As people spend more and more time at the office, job satisfaction is becoming increasingly important. It’s no longer enough just to earn a paycheck; you need to have a job you actually enjoy doing. If you’re looking for a career opportunity that won’t make you dread Mondays, try these tips:
Know what matters to you
Take the job description and title out of the equation. Forget about the prestige of the company. Instead, focus solely on what matters to you. What skills do you enjoy using each day? What kind of office environment do you find most enjoyable? Focusing on these elements is how you find job satisfaction. When you get too caught up in flashy titles and impressing people with your employer’s name, you’re going to end up looking happy on the outside but actually feeling miserable. Strip the job down to its core parts and then focus on what makes you most happy when you’re at work each day. If you love writing, find a job that lets you exercise your creative muscle a bit. If you love working in a collaborative setting, find an office that promotes teamwork.
Realize that “success” is subjective
Everyone defines success differently, so you’ll need to create your own definition before you can find a job you love. If success equals a big paycheck to you, that’s great, but you need to realize that. If success is more about getting industry recognition, or earning a management title, understand this. There’s no right or wrong answer, but you must figure out what it means to you personally before you start chasing down other people’s versions of it.
Play the long game too
It’s common for people to get so caught up in their current job that they don’t focus on building themselves a career. Yes, what you’re doing right now matters, but you should also think about how it will help you in five or 10 years. Are there learning opportunities available to you at work that you’re not currently taking advantage of? Could you get involved in other departments, possibly discovering interests that you didn’t know you had? Don’t get so caught up in blowing through today’s “To Do” list that you lose sight of the big picture. Ultimately your job should be a stepping stone in your career. Don’t let it be a dead end waste of your time.
How have you gone about landing a job you love? Share your tips with us in the comments section!
Image: VadimGuzhva/BigStock.com
Add comment