When we were young, we thought monsters were scary. We worried about imaginary creatures hiding in our closets or creeping under our beds with one sole purpose: getting us.
I miss those days. Today, monsters are nothing compared to the existential concern of wasting years of my finite existence doing a job that I dread, being stuck in a job due to bills, mortgages, debts, taxes and future children for whom I’d be responsible for.
One of the biggest choices a lot of us have the privilege to make at a young age comes when we are trying to decide our career path. It’s a tough decision that’s difficult to make before we even discover who we are and what makes us tick.
Some prioritize spending their days at a job they find personally fulfilling. Whereas others prefer a high paying, stable career path that may lack excitement, but eliminates most financial stresses that come with ‘exciting’ or ‘creative’ positions.
I discovered the way I was wired while taking a year off from university to work full time and save money for school. I worked 12-hour factory shifts and nine to five desk jobs over the course of my gap year.
The work was hard, honest and sharpened my work ethic immensely. But they weren’t positions I could see myself continuing after graduation.
Many people enjoy the physical aspects of a job on their feet, and many prefer the relaxed atmosphere of certain desk jobs and the stability of the work that comes with the territory. However, they aren’t the only options for those who find themselves desiring an alternative career path.
“It is more important in my mind to enjoy what you do than to become rich at what you do,” suggests Wendy Donnan, a film professor at Wilfrid Laurier University who has accumulated over 30 years of experience within the media industry throughout her career.
“I believe that if your job is secure and high paying, and you don’t like it or aren’t suited to it, your walls will probably come crumbling down around you, so to speak.”
In reverse, you may regret not pursuing a career that you’ve always desired and alter your priorities in a decade or two. You are constantly steering the ship of your career, and you are never forced to use its anchor.
Donnan has worked in a wide variety of positions within the media industry; from scheduling to executive producer on various projects. She is currently the executive director and programmer for Oakville Festivals of Film and Art.
As media is one of the most competitive and exciting industries in the world, Donnan believes that the best way to get a foot in the door is to gain connections.
“In my industry, once you are established and know how to network, it is much easier to be continually working than it is before you have established yourself. I highly recommend to anyone starting out in this industry that they learn to network with others.”
Donnan doesn’t accept that one is forced to choose between financial stability or personal fulfillment.
“I have worked in the industry in several jobs: some that are high paying and fulfilling (as vice president Programming and Marketing at OUTtv), or as an indie producer which is very fulfilling, but much more difficult to achieve financial stability.”
The pressure of choosing a career of either fulfillment or finance is eased when witnessing a career path such as Donnan’s.
Her industry experience proves that careers can be winding; one isn’t committed to a single area within an industry, but will rather take on a variety of different responsibilities in varying amounts of financial gain or personal fulfillment.
There’s plenty of time to figure out how you’re wired as you build your career. You may find yourself prioritizing finance over passion as you grow older.
In reverse, you may regret not pursuing a career that you’ve always desired and alter your priorities in a decade or two. You are constantly steering the ship of your career, and you are never forced to use its anchor.