It’s Ok to Not Love Your Job

‘Choose a Job You Love and You Will Never Have To Work a Day in Your Life’

At some point in your life, you will have run into this quote (figuratively, not literally). It’s a charming sentiment and looks nice over a waterfall scene as a desktop background, but let’s be real for a moment: people who love their jobs are a rare breed. And the ones that do love what they do? You can be sure they worked hard to get there.

As a university student, your first job upon graduation will not be your last. At the risk of sounding like a Masterchef Judge (minus the snazzy cravat), your career is a journey (ugh). It’s unlikely that you will absolutely love your first job out of university so you should focus on identifying the aspects of the role that you do enjoy, and continue to build those skills towards your ideal position. I have had jobs in the past I didn’t like, but the skills I have gained from these experiences have be extremely valuable. And it’s no coincidence that each new job I’ve had, I’ve liked it more than the last.

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If you are lucky enough to find a job that is your passion, at the end of the day it’s still work. I have been at UTS Careers for 3.5 years can honestly say that I enjoy what I do. However, this doesn’t mean I don’t work hard at it. There are elements of my role that are not particularly exciting and can feel like a chore but this is pretty normal for every workplace. After Googling ‘best job in the world’, I found the position of Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Guru. It sounds like a dream but I bet the amount of research and admin involved in getting an approved flavour must be a caramel-fuelled nightmare.

It’s unrealistic to think that you’re going to love every second of your job. What you should be focusing on is making the most of your experience by learning and continuing to make professional progress, even if overall the destination isn’t really clear yet.

Finding a job you love is a great goal to have, but don’t be disheartened if you’re not there yet. Career paths are rarely straightforward and it can take some time to realise and develop your strengths. Passion can be found in unexpected places. Continue to work hard, remain positive and learn as much as you can. Who knows – your dream ice cream flavour may just be around the corner.

Featured image courtesy of Unsplash.