Beyond the Paycheck
In the Netherlands, on average, a person spends 8 hours working. This is about half of the average day. Spending this time working on a mundane, repetitive, ungratifying job is a recipe for a meaningless life.
For many generations people have been repeating the same pattern of pursuing unsatisfying job. However, our generation is breaking this cycle. According to a recent Deloitte survey, 79% of Dutch Gen Zs and 82% of Dutch millennials say that purpose is what most strongly aligns with their job satisfaction.
A career that aligns with your purpose and your ethical beliefs is an essential pillar of creating a fulfilling life. A key factor that job experts and employees who have succeeded in finding this purpose suggest is the following:
Define your personal values: Although it may seem like an exercise in futility, this can be surprisingly beneficial. Verbalising, or articulating things you are passionate about or strongly believe in can be very helpful. For someone with a business degree, and a strong belief in sustainability, working in ESG or CSR can be more gratifying, rather than pursuing a corporate career that feels mechanical.
Look Outward: Self actualisation is at the top of the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. Fulfilling your whole potential is analogous with contributing to the world, i.e., contributing outward as much as you can. What change do you want to see in the world? How do you play a part in making a change? Your values, ethics, beliefs and interests come together to determine what change you want to make, and once you figure that out, you can determine how you can leverage your skill set in doing so.
“Find the job that fits you; don’t try to fit yourself into a job”: This applies to everything - interests, aptitudes, ethics, values and financial goals. Aptitudes are not skills, but things one is good at. The innate ability to be good at something is aptitude. For example, if you have an aptitude for critical thinking, an interest in problem solving, and a money centric view of life, you can develop a skill in mathematics, and work toward a career in quantitative finance.
Widening the Lens: Too many students restrict their job search to companies that recruit on campus. However, there’s a whole world out there. A job expert and professor at NYU Stern suggested researching global megatrends and emerging job industries that may offer more opportunity for growth and education, as well as work in an industry that can be dynamic and impactful, and hence more fulfilling. An example of this is people who worked in cryptocurrencies in the 2010s, and experienced these decentralised currencies that took the world by storm. This process is the journey to finding your perfect career match. On GConnection, the ability to match with communities, employers, and like minded individuals gives you the opportunity to find where you fit and what you want.
Counselling - If these measures do not work, or are less effective than you thought they would be, you may want to seek out help. Counselling sessions help get your emotions out, regulate anxiety and help you in getting a clearer view of how you think. Dr. Archana Passi, a counsellor at the Sanjivini Society for Mental Health said “Going to counselling means asking yourself questions and rationalising your thoughts. Once you are able to do that, you are able to find a way out of the anxiety”.
Bibliography
2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey. (2024, May 29). Deloitte. https://www.deloitte.com/nl/en/services/consulting/research/2024-gen-z-and-millennial-survey.html?id=nl:2ps:3gl:4obs:5:6con:20240301:DSA&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAAD-O-9tVVKTExXsPU4G8HvwfdLSEO&gclid=CjwKCAiA5Ka9BhB5EiwA1ZVtvHnVs2dderD6l25Pqc4yr-rKgGsHJQ_vn_y2cqVidz8rhyX0S2i9-xoCgwwQAvD_BwE
York, A. (2022, December 7). Gen Zers don’t have to get a new job to find meaning and purpose at work. Business Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-find-meaning-purpose-at-work-gen-z-employee-2022-12?international=true&r=US&IR=T
7 questions to help you define your purpose. (n.d.). Career Contessa. https://www.careercontessa.com/advice/choose-your-purpose/
Redirect notice. (n.d.-b). https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thoughtco.com%2Fmaslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4582571&psig=AOvVaw1nuHN750gh72rzgM3yHBBZ&ust=1739555330193000&source=images&cd=vfe&opi=89978449&ved=0CBQQjRxqFwoTCLiQnN6awYsDFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE
Cruzvergara, C. Y. (2025, January 8). How to find a purpose in life — and a job. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/christinecruzvergara/2024/12/16/how-to-find-a-purpose-in-life---and-a-job/
Doyle, A. (2025, January 18). Five Predictions from Scott Galloway that Signal Change for Business Events. Skift Meetings. https://meetings.skift.com/2025/01/13/scott-galloway-pcma/
