Workin’ It
Why do we work? Well, most of us wouldn’t work if we didn’t get paid. But then again, money can’t be the only reason why we work. We also want to feel valued, to feel like what we do means something.
Work wasn’t always like this. Before the Industrial Revolution, people didn’t have to think about whether or not their work was fulfilling — they were too busy tending to their farms and honing their crafts to create tangible results that helped them survive and proved their meaning every day. In fact, some say the only reason why people want to find meaning in their careers so badly today is because the Industrial Revolution’s soulless factories and monotonous assembly lines did such a good job of taking that meaning away.
So how do we find fulfillment in work? Research suggests that enjoying your work is about context. What kind of job you have is actually less important than how you think about that job. It turns out that everyone can find meaning and value in the work they do, independent of what that work is.
In this special section, we dive into the many different career opportunities that Santa Barbara offers. We outline how to go about finding meaningful work in Santa Barbara, from applying for a job to educational opportunities to figuring out what job is right for you to getting your foot in the door with some of the most successful industries in town.
- Resume & Interview Do’s and Dont’s: How to nail these critical steps to getting your next job.
- Educational Opportunities: Many people are going back to school. Should you?
- What Job Is Right for You?: Figure out your personality type to find your career calling.
- Who’s Hiring?: Big Employers: A look at Santa Barbara County’s top two employers.
- Who’s Hiring?: Tech Topia: Santa Barbara’s mini-techboom, aka Tech Topia, continues. Here’s where it might go.
- Who’s Hiring?: The Nonprofit Option: Santa Barbara boasts more nonprofits per capita than most places on the planet.
- Who’s Hiring? Food Service and Hospitality: It’s not hard to find work in this industry, which has the third most employees in the county.
- Good Gigs: Employee-Owned Businesses: Don’t just work for cash, work for equity.
- Good Gigs: Best Places to Work: How to work for three of the happiest places in Santa Barbara County.
- Good Gigs: Working for Yourself: Hate the office? Work from home, or at least from a more mellow shared space.
