Not Happy at Your Job? How to Find a More Satisfying Career
This is a collaborative post about finding a more satisfying job by Ellie Jo.
Let’s be completely honest; work is always going to be something that can be difficult, stressful and occasionally frustrating. If it weren’t it wouldn’t be called work, would it? But that doesn’t mean that you should be happy spending all of your time feeling tired, bored, and annoyed with your job.
Working a job like that is not only going to make it difficult for you to care about the work that you’re doing but it’s also going to make your life more difficult in general. Working a job that you don’t find satisfying can cause problems in your personal relationships and can even have a negative impact on your health!
It’s fortunate then that there are plenty of jobs out there, each one with its own particular set of benefits and drawbacks. The only way to figure out which one is right for you is to ask yourself what it is that you really want to get out of a job and what it is that you want to avoid.
If you aren’t happy at your current job, here are some careers that often have very high satisfaction rates. Hopefully, these tips for finding a satisfying job will give you an idea of the kind of work that you’d be happy doing every day.
How to Find a Satisfying Job
Writer
Many people think of writers in terms of the lone author sitting in a study working on the next great novel, and there’s definitely some truth to that. Like many creative people, authors are in a position to be able to make a living doing something that they are truly passionate about.
The sad truth is, however, that unless you’re the writer of a bestseller, there isn’t really that much money to be made as an author. However, that’s not the only way to make a career as a writer. You have the option of working as a journalist, a perfect option if you’re interested in current events and research.
Or perhaps you’d be happier as a lifestyle blogger if you’re the kind of person who’s constantly up to date with the latest fashion trends. There are so many jobs out there for writers, and many of them come with the option of working from home and having flexible hours, allowing you a great deal of freedom of when and where you work.
How to get started as a writer?
If you want to write for a living, you need great writing skills. Take the time to perfect these skills by practicing every day. The more you do it, the better you will get. Even if no one reads your work, it will be the best way to get to grips with learning how to make your writing more engaging and accurate, which is crucial for making a career out of it.
If you already have a number of skills in writing or are naturally gifted, there is always room for improvement. Try writing in a different style or be more direct. You will also want to set enough time aside to read. Reading can help you become more familiar with sentence structure and improve your vocabulary and grammar.
When you feel confident enough, share your work with others and prepare for critique. This is the next step in getting better and getting a job. With skills in the bag, now is the time to build up experience. Freelance writers are in demand, so start applying for roles like this.
Medical professional
image source: crop-doctor-in-medical-uniform-with-stethoscope-standing-in-clinic-corridor-4173251It’s hardly surprising that one of the most satisfying sectors to work in is one where you get to spend your time helping people and saving lives. It might be intimidating for some people who imagine that the only medical career to pursue is that of a doctor but in reality, there are hundreds of different roles, each with their own requirements and possibilities.
The key is to find the right one for you. Even within nursing, there are dozens of variations that can lead you to any number of specializations. Check out sites like StaffNurse for all of the latest nursing job market, salaries and news.
Of course, you should always be aware that medicine is far from the most relaxing environment. If you want to be a doctor or a nurse, then you’ve got to be ready to jump into a hectic, exciting, non-stop atmosphere right from the very start.
How do you get started in this Rewarding career?
If you want to get into a healthcare position like a nurse, then you will need formal qualifications. Registered nurses need to earn an Associate’s Degree in Nursing or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Some students can complete this in as little as 18 months if they already have another degree. In addition to formal qualifications, you will also need to pass the NCLEX to work as a nurse.
The great thing about a healthcare career, specifically in nursing, is that you can constantly put work into progressing your career. For instance, studying one of the Carson-Newman University nursing programs will provide you with all the skills and knowledge you need to advance your career. For example, you could direct your career towards being a Family Nurse Practitioner. The great thing is that courses like this are designed for working nurses and so are 100% online.
Business owner
One of the most frustrating things that many people find in their jobs is the fact that they have no real control over what happens. They just show up in the morning, are given a set of instructions to follow, then go home.
It’s hard to feel like what you’re doing particularly matters under those circumstances. If you’re looking for a career where you really get to feel as though your decisions make a difference then perhaps you’d be better off striking out on your own and starting your own business.
As a business owner, there’s no one else with more influence over what happens that you. You get to shape the company to fit your personal vision, and that can give you a genuine sense of pride and satisfaction over the work that you’re doing. Of course, that control comes with a lot of responsibility as well.
There will often be a lot of things that you have to deal with as well as a lot of employees that all need your support. It’s important that you avoid letting your employees feel the same way that you did. Help them to understand the importance of the work that they’re doing and make them feel as though they are genuinely having an impact and making a difference. This can be a satisfying job for many.
