia, that one
should choose a career according to his passion, or with other words, something
he likes most and therefore does best. Job coaches and trainers of different kinds
are there to help you find your passion if you still haven’t found it yourself.
Their services are tailor-made and customers of all ages are welcome. No wonder
I’ve been trying to find my passion as well, now it’s such a hot item on the
labor market and my previous job sort of turned out not to be a perfect match
with who I am.
A
critique to this craze with finding one’s passion I came across claims that you’d
better start doing something and give it as much dedication and hard work as
you can. Then in the process, making some little choices on the way, you’ll shape
you working reality to something one can call a “dream job”, a job with lots of
autonomy, some meaningful contribution to the society and something you feel
and know you truly are good at.
Whether
it’s pursuing your passion or just starting doing something and making it your
passion, I haven’t found out yet. And though my personal statistics isn’t that
bad – until now 1 job interview out of 10 applications – I’m 20 applications further
and am still searching and thinking. I’ll keep you posted…
