Strategies to find out the right job for you

Anna Margaretha, Psychologist, Jakarta

Job satisfaction is one of the most important factors that determines employee productivity and performance. Many factors are involved in building someone's satisfaction on the job. One of the most basic and important is the suitability of the job (and company) and the personal attributes of employees.

Unfortunately, few people realize how important it is to find a compatible job that fits with their personal characteristics and attributes.

This pitfall may start from accidental choice or premature decisions in choosing one's major in high school, vocational school or university.

A lot of students make this decision without ever thinking of the consequences of their choice. Often they don't really know what jobs will be available if they choose particular courses, what personal characteristics they must possess in order to be a success in their chosen field, or whether they really have an interest in the particular subject selected.

This condition often leads to later regret and job dissatisfaction as their personal characteristics are not compatible with the job demands or requirements.

To avoid this, one must carefully analyze their own attributes and characteristics before choosing a particular job. First, they must know their field of interest. One may ask themselves: What is the thing I enjoy most - is it dealing with people, data or things? It is the activities or the people or the circumstances that make that particular subject interesting to him or her?

People may say that interests change over time. This may be true, but research has proven that one's broad field of interest (such as medicine, social work, art, etc) is relatively stable from young adulthood onwards. Therefore, finding out someone's interests before choosing a particular field may give a clearer understanding of the work that one prefers.

The second thing someone must analyze before choosing their job is their abilities. One must assess their strengths -- the things they do best -- and their weakness. It is important to remember that each of us is qualified for more than only one occupation. Most jobs require only a few specific skills or characteristics. The key is to find out a person's strengths, combine it with whatever technical or educational background they may have and find the types of job that requires that particular strength.

Finding an occupation that is compatible with one's interests, abilities and other personal attributes is the third thing one must do. The government's list of available occupations is worth checking, along with other employees' comments on working in one particular job. Talking to an apprentice in a particular field or company also gives a realistic descriptions of what is required.

Taking a psychological assessment to find out one's abilities, interests and other personality characteristics is recommended to have a clear understanding of oneself. However, the result must be used carefully if someone wants to make the most of it.

Although it gives a recommendation of certain work fields or a job that suits you, it should not be used as a substitute for making personal decisions. It will have a more positive effect if it is used as one of the considerations before making a decision on a particular job.

As a conclusion, we recommend you to do your 'due diligence' before choosing one particular job. Evaluate your interests, assess your abilities, find out a suitable occupation and look for professional guidance. You may have a greater chance of finding satisfying and rewarding work. (The writer is a consultant with INSpira Consulting, which operates in collaboration with SJS & Associates.)