Work Culture
Saleem Yusuf
Nowadays, being an adult is almost synonymous with working. We all remember those first jobs where you were just excited to get your first pay. Being able to treat yourself and your family for the first time; a liberating feeling.
The majority of my work has been one-man jobs where I was responsible for everything. If anything goes wrong, it's on me. Working in student services at university was the only job where I worked with a group of people.
Both ends of the spectrum have their pros and cons. One side gets you people to talk with and rely on if needed. This can include people you may not like and carrying the workload of people who might be slacking. Office politics can be a whole different article entirely. Corporate culture is also just that, a culture. Being a Muslim in this environment was interesting, to say the least. Surrounded by everybody wanting to go for drinks and you've already disappeared to avoid explaining yourself for the 16th time. Or you probably have a prayer you're trying to catch. However, this experience does differ from workplace to workplace as does the culture in each space.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, working in a clinic as the only practitioner, you are responsible for everything. Juggling client's well-being, time management, people and shifts. There have been some days I've left the clinic at 10pm or have done reception work the entire day when my receptionist was sick. But in return you have more independence in what you want to do, decisions on what happens, and choosing when you want to see patients. I'll let my receptionist know if I'm praying, and she holds the appointments until I'm back. If I want time off, I can have it whenever I want. But the work will always need to be done. In figuring out the logistics of everything, you may find yourself working on a Saturday because you decided to fly down to Melbourne on a Wednesday.
While you're young, doing part-time jobs in both areas widens your reality as to what is available. After all, this thing called work is something we'll be doing for some time to come.
Hilal Newsletter
Saleem Yusuf, Contributor
Saleem Yusuf is a Melbourne raised Chiropractor who loves travelling, seeing and learning about new cultures and not to mention enjoying great food! Asides from that, picking people brains is one of his favourite ways to use his time. He is opinionated and always open to expanding his knowledge and often enjoys having educated conversations.