Everyone should have the opportunity to work in a role that’s fulfilling. But that can be easier said than done.
The key to landing your dream job is to spend time working out what factors would lead to a fulfilling position for your specific wants and needs.
You should also look out for red flags from companies you’re considering working for.
Three Key Factors to Look for
To find a role that fulfills you, it’s important that you take time out to work through the things that are important to you in a job. Here are three factors you should consider.
1. Consider What You Enjoy About Work
When you can identify the things that you enjoy about work, it will be much easier to find a fulfilling job.
Is the type of work that you do the most important thing? Perhaps things like the pace of the work and the way in which you work are just as important. For instance, you may prefer a high-pressure role or a slower-paced job, and you could enjoy working in a team or you could relish a role where you’re left to your own devices.
Finding a job in which you can make a valuable contribution or express your creativity could be important factors, too.
Make a list of the things that contribute to your specific feelings of career fulfillment. You’ll then be much better placed to search for and find the right job.
2. Check Out Honest Online Reviews of the Company
Considering what you want out of your employer is just as important.
For instance, more and more employees are looking for companies that foster inclusiveness, encourage feedback, enable career growth, and provide flexible working options.
While you can look at potential companies’ mission statements and company culture policies to help you find a suitable workplace, that can only tell you so much about a company.
You can advance your understanding of what it’s really like to work for an employer when you use a great online platform like JobSage to check out honest reviews of companies by the people who work for them.
3. Think About Your Skills
You probably won’t be happy in a job in which your skills are not fully utilized. To gain job satisfaction, you’ll want to put your skills to good use.
So, consider the skills, experience, and qualifications that you possess to identify what kinds of positions would bring you the most fulfillment.
Three Red Flags to Look for
Identifying your wants, needs, and skills is only half the story. To find a fulfilling job, you need to know what red flags to look out for.
Even if a company can provide much of what you desire, you should probably avoid companies if they show any of the following three warning signs that you’ll be left unsatisfied in your role.
1. You’re Expected to Be Available 24/7
While the digital age has brought countless opportunities and benefits to the professional world, it also means workers can be contacted at any time.
If you start working for an employer who expects you to respond to calls, texts, or emails regardless of the time of day, you won’t ever be able to switch off from work mode and the job could soon become stressful and unfulfilling.
2. There’s High Employee Turnover
If a prospective company has a high employee turnover, it’s a red flag you should take note of.
When employees don’t stay with a company for long, it indicates they’re not fulfilled in their jobs and the company isn’t doing anything to understand the underlying reasons for the high turnover.
The issue can also be problematic when you’re working on projects in which the team members continually change. Without stability among entire teams, work can soon become frustrating.
3. There’s No Sense of Community and Little Communication
Community and communication go hand in hand at the workplace.
When a workplace has no sense of community, you’re sure to feel disconnected and have less passion for the projects you work on.
If there’s little communication between team members as well as between teams and upper management, projects won’t run smoothly and you could soon become frustrated at not being heard.
The Bottom Line
By spending time looking at the above key factors for finding a fulfilling job and the red flags to watch out for, you’ll be much better positioned to actually land a role you’ll be happy in.
Know what you want to get out of a job and what you want your company to offer, and you’re sure to become more fulfilled in your work.