How to Find a Job You Love

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Finding a job you love is more important than you might think. Only a third of us are happy in our careers - with troubling impact. 20% of us report taking out our work frustrations on our partners, while a quarter of us struggle to enjoy other aspects of our life because of work (according to Indeed's Work Happiness Score survey).
 

With a lifetime average of 90,000 hours spent at work, we should all endeavour to find a job that we enjoy. 
 

But how do you go about finding a job you love? Read on to find out.

 

Assess your skills

We all have a unique combination of skills. Usually, we get the most enjoyment from exercising our strongest skills.

List the skills that bring you the most joy - for example, helping people solve problems, being creative or collaborating on a complex task. 

Then, assess how transferrable these skills are. According to a 2019 LinkedIn survey, the top transferrable skills are:
 

• Creativity
• People skills
• Adaptability
• Leadership 
• Time management
   

Reflect on your preferred work arrangements

87% of us want flexibility in the way that we work, according to CIPD.

With culture shifting to prioritise work-life balance, more of us are willing to turn down a position if it can't accommodate our preferred work arrangements. 

So, consider how you'd like to work. 

There is little point in applying for a 'dream job' that means you have to work nights and weekends if that's not suitable for you. 

Likewise, roles that require in-person or even hybrid hours might not work for you if you want to find a remote job.

By being clear on how you would like to work, you can narrow your search for a job you love. 
 

Research market salaries

We all want to fair compensation for the work that we do. So, consider how much you could earn for your skills and experience. 

You can do this by researching online with Glassdoor, Indeed or LinkedIn. If you're working with a good recruitment consultant like Eden Scott, they'll also be able to guide you on salary expectations. 

More companies are becoming proactive about raising salaries within their organisation to reflect market rates. For example, Cadbury's recently announced a 17.5% salary increase for its employees.

It's worth finding out whether a company conducts regular salary assessments before seriously pursuing a position with them.
 

Assess company values 

46% of us say that a company's culture is very important. Just like in a relationship, you need to ensure that you and your company share the same values and that you are a good fit. 

Reflect on what's important to you. For example, perhaps you care about positive environmental practices, supporting social causes or simply not overburdening staff. 

You can get a good feeling for company culture on review sites like Glassdoor (be cautious however, reviews are often unverified and can sometimes come from malicious sources).
 

Create a career roadmap

76% of us are looking to expand our careers, while 34% have left positions to pursue better career development opportunities, according to ClearCompany.

By creating a career roadmap, you can identify the career development opportunities you'd like to pursue - and veto companies that can't offer those opportunities. Finding a job you love should involve a degree of career planning so that you can be sure you'll be happy within a similar role in the future. 
 

Work with a recruitment consultant

We've discussed what you should look for in a job you love, but when it comes to the practical aspect of finding a job, we can help. 

At Eden Scott, our dedicated recruitment consultants will help you by...
 

• Discussing your ambitions
• Assessing your skills
• Helping you identify suitable roles 
• Helping you apply for the role
• Helping you prepare for interview
• Negotiating job offers and giving feedback
   

We're in your corner throughout the job application process - and our service is completely free for candidates. 

Eden Scott testimonials

"The Eden Scott agents were very helpful from the minute my CV was submitted. They checked in with me daily and got me an interview. They offered a lot of advice and support leading up to the interview and continued to provide support even after getting the job. They are very approachable and were forthcoming to give recommendations based on my previous experiences. Would highly recommend." - Laura
 

"Really friendly people, very helpful in helping you prepare for interview. Also very attentive in checking up to see how things are going." - Leigh
 

"Would very much recommend Eden Scott. Great recruitment process and brilliant people." - Cassie
 

Ready to find a job you love?

Take the first step. Send in your CV.