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Online quizzes, product advertisements, and life coaches all promise to help you find your passion. But what is “passion” in the context of a career–and how can you find yours?
There are hundreds of jobs in the world. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which measures jobs’ salary, requirements, and occupational outlook, tracks nearly 800 job titles ranging from accountant to zoologist. That’s not even getting into the new jobs that emerge every year.
With so many choices, it’s understandable if you’re having trouble knowing where to start. But the search for your career passion begins with understanding how your interests, aptitudes, and drive intersect. Before you start rewriting your resume and looking for jobs, find out what makes you tick.
If you’re ready to find a career you are passionate about, head to ZipRecruiter! ZipRecruiter is free for job seekers and you can apply for jobs with a single click.
What Are Passions?
In the simplest terms, your passions are what excites you. Beyond your likes or interests, passions motivate you to push through difficulties, build skills and connections, and stay committed to projects over the long term.
Thinking about your career in terms of finding your passions can be useful because it allows you to focus on what really drives you. This helps you to find work that connects with your deepest values and fosters personal and professional growth over time.
Ask These 7 Questions To Find Your Passion
To find work that will excite your curiosity and inspire you to keep learning, consider these questions:
What Do You Spend Your Time Doing?
As Annie Dillard wrote, “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.” If that’s a less than welcome thought, extend yourself some charity–and look again.
What seems like time-wasting may actually be the key to where your interests lie. For example, maybe it seems like you’re spending hours per day scrolling through Instagram or Tiktok, but what are you looking at? Maybe you’re interested in home renovation, or makeup tips–or maybe you’re a budding social media marketer.
What Surrounds You?
Look around the room where you spend the most time. What do you see? The books, media, gadgets, art, furniture, clothing, objects, etc. all tell a story of your interests. What are they telling you? Even a mess has insight to give, e.g. that you’re creative, etc.
What Do Your Favorite People Have In Common?
These folks are your community. What do they value? Chances are, those are your values as well. If you find yourself surrounded by gardeners or nurses or fans of the local sports franchise, pay attention. Your passion may be finding you by showing you what kinds of people you enjoy and admire.
What Excites You?
If you’re drawing a blank, get granular. Think of your to-do list: what do you cross off first, not because it’s easy, but because it’s a pleasure? Think of your calendar on your days off. What activities do you love to see scheduled in your day?
What Scares You?
Passion isn’t the same thing as fun. To find a career that will engage you and help you grow, you’ll need to be willing to stretch past what you think you can do. So ask yourself: what scares you the most right now? The answer may not reveal exactly what you need to be doing, but it will show you where you can challenge yourself.
What Activity Makes Time Disappear?
Flow state is a mode of being in which you’re so absorbed in a task, time seems to stop. It typically involves an activity that is challenging but not so difficult that it exceeds your skill level.
You might find yourself in the flow when painting, or gardening, or playing video games or certain sports. Again, your dream job may not be directly related to the activity that puts you in flow state, but it might give you insight into your interests and skills.
What Do You Persist In Doing Even When It’s Difficult?
To inspire you over the long haul, your career choices must inspire persistence. Even a dream job isn’t pleasant every second of every day. The right fit for you will help you stay engaged even when things are tough.
How To Know If You Are Passionate About Your Work
What does it feel like to be passionate about your job? Although everyone’s experience is different, you may notice some or all of the following:
You Think About Work Even When You Don’t Have To
No one aspires to take work home with them, but if you really love what you do, you’re likely to continue thinking about your work even on your own time. (Please note that this is very different from being expected to work after hours, which is destructive to work-life balance and promotes burnout.)
You Persist Even When It’s Difficult
When you feel real passion for your work, it’s easier to push through difficulties and reach a solution. It’s just easier to put in the extra effort when you really feel connected to what you’re doing.
You Connect With Others Over The Work
Finding your community can help you find your life’s work, but the opposite is also true. If you notice that you’re building strong connections with your colleagues, chances are good that you’ve found your passion at work.
What Passion Isn’t
Being passionate about your work does not mean that:
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You would do it for free. You have bills and you need to pay them. Besides research has shown that feeling appropriately paid for your work is highly correlated with job satisfaction and intent to stay with your employer. This makes sense: no one likes to feel that they’re being ripped off.
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You will always want to do this job. Interests evolve, as do your other priorities and needs. Besides, a hallmark of career passion is that it will inspire you to grow. Eventually, it may lead you to an entirely different career.
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You only care about this particular job or interest. To live a balanced life, you need time and energy for a variety of interests. Don’t let anyone tell you that your job should be your whole life.
3 Places To Find A Job You Are Passionate About
Have an idea of what you’re looking for? Now it’s time to find jobs that align with your passions. These job sites can help:
ZipRecruiter
ZipRecruiter is the number one rated hiring site on the internet and the number one rated job search app on both iOS and Android. Search for jobs and apply for free, using ZipRecruiter’s tools to stand out from the competition.
For more information, check out our ZipRecruiter review.
Indeed
Indeed offers job search tools, advice, salaries, and company reviews to job seekers around the world. Boasting 250 million unique monthly users, Indeed lets you post your resume and search for jobs for free.
For more information, check out our Indeed review.
FlexJobs
FlexJobs is the web’s top resource for flexible, remote, part-time, and contract jobs. For a monthly fee, see vetted listings at highly rated employers around the country and overseas.
The Bottom Line
Ready to put your passion to work? Look for a job that aligns with your values, goals, and dreams. ZipRecruiter is always free for job seekers.