Are you wondering: “What the hell should I do with my life?”. Need to find a little career fulfillment? If you want to get that big job, start that side hustle, or finally make the jump and go into business for yourself, there’s no better time than now.
Sometimes I get caught in what I like to call the Hallmark Movie Vortex.
I sit down with a cup of tea (or second glass of wine) and switch to the W Network.
Suddenly, I become captivated by a heartwarming story of a young woman in a big city. By the end of the movie, she reunites with a past love, reconnects with her roots, and realizes that the hustle and bustle of the big city made her forget what’s most important – family.
She saved that bookstore from being bought up by the big evil corporation. The pumpkin patch is saved after she finds grandma’s secret recipe behind an old family photo and now they can make millions selling that amazing pumpkin face cream.
Now that’s career fulfillment.
That’s career fulfillment on another freaking level.
She’s enjoying the simple life and seemingly living comfortably, while we’re over here sitting in cubical town on a conference call that was delayed for 10 minutes because Jim couldn’t figure out how to share his screen and omg Karen mute your effing mic!
I get it.
But the unfortunate reality is, not everyone can inherit a Christmas tree farm from their dead grandma. And even if we did, can we really run it while paying off tens of thousands of student debt we somehow still have 10 years after graduating, pay our mortgages, and what even is an RRSP?
Just know, that just because you didn’t find the meaning of Christmas by stopping a real estate exec from demoing your family ranch and building condos doesn’t mean you can’t find fulfillment in what you’re doing.
So what can you do?
Career Fulfillment 101: Figure out What You Want to be When You Grow Up
As the “elder millennials” of our generation now approach 40, many of them (like the rest of us) are still searching for their purpose.
Most of us still have that phrase drilled into our heads that our parents told us about how if you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life.
That’s great and all, but most of us sought out practical career paths that would pay the bills, and long gone are the dreams of becoming astronauts or rodeo clowns (but props to anyone who actually became either of these things).
And as many of us discovered, practicality might bring in the dolla dolla bills but it isn’t exactly igniting some fiery passion inside of us that makes us want to get out of bed every day (i.e., minimal career fulfillment).
But, just know, that waking up every day feeling unfulfilled and completely hating the job that you work 40 hours a week will probably kill you, or at least seriously bum you out.
So you need to reflect and decide what you want to be when you grow up.
1. What Kind of Life Do you Want?
- What kind of hours do you want to work? Steady days? Shifts? Weekends off? How much flexibility do you need?
- Do you think you want to work for yourself? Or is a larger organization with benefits and paid sick days more your style? What kind of salary are you looking for?
- Are you happy with the city you live in? Do you care how long your commute is?
Much of our generation approaches a career as something that will both pay for and integrate into our lifestyle. We want something that will support our love for overpriced coffee while still helping us put money away for the future all while searching for that sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Our work and personal life are pretty intertwined, so make sure whatever you do suits the needs of your lifestyle.
2. Reflect on your Current Situation
- Do you hate your job? Or do you just hate some things about your job?
- Is this the field you want to be in? The industry?
- How does the company you work for treat their employees?
- Are you considering a career shift/pivot into something completely new?
- Do you have the skills/strengths necessary for a career change?
- What can you change about your current situation that would make you happy?
Whatever your situation is, you need to nail down what the problem is if you want to achieve any form of fulfillment in your career. If your issue is that you literally hate everything about your current career situation, then perhaps it’s time to start exploring other options.
3. Research Your Options
If you decide that it might be time for you to jump ship, there are a few things to consider.
Don’t just jump from your current shitty job to a new shitty job – in six months you’ll feel the same way.
- Do you want to work for yourself? If so, you need assess the risks – are you cut out to be an entrepreneur? What would your revenue sources be? Can you start a side hustle while you work at your current job until you have a stable enough income to quite? Or does this have to be an all or nothing type thing
- Is working for someone is more your thing? Decide what industry you want to work in or the type of job you want and research, research, research.
There are many ways to shift industries or career paths with little to no experience in those fields.
If you’re like me, and you have a more generalized degree like business, you might be able to easily transition by upping your resume game. If your education is a little more specific, then it might take some additional qualifications to get you where you want to go.
- What does the job market look like in your current location? And what are the job prospects in the industry you’re interested in?
