Taking the leap to a more fulfilled career

Making sure you are fulfilled in your career has many benefits and can make your happier. Nicola Allen, freelance writer, looks at ‘finding the thing that fits – taking the first steps towards a more fulfilled career’

In the most recent issue of PA Life (July/August 2018) we learned that 42% of us would be willing to earn less to have a more fulfilling career. So why don’t more of us do it?

I asked some of my friends this question, their reasons are similar. Fear and uncertainty. Fear of giving up a secure job to step into the unknown; uncertainly about what they would like to do and whether it would really make them happier.

More and more side hustlers are also stepping away from the traditional second job working for someone else and branching out on their own.

Research from the Henley Business School estimates that nearly a quarter of the working population now have a ‘side hustle’ and this is expected to increase rapidly over the next decade.

More and more side hustlers are also stepping away from the traditional second job working for someone else and branching out on their own. This gives us greater opportunity to try multiple new things until we find the thing that fits.

Employment practices are also changing. Many employers recognise the benefits of less traditional way of working. Increased focus on flexible working means we can explore compressed hours, ten-day fortnights and split shifts. Technology enables us to work anywhere at any time, while still being virtually connected to our colleagues and customers.

I frequently compress my hours into four days. This has given me the time to undertake additional training and start taking my tentative first steps as a freelance writer. My employer has also reaped the benefits – my longer days mean that I am better able to support other business functions who operate over 12 hours per day, it gives my colleagues more flexibility to work shorter shifts on my longer days and my productivity has also increased as I have more hours in a working day to get my head down and concentrate.

Changing your career is no longer the big leap it once was, gone are the days of being forced to quit your day job to try something different. So, if you feel that your current working arrangements are not working for you, don’t be afraid to chat to your manager and ask to try something different. Sell the benefits to them, happy staff are naturally more engaged, engaged staff are naturally more productive. Give yourself the freedom to study, set up that business, or write that novel. You won’t regret it.