“Why did I change my job for one that pays me less”

As happened to millions of people in the world, the pandemic encouraged Joe Flynn to rethink his career.

This Worcestershire man EnglandHe had spent the last ten of his 34 years selling mortgages, but the quarantines of the past few months led him to reassess what he wanted to do with his life.

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“The rent-to-own mortgage industry was not something I thought I wanted to do, but it was a good career with strong personal development,” bill.

But over time his priorities changed: “I realized that I wanted a career where I felt I could make a difference in something that mattered to me.”

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Encouraged by previous volunteer experiences, Flynn found the CharityJob website, which lists job openings in the philanthropic sector. There a position in the Vegan Society caught his eye.

Working from home has made some employees realize that the only thing they liked about their work was socializing with their colleagues. (GETTY IMAGES).

“It was perfect for someone who had been vegan for the last eight years,” claims.

Now, three months into his new managerial role, he’s excited about his employer. “Everyone is passionate about it and wants to make the organization move forward. It’s really motivating“.

However, he admits that taking a “significant pay cut” made him question whether he was taking the right step. “But I thought about what makes up my ethics and what I wanted to do,” he adds.

“I thought I would forever regret missing the opportunity. Job satisfaction is invaluable when dealing with an organization where morals and ethics match your own. “

Positive social impact

In a world increasingly attentive to climate change, sustainability and equality, the youngest especially tend to seek a career in which they have a positive social impact.

Add the pandemic to the mix and the trend toward pursuing careers with a purpose accelerates.

Seven out of ten people responded that the coronavirus had caused them to reconsider their career path, according to a report from Escape the city (Escape the City), an organization dedicated to helping people who want to get out of the business world.

The study also revealed that 89% of those surveyed “now want a career with a sense, a strong purpose.” The data contrasts with 71% of the pre-covid world.

Skye Robertson, jefa de Escape the city, ensures that the pandemic has changed what people want for their careers.

“It has been a period of reflection for people to think about their lives and their work and what really matters to them”, he maintains. “People are flocking to races with a purpose.”

Robertson adds that working from home since March 2020 has significantly weakened the social aspect that kept them connected to their jobs for many.

Habiba Islam is a labor consultant in 80.000 hours (80,000 hours), a non-profit organization that offers resources for individuals to have the greatest possible social impact during their professional lives.

“For the majority, your career is the main way to have a positive impact”, Explain. “For most, the pandemic and the changes it brought to the world of work pushed people to think about their career choices and what they wanted to do.”

But there were other factors at play. The other aspect is to face a global catastrophe. That comes back people’s attention to bigger world problems, to think that maybe they could be working on preventing the next covid “.

Habiba Islam works for 80,000 Hours, which helps people find jobs that help control social problems. (HABIBA ISLAM).

Yasmina Kone, 27, was in charge of selecting graduates at a law firm when the pandemic struck.

“The pandemic was an interesting time”, He says. “I had a lot of time to sit behind a screen, which made me focus on who was benefiting from my work and how I was using my skills.”

“There was a lot of suffering during the pandemic. I started to realize that I wanted to have a more direct effect on vulnerable communities. “

So in May 2021, Kone quit his job to start as a manager at Beam, a social project that helps homeless people find a job.

He says that his work was a breath of motivation at a time when the world seemed “a dark place … Now I’m changing people’s lives. “

Kone acknowledges that he agreed to lower his salary to fill the position, but he claims that it was worth it. “Every day I can help people. That is motivation, plus there are unlimited vacations and options to share.”

Yasmina Kone is now dedicated to helping homeless people find a job. (YASMINA KONE).

The impact of the “B corps”

Robertson insists that it is possible to switch to a job with a greater social purpose without having to see the salary reduced.

“We have heard many times that there is a ‘moral tax’ with huge pay cuts or that you have to work to exhaustion in a charity, but that no longer happens,” says Robertson.

Points to the rise of so-called businesses “B Corps”, firms of all sizes that are committed to finding a balance between profit and the service they provide, and to consider the impact of your activity on the community and the environment.

“Now there are hundreds of B corps offering careers with a purpose.”

For those who are rethinking their career, Islam recommends looking at which social issues matter most to them and what their specific skills are.

“For example, maybe you can work in research to contribute to advances in a certain field, or work in public bodies in an effective charity.” Explain.

“There is a range of different jobs, from communication to leadership, to entrepreneurship and launching a charity. Think about what a fulfilling, high-impact career can mean to you. Each one has different priorities, depending on where you are, your financial situation, or personal aspects ”.

Rachel Abraham adds that “after such a turbulent year in 2020” she began to reflect on what she feels is “important” in her life.

Rachel Abraham has traded her job in the business world for one in the mental health field. (RACHEL ABRAHAM).

A former marketing employee, this 27-year-old from Liverpool says: “I wanted to put my skills in a cause with a greater moral sense. I knew I wanted to work for a charity that prioritizes and advocates for mental well-being, especially for young people. “.

So in August 2020 he joined as Marketing Manager Iheart, an NGO dedicated to educating children about mental health.

“When you work for an NGO, people are much friendlier and the exchanges every day are satisfactory, especially when you get the response from the children who now feel much more confident”, he claims.

For Abraham that is immediate career satisfaction. “You are not putting money in the pocket of an unknown person. It makes more sense.”

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