The Work Buzz's Latest News: Should your job be fulfilling?

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Should your job be fulfilling? Posted: 01 Aug 2011 12:47 PM PDT If you've been in a classroom in the past 15 years, chances are it was covered in posters that told you to "shoot for the moon” and “go confidently in the direction of your dreams." That's because, in addition to math and science, the modern student is taught that he or she can do and be anything that he or she wants. Apparently, that message has really stuck. According to a recent survey from CPP, Inc., the company that publishes the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, 80 percent of high school and community college students believe that "a career should be something that brings enjoyment and fulfillment to their life," while 72 percent "want a career that aligns with their passion."  Not only that, but these students (part of the Millennial generation) will define their career success by this personal job satisfaction. In fact, largest group of students (58 percent) cited "'enjoyment of the work itself' as the primary motivator for career success, over money and a desire for power, influence and respect." Students also seem to have extreme faith in the common motto "Do what you love and the money will follow." Seventy-eight percent believe they'll achieve the most success in careers they’re passionate about. Though this overarching goal of loving their work may seem lofty or naïve, both expert opinion and research seem to find otherwise. Lee Higdon, for example, president of Connecticut College, believes this instinct to choose a career path based on interest instead of earnings potential should be followed. In a recent article for the Huffington Post, Higdon argued, "Students who choose majors based on earnings power may be setting themselves on a path to discontent and frustration. A much better approach is for students to set a course based on subjects that truly interest them. Choosing a major is a personal decision based on subjects that match a student’s interests, aptitudes and personality." Separately, research from Ipsos Public Affairs shows that overall, most American workers (55 percent) do love their jobs, an affinity that more people attribute to the type of work they do (66 percent) than to the amount of money they earn (9 percent), their employer (10 percent) or their co-workers (11 percent). Though students' expectations for job satisfaction might not be unrealistic, they may hold overly-high hopes for the time frame in which they will achieve it. Millennials, known for their love of immediacy, will be unhappy to know that according to the Ipsos survey, employees over the age of 55 were the most likely to say they enjoyed their jobs because of the work they did, and that they held their current jobs because of the contribution they were making. Younger workers, on the other hand (those under 35), were more likely than older workers to cite money or co-workers as reasons they loved their jobs, meaning Millennials may have to wait a while before finding the fulfilling careers they seek. Click here for the full results of the CPP survey.

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