Before going into some heavy topics, I thought with starting about finding or choosing one's profession...
Every person has their own story to tell how they came to the profession or the situation they are in now since we are all individuals and the same counts with finding or choosing one's job in today's world.
I took my sweet time before I made up my mind. A bit too long, my Mother nearly had to pressure me, or she would enrol me on nursing school. Back then, I knew what I didn't want but not exactly what I wanted, and so many things were bleak or uncertain no matter where I turned to. Is this the right job for me? Yes? No? Maybe? Or is it just a phase of interest for a short time? Should I follow my dreams or remain realistic and practical?
I never was a person who waited for a miracle or luck; I take it into my own hands and make it happen however I can, so if I know what I don't want, how about making a list and seeing where that will lead—becoming a nurse, as my Mother suggests? Nope. Anything with accounting or teaching, 100% nope. From there, I soon figured I wanted to do something with writing, acting & dancing, archaeology, psychology or detective work.
So with writing, I checked journalists, reporters and authors. At that time, I was living in Switzerland (German-speaking part), and despite my heritage, I see German as a foreign language compared to other Swiss people. My German grammar is strongly influenced by English, but I'll come to that part in another topic. In that part, I lived and struggled greatly with German grammar, and if I wanted to do journalism or become a reporter in English, I'd have to do it abroad. But my parents didn't have the money for that, so, unfortunately, scratch that. But I'll keep writing in English as a leisure writer and now blogger.
Acting & dancing, there is a musical school in Zurich, but it is expensive and tough as hell. Chances of finding a position after school and getting a sufficient salary are meagre, and in a time of crisis, I'd be on the street within a blink of an eye. It is one of my passions, but I have a feeling this isn't it, and I don't have a pretty face and figure since movies and theatres are all about show one way or another. I'll pass on that and let it enjoy as a hobby.
Archaeology is nothing like Indiana Jones. It's more about going out and unearthing old forgotten items of the past gently with brushes, doing multiple measurements, writing reports and categorizing them with the greatest attention to detail. Not all findings will be mentioned in the news, and the pay is poor despite the high education and investing time. I'll stick with being a history buffer to my interests through books and the internet in some areas and periods.
Psychology was of great interest, and I nearly had the opportunity if I hadn't failed the particular grammar school and gotten tired of school on the whole. However, I did ace the final oral exam about that topic in middle school. The other way around from there would have taken too long for me, and with being tired of learning at that time, I turned away. Plus, I greatly doubted my abilities back then and lacked self-confidence and self-love.
Becoming a detective like Sherlock Holmes is, in today's time, unfortunately, a fairy-tale. The next closest is a private investigator that assists the police force in criminology or working for large companies to keep an eye on suspects that do shoplifting or other five-finger discount motives. When helping in the police force, you first need to work your way up in the ranks like the military, starting with checking parking meters and such. Especially as a woman, it won't be easy in that department which didn't scare me, but I lost over time interest in that. In Switzerland, to join the police force, you need to be over 18 years old and, at best, have passed an apprenticeship due to collecting some experience. (that's what I've been told at that time) So I thought, ok, do first an apprenticeship and if I still want to can enrol on the police force. Not from where I stand today and have no regrets about my decision.
I work now as a freight forwarder (logistics department). I am helping to arrange and organize the transport from A to B national and international. I am specialized in road transport, meaning with trucks and trailers. I'm not the driver but the one who instructs them hand over the papers and addresses they need to make it happen. Along checking with customs officers what is required for leaving or entering a country. In a nutshell, it's like a travel agent but for goods instead of people. Learn how to handle and work under pressure, have an eye for detail, think ahead of what is required or need to do next, at times even think of a plan B or C, and above all maintain good communication. This profession has some elements of detective work, and no routine or shipment is the same. You're always on your toes. It broadens your basic knowledge and become aware of various cultures when arranging international transport. There's an extra benefit if you can speak other languages, aside from English being the international language. Irony, my Mother suggested this profession as I talked with her. She did it as she was my age back then, and I thought, why not give it a try? I worked as a practitioner for a year in a small company and liked it; hence the rest follows with passing the apprenticeship in Summer 2020.
Transportation is always needed, including during a crisis like the pandemic. Besides the doctors and nurses in hospitals and clinics, that was the other front to endure. Everyone orders their goods online and wants them delivered to their door in a short amount of time.
This is my story of how I found my profession, but I'd like to become a writer in my heart. I don't care anymore if successful or not, but finishing writing a novel and publishing it is on my bucket list. I'm getting there but got caught up with a unique college course and relocated to Ireland in 2020.
Regarding relocation, it can also be done to find your profession if possible. It doesn't harm to "broaden" one's perspective when searching. I did because I wasn't happy in Switzerland and always wished to move to Ireland. I always felt connected to that country despite having no friends or relatives there, and starting there with an empty slate didn't scare me. So I checked and sent a CV to one company, and within two job interviews via Zoom, I got the job. I knew my chances were 50/50 and thought I'd give it a try. If it didn't turn out so, I would have tried again soon.
Despite having not my dream profession, I still feel very fortunate to live and work in Ireland. I yearned for an old dream since the beginning of my adolescence and visited Ireland in 2014 for an English exam. That year confirmed my goal and gave me an impression no other country ever did that I've seen. On the day I was boarding the plane to fly back to Switzerland after my 4-week stay, it felt like I wasn't going home. I'm only visiting my parents and friends and will be back soon. To this place that I feel connected, where I belong. The emerald island is rich in culture and history; the passion lives through music, dance and storytelling. Hell, within a few months, I've picked up the accent and mingled perfectly among the locals. My name is Celtic hence a part of the origin, but my surname is a dead giveaway. However, I love surprising the locals when they notice I'm not Irish; their reactions are priceless. Even in Switzerland, I got nicknamed "the Irish one" if they couldn't remember my name due to my fluent English and doing regularly Irish dancing. (Riverdance, Lord of the Dance, ...)
When choosing a profession, be true to yourself. At best, have a plan B or C at hand when you decide. Life is filled with surprises, and you never know what can happen; as Forest Gump would say, "Life is like a box of chocolates, and you never know what you gonna get."309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCuj32egvM0
If you need a different opinion or an ear to listen, I'd be happy to help. Stepping from school into the adult world is no easy feat. Please bear in mind not all is perfect and beginnings can be hard. As the quote goes with flying from the nest, you are now testing your wings to see where lies your limits and abilities.309Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0ceh42WZO6
