Career questions
Life takes unexpected turns, and that’s what makes it so fascinating. Never in a million years would I have expected to be at the downtown office of a multiple-million dollar insurance company on Front St Toronto interviewing for a role as a financial advisor. Yet this morning I was doing just that.
It wasn’t a formal interview per se. It was more of an introduction followed by a detailed computer questionnaire that the company will use to gage whether we would work well together.
It was a useful exercise just for my own benefit as some questions really made me think about what I’m looking for in a career, and I was reminded of my old self over a decade ago. Back then career was my primary focus and as long as I strove for the big bucks everything else would just happen, or so I assumed.
For the most part of the last two years that competitive drive had all but disappeared. My focus shifted from being about “me” to being about “anyone but me”. Ironically even that focus was really self-driven. Let’s face it, everything we do – no matter how altruistic we believe we are (not that that’s a bad thing) – stems from our natural desire to want to be the best that we can be.
So there were moments during that quiz where I knew the most desirable answer for the company eg. Of course they want you to answer in a way that demonstrates that I will make money for the company. That’s what business is all about, right?
Yet I decided to be honest about where my mind and heart are currently placed and what drives me. Like the incentives – free travel rewards – do not motivate me at all. Over the years I’ve come to know the type of travel that excites me and living it up on a fancy hotel doesn’t do it for me.
Anyways I’ve ranted enough. I’ll get a call tomorrow to see if I progress to the first formal interview.
Right now, it’s time to dance.
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