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As singles, we have options: where to live, who to socialize with, what to do for a living. Out of those three things, our jobs often take the biggest precedent because we spend a lot of energy thinking about what we want to do with our lives. And a lot of times, when we decide to take a leap and do something different, it means we have to switch other things around in order to accomodate that change.
But things are never quite as simple as making a change and having everything fall magically into place; it's inevitably more complicated than that. There are many factors involved with a job change: the amount of money you make; the degree to which you're comfortable making drastic life changes; certain options not being available in your current geographic area; rent and lease responsibilities; a lack of required education. But in general, singles are often seen as having more options when it comes to making job and/or career changes than someone who is married or has children.
The hardest part about making a job change is actually following through with the process. It's not easy, or something that can be taken lightly. Experts may counsel us to take risks and do what we love, especially during this time in our lives when it's socially acceptable to experiment with what we really want to do, but that's easier said than done. We still have to collect a paycheck, pay our bills, keep our health insurance. And even if we don't really like what we're currently doing, it can be scary to give up a feeling of stability for the questions involved with the unknown.
But why do we change jobs in the first place? Why are so many of us dissatisfied with what we do? This is something I've thought about many, many times over the years. I've read a lot of opinions on the subject, but to me it all seems to circle back to inspiration. We change jobs, or dream of changing our jobs, because we're not satisfied with what we're currently doing. For some people, changing their job means staying in the same city, in the same type of industry, but just switching to a different compay. Others are willing to take a more drastic approach, like moving to Los Angeles to work as a waitress while they wait for their big acting break.
We want to feel inspired. We want to feel like we're doing something that we enjoy and that we're good at. Money will always be a factor because we have to make enough to live on, but for many people who truly love what they do, it's not the biggest motivating factor. When I looked for people who were talking about loving their jobs, not once did one of them say they loved their job solely because they were making a lot of money. Another commonality is that a lot of people who love their jobs don't have so-called "normal," desky-type careers. Some people fell into their jobs randomly and it turned out to be the best move they ever made, but most people have to make a conscious decision -- in order to do what you love, you have to make it happen.
Colleen is a freelance writer. She acknowleges there are hardships involved in this career choice, but believes the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. She has a list of the top ten reasons why she loves her job.
I'm my own best boss. Agents can advise, editors can reject, but the buck stops with me when it comes down to creative decisions. Though I work hard, I set my own pace and place -- and nobody docks me for taking an hour to play with my dog in the sunshine.
Leslie is the co-founder of an event planning company.
[...] I love my job, because I got to take a few moments out of my 18-hour work day and sip on a Cosmopolitan while I listened to my past bride thank me (Leslie-Manning Events, rather) over and over for saving her life and bringing a professional's touch to her wedding. She even insisted on paying for the drinks. Who says this job is thankless? Okay...alright...I did...a few weeks ago, but that was only because I had forgotten about moments like these.
Drea loved her job as
