“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work for a day in your life.”–Confucius

Once students complete their college education, they will, logically, look for a job. Most fresh graduates will make the mistake of looking for the job that offers the highest salary and it is understandable that they do so because they want to start earning back the investments they spent trying to earn their degree. But is financial compensation the most important factor when considering your job path?

As you embark on your first journey out of school, the first step you should take is to think carefully about what really drives you. You might find it hard to get past thinking about “what pays the most, but the truth is, most employees rank job satisfaction above salary in ensuring that they feel happy at work.

Once you start working, most of your time will be spent either at work, traveling to and from work, or thinking about work. It will inevitably play a huge role, arguably the biggest role, in your lives. So, if you feel bored or unsatisfied with what you do for large parts of the day, it can have a tremendous negative effect on you, both physically and mentally. Having to concentrate for long periods on tasks you find mundane can be very stressful.

You will get burnt out fast. You will get frustrated, feel anxious and depressed and it can take over your whole life. Soon, you will even be unable to enjoy time at home knowing that another workday lays ahead. You can become one of the people constantly updating their Facebook statuses complaining about their work or even posting “I Hate Mondays” quotes because it’s a new start of another work week.

More importantly, if you can’t find the meaning in your work, it’s hard to generate the effort and enthusiasm needed to advance in your job. You will not find the necessary driving force you need in order to grow.

So, unless you’re in a situation where you have to take the first available job to make ends meet, it’s important to focus on your primary interests and passions. Many of you may initially find it hard to look for work that matches your qualification especially since most employers tend to favor those with job experiences over fresh graduates. Because of this, you might settle for a job that has nothing to do with what you studied for in college.

But don’t. Be patient. Your search may take some time and you might have to go down a few different roads before finding the right career path. Time and introspection will help you identify the activities you most enjoy and which can bring you true satisfaction.

It is more important that you spend time looking for the right job and not settle for just any job because it may take you on a downward spiral and it will be harder to get out of. As well as feeling happy and satisfied, you are far more likely to be successful in an occupation that you feel passionate about.

Remember, a career is the pursuit of a lifelong ambition or the general course of progression towards lifelong goals. A job is just an activity through which an individual can earn money. It is a regular activity in exchange of payment.

So, after you leave school and start looking for work, don’t just find a job, build a career.

By: SARAH M. TATEL |Master Teacher I| Olongapo City National High School |Olongapo City