11

Aug

How to Make People Respect Your Abnormal Line of Work

As a freelance writer, I cannot count the number of times people have asked me what I ‘really’ do. It’s definitely one of the most annoying questions most people get asked when their line of work is not the ordinary. People will often ask you what your ‘real job’ is without realising that the music, modelling, writing, coding etc you do is your real ‘real job.’ Instead of hating someone for belittling your job, how about you make them understand what you really do and earn their respect instead?

It isn’t easy but it is possible.

Respect your job and everybody else will. It’s as simple as it sounds. People will see how you go about your business and make judgements on their won. If you treat freelance writing as a side job, that’s the vibe they’ll catch. So don’t be surprised when they ask you if you’re ever going to find a job. If your line of work matters to you, stop saying it and start showing it.

Mentor Someone. When you love your job and find it fulfilling, you will want to bring other people in so they can reap the benefits too. Nurture a newbie and help them to grow into a pro. You will notice your self esteem and confidence in your work will build up and you become more motivated to succeed in your unusual line of work.

Succeed. This is actually the easiest one. Succeeding in your abnormal career will silence every critic. If you can afford to buy a house or  your dream car just like the people with ‘real jobs’ do, then you won’t need to explain yourself or your line of work to anybody. Believe in your ideas and be determined to succeed. You will.

Don’t Try Too Hard. There are people who will never accept your career choice no matter what you do. They will look down on you for no particular reason. Once you identify such critics, don’t waste your time explaining how photography puts food on your table or how the runway is your day job. Please don’t. It will only get on your nerves and soon you start to doubt it yourself.

Whatever you do, always remember that only you can decide how important your job is to you and to others too.