Last Updated on January 26, 2024
Every job has its difficulties and finding the right one for you may take some time.
Have you ever had a job that takes the energy right out of you? Have you ever been fortunate enough to have one that is exhilarating? If so, you know the right job can enhance your life by making it more meaningful and exciting. So, how do you find one right for you?
I, Kimberly Lee Tan, as a professional, have managed and set up spa & recreational facilities in Bangkok, Yangon, Beijing, Surabaya, and Jakarta in 12 years’ time. And very soon to join a dream project in the USA. I will be suggesting how to look for a job fit with the following five signals.
PEOPLE
Everything about the job can be perfect, but if you don’t enjoy your colleagues or boss, it can be miserable. When looking for your next job, figure out if you share the company’s values and personality. How intense do the people act and does it match your intensity? What is the company’s ethics, and does that fit your personality?
Good signs of a job fit and that you like people and can relate to them. You genuinely enjoy your co-workers and may even find they think and act like you. Bad signals are that you must fake who you are. You may also find yourself saying that you don’t need to be friends with the people you work with.
OPPORTUNITY
How much does the job offer you to grow and learn? A new job should feel at least challenging. You could do most of the work, but there will be skills and knowledge that you don’t have yet. Having the opportunity to stretch, grow and learn will keep you engaged and energized, and your head in the game.
A job that signals good opportunity allows you to grow as a person and professional. You learn things you didn’t even know needed to learn. A bad sign of a job fitting is that you are the expert or smartest person in the room.
OPTIONS
Being associated with a great company can be like having an Olympic medal. Some companies are known for hiring and producing talented alumni. Working for this type of company will give you credentials just by working there for a few years.
A good signal job with options are credentials you can take with you. Another good signal is when the job is in a business or industry that has a future. A bad signal is that the job offers little to expand your career or is in an industry that has peaked.
OWNERSHIP
A good sign of a job fit is knowing for whom you are taking the job and feeling at peace with the arrangement. A bad signal is that you are taking it for any number of other constituents and not being okay with it. The reality is that few people have the freedom to take a job for themselves because of tuition that needs to be paid, a spouse’s career to balance, or an inner voice saying what you should do with their life or career. The only defense is to be explicit with yourself about whom or for what you are taking the job.
WORK CONTENT
Every job is going to have rough patches. In the best case, you would love what you do, or at least a piece of what you do. Something that should excite you, like clients, a boss, the camaraderie of the other employees, or the challenge of the work. Something about the job feels important to you and would make you want to come back day after day.
A good sign of job fit is that you love the work. It feels fun or meaningful. It even ignites a passion. A bad signal is that it feels like a job. You might find yourself saying that you are taking it until something better comes along.
Every job has its ups and downs and finding the right one for you may take some time. However, it is possible to find a job that excites you on some level if you choose work you love, surround yourself with other talented people who you enjoy, and give it your all.
