3 Ways To Use Your Intuition To Find The Right Job
Not sure if this is the job for you? Let your intuition be your guide.
getty You are at an interview and want to make the best impression. This could be it! The job that will bring you the income and career you so desire. You've carefully selected your outfit, practiced a few questions in front of your sister, friend, or cat, and arrived early.
You are answering the questions and hoping they will see all the ways you are a great fit, that you will be a great worker, that your experience is relevant and that...Hang on a moment.
That's all fine and well, but are you paying attention to if this job is even for you? Will you love it?
So often, what looks good in the job posting doesn't take into account your personal career goals, your values, and the work climate best for you. Has a friend ever said "yes" to a job that fit all the things on her list only to realize a short time later that it is a really bad fit...or worse, they hate it?
Has a friend turned down an offer out of fear only to realize later it would have been a great job for them? How can we get this information before making the decision?
Trust the signs your intuition is giving you if you want to find the right job.
Here are 3 ways your intuition tells you if this is the job for you:
1. Read the room.
Imagine you walk into a room where 5 people from an organization are about to interview you. They aren't talking to each other, seem to be trying to play catch up with their notes, and the general feeling of the room is one of anxiety and hurry.
This is how a friend looks back on the interview with his current employer. Had he really paid attention to how it felt in the room during the interview, he would have understood how it felt to work there. As a person who seeks warmth, teamwork, and patience for the learning curve a new job takes, he realized too late it's not a good fit.
So during a job interview, ask yourself, how does it feel to you in there? How are the staff interacting with each other and moving through their work? Are you feeling like you want to jump in, run away, or something else?
2. Listen to what they are not saying.
My friend recently went to a job interview and part way through it seemed to be going great. The hiring staff asked appropriate questions and told her they were excited about her experience. But, they got really quiet when she let them know her salary requirements.
She spent the following weeks in follow-up interviews, thinking about the job, and asking around about the organization. But when the numbers came in and they offered her 40 percent under her asking, she knew she hadn't listened to her intuition during that first interview.
While the job seemed great, the salary would not meet her needs as a single mom. By not listening to her intuition initially, she wasted a lot of time that could have been better spent looking for the right job. She trusts her intuition now and is in the process of getting a job she likes with the pay that meets her needs.
So during an interview, ask yourself: is there anything they are leaving out or shied away from answering? And if so, how important is that to me?
3. Feeling fear does not mean the job is not for you.
The job seemed perfect. But she was afraid she wasn't good enough. Fresh out of school, my friend couldn't imagine being able to step into the role being offered at a high caliber organization. The pace was fast, the stakes high, and the room for error none. She almost shied away.
But then she got clear about what the feeling really was, a fear of not being ready, good enough, smart enough, capable enough, etc. She was able to get in touch with the inner part of herself that said, "I want this. I was made for this. I am prepared for this. I'm just scared because I've never done it before."
It was a calm, clear voice inside her that let her know this really was her dream job. She worked through the fear and let her intuition guide her. She's been working there for years now. The pace is fast, the work is challenging, and she learns new things every day. She is thriving and is a highly valued member of the team.
She's glad she didn't let her fear overpower what her intuition that was telling her "This is the right job for you."
So during an interview ask yourself, "what am I afraid of and why? Is the fear valid?" And take time after the interview to consider the fears and address them. Quiet your mind through things like exercise, meditation, or yoga, and listen to your intuition talk to you about the job opportunity.
When job hunting we try to pick a job we think we'll like doing, that meets our needs and will lead our career somewhere. So let's not forget that beyond researching, talking with others who have worked for the organization, and doing our best at the interviews, our intuition is letting us know if we'll love that job!
Heather Needham is a Soulful Life/Career Coach and Intuitive at heatherneedham.com. For more support living a life in alignment with your values and legacy, visit her blog or book a session.