Finding a Job you Love

After reading my latest column, “When the Job you Love Becomes the Job you Dread,” one reader asked me, “do we just have to come to terms with the reality of work or were you able to find a new job that you loved?” Actually, I’ve found many jobs that have been a blast, from being a rollerblading price-checker at a giant supermarket to planning events for first year university students. Unfortunately, I had to get myself into a work situation that was entirely unhealthy before I could figure out what I actually needed.

To save you some grief, or perhaps to address your current discontent, here are some questions to consider when you’re trying to figure out what makes you happy.

What do you like doing?

This question seems obvious, but people are often in jobs that they expected to like, that they’ve been good at, or that they studied for. But when people plateau at work, they are often shocked to discover they don’t actually enjoy what they’ve worked so hard to become. If this resonates with you, ask yourself, what parts of your work do you like? What aspects of your hobbies or volunteer work do you enjoy? Then, go out on a limb and do some dreaming. What would you spend your time doing if you won the lottery? Although it may seem like a stretch to create a career around the answers to these questions, you can definitely uncover some key themes that may help shape your path. When I reflect on situations that brought me happiness, the themes that emerge involve helping people, coordinating activities, and being in creative and fun environments.

What’s matters to you?

This is really a question of values. Some of the most difficult situations at work arise when your organization’s values or boss’s values don’t align with your own. These situations are not always obvious, e.g. working for a corporation that has unethical practices. It could be your boss shaking his head when you have to run home to care for a sick child, or the fact that your colleagues’ poor work ethics are tolerated. But when something just doesn’t sit right with you, and communication can’t fix it, it may be about your values. For me, in a situation where I was micromanaged by a narcissistic boss, I knew I needed to find an organization where I would have autonomy. For you, consider what your non-negotiables are and look for an employer that seems to fall in line with them. 

What is your mission?

Sure, we all need to make money, but if you’re seeking happiness, money can’t be the first objective of work. What are you trying to accomplish with your career? Are you looking to contribute to an organization or a cause? Do you want to find a healthy team of people to work with? Is stability important? Are you interested in helping people, selling products, or both? Is continual learning a goal? Although you can’t expect a job to complete or define your life, you can gain an understanding of what you are trying to accomplish through your work and assess whether it’s realistic. For me, I determined that my mission was to help people help themselves reach their own goals, and career educating was a great way to accomplish this.

Now, it would be nice to figure all this out and then create a career path that followed. In reality, you often need to do some trial and error to figure out what you like doing, what’s important, and why you’re doing it all. Volunteer, take short-term contracts, job shadow, take courses, and talk to people in careers that interest you. Each experience you have will help you, not only with building your network and skill set, but in determining your preferences and focus. Keep track of what makes you tick and continue seeking experiences that build on those elements. When you are true to who you are, doing things you enjoy, and working towards your goals, you will naturally gravitate towards work that you’re excited about. And there, you may even find a job you love.