Dream On! – In Pursuit of the Perfect Job
'What we do now echoes in eternity’ – Marcus Aurelius
Unfortunately, within today’s society (and economy) sacrifice is a word heard far too often in achieving a career. In the development and progression of their careers many individuals find themselves sacrificing one thing or another in order to maintain or achieve a role.
But what are the most important things to take account of when considering a role? How do you make sure the career decisions you make now are the right ones for your future?
Here are some considerations that we believe if kept in mind and implemented can help ensure you achieve your career goals.
SHOW ME THE MONEY!
Remuneration, by necessity, is a key element in career decision making. You have to estimate not only your current but also your future needs and relate this to the type of roles you seek and if there is a match. The fundamental importance of remuneration to career satisfaction is illustrated in a survey of more than 3,900 fulltime employees. The majority of participants (70%) described increasing remuneration as the best method for employee retention (CareerBuilder 2013).
ARE YOU HAPPY?
Another essential element to keep track of when considering career opportunities and pathways is the level of contentment in any job. Contentment can be seen in a number of ways – engagement through routine variety, moral agreement with company activities and aims, levels of teamwork or lack of. In the end many aspects of contentment fall under the umbrella of cultural fit within a company. In fact, according to Glassdoor, having positive contentment through cultural fit can increase productivity. Glassdoor quotes, “companies with engaged employees outperform those without engaged employees by up to 202%” (2015).
OPPORTUNITY FOR ADVANCEMENT:
For the majority of individuals we enter from the ground floor up. Opportunities for advancement within an organisation fosters ongoing career satisfaction. According to the Society for Human Resource Management almost one third of individuals surveyed (29%) suggested a lack of opportunity for career advancement as the rationale behind influencing them to change employers (2008).
A BALANCING ACT:
Whilst an incredibly importance component, our careers are not the be all and end all in how we define success within our lives. Family, friends, travel, hobbies, interests etc. are massive alternatives keys to happiness and health. In considering career decisions the levels of commitment, work-life balance, and flexibility needed are important considerations. A Mashable publication cites that according to a Mental Health Foundation, ‘a third of UK-based participants were unhappy about the time they devote to work, with more than 40% of employees saying they were neglecting other aspects of their life’ (2015).
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION:
Although it may seem a minor detail, location is actually highly correlative in considering job opportunities. The location of a role, and increasing commute times can have large implications for the level of contentment, work-life balance and the like. For example, according to ABC’s Fact Check, a report has shown that the percentage of individuals travelling more than 90 minutes a day has increased from 12.7 to 17.8 % of the population between 2002 and 2007 (2015). With a growing population and the likelihood of further increasing transit times job location is and should be a consideration.
What do you think? What other aspects are highly important in considering a role?
Sources:
CareerBuilder Survey Reveals Most Wanted Office Perks and What Motivates Workers to Stay with Companies, 2013, CareerBuilder, viewed 16 February 2016, <http://www.careerbuilder.com/share/aboutus/pressreleasesdetail.aspx?sd=1%2f24%2f2013&siteid=cbpr&sc_cmp1=cb_pr735_&id=pr735&ed=12%2f31%2f2013>
Elliott, A. 2015, Working hours around the world: Does work-life balance exist?, Mashable, viewed 16 February 2016, <http://mashable.com/2015/04/27/work-life-balance-worldwide/#zmUfuz_gAPqs>
Fact check: Do nine in 10 Australians spend more than 90 minutes a day commuting?, Fact Check, viewed 16 February 2016, <http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-07-09/commuting-times-travel-shorten/6592510>
Gurchiek, K. 2008, Lack of Career Advancement Main Reason Workers Consider Leaving, Society for Human Resource Management, viewed 16 February 2016, <http://www.shrm.org/publications/hrnews/pages/lackofcareeradvancement.aspx>
Why Investing in Your Culture is Worth it, 2015, Glassdoor, viewed 16 February 2016, <https://www.glassdoor.com/employers/blog/why-investing-in-your-culture-is-worth-it/>
