Finding a job that you love is much like finding a person that you love. It’s relatively easy to get a first date with a person you think you’re suited to…maybe even start a relationship and enjoy the honeymoon phase. But how will you know if it’s going to work a year or two down the line? Finding something that you want to commit your life to is a different kettle of fish.
Are you stuck in an endless cycle of flings with jobs that don’t really do it for you? Here are our top tips for finding a job that you really love, and will enjoy a long-term relationship with.
Do your research
You wouldn’t turn up to date without knowing anything about the other person. So don’t waste your time applying for jobs you are totally unsuitable for. Take time to reflect on everything you’ve done in your life and all the skills you’ve gained. Then think which of those skills you actually enjoyed developing. You might be an expert coffee-maker because your boss made you do it every day for 2 years. But if you hate doing it, don’t look for a job as a barista! There are lots of career quizzes online that can be a good starting point – you might not necessarily agree with the answers, but it will give you some ideas of jobs that match your skills/experience.
Take your time
Make sure you research the role and the company. As well as thinking about whether you would be a good fit for them, you have to consider whether they will be a good fit for you. Find out as much as you can about what the role will involve, so you can consider whether you’ll be good at it AND whether you will actually enjoy doing it.
Put yourself out there
Unless you’re the star of a cheesy American rom-com, your ideal partner probably hasn’t bumped into you in the supermarket, carried your shopping to your car and fallen madly in love with you. Just like the ideal job probably won’t just land in your lap. You have to be proactive and put yourself out there.
Networking is your friend. It allows you to talk to people who are already in the jobs that you want, find out more information about the company, and make a name for yourself in the industry. Personal referrals are a powerful tool when job-hunting. It’s the match-making of the professional world!
The perfect job doesn’t exist…
…but the right one does. We’ve all fantasised about our dream husband/wife. Stunning, funny, successful, likes all the same things we do and has absolutely no annoying habits. Have you actually met yours? Thought not.
It’s fine to consider what your perfect job would be. But don’t set impossibly high standards. In reality, there’s no such thing as the perfect job. People can have annoying habits or overbearing mothers in the same way that jobs can have mundane admin or a long commute. There will always be elements of a job that you don’t enjoy as much, but finding a job you love is about finding one where the positives massively outweigh the negatives. It’s all about compromise!
It’s not all about looks!
You’re faced with an Abercrombie model that doesn’t speak your language and a slightly less attractive person who shares your love of stamp collecting. Who are you taking on a date?
Deep down, you know which one will be better in the long run. When looking for jobs, it’s easy to be taken in by the company with the fanciest website, or who offers the best perks. These things are important, of course, but they won’t keep you interested and motivated in the long term. You need to find a company whose values you share. You want to find a job you’re still going to love after the honeymoon phase is over.
Don’t marry for money
Money is a complex issue in job hunting. It’s easy for someone to ask, ‘If money weren’t an issue, then what would you do?’
It’s an interesting question, but in reality, money is an issue! It may or may not be your biggest motivator, but money is essential to living, and it should be taken into account. But you know what they say: money can’t buy you happiness! So it’s all about finding a balance.
As well as finding a job you love, think about building a lifestyle that you love. What are your priorities? Maybe it’s expensive cars, having time for your hobbies, or having a family. That’s your business, but choosing a job that will cater to this lifestyle is also your business.
Trust your gut
Your gut is a powerful tool. You might have been talking on Tinder for months, and you’re sure that your date is going to be perfect. But then, when you actually meet them, you just don’t get ‘That Feeling’. Job interviews are as much for you as they are for the employer. You can do all the research you want about the role, but the vibes you get from the company at the interview are super important and shouldn’t be ignored.
You might have to kiss a few frogs
You probably didn’t marry the first and only boyfriend/girlfriend you ever had. Just like you might not walk into a job that you love straight away, plenty of people start a job they think they will love, but then it doesn’t turn out like that. That’s perfectly natural.
Every job you have gives you new skills, new experience and will open new doors. If it’s not what you were hoping for, think of it as a stepping stone to a job that you will love. If you’ve been looking for a job for a while, it can be tempting to jump on the first offer you get. But try to stay level-headed and consider our top tips carefully. Equally, you can’t be too picky! Remember that finding the dream job will involve compromise somewhere.
So, back to your original question – how to find a job you love?
“Nothing worth having comes easy.” Theodore Roosevelt
Finding a job that you love is hard work but highly rewarding. There will be ups and downs along the way, but once you find your match, you won’t look back.
Once you find the job you think you’ll love – it’s time to go out and get it.
