Are you in the right job?
We all have days when we are really unhappy at work, we also have days when the thought of getting up and making our way to the office is very depressing. What you need to ask yourself though is – am I in the right job? Here are some tips on how you can tell if you are in the right job or not:
Time flies
A good way of judging whether you are happy at work is how quickly the days go. If they drag on and on and on the chance is you are incredibly bored. If the hours race by when you are at work and you are shocked when you look at the clock but you are getting the work done this is a sign that you are probably in the perfect job. Remember “time goes quickly when you are having fun”.
You’re in love with your colleagues
If you really like the people you work with, you have fun with them in the workplace but at the end of the day you are still a team, you are definitely working somewhere special. Sometimes what you do during the day is not as important than the people you do it with. If going to work to see your colleagues makes you happy you really are in the right job.
You tell people about your job
If you like something you talk about it. So if you are happy at work chances are you will talk about it a lot. This can be annoying for your friends and relatives outside of work, but it is a really good sign if you are constantly talking about your job it shows you are fully engaged in your role and keen to share what you have been up to with others.
You don’t mind the boring parts of your job
If you don’t mind the boring parts of your job, and everyone has boring elements in their role, then you love your job. Being busy at work is great, however sometimes it is nice to do a boring part of the role. It could be a mundane task like filing but you know once it is completed you can get back to what you love.
Your job challenges you
We may dream of having a job which is actually a doddle but the reality is it’s not really what we want. All of us like a challenge at work it’s what keeps us stimulated, it’s what makes our jobs interesting, so if you are able to push yourself out of your comfort zone and if you are working for a Company which does not punish you if you make a mistake and they encourage you to do more and learn from anything that has gone wrong then you are working for the right Company. To be happy in work you need to be challenged so if you are then you are in the right job.
You have a good work/life balance
Any job which affects your health, personal relationships or work life balance is not the right job to be in. You know the job is right for you if it allows you time for your friends, family and personal interests, no job should be more important than your well being. So if your job allows you to also enjoy a healthy life outside work it clearly is a good place to be.
You jump out of bed in the morning
If you are happy to get out of bed in the morning and look forward to going into work then the chances are you are in the right job. So if you are one of the first people into work, you are never late and when you get to work you are happy to be there and you are pleased to see your colleagues and looking forward to the day ahead the job you are in clearly fulfils all of your needs.
You have a good boss
If you have a good boss then this could make the difference between you liking a job and you hating it. A good boss knows when to be supportive and when to push you to achieve more. You are probably working in the right job if you are being pushed this generally means your boss believes in you and feels you are capable of better things. With this type of boss you can be sure you have a great future ahead of you.
You work for a successful Company
Working for a Company that is doing well is a really important factor in you being happy, everyone wants to be in a winning team, there is no point in having your dream job if the Company you are working for is failing and likely to be out of business soon. You will know how your Company is doing without checking their balance sheet by the way the management behave. If there is a lot of tension in the organization chances are they are struggling, so make sure your employer is doing well.
You want your boss’s job
If you love your job but you would love your boss’s job more. This is a good sign. It means you are well-suited to your role but feel you could do more if you ever had the opportunity. This is a job you should stay in. You never know when your boss will move on, they may be promoted, they may leave because they have a better role, then you could be offered their position. So work hard, you never know what is right around the corner.
So to summarise we hope that you are in the right job, but if you are not consider moving on, after all a large chunk of your life is spent in work and it is important that you are happy.