One easy way to know if you’ve already found the job for you is if you are excited about going to work in the morning. Recruitment team leader John So says you’ve found the right place for yourself if, “you are motivated and willing to put in the extra effort, feel challenged in your role, find yourself providing added value and your reputation within the organization is positive, enjoy your team, and are progressing both as an employee and as a person.”
“If you feel that the company’s values, culture, and goals are something you believe in, and if the work that you do adds value or is recognized or contributes to your long term goals,” adds Myke Santos, deputy director for Human Resources.
However, So adds that your job must suit your family as well. “Nothing is worse than for a person to have a rewarding career at the cost of family, relationships, health, and so on,” he says.
The Breakup?
What if you feel there’s something wrong with your current job? Santos says it’s important to ask yourself a few questions: “Have you been feeling this way for a long time or is it a temporary, fleeting thing?” and “Why you are feeling this way?”
So suggests talking to your manager or superior about it or find someone in HR to talk to. “It’s important that you choose mature counsel as you want to focus on solutions and moving forward rather than being caught up in negative whining,” he says.
“Avoid blaming external factors,” advises Santos. “No one will have the perfect work environment, co-workers, pay, or bosses. Know whether what you get out of your job is commensurate to the challenges or difficulties it brings. Focus on your strengths and why you got into the job in the first place. Find a way back to that which attracted or engaged you.”
But at the same time, he says, “know when to let go. Be open to other opportunities around you and whether you feel it is worth it to go out of your comfort zone and take on another job.”
Getting to Know You
Our experts suggest asking yourself these questions while figuring out the perfect job for you.
Santos has two tests to determine this:
Once you’ve come up with your list of strengths, weaknesses, long term goals, and dreams, it’s time to actively find that job. If you realize that you’ve already got it, good for you! But if not, let the hunt begin.
“If you feel that the company’s values, culture, and goals are something you believe in, and if the work that you do adds value or is recognized or contributes to your long term goals,” adds Myke Santos, deputy director for Human Resources.
However, So adds that your job must suit your family as well. “Nothing is worse than for a person to have a rewarding career at the cost of family, relationships, health, and so on,” he says.
The Breakup?
What if you feel there’s something wrong with your current job? Santos says it’s important to ask yourself a few questions: “Have you been feeling this way for a long time or is it a temporary, fleeting thing?” and “Why you are feeling this way?”
So suggests talking to your manager or superior about it or find someone in HR to talk to. “It’s important that you choose mature counsel as you want to focus on solutions and moving forward rather than being caught up in negative whining,” he says.
“Avoid blaming external factors,” advises Santos. “No one will have the perfect work environment, co-workers, pay, or bosses. Know whether what you get out of your job is commensurate to the challenges or difficulties it brings. Focus on your strengths and why you got into the job in the first place. Find a way back to that which attracted or engaged you.”
But at the same time, he says, “know when to let go. Be open to other opportunities around you and whether you feel it is worth it to go out of your comfort zone and take on another job.”
Getting to Know You
Our experts suggest asking yourself these questions while figuring out the perfect job for you.
1. What do you want to be when you grow up?
This is one of the most common questions children get. So don’t cop out and say you never wanted to be anything. Try to remember. According to Santos, “What determines suitability in a job, whether it is employment or an entrepreneurial endeavor, is how the job contributes to your long term goals. As in all clichés, there really is value in knowing ‘what you want to be when you grow up’ and ‘how do you see yourself in three to five years.’”
2. How do you foresee your future?
It’s easy to just think about what’s good for you at this specific moment, but Santos says you must think of your long-term goals and how your work contributes to these goals. “See work as means to an end,” he says. “While no one job will likely fulfill all your goals, you will be able to assess what will be attainable in the job and what will be relevant to where you are today. Know what’s important to you—is it pay, is it the kind of co-workers you will have, is it location, is it work life balance?”
3. What are you good at? What aren’t you so good at?
The next step is to take a good look at your talents and skills, since these are the assets companies pay good money for. According to So, “It’s important to understand what your strengths are and understand what you want out of a career. This will help you narrow down your choices. You also have to accept your weaknesses. These limitations might be a window of opportunity for you to explore different and new opportunities to broaden your skills and experience, and improve yourself.”
4. How do you find your strengths and weaknesses?
Santos has two tests to determine this:
TEST 1: Get feedback from previous colleagues, mentors, and teachers. Look back at your accomplishments when you were in school or in previous jobs. What kind of work earned you the most recognition? Does it actually make use of your skills? You can also check out online instruments to assess your strengths.
TEST 2: Think of the activities you do that aren’t exactly easy but don’t feel like work to you. Sometimes it helps to go back to your childhood or school days to see what kind of things you did out of pure enjoyment with no expectation of pay.
Once you’ve come up with your list of strengths, weaknesses, long term goals, and dreams, it’s time to actively find that job. If you realize that you’ve already got it, good for you! But if not, let the hunt begin.
Olivia has been writing ever since she can remember. She has written for health, teen, parenting, and children's magazines. Her latest endeavor is being a mom to her three-year-old daughter—her toughest assignment yet. Swap stories with her at threeolivias@yahoo.com.
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