14 July 2016

Hired, Fired, Fled is a book about adventure, misfortune, and our modern-day obsession with finding workplace happiness.

Charlie Raymond never planned on becoming an author. In fact, Charlie never plans anything. "Planning was never my forte! Even in 2010, when I started typing the first lines of Hired, Fired, Fled, I only had a vague plan to become an author," Charlie told Zawya in an interview. In his new memoir, the author recalls his time living around the world, with the book ending with a final stop in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) before heading home to England.

With his own experiences in mind, and a goal to shine light on the challenges and opportunities of the working world, Charlie began writing the book when he realised his experiences were similar to so many others around the world.

"I don't try to tell people what to do. I want the reader to take away from this book what they will, be it a sense of empowerment to change job, or country, or just a warm smugness that their path didn't match such idiocy."

Of all the countries Charlie has lived in, he spent the most time in the UAE. The former Dubai expat did not censor his experience of his time during the 2008 financial crash, and recalls his experiences in detail.

"Honesty is crucial to your reader believing in your message. I had to sugarcoat Dubai when I was living there, but now I don't have to. I think it's a great city, but why not talk about its problems too?"

It was the onset of the 2008 recession, and the search for hot weather, was what brought Charlie to the UAE in the first place and he describes his experience in the country as "fun, sweaty, dusty."

If anyone understands the struggles faced by young graduates and people looking for the answer to what they should be doing in life, it's Charlie. The author shared advice based on his experiences: "Be flexible. Think global. You're young. You have time to make mistakes. Don't feel pressured to get everything 100 percent spot-on from the start."

Even though the British national has spent the majority of his life living abroad, Charlie hasn't lost his sense of home and is currently settled in London. "I always seek out a pub and love moaning about the weather! I see no problem with wanting to explore, [but] it was time to reconnect with home."

'Hired, Fired, Fled' is available to buy through Amazon.com

© Zawya 2016