It’s unfortunate to say, but often true, that many people feel unfulfilled in their careers. A fast food worker, if given the choice to stay at home and earn the same wage, would likely not head to work, and it’s unlikely they’re passionate about the brand. That being said, there’s a difference between having undying loyalty to the brand you work for, and enjoying the work you do.
For example, you might work in a coffee shop. Sure, the world is hard and the hours are long, but you may meet very interesting people, love the individuals you work with, and feel proud of serving great coffee to people who need it. So it’s best to think of “fulfilment” as a spectrum, as opposed to a binary possession you have or is missing out on. After all, every bad job has its great moments, and every great job has its drudgery.
So, if a full-scale career shift isn’t quite on the cards right now, consider some of our helpful advice, below:
Consider Skills That Inspire You
In many careers, you will have the chance to move more closely to special outcomes that inspire you. Specialisms can help you move more closely to certain departments, to take on voluntary courses, and to learn more outside of your general career. For example, if you feel as though your wider skills are lacking, taking a BLS certification online not only helps you potentially render medical aid when needed, but can make you a more inspiring candidate no matter where you apply (after all, health emergencies can come for anyone, and it’s fulfilling to know you could save someone in that instance).
The benefit to this approach is that even if you feel locked into a particular career path right now, you don’t have to forever. Slight adjustments and reskilling can get you there, especially if you make use of any educational credit or skills development programs at your workplace. Don’t forget that the top colleges in the USA will accept older students, and it’s worth exploring those options.
You may also think about taking a break from work to further your education full time. If this is something that you would like to do, you may want to think about the Alpine Academy.
Delve Into The Industry & Its Practice
It’s easy to feel bored at work if you attend the same workplace day in and day out with little change. But the truth is that no job is just a job, as in a place you go to pause your thinking, individuality, and sense of curiosity for eight or more hours. In fact, learning the ropes, such as how the firm operates, what its management structure is like, the practices of other members of the team or department, and the skill you perform – well, it’s all very interesting if you’re keen about learning more!
For example, if you work in a screenprinting store, you might learn more about how graphics are printed onto t-shirts, about your clients, about the history of your firm, and tangential skills you may ask to be trained in. Or if you’ve got a degree in something like theater arts, why not think about the different routes you could take with it? Travis Preston CalArts can give you all the options if you’re not sure where to start. Many industries aren’t just boring workplaces, there’s always something to learn about the history and craft. If you’re interested, you can learn a great deal and perhaps come out the other side with a sense of understanding.
Exploring Passion Projects
It’s nice to have side projects that are entirely yours, that is you get to invest in them without necessarily earning money. But that doesn’t mean it will never impact your career in any meaningful sense. For example, maybe you have a deeper interest in SEO and how it works, especially in the age of AI innovation and content publishing. Joining a business might mean you can implement those renewed visions as part of the marketing team, though it might not be your main specialism.
Sometimes, our passions are aligned with what we do for work, and even in relatively disparate fields, they may still come into play. So, let’s say you’re finding it hard to gain a job in the film industry, but there may be an open position for a social media manager and videographer at your local museum. Little pursuits like that can lead to the best possible outcome, but only if you allow yourself to seize that opportunity.
Networking Opportunities
Networking not only opens doors, but it helps you feel more connected to the people you work alongside in general. For example, heading to local events, fairs or festivals could help you learn more about your field and connect. Perhaps you work a hard job in an inner-city kitchen as a chef de partie. But you might also have the chance to attend a local food festival and show some of the creations you make daily, expressing your value and providing rich contributions to the community life there. Perhaps you’ll connect with other staff from other restaurants, and find your way into a better position or even an apprenticeship with a producer you appreciate.
It’s also inspiring to learn from people if you’re willing to keep an open mind. The truth is that almost any job category is filled with dynamic, engaging people who have strong opinions and interest in doing what they can for their field. This can be inspiring to immerse yourself in, even if you’re not working your “main passion” of a career for now.
Mentorship
You may underestimate how flattering it can be for someone to gain the request of mentorship from someone in a lower department they work with. Passing on skills is not only a means of providing value to the employees of tomorrow, but many people enjoy sharing their skills and perspectives.
If you ask your manager to help you with a particular topic, to share their insight, or even to directly mentor you over the course of a specific project, you may be surprised at the response. Having someone take you under their wing is not only mutual beneficial, but it can rocket-fuel and develop your potential. If you give yourself the time to achieve that outcome, you may be surprised just how well it works.
With this advice, you may be surprised how even a career you hadn’t pictured as your main pursuit will become a little more fulfilling. Learning to appreciate what you have now is the key to happiness, even if you’re moving to a new direction.
Look for personal reward
Some jobs are monetarily rewarding, but may not necessarily be personally rewarding. Knowing that a job is making a positive difference to the world could be important for some people. If you feel that your current job doesn’t do this, consider looking for a job where you can make an impact.
Caregiver jobs as found at Care.com are a prime example of a job that can be very personally rewarding. Although it can be hard, you are physically helping people in need every day. Of course, jobs can be personally rewarding for other reasons too – a job where you fix things, clean things or create things could be rewarding simply because it provides a visual sense of progress each day.
Life Lovers Magazine® 