You’re unhappy because you hate your job – or perhaps you’re unhappy because you haven’t got a job.
Wherever you are, finding a job that makes you happy is a worthwhile pursuit given that you will spend an average of 90,000 hours at work over your lifetime. Here are 8 lessons to help you along the way.
Lesson 1: Know how to make yourself happier!
Do you already have a job? Then wait. Jumping ship is not always the only solution. Instead, there may be steps you can take to make yourself happier in your current job. To do this you’ll first need to get clear on what’s working and what isn’t. What areas can be improved? We enjoy work much more when we know we’re appreciated, so get feedback from managers and colleagues. Similarly, try to work on projects that stretch and excite you, and help you to grow, as work that’s unrewarding is no fun at all. One final thing to consider is whether changing to a new role or department might help.
Lesson 2: Work on your soft skills to make yourself marketable.
If you don’t have a job or you know your present one is hopeless, then start by working on your skills. To land your dream job you must be the kind of employee employers want to employ. You’ve got to be ‘desirable’. This means improving your marketability overall – not just within your field. You must “improve and master the right skills”, and that means working on your soft skills. The reason soft skills are so prized is because they’re universal. It’s like having a camping knife. Soft skills are useful in every job and scenario, including those you can’t anticipate. Your soft skills will help you excel anywhere, whether in your current field or an entirely different career. The bottom-line? Get so good they can’t ignore you and doors will open up for you.
Lesson 3: The perfect job can be found where joy, money, and flow come together.
There are many possible paths to career success – but how to find the right one? As someone who coaches graduates to career success I don’t believe there is just ‘one’, but I do agree with this article that says the “best path” is located at the intersection of joy, money, and flow. Ideally, your work should make you happy and at the same time pay you what you need to live on. It should allow you to use your best skills and to build new ones.
So, how do you get this perfect job? To find work you enjoy, draw up a large list of career possibilities, then reduce it to a handful of dream jobs that fit this guide.
Lesson 4: Think carefully about the type of environment you want to work in.
If you could choose any, what type of environment would you feel most happy working in? Outdoors surrounded by lots of fresh air? Exposure to nature brightens up our mood so it’s no wonder, as one study found, that 70 percent of agriculture workers say they feel happy at work. No other industry matches such a high level of satisfaction, says the research.
Or how about working for an international company? Huge international companies such as Facebook and Google are choosing to set up offices in cities around the world. This opens up a vast array of opportunities for people to work for international companies yet remain closer to home.
Lesson 5: Get good at interviews.
There are three things you need to know to be good at interviews. 1. You must know how to answer interview questions well, as well as how to ask great interview questions. This is a huge part of the secret to making the right impression at an interview. 2. You must be aware of the many different types and stages of interviews (telephone, group, one-to-one, psychometric testing) as you may be required to go through two or more in the process to being interviewed for a single job. 3. Do your prep. Many graduates think they can waltz into the interview room and bluff their way through an interview without preparing for the experience. This is a big mistake.
Lesson 6: Motivate yourself to stay motivated.
Finding great work requires self-discipline. Self-discipline to act is what you’ll need to win – not talk. That’s cheap. Discipline starts in the mind, so pay attention to your thoughts. Capture and convert every negative or defeating thought into the exact opposite – and repeat until the empowering thought becomes habitual. Develop simple habits to develop excellence. Ordinary things done over time become extraordinary. It’s self-discipline and sacrifice that sets them apart and drives them – and you – to the finish line.
Lesson 7: Get the best salary package you can.
You’ll feel happier if you know you’re getting paid a good salary so don’t just accept any old offer before you say yes to a job. Don’t leave money that could be yours on the table — ask for it. To do this, do your research – what do other companies pay for similar roles? What’s the pay scales like at the company offering you the job? What are you bringing to the table to justify the salary you want?
Now, no matter how much prep you put into this, know that not every company will meet you partway. There may be inflexible budgets and other behind-the-scenes influences that you can’t be privy to that keep them from being able to make a move. The aim is to walk away with the best salary package you can and the satisfaction of knowing that you stood up for yourself.
Excelling at a job requires more than just showing up and doing what you’re told. If you’re looking to take your career to the next level — and to be happy in it — you’ll want to be mindful of how to stand out at work. It’s obvious that you should show up on time, be polite, and get your tasks done efficiently, but there are a number of other habits that can really help you shine. And it all comes down to creating and nurturing relationships. Make good connections in and outside of your team. Take the initiative to help others and to anticipate their needs. Having a sense of humour also goes a long way in establishing easy-going relationships with your colleagues. By showing you can work hard, make authentic connections, and really go above and beyond when it comes to caring about your job, you will stand out in the minds of others like never before.