How do you get started as an entrepreneur?
First of all, you need a great idea. This will involve plenty of research on your part. You want to ensure that your idea is unique enough that no one else is already doing it and that there is actually going to be a niche market waiting for you.
When you have determined that there is and your idea is unique, you can start thinking about business names and getting the paperwork in order. Within this paperwork stage, you will want to form a solid business plan. This will detail all the research you conducted, as this will be crucial if you will need to apply for loans to get your business off the ground.
You will also need to decide upon a business structure at this moment in time and start thinking about where you will set up your business. Can you afford office or warehouse space? Do you intend to run your business from home?
These are all questions you need to ask yourself. For more advice on setting up a business, turn to professional help or read the numerous articles online packed full of useful information.
Teacher
image source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-woman-teaching-935943/What could be a more satisfying job than the knowledge that you’re shaping the minds and hearts of the next generation? There’s an argument to be made that teachers are some of the most important people in society since without them it would be incredibly difficult for any child to learn and progress in their life.
The right teacher can take a child who thinks they hate school and has no confidence into someone who loves learning and wanted to pursue an academic career. They can help children find their skills and passions, and guide them towards the kind of future that they will be able to get the most out of.
Few jobs offer you the chance to make a difference quite as much as teaching does. You should definitely be ready to spend some time outside of your contracted hours working, though.
There’s more to teaching than just standing up in front of a class. You’ll have to do a lot of research and preparation in order to make sure that your lessons are always as effective as possible. If you’re the kind of person who thrives on constantly improving and developing your skills, then teaching might well be the perfect career for you.
How do you get started as a teacher?
Like with nursing, you will need formal qualifications. However, before you embark on your studies, think about who you want to teach? Do you want to work with younger children? Maybe you love the challenge of working with teenagers. It could be that the university level of teaching is something you aspire to achieve.
When you know what you want to achieve with your teaching position, you can direct your education in the right way. Choose from a school run solely online or stick to the traditional degrees. Again, like nursing, after taking your bachelor’s, you can further your education and enhance your career opportunities.
This can ensure you get a more satisfying experience every day you work. Always take advantage of training opportunities offered to you in school and learn outside of your working hours.
Find out how I make money teaching online here.
Real Estate agent
There are a lot of reasons why estate agents so commonly rank among workers with the highest levels of job satisfaction. For one thing, estate agents often take home pretty high salaries. There are those who say that money shouldn’t make a difference on your job satisfaction but let’s face it; those people aren’t going to want to do their job for free, are they?
With the market coming out of recession over the last few years, it’s also a great time to work as an estate agent as more and more people are looking for their own properties. If you’re the kind of person who loves talking to people and finding out what they’re like, then this might well be perfect.
As an estate agent, it’s your duty to match people up with their perfect homes, and there’s no better way to do this than simply getting to know them. By talking to people, you can figure out what kind of home would suit them perfectly. Not only that but you can help people figure out what it is that they really want out of a house as well. Real estate is by far the perfect job for any smooth talkers.
How do you get started in this Satisfying career?
You will need to know the specific requirements for where you live if you want to work in real estate. Once you know whether you meet these requirements, you can swiftly move onto the next stage, which will involve taking a prelicensing course and licensing exam. When you pass these, you can activate your real estate agent license. With this, you can work in real estate.
In Conclusion
The kind of job that you would get the most satisfaction out of is an incredibly personal question and not one that should be taken lightly. But once you do find that perfect satisfying job you’ll discover just how much so many other elements of your life can improve. You will find yourself with more energy, a greater sense of purpose and enjoyment of life, not to mention the fact that you’ll be far more ready to get up every single morning and face whatever the day ahead can throw at you.
Rachel K. Belkin, M.Ed, is a journalist and writer with over 15 years of expertise in travel, business and marketing education, health, and local Austin, Texas events.
With a Master's degree in education from Texas State University and a Business Foundations Certification from The University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business, Rachel's extensive background is highlighted by her published works and contributions to prestigious publications, including HuffPost, Hometalk, Matador Network, AP News, and MSN.com, as well as on her own platforms, Rachel K. Belkin, Elkin Bay, and Probe the Globe.
Beyond her accomplishments in writing, Rachel is a sought-after educator, teaching businesses effective marketing strategies and content creation techniques. Notably, she successfully built a blog from scratch in 2008, ultimately selling it for six figures in 2021.
Rachel's commitment to advocacy is exemplified by her role on the Breast Cancer Resource Center Advisory Council, particularly contributing to the success of the Young Survivor Project. Rachel is also an experienced public speaker with appearances on TV segments for Fox 7 Austin, KXAN, and CBS Austin and as a speaker at conferences and professional networking meetings for business owners and cancer survivors.
