In a perfect world, everyone would have jobs that they’d be great at, one that they’d feel deeply fulfilled doing…
And best of all?
One that could pay us a ton!
For most of us though, having a satisfying career is all we need to feel happy to pull ourselves out of bed each morning when that last alarm rings. The great news, is that landing a fulfilling job is a lot more straightforward than it may seem if you know what you're doing.
We’ve watered down 4 steps for you to jog your thought process.
Grab a pen and paper, let’s start!
#1: Figure out what drives you
Passion drives you. It’s a big word that’s so often bandied about, but simplified?
It’s basically what could keep you immersed for long, pushes you to do more, do better, and to improve. For a start, it’d be helpful to keep this thought broad and less specific for now.
An example of a broad thought could be, “I find a lot of satisfaction in helping others grow! Now this may open up thought avenues across several industries and professions, among these – teaching, counselling, personal development, and others.
However, if you started this step by narrowing it down to “teaching”, then your options would have been a lot more limited (and you may have missed your true calling in life).
Alright, perhaps you haven’t even thought of doing anything else other than teaching. But when the going gets tough, that’s when you need to understand what exactly about teaching it is that you enjoy.
Knowing this is key to feeling fulfilled at your job.
Some real examples given by teachers:
I love working with curious young minds and nurture them to realise their full potential
Biology (subject) is what really excites me and I want my students to be as passionate about the subject as much as I
I aspire to be a role model that the younger generation can look to for guidance
This is a really important step, so do spend sufficient time doing this right!
#2: Decide on an income range that you’ll be happy with
Common sense, you say?
But this indeed is an important factor in deciding whether or not that specific job will be something you’ll satisfied with.
Why?
Because if you don’t decide on an amount of money that you will be happy with, you’ll always be tempted to “get more” by applying for jobs that simply “pay more”.
Trust us, we know a lot of people who build their jobs or education route entirely to chase money.
Well, if you’re highly driven by money (your results for #1), great for you!
But do note there comes a saturation point for when that extra pay won’t bring you any more happiness or satisfaction.
More than one study has tried to determine the financial price of happiness. Some look at wealth. Others look at income.
One well-publicized study last year put the optimal income for happiness at around $75,000. Rising income, it turns out, produces greater happiness until you get to around $75,000. After that, there are diminishing returns, with more income leading to little or no gain in real happiness.
Could this also be a reason why so many high-fliers have chosen to switch out their corporate suit for a “higher calling”?
Realistically speaking, there’ll always be another job that will pay more – but whether that job will bring happiness and satisfaction to your life, is a whole other tale for next time.
#3: Balance your life
Image: AZ Quotes
Your career shouldn’t be the only thing in your life that brings you joy.
Singaporeans seem to agree, with 25% stating work-life-balance as a key driver of their satisfaction with their quality of life according to a Philips Survey some years back.
Image: Philips
Work-life balance (25% weightage) is identified as the major contributing factor determining satisfaction with quality of life by the people of Singapore. View on quality of living contributed to overall satisfaction with a weightage of 18%; view on the quality of sleep and on their overall physical health weighed 12%, while satisfaction with eating habits accounts for 11% of total quality of life satisfaction.
The big question here is for you to figure out, “what are the other aspects in life that provides me satisfaction and fulfilment?”
Say… your family, friends, hobbies, or perhaps even your pets?
Allocate sufficient time needed for them and consider these factors when deciding on accepting a job.
It’s important to make sure that you’ll have the time and/or support you need from your workplace, to take care of everything else in life that matters.
For example, if taking care of your family means the world to you – consider a career at a pro-family organisation that offer family-friendly benefits that will make a positive impact to your life.
And if “wanderlusting” is a big, insatiable part of you, consider work that grants you the flexibility to travel far and often. Some ideas to consider would be jobs in the rising gig economy (a.k.a. temporary employment, freelancing) or a job that calls for frequent travel.
#4: Ask for help – speak with career professionals
One doesn’t go into a new field knowing everything there is to know about their new career path. So it’s something everyone has to get used to because worrying about every last detail you don’t know is a pointless waste of energy.
Ask for help! Talk to colleagues or even your supervisor if you need guidance. Many people are more than willing to lend a hand without asking anything in return.
Otherwise, speak to career professionals who have experience dabbling in various fields!
Image: Warmly welcoming our candidates on board the BGC family as Go Cashless Ambassadors @bgc.group
There are friendly professionals who spend their time specifically matchmaking individuals with jobs that are a good fit for your aspirations and lifestyles. So if you’re still struggling at step #1 of this process, no panic there.
Simply reach out to a consultant at BGC for a helping hand and we’ll guide you toward a fulfilling job that will have you springin’ out of bed each morning!
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