Your Dream Job Is Just One Step Away
How a shift in your mindset can make your job more fulfilling and enjoyable.
Many people in my network are intrigued about my enthusiasm at work. Most think I have found my “dream job”- I work in a young and dynamic company, travel often, and am building an incredible network by interacting with various stakeholders at Fortune 500 companies. You would have felt the same way if we had met at a conference, if you had seen some of the learning experiences I delivered, or by following me on Twitter or any other social networks.
Well, all of this is true and I absolutely love what I do, but there is no such thing as a dream job. I believe it is your mindset that makes your job fulfilling and enjoyable.
Focusing on the reasons why ‘you do what you do’ and celebrating the wins is what will keep you going.
Here are 5 tips that will help you feel more fulfilled at work.
1. Invest in your work relationships.
This might sound obvious, but it is relatively easy to forget this when joining a new company. You’ll get introduced to the team, and it is very likely that, naturally, you’ll switch to work-related questions as soon as you can, to extract knowledge from your teammates. The extent to which you should apply this first piece of advice will vary based on the environment you work in, but I cannot recommend enough getting to know your new team. Learning what they have done before or what they like to do in their free time is important.
When I joined General Assembly as an Engagement Manager in London, my direct team was based out of our NYC offices. The team was relatively small at the time (we doubled in size in one year!) and I was lucky to travel to NYC to meet them only after a few weeks of working closely together. The time I spent there included an Escape room, dinners and more, all cadenced by – very odd – ice-breakers. What better way to get to know people you’ll be working with?
If the company you work at is hosting team retreats or company off-sites, it is also an opportunity for you to spend time with people you don’t usually interact with. Those events don’t happen as often as we’d like them to, so a great alternative is to set bi-weekly coffee breaks with teammates who you don’t know that well. Who knows, your work bestie could be sitting across the room!
Getting to know your colleagues in different environments will change the way you work together, and you should definitely invest in those relationships.
2. Create opportunities for yourself.
The first step to loving what you do and feeling fulfilled is to accept that there will be ups and downs, just like in any position and workplace. When joining a new company, identify and write down why you decided to assume your role. It could be that you admire the company, that the work is meaningful, the job allows you to achieve financial security or for any other reasons. Now, there is something more.
It is your ability to create opportunities for your personal development that will give you the strongest sense of fulfilment at work. It’s as simple as that.
My role as an engagement manager at General Assembly is extremely varied. My team is responsible for the delivery of our learning programs and for proactively finding ways to engage learners at different companies. I have always approached my responsibilities with the same mindset: I constantly seek out opportunities to do more of what I love.
Think about what you enjoy doing, and creative ways you could bring that into your work.
For example, I have taken on different projects at work that would, at the same time, help me develop my marketing skills. I realised that learning about A/B testing would help optimise our email marketing campaigns, so I printed out several online guides that I read while commuting and started testing. This was beneficial to both my team and myself.
Another example would be when my team was looking for someone to contribute to our internal blog focused on digital trends. I had been looking to develop my writing skills and seized the opportunity. I sometimes feel so fulfilled from what I do at work that it does not feel like work anymore.
3. Bring unique value to your company.
You are certainly part of a team, but remember that you are bringing a unique perspective to the workplace.
Take a step back to see what you’ve accomplished and think about how you can contribute to your company’s success in a way that no one else can.
Since starting to work at GA, I have been working mostly with our Enterprise clients based in Europe and specifically in France. As General Assembly is an American company, I used to think thatI had to speak English with all our clients, although I also speak French.
As we developed my relationships with French clients, I realised the incredible value we were providing them when interacting in their local language. I started flying to Paris more often, speaking more often with our French participants, and have been able to gather unique feedback thanks to that proximity. We have since then developed meaningful relationships with our French clients and the results are incredible — whether in increased satisfaction rates, engagement rates with our learners, or renewal rates with companies.
The work culture at General Assembly has pushed me to develop my curiosity and spontaneity, but I understand that not every company will be that flexible and allow you to do more of what you love. However, there are definitely ways for you to bring your unique perspective to work and you should always have a set of goals in mind to bring value to both your employer and yourself. Make it happen!
4. Keep learning.
It is crucial to keep learning in your job. If you are not learning anymore, then it might be time to move on. As one of the strongest advocates of lifelong learning, I get excited to learn about the most in-demand skills. I might even choose a ‘learning marathon’ over a Netflix marathon.
The closest I have come to a learning marathon is taking the General Assembly Digital Marketing course. I already had two Business/Marketing degrees: a B.A. from an international university in Israel, and a Master’s from one of Europe’s top business schools — ESCP Europe. On the one hand, my academic experiences taught me critical thinking, analytical reasoning, increased my confidence and expanded my network. On the other hand, the learning experiences at General Assembly were the most “hands-on” and valuable I ever experienced. In just a few months, by attending courses after work or online, I have learned about Google Analytics, SEO, Paid Search & Paid social, Programmatic, Storytelling, Landing pages and UX/Service design.
There are, of course, tons of training providers you can explore to gain additional skills. As digital transformation is impacting the workplace, skills that were once in demand are becoming obsolete and it’s crucial to keep developing new skills to stay relevant. Plus, it certainly does not hurt to know the basics of different disciplines.
5. Speak up!
Last — but not least — remember to voice your opinion at work. It is easy to tell your surroundings that you are not happy in your role. However, unless you share your thoughts with your manager, your situation will remain the same.
At GA, we have the opportunity to share thoughts with the broader team through a ‘monthly barometer’ survey. The purpose of the barometer is to track how our team is feeling, doing and operating, and identify where we need to focus our attention and improve. While not every company has the ability to gather individual feedback, remember that you have been hired for a reason and that your team wants you to feel fulfilled. If you think the company would benefit from a change, just say it! Everyone knows a happy employee is a productive employee.
I have found these tips useful and I hope you do, too. I highly encourage trying any of the steps above before reaching the conclusion that you ‘don’t like your job.’
I strongly believe that your mindset helps to make your job fulfilling and enjoyable, but I’d love to hear more of your personal tips. If you have any, drop them in the comments below!
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