Not everyone is like you, and that’s ok

One fall afternoon, I was talking to a couple of friends about one of our favourite topics to discuss these days: career. Friend #1 was thinking of changing career paths, and she was asking friend #2 and I for some advice.

“You should consider going into tech,” I offered after a long discussion of her dilemma. She thought about it, but I could tell that she wasn’t sold.

This baffled me. If you’re in marketing in B.C., tech is one of the few industries that is actually worth considering. It pays significantly higher than other sectors, and it offers huge potential for growth. Perhaps more importantly, it is never boring.

I looked to friend #2 for support, but he wasn’t buying it either.

“Well, if you don’t mind the lifestyle, tech might be a good option,” he said, clearly hesitating. “I mean, sometimes the hours are crazy. And you might need to work weekends.”

Confused, I thought, Yeah, but what’s wrong with that?

Well, there are many things wrong that especially if you’re not into that. If you do sports or if you have volunteer work in the evenings or if you like binging on Netflix on your weekends is important to you, then, yes, that lifestyle isn’t for you.

It took a few weeks for this to click with me. But it’s a lesson worth remembering every time you talk to someone about their career. Or about anything, really.

If people don’t agree with you, it’s not because they’re wrong. It’s just that not everyone is like you. Not everyone has the same priorities, the same goals and dreams. So listen. And be empathetic. Be open to the possibility that you might learn something new from others.