Finding work you truly love might at times sound like a daunting endeavour especially in the current economic environment. However, your wish can be fulfilled if you concrete steps to find that job.
In so many occasions, people have found themselves applying for jobs they don’t want but because of lack, poverty or desperate, they end up the hands of wrong jobs or bosses who will mishandle them.
When you apply for a job desperately, high chances are you will pick any job whether qualified for it or not.
Forget about all the people who keep mentioning their current jobs don’t relate to what they learned at school. Any job needs prior training but knowledge from school and passion makes one love their job.
Related: How to Move On After Losing a Job
How to find work that you truly love
These few steps can give you a guideline for a great place to start:
1. Make a Match
While searching for work Before you start your job search, spend time making sure you’re looking for the right job.
If you’re not certain about what you want to do, take a career quiz that will give you ideas on what to do. Alternatively, find yourself a career coaching or counselling to help get you on the right track.
While applying for work, counter check the skill set the job poster wants. Don’t far fetch your skills to match that job. This is because once will be hired, this will be the genesis of you disliking your job.
As you tick out the skills make sure this is something you want. Let it be out of the passion to find work that you truly love.
2. Surround yourself with people who love their work
If the people you’re surrounded by don’t like their work, that’s going to bring you down. They will limit your ideas, as well as career growth.
Think of one person you know who inspires you be it your I mediate manager and spend more time with them. Learn their tricks on how they do things.
3. Research about the company
Finding work you truly love, applying and getting the interview is one minor part to assure of loving the job.
You might find the very initial steps enticing and get you anxious about joining the company when the working environment is toxic.
Firstly, do thorough research about company history, at some point reviews and managerial profiles. At least some of them will give you a clue on what the company is and how conducive it is to work in the company.
Alternatively, check research websites, for instance, Ipsos Synovate on company reviews. You can learn a few things about some companies before you get yourself into the mess.
4. Don’t Make Money Your Primary Consideration
This is one big mistake most job seekers make. Especially graduates, after graduating from college, you a Helb loan to pay that is already driving you nuts.
All you need at that point is just money and nothing else matters. When finding a job you truly love, this doesn’t apply at all.
My first job after college I made the same mistakes and believe me it was the most toxic job I ever did. From the bosses to the work environment, everything was just off but I needed the money to clear my Helb loan so I stayed.
Six months into the job I was diagnosed with depression and that is when I decided to quit.
If you’re looking to spend your life doing something you love, the best way to start is to treat financial concerns as secondary.
If the practicality of what you do and how much money you earn are your primary criteria you will instantly limit your options to what’s predictable and getting to do what you love will be tough.
Thirdly, if you allow yourself to pursue your curiosity, you will find yourself in the best position. Probably in power or a position enough to earn you happiness and good income.
5. Identify the impact you want to have
People who love their jobs typically feel a sense of purpose. Or a sense that their work has a meaningful impact on the world.
If you ever want to get better at something that is definitely your dream. To ever want things done your way.
As you choose the impact you want to have, focus on what you actually care about. And not what you think you should care about. Have your own definition of success, define your goals and no matter what happens stick to playing the tune of your goals.
Also, be honest about what really matters to you, then work towards that.
Related: Are you happy with your job? Tips to keep yourself happy at work
How to find work that you truly love: Conclusion
There is, sadly, no magic bullet for finding a job that you will truly love. Sometimes the situations at hand make us not go beyond money because in Kenya, almost of half of the well-paying jobs are stressful and we need the money.
Treat finding the right job match as a process of trial and error. Low-risk ways to test your options, such as shadowing someone for a day, will help you find what you actually enjoy in practice.
As you look for work you love, you may have to shake up your life, step out of your comfort zone, make a few mistakes. That’s okay.keep trying until you’ll land where you need to be.