If you’re like most of the population, in order to make a living you get up every weekday morning and report to work. In fact, the average person spends 90,000 hours at work over the course of his lifetime. That means that a majority of your waking hours are probably spent at work, and you are working for more time than you are doing anything else! Understandably, one’s job often begins to define who he is to a degree, and his job satisfaction affects his mental health, physical health, quality of life, self-efficacy, and of course, general happiness.
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When someone is working the ideal job, he feels good about going to work, respects the people he works with, feels proud to talk about what he does, feels largely energized by his work, and feels like he is making an appreciated and respected contribution to society. A job that is a “good fit” reflects who someone is, gives him purpose, and lends him the opportunity to use his innate strengths.
Even while other aspects of someone’s life may be healthy and fulfilling, if he does not like his job, this job stress can cloud his overall sense of success and well-being. It can erode one’s self-esteem, and it can even interfere with his interpersonal relationships, contribute to an all-encompassing “resigned” feeling in his life, and/or cause him to feel like he’s in “survival mode,” always waiting for the weekend or living for vacation.
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Many people fall into the trap of following the path of what “makes sense” for them to do. Perhaps it’s the fastest track to a job, a seemingly financially savvy move, etc., but when making a career choice, it is prudent for one to keep in mind that it’s an investment that will likely affect one’s happiness for the rest of his working life. It really is possible to feel excited and energized every morning, ready to start the day, and find meaning and/or challenge in one’s work.
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While one person might find a job to be boring and unfulfilling, that same job may be incredibly meaningful to someone else. There are so many different jobs and fields, as there are many different types of people with different personalities and abilities. Everyone is different in his needs, desires, interests, personalities, capabilities, skills, and values. Everyone can find a career path that can play to all of these aspects, working to his strengths and helping him to find a sense of satisfaction.
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In order to do this, one must know himself. Perhaps someone knows what he is good at doing, but does that job play to his values, interests, and personality? It’s very likely that if he chooses a path that does not, he’ll quickly burn out, because his job will not lend him a sense of satisfaction.
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Many people make important career decisions when they are the least prepared to do so. They might listen to well-intentioned mentors, friends, parents, and teachers who don’t have enough information to help steer them in the right direction. Perhaps they need to quickly start earning a salary, or they need to pick a college major, but they do not have the time or foresight to choose a field that really works for who they are.
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Gaining the level of awareness one needs to select a career in which he will feel satisfied can be daunting. Speaking with a career counselor and completing career assessments is a good place to start. Career assessments are available for free online. However, while these evaluations are great tools to help people discern wise career paths, there are various things to keep in mind. These caveats include, but are not limited to, being cautious about placing more value on the test results than is warranted. It is important to remember that no test will provide the answer of “the perfect career.” The assessment results are also only as accurate as the responses. For example, someone might answer how he wishes to be and not what he actually is. Additionally, it is easy to misinterpret or misuse results. Not all tests are created equal, and various free online tests may not be accurate, and/or someone can misinterpret the results if he is attempting to do so by himself.
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By achieving greater insight and self-awareness of one’s needs, desires, interests, personality, capabilities, skills, and values, someone has a better chance at finding a job that plays to his strengths and will lead him down a path of fulfillment and overall happiness.
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This post was written by Rivka Rochkind, LCPC
