Finding Direction

• A key component to job satisfaction is enjoying your work, although this can be subjective. One person might truly love her job activities, while another enjoys the challenge her work presents. When trying to find the right job for you, you must first evaluate your likes and dislikes and what you enjoy doing. There are a number of free tests you can take online to help you figure out what kinds of work-related activities you enjoy. Alternatively, if you already have a passion, you can explore what aspects of that activity you most enjoy and how that might translate into the world of work.
  
  

Advice

• While the right job for you is a personal decision, it can be helpful to get input from your family, friends, colleagues or classmates, or anyone else you trust to be honest and objective. Get feedback on what others think you'd be good at and what kind of job they think you'd be happy in. Additionally, ask for suggestions on how they think you could go about finding the right job. You don't have to follow through on anyone's advice, but you should at least explore some of the options those who know you well present to you.
  
  

Research

• Once you have some direction, research jobs thoroughly. Part of the reason many people dislike their jobs is that the actual job is not what they expected or they didn't know enough about it to weigh the pros and cons beforehand. Find out as much as you can about jobs that interest you before you begin pursuing those jobs. Ask people who are already in jobs like the ones you're interested in what they like and dislike most about their jobs. Be realistic. This is a process of discovering the positives and negatives so that you can find the right job for you.
  
  

Get a Job

• Job-hopping isn't recommended for anyone. It looks bad on your resume, doesn't offer you financial stability and can set you up for bad work habits. However, if you've explored your options, done your research and an opportunity comes along, take it. If it turns out that it really isn't the right job for you and you need to keep searching, then do so, but carefully consider why you feel it isn't the right job for you and is not satisfying.