Targeting Job Satisfaction at Mid Career
Ready for a bigger challenge?
It takes people about two years to master a job and role at work. At that time their job satisfaction may begin to wane as they start looking for new things to learn and new ways to contribute. Interestingly, research suggests that job satisfaction has a significant impact on overall quality of life. To keep job satisfaction high, employees today need to be proactive in identifying the types of skills, experiences, and opportunities they would like to develop.
It is called self-reliance and it recognizes that we have a role in our job satisfaction. That may take a little time and effort. Can you identify skills that play into your natural talents? What is it you feel is missing? Understanding your aptitudes, or natural talents, can motivate you to fine-tune your personal development goals in a way that promotes job satisfaction.
Take time to look around and see what skills are needed in different roles or different areas of your company. If the gap between your current skill set and that required by by the roles you are interested in is too great, you need to figure out how to close it. Managers can be more helpful in supporting your career goals if you can articulate the types of contributions you’d like to make.
A good way to start is our free Job Satisfaction Survey, followed by an annual career check-up. Developing a proactive strategy will support a lifetime of job satisfaction. Take a little time to think about the answers to these questions:
- What is contributing to my job satisfaction – – or not?
- Do I have a picture of how my role fits in the organization?
- Do I have a mentor or a professional network to brainstorm with?
- Am I forward-looking in my skill building?
- Who can and should I talk to?
If you need some help, give us a call to see how our services could get you started.