Many job seekers today are focused on finding positions that can give their careers more meaning. They may concentrate their efforts on opportunities that have a direct impact on their community in hopes of capturing additional job satisfaction.
However, being solely community benefit-oriented isn’t always ideal. While that can work for some candidates’ careers, others will find that the approach holds them back or limits their options too much. In some cases, while the work may help their community, it comes at a high personal cost, leaving job seekers wondering if they shouldn’t head in a different direction.
In the end, finding a career opportunity that supports your community or has a greater meaning can be worthwhile. But that doesn’t mean doing what’s best for you above all else is automatically a bad thing. Here’s why.
Why It’s Okay to Focus Your Career on Your Priorities
In an ideal world, careers with a great purpose would also tick every box for professionals. The jobs would come with solid salaries, robust benefits packages, chances to advance, and everything else most candidates are after.
While some positions certainly fit that bill, others don’t. They may fall short when it comes to pay rates, professional development opportunities, benefits, or in another area that matters most to you. If you accept a job that doesn’t come with everything you need simply because you feel like you have to pursue opportunities that help your community isn’t typically a smart move.
For example, while the work itself would be meaningful, the job might not be the right fit if the salary may be insufficient to support your family. Financial hardship typically increases stress, causing diminishing job satisfaction even if the work itself comes with intrinsic rewards.
Essentially, if you don’t factor your needs into the equation, even the most meaningful work might not be enough to keep you happy in your career. The shortcomings of the role could become hard to bear or could prevent you from moving forward, leaving you unsatisfied and stressed.
How to Find a Right-Fit Job
Ultimately, most candidates should focus on finding a right-fit job. That means seeking out positions that address all of their core needs, as well as ones that provide them with enough meaning to feel good about what they do.
If you’re not directly serving your community, that’s okay. In the end, every position serves some form of customer. If you do your best to ensure your customer is getting what they need to thrive, you’re still playing a critical role in the larger equation. By supporting them, you are making a difference, even if it’s an indirect one.
Plus, you’re ensuring your success. By doing that, you’ll have more stability and growth potential. Even if your next role doesn’t serve your community directly, by accepting it, you may have more options when you pursue your next opportunity, allowing you to take your career in your preferred direction in the end.
If you’d looking for career-boosting jobs that pay well, the team at GSG Talent Solutions wants to hear from you. Contact us today.