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Man Shares How He Was Rejected From An Exciting Job Position Because He Wasn’t Willing To Give Up His Favorite Hobby
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Man Shares How He Was Rejected From An Exciting Job Position Because He Wasn’t Willing To Give Up His Favorite Hobby

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Having a good work-life balance is key to a happy, healthy existence. Sure, you should definitely work hard, but don’t forget that just in sports, rest and relaxation are vital. It’s important that you wind down properly: whether you’re spending some honest time with your hobbies, socializing with your friends, or out volunteering to help those in need.

Your hobbies are an important part of the balance in your life. Unfortunately, some bosses believe that you should live for your job and job alone. The office is supposed to be your main priority and your only calling. Some managers even go so far as to reject your job application when they learn that—get this!—you do non-work things in your spare time. Imagine that.

That’s exactly what happened to redditor u/EmperorJJ. He told the r/antiwork community about the unfair rejection that he got for his dream job. All because he does community theatre in their spare time. Read on for the full story, dear Pandas. And when you’re done, tell us how you feel about this entire situation.

A job applicant shared how he was rejected for having hobbies in his spare time

Image credits: Tay Media (not the actual photo)

Here’s how everything went down

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Image credits: 12019 (not the actual photo)

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It’s actually vital to have clear boundaries that separate your work and your life. If things are all muddled up, both areas can suffer. For instance, there’s a difference between working hard and constantly working overtime.

“Working long after your colleagues are gone means nobody will see your hard work. Hence, you need to tell people about it because the results often take time to manifest. The irony is, if you have great results, there’s no need to tell anybody how hard you work,” financial expert Sam Dogen told Bored Panda earlier that the people who brag about their work hours the most tend to want validation the most.

In the expert’s opinion, if you plan to get ahead in your career, you need to work smarter and harder than others. However, that only applies if your job is your number one priority.

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“In your 20s and 30s you need to work BOTH smarter AND harder, especially if you are of average intelligence. The world is a brutally competitive place with some of the smartest people also working the hardest. So working long hours while you’re still young and learning is a matter of practicality,” Sam told Bored Panda.

“You can’t expect to go straight to the corner office without putting in your dues. At the same time, you can’t expect to outperform your peers simply through hard work. You have to be strategic by building a strong network of relationships internally and externally (clients) who will pull to get you promoted and help you get paid at your next job.”

Sam pointed out that employees need to take good care of their physical and mental health if they wish to achieve success in their field.

“Take sick days and mentally recharge. Don’t just think being ill is just a physical thing. There are plenty of mental illnesses. They are just not as visible. There is no better time than right now to take sick days due to the pandemic and the greater awareness of mental health issues. There is simply no shame in healing the mind!” he gave some great advice.

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Meanwhile, fitness expert Jack Bly explained to Bored Panda that employees can increase their work output by taking good care of their health in their spare time. So having proper downtime and rest really are vital.

“Better health leads to more energy, more focus, and more productivity. To improve our health and ultimately our output, we need to make sure we’re doing things like sleeping 7-8 hours consistently, [having] good nutrition, [and maintaining] consistent exercise,” he said.

“Prioritizing things like workouts actually give us more energy rather than take energy. What truly matters is true output/results you can get. Person A: works 8 hours to get X work done; Person B: works 3 hours to get the same X work done. Which person would you rather be?” he pondered.

Here’s what people had to say about the company rejecting the redditor

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Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

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Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Read less »
Jonas Grinevičius

Jonas Grinevičius

Writer, BoredPanda staff

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

Read more »

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

Read less »

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Ilona Baliūnaitė

Author, BoredPanda staff

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

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Beth S
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As awesome as this company looked initially, I think this person dodged a bullet. Also I don’t see how it is anyone’s business what you do outside of working hours and I probably wouldn’t have given much of an answer. How you spend your free time is your business and I’d be weary of a company that would want to micromanage that, too.

Miguel justino C
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dammit Beth, you took the words right out of my mouth. Why am I even typing when you’re 2 steps ahead of me! Smiles!!

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Trisec
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am a lifelong volunteer with ScoutsBSA. EVERY JOB I have had, with no exception, has at some time tried to make me choose between Scouting and Working. EVERY JOB I have had, with no exception, has lost that battle.

Bayou Billy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same. Any job that asks me to give up anything outside of their hours. No notice buh bye ..

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Tracy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What the company asked was absolutely ridiculous, but that doesn't mean that's why OP got rejected. That's an assumption they made. Maybe someone else just felt like a better fit for the company.

Leodavinci
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The company told her they did not want someone with another job. It's not a big assumption.

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Beth S
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As awesome as this company looked initially, I think this person dodged a bullet. Also I don’t see how it is anyone’s business what you do outside of working hours and I probably wouldn’t have given much of an answer. How you spend your free time is your business and I’d be weary of a company that would want to micromanage that, too.

Miguel justino C
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dammit Beth, you took the words right out of my mouth. Why am I even typing when you’re 2 steps ahead of me! Smiles!!

Load More Replies...
Trisec
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am a lifelong volunteer with ScoutsBSA. EVERY JOB I have had, with no exception, has at some time tried to make me choose between Scouting and Working. EVERY JOB I have had, with no exception, has lost that battle.

Bayou Billy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same. Any job that asks me to give up anything outside of their hours. No notice buh bye ..

Load More Replies...
Tracy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What the company asked was absolutely ridiculous, but that doesn't mean that's why OP got rejected. That's an assumption they made. Maybe someone else just felt like a better fit for the company.

Leodavinci
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The company told her they did not want someone with another job. It's not a big assumption.

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