As it happened to millions of people in the world, the pandemic encouraged Joe Flynn to rethink his career.
This man from Worcestershire, England, had spent the last ten of his 34 years selling mortgages, but the quarantines of the last few months led him to reassess what he wanted to do with his life.
“The mortgage sector of buying to rent was not something I thought I wanted to do, but it was a good career with strong personal development ”, he says.
But over time his priorities changed: “I realized that I wanted a career in which felt that I could make a difference in something that mattered to me. ”
Encouraged by previous volunteer experiences, Flynn found the CharityJob website, which lists job openings in the philanthropic sector. There a position in the Vegan Society caught his attention.
“It was perfect for someone who had been vegan for the last eight years,” he says.
Now, three months after assuming his new managerial role, he is enthusiastic about his employer. “Everyone puts passion there and wants to make the organization move forward. It is really motivating “.
However , admits that taking a “significant cut in pay” made him question whether he was taking the right step. “But I thought about what forms my ethics and what I wanted to do,” he adds.
“ I thought I would forever regret letting the opportunity go by. Job satisfaction is invaluable when dealing with an organization where morals and ethics coincide with your own. ”
Positive social impact
In a world increasingly attentive to climate change, sustainability and equality, the youngest especially tend to seek a career in which they have a positive social impact.
Add the pandemic to the mix and the trend towards seeking careers with a purpose is Accelerates.
Seven out of ten people responded that the coronavirus had made them reconsider their career path, according to a report by Escape the city (Escape the city), an organization dedicated to helping people who want to get out of the business world.
The study also revealed that a 89% of those surveyed “now want a career with a sense, a strong purpose”. The data contrasts with the 71% of the pre-covid world.
Skye Robertson, head of Escape the city , ensures that the pandemic has changed what people want for their careers.
“It has been a period of reflection for people to think about their lives and their work and what really matters to them,” he says. “People are flocking to races with a purpose.”
Robertson adds that working from home since March 2021 made for many the social aspect that kept them connected to their jobs have been notably weakened.
Habiba Islam is a labor consultant at 80. 000 hours 
(80. 000, a non-profit organization that offers resources for individuals to have the greatest possible social impact during their professional lives .
“For the majority, their career is the main way to have a positive impact “, he explains. “For the majority, the pandemic and the changes it brought to the world of work pushed people to think about their career choices and what they wanted to do.”
“But there were other factors at play. The other aspect is to face a global catastrophe. That turns people’s attention to bigger world problems, to think that maybe they could be working on preventing the next covid. ”
Yasmina Kone from 27, was in charge of the selection of graduates in a law firm when the pandemic hit.
“The The pandemic was an interesting time, ”he says. “I had a lot of time to sit behind a screen, which made me focus on who was benefiting from my work and how I was using my skills.”
“There was a lot of suffering during the pandemic. I I began to realize that I wanted to have a more direct effect on vulnerable communities ”.
So in May 2021, Kone quit his job to start as a manager at Beam , a social project that helps homeless people find a job.
He says that his work was a source of motivation at a time when the world seemed “a dark place … Now I’m changing people’s lives.”
Kone acknowledges that he agreed to lower his salary to fill the position, worse affirms that it was worth it. “Every day I can help people. That’s motivation, plus there are unlimited vacations and options to share. ”
The impact of the “B corps”
Robertson insists that it is possible to switch to a job with a greater social purpose without having to see the salary reduced.
“We have heard many times say that there is a ‘moral tax’ with huge salary cuts or that you have to work until exhaustion in a charity, but that no longer happens ”, says Robertson.
It points to the increase in the so-called businesses “B Corps”, firms of all sizes that have committed to finding a balance between the benefit and the service they provide , and to consider the impact of their activity on the community and the environment.
“Now there are hundreds of B corps that They offer careers with a purpose. ”
For those who are rethinking their career, Islam recommends analyzing which social problems matter most to them and what their specific skills are.
“For example, maybe you can work in research to contribute to advances in a certain field, or work in public bodies in an effective charity.” explains.
“There is a range of different jobs, from communication to leadership, or to entrepreneurship and launching a charity. Think about what a fulfilling, high-impact career can mean to you. Each one has different priorities, depending on where you are, your financial situation, or personal aspects. ”
Rachel Abraham adds that“ after such a turbulent year in 2020 ”began to reflect on what he feels is“ important ”in his life.
She is a former marketing employee, this woman from 27 years of Liverpool, he says: “I wanted to my skills in a cause with a greater moral sense. I knew I wanted to work for a charity that prioritizes and defends mental well-being, especially in young people. ”
So in August of 1200 joined as Marketing Manager at Iheart , an NGO dedicated to educating children about mental health.
“When you work for an NGO, people are much friendlier and the exchanges every day are satisfactory, especially when you get the response from the children who now feel much more confident”, affirms.
For Abraham that is immediate professional satisfaction. “You are not putting money in the pocket of an unknown person. It makes more sense. ”
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