Does your job make you happy? – Part 1

Let’s face it, 2020 was rough. It has caused many to reflect on their lives and start asking themselves questions like, “Does my job make me happy?” “Do I want to stay in this job for the rest of my career?” Life has enough problems, why should my work add more stress?

Read on for some questions that can help us identify what we should do.

What is the big picture?

What kind of work makes you happy? What gets you excited? Where do you want to be in one, three and five years? Which role type, responsibilities, company size and industry will propel you further towards your dreams?

To meet your ultimate goal you may need to change careers, which could mean a pay cut or spending nights and weekends gaining additional training. You must decide what sacrifices you are willing to make to achieve your end goal.

What are your strengths?

Start by making a list of your strengths – ask a trusted friend to help if you have trouble. Do you like math or are you more into the arts? Do you enjoy engaging with a team or are you more at home working independently?

Your mom may have told you to follow your dreams. She may have left out that sometimes it takes a while to develop the skills needed to make those dreams come true. The time it takes you to become good at something needs to factor into your goals. You can save a lot of time and avoid frustration if you pick a job based on strengths you already have rather than forcing yourself into a career that doesn’t really fit.

For example, you may not enjoy math, but you recently discovered that you love using logic to solve problems. So, you might have a passion for something like app development or database administration. Maybe you wrote this off beforehand. It’s easy to let preconceived ideas stop you from a promising career, but, if you evaluate your strengths, you’ll be surprised by what they tell you.

Sometimes it is better to look for jobs in different industries rather than switching careers entirely. However, if your dream includes a career change choose one that includes several of your soft skills. For instance, if you are an extrovert and hate spending hours on end sitting at a desk, choosing to be a programmer might be challenging.