It’s difficult to predict how you will feel doing a future job. But, by taking clues from your life so far, you can better anticipate the kinds of work, employers and people that will be a good fit for you.
One of these clues lies in your values. Finding a job that aligns with what you stand for will help you achieve a sense of fulfilment that is so important in life.
Dig Deep
A proven approach is to dig deep and pinpoint the traits you should look for in future co-workers and employers. These archetypal people that you feel you fit best with, make up your social core. Identifying them is the key to satisfying your need for relatedness within the workplace culture.
Start by developing a list of people you like being with. Look in social circles, family settings, work environments, clubs and teams you’ve been part of groups you’ve worked within an education setting – they are all important.
Now, consider what attracts you to those people. You might be able to identify the traits by thinking of each person in general terms, or by thinking of specific stories that help bring this out for you.
Once you have identified the traits you are most comfortable with or are energised by, you can start to evaluate your potential work colleagues against these traits to check out their compatibility with you. Of course, for this to be successful, you should endeavour to meet as many people as you can before you accept a position.
Understanding Motivations
Next, you should strive to understand your innermost motivations. Whether you are promotion-focused (play to win) or prevention-focused (play NOT to lose) is very telling when it comes to the particular aspects of a job or workplace culture that may appeal to you.
Who you work with is one of the most important decisions you face. Feeling comfortable with those around you is essential to satisfy one of your most innate needs – relatedness.
Relatedness
Relatedness is about feeling connected to those around you, and in turn, they also feel connected to you. Relatedness gives you:
· Motivation
· Enjoyment
· Better performance
· An environment of trust
· A sense of enrichment
To find that sense of relatedness, you must look to your social core and determine the traits that you’re most comfortable with. Once you’re aware of what these traits are, you can try to meet as many people as possible and make an informed decision as to whether you and they are a good fit.
