Uncertain about your future? Have no idea what you’re doing? Feel like you’re just faking it till you make it? Whether it be a quarter life crisis; being stuck in a rut with your job or have a never-ending feeling of COVID induced anxiety, fear not! Everyone feels this, so you’re right on trend.
Being in my mid to late 20s, I’ve had some interesting conversations with friends recently about our careers and future plans. I’ve had candidates ask me for advice about going back to university and family members asking me about doing a complete 180 in terms of their careers.
Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror and asked is this really what the rest of my life will be? Waking up at 5 am every morning to go to a job that I sort-of semi tolerate?
I’ve been there – trust me! I studied criminology for 4 years and then became a Parole Officer. Freshly graduated Georgia thought she was going to change the world one ex-crime at a time! After 12 months, I realised, this was not for me. I was at a crossroad – I just busted my ass for 4 years getting this qualification and poured my heart and soul into this job but it wasn’t making me happy or satisfied. So what did I do?
Took a massive leap of faith and tried a career in recruitment. I literally had NO IDEA what I was signing up for. Hell, I didn’t even know a recruiter was a real job! But I took a risk and it paid off. Almost 4 years later and I can genuinely say I enjoy my job. Sure you get those tough days, everyone does but I’ve never looked back.
So does passion in the workplace ACTUALLY exist? Who actually LOVES their job?
It can be so frustrating when you hear people say, “Just do what you love!”, “Follow your passion!” Or, my personal favourite, “If you love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life.” Yeah, sure, you’d love to, if only you knew what this was right?!
Why do some people get excited to go to work while others experience the Sunday scaries? Understandably, we all need to earn money and make a living, but it seems as though some people enjoy it more than others.
Lucky for you, job satisfaction is dependent on a variety of factors, many of which are within YOUR control. With a little effort, you can either find the job that is best suited to meet your individual needs or learn to find fulfillment in the one you already have.
Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
With Instagram, Facebook, social media etcetera it’s almost impossible to not know what your ex-colleagues, friends and school mates are up to. Whilst we should be happy that we can keep in touch with these people and stay connected, we generally end up comparing our successes to theirs. I’m sure we’ve all seen some of those long winded LinkedIn stories as well which go into elaborate and excruciating detail about someone finding their dream job…
Comparing yourself with other people achieves nothing. Instead, just focus on you (easier said than done, right?) Instead of blaming everyone else on why you don’t like your job, think of ways that you can improve and get to where you want to in terms of your career. If you’re unsure of what this is, feel free to reach out to one of our career coaches and they can offer you the guidance needed to take that next step.
Find what you’re good at/passionate about
Now, most people don’t know what they want to do – this is normal! This shouldn’t make you complacent though. If you are not passionate about what you do, you owe it to yourself to figure it out. Take the time out to discover what you enjoy doing most in your free time? What are you willing to put in the effort for? I asked myself this and got stuck. I’m not creative, I don’t have a talent so what on earth do I do? I enjoy binge watching crime shows on Netflix but I can’t exactly turn that into a job.
So, what do my friends and family say I am good at? What parts of my job do I enjoy? For example, I’ve always known that I want to help people – I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to be doing but I knew that I wanted to be dealing with and helping people every day. I never thought that I would end up in recruitment but for me, I love helping find people jobs and it’s the best feeling when you find someone that perfect role.
Ask for What You Want
Sometimes, it can be the lack of growth that leads to dissatisfaction in the workplace. You might not necessarily need a new job but you may need some growth. Feeling stuck can have a damaging impact on your performance. So in some instances, you should fight for what you deserve. Whether that be negotiate a pay rise or requesting a promotion or asking for a better and safer workplace, the simple act of asking for what you want can increase your job satisfaction. You will never know if you don’t ask!
Find an Organisation That Matches You
The importance of company culture is so important. Everyone is different – some people want that 9 to 5 lifestyle while others thrive in high pressure environments. Your satisfaction at work is massively dependent on fitting in with an organisation that shares the same values, ethics and beliefs as you. So, if your current company doesn’t reflect what you believe in, then it should be no surprise that you are not happy and it may be time to move on.
The Importance of Relationships at Work
One of the easiest ways to find fulfilment at work is to have good relationships with your colleagues. Having friendly faces in the workplace is beneficial for numerous reasons. They make coming into work easier; they can motivate you but also help make difficult days just that little bit better. It is always comforting to have people to share the highs and lows of work with who can genuinely empathise with what you’re going through!