Not loving your job right now? You’re far from alone. As we trudge through another pandemic January, we’re met with Blue Monday, famed as the most miserable day of the year. The January blues are felt by many, but they’re not entirely unavoidable.
Cynthia Davis, co-founder of recruitment platform Diversifying.io, explains how people can remove this dread and make a change so you’re no longer fated to suffer the blues year after year.
“Finding the right job is important for an overall sense of satisfaction,” says Davis. “With our jobs taking up a third of our working days, it’s incredibly important to make sure you’re in the right place for you, at the right time. Your workplace needs to align with the values of your personal life. What can you do to achieve this? It’s possible, I promise!”
- Become self-aware. You need to understand who you are, your lifestyle priorities, and what gets you out of the bed in the morning. It may take some time to recognise your priorities. Sadly, many people have put up with an unfulfilling job for so long that they don’t remember what they wanted from work in the first place. Start with unlearning the idea that work should be gruelling, and take a step back from ‘hustle culture’. Maybe consider taking a personality test, such as the Myers Briggs Type Indicator, as this can suggest certain careers based on your results.
- Gain real-world experience. You will probably have to put in some extra hours if you’re planning to switch careers. On the surface, this seems slightly counterintuitive, but doing things such as volunteering, interning, or an online course, can help improve your standing in a particular field. You’re probably in a privileged position by having the time and money to pursue unpaid experience – use that to your advantage.
- Mingle like a pro. By now, you’ve probably got a LinkedIn profile, but it’s time to put it to good use. The best way is to talk to as many people as possible about the best ways to get into the industry – don’t worry, they were in your position at one point so are usually willing to help out with a few words of wisdom. Before you begin these interactions, prepare an elevator pitch that, in a nutshell, informs people who you are, why you’re looking for a change and your career aspirations.
- Set yourself up for success. Begin to organise the logistics of your next move. Once you’ve done the first three steps, take this information and develop your plan of action. This might include finding a mentor or actively searching for new opportunities within your new field.
- Take action. Put the strategic moves into action with confidence. Just knowing you’re capable of changing your career’s direction may be enough to bring joy to your work life.
Davis adds: “Realising a particular job is not for us is part of discovering what makes us happy – it is not a failure! Don’t feel defeated if you find yourself in the wrong place career-wise, there are always steps to be taken and they may be easier than you think – it’s that first step that is often the hardest. If you’re willing to venture out of your comfort zone, you’ll find your way into a more fulfilling job and workplace as a result.”
