New work by Patricia Chen and colleagues finds that job seekers don’t have to wait for the perfect job to achieve happiness at work. Rather, people can grow to love their jobs over time, at least those that are ‘develop theorists’ rather than ‘fit theorists.’ Chen thinks that ‘fit theorists’ – who subscribe to going after only those jobs that allow them to fulfill their passions – are much more common in Western cultures. ‘Develop theorist’ may be destined for easier career acclimation, says Chen, since they’re “more tolerant of difficulties integrating into new vocations.”

More about Chen says job fit, job happiness can be achieved over time >