My Dream Job

Another great challenge from Pilgrimage – this one on my ideal job. This is something that I think about often, so I looked forward to writing about this.

In my profile I write about two things that I really want to do: travel the world; and run an NGO devoted to empowering women and girls to use technology more. My ideal job would combine both.

I volunteered for a few Community Technology Centers (CTCs) in Boston. The first one I was at was based within a women’s shelter and I helped teach basic computer appreciation classes. I also provided assistance to the women and their kids on any problems they had using the computers in the lab (I learnt a lot). The CTC I volunteered with the longest had a more structured program of classes with a few hours where local residents could walk-in to use the labs. I taught several classes here and spent much more time there than I really needed to. The center staff became like an extended family, of sorts.

My CTC would offer a wide variety of classes from introduction to computers, using common software packages to more complex programming classes, learning to take apart computers and troubleshoot problems. I would probably also explore newer and interactive technologies like blogs, creating podcasts and other content for the web. Knowing how to use the technology is a small part of the big picture. Being able to correctly identify your needs and research your options in order to decide on the best tool for what you are tying to achieve is also very important. So, we would want to help develop more critical thinking skills too.

Of course, I would love to be RICH from doing this too, but development work is not really an area one would go in for money and I am somewhat cool with that. If I can make lots and lots of money from consultancy and training, that would be even better (well, this is my dream job, so let me go all the way).

I love to travel and so going around Nigeria and to other parts of the world to do consultancy work, present at conferences and on learning expeditions would be a great way to combine work and play. The best kind of travel is where I can put it on someone else’s tab. The lodgings would ideally be top-notch, but people who know me know that I am a (fairly) simple person with (fairly) simple needs.

The nature of NGO, training and consultancy work means that you cannot be chained to a desk all day, but have to get out and meet people. Even though I can be quite reserved, I really enjoy getting to meet and know people. I especially love getting out and about, so this aspect of my work would appeal to me very much.

In my dream job, I am THE boss and I don’t take crap from anyone. I make most of the decisions, but I have a trusted, knowledgeable and dedicated team of workers and advisers who I rely on for support, solid information and who I know will get their work done.

My time is my own to manage (pending important projects and deadlines of course), so I can plan more holidays and can be more flexible to accommodate important things that come-up in my family’s life.

I can wear whatever the hell I want and if I want to wear jeans everyday to work, then so be it! I can also wear my hair in whatever manner I choose. (Now, I’m getting really excited thinking about all this. I don’t know how I will do any work for the rest of the day.)

Writing about this was great for me. I think everybody should take some time out to write about their dream job, even if it’s on a piece of paper or in your journal and you choose not to share it with anyone.