I help students build careers and teach organizational studies at the Schulich School of Business in Toronto. I found two similarities. First, most of my students want a good job. Second, they want significant graduate work.
Unfortunately, finding a job makes the latter difficult. Many immediately reject non-target work. Their journey makes them nervous. They contact me in fear that they will never find their calling, assuming others will.
As a recent graduate, you may believe that you will find your calling and everything will fall into place. This may seem true to some, but to me it seems impractical and destructive.
Imagine a former pupil. After college, she got a fulfilling job. Due to her passion for fitness, she has been employed in the production of energy drinks for athletes since she was a teenager. She wanted client interaction and leadership as an extrovert. Fitness was her calling, she said.
After joining, she found the work limited and general. As an entry-level employee, she felt like a cog in a large company and knew it would take years to do work with people she liked.
Perhaps her declaration of purpose was unnecessary. Maybe her destination wasn’t what she thought. The position didn’t suit her or showcase her skills. She lacked self-confidence and was worried about the future.
As my student learned, early career responsibilities are rarely grandiose or mundane, which is fine. Create meaning by incorporating work into your inquiry rather than expecting it to define you. Call.
Reduce your workload while you prepare for work. Avoid ambitious goals now (or ever). Why you should abandon “purpose” and what to focus on.
Effects of purposeful pressure
Leon Festinger, a psychologist from the 1950s, believed that people should evaluate themselves. We often compare ourselves to others. Peer and family expectations and social media examples weigh on many of my students to “find and fulfill their purpose.”
Businesses support career purpose. Purpose-driven organizations have grown in recent years. New leaders are passionate about setting goals and motivating employees.
Meaning as “the main reason for our existence” can make choosing a career life-changing. Perhaps this is why many of my students assume that a “calling or passion” career is the only way to get a good job. They have extreme anxiety when looking for a job and stick with their original choice even if it fails.
The relentless pursuit of a purpose can demotivate, abuse drugs, lower self-esteem, and disappoint.
Better career meaning making
As we develop, our romantic, friendship, and family relationships change. Our needs and goals change with age and change throughout life. For example, our ideal partner at 18 may be different from the one at 25. We learn and understand ourselves and the world. Our work and professional ambitions are different. Our purpose may or may not be career related.
Popular and social media narratives suggest that a single “purpose” is vital to a fulfilling career. In fact, it can be the other way around. Many seek their “purpose” only to hate it. Career joy comes from doing “what you like, prefer, enjoy” and “what you are good at”. Lifelong learning, curiosity and exploration promote career happiness.
Don’t worry if you’re missing a career goal. Research suggests that doing what you’re good at and getting better at work increases meaning. Having a meaningful occupation increases work happiness. The point is to know how important your work is to you or to others, while the point is to have a purpose in life.
Thinking questions can help you move from “purpose” to “meaning.” Use them to find your first (or second) job and professional fulfillment.
Do I like something?
Give up career goals. Recall your experiences with past jobs, school projects, and other activities.
Perhaps you enjoyed coordinating the work of colleagues or researching resources for group projects. Maybe you liked group work because you felt valued. Look for a team-oriented job. I like beginnings.
It may not be your dream career, but doing what you love and are good at builds energy and appreciation. Start with these steps to build a life-long learning habit that brings deep satisfaction.
What do I excel at?
Many skills are developed early in your career. They are good at it, but practice can help. Consider your gains.
Imagine you hate math but excel at accounting in business school. Plus you enjoyed it. You may have discovered your brainstorming and execution skills. Find jobs that require “financial planning/reporting” or “entrepreneurial thinking.” Using your strengths can increase your energy and usefulness.
Will this role teach me anything useful?
Image of graduating from business school. You must have studied Figma or Adobe Illustrator even if it wasn’t in your degree. You may have taken a liking to Trello or JIRA for project management after an extensive stakeholder presentation of the final strategy.
Many entry-level jobs require these skills. Experience “counts” as talent! They are preferred over essentials, so owning them can help you land a job. You can control and adore them. This experience can improve your job prospects.
Choices can reveal surprising opportunities and inspire action. After that you can enjoy “ability development” or skill improvement. Our studies and life experiences suggest that developing abilities increases happiness, fulfillment, and meaning. Who doesn’t want to improve? Work and other situations benefit from learning and growth. This occurs even though the improvement requires unplanned effort.
Beginners should expect that not all jobs are meaningful and satisfying. Your goal may not be fulfilled by your daily work. Both are fine. For meaningful employment, consider a side gig (small business, blog, newsletter), volunteering, or a community group bulletin board. It might be something creative that you’ll enjoy, but you won’t get paid.
Clear career goals are fine. I find it overrated. A career goal may be too static for changing workplaces. Work on meaning and you can be happy.
