Part of reclaiming your life is knowing what you want to do with it professionally. And never have I thought that in my early twenties, I would be faced with the question, ‘Do you see yourself playing an integral part in this company’s growth in the next five years?’.

In other words, if I’m interested in being in it for the long haul, going more into the management side and helping run the company. Just between you and me, that is not the question that we millennials should be grappling with so early in life, right?

Wrong.

The lives of the Gen-Y revolve around the question ‘what’s next’. And naturally, we are always looking for the next mountain to conquer: first job or internship, Master’s degree, another job in a bigger company, maybe make our own start-up or social movement, and… who knows, a career in the United Nations?

We are not prepared to even entertain the possibility of choosing to stay. And by staying, I mean long-term. Think five years or so. Not just the ‘2 to 3-year max.’ modus operandi that we have gotten so used to.

So, you can imagine my crippling dilemma. I am just 24, for the love of God! How do I know if I want to stay where I am for the next five years? What if I say yes and I wake up one day, thinking this is not what I want? Or worse… what if I commit myself and fail to deliver?

An ex-senior once said to me, ‘Get outta there while you’re at the top.’ A perfect summary of a smart job-hopping strategy.

Except, why are we so open to the prospect of a constant pursuit, and yet the prospect of staying seems so unthinkable?

Then, it hit me. It was because I confuse settling down with settling. These make everything seem so final. Of course I don’t want my life to stop at 24. And it shouldn’t. But I shouldn’t let my fear of making the wrong choice drive my soul-searching process, either.

So, to be at peace with my decision, I asked these three questions:

1. What are my needs and wants?

I strongly think that before we can make a career choice, we need to figure out what we want our life to look like and make a lifestyle choice.

In terms of your life outside work, only you know best what you want or need.

But when it comes to work, I personally like to list down all the jobs I’ve had and dig for which elements of each job I really enjoyed or hated doing. On top of that, what keep me motivated, engaged and satisfied?

For instance, I recently came to the realization that I feel most driven in my roles as a team leader, coach and trainer. Turns out, living a meaningful life and fulfilling a sense of purpose is a very integral part of my being. So, it is no wonder that I am so inspired about helping others unlock their potentials, finding their own voice and discover their true self. And I thrive when I am coaching my team members, as well as advising my clients on how to tell their story and put their best side forward. These roles bring out the best in me and make me excited to go to work, well, almost every single day.

2. How does the company enable the life I need and want?

Now that we know what we need and want from life, we can more confidently stand by our decision on (or walk away from) a career or a workplace. And of course, we need to be as absolutely positive as possible that the career and the workplace we choose will enable the lifestyle we’ve decided on.

It is a good sign if, first of all, the company makes any efforts to learn about our needs and wants. Or, if your employer doesn’t necessarily proactively do that, do they at least listen when you raise a point?

Where I work, my boss just very recently asked me to fill in a form titled ‘We’d like to know what you want’. The list of questions ranged from the one I opened this blog post with, to what needs they can help to fill in my work and personal lives. This kind of dialogue shows commitment; not just the one required of us, but also the one our company’s willing to invest in us.

The next step is to look for signs on how the company’s culture and values match ours. If you yearn for that balance in life, while your company pushes you to be nothing but a workaholic, uhm, don’t bother. I guess it’s a good thing that my boss always kicks myself and my colleagues out of the office when it’s way past our working hours. ‘Go out and have a life, guys!’ Happy to, Boss.

3. Why should I be excited about working with you for the next five years? 

If you’re in it for the long haul, you bet your bottom dollar that you’ll want it to be exciting. Perhaps not every single day, but at least, most days. And the surest way for it to go exactly the opposite is if you know you’ll be stagnant.

So, ask yourself and your (future) boss: What opportunities are there for me to express myself creatively here? How does this company involve its employees, if at all, in decision making? In what areas do I think I can contribute most to the company for me to make a difference?

If you and your boss can both answer all these questions satisfactorily, I’ll be the odd one Millennial out and say: take the leap of faith! Instead of job-hopping your way through your young-adult life: stay, persist, and succeed!

And, what if the answers are not favorable? Or, what if what we want from life changes?

Take it easy. Remember, we don’t need to have everything figured out in a flash. If you or your life priorities change, you can change your career too. But we’ll do so like an adult, and not on a whim.

So, have you had to decide if an organization is the right place for you, recently? What choice did you make, and what are the questions you asked yourself that led you to that decision? Have you ever ended up settling (for less), instead of settling down? Share your thoughts in the comment box below!

Credits:
Photograph by Benjamin Child