What is the Right Job for You?

by Hava Lyon | More from this Blogger

31 Jan 2007 09:34 PM

I don't know. Not a single clue. I could start naming off random jobs that I know about or have heard of, but that doesn't answer the question: What is the right job for you?

Warning: This blog is going to be venting, from beginning to end. Feel free to hit "next" at any time. ;-)

So I am a member at very active work-at-home forum, and I spend a lot of my evenings and weekends reading posts and trying to respond to questions when I can. But there are perennial questions that just never seem to stop coming up, no matter how many times they are answered. They all run along this same theme:

"I am trying to look for a job from home, but I have no idea what I should do. Can you tell me what jobs I should look at doing?"

Well, I would, except I don't know you from Eve (or Adam, just depending) and I have not a clue of what you're good at. How could I possibly tell you what jobs to look at if I don't know what your education is, what your previous jobs have been, what you are interested in, or what time constraints you have on you (do you have kids? A husband? Another job?) Also, do you have any disabilities that would keep you from doing a particular kind of job? If you're partially deaf, transcribing isn't going to be the way to go. If you have dyslexia and hate to read, proofreading isn't exactly going to be up your alley.

And for Pete's sake, since when did we start relying on complete strangers to take our hand, walk us through step-by-step from beginning to end, until we have a job in our hot little hands? And if we require that much hand-holding just to get the job, then I cannot even imagine what it's going to be like once the job is started.

I guess it's frustrating because I don't see this just online, but everywhere in life. I work at a care company, and we send providers out to clients homes to help the clients in their daily activities (washing, bathing, cleaning the home, etc.) I had a provider call me this morning: She had locked herself out of her car. She called me when I got into the office at 9:00, exactly the time she was supposed to be at the client's house. It takes her about 20 minutes to get to the client's home from her home, so you know she had to have known she had locked herself out of the car way before 9:00 (either that, or she was going to be late to work that day--either way, I'm still not impressed.)

So why was she calling into the office? To ask me what to do. If I could have reached through the phone and strangled her, I would have. "Hang up with me and call the locksmith!!!! What do you think you should do??" The girl only has one set of keys, and she could see them very easily through the window--they were in the ignition in the car. She knew she was locked out, she knew she didn't have any previous experience as a car jacker (duh!) and she knew she would have to get help. Instead of calling someone to help her (a locksmith) she called me to know what to do. And in case you're wondering, she's in her 30s. She's not some girl who just got out of high school and has no idea how to function on her own without her parents.

So America, when do we start taking responsibility for our own lives? If we want to find a job at home, we do a search online until we find the information we need, and then we go after the job we want. If we lock ourselves out of our car, we call the locksmith and have them come unlock it (when she called, she told me: She has AAA. She knew who to call, and the number to call them at. *Beat head against wall*) We will stop, STOP relying on others to do our job for us.

Hey, I feel better now. :-)

Learn more about Hava Lyon

Hello, my name is Hava or Havs (depending on my mood and yours!) I am a freelance writer who writes for several blogs, both paid ones such as this one, and personal blogs.

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Linda Hansen (1796) 31 Jan 2007 09:20 PM

That's exactly why I teach my kids...Accountability! We are responsible for taking care of ourselves. My mother called it initiative. Don't depend on the rest of the world to give you the answers. Artcraft

Hava Lyon (1545) 31 Jan 2007 09:29 PM

Thanks for the feedback, Linda. I think it's crazy how many people simply rely on others to make things happen. Tell me how to do this. Tell me how to apply. Tell me where to go to school. Tell me...Hold my hand...Guide me...Give me advice...

After a while, it just gets to the point where you want to hit someone over the head and say, "Figure it out yourself for once!" :-P

Have a great night!

Havs

PS I *like* the words "accountability" and "initiative." I think that's exactly what's missing in many people's lives. Thanks again for the feedback. :-)

Tristi Pinkston (10839) 01 Feb 2007 10:40 AM

Ranting is good. I like ranting!

rents25 (105) 05 Feb 2007 09:48 AM

Amen!

We live in a society that places much value in entitlement. Phrases like "You deserve it." are metaphorical pats on the head comforting us by saying "Hey, you worked hard rowing that boat. No matter that you rowed it in the wrong direction RIGHT OVER THE WATERFALL!! You should be rewarded for your hard work."

I used to think I should be rewarded just because I was working hard.

Man, what a wake up call when I figured out I was rowing my boat over the falls!!

Nope. We should not be rewarded just for hard work. I know alot of peolpe who work hard. Some have made it, others haven't...and should be able to hear the waterfall. But in a society that values giving people something for nothing, we have little hope of changing that thinking. There is no such thing as a free lunch!!

Words like service, accountability, responsibilty, sacrifice, honesty, initiative, perseverance, wisdom...these are words that have lost their value to us. They're just the words we use with our own children. They will understand their value...and be successful in their lives because of it!

Thanks for the ranting!! Levi

Hava Lyon (1545) 05 Feb 2007 06:44 PM

Wow, thanks for the feedback, Levi. You are exactly right--many times, I see people giving others praise even when it really wasn't deserved. Now, I'm not one for kicking someone when they're down, but there is a difference between praising them for screwing up, and giving encouragement to them that they can do better.

Anyway, thanks again for the comment. I'm glad you liked the blog! :-)

Havs