Having a career that can bring you a sense of happiness is quite important when it comes to finding fulfillment. Whether you are just starting out in your career or want to change career paths, a big question you might have is—what career would make me happy?
This sounds like a loaded question but once you start figuring out your own responses to it while also learning how to organize these responses, you will be able to find some clarity and start looking for the best kind of career for yourself.
When I was in the process of wondering what career would make me happy, I relied quite a bit on research and a good amount of listing things down. To help you out with your own thought and action process, I have compiled this list of nine tips that you can go through and apply.
What Career Would Make Me Happy? Tips to Follow
Nearly 49% of workers across America are satisfied with their jobs. This is a lower rate than you would expect. So, what is it about a career and your own requirements that you should focus on when it comes to choosing a career that would make you happy?
You can go through the following tips to get a better idea about this.
Examine Career Goals
One of the first and most important things you should note is your own goal when it comes to your career. How far do you want to advance in a particular career? What are your long-term goals?
How important is it for you to have sufficient advancement opportunities in your career? According to Statista, 43% of people categorize career advancement opportunities as being an important attribute when it comes to organizations and satisfaction.
In this sense, you should pay sufficient attention to potential careers that you might be considering so that you can get a clear idea about what to expect.
It can help to list down your own step-by-step goals that you plan to achieve.
Stay Honest
Significantly, you must stay honest and true to yourself throughout the process of figuring out the career that would make you happy. Make an effort to become more self-aware so that you can figure out what exactly you want from your career.
If you are changing careers, then you should ask yourself what it was about the previous career that made you unhappy. With this in mind, you can ensure that your new career does not offer you the same kinds of difficulties.
You should also make a note of your own personality to see how it matches with various career roles.
Understand Your Priorities
Make sure you understand your own priorities when it comes to your career. There are several things that people might look for when it comes to their career and the amount of importance that they give to each priority might be a bit different.
For instance, while someone might prioritize their salary and benefits, another person might prioritize the chances of growing in the career. Yet another priority is having a good work-life balance and the number of workdays in a week.
It is essential for you to understand your own priorities in this regard so that you can look for careers accordingly. Start by making a list of your priorities with the most important thing at the top.
Frame the Next Step
Instead of focusing on your entire career at large, sometimes it can be more useful to simply start small. It might not always be possible to have the same job and career for the rest of your life.
In this sense, it can save you quite a bit of time and stress if you simply figure out what it is that you can see yourself doing and being happy with for the next few years to come.
Understanding that there will always be more options and more decisions to make (and that you do not need to make them right away) can give you some clarity so that you can focus on figuring out the next step.
Working Environment
A healthy working environment can go a long way in contributing to satisfaction and happiness when it comes to your career. This kind of working environment applies to the kind of people you are surrounded with, what the hierarchies are like, how much freedom you tend to have, what your schedule is and a lot more.
According to a survey conducted by Statista, nearly 60% of the respondents said that the people they work with are significant factors when it comes to job satisfaction.
51% also believe that work-life balance can contribute to this kind of happiness in one’s career.
The career that you opt for should also meet all your values and ethics so that you have a higher chance of finding happiness.
Gain Experience
As a way to figure out what kind of career would make you happy, you can try to gain some experience in different kinds of careers so that you can understand what to expect from each of them.
This can also allow you to learn new skills and experiment a bit with various jobs. This can include part-time work, internships, temporary roles, light freelancing, working as an assistant and more.
An added bonus to these is the fact that you can earn some money alongside to keep you afloat. Having this kind of first-hand experience can give you a lot more clarity apart from simply doing some research.
Be Adaptable
A significant aspect of being and remaining happy in your career is your ability to be adaptable and flexible when it comes to your outlook, your expectations and your ability to do well in all kinds of situations.
Apart from this kind of adaptability, you should also keep an open mind when it comes to the kind of career that you could potentially end up finding happiness in. it might turn out to be something unexpected, so allow yourself to be ready for all kinds of results.
You can also work towards this by talking to as many people as possible within your network so that you can understand the needs of various careers better.
Note Your Strengths
Make a note and list of your own strengths so that you can direct your efforts towards finding a career that can successfully and effectively make use of these strengths.
Once you become aware of these strengths, moreover, you can get a better understanding of your weaknesses as well so that you can figure out how to improve on them.
Matching your strengths with various careers is also important. You can start by looking at job descriptions to see how well the requirements match your experience and skills.
You can also seek the help of career counselors to help you figure this out.
Learning and Benefits
Learning is a lifelong process even when it comes to your career. However, if you reach a dead-end in your career too early on, then this can take away the new challenges that might come your way to keep the career interesting.
If this kind of mundane and routine work is not something that makes you happy, then make sure you choose a career that has enough of a learning curve so that you can keep expanding your horizons.
At the same time, the job that you do should compensate you well and provide you with some good benefits so that you can maintain this kind of happiness and willingness to learn even in the long run.
What Is the Best Job to Enjoy Life?
I have now taken you through the ways in which you can answer the question—what career would make me happy? In this sense, what career should you choose that would make you happy?
Ultimately, this depends on a range of factors, but several job analysis lists and research point towards a range of jobs that people find the most happiness in. These could include dental hygienists, physical therapists, foresters, actuaries, video game designers, event planners, novelists and pet groomers, among others.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Do I Start Looking for a Fulfilling Career?
You can start looking for a fulfilling career by trying out different kinds of jobs to see what works well for you. Make sure you do your research, become aware of your skills, gain some experience, network well and make your decision wisely.
Should I Follow My Passion in My Career?
Following your passion in your career can be a good idea as long as you can ensure that it will be fulfilling and rewarding enough for you. It might not always be possible to carry this out, in which case it can be better for you to opt for something that allows growth and compensates you well for it.
Parting Thoughts
Now that you know about these nine tips, it is time for you to apply them to your own career so that you can figure out what kind of career would make you happy for the foreseeable future.
Read More:
- Frustrated With Lack Of Career Progression: 12 Tips To Get Unstuck
- Thinking “My Job Is Making Me Miserable”? 7 Best Things You Can Do Right Now
- How Can I Find a Career Path When No Career Interests Me?
Founder of Eggcellentwork.com. With over 20 years of experience in HR and various roles in corporate world, Jenny shares tips and advice to help professionals advance in their careers. Her blog is a go-to resource for anyone looking to improve their skills, land their dream job, or make a career change.
No Comments