AJobWorthHavingAlthoughpeoplehaveobviousfinancialneedsthatarealargepartofwhatmakesthemseekemployment,themoneysideofworkdoesn’tgofarinmakingajobfeellikesomethingworthdoing.Itwon’tmakeupforajobthatisfrustrating,boring,inconsequentialorjustplaindull.Peoplewantmorefromtheirwork.Theywanttobeabletomeetsomeatleastoftheirotherneeds:forgoodsocialcontact,forasenseofachievement,afeelingthey’redoingsomethingworthwhile,thesenseofbelongingtoanorganizationtheycanfeelproudof—evenasenseofself-worthandmeaninginlife.It’sasadfactmanypeoplefindthemselvesdisappointedinthissideoftheirworkinglives.Maybetheybeganajobwithhighhopes,butnowfeelletdown.Perhapstheworkhasn’tliveduptothepromisestheyweremadeduringtherecruitmentprocess.Maybethere’sbeenachangeinmanagementandthenewstyleofdoingthingsnolongerprovidesthepleasuretheyusedtogetbefore.Herearesomequestionsit’sworthponderingtohelpdecidewhetherthoseall-importantintangiblesofcorporatecultureandworkingenvironmentwillmatchuptoyourneeds.Whetheryou’rethinkingofanewjob,orwonderingifwhatyouhaveisstillwhatyouneed,it’sworthtakingalittletimeouttorunthroughthissimplechecklist.1.Istheorganizationacommunitywherepeoplesharethetaskofproducingsomethingmostofthemtrulybelievein?Orisitaprofit-obsessed,hard-drivinglabor-camp,whererewardsarehighbecausethere’sreallynothingelseonoffer?2.Canyouseewhethermanagersandleadersworkthroughtrustandrespect?Manyorganizationsarecommand-and-controlcultureswherethere’slittleornotrustgivenorexpected.Ifyoudon’ttrustothers,thatmaynotmatter.Ifyoudo—andyouwanttobetrustedinreturn—itwilldriveyoucrazy.3.Ifpeopletalkabouta“teamenvironment,”checkwhatthismeans.Doesitmeanpeoplehappilyworktogetherwhentheyshould,andapartwhenthatismoreappropriate?Orisitacrimetostandoutinanyway,andahangingoffensetoexpressdissentorquestiontheviewoftherulingmajority?4.Doeswork/lifebalancemeanemployeesareallowedtofindsuitablewaystobalancejobandnon-jobdemands?Arethereoptionslikehomeworking,flexiblehours,agreedabsencesforfamilyneeds?Ifyouexercisetheseoptions,willyoubemarkeddownas“notcommitted?”Someorganizationshaveschemesfortimeoffwhenit’sneeded—butheavenhelpyouifyouevermakeuseofthem.5.Howdoesthecompanyassessperformance?Dobossesgettoknowtheirstaffandworkwiththemtoachievethebesttheycanoffer?Orisitthedreadedannualappraisal—thatpointlessritualwherepeoplearecoldlyjudgedandusuallyfoundwanting?Worstofall,dotheysaythey’re“results-oriented”andmeanthatyoueither“makethenumbers”ormakeyourwayoutofthebuildingasquietlyaspossible?6.Howall-pervasivearecorporatepolitics?Youwon’tfindanorganizationwithnone—that’stoomuchtoexpect—buttheimpactofpoliticsvariesfromaboutwhatyouwouldexpectinanygroupofpeopletosomethingthatstronglyresemblesSovietRussiaunderStalin.Academicjobsaretypicallythemostpoliticalofall.7.Whatdoes“commitment”mean?Isitbeinginvolved,loyalandgivinganhonestday’sworkinreturnforyourpay?Ordoesitmeansellingyourbody,mindandsoultothecorporationandneverquestioninganydemandsitplacesonyou?Thisisn’tmeanttobeanexhaustivelist.NoramIsuggestingthatyoushouldseekaparticulartypeofcompanytoworkfor.Onethatwoulddrivemeinsanemightbeexactlywhatsuitsyoubest.Eventhemostmachoanddemandingorganizationshavetheiradmirerswhowouldn’twanttoworkanywhereelse.Allthatmattersisthatyoushouldgointoajobwithyoureyesandmindopen,knowingwhattoexpectandreadytoworkinthatenvironmentashappilyasyoucan.
