What are your must-haves and nice-to-haves?
Your career is a very large component of your life, so working should be something you don’t dread doing, on a daily basis. Considering your must-haves and nice-to-haves of your employment situation is essential. Currently, the line between work and personal life can become blurred. Since the pandemic began, there has been a significant increase in people working from home and this trend may continue. It is now a lot easier for workers to easily access their emails, reports, and other work-related items at home. Being able to separate these two aspects of your life is important, but we can save that discussion for another time ;)
So, in the big picture, finding a career that does not feel like a chore is very important for your overall wellbeing.
Let’s put this in to numbers…
By the end of most people’s lives they will have spent 13 years and 2 months at work!
That is a BIG chunk of your life, I hope you are enjoying what you are doing during that time…
If you are in a role that you do not like, it is helpful to consider the reasons why you are not happy. Can you name the must-haves and nice-to-haves of your ideal job? Examples of things to consider are:
· The work
· The work-life balance
· Management
· The culture
· The compensation
· The growth potential
Figure out the specific reasons why YOU love or do not enjoy your role. These reasons will vary depending on the person, their priorities, and the things that they value. Spending time reflecting on yourself and what you need will help as you begin your search for a new role.
There are TONS of job opportunities available right now, but that does not mean you should chase after every single role in your industry! You must make sure the position is a good fit for you, or you may end up in disliking your new job as well if it does not meet the requirements that are important to you.
When job searching, take time to ask yourself these questions before applying half hazard to every single position out there. Ask yourself these 3 straight-forward questions before making a switch.
1. What do you dislike about your current role?
2. What are the MUST-HAVES in a new job?
3. What would be the NICE-TO-HAVES (but is not an absolute requirement) in a new job?
The knowledge that you gain from understanding what you are looking for in your career will allow you to be a) pickier with your selection, b) communicate more clearly with prospective employers and c) dodge the bullet of starting a career you will dislike down the road.
