Tips to Help You Make Your Job Meaningful

I had the pleasure of meeting Marie-Yolaine Eusebe, founder of Community2Community (a non-profit dedicated to rebuilding Haiti) recently and was thoroughly impressed with her drive and commitment to her job. As a career coach, I always enjoy learning more about how people transitioned into the careers they have, and Marie-Yolaine’s story struck me as most interesting. She had worked in corporate America with no non-profit management experience, but when the crisis in Haiti became front-page news, she quit her job and founded C2C. Quite brave and impressive!

I often work with clients who feel stuck in jobs that pay the bills, but that don’t make them “feel good’ about what they are doing. Most of us don’t have the means to leave our jobs and dive into work that would likely be more personally satisfying, but might leave us financially wanting.

Luckily, doing work for a meaningful cause does not have to be an “all or nothing” proposition. Many organizations offer opportunities for interested people to spend their vacation weeks, long weekends or summer holidays volunteering for their cause. Whether it is collecting donations, helping to build homes or providing professional expertise, there is always an organization looking for passionate volunteers—whether they can give one day or one year.

Corporations are becoming more and more conscious of this desire to “give back.” Many are involved in supporting non-profits and encourage their employees to be as well. Some even have paid “Volunteer Days” off, and offer incentives to employees that volunteer. For example, Ernst & Young’s Corporate Responsibility Fellows Program appeals to top performers looking for a way to give back to the world through work, while exploring a new country and culture. The Fellows program sends a highly select group to low-income countries for three months at full pay. They use their skills to work with promising local entrepreneurs at a critical point in their business — typically providing help they couldn’t otherwise afford — and help jump-start growth in these emerging markets.

If your company doesn’t have a formalized volunteer program, suggest one. Research has shown that encouraging employee volunteerism is a winning proposition. According to a United Healthcare Survey released in April 2010, employers who establish formal volunteering programs for their employees benefit in several important and distinct ways. From an employee perspective, current employees who volunteer through their workplace have a more positive feeling toward their employer and report a strengthened bond with co-workers.

For those who are ready to take the plunge into full-time work with “meaning,” check out www.encore.org, a wonderful organization geared to helping those looking for second-act careers that encompass passion and purpose. Though the organization focuses on those near retirement age, it is a valuable resource for career changers of all ages, providing useful information and resources for finding and transitioning into careers that give back.

The bottom line is: everyone has the opportunity to make a difference. Whether you are able to volunteer one hour, one month or one year, it is a proposition guaranteed to add meaning both to your life and to someone else’s. Just do it!

—Pamela Weinberg, Career Coach