Just exactly what is Job Satisfaction???

I thought I knew.  I thought that Job Satisfaction was the chance to go to work every day and do what you truly love doing!  It is... don't get me wrong.  But I'm learning every day that it's more than that.

Recently I had a former client call.  Over the years he has called me and asked me to provide some interesting services.  A few years ago, he called and said, "I have to reduce my overhead by $100,000.00.  I need you to tell me who to fire."  Another time he called and said, "I am considering selling the business.  I need you talk to the prospective buyer and ask the questions I haven't thought of."

This time he called and asked me to compare the services and rates of several Professional Employer Organizations and suggest which one he should use to save money and provide appropriate services.

Understand, these are not the normal elements of my service offerings.  I have a degree in communication science.  I'm a performance consultant.  I provide executive and career coaching.  I'm a trainer.

So, why, when he calls, do I put aside my standard fare and help him with his projects?  Because it creates a challenge for me.  It's something I haven't done before.  And that makes it fun... and interesting! 

Then, the other day, our youngest daughter told us that she was offered a golden opportunity at work.  A woman from another department, in another role, is going on maternity leave.  Knowing that a "temp" would require twice the amount of time to train that she will be gone on maternity leave, she asked our daughter to 'temp' in her position while she's away.  Her thought was that the company could hire a temp for our daughter's role much more easily than hers.  Our daughter was thrilled!  She said she would love the opportunity to try something different, even for as short a time as 6 weeks!

That's when it dawned on me... job satisfaction isn't just about doing what you love to do every day.  It's about new challenges, different opportunities, varied experiences, and the chance to do something completely out of the norm.

So take the time to look for something a little different... something new and different!  It's quite possible you'll find job satisfaction there too!