“My Job Ticks All The Boxes, But I'm Still Not Happy. What Should I Do?”

What's your career history and current job?

I work as a Project Support Officer for a housing provider, helping to deliver business development projects and broaden our range of services for vulnerably housed families.

I've always worked in the housing sector, starting out as a lettings agent and then moving into charities about four years ago.

How do you feel about your work?

It's a weird feeling, and I'm not sure how to explain it without sounding really ungrateful!

I'm glad I'm doing something to help people who need support, and I'm good at the organisational side of my job. I get to use my skills every day.

My colleagues are very sweet people and although it's tough to deliver what we want to deliver sometimes, on the whole we do well at our work. I get to see the results of my work at the end of each project, so I feel like I've achieved something real.

On paper, my job ticks all the boxes, but I'm missing a sense of excitement and real drive.

It feels like I'm doing what's expected of me, rather than what really makes me happy. It feels mundane.

What would you like to be doing instead?

I'm not sure, and I don't know how to figure it out.

I have a few ideas – front-line support work, advocacy, things like that – but they're all just jobs I see other people in my company doing. I'm not sure they're actually based on anything deeper than that.

What's the biggest obstacle in your way?

Because my current job seems so appropriate for my skill-set and the things I think are important to me, I can't seem to come up with anything else.

I don't know if I need a total 180-degree spin, or if, actually, I'm in the right field already and I should get my thrills in my spare time!

Where do you start when you already seem to be at the finish line?

• Have you been in a similar situation, or are you in the same boat right now?
• How can she find what she's missing?
• Do you know anyone she could talk to?