Those of us who grew up in the 90s would have heard about the 5 Cs of Singapore. The term was used to describe the material aspirations some people in Singapore strive towards. The 5 Cs, then, refer to the following: car, cash, credit card, country club and condominium.
Yet, we could argue that these material aspirations would not be possible without a person first having a great job. After all, having a great job is the first step towards earning these material possessions (if that’s what makes a person happy).
But what exactly is the definition of a great job? Here are the 5 Cs that we believe define a great job.
#1 Cash
We hate to start this list with a material aspiration, but there is no denying the fact that earning enough cash in a job is important.
Being underpaid isn’t fun, even if it’s for a job that they are passionate about. A comfortable salary allows workers to care for their personal and family needs while providing enough to save and invest. If you are being paid like an intern, you could still do your job and enjoy it. But your joy would be short-lived because, ultimately, you would need to find a job that can support your family.
And if you are not getting paid for what you are doing, then all you have is a hobby rather than a job.
That said, cash has a decreasing marginal utility. This means that the more you earn, the less important money becomes. A job that pays $5,000 would certainly be more enticing than a job that pays $3,000. However, a job that pays $15,000 may seem only marginally more attractive than one that pays $13,000.
A Princeton study done in the USA reported that a salary of $75,000 annually ($6,250 per month) is the magic number. Beyond that amount, earning a higher salary does not translate any further to people being “happier.”
Read Also: Why Making Money Should Not Be A Life Goal
#2 Career
Earning enough cash is great, but what is equally important is working at a job you are passionate about.
What are the interests in your life? Do you enjoy writing, teaching, or working out complex problems? Alternatively, you might be interested in a topic such as economics, finance, history, or art. Think about job opportunities surrounding these areas that you are passionate about.
Every job will have its own set of challenges, such as long hours and difficult customers. If you have to face these challenges daily, it may as well be for something you are passionate about.
#3 Colleagues
For most jobs in Singapore, spending between 9 – 10 hours daily in the office is the norm, rather than the exception. Hence, it’s important for you to spend it with people that you enjoy working with.
Colleagues can potentially make your work a joy or a living nightmare. If you are part of a cohesive group of teammates who can motivate and help one another overcome problems, tackling difficult projects would be a goal you collectively seek to overcome. However, if you work with people you already dislike (or dislike you), even a simple issue can become a stressful and unenjoyable task.
This extends to your bosses as well. As the saying goes. “People don’t quit their jobs; they quit their bosses.”
Having a great boss is like striking the lottery. You didn’t do anything to deserve it, but you still reap the benefits.
#4 Company’s Advancement
Today’s generation of workers in Singapore takes company advancement very seriously. If you work hard and do your job well, you expect to be promoted and climb up the company’s career ladder. This is why most MNCs and SMEs in Singapore will have a career advancement programme in their company.
If a company does not have a career advancement programme, then it is simply training people for its competitors.
Career advancement opportunities give employees something to work towards in a company. An executive can strive to move up to a managerial position, while a manager can aim to become a director or business unit head. A well-charted career advancement programme clearly tells employees what they can expect from the company if they perform well and remain loyal.
#5 Control
In the working world, we are all adults with rights. While most of us work under someone else, it does not make us slaves to the person or company we work for.
Control and autonomy are important. Having the right work-life balance allows workers to enjoy the best of both worlds. They can focus on their job without feeling like they are neglecting other aspects of their lives. Also, most people wouldn’t want to be micromanaged daily by someone else.
People also want to have control, within reasonable limits, on when they can take well-deserved breaks. These may include taking time off for a holiday, working from home if required or even working from different offices or locations worldwide.
Our personal time is equally important as well. If we are required to do work after office hours, we want to be in control of that.
It’s Difficult To Find The Perfect Job
The 5 Cs highlighted is a simple framework on how we can evaluate the jobs we are currently in. Most of us are staying at our place of work for a reason, be it the money, the people, the work, the career progression or the flexibility it gives us.
A job that fulfils 3 of the above five areas can be considered good. If it ticks 4 of the above 5, you probably already have a great job. And if your current job ticks all 5 of the above five areas, you will likely already have the perfect job in life.
This article was first published on 26 August 2016 and has been updated.
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