To be satisfied with a job, you don't have to worry too much about finding a perfect fit for your interests because we know other things matter, too. As long as it's something you don't hate doing, you may find yourself very satisfied if you have a good supervisor, like your coworkers, and are treated fairly by your organization
Most people closing in on a high school or college degree, and even those casting their career fates without a diploma, at some point would take an assessment to find out how their interests relate to different jobs. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, The Occupational Information Network's "My Next Move" website averages over 1 million site visits per month.
A new report from the University of Houston reveals that your interest in an occupation does not matter as much as you might think when it comes to job satisfaction.
Researchers reviewed data from 65 years of research conducted between 1949 and 2016 on the link between interest fit and job satisfaction. They examined 105 studies with 39,602 participants.
The research also indicates that the relationship between interest fit and job performance is more critical than the link to satisfaction.
Being interested in your work seems more important for job performance and the downstream consequences of performing well, like raises or promotions.
In popular career guidance literature, it is widely assumed that interest fit is important for job satisfaction.
Source: University of Houston