I’ll be attending a farewell party today. We’re saying goodbye to a highly valued colleague at UM. After working in various communication departments within the university, writing articles and speeches, Femke Kools is switching to a career in mental health care for older people. For as long as I’ve known her, Femke has been someone who likes to ponder the meaning of life, with strong self-reflection skills and a heart of gold. In short, she’s a lovely person to have coffee with and talk about life.
Not a job hopper
Now, she has decided to leave UM. She’s been here for eighteen years, so she’s obviously not a job hopper. We don’t get a lot of those at Observant, either. Occasionally, at parties and reunions, people ask me (and my fellow more seasoned colleagues), “Are you still working for that UM newspaper?”
It’s a question that used to irk me. It implies that working at Observant is nothing more than a stepping stone in one’s career. That we’re supposed to work here for a couple of years and then move on, ideally to a national newspaper or some other large journalistic organisation. One that has more prestige, reaches a wider audience and pays more.
What really matters
Is that what really matters, though? More money is always nice, but it’s not the be-all and end-all of life. And prestige is nice, too, but do you write better articles if you’re writing for a wider audience and a national publication? I should hope not.
These days, I answer the question with a firm and cheerful “Yes”. I learnt last week that one of my colleagues does the same. And it’s not as if we’re just counting down the days here at Observant. Like Femke, we regularly reflect on whether this is still the right place for us, each in our own way – during breaks, with a career coach or in a personal development review. Do I still feel challenged enough? Is there enough room for creativity? Do I still enjoy what I do? How’s the team atmosphere?
Family
This week, UM emailed me a survey to find out how I feel about the university as an employer. In other words, why do we work here? UM aims to use our responses “to attract and retain the right people”.
I work here because no two days are the same. There’s always something happening, my colleagues are like family, I continue to learn new things and I still enjoy writing for Observant. It’s not all sunshine and roses, and sometimes I really don’t feel like going to work when my alarm goes off on Monday morning – but that’s part of the deal.
What matters is that you get to wonder if your job is still right for you. That you get to grow, change roles or switch careers like Femke. And, just as importantly, that you get to stay in a role that fits your talents and aspirations.