I switched multiple jobs until I found the career I was meant for and that's okay

Because doing what makes you happy is more important.

By Sama Meerza

23 April, 2024

I switched multiple jobs until I found the career I was meant for and that's okay

A glance at my resume will let you know that I have tried out a few full-time jobs before finding out what I truly love doing. My CV can look like a boomer's worst nightmare but thankfully, with millennials having climbed the ladder now, job switches and gaps are not frowned upon. Yes, millennial managers don't expect people to spend their entire lives in one company and as a GenZer, I love that about them. Due to the opportunities of exploring that I was blessed to have found, I am finally doing what I love.

When we are in school (basically, a bubble!), we tend to have wild perceptions of how adulthood works. We get smitten by professions without even realising what they require. For instance, back then, I wanted to be a flight attendant, because let's be honest the idea of travelling the world while looking absolutely stunning, and being paid for it, is amazing! And then that phase passed...

In college, I studied psychology, and now I find myself being a client of someone who did too. As time passed, I realised that I love the digital world, be it articles or social media. I see you can tell where this is going. This led me to land my first job, that of a social media executive. If you knew me back then, you'd know I was perfect for the job, constantly online on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube—you name it, I had an account on every app.

Working for a digital publication as a social media executive, I got the opportunity to write articles (beauty ones were my fav) and I just fell in love with it! Has it ever happened to you that you've been in relationships but none truly made you feel at home? And then you meet a person, who makes you feel peace and really speaks to your heart. Turns out, writing articles was my 'the one'. That job was where I was happy, made amazing friends and got the best of both worlds.

Even though I loved my job, due to the pandemic, it was time to do what had to be done. I moved on and I continued working in social media, in renowned beauty companies. As I continued to navigate the perils of what to post on Instagram and obsess over insights, I realised that even though I have an innate sense of what works on social media, I was just doing it for the sake of being hyper independent. You know, so cash flow didn't stop. I realised what I loved the most about my previous job was being able to be a lifestyle journalist.

I tried to really fall in love with social media, but it was like faking an orgasm. At this point, my resume looked like it belonged to a commitment-phobic employee. Yes, it stressed me out that would the world look at it with an open mind or would they be judgemental? Self-doubt also started creeping in and I was spiralling until I decided to, as they say, trust the process. I began to comfort myself, telling myself that I would figure it all out, and things would eventually fall into place. And voila! I polished my writing skills, got mentored even, and now I am able to contribute to different publications. I wouldn't say I am where I should be but after a nomadic career, I finally found home. I found myself.

If you're afraid to quit a job you don't like simply because you are afraid of making a switch too soon, let me tell you, it's okay. I understand people have responsibilities, EMIs, a lifestyle to maintain and SIPs to take care of. If life permits you to switch your job and you're staying in a toxic and/or non-satisfying one just so you can look realllyyyy loyal on your resume, it's not worth it.

And in case you still haven't figured out your jam yet, don't worry. It's okay to not have a dream job since childhood. It's okay to not know what you want to do in the long run. It's okay to explore. The universe has plans for you and it will put you right where you belong.

Also read: Signs it's time to quit your job

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