Beyond the Salary: How to Choose a Job That Fits You Perfectly
As you embark on the journey to find a new job… and not just any job, a job that is worth your while, you want to be looking for a few important things. And spoiler alert… it’s not salary. Don’t get me wrong, salary is important, but if you are not in alignment with other factors, it won’t make a difference how much money you are bringing in. Remember the old saying, money doesn’t buy happiness (it’s actually true!).
So, what should you be looking for in your job search?
WHAT KIND OF WORK WILL YOU BE DOING?
Pay attention to the job description and really understand what you will be doing day in and day out. Will it be the same thing every day? Will you get to collaborate and contribute to innovation at the company? Will you be learning new technology, systems, and processes outside of your initial training?
Know what is important to you in your next job in terms of tasks and responsibilities and then when presented with an opportunity, you can scrutinize it to make sure it is a good match. And remember, if it doesn’t excite you, move on. Life is too short to be bored by your job!
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE COMPANY?
Learn about what products and services they are offering. What are their customers saying about the company? Dig into what the company culture is like, including topics around work-life balance, vacation, how are meetings scheduled, and even communication. Pay attention to what the interviewers are saying about your critical items and if you feel like they are being sketchy, be careful. In the end, ask yourself, would you be proud to talk about this company even if you didn’t get the job?
To help you through this, create an ideal company checklist before you ever start your job search. Defining what you would like in your next company will help you be more critical about each opportunity and avoid being swayed by glittery perks and money.
HOW DOES THIS JOB FIT INTO THE MISSION/VISION OF YOUR LIFE?
Your career isn’t all that you are, you have friends, family, hobbies, and more. So why build your life around a career, why not find a career that fits into your life? What’s important to you in terms of how you want to live your life? Do you want the freedom to travel and work anywhere? Do you want to build a community and relationships? Do you want more time to focus on your family and spend time with your kids?
There are no right or wrong answers here, it is simply what is important to you, but by defining what that is will make it easier to see if the job that you are applying for is really the right job for you.
Getting clear on what you want and need in your next career move will only make your job search that much easier and help reduce the risk of jumping into something that might not be right (or a worse situation than you are currently in (yikes!)).
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