As children we have a dream. We know exactly what our lives will look like later, what will make us happy and what our dream job will be: train driver, firefighter, actor, athlete or astronaut. Jannike wanted to be a teacher as a child . But as life happens, she didn't become a teacher, but rather a human resources manager in an international industrial company. A good job, not her dream job, but a good job. She has her own apartment, a gym membership and vacations in distant countries. A good life. But something is wrong, somewhere life is oppressive, somehow she is not happy. That's why Jannike decides to stop being a human resources manager and start looking for her dream job . She cancels her apartment and gym membership, packs her bag and sets off. Over the next twelve months, she will test 30 jobs across Germany. For a week at a time she is either a teacher , journalist , pathologist , amusement park operator or midwife . In the interview, she explains what she learned and whether she has now found her dream job.
Jannike, how did you come up with the idea for your experiment?
I read about the idea and was inspired by it. At that point I could imagine many jobs for myself. I wanted to know whether these are the same in reality as in my imagination.
Have you found your dream job?
No, I didn't find my dream job. My biggest fear at the start of the experiment was that I wouldn't get an answer to this question. I got many other answers for this. Different than I expected. If I were faced with the decision again today, I would definitely repeat the experiment.
What answers did you find?
I now know that there is no one dream job for me, but rather many different options. They are made up of things that are possible, that are important to me and that I enjoy. I like to write and motivate. I could imagine a lot of things at the moment. I know that at some point I will have to make a decision and I will. But I now also know that this decision doesn't have to be for life.
Which job has had the most lasting influence on you?
I can't say that at all. My week as a pathologist was definitely an important one. At the beginning, I focused my thoughts on certain careers. I actually wanted to avoid that, I didn't want to limit myself mentally when looking for a job . That's why I gave away a job through my blog and ended up in pathology. At first I didn't feel like it. In retrospect, the job was one of the best. Although I don't want to become a pathologist, it was very exciting to see what a pathologist actually does. Many things are completely different in reality than you imagine.
What else did you learn during your experiment?
A lot. I don't even know where to start and where to end. For example, I learned to listen better. It's crazy what you can learn if you listen carefully and don't just wait for answers. Since I was only ever in a job for a week, I had to gather a lot of information quickly. This works best if you listen and ask questions.
Would you recommend your experiment?
Basically yes. But it's clearly a question of type. The weeks are very intense. Every Monday I had to use a lot of tact and concentration and fully immerse myself in the new situation in order to completely let go of it again a few days later. I put a lot of energy into it, but I also got a lot in return. I would recommend that anyone thinking about career changes not just think about it in their head, but try it out.
Jannike Stöhr has written a book about her search. “The Dream Job Experiment” will be published by Eichborn Verlag on February 12, 2016 .
