How to: find a job that will make you happy?
Work is one of the most significant areas in our life. It enables us to fulfil our social needs and ambitions for personal development. Naturally, there is another reason why we work. That is, of course, making a living. And since money is usually our most important determinant, we tend to blink at other unsatisfactory conditions of the work environment.
However, well-paid work DOESN’T HAVE TO BE UNPLEASANT. I know what you may think at this point. ‘Sounds nice, but that’s not how the reality works. It happens to you in real life only if you are lucky and I am definitely not!’. Well, I may seem a bit naïve to you right now, but I hope after the end of this article, you will believe me that you are not doomed to do a job you hate.
Why aren’t you satisfied with your current job (if you have one)?
Terrible boss? Debilitating conditions? Or you just feel tired of this job? You have every right to want to change your job, even if there is no specific reason to complain about it. You were just born to do something different, I suppose. Why not to look for it? Of course, you think you cannot quit your job. But I do not intend to persuade you to do it immediately. You need financial stability. But nothing is stopping you from looking for other opportunities after your working hours. Oh, wait! There is one thing holding you back. A person, actually. Yeah, it is you.
Is your need for money bigger and more important than your happiness? There is always a way to manage your finances better. So what if you have money if you are too tired to make good use of it? So what if you have a socially respected profession if you feel stressed, overwhelmed or sad for most of the time? After all, these things mean nothing in the face of death. All you need is to start taking an action. You probably will not change your life in one day, but with some time… After a year or three or ten you may be grateful to yourself for changing something. Or you can be still in the same place with the job you hate. The change starts today. And do not put it off until later because there will never be favourable circumstances. If you want to do something, do it now.
A job that I like and I can afford at the same time?
Looking for ‘a dream job’ is a fascinating and amazing journey. Fortunately, the modern world gives us so many opportunities. You can make good money literally on everything – and all you need is initiative and a bit of creativity (do not feel unsure about it, you can train it!). So money should not be your worry for now. Let’s focus on determining what is a perfect career path for you!
First thing: an idea
When I say ‘your perfect job’ you may already be thinking about something. Possibly something related to your current hobby or interests from the past? On the other hand, you may have nothing in your mind. And what did you dream about as a child? Thinking about it can be a nice reminder of how passionate and willing to take actions you used to be. If you do not have any significant hobbies or you are simply convinced that do not want to make them your career, it is time for next, super-exciting step.
You need to get to know yourself better!
1) What type of employee are you?
Alright, you need to start with something easy. Put away all the technology, go for a walk or sit in the park and start thinking. Look inside yourself and analyse your previous work experience (and experiences from school, voluntary works, any extra activities you undertook). What kind of work did you like? Do you prefer to work in a team or are you a strong individual? Office work or being in motion? Slow or fast-changing environment? How do you prioritize different aspects of your work? Money, growth opportunities, praise, peace of mind? What kind of tasks do you like and what are your predispositions for? What are your qualifications and skills? Is there anything you would like to learn? Maybe you know what field you’ve always been interested in? Review your strengths. What are you bad at? What makes you dislike your current job? Can you change it? If so – maybe you just need to try to improve the conditions in your current job instead of looking for a new profession?
Remember that you are the only one to know the answers to these questions. Be honest with yourself!
2) You must experiment.
What you need is new experiences. Keep looking for them. Get to know yourself better and have fun doing it! What if your dream job exists, but you just never heard of it? For sure, there are dozens of professions you never heard about them. But we are lucky to live in the 21st century and you can easily catch up on your knowledge. You can get helpful free resources anywhere (Internet, TV, books, videos, workshops, etc.) so try anything that seems attractive to you!
You have unlimited possibilities, so do not waste the achievements of past generations and use everything that the world has to offer. You will be surprised when at some point a new career path suddenly appears out of nowhere in front of you. Experimenting is the best way to discover what actually makes you happy. If you think you lack time for that, you really need to re-examine your work-life balance. You may want to check our other articles that will learn you how to find some more time for yourself! And if you find an activity that
3) While you are looking for new experiences…
Do not limit yourself to what you know. There are some activities and professions that we are familiar with. And do you know what ‘coolhunter’ does? It is a person who observes and predicts new trends. Doesn’t this job sound ‘cool’ indeed? What if that is your best-match job? Do your research. Look for less-known activities. And do not stop if you cannot find anything for yourself from the many professions that already exist. You can always be the forerunner of your own, and it is not that difficult and it sounds!
Catch every clue you have got about yourself. Follow the lead and find out if there is anything for you. Do not give up if something interests you, but it seems too hard or too difficult. Every pro started as a beginner.
Your other option is to look for help from professionals job counsellors who can help you analyse your predispositions and personality traits to find the most suitable job matches for you.
Supporting by a professional, it might be easier for you to be completely honest with yourself and to admit what you like and what you want. Moreover, they have extensive knowledge of the different career paths and can also help you plan your next steps.
Still unsure?
Remember, it is never too late for making changes in your life and you are definitely NOT too old for trying new things. As the old saying goes: better late than never! Look at this from the following perspective: you can be happy for the next dozen years or you might spend this time mostly regretting your past life choices. Honestly, which one sounds better?
Don’t make the best of a bad job. Go for the best and find your best career path now. We are aware that freelancing may not be for everyone. But if it happens that you consider working as a freelancer, go to the Revolancer, a new platform connecting UK-based freelancers and entrepreneurs, and learn what kind of help we can offer to you. We also hope you enjoyed this article and good luck discovering your new perfect career!
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