I am sure all of us questioned ourselves if we are in the right place, job or direction, and we often receive pieces of advice to get a job closest to our passion. For those who feel pressured to get a good paying job out of their passions or those who feel stuck with a job that they don’t like or those who are still unsure, this blog is specially dedicated to you.

After graduating high school I already knew what degree to take in college and it’s related to my long-term dream of becoming a doctor. My parents were supportive and happy, but they also felt a bit weird that I was sure of my decision as some teenagers had a hard time choosing a degree. I took up a double degree course: Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Bachelor of Arts degree in Guidance and Counseling. I finished the courses on time, but while I was trying to graduate, some doubts came in. Yes, I was so sure on the onset but some decisions change because of what and who we encounter every day. I loved studying the human behavior, but I also had an interest in technology that some of my friends even encouraged me to shift since they saw a huge potential. I knew that working in the IT industry was cool and challenging, and I might have a huge salary if I make that shift. My older brother was the biggest influence as I saw him at home doing techie stuff and in my perspective that made him super bad-ass. I wanted to be like him in my second year, but I figured if I shift to a different degree I would start fresh again. I asked questions like, “is it worth it?” or “is this really for me?”. In the end, I still went on with my first choice as it was the practical thing to do, and I did not want to cause any headaches for my parents.

I graduated college in March 2013 and I told my parents I would pursue my dream of becoming a doctor. I decided to take up the National Medical Admission Test (NMAT), an entrance examination to apply for medical school in the Philippines. Although I knew it was hard and I am not that smart to pass the exam, I still did not go through the review classes. I do not know what has gotten into my mind at that time but I still took it. Lo and behold, I did not get the score to apply to my desired medical school. By now, you probably want to say, “don’t give up! You can still be a doctor!” in my face. Yes, I know that I can retake it and I can still go to medical school regardless of age as long as I have perseverance, but the reality is taking a toll on me. I thought if I pursue this dream, my parents would never stop working just to provide for my needs. I figured I can let go of that dream and just help them moving forward.

After 2 months of being a bum, I got a call from a talent acquisition company and they asked me if I was interested to apply for a job. I took it as a sign from God that maybe this is His plan for me— imagine receiving an opportunity without applying for it! So, I said YES and got a job as a Sourcing Specialist! I loved my job and stayed with the company for almost 3 years. I learned a lot of things that eventually helped me as a young professional. However, it was not all fun, I experienced going through doubts yet again. During my stay in the company, I felt that there is something more for me than working for 8 or 9 hours in a day. I thought about going back to school to take a certification or a different degree that is related to Multimedia Arts or IT.

In May 2015, I enrolled in an art school to take up a certification in digital video editing. By now you’re probably thinking, “damn, this girl likes to venture into different things but doesn’t really know what she wants!” LOL! I have been editing videos since I was in high school and I thought it was my passion. I decided to make it as a full-time job, so I applied to Video Editor jobs online. After months of applying, no one called me for a job, and it made me sad and demotivated. My mind became clouded with negative thoughts and insecurities because I knew my work was nothing compared to the videographers out there, and I did not even have the right gear and equipment for me to publish quality videos. After a few tries, I stopped fighting the urge to work as a Video Editor. There were countless nights that I cried about me not doing what I like for a living, and I envied others who have that kind of opportunity.

I continued working with my employer, but I resigned in September 2016 as I felt I was literally dragging myself to work every day. I realized that I needed to get out and find what will make me happy. On the same month, I moved to a new employer that was still in the recruitment industry, but the role was different and more challenging. I was offered a Sourcing Research Analyst position and I was thrilled because of the job scope, and it was also my opportunity to grow since I will be living alone away from my parents for the first time!

In living alone, I learned new things and new skills, which I did not know that I could do. My employer at this time helped me when it comes to upgrading my knowledge with technology in the recruitment world, and I became more analytical and consultative. However, I felt that there is something lacking with me, and that made me dissatisfied. Yet again, I felt that I was meant for something bigger (yes, the typical millennial attitude, LOL). After 5 months on the job, I got an offer for a Sourcing Specialist position from another competitor, but this time I need to work as an individual contributor meaning I will have no teammates with me. I was not hesitant to take the job because I know it will provide me new and bigger challenges. Although they are a globally known talent acquisition company, they just started operating in Manila recently, so endless challenges and opportunities are expected! I started working for them in February 2017 and I did not expect that I would be handling so many responsibilities. I became more involved with changes, processes, stakeholders, clients, etc., and I am also able to share my previous work experiences to help other professionals especially the fresh graduates to hone their skills and knowledge in recruiting. With all the responsibilities that are on my shoulder, it is sometimes inevitable to work for extended hours, and this makes my colleagues feel that I do not rest anymore, or I am a workaholic. I reflected on this and asked myself this question for multiple times: “why do I still feel happy even though I am exhausted after working so much and for a long period?”

I reckon we would all agree that by asking this question it is obvious that I found my real passion, and that is recruiting people! After working for 4 years in the recruitment world, I am happy to say that I am on the right track and I made the right choice in working for this industry.

This is a really long post but I am happy to share my whole experience because I know some people are going through the same. From experiencing never-ending self-doubts, jumping to different jobs, and overcoming insecurities, I learned the following:

• Sometimes our dreams do not come true for the right or practical reasons, and we need to accept it
• We all have a long way to go before we even realize what is our true passion but the journey will always serve as a learning experience
• We have different timetables in determining our true passion—some people know it at an early age and some don’t, but we do not have to pressure ourselves
• It is possible to love our 9 am to 6 pm job and make it our passion
• Enduring a job that we do not like is not always bad as we can still benefit and learn from it, and in fact, it can help in disqualifying jobs that are not right for us
• Self-doubts and insecurities can serve as motivators to be BETTER
• And lastly, if we keep saying YES to the opportunities handed to us, we are one step ahead of getting that right job! (P.S. – we only need to say YES to the ones that we feel are relevant to our lives and careers)

I am still working as a Sourcing Specialist and my industry experience includes oil and gas, MRO, aerospace, manufacturing, engineering, customer service, etc. Seeing candidates get their dream jobs made me love what I do for a living, and I do not mind retiring in this industry. On the other hand, video editing is just a skill that can be enabled when necessary. I usually do it as a favor or gift for relatives and friends. If you’re reading this, I hope this post made sense to you and I wish you all the good things that life has to offer.

Header image was captured by Ashley Joy Ignacio

If you want to chat, feel free to email me at ask@oreodario.com.