When you’re toiling away at a job you hate, it’s likely that you’ll feel pretty miserable in your life in general. A bad job can bleed over into every aspect of your private life, ruining anything you might otherwise consider fun or interesting. It’s hard to enjoy a night out with friends when you’re dreading going to work the next day.
On the other hand, a job you love can be invigorating. You spend most of your waking hours at work. You should aim to land a job you genuinely enjoy. If you love your job, it lifts so much stress off of your shoulders and frees you up to pursue your passions in your real life. Here are some tips to help you land a job you’ll love.
Do What You’re Good at
One reason people tend to hate their jobs is that they feel like they’re always struggling to keep up. If you’ve inadvertently landed in a field that you don’t excel at, you might feel as though your job is miserable. Having to constantly listen to explanations and ask for help is far from empowering. This can be made worse by poor training and unempathetic management.
If you pursue a career doing something that you’re good at, however, you’ll feel like you’re actually getting somewhere. If you love cooking, pursue a job as a chef. Maybe you’re amazing with numbers, and want to be an accountant. Focus on what you’re good at and the rest will follow.
Find a Challenging Position
Once you know what you’re good at, find a job that challenges you to get even better at it. Let’s go with the chef example again.
You love cooking, and you’re great at it. Maybe you start in a kitchen as a cook, but try to work your way up to a higher position. Just make sure you don’t get stuck working at a fast food place that will never challenge you to advance.
Look for a Job that Respects You
Importantly, try to angle for a job that actually respects you and your time. Some jobs feel as though they need to micromanage their employees. These are the type you want to avoid. You’re not a child, or an inmate. You don’t need someone over your shoulder telling you what to do.
A job that is challenging and in your field is great, but even one with those criteria could fail to be a “good” job if they treat you like you can’t manage your own time.
Strict rules about cellphones and breaks, for instance, could speak to a toxic workplace culture that values strict adherence to rules over true creativity and good productivity.