Industries like health care are about to have some major needs, from front line workers and administrators, to researchers and scientists.
Other industries, like tourism, may experience some real bad luck in the next few years (so you might want to hold off on buying that B&B until things pick up again).
- What opportunities are there for networking? There are a lot of opportunities out there that can pivot you into your desired market or career where you can make connections with people who can help you break down some entry barriers:
- volunteer work or internships
- mentorship programs
- serving on boards
- events through organizations like the Chamber of Commerce or YPA (Young Professionals Association)
- joining webinars and connecting with the host or attendees
- making connections on LinkedIn
What if You Don’t Love your Job but Can’t Leave Yet?
I get it. And you’re not alone.
According to a 2016 Gallup poll, 71% of millennials aren’t engaged at work and at least 60% are open to new job opportunities. We are the job hopper generation and are constantly searching for some form of purpose and career fulfillment.
First you need to ask yourself a really important question.
Why can’t I leave?
For a lot of us, our jobs are part of our identity, regardless if it’s part of our life’s purpose or passion. Leaving might mean ditching a really comfortable place for something less stable, or worse, maybe you’ll make a mistake and realize that dream job you wanted is not what you expected.
Don’t let fear stop you from pushing forward on this. But in the meantime, here are a lot of things you can do to make your working life a lot more pleasant before you make the plunge into the unknown.
1. Stop Working for the Weekend
You will never find fulfillment if you live this way. Do you really want to spend every work week counting down to Friday and then spend the whole weekend dreading Monday?
Do we want to be constantly chasing vacation time and stat holidays?
Even if this is a “right now” job instead of the right job, you can still try to enjoy your time at the company while you’re there.
Every successful experience in your career is a resume booster and an opportunity to keep a connection.
Try engaging more in the company culture.
- Are there work events/groups you can join?
- Is there a committee you can become a part of that might distract you from whatever is making you unhappy in your current position?
Making small change to your daily routine can also help you.
- Does your employer offer flexible workweeks?
- Can you take your lunch at a different time?
2. Explore your Options within the Company
Maybe you like the company you work for but can’t stand your actual job.
I’ve been there.
But, if you work for a good company chances are they want to retain their employees.
- Are there positions at the company within your skill set you can apply for or transition to?
- Do you get any sort of paid training that might help push you into a different career path within the organization?
It’s expensive to hire people, so a good employer would prefer to keep you over losing you.
If you are having issues with your compensation package, it also might be worth bringing this to your employer’s attention before jumping ship. Go over your job description and compare it to what you do. Are you going above and beyond?
Remember, the only one who benefits form you not discussing your salary with your colleagues is your employer.
If you have a team you can be open about this with, go for it, it might help you get a raise.
3. If You Can’t Change Your Situation, Change How You See the Situation
Perhaps easier said than done, but if there is nothing you can change about your situation, change your attitude about the situation.
It won’t do you, your colleagues, or the company you work for any favors if you walk in pissed off every day.
Try to find a positive point about your job and focus on that. Or, work on your health and wellness outside of work (like yoga or mindfulness meditation, anything that will keep you from spiraling into a shame hole of anger and despair).
4. Strive to Make Big Changes
Millennials are now the largest generation in the workforce. We have the opportunity to have the most impact, yet most of us aren’t really running big companies yet or shaping corporations for future generations just yet.
If you can see that some major changes need to be made, there are some small things you can do to pave the road.
- Do you see a general lack of engagement in your workplace? You can help empower your colleagues to take control of their careers by doing things like leading training seminars or offering mentorship to employees struggling in areas you have strengths in.
- Are the people you work with feeling tired and overworked? Talk to your management team about brining in a wellness expert to discuss mental health in the workplace – this type of service is often free!
- Encourage corporate culture engagement by organizing events outside of work (i.e., curling bonspiels, baseball tournaments, or a team for a local charity’s 5 km run).
These are a major booster in the career fulfillment department – you’ll see improvements in morale and engagement, and i’ts all because of your hard work.
And big picture, doing these things will do wonders for your resume so when you are ready to drop the mic you have a slew of new selling points that potential employers will love.
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How do you feel about your current job? Are you ready to jump ship? Start a side hustle? Find your life’s passion? Leave a comment below and tell us about it!
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