Sure, you go to work for money. But hopefully, you get more out of the experience than a paycheck. This brings up a key question: what can you do to make sure you are as fulfilled as possible in your next job?
First off, it’s important to recognize that there are fulfilling jobs out there. When you’re stuck in a lackluster situation, it can seem like the whole world is filled with nothing but drudgery. Rather, almost half of U.S. employees (45%) describe themselves as either satisfied or extremely satisfied with their current position.
While encouraging to people currently slogging through a bad situation, that statistic leaves significant room for improvement. It means that more than half of American workers toil in unsatisfactory conditions.
How can you avoid having your next job become a grind? Here are steps you can take to make sure your next job is more fulfilling:
Ensuring Your Next Job is More Fulfilling
Get Introspective
Before you launch your next job search, take time to think about your current situation and what you want to achieve. Setting goals and defining your best path forward will help you treat your career more intentionally.
Define the Optimal Mix of Challenge and Stability
Challenges can be exciting. However, get too ambitious, and you put yourself in a bad situation. You crank up the stress levels and raise the chances of failing.
As such, you want to calibrate the balance between challenge and stability. Find a job that pushes your limits just enough to keep you engaged, without taking you dangerously beyond your comfort level.
Focus on The Skills You Like to Use Most
While you’re mulling Big Picture thoughts about life and your career, don’t forget about the day-to-day. Your happiness will largely be defined by your routine. Think about the skills you most enjoy using and find a position that lets you leverage them on a daily basis.
Find the Right Cultural Fit
A job isn’t just about the work. Your tasks make up a relatively small part of your daily experience. Other aspects play a key role as well.
Fulfillment also comes from your relationship with your coworkers and the way you are treated by your employer. Those crucial factors are largely determined by corporate culture. As such, seek organizations that provide the type of culture that suits you best.
Take a Long-Term View
Fulfillment doesn’t just come from a pleasant daily routine. You’ll feel more connected to your job when you experience forward momentum. Find a position that points you toward long-term success. That way, every day, you’ll feel like you’re working towards a bigger goal.
Consider Your Employer’s Mission
As you look for a broader objective to give your work meaning, don’t focus solely on personal ambition. Driving your career forward will certainly add meaning to your daily routine. However, you can draw that same sense of accomplishment if your work connects constructively to the outside world.
Gravitate towards employers who can claim a broader mission, something that dovetails with your core values. This way, you know your day-to-day efforts are contributing to society.
Perfect Your Work-Life Balance
Don’t assume your career will bring you total fulfillment. Much of the joy in your life will likely come from other sources, like family, friends, and hobbies. Part of finding the ideal job involves discovering a challenging, exciting professional situation that still leaves room for the other parts of life.
Looking to Find a Job That Gives You a Sense of Fulfillment?
Ready to find a job that opens the door to fulfillment? A top recruiter, like Hiregy, can help. You’ll get connected to high-value employers, who can offer the right opportunity for this point in your career.
Contact Hiregy today to find out more.
