Three questions were asked in the class, what am I working for? What am I resting in? And what am I living for? Every one of us started to plan what job or career we really wanted to pursue. At young age we are not really sure if our first work would be something that would lead to career or vocation or it’s just a job. We view our work differently depends on what we really wanted to achieve in life.
We view our work in three different level, it could be job, career or vocation. People who view their work as a job is far different from people who work and see it as vocation. We consider our work as a “job” if we do it just to receive a paycheck monthly. It is very bureaucratic that somehow we go to work from 8AM to 5PM and do our task because we are responsible and were asked to do so, but we don’t see ourselves growing and we don’t find any fulfillment on what we are doing. We find our leisure to escape from all the stress in work like doing things that amuse and entertain us. Next, someone can view work as a “career”, this is the path where we find self-accomplishment, and fulfillment on achieving something that we desire. We do things that we know can contribute in the company and to ourselves. Career is the step toward achieving our goals. We see ourselves doing what we want, and there is a satisfying feeling of doing our work. Leisure for a career makes yourself busy. We value of learning new things and be involved in other activities that would help us achieve our goals. And lastly, people who view their work as a calling is called vocation. Same with career we are satisfied with the path of work that we have chosen but more than a career, we devote ourselves of doing our work. We find happiness and satisfaction for all the things that we are doing. Vocation gives an opportunity to share our knowledge whole heartedly, we don’t think that we are doing our work only for money but we view our work as mission and purpose in life.
Knowing the matrix of work, by studying myself and thinking where I am right now, I have seen myself in in the middle of “job level” and “career”. I realized that I have been working for more than 2 years but haven’t seen enough satisfaction in what I am doing. I do my job from 8AM to 5PM , 5 days a week. It’s routinary and same work every day, but now we are transferring to a new department and we will be having a job rotation, new learnings and new responsibilities that somehow would satisfy myself in work. I would say that at this stage I’m in a point where I want is to earn money and get what I wanted and needed. Though I don’t try escape from anything but I always try to entertain and give time for myself and enjoy every time. I watch movies and hang out with family and friends, and travel and go somewhere but at the same time I always make myself busy and do something that will improve my skills for the preparation to step up in my career, I have realized during discussion that I need to shift and change my work if I still don’t find happiness in what I am doing. Now, I am studying MBA because I know this is what I want, I really wanted to finish and pursue my degree in MBA and I believe that I would be able reach my goals and step up into career. I also plan to teach after MBA. Maybe, for now, I don’t see myself doing my work as a vocation but I would always strive harder until I find my passion and dedicate myself in what I am doing and view my work as as my vocation, “calling”.
Justine Tan 