How to Pick the Right IT Career for Your Happiness

You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who doesn’t want to be happy, including while on the job. Since many people spend at least as much, if not more, time at work than they do at home, it’s no wonder your employment can have a big impact on how satisfied you feel with your life. Selecting the right IT career can play a large role in your overall happiness, making it an important decision upon which a person’s life may be shaped.

But how do you pick the best path for you when you can’t necessarily predict what the future holds? There are a few standard indicators that improve the chance you’ll be happy with your IT career. Here are the points you should evaluate whether you are trying to determine which field to enter or whether you should accept a particular job offer.

Industry and Company Culture

Both industries and individual companies can have a unique culture. Fields of work often have a culture dictated partially by industry norms, standardized systems and various assumptions or beliefs that surround the work. Company cultures are also impacted by those points as well as the overall vision or mission, values, and environment.

Not everyone will be happy when faced with a specific take on industry or company culture, so selecting a workplace that meets your needs is critical. For example, a person who prefers autonomy and variety in the workload isn’t going to be as satisfied in an environment that involves being micromanaged and working in a distinct niche at all times.

Certain IT careers naturally fit into some cultures better than others, so consider how you envision your ideal work experience and see if your niche operates in that fashion before settling on it for a career. If you’re having trouble evaluating your options, speak with people already working in the area or for that company. Often, you can learn a lot by gauging the approximate level of happiness of those doing the tasks you’re considering.

Work/Life Balance

A recent Gallup World Poll showed a strong correlation between better work/life balance and overall happiness. Often, feeling as though you can successfully manage your life outside of the office makes you more productive when you are at work. When you don’t feel as though you have enough time to manage your personal obligations, these thoughts can easily interrupt your ability to focus on the job, affecting your productivity and leaving you feeling unsatisfied.

Like cultural fit, an ideal work/life balance is personal. Some people may feel comfortable working more hours than others based on their personal obligations, leaving them happy when others are not. When determining which IT career to pursue or evaluating a job offer, it’s important to consider if the requirements associated with the work allow you to reach that optimal state of balance. If not, then another choice may be wiser.

Happiness is subjective, so what works for you might not meet the needs of someone else, and vice versa. However, being happy with your career is almost certain to improve the quality of your life, so it should never be disregarded.

Work With a Top IT Recruiter

If you are interested in finding an IT career that can make you happy in the long-run, the professionals at Validity Solutions can help you explore your options. Contact us today to discuss your goals with one of our talented recruitment specialists and see how our services can work for you.