They say quitting a job is as painful as breaking up with a partner. The first time I heard that, I was baffled. I never could have imagined people comparing those things with each other. Work is work; you do a job and get paid for it. That was my initial thought.

The jobs that I had before

I had my first paid job when I was 14 years old. It was lousy pay, but I got all the snacks I wanted, which meant everything at that age. I quit after realizing snacks weren’t enough (about a year later). In the summer of 2007, I started working at the same store my mom worked at. I got paid a little more, but I also had to move a lot more and wasn’t allowed to sit. Can you believe it? People have to stand for 8 hours for a minimum wage.

How am I supposed to be of service when I’m deprived of doing simple things like sitting when my feet hurt? I guess every person who worked in retail has faked a smile. I spend four summers working in that store; it’s sad when I think back. Four summers that I’ll never get back. Without knowing, I switched my grandmother’s house and all those afternoon playtimes with my cousins to go to work.

Let your employees sit!

In the fall of 2010, I took a part-time job. I was filling in for someone who was on maternity leave. It was for only four months (sadly). To this day, I remember that job really fondly. It was still a minimum wage job, but I got to work a bit less, they had a simple but neat coffee machine, and most importantly, I was allowed to sit. I didn’t feel like someone was breathing down my neck the whole time. It was an educational job with a broad range of duties. I learned a lot, but it also challenged me in different ways, but I will not get into the nitty gritty of that specific job today. It was my last job before I turned into a “professional.” I put that term into quotation marks because you don’t suddenly become a professional once you get a degree.

Professional lady here

Being a professional is visible in your skills, actions, and how you approach (challenging) situations (at work). In 2018 I got a job immediately after college; well, I got it a month later, which for me meant directly. I am trying to remember what I expected salary-wise after finishing college. Let me tell you that you will not get rich as a social worker. Sometimes you won’t even get the rightful recognition that you deserve. It pains me when people say it’s work from the heart because it sometimes takes so much of you, and you won’t get back the same amount of energy. Energy, because when it comes to the social sector, money is always lacking.

See… RICH!

Still, I’m leaving this job as a rich woman. Not only by the experiences I’ve gained or the skills I’ve mastered but also by the connections I’ve made. The unique bonds that I’ve formed throughout the years, especially with the colleague who I worked with very closely. When the team is small, you are bound to become intimate and close. I’m leaving a sister behind, and I have yet to find out if the statement at the beginning of this story is true. It’s rare to find someone just as hyperaware as you are who you can have long philosophical talks with. And this will not be the last time I talk about this colleague. For now, I’m keeping this article short for the sake of your attention span. Till next time!