Schuester Job Meaning

“Don't lose track of who you are just because it might be easier to be somebody else” is quote from Will Schuester, the high school choir teacher on the hit show Glee. He’s right that it’s important not to lose track of who you are, but it’s not always just because it’s easier to be somebody else. Many times, it’s because amidst the barrage of every day fast paced life, people don’t have time to find themselves and find meaning.

Without a sense of meaning, one lacks a sense of fulfillment. Unfortunately this is something that haunts many workers today. In fact, according to the Gallup report called State of the American Workplace, 70% of employees are not engaged at their jobs. This means only 30% of the United States workforce feels passionate about their work and committed to their employers. Many times, these types of statistics are the result of people not understanding what gives work meaning for them in the first place. There are many ways in which one may find meaning in their work, but below are some examples.

Common Ways People Find Meaning at Work:

1.       Meaning in money
We all know it’s true that for some people, money has meaning

2.       Meaning from simply having a job
These people are fulfilled because the job allows them to provide for their families, find work life balance and pursue non-work activities

3.       Meaning in job advancement
Often times, people find that being recognized for their talents, excelling at their job and becoming the best version of themselves provides meaning

4.       Meaning in ideology
This is when someone finds meaning in ideologies or belief systems on which their job is built

5.       Meaning in the bigger picture
For many individuals, job meaning isn’t found in their day to day tasks, but in know the ultimate outcomes of their organization as a whole and how the serve others

6.       Meaning in connection
It isn’t rare that a person may find meaning in the social aspects of their job, and thrive off developing connections and relationships with co-workers and customers

So what does all this mean?

There isn’t one magic recipe that everyone can use to find mean at their job. It involves a process of self-evaluation, determining one’s own values, and making job decisions accordingly. In the article More Than Job Satisfaction, published by Monitor On Psychology, the author mentions that even though eight in ten Zookeepers has a college degree, many of them waited years for the position and it is their dream job. For some people, this may be surprising, since Zookeepers average annual income is less than $25,000, their job often involves scooping waste and the profession isn’t necessarily held in high regard. Nonetheless, Zookeepers find meaning in a sense of duty and community within their profession.

Circling back to William Scheuster from Glee, we see another example of low income, low work life balance jobs, in which people find value and meaning. As a performer, Will dreamed of performing on Broadway as a career, but the more time he spent in charge of the high school glee club, he realized he wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. He began to understand that his values in music and helping others grow fulfill him. In other words, his personal values translate to his work values.

Once someone understands their values, there are numerous possibilities for applying that knowledge to their career.

Different Ways to Find Meaning at Work:

1.       Getting training to improve skills

2.       Joining professional groups to gain industry knowledge

3.       Looking for learning opportunities

4.       Finding an organization with a strong mentorship program

5.       Helping start a mentorship program

6.       Choosing a profession based on priorities

7.       Looking at the big picture of how your job contributes to society

8.       Considering the small picture of how daily interactions contribute

9.       Finding a job with high work life balance

10.   Requesting more work life balance in current role

11.   Picking a job based on company mission

12.   Infusing mission into a company through culture

13.   During each task, remember how it contributes to the end result

14.   Pursuing business ownership and autonomy

15.   Finding a big company with more potential relationship building opportunities

16.   Working in public service

17.   Choosing a financially gratifying job, but volunteering on the side

The list could clearly go on, but these are different kinds of suggestions relative to different values. Usually, finding career meaning involves a balancing act when it comes to values and the tips above. Figuring out personal values and determining how to apply that to work life can be a mucky situation, which is why there are professionals in this arena who provide career planning services. Whatever method one utilizes to find meaning in a career, the effort will not be wasted. As it was said by Todd May writing for the New York Times “A meaningful life must, in some sense, feel worthwhile.”