As you approach your graduation from Carrington and start your job search in earnest, don’t let money be the deciding factor if you’re fortunate enough to receive multiple offers. There’s more to life than money. I could populate this entire blog post with phrases like ‘money can’t buy happiness’ or ‘money is the root of all evil’ or… ok that’s enough of that already. But while you obviously need to be able to cover your rent/mortgage, put gas in the car and food on the table for your family, don’t make your first job all about the money. You’re embarking on a new career, you’re taking your life in a new direction, so make the most of it. But remember why you made the move into health care – follow your passion. Make your passion your driving force, not your pay check. If your passion is there for all to see, then there’s a good chance that success will find you, and your career will progress as you want it to. But the happiest people I know are those who love their jobs. Why? Because our jobs take up such a large chunk of our daily lives. The American Time Use Survey 1 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics looks at how employed people, ages 25 to 54, who live in households with children under 18, spend their time on an average workday. They spent an average of:
- 8.8 hours working or in work-related activities
- 7.6 hours sleeping
- 2.5 hours doing leisure and sports activities
- 1.2 hours caring for others, including children
They also spent about another hour eating and drinking, and another hour doing household activities. So the average American with kids spends more of the day on work or work related activities than anything else. That’s why you have to make sure you follow your passion – not the money! YOLO – You Only Live Once – may now be a popular t-shirt and coffee cup slogan, but it’s true. We only have one go-around in this world (as far as we know) so if you’re going to spend more than a third of an average day on something, spend it doing something you love! Yes, of course your job needs to pay the bills, but don’t make the ‘Almighty Dollar’ your focus. Consider this scenario – you’re in the Medical Assisting program and you’ve always wanted to work with children. You are fortunate to have two job offers – one in a pediatrician’s office and another in a n assisted living facility, but the assisted living position offers a 10% higher salary… Which would you choose? Yes we all have to be practical and sensible with our income, but at what cost? Your passion is what drives you – if you can afford to live without that 10% then think seriously about following your dream of working with kids. Some jobs have greater rewards than financial – and you might just find that your personal happiness and peace of mind is worth more to you at the end of the day than that 10% in your paycheck. 
Sources: 1 http://www.bls.gov/tus/charts/
