Get What You Want
At some point in your life you will likely encounter a crossroads. More often than not, this will come after years of experience working with different industries, people, responsibilities, etc. Through all of this you will begin to develop a better sense of who you are and where you wish to be. Your purpose and passion in life will begin to come into focus.
When you begin to sort out what's important to you and what's simply taking up unnecessary space in your life, you'll realize that it really comes down to one thing:
Happiness.
This is happiness at the very core of who you are. It takes into account your values, goals, talents and dreams. It is the culmination of all you have experienced and all you wish to be. This is true happiness.
When it comes to seeking a new career, no one really asks what YOU want or what would make YOU happy. More often than not, people go through life applying for jobs that focus on things like money, prestige and stature. Believe me, I’ve done the dance. I’ve nodded my head and said all the right things only to secure a job that left me feeling unfulfilled and uninspired.
Considering that we spend the majority of our life at work (far more than you’ll spend with family and friends) shouldn’t happiness be the ultimate goal? We all need money and it’s nice to have a position of importance, but if the opportunity doesn’t line up with the things that make you happy, it’s likely going to leave you feeling a little empty inside.
So what can you do to avoid having to go through the roller coaster ride of employment emotions?
You can ask for what you want.
Make it clear what it is that you are looking for and what your expectations would be in a new employer. This is what my list of 'wants' looks like:
- I want to do what I love. To create. To engage. To motivate. To win.
- I want to collaborate, brainstorm and make big ideas come true– as an individual and collectively as a team.
- I want to see my colleagues get rewarded for their efforts and watch them grow.
- I want a team that isn’t just a number, but a group of talented professionals that are valued for their efforts and the experience they bring to the team.
- I want a company that communicates their needs, has clear goals, is organized and offers clear expectations. To know where I stand – the good, the bad and the ugly.
- I want to have fun, to laugh, to work in an environment that understands that it’s the people that make a business thrive.
- I want a company that believes in a culture of honesty, integrity, passion, support, respect, and communication.
- I want a team that believes in me as much as I believe in them.
- I want a company that isn’t afraid to fail or take risks from time to time. That’s often how we learn.
- I want support when the going gets tough. A company that is willing to listen. A company that cares.
- I want my family to be comfortable and not have to struggle to make ends meet.
- I want to help others. To see you succeed. To feel inspired and fulfilled.
The goal here is to simply know what you want and then ask the necessary questions to feel comfortable when it comes to choosing whether or not to pursue and/or accept a new opportunity. Again, this is all about happiness. After all, isn’t that what your employer should want for you anyway?
If the ‘wants’ listed above sound like you or your company? Then there is one more thing that I would like to add to my list:
- I want to be on your team.
What are your wants? Feel free to share them in the comments section.
Rudy Parachoniak specializes in creating content for small businesses with a limited budget. As owner / operator of his own ad agency and over 20 years in broadcast media / marketing, as well as serving as the National Marketing Director for over 60 retail stores across Canada, he has a unique perspective on what works and what doesn’t. Feel free to reach out to him with your questions via LinkedIn:https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/rudyparachoniak/ or send him an email to [email protected]