Most often than not, everyone is well-aware of what truly motivates them and “fits” their personality. If you are not one of them, don’t worry. After all, according to Gallup’s 2012 research, only 13% of the global workplace feels “actively engaged” in the jobs they do, while the rest couldn’t care less about finding meaning in their work.
If you are someone who is looking forward to doing exactly what suits you, motivates you, and brings you to life– something that you know you are born for– you are in luck. You are most likely to be part of the 13% should you discover this hidden purpose of your existence, instead of the sad 87% who experience no attachment to their work.
Here are a few tips that might help…
1) Observe What Stimulates You: Can you think of that one hobby or two that energizes you? This is going to be something you loved doing since you were a child. It may be a “task” to others but for you, a fun hobby. It could be travelling, painting, inventing, writing, helping, or anything at all.
Now, think about the various jobs in the field that involve the same or similar tasks. It could be a job you are willing to do without a pay. You love because it fits your personality, passion and interests, and not something you are doing only because it helps you pay the bills.
2) Discover Your Talents: Sometimes, we love doing something we have no talent for. Clearly, this is not going to be a great personality fit for you. Your most suitable job will be a great fit for not only your personality and passion, but also your innate skills and talents.
3) Ask Others what they think: Sometimes, others are the better judge of what we are exceptionally good at. We could be completely unaware of it because we never compared ourselves to others and simply dove into the task for long undisrupted hours, giving credit to our hard work rather than our talent.
If you can’t find someone who knows you that well, you can ask a mentor or a career coach for advice. To the trained eye (career coach), finding your innate talents and passions would only take a couple of sessions to set you on the right career path.
4) Take a Test: Plenty of organizations and websites offer tests that can help you sort out your personality type and match it to a career. Some may require a fee, while others will be for no fee at all. The Myer Briggs Personality Test indicator is one of the most famous tests taken to assess your personality type — extraversion, introversion, sensing, intuition, judging and feeling– and matching it to a career. You can also randomly search tests online and try any collection of free personality-career quizzes and tests.
5) Test the Waters: Another way to explore the job you deemfit for your personality is by trying out several internship programs. Internship programs are usually not too hard to come by. Unlike full-time employment, you are not a debt to the company which is why they are more willing to hire internees and sometimes do their own “testing”.
When you have a select few self-fulfilling jobs figured out, test the waters by applying for internships in that particular area of interest. During your internships, you should be able to figure out if the work around you motivates, or does the opposite – turns you off. Make sure you fully involve yourself instead of wasting time giving coffees or photocopying papers. Only then will you be able to figure out whether or not you are the “right fit” for the organization. If the employer thinks so too, he will offer you the job!
Drusilla Richards works is an active blogger at dissertation consultants Dissertation Peak. She’s loves to blog on any subject that piques her curiosity. When she isn’t blogging, she watches her favorite TV show Flash. Join her on Google+
