Do you feel uninspired, bored and unmotivated in your current role? Do you find yourself repeatedly waking up on a Monday morning filled with dread at the prospect of returning to work after the weekend?
If so, you’re not alone. Job satisfaction slumped to a two and a half year low in Spring 2016, according to the Employee Outlook survey completed by the CIPD.
So, what’s the solution?
The idea of searching for a new career might seem daunting, especially if you’re not sure what kind of job you would enjoy. As such, Webrecruit has compiled a list of our four top tips to help you on your job search and find a career that makes you happy:
1. Think about what motivates you
What is it that would make you want to get up and go to work in the morning?
The key to being happy at work is recognising what makes you happy at work. For some people, this is as simple as receiving a generous salary and being rewarded competitively for what they do.
For others, it might be having the chance to make a real difference in their role – whether that’s through developing an amazing product, influencing the company’s future direction or making a difference to the world around them.
Sit down and think carefully about what would motivate you in your new role and make sure you keep this at the forefront of your mind during your job search. This should allow you to pinpoint what you want (and don’t want) to do more easily.
2. Consider what industries you’re passionate about
If you’re struggling to decide on an exact career path you’d like to follow, consider the type of industry you’d like to work in instead.
Make a list of everything you’re passionate about and think about how this translates into industry sectors. For example, if you love books, consider the world of publishing. If it’s going to the gym and living a healthy lifestyle, conduct some research into the fitness and leisure industry.
Once you’ve narrowed your search down to a couple of industries that you’d like to work in, make a list of 5-10 companies within these industries that interest you. Research these businesses, read their careers pages to find out about their culture and values and check that they’re in line with your own ethos.
Follow these companies on Twitter and LinkedIn and keep an eye out for any open vacancies – you might see something which captures your interest.
Getting your foot in the door of your dream company is a brilliant way of progressing and discovering a role that you love.
3. Think about your strengths
If you’re still undecided on a role you’d like to pursue or an industry you’d like to work in, it’s worth making a list of your strengths and what you typically enjoy doing at work. Take a look at this list and think about how they could translate into a job.
For example, are you a good communicator? Do you love talking to customers? If so, stop looking at back office roles and start thinking about customer-facing positions.
If you’re IT savvy, look for technical support roles. Are you naturally creative? Consider how your skills could be utilised within a graphic design or marketing role.
It’s important to think about the skills and experience that you’ve developed in your roles to date and focus on transferable skill-sets. By playing to your strengths and what you actually enjoy doing, you’re more likely to get a role that you’re passionate about (and good at!)
4. Talk to your friends
Referrals are a brilliant way of discovering new companies that have a good employer reputation. If you have a friend who’s particularly happy at work, ask if they have any open positions.
Any company can talk about how good they are on their careers page; hearing reviews first-hand from employees can make much more of an impact.
