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While at a party on a steamy July night,
a group of young, hot 20-somethings talked about their careers
and their sex lives . . . and dream jobs . . .
I promised myself
to just have fun and not think about career stuff. It didn't
work.
Out on the patio, drinking a cold one, a fascinating
conversation unfolded. Communicated in straight-ahead, unedited party dialogue,
I got a bird's eye view of their career situations.
In my usual way, I stayed quiet and just listened. One woman
in her mid-twenties had just moved to Manhattan, her fiancé
got a great job there . . .
"He's the only person I know who
really loves his work . . . but my job sucks," she blurted
loudly without hesitation, "but that's ok, I'm in my nesting
phase." [The group burst into laughter]
A talkative, yet
inquisitive woman then challenged the group,
"If you could
magically switch overnight to any job you wanted, what would
it be?"
Wow, that's my question, I thought. Mouth shut, I just kept
listening. Everyone came to attention like in the E. F. Hutton
commercial. Some people's faces immediately changed expression,
ready to share their fantasy life. An outgoing, stylish young woman said,
"I'm
intrigued by the fashion industry, I'd like to work for a major
designer as a buyer, maybe Calvin Klein." Others quickly
asked what she does now. "Software . . . it's not me, but
the money's too good to change direction at my age." [She's
25] One of her girlfriends then asked if she was any happier
with her work lately, she said, "No, but I've been in a
better mood since I met this great guy at the beach."
Interestingly,
none of the young men at the party chimed in. Most were too
busy inhaling grilled hotdogs, like me. The inquisitive
woman who got this all started said,
"I'd love to be a talk
show host, but it's a really big stretch from my e-commerce sales
job . . . I wouldn't know how to get it started."
After
a moment of quiet tension, the subject instantly switched to
the tribulations of the mating game.
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