Only 39 per cent of London workers feel fulfilled. Here’s how you can find job satisfaction in another city
How much do you really enjoy your job? Not just tolerate it, but feel genuinely happy and fulfilled in your career? If the answer is not much, perhaps it’s time to relocate.
LinkedIn’s Work Satisfaction Survey, released today, finds that only 39 per cent of Londoners are fulfilled at work, with the capital ranking joint ninth in the top 10 cities for job satisfaction across the country.
With over three quarters (79 per cent) of Londoners surveyed saying they’d be open to a new job if approached by a recruiter, and over half (59 per cent) even prepared to take a pay cut to be happier at work, maybe it’s time to up sticks and move to one of Britain’s more career-satisfied cities.
If you’re wondering where to head, Brighton is home to the UK’s happiest workers, with almost half (48 per cent) of professionals in the city feeling fulfilled. Glasgow and Leeds came in close second, with 45 per cent feeling satisfied in their jobs.
If you’re considering a relocation for a happier work life, here are my tips on making the move and finding the right job for you:
1) Prioritise
Before you start applying for jobs, work out what it is that you need to be happier at work. From the Londoners we surveyed, relationships with colleagues, feeling challenged, and doing work that positively impacts on others all ranked highly on the list of factors contributing to job satisfaction.
Make a checklist of your priorities, and work out which you’d be prepared to compromise on and any deal-breakers.
2) Do your research
Once you know what you’re looking for, it’s easier to research and shortlist the right opportunities for you. A company’s website and their LinkedIn page are great places to start to find out if their values match your own. But it’s also invaluable to look at what their current employees say about them online, to make sure that they practice what they preach.
3) Show that you’re open for business
If you’re looking to land a role in a new city, let your network know (even if you don’t want your current employer to).
We’ve just launched the Open Candidates feature on LinkedIn that allows you to signal to recruiters that you’re open to new job opportunities. It works like an on-off switch and means you can privately indicate which types of jobs you’re interested in and would like to hear more about.
4) Narrow your search
You can also use the jobs tab on your profile to look at jobs in specific regions and apply for them direct.
For example, there are over 4,500 live jobs on LinkedIn in the UK’s most fulfilled city, Brighton. You can easily set specific job search preferences so that you’re recommended roles that would be a perfect fit for you, both at the companies you want to work for and in the city of your choice.
5) Ask your network
Once you’ve identified companies that share your values, get in touch. Many employers will meet good candidates even when they don’t have a vacancy so don’t wait for a job to come up to drop them a line. Use LinkedIn to see if you have any connections in common who could help you get a foot in the door.
You can also use our industry or career specific LinkedIn groups, which will give you the opportunity to get advice or updates on new opportunities from people already working in your chosen city.