A few months ago a close friend of mine who was about to graduate from university had a dream that she was studying a wildly different, unrelated area of study. It was probably graduation anxiety. But it made me think if I had the choice to do my own startup, what would I do? And if I had the chance to change my career completely, what would I do? Would I actually do it in the first place anyway?
For the most part, having second thoughts about careers is something a lot people go through. According to Forbes, sometimes people decide to go through a career shift because they work in a dead-end job, feel miserable at work due to lack of promotions or pay raises, have a lack of flexibility at work to discover other interests, or they are only in their career to please someone else.
But before actually going for a career shift, there are things to consider. The same goes for starting your own project. In an alternate universe, where we can have our ‘dream jobs’, a lot comes to my mind. And so did the people we spoke to.
Close Your Eyes And Ask, What’s Your Dream Job?
Much of people’s responses had to do with wanting to make themselves happy and being around things that give them satisfaction at every waking moment.
Nada Naguib currently works e-commerce, and previously studied mass communication, loves to read books, hence it is no surprise that her ideal startup project would include books too. “I’d have a bookstore because I like books and I would like to just spend my time surrounded by them. Imagine the publishing contacts! And maybe even knowing some authors! This sounds amazing honestly,” she said.
If given the chance, she’d also like to be a psychotherapist because she’d get to hear other people’s stories and be able to help them. “[Psychotherapy] includes what I like about journalism, which is knowing people’s stories. The difference is that with therapy you actually have a chance to help, and you don’t just hop over to the next story,” she added.
Interestingly, another common answer among the interviewees was that all their projects and careers are humanitarian in one way or another. In so many ways being happy with your career has a lot to do with being able to make others happy too.
Currently in engineering, Ziad Abdeen says that if given the chance to turn back, he’d pick a career in business and do a startup that helps young and talented college or high school graduates to find full time jobs; a hiring company that caters especially to people in their 20s.
“I feel like we have so much untapped youth potential that is lost on the fact that there are no positions post highschool graduates can work in. Even if it is only in summer, they’ll have something to do, learn and contribute to,” he shared.
Picking A Career: Following Passion Vs. Following Money
Being able to engage with the community, see people’s potential and really have meaningful conversations is another important aspect missing in society. It doesn’t just have to include youth.
Sana Sherif, who studied sociology and is the CB3 Project Assistant at the EEAA/UNDP said she’d want to start a platform for knowledge sharing, discussions, debates and lectures.
“I think we have an issue of knowledge sharing and accessibility in Egypt, and I would like to participate in democratizing this information. I’d like to primarily focus on environmental issues. That is my main subject of interest, and I’d like to see people think about it and relate to their daily lives,” she said.
She’d also like to work as an illustrator for educational books. As a person with a visual memory, she feels this is a positive, successful way to spread knowledge about subjects, especially to children. “I’m thinking about doing it on the side later on, next to my job maybe,” she added.
But there are also passion-based dreams that may not be so common in this side of the world, such as going to culinary school. “I’d open my own bakery shop. I love the kitchen so much. It has such a cathartic effect, it’s very rewarding, and it’s the only place where I feel like I’m not pressured to do something,” said Nada Wahba, who is currently studying Mass Communication. .
When asked whether she aims to create a social media account for her baking and cooking, she said although her family is supportive, Wahba feels as though this is a huge responsibility that she isn’t ready for yet.
Sometimes, the passion-type of projects come from wanting to invest even more in your current career. Although he was a Tourist Guidance major, Ezz Al-Turkey is currently a staff writer at a magazine, a career line that he values. But he also seeks to improve it.
“I’d like to do a magazine of my own that would tackle both trends for millennials and generation z, but also thought pieces about what’s going on in the world at the time. Something with a balance,” he said.
On a personal level, it is hard to go against ‘normal’, start your own projects or be able to imagine your ‘dream career’. But, it’s good to dream, and it’s also good to work on those dreams too.
