5 signs you’re not fulfilled in your career
It's more important than ever to feel fulfilled in your career.
The events over the last two years have taught many of us that little in life is guaranteed and that life is short. Within a matter of weeks in March 2020 our daily routines came to a halt, our celebrations were interrupted, and our way of living was flipped upside down.
This shake up caused a lot of us to spend time re-evaluating what is most important to us. Since our careers make up such a large portion of our lives, it came into question for a lot of us.
My intention is to share these signs to help you identify (1) if you're not feeling fulfilled in your career and (2) what may be missing so that you can take intentional steps to make changes.
Of course, I fully support workers leaving a job when it no longer suits them. However, it is important to first get clear about what's missing so you can be intentional with your future plans instead of just running away from something that isn't working.
Five signs you're not fulfilled in your career:
1. You're not being paid your worth
A lot of people talk about not being paid their fair-market value, but have you thought of it from the point that this could be preventing you from feeling fulfilled? Maybe you do enjoy your role, your company, and your coworkers, but the fact that you know you could be paid more elsewhere has you holding a grudge against your company (consciously or subconsciously).
On the other hand, just because you're doing fulfilling work where you really feel like you're doing something that you're passionate about or helping people, doesn't mean you shouldn't get paid a fair living. It doesn't have to be one or the other.
If you're not being paid your worth in pay and/or benefits, you will continue to feel like something is missing or you could have it better somewhere else and you won't be fulfilled in your career.
2. You don't feel motivated
Of course, from time to time we all have that sluggish feeling and may not feel motivated. What I'm talking about here is a persistent feeling of not being motivated to do your work.
Maybe you're not being challenged enough intellectually, or you have grown to dislike your work, or it just never aligned with your natural strengths and abilities.
Over time this feeling of not being motivated can morph into resentment against your employer or boss, and you may even feel guilty, disappointed, or frustrated with yourself for not being more invested in your work.
If you're not regularly motivated by your work, you won't be fulfilled in your career and you will likely continue to lose motivation until you ultimately decide to just go somewhere else to start over.
3. You don't feel valued
This one may be harder to pinpoint, so here are a few questions to ask yourself to identify if you feel valued in your current role. If you answer no to several of these, you are missing that feeling of being valued.
Do you feel like your work is genuinely appreciated?
Are you acknowledged for your work?
Do you feel like you are listened to and respected?
Are you encouraged to grow and learn new things based on your interests?
Do you feel like part of a team, not just a number?
If you continue to feel under-valued by your organization, you won't be fulfilled in your career and you will likely end up resenting your boss and/or employer through to the point of quitting if you don't do something to rectify it.
4. Your work and/or organization does not align with your beliefs
Your organization doesn’t have to stand for everything you care about, donate to every cause that's important to you, or shout off the top of a mountain your beliefs, but we won't be fulfilled somewhere that goes against our beliefs (directly or indirectly).
So when you think about your core beliefs and what's most important to you, consider how your organization either supports it or potentially goes against it. Consider if they are walking the walk or just talking the talk.
Here are a few places to look:
Diversity and inclusion
Equity
Honesty and integrity
Trust and autonomy
Mentorship and development
Financial security
Work-life balance
Post-pandemic flexibility
If you continue to work somewhere that doesn't align with your beliefs you will likely begin to feel out of alignment in other areas of your life, may find yourself feeling lost, defeated, and/or frustrated, and you won't be fulfilled in your career.
5. You don't feel fulfilled regularly
That feeling of fulfillment usually feels like you are making an impact in your role and you're achieving success at what you do.
When you're not feeling fulfilled, you may feel like:
Your work isn't having an impact on the greater organization or customers
You're just going through the motions, checking boxes off your to-do list with little purpose or intention
You don't feel like you're achieving, completing, or progressing
You may feel like you're on that hamster wheel of life
If you're relating to any of these points you are not alone. So many people go their whole working careers not feeling fulfilled because they don't know how to find one that is fulfilling or just settle for something that simply pays well or is easy and comfortable.
What do you say, do you want a fulfilling career? Are you ready to take steps to make it happen?
If so, I invite you to book a free 30-min discovery call with me. We can talk through your goals and next steps for finding that fulfilling career. It might be closer than you think.
Brittany is a life & leadership coach, trainer, and the founder of Hello Velocity where she helps ambitious individuals and corporate teams enhance their performance by working smarter, not harder. When she isn't building her business, you can find her planning her next travel adventure, taking a yoga or kickboxing class, or checking out a local brewery. She was recently acknowledged as one of the top coaches in Charlotte, NC.
