March 19, 2021, by stykjsk
How Can We Achieve Career Fulfilment?
By Katy Skillen, third year Master of Nutrition and Dietetics student.
It’s now been around a year since Lockdown 1.0 was announced. By now we have all adjusted to a slightly more monotonous and repetitive way of life. And this might not just be in our personal lives, but in our professional lives as well. So, how can we add some excitement into our careers, when everything still feels at a bit of stand-still? How can we really find fulfilment in our jobs?
Focus on others
When we think of fulfilment, we often think about ourselves, but maybe we should start doing something for someone else. If we help, encourage, and support each other in our workplaces, it gives us that little buzz and sense of satisfaction that really makes us feel like we’ve made a difference. When we work together, a strong sense of trust and culture emerges. This makes your work environment a more fulfilling and progressive place.
Set goals
The best way to feel fulfilled is by achieving something, and that can’t be done unless you make achievable targets. The best goals are SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time bound. Only set a maximum of three goals a day, to not overwhelm yourself, and remember to take time to congratulate yourself once you achieve them.
Change your routine
Okay, I appreciate that, given our current situation, this can be quite difficult ! But the best way to get out of a career rut is to just break the cycle! Why not see if your workplace is offering any courses, extra training or if there are any networking occasions? This will remind you of all the opportunities that exist, and how much you can more you can learn and grow as an individual.
Remind yourself why you do what you do
What really excites you about your job? If you can’t think of an answer to this question, then maybe it’s time to get thinking! Even if it is just a little part-time role, take time to remember why you do your job. Then, you will automatically become more acutely aware of the positive and rewarding outcomes that you create.
Honestly, put in the effort
This sounds like such cliched advice, but truly – the more you put into a role the more you will get out. You will never get job satisfaction if you are just doing a job to do the job, or to get paid at the end of the month. Reduce the mundanity of your job by putting in energy and enthusiasm. Make a joke with a customer, do an extra task to help out a colleague, remember to smile during your (what feels like one-hundredth) Teams meeting of the day and honestly just appreciate your job.
During the past year, we’ve seen massive changes in the workplace, and I for one, am so thankful to still have a job that I can do during this pandemic. I really want to take more time to appreciate how lucky I am. Hopefully, I can use this gratitude to achieve a sense of fulfilment that I can carry throughout my whole career journey.
Need help to recognise the value of your part-time or temporary job? Talk to our advisers about how to utilise this experience to achieve your longer-term goal.
Not sure, what jobs could give you career fulfilment? The starting point is to work out what excites and inspires you – check out our choosing your career webpages.
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