What gets you up in the morning? What makes you say to yourself, “It is going to be a great day, and I am going to do my part to make a difference!” The answers to these questions are usually tied to your passion – your reason for being. This is one of the areas that people tend to lose sight of while they are in transition. During the job search process, people become very focused on job title or role description and compare them to the role they recently transitioned out of. One of the key’s to finding the right job for you is to identify roles that are meaningful – it goes beyond salary and job title.
There are several factors that should be considered in the job search process to increase the likelihood that you will find an opportunity that aligns to your passion.
How well does the role align to your passion? Are there specific responsibilities listed that peak your interest? If so, you should communicate specifically about those responsibilities in your interview responses to convey examples of how your passion positioned you for success.
Look beyond the job description – are there ways that the role can be molded to align with your passion? If you believe that there is, you should ask specific questions during the interview process to understand how rigid the organizations job roles are.
How well aligned is the culture of the company to areas that are meaningful for you? The cultural alignment between you and the company can make the difference between a short-term role and a long-term career.
Finding your next opportunity is a journey. Look for ways to have that journey align you closer to what matters to you.