I sucked at picking up a career

First, I wanted to be an archeologist. I was fascinated by Egyptology and antique Greece, the way those scientists could guess what happened thousands years ago. But then I learned you needed a doctorate for that- and be good at drawing, so I dropped it.

Then, listening to my passion for literature, I decided I would be an archivist. Surrounded by books every day, the dream! Expect you needed a doctorate for that too. I mean I had good grades, I could have done that. But my parents were not really pleased by a choice they considered uncertain, with few opportunities. I was asked to consider a more down to earth option 🤑

So I became an accountant. Yep. For more than 10 years…

I vividly remember telling myself “I am not going to do that my entire life” after sitting back at my desk after lunch, on my very first day in the job. To this day, I don’t know why. My intuition, I guess? Either way, a gut feeling is one thing, finding what to do instead is a different one!

I scratched my head more than once, checking the reconversion alternatives available in France at that time- nurse, care taker. None of them was to my liking. I started to believe that there was no career really made for me. I felt like I didn’t fit into any of the boxes I was presented. Around me, everyone seemed content. I felt that something was wrong with me. One of my boss even told me “You will never be happy in any job” when I quit. It stuck with me 😕

Until one day I decided to move to Ireland. What started as a personal journey quickly became much more than this. See, I couldn’t be an accountant there-since every country has his own tax system. So I had to find something else. And I quickly realised that, what I first saw as a challenge was a gift: the opportunity to be anything I wanted. Customer service literally found me and I could find my first job and build a new career in a few weeks only.

So, what was different this time? Well, I started to meet other people who didn’t like their first career or were just accepting as perfectly normal to have 2-3 different careers during their life. I started to hear words like “side hustles” and “week end workshops”. I found out about those university diplomas and courses that were specially designed for working individuals, so they could both work in a job while changing of life. I finally felt like I was in the right place at the right time😊

Environment is everything. If you feel like you don’t belong, well, that’s probably because you don’t. So don’t force it. Take it as a sign that you need some fresh air and new perspectives 😇