When I grow up …
I’m going to be a magpie mediator.
Said no-one, ever.
Decades of thinking, writing and wrangling all things work-related ensures that I am quick to spot a niche job.
So it was when I read the following sentence in an article about the Australian magpie’s ability to hold (and subsequently, let go of) a grudge:
Professor Jones has helped 20 people successfully end their magpie battles with diplomacy.
I’m sure the pathway from studying ecology to becoming an expert in magpie behaviour is a winding - and interesting - one. I’m also certain that there was no-one at the school careers fair spruiking it, nor an ability to foresee this as a possibility when starting out.
It’s a story that is worth tucking away for the next time we find ourselves concerned about ours, our team member’s, our friends, or family member’s future job prospects. There are many niche jobs just waiting to be discovered, or created, when we follow our interests and stay alert for the opportunities.
There are equal parts curiosity and comfort in knowing this, don’t you agree?!