On Unconventional Paths, There is No Right or Wrong Way; There is Only Your Way

Build The Trust and It Will Show

Traditions suck. Not because they are old, outdated and don’t fulfil the current demand, but on top of it, they resist change and hardly acknowledge it.

If you want to start in a direction no one has ever thought of, then support is the thing you have to build from inside.

You are highly optimistic at the core, but don’t expect anyone to devote time and resources in supporting something they have never seen. How will they even trust you? You have to build for yourself and set an example. And this takes time.

You Don’t Have To Explain Everyone.

Friends, close friends and even sometimes your family may not support because in their view you are violating a lot of rules [read stereotypes]. They would expect you to be grounded and obey the system. Even if you know you can change it, they won’t believe you because you are just getting started.

You are young, and this point will shut you down in any argument with your elders. If they even accept your idea of changing the system, they may opine from their close-minded attitude and expect you to respect their decision.

I have a workaround for this kind of argument. I can even convince my elder brother and dad with this. It has a component of understanding their language of appreciation.

Unconventional Paths Are Full Of Challenges

Same was the case when I told my family why I prefer job satisfaction over job security. Like every parent, my dad also wanted me to be happy and live a financially secured life. Just like every guardian, he visioned a safe and healthy lifestyle for me.

But my take was different. I wanted to earn that financial security the hard way, the way it is worth holding. That’s why I did not apply for many companies during my college’s placement season.

That was an unexpected decision on my part. I had to meet people, and every person’s conversation starter was this, “Did you get a job?”. I mean why the hell does anyone even care whether I secure a job or not. If I say “No”, the conversation will extend, and it won’t be worth it from the experience of previous banters.

That’s why I chose not to dive in such type of conversations because I wanted the results of my actions to speak for themselves. I just nodded and shrugged from the discussion for the time being because of my terrible communication skills back then.

Enjoying Last Semester Without Getting A Job. So Cool.

I knew what field I was interested in, but didn’t think I will get to do the same work I have been practising during my entire learning phase. I wanted maximum skill transfer from learning to the application phase. There was no sure way to know whether I would get that.

Our placement season starts in December, and almost every student preparing sincerely receives an offer in the first month itself. Then we spend the last spring semester enjoying just like the first semester: partying, binging, drinking, travelling and sometimes exploring art for the curious ones.

I also did enjoy the last semester. But in my way without a full-time job offer in hand. Isn’t it shocking? That was the response I received too.

Before I accepted an off-campus offer in May 2019 (graduating year), I secured a remote contract job from Udacity in Feb 2019. My friends got their proposal in December 2018, and most of them started working in June 2019. But I got it in Feb 2019, around mid-semester exams and started working on it right away. I started earning before I graduated, and that is the coolest thing about it. On top of it, it is a purely task-based incentive platform where I some times feel like I am controlling my income based on my engagement.

Sure, the money wasn’t enough in the starting. But the value of dedicated work increases with time. It did not pay good back then, but I anticipated the growth from then on. I knew when I would reach a level to call it a primary source of income.

If a remote job is paying more than INR 50k per month in India with only 3 hours of maximum daily activity, you have set a great standard ahead of time.

Will Only Do A Full-Time If It Is Worth It

If you start earning before graduation, you can become financially independent, use the extra time to experiment with other income streams, and search for more remote work. Even you have enough time for networking your way into a full-time job.

That’s what I am doing now. When you have no backup or financial support in hand, your job search might come out as desperate for the recruiter. The way you talk in interviews and agree to everything they say. You might come off as needy and less self-confident. And that is not a good impression.

I have a reasonable experience building confidence and understanding priorities at a personal level. I know what things I can slack off and what areas I cannot compromise. I have enough financial support even to carry me for this entire year if I don’t do a full-time job.

But I don’t want to do that. I have done only one 9to5 job (before I quit on 31st December 2019) and I can’t judge the entire office work based on just one experience. I can also not keep on searching for the perfect one forever.

That’s why I have decided to devote a specific amount of time to my job search once I revamp my professional portfolio on the respective networking platforms. And if I realise the next job role is worthy enough, who knows I may stick to it forever with another income source that has a positively sloped graph which I have in my freelance work. Financial freedom will come even sooner! That’s the dream!

This blog belongs to a series of posts I am publishing in this 100-days streak. Navigate to the end of the article 22 for the references from day 23 onwards. If you would like to read the ones before day22, here is the first one that documents them in the end.

~ Sanjeev