A lot of people ask me why they should take a particular job, but they never ask why they shouldn’t take it. While the latter is easier to answer it’s also never asked when doing a job interview. But I asked it a few times while interviewing people and the answers were stunning.
!Disclaimer!
This article is written from my experience and my thoughts. Maybe you have other experiences (please share them in the comments), or maybe you have things to add (please share them in the comments).
These are things I encountered in my own personal life or heard from others. It made me think twice about my work and what I want in life.
Because Of The Money
This is the number one answer I got. Apparently, a lot of people take a particular job because it pays well. But is it all about the money?
My mind races to all kinds of scenarios about people doing a job because of the money; Are they really happy when they go home? Did they have that feeling they really did something good when? Are they surprised when they get fired because they didn’t do a job the way they should?
Sure, you need to pay the bills, we all have to. A job that makes you happy but pays less is way more satisfying.
You Don’t Know Anything Else
Oh, really? Did you know I started out as a help on a farm? Then I went to work in retail. From there I did a small study for assistant IT. I did a lot of exploring and studying in my free time and became a software engineer for over 20 years. Then I decided I wanted to teach, so I was a teacher for 1 1/2 years for people with ADHD and autism. Then I decided I wanted to share my knowledge and did something I never thought of doing: Start for myself and travel the world.
What’s your excuse?
Recruiters
Do you know those people that call you, usually when you are at work, and offer you the best job ever? Or send you a message through LinkedIn and have a profile picture of the most beautiful woman or man?
Yeah, I get those 3 times a week. There are two types of recruiters: Recruiters that work for a recruitment office and recruiters that look for new employees for their own company. This is about the first type.
This is what one offered me once:
30.000 Euro per month, a BMW 7-series car, a laptop, pension, 40 paid vacation days per year, senior function with leadership.
Nothing about the job itself. When I asked he continued:
Uhm, yes. It says here Java…? Not sure what that is because I am not an IT guy. It also says Oracle and Linux… But it’s pretty near you! I checked your LinkedIn profile. It’s in Breda.
For those who know me: I am a dedicated C# developer, Microsoft, Windows. A freelancer and digital nomad. I live near Groningen, approx 3-hour drive to Breda, and I hate BMW.
Sure, recruiters can help you find a job, but just find the right one. When it sounds too good to be true, it usually is. But what is a good recruiter?
- One that doesn’t start off with nonsense benefits
- One that does his/her homework (LinkedIn)
- One that starts with a small talk to get to know you. They know you on paper (see the previous point)
- Asking you what you think about a job instead of asking a job what they think about you.
Because Of Your Brilliant Education
And this is why I let people take a test. Knowing stuff by theory is a good start, but in real life, it is usually different. It takes time and effort to master both.
Take a moment to think about the following: What would you do when a big car accident happens right in front of you?
Unless it really happened to you, you never know. In theory, most would help people in need. But in real life you might faint, go into shock, or just drive away and post the dashcam video on social media.
Another thing is that you should look at the degrees you have. Do they really fit the job you want? A doctor with a degree in brain surgery won’t be soliciting a job for an astronaut; these are two totally different things.
People Say You Have Potential
Or “Someone said I am really good at it.”
Maybe start making choices on your own? People always said I am creative and love to build things with my hands. Well, those people don’t know me really well, because I can’t even hit a nail straight in a wooden plank. When I cut wood in a straight line, it’s always crooked.
In 2023 it is really hard to find any good people to renovate the house for me, so I had to do it myself. I learn a lot and I am (somewhat) happy with the result. But that doesn’t mean I need to make it my work, right?
Creative… Yes, but I lack the interest. I tried drawing, Photoshop, and whatnot. Didn’t work out. Give me a challenge for coding and I am your man.
Everyone has their own pros and cons. Some things are hobbies and some things are simply necessary.
Turning A Hobby Into Work
Although this could be a really good reason you should take the job, you do need to take into account you need real hobbies. A hobby is something that relaxes you and you can pick up and continue with it whenever you want.
A job is what you NEED to do, a hobby is what you WANT to do. A job has rules and expectations, a hobby does not. And if you don’t like a hobby, you simply pick up another. A job comes with responsibilities, so it’s harder to give up.
It’s In Walking Distance
Yeah, been there, done that, and I got a t-shirt. No… Really, that company made everyone a t-shirt. It was a job I could walk to. It was just 10 minutes, but I hated it. The rules, the way I had to do my job, the comments, the hours… Nah, not for me.
Last year I had a job that was 2 hours away from home. So 4 hours in the car in total. Luckily it was just 2 days (8 hours a week) and 1 day from home. I would not recommend driving for 2 hours for a job. If it is really good and you love it? Move!
The best time to spend traveling for your job depends on the person. Some people love the train, some people like the quiet, private, secluded, warm, always on time, bubble called a car… Guess which one has my preference.
Awesome Benefits
What are the benefits?
Company car?
More and more people work from home and a company car sounds fantastic, but you pay extra taxes for it (note: that is in The Netherlands).
Laptop?
You can only do your job with it. Want to play games? Not allowed. Want to develop your own software? Not allowed. These machines are usually not the best and come with a lot of security that does not benefit any private options.
The same goes for a company phone. There are some strict rules about it.
Dental Insurance?
Okay, that would be a really good one actually. Period.
Building Pension?
Many financial news outlets warn about the fact people are getting older and older. Thus, more people need a pension. These financial institutes are not prepared for this. The money for pensions is running low and you (the person that is building a pension) are paying for others.
I am no financial wizard, but people who have studied for it say that there might be no pension left in 30 to 40 years. That’s why I look at different ways to build up a pension.
Conclusion
It’s not all black and white… Is it still allowed to call it that? Sometimes you need to do a job you are overqualified for, you don’t like, but you need to pay the bills. Especially at a time when everything is getting more expensive each day.
But whatever you do, I want you to be happy. The world needs some more happiness. Don’t forget that you spend more time at your job than with your loved ones.
Unhappy at work is unhappy at home… But it also works the other way around.
