There are many things I didn’t expect in life. Many events occurred, allowing me to realize that life was unpredictable. I never would’ve predicted my career trajectory, and I would never have predicted my path; everything seemed to have happened so quickly.
I was also surprised to learn of my interest in working with people.
Recently, as the environment and world changed, I realized I enjoy working with others and hearing their perspectives.
This initially came as a surprise to me. During elementary school, I was always a shy kid. Since my family moved regularly, I was often the new kid, struggling to create meaningful relationships: I found it a hassle to interact with people; they didn’t share the same interests or perspectives.
Throughout my teenage years, my classmates bullied me because of my interests and activities. As a result, my friends and peers kept telling me I lacked communication and relationship-building skills. And I started to believe in these comments. Maybe they were right; maybe I couldn’t interact and work with people. After all, I struggled with relating to others.
Little did I know that my perspective would change when I started tutoring.
As a tutor, I worked with students from various backgrounds in multiple subjects. I started off teaching English; while it was challenging, I started enjoying it near the end.
My favorite type of lessons were the conversation ones. These students would discuss various topics with me for half an hour to an hour. During these sessions, I realized how interesting it was to hear about the tutee’s perspectives and their favorite activities.
These sessions taught me how rewarding it is to work with people.
A lot of people frown on people-facing jobs, such as customer service, administration, or working with children. After all, people know how draining and exhausting the work can be, not to mention the low pay. But the relationships and the experiences from those jobs are unique, carrying a lot of value in the long run.
By working with people, you learn more about yourself and the world around you. You see how you interact with others and which skills you may need to improve on. And you’ll self-reflect and realize your talents or gifts.
Learning about others and seeing their perspectives shape your own understanding of the world. That will prepare you to interact with others in the future.
Working with people is more than just a paycheck in the end. In fact, you’ll learn important life lessons and hear unique stories that you’ll never forget.
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Dealing with people is ultimately about more than just making a living. True, you will hear unforgettable tales and gain wisdom that will last a lifetime.
Your perspective on this topic is both unique and enlightening.