Is this finally the year you quit your dead-end job and commit yourself to finding the ideal job? The job you’ve always dreamt about but figured it was just that—a dream. As a collective workforce, people are tired of feeling unfulfilled and unappreciated in their careers. While this might not be a new sentiment, how we are adapting to it is new.

Engagement and retention expert Joe Mull, M.Ed, CSP has analyzed more than 200 cutting-edge studies on what people are calling “The Great Resignation” and he believes, now more than ever, the workforce is upgrading—not quitting. They’re leaving behind an old notion of work that’s centered around an unreciprocated loyalty and looking for a better way of work that fits into their lives.

But what qualifies as an upgrade in a job? The most immediate response may be better compensation or a higher title, but Mull believes there’s more to it than that. He put together a dream job checklist that encompasses the true meaning of an ideal job.

How Well Does the Job Fit into Your Life?

One of the biggest motivators for the workforce at present is finding a job that fits into their lifestyle. Long gone are the days of work encroaching on every aspect of your life and seeping into your mornings and nights. With the pandemic hitting and remote work opening up a new world of possibilities, people are more confident in asking for what they want and demanding what they need. Lives no longer revolve around work, and people are instead asking how their jobs fit into a more holistic view of life. Mull says there are three qualifiers for this category.

• Comfortable Compensation
  Are you able to afford your living expenses—home, food, transportation—as well as the activities and hobbies that bring you joy? All of this is a part of living comfortably.
• Reasonable Workload
  Are you able to complete the tasks assigned to you within the work hours laid out in your contact? If work starts spilling over into your free time, your workload may not be reasonable for the time and compensation they’re offering you.
• The Flexibility You Need
  Are you able to adjust your schedule to your needs? This may look like a change in time zone or a shifting of start and end times to accommodate childcare. This flexibility can be whatever you need it to look like.

Is Your Work Meaningful?

Mull sees in his research that people leaving their jobs are frustrated for multiple reasons, but one that tips them over the edge is a feeling of insignificance. This can look like a lot of things. It could be a disengaged feeling within a team that doesn’t allow for an employee to see how their work affects the organization as a whole. Or it could be a bigger picture, in which one feels the work they’re doing is not contributing to the world or their life in a meaningful way. Here are some ways to check if your job will add meaning to your life.

• Do you find purpose in your work?
  Can you draw direct lines from your day-to-day duties and tasks to your organization’s bigger picture, goals, or mission? Can you identify how the organization you’re working under is making a difference in a significant way?
• Does it feel like you have to or you get to?
  This one is easy to identify… as long as you’re being honest with yourself. When you talk about your work do you often find yourself telling others about the tasks you have to do or are you proudly celebrating the exciting things you get to do? Maybe it’s not this black and white, so survey how you think and talk about your job over time.
• Does this job utilize your strengths?
  Do you feel like you get to exercise the tools and abilities that make you proud in your day-to-day tasks? When you are able to work with your strengths you’ll find yourself feeling more valuable, competent, and productive.
• Do you feel like you belong?
  Does your work environment and your team create an inclusive space that makes you feel like you are welcome and wanted? Oftentimes, when the rest of this checklist is being met, a sense of belonging will follow.

Will You Be Working Under a Great Boss?

Mull says the biggest indicator of job satisfaction is whether the individual believes they have a great boss or not. Feeling as though you work under a direct supervisor that is competent and cares, is the best way to create a positive work environment. Conversely, if you feel as though your boss is distant, disengaged, or worse egocentric, you enjoy your overall job under that boss. Mull lists out the traits you should look for in your supervisor to identify if they’ll be a great boss.

• Trust
  Can you trust that your boss is functioning with your best interest at the fore? To be a great leader, one must expand their sense of self to their team so the team’s win becomes their own win. This selflessness is needed to create trust.
• Advocacy
  Will your boss advocate for you and your best interest? Are they able to speak up for you and act as a bridge to those above them? Are they dedicated to your growth?
• Mentorship
  Is your boss capable and willing to coach you and help you grow? This is two-fold; while some bosses are capable of mentoring their employees they don’t have the interest or time, and while others are willing, they may not be adept enough to help their team grow.

Thought leader and keynote speaker Joe Mull believes there is a better way of working out there and it’s time for everyone to find their upgrade. Take this checklist for you as you hunt for your better job in 2024 and finally find your ideal job.