Inka’s story: Embracing life without a set path

I’ve been interested in communication since primary school and was absolutely certain I wanted to be a journalist when I grew up. This led me to take courses in communication at Korpilahti Upper Secondary School in my hometown, complete a work experience at the local newspaper, and apply to study journalism after finishing upper secondary school. However, I wasn’t offered a study place, which prompted me to consider alternative paths. That marked the beginning of my current career journey.

Following my backup plan, I enrolled in a domestic science school, which gave me something meaningful to do and a chance to think about my next steps. Afterwards, quite by chance, I went on to study for a vocational upper secondary qualification in catering, and graduated as a chef specialising in institutional catering. I enjoyed working in the kitchen and, for a while, took on various short-term jobs at different restaurants. Eventually, I got a more permanent position at a fast-food restaurant.

However, I knew I didn’t want to work at a fast food restaurant for the rest of my life, and neither was I particularly keen on working at a lunch restaurant. I ended up applying to higher education again. I applied to a few programmes and was offered a place to study software engineering. I enjoyed the studies for about a year and a half, but eventually realised that, while the IT sector is interesting, I definitely didn’t want to pursue a career in coding. Another change of direction was therefore on the horizon. 

Losing my job was a serious blow to my professional self-esteem

Next, I applied to study journalism, following my childhood and teenage dreams. As a backup, I also applied to study Finnish. I was offered a place to study Finnish, which gave me the chance to begin my university studies specialising in multidisciplinary language expertise. The university environment felt like the right fit, and I thoroughly enjoyed my studies. However, during my first year, the strong emphasis on teacher training within the Finnish language studies made me feel uncertain. At times, I felt a bit lost with my study programme and future career prospects, as I wasn’t training to become a teacher.

I ended up choosing my minor subjects partly for practical reasons, but mostly based on personal interest. I studied marketing, communications, and literature. The combination felt like the perfect fit, and these were subjects I genuinely wanted to work with.

Alongside my Finnish studies, I was gaining work experience in the field. I took part in the activities of the university-based Kampus Kustannus, participated in various project-based courses, and did language editing as a light entrepreneur.

My summer job introduced me to the world of business. Due to limited job opportunities at the time, I worked in telesales for a couple of summers. At the end of my studies, I went to Espoo to work on B2B sales. Over the course of two years, I was able to expand my responsibilities from supporting upstream sales to working on change projects and enhancing customer experience. In practice, I spent a lot of time on the phone conducting various types of customer interviews, as well as engaging in discussions related to the background work of change projects. I also wrote summaries of these conversations and presented the results to our customers.

In my next role, which brought me back to Jyväskylä, I had the opportunity to work in a varied position involving customer interviews and customer experience, taking responsibility for the entire process. My job title was Customer Experience Specialist. I enjoyed my work there more than anywhere else before. 

Then the coronavirus pandemic hit, and the part of the business I worked in was discontinued. Because I enjoyed working at the company, I wanted to stay on and try working in sales. However, I didn’t enjoy sales work, nor did I excel in it. Eventually, I was fired – the only time in my career – and became unemployed. While the dismissal was a relief, it was also a significant blow to my professional self-esteem and sparked a period of deep self-reflection. Despite this, I managed to move forward. I still follow the success of my former employer with fond memories.

Diverse experience brings much-needed perspective

After a few months of unemployment, I began working in customer service at my current workplace. I was eager to join such an interesting company, even though I knew I’d eventually move on from the initial role to take on greater responsibilities. Now, after four years with the same employer, I feel that my current role is exactly where I belong.

People often wonder what a Master of Arts is doing in an accounting firm, working on relatively technical system projects. However, I find my skills highly relevant, as I produce extensive documentation, write meeting memos, and manage various communication situations on a daily basis. I’m often juggling multiple tasks at once, so it’s important for me to keep an eye on the big picture while ensuring the progress of individual measures. 

I often describe my career path as “embracing life without a set path”. There’s nothing wrong with a career that has its twists and turns – we change our minds, and sometimes even our field. Diverse experience is a strength. I’ve noticed that an educational background in the humanities brings a welcome perspective to companies where most employees have a business-related education.

I strongly believe that basic business knowledge, such as the basic studies in marketing I completed, is valuable for anyone working in the business sector. Although I wasn’t good at sales and didn’t enjoy it, I’m grateful that my career included various sales-related tasks, as they have added a valuable perspective to my work at the customer interface.

These days, I mainly work remotely, which makes it easier to balance my job with the rest of my life. To counterbalance work, I enjoy spending my free time at home with my spouse, my child, our cat, and our dachshund. To unwind after a busy day at work, I enjoy long walks, watching series and films, reading, and playing. Spending time with a close group of friends – having a cup of tea in the evening, playing board games, singing karaoke, and joining reading circles – also balances out the demands of everyday life.

For a long time, I tried to work out what kind of job could become such a big part of my identity that it would give me a strong sense of purpose in life. A role I could pursue with such passion that it would stop feeling like just a job. However, perhaps with age, I’ve come to realise that the perfect balance is when work is motivating and rewarding – but still just work. At the end of the workday, I turn off my computer feeling satisfied. I leave work behind until the next morning and focus on what truly matters in life. I rarely need to work during my free time, which is something I appreciate.

Inka Huuskonen