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Am I selling out? Is it OK to sell out?

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  • April 8, 2014 at 2:38 pm #54507
    Alex
    Participant

    I have a dilemma at the moment and I’m not sure what to do.

    I posted some weeks ago in the ‘Purpose’ forum about my situation and that I was stuck in a rut and didn’t know what to do with my life.

    I wrote that I was unemployed and have a strong desire to work in something meaningful and also to live abroad as I did before.

    Now my situation has changed a bit but I am still confused!

    I have applied for quite a few jobs and have now been offered one in Marketing. I don’t have experience in this field, but the company wants to employ me and train me up. It is a good opportunity for me as I have mainly been doing ‘simple jobs’, and this is a good chance to gain some real career experience which I need as I am not young anymore.

    The problem is, I have always kind of been against marketing. I don’t know that much about it, but I am generally of the option that marketing is ‘evil’ and promotes consumerism which I am totally against.

    The company expects me to commit to this job for a few years at least, and I don’t think I could just quit after a few months or a year because I would feel it is wrong and also it’s hard to find a new job anyway.

    I have been unemployed for a while now, and I have no money, so I don’t feel like I have much choice but to accept this offer and take this job for a few years.

    So am I selling out? And is it ok for me to do this? Maybe I could take this experience and use it in future for something that is more aligned with my beliefs?

    I think people should never compromise their principles, so is it wrong? Or beggars can’t be choosers?

    The funny thing is I didn’t put that much effort into the application for this job, I just applied on the off chance and because it was close to where I live, yet this is the one application where they have shown the most interest!??!

    So does anyone have any advice for me? Thank you very much if you do!

    April 9, 2014 at 7:37 am #54545
    Redbean
    Participant

    Selling out means to gain at the expense of others…. Are you doing that?
    Marketing is like money; it’s neither inherently good or evil – it’s what one does with it that makes it so. It depends on what you are promoting… Do you believe you would be causing harm by taking this job?

    One theory is that you would selling yourself out by not accepting this job, because you would be staying in a low place, struggling to make a living. This job could help you out of survival mode and help you upgrade your skills and find a sense of purpose. You don’t have to stay at the job forever, but once you get some experience, you could transfer your skills learned there to something else if it’s not the right fit for you. It can be a stepping stone to getting yourself to a higher place and it could be a great opportunity if you put your heart into it. I wish you the best on your path…

     

    April 9, 2014 at 10:02 pm #54589
    iamone
    Participant

    I started out in advertising, and I felt the same way you feel. There was a sense that I was lying to people, and it bothered me. I have also taken jobs in the past that I didn’t feel 100% great about, and in the end I have never been satisfied. It also seems if you compromise once, it is easier to compromise again, and then your entire life becomes a compromise. (Okay, that may be a bit simplistic.) On the other hand, I am sure there are many happy, fulfilled people in the world who got started doing a job that wasn’t a good fit for them at all.

    Here are some other questions that might lead you to some understanding: Do you like the people you have met so far? If you became more like these people, would you consider that a good thing? What would your tasks be? Do you believe in the product or service you would be marketing? If you really don’t get a good vibe from the company, do you think you could handle that for more than 6 months?

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