The reality is: You do owe at least one person something. You owe your future self a reputation you would be proud to have, especially in the era of personal branding.
To me, working smart isn’t just about rejecting hard work or prioritising short-term efficiency, like using artificial intelligence to help with a report. And it’s certainly not about holding steadfast to certain beliefs regardless of real-world circumstances.
It’s about being strategic, recognising that each intentional decision serves its purpose. No effort is wasted if we’re patient and open-minded enough to reap results we might not have expected.
Admittedly, I used to refrain from telling younger peers about the menial tasks in my unpaid internship with Cosmopolitan, from ironing out clothing creases to knowing the difference between lilac and lavender. I couldn’t see a way to recount the work I willingly did without appearing to suffer Stockholm syndrome, especially since I’d applied purely to have a reputable brand on my resume.
But 12 years and four full-time jobs after the internship, my most absurd career move remains one of my smartest.
The absence of pay turned out to be the actual reward. I wasn’t technically obliged to go to work, and no one would have faulted me if I decided I was done. That realisation forced me to confront why I showed up every day for two months and then some.
Even though it was a short stint, the true payoff went far beyond a CV addition. Removing money from the equation instantly defined my fundamental work ethic early in my career, giving me abject clarity on what drives me and what doesn’t.
To date, it’s the one career benchmark I return to time and again when deciding whether to take up or move on from a role.
So I was paid after all. But, like all worthy investments, the returns took time.
Grace Yeoh is a correspondent with CNA Lifestyle.
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