Discovering a Career You Love: Lessons from Nine Inspiring Individuals
In the post-holiday season, returning to work might stir up unacknowledged feelings of dissatisfaction with your role, team, or company, a situation shared by 85% of employees according to a 2023 poll. But several professionals from various industries have shared why they wholeheartedly enjoy their current jobs. They highlighted the critical factors that make their roles stand out from their past ones and offered guidance for those in search of a rewarding career.
Ashley Strahm, Director of Content at The Lactation Network
Strahm passionately shares lactation stories, aiding breastfeeding families and care providers. Her organization prioritizes her professional needs, which has led to unprecedented opportunities for global collaborations. She strongly believes that companies truly wish to support employees with unique benefits and solutions, given the right leadership curiosity.
Her advice to job seekers is to be persistent in advocating for their needs during the interview process.
Megan Scache, Lead Executive Assistant at Censora
Having excellent work-life balance and company support for her career advancement has helped Scache excel as a working mom. In her previous roles, she faced micro-management, work-life imbalance, and unhappiness. Scache recommends digging deeply to identify the values, needs, and priorities that a truly fulfilling job should offer.
Josh Cohen, Director of MBA Entrepreneurship Programs and Startup Recruiting at Duke University
Cohen's passion for startups has helped him thrive in his role, where he supports both student and MBA entrepreneurs. Aligning his strengths with the job's core responsibilities make his involvement engaging and fulfilling. Cohen suggests codifying your core values, understanding your strengths, and planning your career path to find a purposeful occupation.
Beryl Rabindran, Senior Technical Business Development Manager at Amazon Web Services
Rabindran values the opportunity to blend her scientific background with her business skills in her present role at Amazon Web Services. Her role allows her to make a significant impact by making high-value datasets publicly accessible for researchers worldwide. Rabindran suggests considering industries that might not be directly related to one's background to find a fulfilling occupational fit.
Deborah Rose, Director of Programming at Start Lighthouse
Rose enjoys creating magical learning experiences for children in New York City's Title 1 public schools. Her role aligns with her passion for teaching and learning, and she gains satisfaction from benefiting students who need it the most. Rose advises being patient and persistent in finding the right occupation that resonates with their strengths, passions, and values.
Claire Li, Program Manager, Revenue Strategy and Operations at Google
Li finds joy in leading projects that significantly aid Google's ad revenue generation. The company prioritizes employee satisfaction through surveys and transparent accountability. As a result, employees feel empowered to take ownership and voice their opinions. Li encourages defining non-negotiables to facilitate a more straightforward job search that caters to personal and professional happiness.
In conclusion, the key to finding a meaningful career revolves around prioritizing unique benefits, career advancement opportunities, supportive leadership, and work-life balance. Aligning roles with your skills, community involvement, and purpose can transform a regular occupation into a fulfilling journey.
Ashley Strahm, sharing her experience at ForbesWomen's platform, emphasizes the importance of leadership recognizing employees' needs for unique benefits and solutions to foster job satisfaction.
Claire Li, working at Google, expresses gratitude for the company's focus on employee satisfaction and transparent accountability, which empowers employees to voice opinions and find joy in their projects.
