How to find meaningful work

Everyone wants to do work that is meaningful. But what does “meaningful work” mean?

Here’s one take from author Adam Smiley Poswolsky: “Meaningful work is about finding alignment between your unique gifts and the impact you want to have, in a way that supports your desired quality of life. That might mean starting your own business, or it may mean aligning your personal mission with an organization’s mission,” Poswolsky writes.

“Any job, however unfulfilling to you, might be incredibly meaningful to someone else,” he adds. “Don’t worry about whether your job or company is more meaningful than someone else’s — this is a fool’s errand — instead, discover what’s meaningful to you. Not what’s meaningful to your friends on Facebook, your parents, or your boss, but what’s meaningful to you.”

Conscious Lifestyle magazine offers an insightful list of things to keep in mind as you make your way toward that all-important determination, noting that “like anything in life, with the right knowledge and tools, anyone can be empowered to accomplish whatever it is they set their mind to.”

That’s a notion that Habitat for Humanity certainly embraces in our work, and here, the opportunities for doing meaningful work are plentiful. Each role with Habitat, whether paid or volunteer, is a way to help more families build and improve a place to call home. And that brings us all closer to our shared goal of a world where everyone has a decent place to live!

Consider these opportunities:

A career with Habitat

Every day, Habitat for Humanity employees know that what they do helps families build strength, stability and self-reliance. Whether at one of our 1,400 local Habitats in the U.S., our headquarters in Georgia, or in one of the 70 countries worldwide where we work, each employee truly makes a difference.

Habitat AmeriCorps

Habitat offers options for a year of service through Habitat’s AmeriCorps program. AmeriCorps members work in communities across the U.S. and serve full-time in leadership roles on active build sites or in local Habitat offices, assisting families, volunteers and staff.

Long-term volunteering

In communities around the world, dedicated volunteers advance Habitat’s mission and help provide safe, affordable housing. Long-term volunteers can immerse themselves in a new culture, seeing firsthand the impact that they make. Skills in construction and business are valuable because Habitat works to create lasting solutions to housing issues.

Short-term volunteering

A day, a week, a month — meaningful volunteer opportunities can be found in your community and abroad. Contacting Habitat locally to learn how to join local builds, taking one of our Global Village volunteers trips, or hitting the open with road with our RV Care-A-Vanners are just a few of the ways you can work alongside families building their homes and their futures. Or you may choose to support Habitat by volunteering at a Habitat Restore, joining Habitat Young Professionals or advocating on housing issues.

Whatever your skills, Habitat needs you. What meaning will you find in your work? Get involved with Habitat and find out today!