Might as well jump

By Tony Li

So I have. After a busy few months sorting out the sale of my flat  - still not completely sorted I might add - I've handed in my notice at the Pensions Bored. Should be out of the capital by mid-August.  Now just have the scary prospect of actually going about starting on the path to that beautiful job I'm after.

I have a few volunteer placements on the cards up in Manchester. One's with a co-op that sell fairtrade products from Palestine; another two sell organic and fairtrade clothing (I never thought I'd end up a fashionisto but I'm warming to the idea. Gok Wan better watch out). So that's 1-2 days of my week sorted. Now all I have to do is find something that pays me money. 

I thought I should just go for whatever job to fill in the other days, but part of me wants something related to ethical trading/fairtrade/organic produce etc. It's almost a year since my brain staged an uprising and decided to revolt against the constraints of doing work for the sake of it. Should I compromise now? Even though I would be getting experience in a sector I am, at this stage, very interested in, do I want to occupy the other 3-4 days a week in an estate agents or Kwiksave or selling Avon products door to door? Should I 'pretend' the other days to earn some cash and preserve my true self for the volunteering?

What do you think? I mean, you're all active/prospective Careershifters so I wouldn't mind a piece of your advice, or a piece of your mind. 

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