Do you ever wake up wondering if this is all there is?
Stuck in a job that pays the bills, and wonder if there is more to life than analyzing spreadsheets or taking customer calls?
Sister, you are not alone. Women are much likely to seek more meaningful work although that means very different things to different women.
Even in a specific field like engineering, women are more drawn to disciplines that they perceive to be more socially conscious.
Thinking about a more meaningful job or a career change is a BIG, hairy question, not one that can be answered while you wait for your sourdough to rise. Read to find out how to assess your values, research what’s out there, and test some alternatives.
Before you look for a more meaningful job, answer these 3 questions
1. What is MOST important to me, i.e., what are my values?
Thinking deeper about what you value most in life can help to clarify how your job fits in. It’s important to think holistically since career is just one aspect of your life.
You can really get lost going in circles thinking this through, and it’s sometimes easier to have some structure. I’ve created a Values Clarification Worksheet that should take no more than 15 minutes or so.
>>Click the link below to get your free download
Values are guiding principles that help you set priorities in your career and life. They are highly individual and define what is purposeful and meaningful to YOU.
When I did this exercise most recently, my top two values were family and making a difference. Years ago, when I got my MBA, I was more interested in recognition and achievement. Values can change.
>>Be explicit about what these values mean TO YOU
For me, “family” meant several things: Providing financial support for my (nuclear and extended) family, providing emotional support, and making time for them.
“Making a difference” was the pivotal value that made me switch careers from working for a Fortune 100 company in marketing research, where I was helping to pick new flavors of Listerine (which I suppose made a difference to Listerine users), to becoming a career coach, and helping women like you. To me “making a difference” meant to an individual, but for others, it means fighting things like systemic racism. These definitions make a huge difference in what jobs you’ll explore.
Everyone’s values differ, and that’s OK. As you do the worksheet, be honest about what really resonates with you.
If you pick a LOT of things that are important, try to narrow it down by grouping them, to find the 2 or 3 values that truly drive you, right now.
2. How does my current job support my values?
Here are a couple of examples:
One of Tanesha’s top values is religion. Her faith is very important to her and drives many aspects of her life. It’s not important to her that her work be faith-driven, but she now works for an unethical company and that needs to change.
One of Anastasia’s top values is education. She put herself through school and has a master’s degree. It’s important to her that her children have access to the same education, so she chooses to stay in a job where she makes a great income so that she can pay for college when they are older.
>>Assess how your current job is (or is not) supporting your values
It’s usually not an either/or situation. Remember to evaluate your JOB and not your BOSS as many women quit jobs because of a toxic boss when the job itself is a good fit.
3. Can I find opportunities for my current job to be more meaningful?
If your current job has a lot going for it but doesn’t feel meaningful enough, look around to see if there are opportunities to add meaning to your current role.
>>Explore not “staying in your lane”
- Do you see a problem that would feel good to solve?
Talk to your boss about initiating a special project. It might be a little more work for you, but it might make you feel better about waking at the crack of dawn each day. BONUS: It could be a resume booster for a new job down the road.
- Are there committees, special interest groups, or project teams working on issues you care about?
Many companies have employee-driven sustainability or diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) teams, and they are often looking for new blood. If you join these groups, be sure to add them to your LinkedIn profile as it reflects very positively on you as an engaged employee.
- Are there other jobs at your current company that would be a better fit?
Realize that even meaningful jobs are all about tradeoffs
1. Rose-colored glasses can make the more meaningful work you crave seem ideal, but look closer…
You may envision yourself teaching a class of inspired students who go on to solve global climate change, but the reality is that you have to inspire a bunch of anxious hormone-crazed pre-teens to care about Biology.
You probably know by now that there is no perfect job. There are tradeoffs to be made:
- A more purpose-driven job may mean a lower salary.
- A more achievement-oriented job may involve a longer commute and more time away from family.
- Having a job with lots of autonomy may mean giving up a promotion that requires you to be part of a team.
2. In addition, there can be significant costs $$ involved in a career change
I didn’t completely think it through I want back to get a Master’s in Career Counseling:
- Tuition was significant for two years of graduate courses.
- It took a lot of time away from my family.
- I had to quit my job for the last term to do an unpaid internship.
- My starting salary as a career advisor was a 50% cut from my prior income.
- I had to start in an entry-level job, although I was promoted very quickly due to my prior professional experience.
YES, it was still worth it. But I should have thought it through.
3. The best way to make a reality-based decision is talk to people who are doing that work.
What lights them up? What drags them down? Would they make the same career choice again?
Remember that people’s individual circumstances color their feelings about jobs, so try to speak to a variety of people in your target jobs.
>>Find people who have the jobs you are considering and talk to them to find out more
Use LinkedIn to make these connections. This is the perfect place to connect with others! See the Career Vault for a FREE LinkedIn Checklist:
If your current job doesn’t cut it, brainstorm what might work better
1. Would another company or industry add more meaning?
As values become more important to job seekers, companies are trying to highlight theirs more prominently. Sometimes this is blowing smoke, but often it is a genuine attempt to be more values-driven.
>>Research jobs at companies and organizations that do more meaningful work
Below are a few places you can look:
- Benefit corporations (or B-Corps) are companies that have a specific commitment to promoting social good in addition to making a profit.
- There are specific job boards that specialize in non-profit jobs.
- More than just a job board, Health eCareers also offers career resources, news coverage, and information for all types of healthcare professions.
- Education is an industry many are drawn to. There are specific job boards for K-12 Education and Higher Ed jobs but also many education-adjacent companies like EdTech and education consulting.
- Government and NGO (non-governmental aid organizations) jobs may also be of interest.
2. Would another type of job add more meaning?
>>Research job titles
If you are sketchy on the specifics of what new job opportunities might look like, exploring new job titles can be very helpful.
Prototype and test what a more meaningful job looks like
You’ve been doing the thinking, the research, and the talking. Time to try some on for size!
Prototyping is the process of coming up with solutions and testing them quickly so that you can see what a good fit might be.
Here are a few different ways you can prototype and test a more meaningful job:
>>Go back to your connections to discuss more concrete options
They gave you general advice, now go back with some specific ideas to bounce off them.
>>Explore finding more meaningful work through volunteering in those roles first
When I was considering a change from corporate life to coaching, I took an intermediate step of forming a peer-to-peer group of moms with teens who met monthly to talk about our shared issues. I needed to explore whether this type of work resonated with me enough to take a big salary cut and go back to school. It did, and I did.
Here is a quick recap of action steps to explore:
Need more help?
>>Make an appointment with me to discuss your thoughts and next steps. These are tough questions to answer yourself!