Finding a career where you don’t have to force the will out of yourself to go to work in the morning is everyone’s dream. To love what you do and enjoy it fully can bring immense career fulfilment. Teta Akaliza a travel enthusiast says a career should offer you a chance to learn as you elevate to higher positions with time. “In my opinion, everything that involves moving forward always needs change. But also, it should be something that you are enjoying and not something you feel like you are being forced to do. A career should be something one feels like they are where they should be and not doubt if they are making the right decisions,” she says. Jean Kabanda, a sales manager points out how some people rush to join certain careers for the money, noting however that this doesn’t always come with fulfilment. What is the point if you feel like you are trapped and forced to work a certain job just to get the money? He wonders. Yes, money is also important but sometimes you need to look deeper. Is this what you have always dreamed of doing? Are you where you are supposed to be? Because you will not excel in your life if you are doing something you are not happy with, Kabanda says. Where to start Herminia Ibarra, the author of ’Working Identity,’ asserts that we have many possible selves, meaning there are many things we could do in life that would be fulfilling and satisfying to us. There are many ways we can express our core values. Bella Umutoni a make-up artist says everyone should think about what they enjoy most doing and do it and leave the poor mentality that portrays some jobs as not real jobs. “All that matters is to have fun while working and not feel stressed.” “I think for someone to choose a long-term career, they have to consider the environment, the people around and the kind of air they bring to the room. Is it positive and conducive? Do you relate to the people around you!? “Are they willing to work together as a team? And are you all willing to uplift each other?” Akaliza advises on a few things to look out for. The balance careers website provides some questions to first ask yourself before venturing in anything. Some of these include; Whether the job fits well with who you are People who take into account their personalities and interests increase their chances of finding fulfilling careers. Ideally, you should do a thorough self-assessment when you begin the career planning process. Use a variety of tools, including personality and interest inventories to learn all about yourself. Whether the occupation is compatible with your work-related values While you are learning about your personality, interests, and aptitudes, you should take the time to identify your core values. These are the beliefs and ideas that inform your actions and make your career fulfilling. Examples are autonomy, challenge, helping others, recognition, and variety. Whether you’ll enjoy your job duties Learn about the job duties for any career you are considering and make sure most of them are things you like doing. Performing tasks you enjoy is motivating. It will energise you, and that enthusiasm will allow you to do your job better. A direct effect could be praise from your boss, and hopefully, that will lead to recognition in the form of advancement. Whether you’ll make enough money Earning a lot of money won’t make you love a career that is a bad fit for you, but if you can’t earn a living, even in a suitable occupation, you will be unlikely to find it completely fulfilling. As they say, you have to be able to eat and pay rent, or a mortgage and other expenses.
