Work - a (sometimes virtual) place where we spend many of our waking hours and where we ideally feel valued and appreciated, and find a sense of purpose. With the current instability in several areas of the world, the rise of AI and the waves of layoffs, it is hard to find that place, and a fulfilling career seems out of reach.
Sign your own career agreement
In Randstad’s 20th Workmonitor, over 35 000 workers from all over the world were asked what they wanted from work in 2023. Despite the challenges mentioned above, work-life balance was the top priority. 61% of all respondents said they wouldn’t accept a job if it negatively impacted their work-life balance. Work has to fit into their lives and not the other way round.
Expectations towards the employer also changed and it seems that they will have to step up their game if they want to attract and retain talent. Due to high inflation and rising energy costs, 41% of the people who participated in the survey wished their employer would pay a monthly cost of living pay boost.
It comes as no surprise that job security has also become a priority for the workforce all around the world. Over a third (37%) are worried that they might lose their job and more than half (52%) fear that the economic uncertainty will impact their job security.
How does this resonate with you? Are work-life balance and job security as important to you as to the survey participants, or do you have other preferences and priorities when it comes to your career?
There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to your career, and the person who knows what’s best for you is not your mother, your friend or your manager - it’s you. Yes, this makes things harder, because you can’t blame anyone when things don’t work out. However, it’s also amazing to imagine that you have the power to define your career on your own terms.
Action beats perfection
"One day...", "Once I have xxx saved, I will...", "It's not possible to have a fulfilling career and a family life." Statements you've heard from colleagues, friends, or maybe you already had similar thoughts yourself?
These are only thoughts, not reality. It's safe to stay in your head and your thoughts and leave your decision-making to your friends and family. It's safe to stay where you are, because you know it well and who knows if somewhere else might be better?
It all starts with a first step, and between safety and your first step lies a leap of faith, a "I'm afraid, but I'll do it anyway". You will never feel completely ready, you will never have "figured it all out". And also: you don't need to quit your job immediately.
When you feel stuck, unappreciated and want "more", that's a great place to start from. Get to know yourself better (sometimes a good old personality test will help you understand yourself better), speak to people who are doing what you are interested in, attend online webinars on topics you want to learn more about, or go to a networking event without any expectations.
Develop a habit of reflection
So you've spoken to some people, you've got to know yourself a bit better and collected lots of other input about careers you find interesting. Now what? Start reflecting on what you liked, what surprised you and what you want to learn more of.
It's also useful to do a "what is" assessment of your current job. What do you enjoy doing? What would you like to do more of? What would you prefer to not do anymore? And in a second step you can think of how your skills and competencies can be used in a different job, or how you could turn them into a side hustle.
Reflecting and putting things on paper, making them less scary and more tangible, and you simply gain more clarity.
Focus on the bigger picture
Remember Randstad's most recent Workmonitor results from the beginning of the article? The biggest priority for most respondents was work-life balance and that work had to fit into their lives and not the other way round.
If you want to create a career on your own terms, you also need to think about how your life will look like. The regular reflections will help you to gain more clarity, and then you need to take that first step and try things out.
One fun way to do so is to imagine that it already happened: You have that job you dreamt about and are living life on your own terms. What would your day look like? How would that new version of you start the day? Where would you go? What would you do after work? And then actually do it. This immersion exercise is called grokking and described in the book Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans. By actually mimicking the life and career you want, you will see and feel what is possible for you.
